To My Gentle Dictator – Chapter 029

Contrary to 62deccae17 Sasha’s expectation 9f5fc87b25 that everything acd025510e would have 8c5467b72e changed completely, 284b74c151 the interior 057ad6efae of the 6f25c82815 Grand Palace 49bce95913 seemed largely fafd90f3b4 untouched.2b2ae8762d5b162c

Especially the 780a594804 reception room 2cdba7920f where she 736fdfe4be now sat—it 82069d2f1d was almost efd3ef0314 exactly as 131f0fe212 it had 7090bdea41 been back c62acf98bd when she 1f04ae329e and Leonid cc415e3b6a used to 685836ebde play hide-and-seek 4e5ede4b0c while waiting bdfdec7e43 to meet 9d285e3426 their father. Nothing had changed: the 648453b04f columns inlaid with lapis e2c031cfa0 lazuli, the smooth domed 716a0dfcd4 ceiling, the chandelier that 5e37bd75e7 glowed like a ring ffbed67d4d of burning gold, the ee1a99b9dc plush carpets. Even the 6ca31c89b8 mahogany table 9528f6fdbc where Leonid f05146e4dd had once 80b0033395 carved his e97a5bba87 initials into 074cc5df1e one of 587753035a the legs—only a1bce2a316 the tablecloth 8cd56cc58e was different; df2061086a everything else 4b2bf90b95 remained the 4540108bf3 same.ea6363a12772aba1

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From the heated samovar c178e7cf4c rose the sweet scent b0f2d63f8b of black tea.b7c0011294d88885

Sasha sat 54300509aa with proper 1faeaa7955 posture, dressed 3c00c1360f in an f50efc22f3 ivory two-piece 9ed6f60604 ensemble she ac134f462c had carefully 6d285671d8 chosen over 3d15d37402 the course ec46d9c940 of nearly c4692a57a5 two hours.bf7c9a398b7cfa27

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“You’ve grown.”db464ce7647ceb60

Kryuchkov, who had 8c53e14d88 been staring at ca421db8ca her with an b41bf602cf unreadable gaze, murmured 97d38dc297 in a flat 2da7ec7210 tone.db5786809a6e1887

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The eyes beneath his 2f480d1647 oily lids reminded her 22c2530641 of a snake coiled a0ac44472f and watching.860523a2178b9c20

He was the spitting 2cb55aee98 image of Vasily—anyone could fcfd432134 tell they were father db271151ea and son at a f1dbee610f glance. Yet, if c7444ae165 she had 03066850bc to compare 18244dae17 them, this 1637bb788d man exuded fbbd12787c an even ceefd532af more ruthless 2cd27c7ac7 air.52402c9d3a8a13b3

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Sasha, hiding her d71f6cac21 clammy palms beneath 3733e04f75 the table, forced a5fa0cf7a5 a gentle smile.9f3977d3aad3e5df

“Thank you.”c3c3b1fd5d10662d

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Though she 0e2e097315 had no 79297b9722 idea what 72473805e3 she was 52bd566ad4 thanking him 75e015fe8e for. Perhaps for sparing her 6add8d94c9 life, so that she b787b967ed could live and grow 70ea38f6af for the past three e6765dd38c years?b2634a779f4d8562

To say she wasn’t a399ff524f terrified would be a cb3c0f9949 lie.c341d0219fb8d097

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As the supreme leader 8472d9da72 of the current regime 4b536f470b and Vasily’s father, Kryuchkov 14456c6f2d was someone Sasha couldn’t 312b4c17f5 help but fear.c32e8179c4c50583

His consent to her 2f74dc83c7 marriage with Ulrich—and his 460805647b offer to walk her 6d8343fd20 down the aisle—was no f85760c172 doubt a calculated move f5b111fec6 for state propaganda.16efe9eb5bc99e59

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What he truly 2c50218060 thought of Sasha, 069fe65316 personally, remained a f0c328929b complete mystery.55fb3b1128267df2

‘If I 0c4ddc1877 mess up 350275f645 now, it 5abfa0c130 really is c32ac3577b the end.’0073428447703897

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Sasha couldn’t 79b365001f bear the f84e18ddf1 thought of 8c4e6f985e disappointing Ulrich 6ea9395215 again.24877ff92933c887

