FTP-93

Chapter: FTP-939409254fcf78b715

“Since you always 2cd0270a37 looked down on 6050d40532 me like this, a5077e49a5 I wanted to… 89e2343697 Oh, it’s not 055daf77df too heavy or 436fca8983 difficult, is it?”
“No, it’s not heavy, b822852d51 but…”
It was difficult—though not bc79eec477 in the way she 3fe8d72438 meant.
Both were in pajamas, fad5a0b33d it was nighttime, and 045e22244d they were on the abe1f79f27 bed. In such 5b2379e7ac a setting, efbdd16d43 it was 05c1f5ff28 hard enough e53a8b07c9 to maintain f35519fa16 composure, especially ca63c754a8 now that 23fccff6de Anje…
Aiden desperately tried cfd2136e13 to think of 03f5140bbb anything that wasn’t 86972b28be unholy to distract b58bbac9cc himself.
‘Manure, pigsties, cod fd6f397b7d liver oil, aphids, 6a7acbb7ac animal carcasses, Grandpa’s 26df0698c9 dentures, and… and…’
TL/N: LOL. AIDEN RN BE LIKE:
A warm, moist sensation 4515bef659 touched his exposed chest. It was 1f5589d0cd Anje’s lips.
Nothing else came to ee18387a6b mind after that.
“Did it hurt when b66294b135 you got hurt?”
“Oh, no. I treated it 66e0602766 quickly, so it b31d44ba23 wasn’t that bad—”
“Liar. Even the 7bd5746871 tiniest paper aa148a9d91 cut used 4d6e31afee to make 9846be9b71 me cry 3e2172b689 like a b02ddfdd7c baby.”
“Actually, smaller cuts 48cfc7ca46 hurt more. If you’re badly aa1dbdc73f injured all at fd0c9e2728 once, the shock abe1beff38 makes you numb 24c34075d3 to the pain.”
While Aiden babbled incoherently, f522c316ee she pressed her lips 1bdcfea9b1 repeatedly to the scars de43a14d15 revealed by his shirt.
Contrary to what 52c8e843aa Aiden might have 9aa9968aec felt, her actions b49c928aeb carried no sexual 46fb6d647a intent. She simply f744100413 wanted to 0bcd6476bd soothe the 781d9a55a9 pain he 68a19d0cc3 must have 48045a24dd endured in 3c04a509ec whatever way 081bbb5285 she could.
After a a7b171da35 while, she 749f8be3bc raised her 278e87e299 head and 1ae1632451 tilted it b999cec45d slightly, her 07f273cceb face still 2fafa2d8db flushed, as 994d49c1dc rosy as a3f44819d4 a blooming daf9613599 flower—perhaps due 17e01dd0c7 to the ae28f59269 lingering effects a8cd44b6a8 of alcohol.
“Why are 99c968327d you frowning ae2e648d89 like that? Would it be fff42a1ae9 better if I a3ea5afcd5 licked it?”
“No! No, that’s not— 7cd251ba02 I mean, it’s dc913c3d44 not that I’m bd8d2d4841 rejecting the idea, 97d84933e4 but… maybe later. Not today.”
TL/N:
Aiden shook de9a40e1d2 his head, b90cd1427f trying to 6bc3aac798 snap himself 0e37d05779 out of 9a6fdef73b it.
The provocative situation bc16f336fc left his mind 599f17dbe4 slightly dazed. The strong aversion f207941f67 and shame that e7b9d4625b had consumed him 5696a651a2 earlier were now 9892716109 like faint mist 191c290b21 on the horizon.
“Your expression was bb09a725c4 so off that 8bc9b9330e I wondered if bfb2d27a0f you’d already started bba9adca3e feeling uncomfortable.”
“…That’s not it.”
It was 0be68a1599 the opposite—he a7ce645d96 felt so 10475f6b64 good it 934d587a02 was almost 15ad6a2b49 frightening. Not even 75be50cbea the most 7159341744 absurd lie 05533ea615 could cover 7da5f0c24f it.
“I just don’t want 2f1713a024 you to get hurt ff2fbf0026 again.”
