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Rex Ventorum, 8 years ago.
— Let's see what we have here... An underground organization of supporters of the social-democratic movement. — Hector Pride merely shook his head while reading the report. — About three thousand people have signed their own death warrants. They should have realized long ago that the board of directors will not be ceremonious with them, and only death awaits them at the end of this path. — The Commander-in-Chief of the VSRV took no pleasure in killing laborers, but he always performed his duties one hundred percent—work is work; if he had pondered over the moral side of the Rex Ventorum board's orders or, conversely, been a maniacal sadist, he would not have achieved such a high position in the country's hierarchy. — Letizia, take a small but well-armed squad with you and go deal with the problem; the location of the violators has already been established. — The blonde merely nodded in response, immediately gathered her things, and left to carry out the mission. Next to catch his eye was the resume of an eighteen-year-old boy wishing to join the "Triarii" special forces unit—the best combat division in the country; even "VIMINACIVM" and "Augustus" could not compare with their metrics and effectiveness. Naturally, the VSRV commander viewed this resume skeptically; how could such a wet-behind-the-ears kid hope to get into an elite squad? Nevertheless, the further he read, the more serious his expression became (if such a thing were even possible). The lad had managed to serve two years in the ground forces and proved himself in the best way, not to mention his results on the test trials. — "He is either a genius or a man of astounding luck." — Pride concluded, deciding to reread the text once more.
The next day, Triarii headquarters
Calyx Bruno, the squad commander, was very surprised by the Commander-in-Chief's decision to enlist a green youth into their ranks, but he did not contradict the order. And yet, no matter how good his shape might be, work in special forces is far more dangerous and carries greater responsibility—both for the successful completion of the mission and for the lives of comrades. When Calyx found him at the designated spot, he was leaning against a wall and... listening to music?
— Hey! — Calyx gave the lad a smack on the back of the head.
— Ah, you must be who I'm waiting for. — The future special forces soldier replied, taking the headphones out of his ears. — I...
— I know who you are. Digital signature: 9 23-1-14-20 20-15 13-1-18-18-25 1 11-15-18-5-1-14 7-9-18-12, — Calyx spoke quickly but very clearly, — hailing from Lichnis (now part of Cohia), weight one hundred seventy-six pounds, height seventy-three inches. Recruit.
— You have a good memory, sir. — The recruit said with a casual smile. — Will I get one like that too? — He nodded toward the tattoo of a dagger and the inscription on the commander's forearm.
— If you earn it. Now be quiet. — For some reason, this youth caused irritation in Calyx.
— Yes, sir!
— I said be quie... Actually, never mind, follow me. — After some time, they arrived at the training hall. In one part were various trainers and devices for physical exercises, and in another was a ring for sparring. — Get in. — The commander ordered with a sinister grin.
-----
— So, you lost ten rounds out of ten to me and managed to hit me only six times. — The commander's face was as grim as a storm cloud. — Am I correct?
— Correct, sir... — The recruit felt slightly discouraged; the bruises all over his body didn't bother him, but losing, especially with such a score, was unpleasant.
— Don't worry, this result is better than everyone who stood in this ring before you. To tell the truth, it's surprising that you're still standing on your feet. — Calyx's face twisted into a benevolent but mocking smile. — You're accepted. But I have one remark regarding your behavior...
— My apologies, sir. I always behave this way when I'm nervous.
— Fine. Answer me a couple of questions. Why did you want to join us?
— Your squad is the best, and I decided that since I'm trying to reach for the sky, I might as well try to pluck the stars from it right away.
— Is that so... In general, what brought you to special forces?
— Money. Don't get me wrong, but in my view, in the modern world, money is a synonym for freedom and opportunity, and I want to see so many things, visit many places, do many things. And this kind of work is one of the few jobs where I feel at home. I don't see myself in other professions.
— Do you love to kill?
— I am indifferent to it.
— In what sense?
— I don't believe that what I want or don't want has any significance whatsoever. People die every day, perhaps even this very minute while we are talking. Someone is hit by a car, someone falls down the stairs and breaks their neck, and some live in poverty or are burdened by terrible diseases that prevent them from leading a normal existence. And for example, the national symbol of Rex Ventorum is the centipede. What will most people do when one crawls up their wall? Kill it without thinking. Similarly, we eat animals every day. Or, say, what would happen if our planet collided with some very large cosmic object? All of us humans would be gone. There would be no Kittypink with its immortal ruler and nuclear warheads, no Arcondia with its great culture. I want to say that...
