As Yuan's wives stood beside him, their expressions revealed a mix of protectiveness and concern. They were fully aware of the magnetic effect Yuan's overly handsome looks had on others.
"Mom, do you think Miss Rose is being charmed by our Yuan?" Lily whispered to Anna, her voice tinged with jealousy.
"It certainly seems that way. Look at how she's blushing and even forgetting to let go of his hand," Anna responded, her tone echoing Lily's concerns.
"Not just Miss Rose, but Ava also seemed quite interested in our darling. Did you see how she acted so intimately with him?" Grace said, recalling their encounter with Ava, Rose's younger sister.
Grace continued, "Both of them initially seemed like good girls with kind hearts, especially Rose. She appears quite capable, considering she handles the affairs of the entire village. However, we can't make hasty judgments since we've only just met them today."
"I wonder what dear is thinking at this moment," Anna mused, stealing a glance at Yuan, who appeared calm amidst the situation.
Yuan, on the other hand, felt increasingly awkward as Rose continued to hold onto his hand, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"Miss Rose, could you please let go of my hand? You've been holding it for quite some time now," Yuan spoke up, his voice breaking the silence.
"Huh?" Startled by his words, Rose looked down and realized she was still tightly holding his hand. She quickly released it, her face growing even redder.
"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Yuan," Rose stammered, flustered by her own actions. Her thoughts raced, berating herself for holding onto his hand for so long. She questioned her behavior as the village head, someone responsible for the entire village's governance.
'What was I thinking? How could I act so inappropriately? I hope he doesn't think poorly of me. What kind of village head holds a man's hand for such a long time?' Rose silently chastised herself, feeling a mix of embarrassment and regret.
Yuan, puzzled by her sudden apology, wondered about the reason behind it.
"Are you alright, Miss Rose?" he asked, genuine concern evident in his voice.
"I... I'm fine! I just need some air," Rose replied, her tone slightly surprised by his inquiry.
Anna, Grace, Lily, and Emma exchanged playful smiles among themselves, as if they knew exactly what was transpiring in Rose's mind.
Taking a deep breath, Rose attempted to regain her composure, repeating the process twice to calm herself. Gradually, her heartbeat slowed, and the blush on her face faded away, as if nothing had happened.
"Esteemed Guests, once again, allow me to thank you for coming here and lending us a helping hand in defending the village against the monsters!" Rose addressed them with a smile, her composure restored.
Yuan's wives returned her smile, their expressions warm but with a hint of amusement. They understood the effect Yuan had on people, and Rose was not the first to succumb to his charm.
"Just call me Yuan, and I've already heard everything about the situation of this village from your younger sister Ava. You don't need to explain it again," Yuan responded with a reassuring tone. "You simply need us to help you defend the village, correct?"
Rose nodded, grateful for his understanding.
"That's correct, Yuan. As embarrassing as it may sound, as a middle-stage fourth-circle mage, I don't possess the necessary power to defend the village against the monster army, especially considering the wyvern. Typically, we wouldn't have to worry about monster attacks due to the treaty between our village and the wyvern. However, due to the incident involving the wyvern's child, the treaty was broken. We even attempted to request the mages of the empire to release the wyvern's child, but they refused, claiming that the Royal Prince intends to make it his beast mount. We even tried approaching the wyvern ourselves, hoping it would at least spare the innocent people of our village. But alas, the wyvern was consumed by anger and showed no concern for our plight," Rose explained, her voice tinged with sadness and frustration.
Yuan and his wives listened intently, their expression reflecting a mixture of sympathy and determination. They understood the gravity of the situation and the village's desperate need for aid.
"Yuan and the beautiful ladies beside him, the village and I will be eternally grateful to you, even if you help us defend against the weakest of monsters," Rose expressed with deep gratitude. "And I will personally handle the wyvern, even if it means sacrificing my own life in the process."
Yuan smiled warmly and reassured her, "Since I have already made a promise to lend you a helping hand, we will not go back on our word."
"Thank you! Thank you very much, Yuan!" Rose exclaimed, her voice filled with heartfelt appreciation.
Some time later, Ava entered the room, carrying a teapot and eight cups. She was accompanied by two individuals who appeared slightly older than her.