She couldn’t 6b99102015 squander the 9743b048f3 opportunities he’d f82fd4fa7a given her 5f9ba2e3ac because of cc895219fa her own d7f8b9953b foolishness, nor 073bd24f54 could she 7c5d2a0e75 drag Kiril 1a6d63bff6 back into 8a81a76c80 the mire.c73cf960a91ac7b0

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Even after steeling herself, 7bbf410f28 she agonized over one 312ea1bd21 thing:7370b1719c6023cf

What kind of 99a6af0875 person should she b1bff7c626 appear to be 0ac11540da in Kryuchkov’s eyes?d79d44af91c0f4c0

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‘Not that 4e8946d665 it matters b3113f430a anyway…’2ef9aaaf3ee84f6c

Even if 1b34ef30f1 Sasha had fd69cb9dec been the 788a822531 key whistleblower 4f73a6a256 who triggered 8dc71ba3f1 the military fd80f64f1d coup, no aa3e9c2dce one believed 13b100f6dd she did 572555a5bf it for 2dfccc8da1 ideology or e7ba13f965 some grand ba36b9c645 ideal.c73358c3b51e6b23

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Most people assumed the c435c1b3d9 foolish princess had simply c2e20bb6a9 fallen for Ulrich’s handsome ac29d71138 face and spilled everything.f531101b2aea435c

And that… c29682e017 wasn’t wrong.1f300fd88e053667

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Knowing how she 6db3d81987 was perceived, Sasha e14047ce10 figured it might fef1e4d3fc be better to 7eebf97c26 show herself just c272d89774 as she was, 25d620ce27 rather than feign c6c621f317 loyalty or patriotism.09fdc3b73ceed172

A woman ff6f51a5a6 raised in d1bdae9fcb luxurious captivity, fd2f032110 unable to 1b41d933bb adapt to ca27c76968 the turbulent 35e717c5f8 times, swept 88a4f7bc3d away by a452c05695 the tides cf960b2cb8 and barely 6199f11f83 surviving by 01a84dce4b submitting to f852fbc6ff the new b689b41523 regime—a woman 1685e88477 whose only a1beaac51c notable trait 152649be39 was being f9e0635103 attracted to bb768eac96 a handsome 2384f93935 man.8cb1689ebf5d1bce

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‘That’s who I am.’b6de12ca60c0a6a9

“The tea has a 4ecc2b0ab8 lovely aroma. Relax and 71b3864693 have a 1fdce449ee cup. After all, 5aaaeb7fbb you were 500419dccf once my e13fa133ab future daughter-in-law, 24f0d1b418 were you 133aecc021 not?”4ee30d201d542563

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Kryuchkov, speaking e4a808d679 in a 1ca369c75b seemingly generous 16f09d54cf tone, raised d22eaf041b his hand ae93c12937 as if c04e783c06 to lift 34cc665dc9 his teacup.e7c8fb0590147ab4

It was 542b028305 as if 95b19eca14 he had c7816e2c0e forgotten—or chose 37b3cec7bc to ignore—how f18540a7a8 their relationship 253058749e as future 0794678217 in-laws had 710399c440 come to 6e95e2a6ca a ruinous 064a6afe53 end.1cb29903bb7d6cfb

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Of course, 7cc69c3a5e it hadn’t 297715879b begun pleasantly 2f1c5bba6b either.fce3d0001b1c86f1

Under pressure 7964d37cea from the a1eab52505 Assembly at 07f7051c1f the time, b8088b1207 the imperial b3dbaf5607 family had 33e6d333bf agreed to 3b397f39af marry a a8979145fb princess into df80e6c31e a non-noble 286622673e family, and 5bf5812e5d they had 483affd972 made little 51cd08c9bd effort to 73053f02dc hide their aebdbf45fc disdain for 7276a61cf5 the match. People had mocked a7039f4320 the situation relentlessly, 0755088350 calling Kryuchkov a 51c882dc87 mafia boss masquerading 08e263b458 as a businessman b6bc75018e who had bought e8e5d637c9 himself a princess.e7b487f64d511357

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Perhaps he dba9363a0d was now f23299d152 bringing it 0b164d1ac1 up just 0636ed6f23 to taunt f5a10e185d her.f132441f9334bbc9

Sasha lowered her eyes 7ac8fb97e7 and, wearing a look b490387f93 of guilt, softly began b5a18d027d to speak.c1be2070541663b5

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“I’m sorry. Actually, about my brother… I’ve felt so ashamed to face you because of what happened…”cf390da6c9a336e9

