Hello, Verdant! Thank you so much for playing! And you are correct, you need to call Pel for the first puzzle. I wanted to normalize that it's okay to call her. (And also, a lot of people didn't realize they could continue to call her, so I mentioned it multiple times). I do, however, understand the need to not ask for hints. Hah, I'm the same way!
In regards to Pel being at your work, my wife has come to my work before, multiple times. Sometimes, she has to wait for me, and she may chat to other people. Similar with my daughters. :)