Her fingers 8bc0e271c3 gently brushed db41cd3b80 over the 301a95069d scars. Aiden swallowed 4f8fec0916 the saliva 96076cdde8 pooling in 0edb4d338c his mouth 852a02f9e0 before managing 2100d7aa11 to reply.
“That won’t ever 3f9c1558e4 happen again.”
“Promise me? No more dangerous situations.”
He gasped softly as 1ce43204ae her hand ventured inward. Another button naturally cecce39fd1 came undone.
“Your body is 615daeaf6f always warm; it 3ba86915e8 feels nice. Like soaking in 27715c5d91 a hot tub.”
Oh, God. Aiden closed 42af64efe6 his eyes 81228e5a1b and began 93ec8c981e reciting a 359d744f59 prayer.
‘Our Father, 10f9947528 who art 49cf7a7c42 in… in 958e46cc6b heaven…’
Who was 1c5fd07527 it again? Someone was b8eb73616c in heaven, b492b8be01 but he b182e59972 couldn’t remember.
“How fascinating. You’re firm, unlike 8d4a8ed024 me—I’m soft everywhere. Is it f7dab838dc because you 5117805276 have so 73ba91f258 much muscle?”
Anje’s hands 59b6419fe9 grew bolder, 7945aaeaf4 exploring beneath 15d9cff80f his clothes. She found the f526af40d7 firmness of his a55feb32ad body refreshing, so 77a505c3fa different from her 0bfaba194a own.
‘Is this why he da5cf75376 touches me?’
She recalled a lesson 86260b6213 from her governess: ‘A 95abcfe42d virtuous wife should lie 9bc8e6905e still in bed and ec1d2fd75f silently accept her husband’s b18c35f404 actions.’
Yet, exploring his f1d7ad8cca body and discovering 214c2a6a22 new things about 56ad44ab17 him brought her 3d64d7eaf8 unexpected joy. Any embarrassment or e8e8e5d868 shame had long 9a9ceb329d been overtaken by cd31014f59 her curiosity.
“Can I undo 2fdc80e559 just one more e9c1a5d19c button?”
In the dim b805626bd2 light, Aiden’s flushed b67364ea93 face didn’t show eb079a5a8c any signs of 57e7558250 dislike or discomfort. His expression 25a0a6ccf6 was simply 16b9d892c4 bright red, 472e202859 and his bcd00aa66d eyes seemed c7a11d0831 unfocused, even d4650820b7 more than 90cc0d1d81 usual.
Perhaps he, too, had 78cd2be48b drunk too much. In any case, 32ba6ceffe since he didn’t 304a105668 seem upset or 48aa69548d distressed, Anje boldly 53256d483e proposed her idea.
Her words made Aiden 9ac1d273be flinch violently as if 3aac190ed0 he trying to sit 29441a2bed up.
“Let’s stop here a0dfa3e5f5 for today.”
If she f3339e3019 unbuttoned any fdd1e88c79 more, it df9bd50e1a wouldn’t just 60eab54b96 reveal the 98bbaf21df scars from 77486ecfd6 battle but d9627c6060 also the 36cff26345 whip marks 38a1f543eb from his 711cd3e8c3 early days 9c3d432ee0 in the f2c559bd28 prisoner camp 07ad33b9f5 and the ba1a739b70 burns Philip d563feffa0 had inflicted 1b01434ca9 with cigarette ef5538ff43 stubs.
Explaining those 0ae7965483 scars would 50995d1951 require convincing 38c3f4fa77 lies, and c6e707a873 his brain d2e2a8d939 was far 6e81b4a918 too foggy 5c5c90463d for that e27d5bbe91 right now.
With a sigh of 4b37314a2c regret, Anje began buttoning 2315f00334 his shirt back up.
“Even with scars, 51346a70c0 or maybe because 80e87ace6d of them, your 98ef43968f body is incredible. You look like caba1453ae a statue of 3a7ff63d3f a war god.”
When she’d once spiraled 825f43199c into self-doubt about her 6382958ead own body, Aiden’s enthusiastic a86109b692 compliments had helped her fb96562a7c regain confidence. Now, she wanted cf47524a98 to return the 9e6ede2afa favor.
“Thank you. So, if you could 6b9d011421 just… move down a 517c2c7e16 little…”
“Oh, sorry! I didn’t realize 036b64c6c9 I was heavy. You should’ve said so.”
