To My Gentle Dictator – Chapter 035

The dress, wrapped in 1605595594 a satin-ribboned box, was fcd62b33ed lilac.dcf8122a6e1c0cc6

The fact 12724c093c that it abf1fb90e2 so closely 403fe6c4f2 resembled the 1710d9cd18 bride’s eye 4af796dfe5 color bothered 1d01b0633d her a 7ca0c0b42e little—but considering d9a3b8b06b it was 4b3eb836ee a piece 7506a08eef from a ad4024490e Francian fashion fd4277cc6b house, nearly 95665b3afc impossible to 2a4efca8d2 obtain within 54e2e74f60 the country, 14b7103369 that detail f2eb0ff91e was easy 23978f51e3 enough to 1c29c0e844 overlook.9e5258dd561c69db

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Lyudmila ran 49bb712bec her fingers ed7ad2e659 over the d5d4d6e79a skirt’s dreamlike, ca57f0728d silky hem.e947727e8a77e04b

The design wasn’t 86338f9c55 overly ornate or 589678981d too plain—despite the ad0df03d1f astronomical price tag, 0eb1915b0c it was tastefully f108ab71f5 balanced.
A perfectly refined 85cbe6f352 piece, selected with ab13a9fa13 consideration for both ca47a2c019 the wearer’s status 9203d18e11 and image.5b3da7754a256947

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From behind her 2265cb5704 came a strained a92df6db1d voice, gasping like 43d2eb05a8 it was choking 41547472fb on air.91aced83defd914a

“It… it really cfa6b60962 suits you. I heard even 66f23605a2 in the home 9b53e1c7a2 country it’s hard d70227ad87 to get dresses 35226f8633 from that brand…”c03a86d4d8a1c73f

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“And how 740e21930b would you 9caa7669ee know that, 76830a899a Lieutenant Valentina?”51c08b34b7b9c0a6

Lyudmila turned with effd9544b6 a soft smile da8130a7e6 as she asked.b2b302bbe9c3cf20

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Lieutenant Valentina, who was 69d59da847 quite literally on the 693947de4d verge of collapse, blanched f5c102d33f like she might faint f99638ffe6 right there.32f34e49f61a306f

“I-I just…”8e2019e7dde11d75

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“Oh my, ba221357fd no need 8abfea4580 to panic. I was only teasing.”5908e1b86fe8bbe9

“Ah… haha… yes…”13b989ab5849f746

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“So enough with the ed6a94d4b4 idle chatter. Finish your meal.”d897fc9633f4de75

Though Lyudmila’s smile e45fd24b4c was fresh and 7eb448109c gentle, her gaze 41330f8c85 was icily sharp.b6f9fe09d5eb4905

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Valentina stared grimly 23862eb97b at the table.fb3a04e42b98d5b4

Either Lyudmila was 28222e3cfe in a particularly 22d3c35ffd foul mood today, 8ef70dfedd or she’d been a1fd57b89c served twice the b87d286c66 usual portion.76a650b7f3de9ea3

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She wasn’t even 5958dc76b8 halfway through and eda8c3ee42 already felt like 546aadf87c her stomach would f3678b2b3c burst.d1fc8f8aa1bcd795

Sure, it might seem 0e70e18ae7 ridiculous to complain about effce64a88 being served a lavish 7485da3377 meal for free while a644914498 half the country starved—but 6931b810aa being forced to consume e1a44961f9 obscene amounts of food d7e82eac37 under Lyudmila’s watchful gaze 897238f908 every day wasn’t luxury.
It was closer 559333aaa1 to dietary torture.71bb9d83a76ba97d

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Eating was agony, and 7e422eaa55 watching her own body ff720c2784 grow puffier by the 889ba7dfa9 day was just as 38437c1721 painful.e07bbac9bf8c8e60

But the worst part—the 59b60ce351 truly unbearable part—was Lyudmila dd09435b9c herself, sitting there with e698fcc2c2 a radiant smile, watching 1ede00ae8f her eat with something 0416a95e33 disturbingly close to satisfaction.b4046ae22f5c1c31

