KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF

"NOONIM, I have a question," Yvo said as he stopped playing with Gypsy's hair. He honestly didn't know why he suddenly touched his fake sister's hair without permission. Thank goodness he immediately caught himself. "What kind of protection did Count Woolsey offer that you made a fake allegiance to him?"

"Oh," Gypsy said, then she beamed. "The servants in the villa treated me well after I made the fake contract with Count Woolsey."

[Treated her well? Does it mean even the servants abused her?]

He clenched his hands.

"Young Master Yvo, don't be surprised, but…"

His fake sister trailed off, then she looked around as if she was making sure no one was around. Then, much to his surprise, Gypsy placed her arms on the table and leaned over.

[So close…]

Since he was also leaning over, the distance between him and his fake sister was close. But it would be awkward if he suddenly backed away, so he just remained still.

[Ah, she really smells nice.]

"Young Master Yvo, the head butler of the villa, is actually a person working for Count Woolsey."

[Even her breath smells nice.]

"Young Master Yvo?"

"What?"

She put her hands on either side of her mouth before she whispered. "I just said that Fabian, the head butler, is working for Count Woolsey. He's a spy. After I agree to work with the count, the servants treated me well under the head butler's command."

"Ah, I already know that."

Her eyes went wide. "Really?"

[A sheep. Miss Gypsy looks like a sheep.]

"Then why haven't you removed him from his position yet?"

"I don't see the need to do so," he said honestly. "Moreover, I know Noonim is aware you currently have more power in the household than I do. After all, I'm just the grand duke's illegitimate son."

Moreover, Fabian was the head butler only in the villa. The villa belonged to the late grand duchess, so he didn't care about it or the people working for it. Even if Fabian worked for Count Woolsey, it wouldn't make a dent in his plans.

[My target is the main mansion and its people.]

"Hmm… I guess Fabian isn't that much of a threat," his fake sister said. "Moreover, even if you remove him, I'm sure Count Woolsey would just plant another mole."

Ohh.

[Noonim might be a wolf in sheep's clothing.]

"Why?" his fake sister asked innocently. "Why are you looking at me like that, Young Master Yvo?"

"Nothing, Noonim," he said, then he stood up. His hand, for some annoying reason, was itching to touch his fake sister again. "I'll go ahead."

"Wait, Young Master Yvo," she said as she stood up, then she blocked his way. "Aren't you going to listen to the conditions to gain full control of the contract first?"

"I'll listen to it after I think about Noonim's offer first."

"Oh," she said, her shoulders slumped in disappointment. "I see…"

He felt a tug at his heart when he saw the disappointment in her eyes.

Before he knew it, his damned hand was already reaching for Gypsy's face. But when he saw her flinch, as if she was afraid of his touch, he clenched his hand and dropped his arm to his side.

"Noonim, are you afraid of me?"

"J-Just a little?" Gypsy said, stuttering. Then she cleared her throat and smiled awkwardly at him. "I mean, my life is in your hands. You can k-kill me anytime you want, especially since I'm a threat to your authority. Even your greedy relatives think I'm the perfect marionette they could use to bring you down."

He raised an eyebrow, impressed by his fake sister's sharp perception. [Noonim is aware of her position.]

Ah, this lady was truly interesting.

"If I say I won't kill you, will Noonim believe me?"

She let out a forced laugh. But she probably quickly realized how awkward it sounded, so she stopped and just smiled shyly at him.

"Young Master Yvo, I'm a little afraid of you because we don't have a relationship where we could trust each other," she said meekly. "Yet," she added, her voice firm this time. She even raised her hands and clenched her fists as if she was cheering. "But once we work together, I'm confident we'd develop a trusting relationship."

"But for now, you find it hard to believe I won't kill you?"

She nodded shyly. "That's why I get nervous whenever you touch me," she said as she avoided his gaze. "Uhm, while we're at it, can I be honest?"

"Of course, Noonim."

"Young Master Yvo, to be honest with you, I feel u-uncomfortable whenever you touch me as you please. C-Can you please not do that?"

He bit his lower lip to stop himself from laughing.

Although his fake sister would often tremble like a scared little animal in front of a predator, she never hesitated to speak her mind.

[I can't decide if she's brave, or she's just trying her best not to get eaten alive.]

"I understand, Noonim," he said. "I apologize for making you feel uncomfortable. Next time, I will ask permission before I touch you."

Gypsy's face turned red. "Huh?"

[Cute.]

"What can I do?" he said. He was teasing her, but he kept a straight face. No wonder his fake sister looked confused. "Noonim looks like a small animal begging to be petted."

"W-Why does it sound like a threat, Young Master Yvo?"

"It's a compliment, Noonim."

His fake sister still looked horrified. "But it sounds like you're telling me I'm a small animal you could crush with your bare hands."

"It's a compliment," he repeated, struggling to keep a straight face, although he wanted to laugh at how funny Gypsy was.

"Then t-thank you for the compliment," she said awkwardly. But it seemed like something crossed her mind because suddenly, she looked determined. Her amber eyes even sparkled. "Young Master Yvo is a wild but kind animal who protects weak and small animals."