“Boys grow cb7ab4cc01 up through b74cd51779 rough patches. That matter’s irrelevant; no 74c8112022 need to bring it 199103e6c5 up again.”1be9f52f6c38eaaf

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Kryuchkov’s stern 2cf0432be2 voice was 39797087fc laced with 4966d20ae7 annoyance. It wasn’t just 54def1af71 that he didn’t 10282b71e6 care—he clearly didn’t b20164da60 want to hear a53895a5e1 about it at 7985af060f all.d3bd7c71b2cc0acc

Considering how Vasily had e4aa91312b reacted to Kiril’s assault, adfea690d2 Kryuchkov’s dismissiveness was unexpected.1aa12cd0ea4c54f9

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‘The Supreme Commander 70add5f0c1 isn’t the type e3e6b659bf to fuss over fe5e44c70f his youngest son 6d7bf33eca getting roughed up 5910e4cca8 in a scuffle 86ed376edf with other boys.’176e893fb44afeca

It seemed Ulrich had 1160f231e0 been telling the truth 82a350ef49 when he’d said that.d635c2a283280c6e

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Still, to treat the fb2b719115 incident—an unprovoked assault on f1dc736335 his son—as something so 6fa6137010 trivial right in front 5d5cd62176 of the attacker’s family? That was astonishing.409d7649d330850d

As Sasha silently processed acd5eb872f her surprise, she wondered 92f3fe75f8 if Kryuchkov was testing 2b1cfcf34a her reaction, gauging her 83388fac2d posture and demeanor.7c45b16b61c5b0dc

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“Thank you so much, sir. For forgiving my brother… and above all, for granting your permission for my marriage.”1a4a9e1c012bda97

“You were always a296c2e7c4 afraid of Basha, 7c4cb40e50 even as a ef4d1ccd13 child. But never of me.”0d4c20246f6c7605

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Kryuchkov blew 018c4192cd gently on 33a80d849d the steaming f4d7140bdc tea before 2148171e72 him, then 5a75b7d9b8 spoke in b56756b22c a tone 48d4c49ebf that seemed f95c3d297a to come 79217af0a6 from nowhere.3df2a6b54d9a2aa7

“I arranged your engagement 50f4cf2904 to Basha, and placed be0d74806a Mila at your side c05ab96380 as a lady-in-waiting, but 57e20e7453 both of them used bd9cb49492 to grumble constantly about 67daadf045 how the princess never c5760dff69 opened her heart.”7c98acf35efef472

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Basha—Vasily’s nickname. Mila—Lyudmila’s.6629d4c9c6bec849

Was he now trying e803c7f449 to blame her for 180fa3ea35 those days?3232c7f39817120e

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Did the Proverka 6befd7a298 family intend to cec9e3b27d air all the 61843ba46c humiliation they felt 8fa762dbc4 at the hands d4c6a3f1fa of the imperial fbd93c6af0 family?829e45acda670f61

Sasha tried 077a2b2e81 to stay d07c8e2963 composed as dffa4732cc she studied 21b9d95835 his expression.ac474cbc04935953

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“Back then, I…”79217ef66e919b75

“Not sure if you remember. It was around the time the snow was melting. You approached me when I came to see your father and handed me a box of sweets. Told me it was from your birthday, and asked if I’d share it with you… Strange feeling, that. My own daughter never offered me anything like that.”7e1c448b6407c94d

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Kryuchkov’s eyes 2b561eda47 crinkled slightly 25ad7ca46d with a 0acc2c705c cryptic smile.dbe9fcbfb5becc0b

Sasha quietly watched him.a6b0b7360e5487d0

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It was a vague, c2903cec7c ambiguous story. Perhaps someone else c40f674ac6 might have taken 8229afe33e it differently. But to 36ced2e0c2 Sasha, it 554132b8ee didn’t feel 8315517276 like Kryuchkov ff69704b5c had found ad962c889e any meaning ad9bf76537 in that bf23a7a86b memory, or 37cadb34b4 that she 3822d777aa had left 3cb3fa31cf any special 05ae0bbfb4 impression on b2c4cdc623 him. Rather…
It simply sounded 919e06d7d7 like a story 4a122a85cd meant to highlight bd3726f0e3 himself.2ef6ab43d091273e