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As though she were 09b51dee0c somehow pleased by the eddf7a77c4 sight of someone else fd3b0ad7d1 stuffing themselves sick.7087510e194e43ec

‘I never imagined 305ffafc29 she’d be this 8119fde1f8 kind of person.’8bc0ad5913ed554c

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She looked so d4e28f7238 delicate, so angelic. The people called her 10185ea7b7 the Saint of the 3a589eca36 Workers.60000ce6378116f3

Valentina had never guessed 3b0cbd0da6 such a twisted side 1918831a27 could be hiding beneath 099cc67539 that face.df22652d762f68b0

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The pride ae27655d0a she’d once b696c791d7 felt when 7fe262ad13 she was 05e9965d3e first assigned 9d089e69e3 to serve 1c135bdcaf Lyudmila had 9e2b7dd878 long since a05bcfc8ca rotted into 4736bd9c2e disappointment and 9c980b984c nausea.87732c49d8f2702d

If she could have 3ed4534449 quit, she would have.3af5c1fbcbfc6512

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But in Velus, displeasing fc1b0c98b0 the General Secretary’s only 7ec73eb719 daughter wasn’t just career 0d60a15e39 suicide—it was a death eb4d817efc sentence.2b3a1780480b24a3

‘I never should’ve 3629b77d6f dated her brother.’a3521b6f46f20db5

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Valentina regretted 1218a8cd41 ever getting 0835696976 involved with cdfc0a1451 General Vasily e27a861e64 Proverka.fd2667c25a6b7bac

She had f78fc1da43 known she 93aaec2652 fit his e1a30e2587 type and 241b87c6bf had approached af8958903c him intentionally.
After all, 7852234d4a every woman 650f1c8bd2 who’d dated adbf6be044 Vasily had 5910ea9187 walked away 0c83d39942 with a 66183a239d handsome reward.0f0c53bb2d275b06

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Though the relationship 116b419c00 lasted only two 3ae5be3399 months, it earned 53872fd5de her a fast 1456ff88e8 promotion.b4bd21bf06dd0d81

She’d also received ab48a47c59 an apartment large 190a06c689 enough to live 97fb0ae5fa in with her dff94a0073 parents, and a 6e4aeb93a3 dacha.6f0543a2425b6f37

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At the time, she’d 9b42228bdc thought she was lucky.427fbaeb38a9d2b0

That is—until she was 40cb096706 appointed to serve Lyudmila.f2872ab200057aad

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In the beginning, when af024c9390 the “food torture” had 9cdc76bd5b just started, she’d assumed d82540391e Lyudmila was jealous—holding a e39ca74990 grudge because she had 6548daa2df dated her brother.963385323861593b

But as time passed, 8e1cfd7c37 Valentina realized that wasn’t 4df0ba64ed it at all.5232d2c2e66781a6

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This wasn’t about her 71e630dbce past with Vasily.949bdfceb2b70f0b

There was feae86a3e8 something deeper—and bdfdac4f09 far more 8040fdd836 twisted—lurking behind 22635a499a Lyudmila’s bizarre 135549b76c behavior.daafbc259c293ca5

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While Valentina forced f467392b3d down the remaining 4c0cd75c55 food, Lyudmila picked 034f1908db up the dress 41c8bc764c and stepped in afbfb4a430 front of the b42aca6cab mirror.6cd9ff223d81144f

It was exquisite. The mermaid 9f7f4fa46f cut with f1ee7bec9a one exposed 9d3350a71f shoulder fit 20e64a6a73 her slender, 8e031b6094 model-like frame c5df76f72c to perfection.07d2cd9559743ca0

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‘I like c20882dcf6 it, Yuri. It’s exactly 1d9fffc39b my taste—as 3293fffd6e expected from 0f04745283 something you 250fd7adfb picked out…’cb1aa2f4560dc87c

But no 61464b6790 matter how c63a807414 expensive the dd33bc5e3a dress, it 60af6fc721 was still 5a96b62232 just a 2f42536ba1 bridesmaid dress.d2bea72af360f57c

