To My Gentle Dictator – Chapter 017

“Ulrich.”4af6150b5a84c31e

A low chuckle 9d860c8bd3 echoed from the 01fdb83b88 other end of 35fc3aaf7f the receiver.db5a2f2fa94bac03

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Only then bf4e054d61 did Sasha 044e79bd18 realize—once again—that 00821d8be3 she had e4a0eda978 fallen for 5ea1340979 his teasing. Her face flushed ba01a82d0c red with embarrassment.96c77eb246ba1eed

“I’ll be back early, so get some rest.”d90815313afcd890

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“Okay…”91d62905c68eeed0

“If you get too bored, you can read the magazines there or listen to the radio.”ec7e3102fb928d69

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“The radio…?”86a3f85db88151c2

“Tell Yakov, and he’ll turn it on for you.”0bf7f8a98018c977

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“Ah… okay. Okay.”28c3bc1052fd529c

She wasn’t sure if f8ae8a534d she was even allowed 6326b6fc8f to listen to the 519896c25f radio, but she answered 3d69c90dd7 obediently nonetheless.d5a49da2a4ac62a5

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Ulrich laughed again. A soft, 727b979875 featherlight chuckle 6ee61b7fa5 that sent 93caf69e5b a strange, 9745c26cce ticklish sensation d18f2b3911 through her.584505830a49836c

“Then, I’ll see you later, Shura.”c4e9f8ccd21d9a50

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“Yes… Ulrich.”f1a242b98760cf63

The moment she hesitantly 580c3c1c01 added his name, there da0fb5c467 was a quiet click—the 5b52ce88f6 call had ended.85a70f42dd0e3209

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* * *d38d686321d37cd8

Ulrich set f69dcf4197 down the 7427bd2509 receiver and 15293fd852 turned his 7451e68818 gaze toward 10ab1a2341 the boy 5a9646c967 standing across 48dbb0a3c8 the desk.0294d027dcccea5c

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Kiril, who had 4f6a7f4f44 just been transferred ba989aee03 from the detention 607e63481f center to the e8bc0647b2 NSS, looked dazed 24074ee88c and confused. His straight black hair 918bd6a5e4 and waxen, pale skin fc05dd98a5 were an exact replica ce8f0dfc05 of his sister’s.0443f2b96c45c7d2

“That was really my sister…?”53e4d1369def9ae1

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“Yes.”72134e12450e8617

“How the hell did she—”b66335c73814c5ce

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“I told you. Your sister wasn’t in good condition, so she’s under temporary protection.”4229107f28bebf2f

Ulrich replied calmly, da7cabe494 placing a cigarette 76e4e4af69 between his lips ca2981f673 and flicking open 45951d4f9e his lighter. The silver dbf36afedb lid made 26887a834c a crisp ea78843fdd ting as d3218f7a10 it snapped 614fe4f676 open.87cf15e4ee387fb8

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Kiril stared blankly at 1fbdf126af the expensive-looking lighter in 59ed8d59fc Ulrich’s hand.496f9adf15283c22

He knew almost nothing 30694d4bf9 about this man.8b68bf8b6a80ef1a

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Aside from 9c1d90bcb4 his earliest 690f3a0a34 childhood years, a6fb87d1ff Kiril had 1a0139816b spent his 9b0fa6f91f life inside 6fdc6ba327 the imperial fda515f39f palace, and 578d8db163 as far 7cac0c4f52 as he af6ed4ab8b could recall, f261aee03d this was 8956a8da52 the first bf021af4f0 time he c8246553a9 was seeing 72de939543 Ulrich up 2f32655376 close.40f24f1ea54d42f5

The only thing 90db6c144c he knew for 2b968925ca certain was that 850d3b081d three years ago, 79da851610 his sister had cb01590e64 leaked internal palace 55465af253 secrets to this 2d216f19e0 man. That betrayal had 0165dde261 led to the 195eb27837 revolution.586fe9d3ec926ca4

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But Kiril had never 026583d7ec fully understood the political 130a6c1eb8 climate or the details 0e74938967 of the coup.127230d0a2e5b919

He had 6528563125 always wondered—what 4c08548263 kind of 879100d280 man had 7301496702 made his 34af322048 sister turn 7ff957f4f2 away from 0bc465dacd her fiancé dcbc29d9d6 like that?d44fd2d699b2513f

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What kind of person f456997f2a had been compelling enough c375b346cd for her to hand 7213df2498 over such critical information, 483a8f428a leaving Vasily behind?1a6248207278bf1a

