True Tycoon Her Empire, Her Rules

Stepping into Drake’s study, Winnie felt a sense of clarity wash over her.

She was familiar with the almost tangible energy in the air of the study, a sensation that pulled a barely noticeable twitch at the corner of her mouth.

Winnie knew Drake had an uncanny ability to soak up the energy from her Spirit Gathering Array, but she hadn’t expected him to use it not for himself, but as a decorative feature for the room!

What really got her goat was that the vibe in this study was almost as charged as the room where she had set up her own Spirit Gathering Array…

It felt like she was getting ripped off without realizing it.

Drake, catching her complex expression since she walked in, gave her a side glance and asked, “Something off about my study?”

Winnie turned to him, her eyes barely concealing a flicker of envy, “Nope, nothing at all.”

There wasn’t just nothing wrong; the place was brimming with energy.

Her mentor had once praised her as a prodigy, but she felt like, no matter her talent, she couldn’t hold a candle to Drake who seemed to be the favored child of fortune.

He just stood there, and the energies of the universe seemed to gravitate towards him, his aura as golden and impenetrable as Fort Knox.

She couldn’t compete, not by a long shot.

Winnie consoled herself silently and got to work without further ado. Setting up the Isolation Array wasn’t particularly tough, but it was a drain on her energy reserves.

She was running low on talismans too, which meant she had to draw them on the spot.

As she took out her tools, Winnie recalled how the energy she gathered for her talismans had previously drifted towards Drake, making her hesitate.

But it wasn’t like she could kick him out of his own house, so she steeled herself and started drawing.

Surprisingly, the anticipated siphoning of energy didn’t happen. As her pen touched the paper, it glided smoothly, brimming with a purified energy that made her work feel effortless.

It reminded her of the time she drew talismans in that old chapel, attributing the ease to the divine ambience. Now, she wasn’t so sure.

Winnie glanced at Drake, a hunch forming in her mind.

Testing her theory, she drew a few more, attentively feeling the flow of energy around her. As

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she began, the energies did start to coil towards Drake, but then they seemed to take a detour, returning to her pen even more refined than before.

Winnie was momentarily stunned.

What was going on? Was the energy being purified? Had she misunderstood before? –

Instead of Drake absorbing her gathered energy, was he actually refining it and letting it flow back out?

Because of the distance, the purified energy couldn’t make it back to her before, which is why she only felt the loss, while the study, where Drake spent much of his time, felt so energetically.

rich…

If that was the case, then Drake wasn’t just a mere walking gold aura powerhouse. He was a walking, breathing energy refinery!

Drake noticed her abrupt pause while drawing, then the sharp turn of her head, and finally the complicated, indescribable look she gave him.

Suppressing a smile, keeping his demeanor unchanged, he inquired, “What’s up?”

Winnie considered for a moment, then decided to share her speculation with him.

After all, she had previously accused him of “stealing” the energy from her Spirit Gathering Array, even demanding they sync their home schedules…

She felt like she owed him one.

Drake listened without much reaction; after all, this talk of gold aura and energies didn’t resonate much with him.

Even when he had encountered that otherworldly young sea dragon today, Drake had merely seen it as a nuisance to be dealt with.

But Winnie seemed to care a great deal about these things, and maybe even liked them.

“If you say the energy is actually all here in the study, why don’t you take it with you?” Drake offered what he thought was a logical suggestion.

Winnie forced a smile. “That’s okay, I can’t take it with me.”

Not everyone could have a natural affinity for absorbing energy, and as far as she knew, Drake was unique in that regard. Unless she used it all up right here…

The thought barely crossed her mind before she dismissed it, focusing on the task at hand.

She went on to set up an Isolation Array around the entire mansion, centered on the study. It was designed to prevent someone from tracking them down by their energy signature and had no defensive capabilities of its own.

Drake, however, had his gold aura and the Protection Charm she had given him. He was unlikely to face any ordinary dangers.

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Once she finished, sweat beaded on her forehead, and her complexion paled slightly. Drake suggested with a touch of concern. “Why don’t you rest on the couch for a bit? I’ll have some refreshments brought up.”

Winnie was indeed exhausted. She took his advice without fuss, sinking into the couch, closing her eyes, and regulating her breathing.

Soon, the butler brought up a tray of snacks. Drake went to receive it, intending to replenish her energy, but when he turned back, he found that she had already dozed off.

He watched her for a moment, then quietly placed the tray on the table and left the room. making sure to tell the butler, “Don’t let anyone near the study.”

After a pause, he added, “And keep the noise down.”

The butler, though puzzled, always followed the master’s orders without question. Nodding, he went downstairs.

Drake gave one last look at the closed door of the study before heading to his own room.

Winnie slept straight through until the evening light began to fade. As she awoke, she felt the familiar energy around her, yet her surroundings seemed somewhat foreign.

It only took a second for her to remember where she was and what had happened.

She had fallen asleep in Drake’s study….. Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

Rubbing her head in slight annoyance, she got up to face the remainder of her day.

After expending far too much energy and mental exertion today, it was no wonder Winnie had crashed so unceremoniously on someone else’s couch.

And not just any couch, but Drake’s, no less.

With his notorious penchant for orderliness, she figured he couldn’t stand the sight of her sprawled out on his furniture so casually, which was probably why he had made himself

scarce.

Giving her head a shake, Winnie quickly gathered her belongings and prepared to head downstairs.

Yet, just as she reached the top of the staircase, an all too familiar feminine voice floated up to her. The voice was coming from the living room.

“Drakie, Hobson said Winnie was over here, and she hasn’t come home yet. Everyone’s worried sick, so he asked me to check on her. Hope I’m not intruding?”

The voice was warm and hinted at familiarity. It had to be Amber.

But… “Drakie“?

Winnie was taken aback. Drake allowed someone to address him with such intimacy?

So Amber and Drake were close after all?

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As if in response to Winnie’s silent query. Drake’s voice came from below, cool and detached. dte hint of emotion as be corrected her, “I don’t appreciate that nickname. You may call me Mr. Patterson