The atmosphere in the living room, which had just been slightly weird because of the gossip, instantly dropped to freezing point.
In the fireplace, the orange electronic flames continued to flicker silently.
The flickering light reflected in Claire's azure eyes, but it failed to cast even a hint of warmth.
Leon also instantly snapped back from the shock of his worldview being shattered.
He wiped all unnecessary expressions from his face; those gentle blue eyes now became sharp and scrutinizing.
He and Claire flanked Noah from the left and right, trapping him in the middle.
About the Ashford siblings... that kind of absolute secret, enough to subvert ethics.
How did he know?
And how did he know so clearly?
This was no longer something that could be explained by being "smart" or having "strong analytical skills."
The smile on Noah's face froze; he felt a layer of fine cold sweat instantly break out on his back.
Claire's lips were tightly pursed—a subconscious habit she only had when she was extremely serious.
She believed in Noah.
But this involved the life and death of her only relative, Chris.
She could not, and would not allow, any possible unknown variables to exist.
"Because Mr. Trant told him."
Amidst this suffocating, deathly silence.
A clear, slightly cool, yet melodious female voice drifted in from outside the window without warning, floating clearly into the living room.
Noah, Leon, and Claire all shuddered at the same time.
They turned their heads almost simultaneously, looking toward the large window in the living room.
Outside was the heavy darkness of night.
The lawn lights in the yard emitted a soft glow.
Right at the boundary between light and shadow.
A tall, graceful red figure leaned quietly against the window frame.
It was as if she had been standing there for a long time.
Or as if she had appeared there out of thin air.
That splash of red was so vivid and striking in the deep night.
It carried a fatal, dangerous temptation that made it impossible to look away.
Leon's pupils constricted to the limit the moment he saw that figure clearly.
All the scrutiny and wariness on his face collapsed in an instant—within a hundredth of a second.
It was replaced by a near-frenzied, unbelievable ecstasy.
His breath even stagnated.
His whole being felt as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning named "happiness."
"A..."
A dry, tuneless syllable escaped his throat.
"A... Ada..."
His voice trembled slightly.
That name, which had appeared in his dreams countless times during the hellish night in Raccoon City and haunted his Soul, was finally called out clearly from his mouth.
The Leon S. Kennedy, a veteran of many battles who didn't even flinch when facing a Tyrant.
Like a fanatical fan seeing his idol for the first time, he suddenly jumped up from the carpet.
The movement was so large that he even knocked over a sofa cushion beside him.
Yet he ignored it completely.
Like an arrow leaving the string, he rushed excitedly to the window. (I think he's more like a golden retriever seeing its owner ^_^)
His hands, which were incredibly steady from years of holding a gun, were now actually fumbling clumsily with the window handle for a long time.
"Click." He pushed the window open with force.
The cold wind from outside, mixed with a hint of cool perfume, rushed in.
Ada Wong.
She just stood there quietly outside the window.
She was still wearing a well-tailored, dark red, high-slit Qipao, which outlined her breathtakingly perfect figure to the fullest.
A playful, half-smiling expression was on her face.
Those beautiful almond-shaped eyes were looking with great interest at the man in front of her, whose face was flushed red with excitement and who was at a loss for words.
"A... Ada... why... why are you here?"
Leon was incoherent.
"Are... are you here to find me?"
His voice was filled with humble, cautious, and massive expectation.
Ada looked at his extremely excited and cutely silly appearance, her red lips curving up slightly.
Her voice carried a hint of lazy, teasing laughter.
"Shouldn't you invite me in first?"
"Don't tell me~ you want to chat with me outside the window?"
Leon's face "boomed," instantly turning red all the way to his ears.
He was so ashamed he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
He immediately turned and rushed toward the door.
His flurried steps almost caused him to trip over the thick carpet.
"Bang!"
He pulled open the heavy oak door with force.
Then, like the most respectful waiter, he invited Ada in.
Ada walked into the living room with elegant, cat-like steps.
Leon followed behind her, grinning like a fool.
In that state, he didn't have even a shred of the shrewdness and efficiency of a Federal Police officer.
Claire, on the other hand, was full of gossip, her beautiful azure eyes wide and round.
Her gaze swept back and forth between Leon's bubble-brained face and Ada's enchanting back.
Her eyes were filled with the burning fire of curiosity typical of a bystander watching the drama.
Ada walked to the edge of the carpet.
She leaned over and elegantly took off her black stiletto heels.
Then, barefoot, she stepped onto the soft, long-piled carpet.
She slowly sat down beside Claire.
Leon rushed to the kitchen in a flurry and then rushed back in a flurry.
He was holding a cup of freshly made instant coffee.
The cup was even trembling slightly.
Ada took the coffee and took a small sip.
Then she placed the cup on the low table in front of the fireplace.
A perfect bright red lip print was left on the white ceramic rim of the cup.
Claire finally couldn't hold back the curiosity in her heart.
She looked at Ada and asked with some surprise.
"How did you know we were staying here?"
After asking, she subconsciously glanced at Leon, who was grinning foolishly nearby.
"Did Leon tell you?"
Hearing this, Leon immediately got anxious and waved his hands frantically.
"No, no, no! It wasn't me! I..."
Before he could finish.
Ada's cool and calm voice rang out.
"Do you remember? I work for Mr. Trant."
This sentence instantly stunned Leon in the living room.
Ada ignored his shock.
She continued in an emotionless, businesslike tone.
"Now, he has assigned me to assist in the upcoming operations."
The smile on Leon's face froze.
That massive joy that had soared into the clouds instantly crashed back down to the ground.
He lowered his head somewhat disappointedly and sat cross-legged beside Ada.
He looked like a large golden retriever being told by its owner that they were "just passing by."
"So..."
His voice was filled with undisguisable disappointment.
"You didn't come specifically to find me..."
An awkward yet funny atmosphere filled the air.
Just then.
Ada suddenly reached out, a long, fair finger lifting Leon's well-defined chin.
Leon's body gave a sudden jolt.
He followed her finger and looked up, meeting Ada's gaze.
That look was enchanting and seductive to the bone.
It carried a hint of reproach, a hint of teasing, and a hint of a unique tenderness that only he could understand.
Leon felt as if his Soul was about to be hooked and flown away by this single look.
His heart, which had just been immersed in massive disappointment, was instantly and completely filled with boundless ecstasy once again.
He looked at Ada, his mouth once again spreading into a silly, happy smile.
Noah felt as if he saw Leon sprout a fluffy tail that was now wagging joyfully.
Claire watched Leon's colorful expressions shift from heaven to Hell and back to heaven in seconds.
She finally couldn't hold it in any longer.
She burst out laughing with a "pfft."
The crisp laughter completely dispelled the awkwardness and solemnity in the room.
Noah took advantage of the moment when Claire's attention was completely drawn to Leon and Ada.
He cast a grateful look toward Ada.
Ada felt his gaze, turned her head, and gave Noah a noncommittal smile.
After Leon's roller-coaster emotions finally began to stabilize.
Ada picked up the cup of coffee, which had already cooled slightly, and took another sip.
Her expression then became serious and earnest.
Her beautiful eyes slowly swept over everyone present.
Her voice rang out slowly.
That voice no longer had the previous teasing and laziness.
It was replaced by the coolness and professionalism belonging to a top Agent.
"alright."
"Let's properly plan our next steps..."