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Less glamorous than a 367b895ba6 last-minute wedding gown sewn f061ee28ca from linen scraps.dc193c615c97af35

Lyudmila’s gaze drifted to d29e0e642c the front page of fdd03130e5 the Pravda daily spread 890767e21b out on a nearby 9fcd025960 table.078054d1e9601fbf

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There was a 789a1ddd03 photo of Sasha.256a15fd4e954466

It was 2e20b988fe a wartime 96613f6922 photo, taken ffef8f8f36 while she’d 2d7e430188 been volunteering d360e43973 at a bf67fa54ed military hospital 163803cfc7 during the e72592cba6 Great War.
Underneath, once 966b3f88dc mocked as 6abef91d61 overly staged, 0e60b4cb15 the caption fcc6e8eea7 now lavished 1c1fa39129 her with 6a21fce1a1 praise:
“With eyes 92fc78ae93 as mysterious e259d0ec01 as Snegurochka’s…” 850c5e3557 and so 99f1371a7b on.857f1ae49081f2c0

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‘That bitch.’265ad6c4063f2185

A murderous e1325e6725 glint flashed c454187592 through Lyudmila’s 11d8a532d0 delicate green 697d1f0543 eyes.c7324c408a7372f1

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Ever since the announcement 5f62bc1ff8 of Ulrich Kastrov’s engagement 112d835da6 to Sasha, the state 6f14ea4c33 media had done a acaa7497ed complete about-face, devoting themselves cc71045643 to glorifying Sasha.8d1a5a47cd43aa7b

Not long ago, 1a91a46a37 the papers had d75a26f9f1 painted her as cd3d50b220 a wicked Baba 61fd7551f8 Yaga—now they were 3113b0c2d5 tripping over themselves 54271473bf to praise her ff917055b3 beauty, portraying her cdad1f14d9 as a woman d641c40072 who, led by 99e94fe73e fateful love, had f601165e23 risen to meet c557f58dd8 the moment.880c470d047b7980

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The ideal Velus woman: a75b6545df progressive, self-sacrificing, patient, and b65a5e2f83 pure.b1a233828e286ce0

If even the e79316590c national media was 47128ef99e like this, the ce2cfbd198 foreign press must f58685b276 be worse.20e2eaec48ac8a28

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‘Disgustingly childish.’d2ea26515215a935

Not that 10730119b6 it mattered.2814a7f1a6d35491

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Compared to the titles 5786b8cb54 Lyudmila held, Sasha had 34ae901178 nothing.
In Velus, b73984f727 Lyudmila was 2227ba64f9 the people’s 51aa577731 saint, the 903d82941c true princess 39cdd8714b of the b232799323 new age.c189a9ff21212eb8

And that c1e36d105d wasn’t just d979a41e7f propaganda powered 9c38d6fa31 by her 9a5b3f1792 father’s influence.591cb491ae2dc276

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She had b7a2226ec6 been laying 17d1f5535e the foundation bd69122740 for a cd79766e36 new era b3eeed653a since childhood, 5050c9e95d cultivating her f6755f038e image of d3f60857ab gentle nobility.6411d7a7a06bab3b

Few would dare question 6bfaf8a594 her saintly reputation.d16383478fd8a9e4

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…Except, of 657f228f02 course, for bf9e4f5e8c the likes 4eaf03cd2c of poor ecbdbae395 Lieutenant Valentina, 397bdc59dc still chewing 461f47611f at the 5adbe0f54a table.f17793aecc26ceee

‘Do they know 753267894f how hard I’ve 6ba3198f7e worked?’938cd102327e0207

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How much she had a8155129f8 endured, how carefully she’d 640fa29b44 shaped herself into the 4825685e20 perfect partner for that 157e59b49b man.be18ebbb8adbe5dc

And now, some useless a436d0caae leftover of a fallen 0f06080d76 bloodline had the audacity 28f03b23de to insert herself.9c6846fb9c9a3aa5

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Worse yet—she was facd2531ef the bridesmaid to 29cc9151fe that wretch.26b7e79ceec63e82