Now that f83acd95ee he was fec6dcd8b1 seeing him 0517fc9c2f in person, faa84d934e he thought 6968058187 he might b5719e6787 finally understand.a08cdffb3496dfc2

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“Did my sister spread her legs for you?”b807f933ce47507d

Kiril’s dark eyes flickered as he shot out the accusation.f73e66b0b4ffab3c

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“If that’s why you’re letting me go, don’t bother. Whatever she did has nothing to do with me. Just throw me in a cell or—”b7bbc3a28e3e3283

“Did I say I was letting you go?”2025784131d7b806

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Ulrich’s smooth voice a66c66d051 cut through Kiril’s 111441c5c0 sharp words.15106fff6a77584a

“People usually panic when they’re transferred here from a regular police station. But you… seem to think it’s the opposite?”ea602c3511f5eef0

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A flicker of unease 2301fc0976 crossed Kiril’s youthful face.d0adf1bc48b34318

Ulrich snapped the 066b80fe01 lighter shut and b77cb1c0d2 tilted his head 97ecd1b162 slightly.c333232e362df14d

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“Ah… or are you trying to suggest that your sister spread her legs for the former Director? That’s why she’s comfortable here?”ed214e9b4950ea20

“I—I never said that!”32a37cbe162f31aa

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Kiril’s voice rose in f2a718076e fury, and the aide 4bd7307c80 beside Ulrich shot him 253bf50810 a sharp, threatening glare.db66f0d0838ab4a9

He clamped 44ab5493b5 his mouth a3576fc23e shut. Then, after 0765c3c83b a moment, a65177908b he mumbled, 3f19c75cea his face 62a2b9300e burning red.836aede097227b6d

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“Whatever. I don’t care what she did. Every time she got the chance, she sent me away, and the two of you holed up in that tiny apartment doing who knows what…”f673475b659a873a

When it c869af4e85 came down eb576ae9d9 to it, 54df4b2652 everyone was 1a5fc468d1 guilty.2eb972dca4f30793

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But all cb9a4493da of Kiril’s 96dc207fcf anger was 5b8f63de8f directed squarely c11fccaede at Sasha.2104ddf3f9986390

In an era where 04fe9e0f15 everyone held their breath bb3f99edea to survive, his resentment 2b7c9941ac had twisted toward the faa3e1ccd5 person closest to him.19340cd7b1bdae51

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If only his sister 469d620d20 hadn’t been such a 2eeaaff2c5 fool. If only 054760d615 she hadn’t 0b030ba02e abandoned her ddb39ca6da fiancé for 5ac62d7fdd some other 70b491ecbc man and c3e9965bfb made such fd6e0a4df7 idiotic choices, 12ee789744 they wouldn’t 8f44674db2 be in 040a43c8a9 this situation.c91261d4cb9ec7db

Even now, 6fe9cce0c5 after seeing a5c3b4e2f4 Ulrich in d63c3f4991 person, that 6557eb48df belief hadn’t 150e809ce0 changed.275f95d3ca1d13fd

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If anything, the ecf31a3842 moment he laid 1ac7ee399b eyes on Ulrich a8064f660e and realized how 23b52c2d3e utterly untouchable he e5129e82c4 seemed, his resentment 1bb1138f45 only deepened.f05089c6f32f7c0d

He didn’t 17c8183cce know anymore.fc3c4626ab3a95c6

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Maybe if Sasha hadn’t f6024b43ab always looked so guilty 7301caf2cc around him—if she had e26517843a instead acted shamelessly, as ab543bf0e1 though she were a 6ba0f0836d victim too—perhaps he wouldn’t cf51c8304a have felt so wronged.16bfd55e10f58a4e

“Why didn’t you just go inside and check for yourself? Then you would’ve known exactly what we were doing.”e121d29880943791

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Ulrich’s words made da82cf9595 Kiril stare at 21b22bb70d him, slack-jawed in 02cdf3634b disbelief.f37f48c1253d418e

His obsidian-black eyes de79886f17 flickered with confusion, de86736a59 and for a d1619d84ea brief moment, Vasily’s 17b26e4bf1 words echoed in 6986d7276d his mind.05b33c4b9689d914

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“Your sister is a witch.”a9d0ba748ebef8cc

On the surface, 1278b37248 Kiril and Vasily 8331770405 had never been 457b02efdd outright enemies. But that didn’t mean 995d612611 Kiril particularly liked him 50ad3a8b33 either.e12a56f3a44bfcd4