— Alright, I get it. Don't continue. Last question: how do you spend your spare time?
— Mmm... Well, as you may have noticed, I love listening to music. I like all kinds. And I'm also into fiction, and I love writing myself. Not that anything worthwhile comes of it, but I enjoy the activity: I love traveling through worlds invented by other authors, but the opportunity to create something of my own and dive headfirst into it brings me immense pleasure.
— A very unusual hobby for a man of your profession. And what do you write about?
— About magical worlds, friendship and love, overcoming difficulties, miracles. In other words, nothing remarkable.
— Fine, let's go to the medical station.
— Umm, may I ask why?
— To get your tattoo, why else.
A year later
For the recruit, a year in the "Triarii" flew by unnoticed; it seemed to him that only yesterday he was serving in the regular VSRV troops, but today he would have his twenty-seventh sortie as part of the special forces unit—the board of directors is pursuing a very active and aggressive policy on the international arena, so rest is infrequent for them.
— Our target is the Kingdom of Burkhan, the "Calmian Pearl." — Calyx Bruno explained, or "Bear," as the squad members called him because of his huge mass and corresponding temperament. — Caton Marc Licinius has prepared everything necessary so that Rex Ventorum can use this country for its own purposes—organized and funded an armed rebellion, distributed weapons to various scu... I meant, freedom fighters, and also placed his people in the right spots.
— Well, if he's such a great guy, why are we being sent there? — The sniper nicknamed "Volo" was characterized by a grumpy and eternally dissatisfied temperament.
— It's all about the king. The old man locked himself in his palace and isn't giving us the chance to finish what was started. One might think that it shouldn't matter to us, but it's important to understand that the king is first and foremost a symbol. After some time, passions will cool, and if he is still breathing, people will follow him one way or another.
— But why then... — Volo wouldn't let it go, but Calyx interrupted him.
— We can't just bomb the place either: too many air defense systems. The king managed to arrange for the purchase of modern anti-aircraft weapons from his partners in Actea. Any more questions? No? Then let's go.
The special forces unit consisted of seven people: Bear, Volo, Letum (the recruit got this nickname because he had the highest number of "frags" in the entire squad since joining), Ignis (combat engineer), Arcus, Mercury (IT specialist), and Levis.
The Triarii deployed into Burkhan territory two hundred kilometers from the capital and their immediate target—the royal palace where the monarch had entrenched himself. A very difficult journey awaited the seven men: the deadly deserts of Burkhan were exclusively hostile to intruders, and the large amount of gear only worsened their situation.
A month later
The mission in Burkhan was a success: the king was killed, and all squad members survived and returned home safely. Now, having obtained a week of rest, they gathered together and decided to celebrate their victory over the sinister desert and its inhabitants. Only Calyx was missing; he had left for some important meeting.
— Still, I don't understand why you, Letum, are so... I don't know, strange. — This was Levis, a capital playboy. He was good-looking, wealthy, and seemed to always find common ground with the opposite sex. Or at least with ladies like those who didn't refuse to keep the brave warriors company and have fun with them tonight. As they found out in one of their many previous conversations, he joined the armed forces largely because he liked shooting moving targets. — I can understand why you refuse to drink with us, but why do you ignore all these beauties? — Letum always blushed when any of these ladies hinted at something indecent, but always declined such offers. — What are you, one of those?
— "Those"?
— Well yes, those.
— Mmm...
— I'm fucking asking, are you a fucking fag by any chance?
— Oh, certainly not! — The youngest member of the squad hurried to justify himself when he realized what was being discussed. — Of course not.
— So what's the deal then?
— Well... I don't know, I'm not acquainted with our... guests. To tell the truth, I don't even know their names.
Laughter echoed through the room. The whole squad laughed. The fun, however, was interrupted by Mercury, who had just returned from the next room.
— We have an emergency. Get ready.
— What happened?
— Remember those "social-democrats" who appeared a year ago? As it turns out, not all of them were killed back then. Now there are even more. Twenty minutes ago, members of this organization bombed the meeting place of VSRV officers during a meeting of the Commander-in-Chief and others. Bear is alive, but unable to go with us.
— What are we supposed to do?
