After buying groceries, Wise and Ellen walked back to the video store, talking about maid outfits on the way.
"Now that I think about it, Ellen, what you're wearing right now is a maid outfit, isn't it?"
"Yeah. There was no school today, so I went to work first and didn't have time to change."
Ellen nodded, looking calm on the surface, but her eyes kept flicking toward his face.
It was obvious she was waiting for his reaction, and Wise didn't disappoint her, praising her right away.
"I see... That outfit suits you really well. It's very cute. If I get the chance, could I visit your workplace sometime?"
Wise knew Ellen actually worked at Victoria Housekeeping, a place tied to Hollow business as well. Even so, he still wanted to see her working as a maid.
"You can, but it's expensive."
"I don't mind. If it's your maid service, I'd say it's worth every bit."
'D-Did he really say that...?'
Ellen turned her eyes toward Wise at her side, her face showing clear hesitation.
After a long pause, she finally came to a decision.
"Actually, you don't need to pay that much…"
"Hm?"
"If you need it, I can serve you for free."
Ellen's words caught Wise completely off guard.
"Eh? Really? Wouldn't that be too much trouble for you?"
"No. I'm not busy right now, and I'm already wearing my work uniform."
"I see. Then for this short while, Ellen will be my exclusive maid," Wise said it with a smile.
Upon hearing that, Ellen's cheeks flushed slightly, and she gave a small nod in response.
However, just as the two were on their way home, the video store across the street welcomed an unexpected guest.
"Hello. Who are you looking for?" Belle asked, looking at the girl standing in front of her.
She had twin pigtails, matcha-colored hair, and a maid outfit that made her look soft and delicate.
Belle had noticed her earlier, standing outside the store and hesitating like she couldn't make up her mind. She'd clearly been there for some time.
Since the girl remained frozen in place, Belle opened the door herself and asked if she needed help. Startled by the question, the girl lifted her head.
"Eh? Th-that, I'm sorry..."
That was when Belle truly noticed how cute she was, especially her timid expression and fragile aura, which made her stand out.
Almost immediately, a thought popped into Belle's head.
'Is she looking for my brother?'
"Um, excuse me... is Wise home today? I said I'd come help him with... with something..."
Belle stiffened the moment she heard that. Her eyes drifted to the maid outfit the girl wore, the implications clicking together in her mind.
'There's no way... is my brother really that kind of person?'
The thought made her uneasy. Still, without proof, she couldn't jump to conclusions just yet.
But it couldn't be completely confirmed yet, it was better to ask again.
"Can you tell me your name? And how do you know my brother? Why would you agree to something like that?"
Her questions made the girl stop for a second before answering shyly.
"So Wise is your brother? I-I'm Corin. He helped me before, so I wanted to repay him. He told me to come here if I ever had time..."
After hearing her name, Belle remembered who she was. She was the girl they had rescued in the Hollow.
'How did she get so close to my brother? Damn it! Another girl I didn't even know about has already been corrupted by you!' Belle thought, her brows knitting together in slight irritation.
She clenched her teeth to keep herself composed, but her expression still grew noticeably sharper.
Corin noticed it immediately and panicked, thinking she'd said something wrong, and quickly tried to apologize.
Fortunately, Belle noticed her reaction in time. Her expression softened, and she quickly shifted into the gentle image of a friendly older sister, warmly inviting Corin into the store.
Once Corin was settled, Belle moved to the entrance and waited for Wise to come back, intending to ask him what was going on.
At the same time, Wise himself was still strolling calmly with Ellen, entirely unaware of the brewing misunderstanding at the video store.
By then, he had already taken Ellen's hand.
As for how it happened? It was simple.
Seeing Wise carrying groceries with both hands full, Ellen had reached out to take one of the bags to help him.
However, when she did, their hands somehow ended up clasped together instead.
Wise even remarked that it was much easier with Ellen's help. Ellen, hearing this, flushed red and quietly abandoned any intention of letting go.
After all, he was holding on firmly, and the bag looked heavy. So, she decided to help him like this.
That was what Ellen told herself. In reality, Wise had already loosened his grip. She just hadn't pulled her hand away.
Wise looked down at her hand, smiling softly as he held it.
'Well, if you're not stopping me, I won't hold back...'
Thinking that, he lightly ran a finger over her palm.
Ellen clearly noticed the movement, but she didn't turn to look at him. Only her lightly flushed cheeks and trembling fingers betrayed how unsettled her heart was.
Unfortunately, the moment was short-lived. When they got close to the video store, Wise had already spotted Belle waiting by the entrance.
Belle was ready to walk up and question him angrily, but the moment she saw Wise and Ellen holding hands, everything she wanted to say got stuck in her throat.
"Brother, you're finally back! And you even brought Ellen along to buy groceries. That must've been a pain. Come on, go sit down, both of you."
Belle intentionally ignored the bag that Wise and Ellen were still holding together. Realizing this, Ellen quickly let go on her own.
She looked a little awkward, as if she had been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to.
However, Belle didn't dwell on it. As if suddenly remembering something, she turned back to Wise and spoke again.
"Oh, right, Brother. There's a guest here looking for you. You should go see her."
Wise was momentarily puzzled. He was certain he hadn't called anyone over today.
'That's strange...'
With that thought in mind, he walked into the store. However, the moment he saw Corin sitting obediently inside, he froze in place.
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