The news about Lord Deruth's illegitimate children spread wild and fast after the acceptance ceremony. People gossiped about the next in line, which made the two young boys frown deeply while looking at their father, who was busy as hell and annoyed as well.

Violan remarked, "You three do look like three pieces of a pod," and motioned for the twins to approach her. Rok and Cale appeared to have adjusted without incident after accepting the fact that they had been adopted.

The twins sat down on the long couch and snacked while reading some documents.

Violan and Deruth were taken aback by their mental fortitude in accepting things as they are, despite the fact that they should be acting like any other child, either distant or rebellious.

Cale: Well, we're over forty.

Rok: We're older than both of them combined.

They were mentally older, but they had grown accustomed to acting all cutesy and childish. What's the harm in being pampered? Nothing can beat money!

Cale: Were you poor in your previous life for you to think all about money without batting an eye?

Rok: ...

Cale nodded and smirked at his brother. My guess was right. hehe.

"Here goes the two of you again." Deruth patted both their heads and sat in between them, "Were you two communicating inside your heads?"

The two cheeky brats looked at each other and grinned.

"They do?"

"Twin telepathic connection or something."

He's right. Rok and Cale thought but feigned ignorance and innocence and acted as if it was the first time they'd heard that thing. The more concerning part was, that Deruth always does this whenever he has time. He would sit in between them, have his arms wrapped around their waists, and hold them close to him.

Cale was somewhat awkward, but Rok seemed to like it.

Violan watched them closely and smiled. Bassen was busy bubbling on her lap while the three peas were messing around on the long couch.

The issue with the Henituse Branch families has yet to be resolved. They're hoping for an explanation soon. They didn't think the blasted first prince was still lurking around, making his grand entrance, declaring to be called Hyung-nim.

"Annoying."

"Very annoying."

"How heartless! Count!"

Deruth glared at the prince before tightening his grip over the twins, as if shielding them from a pest. Deruth Henituse looks at the prince as if he's a cockroach about to steal the twins from him. They witness a helpless monarch sulking like a child.

Nobody expected the prince to be followed by the head of a branch family. The head of the branch family, Arsen Henituse, was the person who opposed Deruth and the acceptance ceremony. Deruth stood up and kept the twins on his back. For the first time, Violan also looked stiff while staring at the family head.

"Greetings to the Guardian of the North."

Deruth did not reply.

"Rok... Cale... take Bassen and play with the prince."

Both of them looked at him and at each other. They stood up and took Bassen from Violan. Alver seemed to read the atmosphere and grinned at the noble.

"Make way," the prince lightly said.

Arsen Henituse bowed his head before the prince and made his way toward him, but the prince gestured for the twins to walk first as he followed.

The prince whispered as he passed by him, "Don't touch them... they're mine."

They are his people. Touching them would be the same as insulting the king.

Deruth heard this and smirked. At times like this, the useless royal family does the right thing once in a while. He did not expect the prince to take a liking to them more so use the authority of the royalty for them.

The door shut loudly the moment Alver passed by. The only people left were Deruth, Violan, and Arsen Henituse.

"The nobles are already complaining about Count Henituse's actions."

Deruth sat down and smiled at him. "Nobles? Or were you complaining about my actions?"

That shut the family head down.

Deruth mockingly smiled at him and snarked, "Do you think I'm the only noble with so-called 'illegitimates'? Think again."

He rose from his seat and approached him, "That young knight under the tutelage of the Henituse Grand Commander, he's your illegitimate son, isn't he?"

The atmosphere suddenly changed. Deruth patted his shaking shoulder and said, "That poor child is trying to work hard for a father who abandoned him. If I had such a diligent child, I would take him in and raise him well rather than the child. You're not even sure that's yours."

Arsen trembled even more.

"Your wife is very close to your butler, isn't she?"

"What are you saying?"

"I am saying that I know every filthy thing in this household." Deruth growled, "You're at the top of the list."

Don't talk. Don't stand in my way.

Don't touch my children.

These are Deruth's warnings. Arsen Henituse shook violently.

"You've been digging up filth about me, aren't you too bad? My little angels are not filthy as yours... Don't talk about honor if you're not an honorable man yourself." Deruth smirked and continued, "That's why you can't become the Lord of the Household."

"DERUTH!"

"Don't force me then!"

They raised their voices. Arsen was about to grab Deruth by his collar when he was suddenly flung to the floor with his right arm twisted behind his back.

Ron Molran, who had been watching from the side, discreetly moved.

"Move!" Arsen Henituse cried.

"A servant has the duty to protect the master from any harm." Ron recited as if he knew the servant's creed. "I have the duty to protect the house and its masters."

"You!"