— A large group of social-democrats has taken refuge in a small coastal town (now Sujhon) north of here. The board of directors decided to make it clear once and for all to the residents of the country what awaits them in case of disobedience... We must slaughter everyone who crosses our path, so that in the future no one thinks of sheltering criminals.
-----
After some forty minutes, the Triarii were no longer in the embrace of loose girls, but on the blood-stained streets of a ruined city. Almost all residents were dead and only a few remained alive, hiding from the eyes of the killers. Ignis patrolled the city in a helicopter, periodically firing rocket launchers and machine guns at residential buildings and large gatherings of people; Arcus, being aboard this helicopter, also used the stationary machine gun to shoot everyone who tried to run away. The others—Letum, Levis, Volo, and Mercury—were handling the cleanup on the ground.
— Opa, look what I found here, — Levis nodded to his comrades toward a small basement window—at least ten people were hiding there, maybe more. People looked at them with frightened eyes but tried to do nothing; without thinking for a second, Levis smashed the glass and threw in a grenade. And then another one—just in case. — I love my job! — he said contentedly when the screams died down.
— I don't like this, — Volo commented on the situation. — This isn't a military operation; it's just a massacre.
— What difference does it make? We'll just clear out the trash and fly back, the girls are already waiting. — Levis symbolically kicked one of the corpses with his foot.
— You're quite the scum, Levis. — Volo replied to him, — but such is our mission and there's little we can do unless we want to take their place. How about you, Letum? If you want, you don't have to continue participating in this; we'll finish it ourselves.
— I can handle it. — And what is he even talking about? Letum, as always, shot more targets than any other member of the squad. Unlike Levis, he took no pleasure in the process, but felt no remorse either. He didn't care; he was simply doing his job.
— Well alright, then let's finish this. One last place remains—the city school. Let's go there together.
-----
After the Triarii arrived at the school building, the walls of the institution were painted red, and the floors of many rooms and corridors were filled with the dead bodies of children and teachers. The last place remaining to be cleared was the gym—there they found members of a baseball club. None of them even tried to resist or run; they all accepted their death staring at the floor. When the Triarii were preparing to leave, Letum noticed some movement at the end of the hall and went to check. His perception did not deceive him—behind a pile of various school equipment hid a girl about fifteen or sixteen years old; she sat silently, hugging her knees and weeping soundlessly. As he had done many times before, Letum took her in the sights of his assault rifle and was about to fire, but decided not to. When she raised her head, a pair of blue eyes met dark ones. "How beautiful," he thought at the moment his finger refused to pull the trigger. He could not believe that such a charming and innocent girl would die simply because she happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He, of course, realized that he could have shot a dozen such girls today, but shooting people who are running away and being so close to your target are completely different things. Letum touched his index finger to his lips, ordering her to remain silent in this way, and returned to his comrades.
— What's up with you, Letum? — Volo wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.
— Nothing.
— Well then let's go.
The squad was preparing to leave the place, but Levis decided to return to where Letum had been. — Ha-ha, what do we have here. — Levis grabbed the girl by her hair and dragged her out to the others. He didn't kill her immediately; first, he wanted to hear from his comrade. — How do you explain this, Letum?
For a moment, the youngest member of the squad was speechless. — He probably didn't notice her. — Mercury explained for him.
— Most likely so. — Volo agreed. — Finish her off and let's just go.
— Stop! — burst from Letum's lips. He knew that Levis wouldn't hesitate, and he really did not want to allow this girl to perish. — Let her live.
— Do you know her? — the squad sniper inquired. — If so, then of course I can understand you, but...
— No, it's the first time I've seen her.
— What, have you completely lost your mind? — Levis laughed.
— How many have we already killed before this, Letum? — Volo seemed to lose patience. — Many. Just fucking many, that's how many! We need to finish the mission.
— That's the way it is. — Levis pointed the muzzle of his rifle at the last resident of the city, preparing to fire.
— Levis, please. Guys. — Letum looked for support in the eyes of his comrades but found none.
— Sorry, buddy, an order is an order. — Before Levis could fire, he fell to the ground with a new hole in his head. In the same way over the next few seconds went Volo, Ignis, Arcus, and Mercury—Letum shot them all faster than they could understand anything.
For some time, the traitor of the Triarii stood motionless staring at the ground. Then he took out the radio and contacted headquarters.