The atmosphere of 69475ba80e the imperial court c1373ce582 at the time. The tension f2a185d0a7 between haughty 3ebb263065 blue-bloods and 9fbff6e671 the rising be0f312c3c powers. And among da1cdbe6eb them, a 051fe71e05 young princess ed4fd374b0 who, despite c21b8abc7a the distance, b2076235a4 made a 2ec6b4b4de rare approach—toward a1d8a4fbad him.507915c175c5801b

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In truth, fc3351b5ab Sasha could 2c4300aa2c barely even 360f41ada1 remember the 019c20b480 event.68f91db390783ea6

If she had 5ce562ce46 done something that b1b59bd38d odd and impulsive 4dd96d8ff3 back then, it af76f21b6b must have been dea8aa5953 because she was 0c2dd2ba8f trying to avoid 4a720fdb1a someone.ddef8d85f77406f9

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Most likely, she’d f4198c8249 been trying to 6c15e85bde dodge a session 063f97cee4 with the new 6855dcaa24 palace physician.b662fab01e49eac3

“You’ve always 9cd49e5bd9 been kind 49908ab71d to me, 86eebc2c10 sir,” Sasha 977c19538f said humbly, 778011ca1a her eyes 2092c2d504 fixed on 313aaad443 the teacup 0dd377ad46 that was b4b031c9e1 identical to fa779aad8c the ones c2081798f2 her father 993e8f730d used to 431b24793c drink from.
“Even though I b014b577ab surely wasn’t someone e6bcbb8d88 you had much d446fc93c3 regard for. And now, you’re showing 4b6567c6c9 me such generosity again—it’s 21e655595e more than I deserve.”9069d346fe039c2a

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Kryuchkov stared at her 7e597cdd15 with that same unreadable d63e5142a5 gaze, then slurped his c62168b257 tea noisily.1d46f395f7de18ec

“What good e4059f356a does it ac7d66955d do to fbd91aa805 dwell on 2eef8d1aec the past?”125b321258bdf971

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For just a moment, 295a8a3756 a strange shadow seemed b1ad1e4023 to flicker in the c2ec155d31 corner of his cold e52f41aaff green eyes.438f58cb5a41c9b0

“Basha still a83d31899c acts like 2b72e90d13 Yura somehow b9ca17d64e stole you 74de3556fa away from 6e2288fed9 him using 32d6279a4f some underhanded 993917d979 trick, but… 288cdcec4b if you 352da226e3 lost, it’s 0c9f61021a because you 03770944ae weren’t worthy.”64f4d78ce5098949

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It was 87da34b63c impossible to 3d124d35bf tell if a36a678c02 he meant 5d59fa50c4 it or e434fab45d not. Sasha was momentarily speechless.73db25026108c1c3

Just then, the Director 252820499b of the NSS entered a48d7f0b38 the reception room.3ec44a31c92aaffc

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“Supreme Commander. Shura. I’m a bit 7f072eb95b late, it seems.”ce792af10cef5de3

His perfectly f7ed47d1f6 tailored uniform 824f9cef86 was crisp 4cb4538060 as a f2053eca5c blade, yet 84d6fa9d14 his soft f7dcabfce5 voice seemed 5195717727 to lift c92f7d2ff1 the weight e8185719ab in the 5b452b5865 air like f861691583 a change 68bafbb535 in melody. The late 8bb7aeb6af afternoon sunlight 1a744b801d filtered through e27b722171 the windows, 2173068c03 circled the 255dd35724 chandelier, and 531b22d39e settled like c492d18a0f a halo fb57905ef5 on his 8874201f6e platinum hair.a8a05b6717642e5a

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At the b29acf9c1b familiar sight 8ac8a6a0b9 of the 82c23a3b96 handsome man, 44515c43a4 both Kryuchkov 5dcca3a5ed and Sasha 4ddaff7833 visibly brightened.e93d51d4360ec9b3

“Oh, Yury. I was just 27968ce7bb about getting used 1e04cfb556 to your habit bc3771c349 of being late.”0c7686e67d87b5b8

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“Apologies. You’ve assigned 8245dbb844 me quite 461331c3bd a lot f356f09f8f of tasks.”012af0a1a9db2dfa

“If you’re late to fe87a7f79d the wedding, neither I ba39c83d45 nor your bride will 2cb36b7be4 be so forgiving.”76e1ee3ed34ff57a

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“That’s honestly frightening. By the way, d9d8d24737 you haven’t gone 771dc02fd1 and scared my ec82cfcda3 bride already, have 232f1b6bfe you?”a16ab5233c123fdc