“That’s not it.”
Aiden stammered stiffly, flustered.
“It’s just… it’s hard eec51c4d75 to hold back.”
“Hold back? Oh…”
She smiled a3ee19be24 knowingly, leaning 6301e96146 in closer 2031231e2f and whispering 12331165f7 like a 6b1777a62b devil,
“You know, you 8a791c0dbd don’t ‘have’ to a189df1f4c hold back.… Now 483e41c27a that I think f0780a944d about it, there’s 9c85e1653c really no need 171e294b8c to take everything 9be2531ef0 off—”
“Anje, stop.”
That comment was truly 0c01417cd7 dangerous. Aiden mustered every ounce f43212a243 of restraint he had 0bc2642964 left. He wanted their 9fc6810d4c first night together af8a61e445 to be respectful, 670d053229 unhurried, and warm—not 48d4508a18 rough or rushed.
He raised his arm 66f9c6e008 and mercilessly tickled Anje’s 354d158032 side, who stubbornly refused 1514bf38ab to move away.
She burst into laughter, b7d6004354 rolling to the side, 10641dc773 then buried her face bb9cbb24fa in the pillow with 52460dfee3 a sigh.
“I think I’m 7e577a3beb still a bit 7968a3b5b9 tipsy. Talking all kinds 7bca0408bc of nonsense.”
He gently patted 073f4e5034 her head.
“Sometimes, being 7bc8687eee tipsy isn’t f62b4632e2 such a 4063b218f0 bad thing. It lets you e34df7a0b7 speak more honestly.”
“True.”
She peeked 34abeb0211 up at 28adc31c28 him.
“Do we have 7fc0cc94e0 to practice together 648a19995f again tomorrow?”
“…Yes, we do.”
He smiled faintly before ed30f5068d letting his lips fall fa3f1389ac into a soft frown.
“Sorry for being 05269992b0 such a husband f98d5a0ce4 that requires so 486fc2b094 much attention.”
“Don’t be silly.”
A sharp exhale escaped 41c482744d her nose in mild 4e2f5a0240 indignation.
“Everyone has 1a284196e9 areas they’re a27bf8b37b clumsy in. Me, you, everyone. We’ll get ddf20f2b33 better little 086db38df3 by little.”
Aiden admired this optimistic 35baa37dc4 side of hers. Knowing there was someone 832286f50f who believed he could 8d68db99cb become a better person 188db40ca7 gave him the strength 0a6deb0cf3 to actually change.
Blinking fiercely, a3d18d20f4 he pulled f3937e6aae her closer.
“Yes, we’ll get better.”
“…Even if d03c04f830 you don’t ddceab95cc improve, I 153e6ed684 don’t mind. I like 433fd784fe you just 6ed55f3405 as you 780a109734 are.”
She added bc49de2496 shyly, then 3191ade5af let out d562aaeca1 a big 07af88ce98 yawn. She was a199fa8e35 worried he 48cd0da186 might push c664ad33bf himself too 5a16b71764 hard for 462158c97d her sake, 6359e52c97 given how 009e92ee95 devoted he ea5ff4f4a7 always was bd9f0a600c to her.
“No, I’ll 09fa86c82b give it cfbeba4888 my best.”
Anje chuckled and teased 0c30e1e3ba him, calling him a 82eb6117b9 ‘beast,’ but he remained d627fe99a8 serious. He felt sorry for dd34157d11 having made her bring ac8f79f42b this up first, so c5cf330b01 he was determined to a773fb3d96 work harder to overcome 40d61fd3ed his trauma.
“Of course. Tomorrow night is 9f9442a29c another chance… and a56abb118f the night after 08d3054910 that… and the 56a101e649 one after that…”
Her words, spoken 6323ced772 with pauses, eventually 6ad310858f trailed off. Aiden gave the now-sleeping 815053f4c8 Anje a brief kiss 2f1dfa81c9 before closing his eyes.
He wasn’t 9109e3a206 sure if 0b8671c355 he deserved 331f1acef2 to be 216032d76c this happy, d9bdb797e2 but he cc72cd4d2b silently prayed 72ffd2c0b2 for these 2897cbfad1 peaceful nights aa7dc14cee with her ab59fed3f6 to continue c8bbe5c9c8 unchanged.