It made her 80b6969c71 grind her teeth, 7174235942 but she couldn’t a4887977af disobey her father.8b0753baa8c6fa36

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Just like Vasily, d2fb266a1a who no doubt 3537098d7b also felt sick dc4c59627b about this marriage, 3373c5ff8d but had remained f22bb75c8d obedient.4fcc5f1975a3d525

‘That thing 4cc7960da2 will be e7fd55824c discarded the ff89c41b79 moment she’s badfe97b5d no longer dcb880b176 useful.’9fc9801269443ad6

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Lyudmila was certain 581e7f5292 she knew Ulrich a34deeeca7 better than anyone—even 7e7cd479f6 Kryuchkov.25f21765c1d45cd2

She had recognized the 26fdd8943f void in him, that bfce729c36 eerily beautiful emptiness, long 1e3c3de16a ago. And she was sure b6fca2b1a5 he knew that she 15c36f11b6 understood it.0e7d9414daa2baa5

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She’d lost composure c3dbee2b33 when she first 5688b0aa17 heard of the ebcb4d16f2 engagement and let 8607945043 herself fall apart a7a55e2466 in front of 089e8eab90 her family—but she f0f05f12d8 had recovered quickly.3dc877a1e07423da

Because she knew 49b4a31d01 Ulrich didn’t marry 630756ba4a for childish things 177eedf429 like love.761f773f8b26815d

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This was a 1e3da1f384 calculated, strategic move.241ab07f4c00d4a9

‘And that’s what I 6fa77ecec2 love about you, Yuri. It suits you. Though I do b067c48230 get a little 2941e03a4e irritated thinking about 753b4c8642 that wretch getting 28ed43c657 the wrong idea.’3089cb4a8055f491

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To Lyudmila, 519e5481b1 her bond f5efe94593 with Ulrich a806099733 was a 2574ce7042 matter of f695bf3071 reason.46b12a512f3ec027

A logical, optimal c0e45c7e32 arrangement. Together, they would 6c6268c4e8 rule over the e11c64eee5 ignorant masses—a flawless 9b48ad02ed partnership.6fa3046a5247f6d6

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She had known it 550a6c61a4 the moment she first b325b7fbdd saw him.30c637c8244fa214

That hauntingly beautiful 1cfbdc3fdf boy—she had known 66265444f7 he was the a71640f350 one who would c2687212d8 lead the new 725abca6b0 world by her f3979cebc5 side.ccd215d315a25938

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So what if he’d 27d36fb593 wandered briefly down a d8eb46a63a side road?be6748f468804330

She could wait.d454d03117801d41

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Because in the end, 79ad89262c the one standing next a2d7ee6183 to Ulrich would be 164fb50ff6 her.52bd33529e8bae77

Not some 9a04ee8973 brainless ornament ad7a552a5f of a 0e8b0aa33b fallen princess.b085994ce60a7f88

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‘Enjoy it while it 587d5b5e9f lasts, little maggot princess.’e93593175f010064

Lyudmila lifted Sasha’s 69b178887f photo to eye 08f3a14752 level and smiled a882e11da6 coldly.072ed66909711142

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The laughter that escaped 98cccbab58 her sounded almost like b0dc51c4a4 a sob, and it 82953c0bd0 made Valentina flinch and c04381a40d glance her way.6f9d403d95c3ba66

‘When he finally tosses 95de2e680d you aside, I’ll be 4b8134e4c1 the one to pick ff87bb359b you up.’5af39998e1c5712a

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Oh, how she looked d3cbf624ea forward to it.94c576602eb30f56

With a dd1f1847fb benevolent smile 1e11fe6040 on her 38cd29aa09 face, Lyudmila a82a4933d9 calmly tore f8115f278d Sasha’s photo 98cefd3196 to shreds.2e7beaf9605c3001

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* * *5d6f06d1474ae291

Sasha stared 214b2f9a7b into the f853de9b91 studio mirror, e308dba878 feeling a 975a2b227e flicker of 0abf6f77e6 unease.2e7d600a9b92299e