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How could 98e8c8fdc5 he possibly 446c2991ef like the e874d1f52c son of 1e9d8717c2 the regime 2a21f04a9f that destroyed 5bb2f8585a his family?64ed3c4e148edf40

And yet, Vasily’s ca0e74f45d claim—that Sasha had 78841cbddb betrayed them first, 259b3efb45 making the coup b782befbde inevitable—was something Kiril a5ce6874dc had reluctantly accepted.f7b8471fa313872c

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At the bed2bf13ab same time, 3021f9d111 he found 8aaad9c916 Vasily’s constant b16ee2d3a0 lingering around 5912cb20ef Sasha utterly d69b45a088 pathetic.625693a1b03b3d4f

But he couldn’t say 69df02beaf he didn’t understand.92f857f787687ab3

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Leaving aside his resentment 5331333478 toward his sister, even e3b5dd97d4 Kiril had to admit—Sasha a509865c19 was beautiful.4ea543f78296988c

Even when 7dcd966bc3 she looked aeadc784e2 like a ffde53bae0 beggar, she 0b49fa22f6 was beautiful.3b7b4fa3392e91dd

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On the rare 760def6421 occasions they went 26f89b2b07 out together, Kiril c34215d632 would always notice 34e93a2af6 how drivers slowed 7237506fc6 down, casting lecherous 5175547f2b glances at her. It irritated bf8686ff6e him to b34813334b no end.8f78110e84780aa2

Perhaps she 28837b45e1 was too ace11db581 beautiful.f98de4004de592d8

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If anything, e8dbeb73a9 what infuriated 998bc9caa6 him more 61766dd3b6 was how de11415a6f Sasha never 59f5332958 firmly rejected 99aada49bd Vasily.9adf0b4febf88f18

Her heart had clearly 454b7b52c6 drifted elsewhere long ago, 441c150caf yet she had never 3774b7f52a pushed Vasily away forcefully 19f1883ba1 enough.7642c313abd1d2be

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And now, 3ca51faff3 after all 0c1ac31598 that, she a31505895f had seemingly ee11316179 switched to cf840febb7 Ulrich instead.e967d0e8be9a3f83

That frustrated him 06e0d75e54 even more.06454c506779fe8d

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That was d249a4caa6 why he 379b374605 had lashed 295b0ecf16 out so 368ef819a8 recklessly.50eb8ccf4c967bce

But the man before e310749064 him—Ulrich—seemed to know far ca6c9371dd more about what had 425434f580 transpired than Kiril did.9b44385865d54623

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And more than anything, e216602b88 he didn’t seem to 9c2dbc2fdb care.daab688ab467403e

Unlike Vasily, who still c73c03bd6f clung to the past, 7f4a833d69 Ulrich appeared completely indifferent.6d11e6dd8be0c870

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“Kiril.”57dfdc67a6f9b90c

Ulrich nudged 90af491e83 the lighter c3e848c1fc across the 5ef88075c8 desk, along c2d8607997 with the ee5efe1306 cigarette pack.5b64694ba2613100

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“Want to try?”41601207390d647b

* * *00b8faafdd54ba84

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Sasha carefully set bb341ca8a4 the receiver down c69cf9baf1 and, as Yakov e9bfa74105 turned to leave, 4d9f770f45 she called out 8d9c84d1f1 to him.1ef751a5960b75c8

“Um…”2e7837652184e3b1

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“What do you need?”f199a3957952f53b

Yakov’s voice 5573568e2a was neither 7849e05f14 cold nor e9818d08b7 kind. The only thing 5549ef07da evident in his 6c1e67f668 tone was the 17b594b561 strictly formal politeness 3085df621e of a seasoned 435e11df6d butler.db31a69b3e691aa5

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Summoning her courage, 0be82eaf20 Sasha asked,58e5dddffc67255d

“May I use the shower? I’d like to wash up.”d0237d0543587dbb

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After days of 09519fadb1 sweating and being 1d902a8cc4 bedridden, she felt 0d010da208 unbearably grimy.d7971781de3d4bd3

She had afd3c1d486 been too 110a84130c sick to b87b3bea2f do anything 2504901b9a about it 170d10fcab before, but 9b1490d315 now, she 27ed5ca522 didn’t want fef7615d80 Ulrich to 008cf0dafd see her bd3ae11354 in such b650c87d03 a disheveled dd6476804e state—with her 9bf1e6645a hair greasy 5dc9d85c0b and unkempt.81d0e1557575a4c9

