To My Gentle Dictator – Chapter 022

It was unfortunate, 466874cec2 but once again, 8c3adaa682 the fact that 92ceebeab8 the opponent was 472e7eb0c9 Ulrich had completely bba32b501b thrown the game 3292d32ca3 off its tracks.324445ebf684420b

“Brother, this is just a joke, right? You and Ulrich are messing with me, aren’t you? If you admit it now, I’ll forgive you.”de47f30589e27460

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“When has that bastard ever played a prank just to tease you?”e2459cd40f71e3c0

Vasily exhaled smoke d5b577a36f indifferently, his tone 8793bddf6a flat.f884ab513381b1be

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

His sister’s incessant whining 72aeb8c1e1 was starting to get f4168877c8 on his nerves, but f61cee25a6 her reaction was natural.8d6112fbfc579c8c

She had been obsessed 4a5724e981 with Ulrich for so b690fe405e long that it would 063525a8cf have been strange if dd8c3d2914 she hadn’t lost her 9335214f98 mind over this.a73bff71785496ed

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Meanwhile, Vasily himself felt 0047f3e4af utterly detached.f174227de4cfc564

When someone is shocked 6d03593818 beyond belief, they either 76201855fc become eerily calm or e0d695155f lose their grip on 76d15ac0ec reality. Right now, Vasily was 809e88ee36 the former.7c643e68660d5c46

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

When did this 2c959001a6 start?c5da3322a9469dea

He thought back 89c3f38441 to the day cadde66073 Ulrich had staged e9d0326f72 his fake arrest.440ca93c75caf441

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He had sensed, even 75360937de then, that Ulrich was cd83e2c5f7 plotting something—but never, never 102e3b8b31 in his wildest imagination a8723b7bea had he thought it 60281357b3 would be this.72388e937f48d504

Because the Ulrich he 2afd533117 knew was a man 2217b60456 devoid of anything remotely f7b9c5871c resembling human emotion.46bccc3bec1d324f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

On the surface, he fc6a991d63 was convincing. But underneath? An abyss. A hollow shell cb02612310 of a man.9917bfac851b0a14

That was why Vasily b87d0b6b97 hadn’t expected this.4cf156b0f5c1486c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

To Ulrich, even relationships a8b06bf8e3 were just tools.c983091eb215d154

A marriage for 03e35923b2 calculated gain was 32d46c3b11 one thing—but out fd53e0afa5 of all the c6667795b7 available women with f80fbaf142 far better prospects, d17daa4862 why Sasha?ec40043bfb73ff69

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“This is insane! Why the hell is Ulrich marrying her?!”16e6d66daa62e738

“How the fuck should I know? Maybe he got curious about what a royal cunt tastes like!”a04a237596504c9a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Vasily’s voice exploded, 975ed3f1f7 and Lyudmila’s eyes 1eb8c38592 widened.a8842b81c392479c

For a f564fd4a49 moment, her d96b979188 delicate lips 3af4aeeb41 trembled, then 7ec6d48c86 curled into b9bafd4bdf a sneer.46a5dc519335bd5b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Oh? What’s this, brother? Don’t tell me you haven’t had a taste yourself?”e8cfe4d67d3a8c35

At that moment, the 33dbb3a230 door swung open, and 4d2a156311 Kryuchkov walked in.0fe737fea9f9e6e3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Vasily immediately f0f8f311ea got up 66b13d67e9 from his 102ee882fa chair, while d7c2a15bfe Lyudmila scampered 50321ef3ca toward their 7dcadd4c47 father.37ce085aa2194d21

“Father, look at this! What in the world—”37ccc93f230148ea

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Fix your face, Mila. Surely, you didn’t welcome our guests looking like this?”71590d9ecd7c24fd

Kryuchkov’s tone was 48fb5625af flat, unimpressed.188bad9c95c33b50

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Lyudmila hastily febeb86e78 wiped her 7af99389d6 eyes with 21f437805a the back 7e531ac594 of her f8c3ff74da hand and 5776047241 pressed on.a09791fca3c6f99d

“Father, you said you were going to marry me off to Ulrich! You told me to wait just a little longer—”b42d95e06d47e04d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I said I would approve if both of you agreed. When did I ever say I would force the marriage upon him? Do you take your father for a mere matchmaker?”11bf8d957eb85c0b

Clicking his tongue 10997faf51 in disapproval, Kryuchkov e76b939c2d strode to his da75653c2a desk and pulled ab59412590 open a drawer.3450a1632a8d8dde

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Tears welled ff3d69352c in Lyudmila’s dab87e52e1 eyes as fb275b2148 she stared ff9be3bff6 at her dd2e4da8fb father, her e696cd6555 pale lips ae0a119408 quivering.0d8dacacf3d78ae8

“Aren’t you even the slightest bit bothered that Ulrich is marrying her?”c388ffe1c9c902ed

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“A man is free to marry the woman he wants. What’s the big deal?”8eceefb5b0135f1d