Ah, his straight face almost cracked.

"Noonim, is that your idea of a compliment?"

"D-Does it sound weird?"

He tilted his head to one side. "It sounded like Noomin is trying to appeal to the "wild and kind animal" to protect the "weak and small animals" like you."

She laughed awkwardly and fanned her hands to her face. "Young Master Yvo, I suddenly feel tired…"

He smirked, then he clenched his hands tight to stop himself from touching his Noonim without permission again. "I'll really leave this time," he said as he walked to the door. "Take a good rest, Noonim."

"Thank you," Gypsy said in her gentle and soothing voice. "You should take a rest as well, Young Master Yvo."

He allowed himself to have a small smile on his face since no one was there to see it.

But as soon as he was out of Gypsy's room, his smile faded and his expression turned ice-cold again– especially when he saw the man who was always following his Noonim like a dog.

"Captain Winston Volk."

Captain Volk bowed politely to him. "Greetings, Young Master Yvo."

"Gather all the servants in the villa and tell them to head to the knights' training area," Yvo said coldly as he walked past the captain. But he stopped when he remembered he had something else to say. "Make sure Noonim wouldn't know."

***

GYPSY woke up in the middle of the night with a burning sensation in her chest.

She got up and clutched her chest tight while catching her breath. It wasn't the first time it happened, but it didn't lessen the pain.

[The Core that allows me to use illusion magic is about to burst now.]

Yvette's Core was too big and too powerful. It occupied a lot of space in her soul that it was crushing the other Core embedded with it. At this rate, the illusion Core would get crushed faster than she expected– which meant the illusion she created to deceive Count Woolsey would disappear, too.

And if the count discovered her trick, she would definitely get killed.

"Young Master Yvo," Gypsy whispered to herself, then she hugged her knees. "Please hurry and help me."

She hated to rely on other people, but she couldn't help it this time.

For the past five years, she used her brain to survive on her own. But she needed Yvo for her survival now.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she realized something.

[It's too quiet.]

She looked outside the window and admired the crescent moon that lit up the dark sky. Since it was already time for bed, even for the servants, the eerie silence made her feel something was wrong.

But Gypsy was too tired to think, so she just went back to sleep.

Unbeknownst to her, a certain area in the villa wasn't as quiet as she thought…

***

YVO watched the scene in front of him with deep blue glowing eyes.

Right now, he was on the second floor of the training area while watching his knights whip the servants, who were lying on the ground, face-down. The hall was filled with the sound of the whips hitting flesh, mixed with the painful cries of the servants being punished.

But even if she saw the servants bleeding, he still wasn't satisfied.

[Noonim has endured their abuse for five years.]

"My lord," Killian, his right-hand man, called him in a frustrated voice. "Just what are you doing this for?"

Yvo turned his back on the view he was enjoying to turn around and face Killian. "Punishing the servants who dared to hurt their master."

He walked past Killian and went to the hallway that led to another secret training room. It was the room that he and his knights would use whenever they would train in their wolf form. Of course, the fact that his Order of the Knights was composed of Wolves was a secret that only the grand duke knew.

The knights serving the Woolsey family were called the White Bone Knights.

On the other hand, the squad that he formed for his own protection was called the 'Beasts.'

It was lame, but what could he do? Wolves were banned in the empire, so he couldn't name his knight brigade after his own tribe.

"My lord, did you punish the servants because of Lady Gypsy?" Killian asked as soon as the heavy steel doors behind them closed. "Why is my lord acting this way for the marionette of your family?"

"I'm raising Noonim's "authority" while downplaying mine," he said casually, then he stood in front of the array of swords. As a Wolf, he didn't really need a weapon. But as the Woolsey heir, he had to excel in swordsmanship. "I want to make Count Woolsey think I'm sucking up to my fake sister because I'm powerless."

Raising his Noonim's value would ensure her safety in the meantime.

[If Count Woolsey believes I don't have the means and the power to fight Noonim, then he wouldn't kill her right away. He would use Noonim to slowly steal everything the family has while putting his guard down around me.]

"I don't understand my lord's thoughts these days."

He picked up a greatsword before facing Killian again. "You don't have to understand my thoughts," he said. "You just have to follow my orders."

Killian let out a frustrated sigh. "My lord, you've been acting strange ever since you've gotten closer to Lady Gypsy."

"You should be careful of how you address Noonim from now on, Killian," he warned the knight. "She's now the temporary head of the family. Even if you hate her, you still have to show your respect to her. You know I'll be the one in trouble if people find out that my closest aide is rude to Noonim, right?"

"My lord, is that really the only reason you're being nice to Lady Gypsy–"

"'Her Ladyship,'" he corrected the knight. "That's how you're supposed to address Noonim from now on."

The knight just let out a frustrated sigh.

"Draw your sword," he ordered Killian as he held the greatsword properly, then he went into his fighting stance. "It's been a while since we've sparred, right?"

Killian smiled bitterly while pulling out his sword. "This isn't a spar– my lord just wants to punish me for not telling you about Her Ladyship's circumstances at the villa for the past years."

Yvo just smiled at the knight. "Give it your all, Killian."

***

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