"You won't be able to find dirt on me now. I've already cleaned my palace, Arsen."

Deruth smiled and signaled for Ron to let go. Ron let go and took the small Swiss knife from Arsen. Violan was also holding the decorative sword, ready to charge at any minute, but Ron was faster.

Ron even added, "My two young masters, don't think of doing anything funny, Lord."

The smile was devoid of jokes; it was a serious threat.

"This is my final warning." Deruth said, "I hope you value your life."

The Count and Countess, with Ron, left the drawing room and went to the garden where the kids were. They left Arsen Henituse on the ground writhing in pain and ignored his damnations.

However...

"WHY IS ROK DRUNK AGAIN?!"

Oh, shitty gods, why is that son of mine so prone to trouble!

**

Of course, there is this unbreakable rule. Never leave your children unattended. That's a hard rule to follow when you have three mischievous children whose surnames are trouble.

"Cale... Won't we get in trouble?" Rok asked his brother.

Cale just laughed and brushed his concern with, "It's alright—as long as you won't sell us out."

The shouting party was already full-blown and Cale just had the urge to be naughty once again. Cale snuck a bottle of wine to drink all at once.

"Hyunnie! Hyunnim!" Here comes their little brother in tow. "Play! Play!"

"Snack first!" Cale said and poured the wine into the cup. Bassen who came to play sniffed it and asked, "Hyunnie!! What is this?"

"Juice." Cale mischievously grinned and nudged the kids to drink. Rok could already foresee what the outcome would be, but he drank the contents of the wine. He'll just drink half, and it's wine, not the beer that made him drink it before.

"We'll be alright?" Alver was hesitant, but he didn't want to pass up something that could make him closer to the twins.

Bassen cries, "It burns!" before crying and coughing.

Cale coyly smiled, noting that the wine tasted good.

But then...

He stopped...

He freaking stopped.

"Alvery!~hic! Hic! Nyuhuhu. You're such a cute Alvery. Who likes my Cale? Me! Hyahahahah! You looked like a newly born monkey with horns when hic! Facing hi—hic!" Rok Henituse finally lost it.

What the fuck?! Is he really weak to any kind of alcohol?

Cale dumbfoundedly stared at Rok, who had been throwing curses at him and the prince.

Alvery started acting like a shy maiden and kept himself away from Rok's sight. The cute Bassen had been hiding behind Cale and giggled at Rok's childish flirtation.

Rok, on the other hand, plucked the flowers in the garden and presented them to his Alvery.

And Cale?

He was chugging down the bottle of wine without any care for his surroundings.

"Stupid Caley!!" Rok suddenly said as he groggily stood up. He had been dwindling on his feet. "Caley like daddehy! Stupid!"

Who dares call him stupid?!

"Ah... If I am stupid, what about you!"

"Caley—hic! Also cowards! Keep fidgeting when daddeh is around! Like mommehy when daddeyh's the topic!! Tell daddeyh you like him! Tell him!"

"Rok!!" Cale was lost for words. Suddenly, Rok had his arms over his shoulder.

Slurring his words, Rok said, "Caley is like mommeyh. Stutters every time! Hahahahahaha."

"Rok Henituse!!"

Cale suddenly hit one of his normal realizations. He couldn't help but just smile helplessly when he watched his brother's butt wiggling before him while drunkenly dancing along to the silent music.

Damn all this shameless plugging! He's never going to do this ever again!

"Hey, what are you doing here?" For the love of God, Cale had some sort of relief.

"There are three daddeh!!" Rok beamed and walked to Deruth, who had just come with Violan and Ron. "Why are there three daddeh?"

Rok cutely squinted his eyes and looked at Deruth.

"Three?"

Deruth sniffed his baby boy and gave Cale a long good stare.

Forcing a smile with teeth on display, Cale turns around, hoping for some miracle that could save him from something.

The light thuds faintly echoed. He turned around and saw two kids, a boy and a toddler, in his ward knocked out.

"Hehe?"

"Ugh. Cale Henituse!" Deruth chased him off because he dashed out immediately to save himself. He saw how Violan sighed and took the kids in her arms and settled them properly.

Alver was also knocked out in Ron's arms.

"Cale Henituse! Come here!"

"No!"

They just chased each other until Deruth finally caught him.

God knows what Cale's punishment was.

Well, if it's hugs and kisses, he'll just give up!

But he was so wrong...

So damn wrong!

"SABE ME!!!!"

"YOU'RE TOO OLD FOR BASSEN'S BABY TALK!"

"Fufu... Hyun~nie... Hic...." Bassen was slurring his words while Cale faced the dilemma of his life!

"I am never going to do that again!"

TBC