“But Ulrich isn’t just some man! And she isn’t just some woman! She was supposed to be my brother’s fiancée! And she’s a remnant of the imperial family—the very thing you despise! And now that thing is marrying one of your most cherished men instead of me! Doesn’t that disgust you?!”eb3a071f5756a916

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“That’s right. Not even a little.”7258a0f97372b369

Kryuchkov replied flatly, flipping cf9cb3b8a3 through the papers he a541d78d6a had retrieved from the a4b452d925 drawer.4505d5dbd7e4c1c3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Why…?”9578c81d26244320

Lyudmila’s voice wavered. Her expression 0abfab611e was one a414c275e1 of utter d868b7d12b disbelief.8537a399b2bb1df1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“How can you say that, Father…?”76a98d9212310eb2

Kryuchkov finally looked up c8dcfac685 from his documents, fixing a71b4c1592 his gaze on his 070e6272b4 tearful daughter.3aa36fd5ee895cfd

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The same green cb14bafffb eyes he had 049fe1a969 passed down to c7a61800b8 his children now 96bee2ad73 glinted with sheer f9f68caec0 disappointment.e7000dadff242f37

“Because you lost.”f7aefab00221d437

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…”4379e3ffad640623

“Ulrich didn’t choose you. He chose her. You had everything—your father’s backing, wealth, power, the best prospects—and yet, you still lost to that girl. You should be hanging your head in shame, not throwing a childish tantrum.”401e4d418d2874ab

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Silence fell over 0d4cc5d127 the room.7915090db82afa02

Vasily, his expression a958d14d6f stony, glanced at 05f6d54625 his frozen sister cc870849aa before turning on 54909e0314 his heel and d6f6e0d838 walking out.4bffdc90ed517db3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

* * *5d135cf8b1287f70

From the evening 9c337b0529 she hooked pinkies 4b334bbdf1 with Ulrich, everything 241d65ad6d moved at an 91eaa67bb3 astonishing pace.4deba8f3858ed538

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

When Sasha signed the 8b967fd070 contract Ulrich had presented, 4359083d12 she silently vowed to 780f471a19 be a good wife 6b08982e86 for the next two 9445bec780 years—to not disappoint him.9c3cda76c8c565f4

The wedding 875838933d was set 2cfd111f52 for May, db77702f3c and as 8c57e7b4ad soon as 2225333221 Kiril completed 1510dca962 his entrance 45a17621c0 exam, he 6c32fc5a13 would move 6b68e91d71 into the 3dcf19c431 dormitory and f6646a47d9 prepare for cb6d7fc63b the new 1a0b2ec8fa semester.c09aeb74f1726018

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She wasn’t 18a52487a6 sure how 56fde2cefb Ulrich had 460aeee1f2 done it, 08a2479207 but everything 24554042e8 concerning Kiril 90d814e688 had been 0fffd8dbac settled swiftly e2af84ea78 and seamlessly.01288b11c6d3ed16

The wedding preparations, however, f191c16aa1 were a never-ending ordeal.007d3c40a124378a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

With only a short c346f7c47b time left until the 049bbcffbb ceremony, the woman in a04d14a91a charge—Madame Sonya—was relentless, her 1049725837 convictions unwavering to the e7de7ede7c point of ruthlessness.7bcd4c24c23af42f

“I can tell just by looking at your face. Design is important, yes, but what matters most is that the bride must fall in love with the dress at first sight. Otherwise, everything falls apart!”0458d13e832cd41b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Sasha had assumed 654e9fc0b0 choosing a wedding c58daa4e28 dress would be 04346763cf the easiest part. She had been adbd097f38 very wrong.12854120cc22e8e4

After trying 0371310d0e on eight c115908f49 dazzling white fa8255092d gowns and 43d7530762 four two-piece 7e7a2079f3 ensembles, she 70b465c8e8 finally sat 8590970746 down on 6ad1270e60 a stool 2b5e4f8b44 to catch 639498130a her breath. Her head was spinning.602f2e39e961a6b2

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Does it even e3237e97c0 matter if I 9cbd35a2d9 like it? It’s a fake wedding c5bce27dc4 anyway…9ed516312f500c66

Though, of course, bfd041a018 aside from the cbb9c4e8e6 two of them, 122e2aacce no one knew 88c6378eb9 that this marriage 3f152e35a9 would last only f10edd6da8 two years.9f781aa859a6c9b4

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Still, she didn’t quite understand what it meant to “fall in love at first sight” with a dress.83ad49381724a9d1

Truthfully, she had 471a3b082b liked all the 3aaf554139 ones she had d0fcc8b332 tried so far. But apparently, Madame Sonya c2b9a57636 didn’t think so.2c50bec6c476fc6b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Sasha would 1624fffb08 have asked 5ba3868321 for Ulrich’s 3dd34d7753 opinion, but d32b871bcc he was 9a87256490 a busy f3a85b3516 man.9f3fefd14fe52e32

Besides, hadn’t he brought c7bcdb945e Madame Sonya precisely so a06be6614c she could handle everything cf95d8ae7b on her own?eee589f704823c61

