That night, Ivan returned home after finishing his work. Most of his subordinates had already gone back to their quarters by the time he arrived. Only Igor remained on watch. As Ivan's right hand, Igor had a rule never to sleep before Ivan did.
"Welcome back, Boss."
Though the mansion had servants, it had become Igor's habit to take Ivan's coat whenever the man removed it. He followed Ivan down the hall to his private room, where Ivan settled into a chair, exhaling slowly as he shed the weight of the day.
"Where is Yuki?"
"She's in the next room, Boss."
Ivan paused, then nodded slightly in satisfaction. Yuki's room had been positioned next to his own, kind of the perfect arrangement for him. It allowed him to visit her whenever he pleased, without disturbing his own privacy.
"You seem to have something to tell me," Ivan remarked, noting that Igor lingered.
Indeed, Igor hesitated before lowering his gaze. His voice was careful, unlike when he spoke to Yuki or the others.
"Boss, earlier… Boris and Lana embarrassed Yuki in front of the others."
Ivan didn't respond, nor did he seem surprised by Igor's report. With a calm gesture, Ivan asked Igor to continue talking while he got up to retrieve a box of cigars from one of the drawers in his room.
"They claimed," Igor continued after a pause, "that it's impossible… that you actually brought Yuki here because you're interested in her."
Igor could have mentioned how Boris almost struck at Yuki before he intervened, but doing so would reveal that he had acted differently than usual, that he had protected someone other than Alisa. Igor didn't want that to happen. Not to mention, he had no way of knowing how far Ivan's 'interest' in Yuki truly extended. So, speaking freely could be dangerous for him, or even Yuki.
After saying what he wanted to say, Igor waited a moment, staring at Ivan's face, which was bathed in the dim light. Igor saw no change in Ivan's expression. The man wasn't even angry. Ivan just calmly rolled a cigar between his fingers, then lifted his chin slightly without saying anything.
"Wait a moment, Boss."
When Igor saw Ivan waiting for him to light the cigar, he immediately took a lighter out of his pocket and held it up to Ivan's cigar. A small flame ignited, and a moment later, the smell of tobacco filled the room. Ivan exhaled the smoke slowly, with his eyes staring blankly at the dark window.
"And what did she do?" Ivan finally asked.
"She didn't respond, Boss. She just... looked at them and said that she was indeed yours."
Igor paused, realizing something as the corner of Ivan's mouth lifted slightly. For the first time, he saw that Ivan had found amusement in the situation.
A thin plume of smoke drifted from Ivan's lips, curling lazily in the dim light. The faint, almost imperceptible smile lingered for a moment.
"Good," Ivan murmured. "Keep watching her, Igor. I want to know… how long she can hold herself, like today."
Igor waited until Ivan sank back into the haze of his cigar before speaking again.
"Boss," he began, "I think… it might be wise to give Yuki some basic training. Self-defense… survival skills, perhaps."
Ivan's gaze shifted, one eye narrowing at Igor through the smoke. "For what purpose?"
"Just in case, Boss."
Igor replied swiftly, trying to sound composed even though his heart was a little uneasy.
"If ever a dangerous situation arises… she can at least save her own life. I can assign Alisa to help her, or I can supervise her myself if you will."
Silence fell. Ivan leaned back in his chair, expression as still and cold as ice.
"Good idea," he said finally. "Have her train with the others."
Igor blinked. That wasn't really the answer he expected from Ivan.
"With… the others, Boss?"
Ivan nodded slowly. He then lit his cigar while continuing to stare at Igor, as if he was enjoying the surprise implied on Igor's face.
"Yes. I want to see how quickly she learns… when no one is there to help her."
A slight look of objection crossed Igor's face, just enough for Ivan to catch it. Ivan's gaze sharpened after he saw the change in Igor's face. After showing only a relaxed expression until then, it was the first time Ivan finally looked serious with his words.
"Why?" His voice was low, deadly calm. "Do you disagree with my decision, Igor?"
Igor's head bowed almost reflexively. "No, Boss. Not at all."
Ivan said nothing, the silence stretching like a shadow across the room. After a moment, Igor hurried to clarify, trying to atone for his perceived hesitation.
"Besides, Yuki... is a souvenir from your work in Japan, Boss. So of course, you're free to do whatever you want with her."
A subtle, enigmatic smile appeared on Ivan's lips, a small thrill wrapped in mystery.
"Exactly," he said slowly. "And precisely because of that… I want to test her. I like seeing how she struggles to survive even when everything is against her."
He exhaled another stream of smoke, his tone softening, yet carrying a far darker threat.
"She's only beautiful when she's struggling to stay alive, Igor. Now that I'm her new owner, I don't want her to lose that beauty for any other reason."
Igor lowered his head. Behind his calm expression, his jaw tightened, while his hands were clenched at his sides. He should know that Ivan hadn't changed one bit. The kindness Ivan showed Yuki was nothing more than a way for Ivan to entertain himself.
"If that's so," Igor said at last, quiet but resolute. "I'll make sure the results are satisfactory, Boss."
Ivan did not respond. He exhaled the final wisp of smoke, stubbed out the cigar in the ashtray, and rose from his seat. He approached Igor just to pat him on the shoulder once, then walked away toward the bathroom to clean himself up.