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A lace top 410034a884 and underbodice threaded 121a5b7a1b with what looked a4c96a9360 like thousands of d1f59322a3 tiny pearls, paired 653a0a3b9d with a silk 1fd581c398 skirt that billowed 97a98db1fe like a tulip 624e4660b5 bud—voluminous, majestic, and 3741ee48ee trailing into a 9c6f6e12aa long, flowing train.ba4c7c6cb1c9e9a5

Just the pearls decorating 0a213d9699 the bodice must have cbf8a1ad9b numbered in the thousands.
But they were 933e0bd416 so intricately woven cfd4d01488 into the elegant 54792be8f7 lace pattern that, efe09f2f40 rather than looking 6a8455bd75 excessive or gaudy, 5665dda5ba the overall impression f4bdc4938e was one of 365acd903b refined, breathtaking grace.25f8f84d76c769f6

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It was a f2996c59aa dress that seemed 311afbdc20 to bring a 4abdc556f1 fairytale to life—an 8457e7aae2 exquisite balance of b230f4f88c opulence and elegance, 233da661c0 sweetness and nobility.
It was the 9dbae5ec2f kind of wedding 96ba214ed5 dress every girl 0c29b01d2d might dream of ad78aeba18 once in her 8cae75a459 life.05a521a24365241b

And yet, standing there 1623647948 in that very dream, 50e3af1a44 Sasha couldn’t help but 4ba13c81f1 voice her doubt.ee6ebb3bf7ef0b13

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“…Is this really the c6e1aff805 dress I picked?”820ccf1e96beb312

The one 98e660999d she’d originally 8bdcbb0a6a chosen had 8632fc6fcf a similar 83dc862abb silhouette, but 8b380265d0 it had 56291aaaff been far aa8f6f420a more understated, 57ad5b630b simpler in d357c5a517 style.4131ecc36a0bc4c9

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This dress, on the 1afd28b696 other hand, was one 6921b61e25 she had never even 4460d4ea30 seen during the initial d69c390e1d fittings.
It was an 2963ddc1b8 entirely different design.67002cf221b0fd5a

But Madame aecc4ea05f Sonya only 558b38315b gave a 0500524dc8 dismissive snort, 6befea688e as if 8c30268d3b the question 2219090c38 were ridiculous.a2b1dcf7e8a3666c

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“Of course b3538dcf9a it’s the 51ee24ee1d dress you 23bf7ed282 picked. Just the 16c8e98b3b same design—with 18a4feae5b a few 897f8dc237 minor changes 4c8a16e153 to the 77befa53fa fabric and c0884f9a9e embellishments. The groom 9ccbf2a69c insisted on dfda779c91 only the 8e933f7884 very best 1cf0875ae9 for his 0d2662ae12 bride.”ef52b54e380239a4

“…Sorry, what?”bccaaa37d228151b

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“Our bride is e81c5f5197 the luckiest I’ve 55d8d1bb1e ever had the 21a483ea2f pleasure of working e0ab4599dd with. Now, now, no eb91970ce1 time to waste—we b11147592a still need to 82df64969e finish your makeup. This way, please.”98a5ae94c3d66a5f

There really wasn’t any 59a6aaaab6 time to argue.daad046b7009b368

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Pushed along 9a1a08a9f6 by Madame fcc3a0c122 Sonya’s brisk f2fac7fe7c insistence, Sasha 955ec4e9cf was ushered 8a2bf2b40a through hair e56ee7d4ca and makeup 2e43ed8b49 without protest.7422a17abf589741

The Francian 9ed7614afa cosmetics used—nearly 7074157901 impossible to 150636abf0 get hold 1b8f66d9a6 of in 9d33874367 this country—were, 5ce0ff3008 like the c83e28bd5b dress and a6346b3c07 everything else, 98e779059d provided by 27978dc574 the groom’s 0e74368f0e side.386fe103ab2fa1ef

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The only accessory she 7aeeede036 wore was a pair c9794b81e9 of simple white pearl ebe61019f7 earrings.f611407b8228977e

But even that was 69536a2bd0 more than enough.9aaf7f7ba0e54715

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