"Allow me to introduce you to my other siblings, Yuan," Rose said, gesturing towards the handsome young man with blond hair. "This is my younger brother, James. He is twenty years old and at the peak of the second-circle mage."
"Hello, Mr. Yuan," James greeted, nodding respectfully. His gaze then shifted towards Yuan's wives, and he found himself momentarily captivated by their beauty, his words caught in his throat.
Rose then directed her attention to the stunning young lady standing beside James. "And this is my younger sister, Julie. As you may have guessed, Julie and James are twins. Julie is two minutes older than James and is also at the peak of the second-circle mage," she introduced.
"It's a pleasure to meet both of you," Yuan greeted them with a smile, acknowledging their presence.
Julie blushed slightly at the compliment, while James regained his composure, unable to tear his gaze away from Yuan's wives.
"It's a pleasure to meet such incredible individuals as yourselves, and Mr. Yuan, you are very handsome," Julie complimented Yuan's wives while giving Yuan a graceful bow. A rosy tint colored her cheeks.
'Handsome? Isn't she too straightforward?' Yuan raised an eyebrow, surprised by Julie's boldness.
This was the first time he had encountered such direct flattery from a young lady of a prestigious family. Such compliments were usually reserved for encounters on the streets with less refined individuals.
"Julie, don't be rude to Yuan! They are here to help us defend the village!" Rose's voice boomed with a hint of anger, reprimanding her younger sister.
"But I only spoke the truth. Mr. Yuan is simply too handsome, and I have never seen a man as attractive as him," Julie responded, her gaze fixed downward, seemingly saddened by her sister's admonishment.
Rose noticed her younger brother, James, staring in a daze at Yuan's wives. She couldn't blame him, as their natural beauty was captivating.
'Sigh! I hope Yuan isn't offended by my siblings' behavior.' Rose lamented, silently resolving to lecture them later on proper etiquette and manners.
Apologizing to Yuan and his wives, Rose said, "Esteemed guests, I sincerely apologize for my younger siblings' behavior. I will have a stern conversation with them later to ensure they behave appropriately."
Anna smiled understandingly and reassured Rose, "It's alright, we understand. They are young, and such situations are not uncommon for us during our travels. We've encountered similar reactions before."
Hearing Anna's words, Rose felt a wave of relief wash over her. Their graciousness and understanding reassured her that they weren't offended or taking the situation too seriously.
"But I must agree on one thing—Yuan, your charm is truly irresistible," Rose confessed with a sweet smile, her cheeks tinted with a rosy hue.
Yuan chuckled in response. "Well, I hope I didn't unintentionally charm Miss Rose," he teased, a playful glint in his eyes.
"Aren't you going to take responsibility if something like that were to happen? You seem quite capable of handling women," Miss Rose teased, a blush tinting her face.
'Did big sis also fall in love with Mr. Yuan?' Julie was taken aback, her thoughts racing. It was a surprise to see her elder sister Rose flirt and smile so freely with a man, especially considering Yuan's reputation for being distant towards men.
Ava and James were equally astonished by the sudden change in their sister's demeanor. It was the first time they had witnessed her flirtation, and it seemed unbelievable to them.
After a moment, Miss Rose shifted her gaze towards Yuan and his wives. "You all must be feeling hungry by now, right? I have already arranged for two of our best chefs to prepare meals for you and your wives. Based on the information we gathered, the Wyvern is planning to attack our village either tomorrow or the day after. Until then, you are free to do as you please."
"I will leave my younger sister, Ava, with you in case you need anything. I have to personally meet with the hunters and mages to explain the situation," Miss Rose said, her gaze stern as she looked at Julie and James. The siblings understood the underlying message conveyed by their big sister.
"Ava, please accompany the guests to the dining hall. I will go and discuss the same matters with the hunters and mages," Miss Rose instructed.
"Yuan and the ladies beside him, please excuse me as I have an important matter to attend to. If you need anything, please ask Ava. She will assist you with anything," Miss Rose concluded before leaving the scene.
Once Miss Rose and the others had departed, Ava turned her attention to Yuan and his wives. "Shall we head to the dining hall?" she asked.
Yuan and his wives nodded eagerly, particularly Xi Meili, who struggled to contain her hunger. They followed Ava to a spacious dining hall capable of accommodating up to 40 people at once.
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