— Mission accomplished. We have losses: enemy resistance proved stronger than we thought.
A year and a half later
Two men stood by the graves of their combat comrades, silently remembering the past. After that tragic mission, Calyx Bruno retired; Letum was appointed as the new commander of the Triarii, but left the squad after a month when it became clear that the recruits did not meet his professional level. From now on, only "VIMINACIVM" and "Augustus" vied for first and second place; "Triarii" faded into the background.
— I heard you're working with the Commander-in-Chief now. — Calyx said when they stopped discussing the past and moved to conversations about the present and future. — And how do you like old man Pride?
— An excellent commander. Like you, only his sense of humor is worse.
— Yes, he has that trait. — Bruno replied, looking at his former subordinate with a kind smile. — Kid, I remember you on the day we met; how much healthier you've become since then! You've put on muscle and grown a bit in height. Although, of course, you're still far from me.
— I think now it would be you losing ten rounds to me, not the other way around. — This phrase caused light laughter from the participants of the conversation, although discomfort was felt in the speaker's words—Calyx Bruno loved all his subordinates and treated them as sons or brothers, and now he was visiting their graves together with the man who killed them all. For Letum, they had also managed to become close friends, but now he probably had no right to call them that. — And what do you do?
— I... Well, I don't really do anything in particular.
— Is that so. Any thoughts about starting a family?
...
After 32 hours
The University of the city of Vitis (after which the province was later named) was probably the most prestigious in the country, and only the wealthiest and smartest students studied there—fools were not kept here even with money. Hector Pride, Letizia, a former Triarius, as well as a dozen other soldiers were here today serving as security—one of the members of the board of directors was present at today's university event, and their task was to ensure that nothing bad happened to him. The Triarius carefully observed those present, more out of idle curiosity than necessity.
— This is Count Wissenwelt, owner of the university and our target. — Pride explained to him, pointing with a glance toward an elderly man delivering a speech. — Like many students and teachers, he comes from an aristocratic family.
— Oh, blue blood.
—... I am glad to congratulate this young mind, — Wissenwelt addressed the hall, but was speaking about the girl standing next to him. — Second place in the university's general standings is a great achievement.
Parents sent their children to the University of Vitis from a young age, and upon reaching sixteen, every student took a difficult test of knowledge and intelligence. For the last 80 years, the scoring system had practically not changed, and all results were placed in a general table—thus students competed not only with each other but also with those who had already died or graduated.
— Commander, do you know this cute girl?
— Han Yon Mi. Her grandfather became insanely wealthy by his fifties and moved to Vitis; the inheritance went to his son, then he and his wife died in a car accident. Thus, all that fortune passed into the hands of... How old was she then? Twelve, if I'm not mistaken.
— Is that so. — The Triarius looked at her with some longing; she reminded him too much of that insane day and all his killed comrades. — The reward seems worthy, but she looks somewhat dissatisfied.
— Not surprising. For ambitious and talented people, second place is like a slap in the face. Look at the list.
1. Lucius Cornelius Scipio: 1002 (5 years ago)
2. Han Yon Mi: 898 (today)
3. Julius Tiberius Quintus 850 (71 years ago)
4. Phebus Numerius Dall 846 (22 years ago)
...
15. Avitus Cecilius Flaccus (19 years ago)
...
— Hm. Well, with such a gap in results, I would be dissatisfied too. On the other hand, there isn't a single other female name on this list until the fourteenth place... Sir, may I ask? Why did you decide to handle this operation personally?
— Because Kittypink is involved in the recent terrorist attacks and I am absolutely sure that they will try to eliminate such an important person at such an open event. Agents of that country managed to penetrate Rex Ventorum territory and are now posing as those "social-democrats" whom your squad once put an end to. It's quite logical that they received great support from the laborers. But the real problem is not them, but specifically Kittypinkian soldiers—they are trained killing machines: it's impossible to negotiate with them, and impossible to intimidate them.
— So they have a lot of Letizias? — The Triarius tried to joke, but before the VSRV Commander-in-Chief could appreciate the joke, both of them, even before panic started, noticed how a man rising from his seat in the hall was shot. Letizia had fired, hidden with a sniper rifle in a convenient spot. "He was armed," she reported over the radio. But that was no longer important. Chaos followed.