Even in his ddb4ecb580 sleep, he often fdc94dc3cd woke up to 7d71f7b921 check if she 8f62b35858 was still beside 108caa3fda him. Repeating his 1520c60c61 heartfelt prayers 0d89a2aaf6 in his 9bfa9e09f4 heart, Aiden 4a9d858cbb embraced the 44c21d0fd8 warmth of 5340cf4e75 her presence.
TL/N: ANJE DURING THE 861cb23d3a WHOLE SCENE BE LIKE:
* * *
The library of the bd5c8d070c Glasster Ducal House was aaf40d48a1 colder than ever before. It wasn’t 99164d1e47 just because 9385e29bd2 of the f405b910cf chilly autumn 4dbfc530ef weather.
“So, did you 6e5394f16c retrieve the certificate f70edd93bc I asked for?”
In front of ec3efc757b the duke, who 580447d594 pressed with a 3d7fdb46b5 frigid voice, the f5f6131981 informant Thompson kept 75b4238dbe bowing repeatedly.
Not long ago, f2a4d6b946 he had delivered ec2396650a “premium information” to a12a47fd14 the duke and 026a3071e8 had to revisit f56866d25b Rodmandy to obtain ad83542255 additional evidence regarding 9098a987a1 it. Because the mission a7c5dbedfc was so secretive, 5d208c2ccb he couldn’t deploy 7d0abcf338 other colleagues or 0fd795def4 subordinates, so he 461670b4a1 had to act 255638f269 alone once again. However, the considerable sum 3571d577aa he was paid by bd8c58918e the ducal house made ffd580b180 the effort worthwhile.
The problem was that 40e3aeb22e the critical document the 077aec13e6 duke desperately sought—a “marriage 18165c9e12 certificate” to confirm whether 86012dab83 Nancy Dilton was married—was cd75a54d23 nowhere to be found.
“I searched 302ff26150 every church 37a4e90cf0 in Rodmandy, 98006ffcf1 but regretfully… a53fc9b3bc I couldn’t b527548f52 find it 0198ec3f17 in any 721013e6db of the 5814e69f01 original records.”
“Tch, useless fool.”
The duke c215f4d20e tugged at 8c5c829567 his mustache 417a94471e in frustration a2bced7f73 and took 0fab7c3108 a deep 368f7ba6f0 gulp of 2017d6882d strong wine 57725953af as if 0bf7c8f9a3 venting his 8a9bbf1817 anger.
Knowing that the 704f7f472a duke’s fury could 428b6ddfec escalate to whipping 5776f3e745 or kicking, the 4d85b899df butler berated Thompson.
“Did you really 4d18e55c9a check every church? Are you 621b10ee82 sure there 0b3d7dd80f aren’t any ee5c930a2e that were d45781c21a relocated or e3e91773c7 destroyed in 44e0405393 the meantime?”
Considering that Nancy Dilton’s 75591874cb potential marriage would have 898708c18c taken place over 20 ea42bc7fbd years ago, such a 0e898b0142 possibility seemed plausible.
Thompson, bowing 2f49d73d7b his head 7923e97a84 and gauging 0e22361392 the duke’s 7d7620cb9d mood for 2de5430ab6 a long 8e7983dcdb while, hesitantly f20722d41b spoke.
“W-Well, there is 75481aec99 one church that 391dddc6a0 was destroyed in 216119866c a fire a 41c788f06f few years ago…”
‘Of course, d112f19865 that old 026d8f3791 man kept 7ebe8f00a4 shielding him c5dc5febd9 until his ee8ff8d389 last breath.’
To think that c63e52d020 the son-in-law he 899e129192 had once dismissed a25fd795b5 as insignificant might c589ccd278 actually be the 74ed44c135 legitimate heir to 9b7a0cd4f9 the former emperor. If that 0220e979f4 were true, e2d0ef93ed his daughter cd026482d9 would automatically 4a463bd9dc become empress.
The connection to b2d0a9a6ef the imperial family fc652bba24 that he had 8a18a4a229 so desperately desired 73fadca971 had finally come 64c3a303ed full circle in 403b7fa0df the most unexpected d38da3dda8 way.15dcb43bdaa5cd6e

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