A short while before Wise arrived with Corin, Lycaon, and Rina couldn't help but feel a hint of surprise when they saw Ellen show up for work with her usual expression.
"Ellen, has Wise told you about him and Corin yet?" Rina asked hesitantly, while Lycaon remained silent at her side.
As for Ellen, she subconsciously nodded upon hearing the question.
"Mhm... he did... Wait, no!"
Only then did she recall what Wise and Corin had said that morning.
She had been too sleepy at the time. After hanging up, she had gone right back to sleep, completely failing to process what they meant.
It was only after Rina brought it up that realization struck her. Corin had been with Wise early that morning, and the meaning behind those words suddenly became crystal clear.
Ellen's expression darkened as the memory resurfaced. Although she had long prepared herself for something like this, even considering that Rina might one day be involved, she still couldn't help but feel a surge of irritation.
Her teeth itched, as if she wanted nothing more than to bite Wise a few times.
Even so, with Rina and Lycaon standing in front of her, she forced herself to hold back, deciding to settle things with Wise later.
Now, back to the present.
After dropping Corin off at Victoria Housekeeping, Wise was immediately pulled aside by Ellen before Lycaon could even say a word.
Lycaon didn't react much to this. Ellen had already mentioned earlier that she wanted to speak with Wise face-to-face once he arrived.
Corin, noticing the situation, hesitated and tried to follow, only to be stopped by Rina.
"Corin, Ellen wants to talk with Wise properly, so let's not disturb them for now. Also, what you're holding... are those the clothes you wore yesterday?"
Rina's gaze fell on the bag in Corin's hands, sharp and observant. Although the clothes inside had clearly been washed and neatly folded, faint traces remained, especially the bloodstains.
There hadn't been any battle, so why would there be blood?
The answer was obvious.
Corin, however, avoided the topic with a flustered expression.
"N-Nothing, I just accidentally got them dirty yesterday. Miss Rina gave me a new set, and Wise took me to buy some more."
Her cheeks were slightly flushed, her eyes shifting nervously, clearly trying to hide the truth.
But how could that possibly work?
Even without her guilty behavior, the situation itself was already telling enough. Perhaps only someone as innocent as Corin wouldn't fully grasp it.
Rina chose not to press further. Instead, she casually began chatting with Corin about her time with Wise earlier.
Meanwhile, Lycaon remained silent, though his white wolf ears twitched faintly beside them.
At the same time, in the adjacent room, the door was tightly shut.
Ellen stood with her arms crossed, lips pursed, and eyes closed, clearly sulking.
Wise, on the other hand, wrapped his arms around her from behind, gently pressing his cheek against hers as he spoke in a soft, coaxing tone.
"Ellen, I was wrong. What happened this morning was my fault. You sounded so cute when you were half asleep, I couldn't help teasing you a little. I just wanted to finish quickly so you could go back to resting. I don't want to see my cute little shark looking tired."
Hearing this, Ellen found it hard to keep up her anger. Taking advantage of the moment, Wise gently lifted her chin, effortlessly guiding her gaze toward him.
"Hmph... you always say things like that. Who do you think makes me so tired?"
She rolled her eyes, though the irritation in her voice had already softened considerably.
She wasn't upset about Corin being involved, but rather about how Wise had acted evasively that morning. Still, after hearing his explanation, her anger had mostly faded.
With Ellen's personality, she was never that hard to appease.
Naturally, Wise didn't miss the chance to tease her again.
"Is that what you think? Then maybe I should reduce how often I come to see you in the future," Wise said deliberately.
Despite his words, his hands didn't stop, and a faint smile curved his lips, clearly unable to hold it back.
Ellen's brows knitted slightly, and the irritation in her heart resurfaced.
Without a word, she grabbed the finger he was using to lift her chin and bit down on it.
Feeling the soft pressure of her lips and the sharpness of her teeth, even though she didn't use much force, Wise still played along and begged for mercy.
Only then did Ellen release him, looking satisfied.
"Hmph, if you dare lie to me again, I won't just bite your finger."
As she spoke, her sharp gaze drifted downward to a certain part of his body, making Wise shiver instantly.
"Don't worry, I promise there won't be a next time. Otherwise, I'll be done for by all of you."
"You... keep dreaming."
Ellen didn't know how to respond. After all, that kind of fate was something many people could only wish for.
And for someone like Wise, was it even possible for him to collapse from exhaustion?
After that, the two didn't stay in the room any longer. Lingering might only cause unnecessary misunderstandings.
When they stepped out, calm and composed, their clothes neat and without any signs of conflict, it was clear Ellen had already forgiven him.
Rina and Lycaon exchanged glances, unsure what to say, while Corin hesitantly stepped forward.
"Miss Ellen... I-I'm sorry, I..."
Although she had already apologized over the phone, facing Ellen directly made it harder to suppress her guilt.
Before she could finish, Ellen cut her off.
"It's okay, Corin. I understand."
After speaking, Ellen glanced at Wise beside her. Though her words were simple, the meaning behind them was anything but.
As for Wise, feeling everyone's eyes on him, he simply smiled.
There wasn't much he could do. With others around, he had to behave. Otherwise, he might have already pulled them both into his arms and recreated that classic line.
'You are all mine!'
With things settled, Wise prepared to leave. Lycaon seemed like he had something to say, but his pride made it difficult to speak directly.
In the end, he could only send a message after Wise had left.
'Remember to take safety precautions.'
Though vague, the meaning was immediately clear to Wise. He couldn't help but think Lycaon had a rather 'fatherly' way of thinking, and he quickly replied in agreement.
Not long after Wise left, Rina, along with the two small floating figures beside her, began checking Corin just as they had done with Ellen before.
In the end, nothing seemed wrong. Still, to be safe, Rina gave Corin some medicine.
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