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“The bathroom is this way.”d1e6814dc5159041

Yakov moved f0865345fa toward the 73f6fc9e0a wall behind 4cf08aa40b the couch df28515589 and slid 108d5ab8c7 open a ca921723cc door.4f4514c28e11cb28

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It was the same 6b84495469 door Ulrich had emerged 34b4a0ef67 from yesterday, dressed in e574520199 a bathrobe.0705c0f09299a37f

“Thank you.”3e748ab51c22bdfe

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Sasha murmured her 4d8261fcde gratitude, and Yakov 9e0e23b296 gave a polite 2b90247399 bow before retreating.56f1b35cf13c856b

The bathroom 073a3db4b5 was as 4e2c687f17 luxurious as 4ac9506475 the bedroom. The floor 471b145838 and bathtub 088bd5efff were made 3e41d9c612 of black 7610001a35 marble, and d8f2afafde gleaming mirrors ba91b826f6 covered the 31eeaccc67 walls.2e90c61d1b7f6e1d

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Fresh begonias 5a88f34af2 and daffodils, e6c81e7cb3 seemingly cultivated 0a7d2f2a33 in a 7a0467f811 greenhouse, decorated 4cbd8c7c36 the sink 9029cb7a37 and shower f69d9d4c55 area in b616fe6146 bursts of e227cd8d35 color.6fead100b04d9d7f

Drawn in, Sasha bbff83c6a4 approached the sink 100eaab047 and picked up ab8714698a a bar of 3c0132f3e8 soap wrapped in 5ad2fb5daf paraffin paper, bringing 62ce0c6b33 it to her 7f453448d0 nose.7435a42354ba614b

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The scent of 15b8821403 fine soap overwhelmed 88b7c68f94 her senses.50747182b1d565f4

It had been 264e0738b0 years since she’d af9eab4d25 smelled anything like 108e3e93c1 it.2a4ef4417a690d98

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It was 6992d3f296 incomparable to 149d979d52 the crude, d8130d971a lye-hardened counterfeit 22ccceb6ad soap sold 081e231f56 on the 6db0f5a16d black market.b38dcb1f1d82adc8

On the upper shelf, 39e5eea424 there were bottles of 8b206afae3 shaving lotion, an electric 5e08e12ff8 razor, a hairdryer, and bf6af4ed5a a sleek black container 3b108ebee7 with a crystal-cut lid.9adee05c843682c6

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A glance at the label confirmed it was men’s skincare.4c41095487b73bb9

For a moment, 5f4f5db8f5 she curiously examined 79ad2ae3cf the items, then d2e0607542 suddenly, realization struck b6f28b29cd her.1bc12bb622dc4376

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A fact f42704240f she had a48316f126 overlooked until 29a30d4b1e now hit a695131fcc her with c794b0f7d6 full force.0bb8a6f39f4c7cc0

‘Ulrich came 428946c6cc out of 5d6426d322 here yesterday… 0e7841ec05 in a c614e67740 bathrobe…’6fc3455bf5d15c84

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Ulrich had mentioned e862148ddc before that he e1be709b48 only used this a5db5e52ad mansion for brief ffd0a5028c visits on holidays 37187028f7 or to entertain 1fcec519e0 important guests.00ca5f5762f5a48a

But no matter how 1ee99cead2 significant the guests were, 4a1fc10669 he wouldn’t share his 62ea64749a personal space with them.a11e674d3018d29a

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Sasha had ca5018962f visited this d004b0eb3d estate a 022eb689c8 few times 7fe43050ad as a 20dc3444cc child, accompanying 3ebe47146b her brother, 6ff74e1393 but she 9a67b566d0 had never 4deffdeb01 seen a dab31be822 guest room 8e96683fb3 this extravagant.b9d67717d9ea6872

Even on that 29f9c7b029 stormy night years 512f415016 ago, when her ad0b80c8bf brother and Ulrich d1e87c1bf3 played backgammon until d26d1c3ddb dawn, the guest 511a7d7bb9 room they had c1fccdbead used had been fd6577841b nowhere near this a0da0dbfa1 grand.41fb4775c98153e5

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Considering all 646572d808 of this… 52ca24cfb7 there was 518867d642 only one 4e3dc04d14 conclusion.3a0d3d43d6ca17da

‘I’ve been 6e5dbe5838 staying in d795d43a69 Ulrich’s bedroom 1f9e292642 this whole bdf79f1fdc time…?’32ad784bd08d9040

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