Later
Wissenwelt was saved, however, not by the efforts of the wounded Triarius. He had been ordered to protect the "future of our country"—Lucius Cornelius Scipio and Han Yon Mi. The university owner told Pride to value the lives of these students above his own, so the Commander-in-Chief had to send his man to their rescue. In this rescue mission, the Triarius eliminated everyone who posed a threat and even took a bullet intended for Han Yon Mi or Lucius—thanks to his efforts, the boy and girl were safe and sound. Due to the wound received, the Triarius was entitled to leave, and it so happened that he spent it in the company of those for whom he had suffered. Han Yon Mi invited him and Lucius to her estate, where they spent a lot of time together.
"The writing style is very primitive," Lucius said, evaluating the Triarius's literary efforts, "And yet, the idea and plot are curious, and the characters are thought out quite well." — From the best student in the history of the country's most prestigious university, this was more than just praise. In one such literary discussion, Lucius subtly shifted the conversation to other topics, then asked: "Don't you think that this country needs changes?" The Triarius replied that he "didn't care"; after this answer they returned to discussing literature and that was the last time he saw Lucius—the boy did not come to these meetings anymore. And after a couple of weeks, he had to say goodbye to Han Yon Mi as well—his body had recovered from the wound, meaning it was time to return to work.
A couple of months later, same landing pad of Khramia, Quasardastan
Hector Pride and Letizia went for negotiations with the ruler of this country, while the Triarius and two of his new comrades stayed by the helicopter—they were a pilot and a former fighter of the "VIMINACIVM" special forces unit.
— Still, it's unusual. — The pilot was not characterized by bravery and looked at the local soldiers with some apprehension: they were only five in this anarchic country. — The board of directors has never formed alliances with other countries before.
— I assume the situation in the world is changing, or some idea has matured in their heads. — Atlas, the special forces soldier, suggested. In any case, it's not for our minds to worry about.
— Eh, if I were an absolute dictator in Rex Ventorum, I would have made the country much better immediately. — The pilot continued to reflect. — And I'd set up a harem for myself, just like those southern savages.
— Get rich, or even better—break into the board of directors, then you can do it. Rich people in our country can do whatever they wish.
While the others talked, the Triarius approached one of the Khramian guards and began to stare at him brazenly. "This one looks like a Burkhan" he thought, remembering his twenty-seventh sortie as part of the Triarii.
— Hey, buddy, — he said in Ventorum to the Quasardastan soldier, — you don't know our language? — The Quasardastanian answered nothing. Even if he knew the language, he likely didn't want to talk to a Ventorumite. — Pity. — The Triarius decided that upon returning home he would try to learn another language; currently he only knew his native one and couldn't even speak the international one.
Three years ago from today
The rule of the board of directors ended and Lucius Cornelius Scipio came to power—a young man from Vitis, founder and current leader of the Federative Republic of Rex Ventorum. Hector Pride went missing; various rumors reached them about Letizia, but her location also remained unknown. After that conversation at the cemetery, nothing was heard of Calyx Bruno until the day of the FRRV's founding, and after that he opened a small restaurant in Griffonia. The Triarius assumed that he probably helped Lucius implement his plan, although he had no real evidence, and Calyx himself denied such guesses. In general, who would have thought that this lad would displace the board of directors and become the leader of the country? Certainly not Pride's former subordinate. When Lucius came to power, like many other military men, a long prison sentence awaited him for numerous past war crimes; however, he was allowed to "clear his name" by working for the secret services of the Federative Republic "to maintain security in the country and the world." Now that his "debt to society" had been paid, the former Triarius traveled around the country, not knowing exactly what to do. He didn't want to return to military service at all. Now life led him to a cozy bar on the outskirts of Atlantis. He sat at the bar counter waiting for the drink he had ordered.
— Interesting tattoo, — noted a girl who had just entered and sat down next to him. The former Triarius was dressed in light jeans and a blue Hawaiian shirt—the sleeve was short, so the tattoo on his forearm was visible to all.
— This is... — He turned to answer her, but when their eyes met, the young man immediately forgot what he wanted to say. She was no less surprised. They had seen each other only once in their lives and so long ago, but they recognized each other instantly. The Triarius could not be mistaken: it was that same girl whom he had saved from death at the cost of his comrades' lives. She had grown up, her face had become more feminine, but her charm and beauty had not disappeared; they had only become stronger. For a long time, neither of them knew what to say.
