Chapter 114 A Failed Coffee Prank
Henry let out a sigh, wiping the sweat off his nose with his thumb. Charles, David and he had been practicing for another half an hour, progressing from being defeated in ten moves to seven.
"Alright, let's stop today," Henry said with a smile.
"Yes!" David and Charles both breathed a sigh of relief, their sleeves damp with sweat.
Henry's slender figure seemed untouchable to the two, who were as strong as bulls, and they often found themselves defeated.
"Let's go, wash up and have breakfast," Henry said, placing the wooden sword back on its stand.
He then turned to the dazed Mila and called out, "Don't just stand there!"
"Huh? Okay!" Mila blinked excitedly and followed Henry, "Henry, you're amazing, defeating David and Charles."
She handed him a handkerchief, a gift from Henry meant for wiping away sweat.
She was reluctant to use it for that purpose, but she was happy to give it to Henry. Today, even though she could easily defeat the two herself, she was genuinely happy for Henry.
No girls didn't like the strong. It was just to save face to say no, so please don't take it seriously.
Wyatt smiled, watching Henry leave with Mila, satisfied. It was truly a stroke of luck to be able to serve under someone like Henry.
He turned to his dejected sons and scolded, "What are you standing there for? Go back and eat, don't you have work to do? Don't you need to go to the camp?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" The four brothers snapped out of it, rushing off to their respective places.
"Looks like we need to increase the training next time. As knights, we're too weak. How can we fight for Henry like this?" Wyatt muttered, walking with a brisk pace. It was hard to tell that he was a man with a broken foot.
"I wonder when Zachary will be back. I hope he doesn't mess things up. He is quite cunning, unlike his foolish brothers. I hope nothing happens."
The murmuring voice grew fainter and fainter. Who wouldn't worry about their son traveling far away?
"Hmm! The ceramic business sales dropped yesterday; this is not a good thing!"
"But the sales of lollipops have increased. It seems that there are more people who love sweets."
Ellie tapped her chin with a pen, looking at the data in her notebook, a smile on her face, and even licked her lips.
"That's because you contributed a lot of coins," Mila said with a smile, her delicate hand trembling with wet black hair, drying it faster.
"What are you talking about? I bought very few." Ellie glared, knowing that Mila had hit the nail on the head.
"Really? Whose backpack is filled with various flavors of lollipops? And even the limited edition!" Mila responded lightly.
"How did you know?" Ellie stared with her brown eyes, and the next second, as if she thought of something, she pointed at Mila with trembling fingers and said, "The mutant feline, have you been clandestinely devouring my cherished lollipops?
"No, I merely borrowed one," Mila stated, an eyebrow artfully arched in retort.
"So it was you. I was wondering why my coffee-flavored lollipop had vanished. Terrible women!"
Ellie clambered atop a chair, her fox tail twitching in irritation, mouth pouting as she condemned, "That was a lollipop I had contrived, using Henry's coffee. Only three I painstakingly made. I've been too reluctant to eat any, and you dared to pilfer one!"
"Taking his coffee?"
Mila's hand, previously engaged in fluttering her hair, froze momentarily, her face illuminating with a bemused grin. Blue eyes, gleaming with mischief, gazed upon Ellie, who had just incriminated herself without resistance, it seemed.
"Oh, you take Henry's coffee?"
Willow's eyelids fluttered as if she'd discovered something drastic. Grey eyes narrowed into slits as she approached Ellie, slender fingers tugging at the rogue's fox ears.
"Miss Ellie! I wonder," Willow said, "how did you respond when I asked about the coffee the other day? Told me that Mila had drunk it, right?"
With a flush brightening her cheeks, a peculiar sensation rippled from her fox ears, making Ellie slump into Willow's embrace, murmuring in a barely audible whine, "Willow, I can bear no more, please spare me!"
"So soon you're pleading for mercy! Which feline could possibly consume that much coffee at one time?" Mila interjected gleefully, "A tricky fox might just manage to do it."
"You!" Ellie wanted to retaliate, but the strange tingling in her ears left her feeble and wordless.
"Don't worry. If you need some coffee, ask me!" Willow gently chided, her fingers never ceasing their skillful massaging on the fox's ears.
"Well, I did ask Henry, and he agreed to lend them to me!" Ellie pouted, her voice soft and whiny.
"Oh? Is that so?" A glint of amusement flashed in Willow's grey eyes as she feigned confusion, "But Henry mentioned he hadn't seen his coffee at all."
"Yes, I asked Henry not to mention it." Ellie lamented her self-inflicted predicament. She had instigated the misconstrued jest, but now it seemed she was the one being played.
After Henry took a shower, entering the dining area to see the three women indulging in their playful banter. A faint smile graced his lips as he walked past, lightly patting Willow's posterior.
Willow froze at a moment, a shocked yelp escaped her lips and in the next moment, her cheeks were glowing a deep shade of red. Embarrassed, she released Ellie and her moist, grey eyes were filled with surprise.
"Let's start breakfast," Henry suggested, his hand folding into a light fist with a smile, hinting at an explanation for his action.
"Yes!"
Willow hastily retreated from the dining area, standing beyond the door, her hand clutching her wildly-beating heart and rubbing the spot where Henry had strayed. "Henry, you're bad!" she playfully chided.
A somewhat Mila gazed after Willow's awkward retreat and then at Henry, a hand scratching his cheek absently.
Ellie let out a relieved sigh, sagging in her chair and grumbling softly, "Henry, they were both tormenting me."
"Oh? Did they take your lollipops? Or what happened?" Henry replied, humor twinkling in his eyes.
"It's all because of that Mila, she stole my lollipop," Ellie whispered, her voice almost melting his heart.
"Next time, just steal it back," Henry joked. The two seemed to be stuck in this strange game.
"Right!" Ellie agreed.
"Where's Emily?" Henry asked.
"She went to school early this morning; she wants to get to know the place better!"