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Madame Sonya, who 65a36dbbc3 had been barking 5aecf133e0 crisp orders to e6874ffa3d the salon staff, 93741e4f9d turned her scrutinizing 848cdbce2b gaze on Sasha fb7021e899 with clear dissatisfaction.0fb0c1bc145c4931

“I’ve seen that look before. I keep telling you, even the smallest detail affects the bride’s psyche. Are you sure you don’t want to cut your hair?”a75e0833331359d7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…No.”82a2d4ece8450f65

Sasha clasped her hands 7ce20daf8a in her lap and 7fb02b6349 answered timidly.91500ca607f83c5a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Her black hair, now 573ca2c3de glossy and healthy again, 6c38a41efb cascaded down to her fde3d0d0c4 waist.964372c59f87a924

She had 5b350714ae trimmed it f073337247 a few a77aab817f days ago fadbc76842 at the 81fb34100b salon, along 8367965041 with her 8390436e3a nails, but f2579f0691 she hadn’t df97df8475 dared to 69567d7cfd cut it 11e73e0f77 as short 460f2f54b9 as Madame 999256def0 Sonya had 344215fc54 suggested—above her 898f5d2e21 shoulders.da46aa0ee21d0290

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It wasn’t that 7abfed342c she had any 2887a55ae7 deep attachment to deda973d38 her hair. She just 349b2c1dc3 preferred to fd3ec9767f keep it 2300655eaa long.118b85b677291d48

A stubborn 0cd6a6fbb1 habit, born c71b1582e6 from a 1e259602a2 childhood memory—her bed6591430 brother had 9f33af70e0 once told ef9a98ed3d her it 70406a824d was pretty.fdd521eff2eab7e4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Madame Sonya 7766438d75 clicked her 86cce456af tongue in e15bf34155 disapproval as cfbcd19856 she observed 43e1cc6f53 Sasha.9ab610967c28003e

Having worked in the 51a1d405ae wedding industry for decades, 150a04068e undeterred by the shifting aae6ef4ea7 tides of the nation, 794fd550e6 Madame Sonya cared little 7c9718289f for a bride’s social d4fa8bc5f7 status or background.872dc77dc1701420

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She had 000302491e one guiding 8314c42e79 principle:28d38880109ee36e

Even if she couldn’t 5c27e31f6b give every bride a 92b58f3e87 fairytale wedding, she would 29a04b45fe provide the best possible 9d8ab162b3 wedding within the given 9cf90c1470 budget.232aee0624b66b0b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

And to e66d995477 Madame Sonya, 08933770f1 this small, 69a0ba73a3 doll-like bride 93aa731638 was utterly 1f9a76ed92 ungrateful.3fa9f7736693aca3

The wedding 25310b8e58 venue was a15adaf001 none other fdd1c2408a than Kafka 5a619919d4 Cathedral—one of 42c525d87d St. Petersburg’s most b275a7a3b4 renowned landmarks.09ffa05eaee45715

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The cost of e9e95e0697 the dress and ca016e275d jewelry alone was 836ee4c4ed astronomical.7a0db293a8886fb2

In this day f2c2510de5 and age, hardly f7ca506d1c anyone could afford 456addffe0 such a luxurious fc2d052d37 wedding.83f9680cc68d2ed7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

On top of aa545e42ed that, there were c934a39771 rumors that a 9f70aacb59 new marriage law bc538201d8 was about to 3316c2e4c6 pass.d13ef996464ac03a

Soon, all couples in 4a8b40387b Velus would be required 453c5f6718 to forgo lavish ceremonies, db9539c062 completing their marriage with a37fb3bec9 nothing more than a 6a4b4e54a9 signature at a government 25b4d408e8 office.a5dac4726893fbde

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

In other words, Sasha 7b3c87cedf might very well be 1143e29a96 Madame Sonya’s final masterpiece.7b757a8a9a95c000

And that wasn’t even 4d7bb61df1 the most astonishing part.d8660f02e27de29a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The groom was Ulrich ab83f2d930 Kastrov.000c3a3896374a54

A man coveted 3209fbe59f not just by e2644eb50a young women, but b169e59fc8 by older women—and f6f7d6fea0 even some men.f929f21462bf4c3d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

And here 3d892b04c5 he was, f222fb268f pouring a 3cbf5ce59e fortune into b99b5ca63c this wedding.172c8f6212a3fa9a

Any other bride would 68f4961c8e be dancing with joy.98478544526d9fcd

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Yet this ungrateful little bb5bbdc22a thing sat there, acting 6df74f3afb like a lifeless doll.217508ac9bde00a4

She even looked 2e26389c2e like one.c6d6f2f7af564760

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

She never expressed 4b9c8f1b49 any preferences, never 1ccbb1c60c voiced an opinion—until c97f9d2a29 now.aa6a79c2edcbff3b

“Did they have a fight?” Madame Sonya wondered.b90fefff587c5ebb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

 052f1410fa90fcbd