Cohia, private apartments in the center of the provincial capital, a month after the creation of the empire
The room was dark, a pleasant aroma was felt and calm music played.
— Mm, what will we do if we are caught doing this? — The girl asked her lover while his lips kissed her naked body. — According to the empress's decree...
— It doesn't matter.
— What if they send us to Discordia?.. — She asked these questions, but it didn't seem that they truly worried her at this moment; now their whole world was limited only to the two of them.
— Then I will kill everyone who tries to separate us. — She knew about his past, and he did not hide who he was—a killer. How many people had he killed while serving in the VSRV, while serving in the Triarii, while working for the secret services of the federative republic? Too many to claim a normal life. She knew this, but she was indifferent: that massacre in her hometown left an imprint not only on him, but also on her. And since they met for the second time and fell in love with each other, other people ceased to exist for them. When the Rex Ventorum special forces soldier loved this girl, he saw meaning in his life for the first time and truly began to live. The past stopped mattering. He also abandoned his writing: he lived in paradise, so there was no longer any need for imagined worlds. They had seen so much together, visited so many beautiful places. And they still had so much more to do... Or, at least that's what they thought.
Two weeks later, unexpected death would claim the girl; she would be brought to a Cohian hospital already dead. Her lover beat his fists against the walls, kicked equipment, screamed and cried, but the partner of his heart would never return to life.
Epilogue
In an ordinary single room of a state hospital, it was quite comfortable, if such a word is even applicable to this kind of institution. A woman about thirty years old lay on the cot.
— You've lost weight. — Noted the young man entering the ward. — Who would have thought you'd end up like this. The commander would be saddened to see you like this.
— Why did you come?
— Tell me about what happened that day. Who shot Lucius?
— It was me, haven't you read the newspapers? — It pained him to see her like this. He had never tolerated hospitals, and after that incident he tried to stay as far away from them as possible. The woman sighed heavily and beckoned him closer, saying she would tell him if he fulfilled her request. She whispered her demand in his ear; he agreed. — It was a Sujhonite. I don't remember his name, but I saw him once: he met with the Commander-in-Chief. During the rule of the board of directors, he was their weapon and eliminated everyone who got in their way.
— And then?
— And then all information about him was destroyed. If the information I have is correct, after the creation of the FRRV, he began working as an independent killer, no longer reporting to anyone. There's not much to tell here: that evening we traded shots for a while, and then I decided to engage him in close combat. Well, you see where that led me. He survived, and I flew out the window. But truth be told, he might be dead. While we were dealing with each other, the consul shot him twice and wounded him seriously. — Remembering this, the woman laughed softly. — He shot poorly, but there was no fear in his eyes, and no hesitation in his hands. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the Suzhonets passed away somewhere from blood loss... Now, grant my request.
— Are you sure? — The woman nodded. — As you wish... Farewell. — He drew a pistol, shot her in the heart, closed the deceased's eyelids, and quietly departed.
---
The weather in Batia was magnificent, far better than at home. The culture here was very interesting, and the people colorful — everything so diverse and unusual! Empress Rex Ventorum arrived here on an unofficial visit — almost no one knew that she had left the country. Here she met with an old acquaintance — the same man who once saved her and Lucius from the stray bullets of Kittypinkian agents. They spoke relatively casually; Han Yon Mi spoke in a tone that was not as commanding as usual.
— May I ask your advice?
— You... Your Majesty need only command, and I will answer any question you have, my lady. — He replied with a slight smile on his face.
— I wish to hear your opinion as a friend, not a subject.
— I am not the kind of person one should ask for advice... But I will try to answer appropriately.
— Economy, army, international politics, national infrastructure — I thought through all these points even before ascending to the throne of the empire, but I still haven't decided how to handle social issues. If you start introducing new laws, people become gloomy and oppressed, but as soon as you treat them more kindly, everyone is suddenly dissatisfied with something and wants more "freedom." And my advisors... Damn them all. They all insisted in unison on the benefits of that project banning sex, and a month later, they were the ones saying that law enforcement agencies are unable to control compliance with this law, and overall, it causes great harm to people's health. I am at a loss.
— If you do not know what is best, then simply let people live as they wish; do not impose your opinion on personal matters, but also do not allow them to step beyond the boundaries of what you consider absolutely unacceptable. As for the rest... Do not let others' opinions drown out your inner voice.
Siverfale
Heroist
