"Hi, Big Sis!" Marcus greeted Eva.
"Well hello Baby Brother, you guys really made a mess." Eva looked at the broken furniture on one side of the room.
She wore a white loose shirt and had her hair tied to a bun. Thankfully no one else is around or else they'd probably get nasal hemorrhage from looking at her cleavage.
"Give me a break. I was alone for one week and I needed to stretch." Marcus turned his head to Zoey and smiled.
Eva who saw this teased him "Don't tell me you're actually here to flirt with my new friend."
Zoey who heard this raised her brows a bit. She doesn't want to date anyone at the moment. But if the one who saved her asked her out, she doesn't know how to decline.
Marcus chuckled, "Big Sis stop joking. You're gonna scare her. I'm only here because I want to ask a few questions. Please don't call me 'Baby Brother' in front of other people"
Marcus now knows why Nexus once said that Eva calling him that sounds right.
Eva strongly and slowly shook her head.
Marcus sighed. He continued while looking at Zoey, "But if you don't like to answer them then you don't have to. If you also feel like you're being interrogated then just tell me right away. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
Zoey was relieved that Marcus was not here to try and court her. It would have been really awkward otherwise. Maybe she might even have been forced to say yes.
Zoey nodded. She thought that it was the least she could do.
Marcus placed both his hands on the table. "So, uh, I heard that you're rich."
Zoey tilted her head. 'Does he want money?'
She misunderstood where this was going.
She cleared her throat. "If you want money I can totally give it to you. We just need to reach Estra first since I don't have that much money on me. I swear that my dad won't be stingy."
Eva giggled. She could not believe what she was hearing.
Marcus had black lines on his forehead. "No, no, no, that's not where I was going with this. I was gonna ask why you're traveling alone?"
It was Zoey's turn to be embarrassed. She had her head down. She's quite a proud girl. A woman from a rich family, it's only quite normal.
Zoey raised her head. "It's nothing personal. I even told Big Sister Eva already. I ran away from home."
"Alone?" Marcus titled his head a bit.
Zoey nodded, "You don't know what it's like to be in a rich family, the pressure it gives you. Sometimes it gets overwhelming and you just want to run away."
Marcus had a wry smile on his face. How could he not understand? He even wanted to go back to his empire and protect it. But he didn't say anything. He only listened.
Eva also didn't say anything. He already knows about Marcus's situation. Seeing that Marcus isn't saying anything, she too kept her mouth shut.
She looked at Marcus and met his gaze before moving away from it. "You might think I'm an irresponsible and rebellious princess-like what most media say."
Marcus shook his head. "I never thought of anything like that. What I think is that you are entitled to have your own choice. I'm sure you humans can do whatever you like when you reach a certain age. Am I right?"
"Yeah, we c--" Zoey didn't even get to finish her sentence when she noticed something from what Marcus said. Her heartbeat quickened a bit
Marcus only smiled. No other expression was on his face.
Eva lightly tapped her forehead with her palm.
Nexus who heard it was silently laughing.
"I meant 'we humans'. I'm sorry I might have sustained a few brain injuries from the fight awhile ago." Marcus slightly bent his head forward.
Eva did a secret thumbs-up.
Nexus sent him a telepathic message "Your 'clumsiness' astounds me."
"Piss off!" Marcus replied.
Zoey sighed in relief. "For a second there I thought you guys were aliens."
Her hands were on her chest. The thought of being in a room together with aliens is just plain horrifying.
Stories about the cruelty of aliens have already spread across the human race. The constant war against them for planets and resources has been going on for decades now.
Nexus laughed. He couldn't take it anymore.
He turned his head and said to them. "I'm sorry the scene was really funny."
The three who were on the table looked at the tv and saw someone murdering a bunch of people.
'He is crazy.' Zoey thought.
Marcus and Eva shook their heads.
"Stupid." Marcus sent a telepathic message to Nexus.
Nexus didn't mind. He already turned his head away.
"You were saying?" Marcus now had his focus back on Zoey.
"Uh," Zoey still somewhat had his mind on the crazy person. "Oh yeah, my freedom is only limited whenever I'm there in Estra. But when I'm out roaming, it feels like I can do whatever I want. Not confined by the chains of expectations."
"Is that why you ran to Kellar?" Marcus asked. A woman venturing out alone is quite dangerous, especially if they are not strong enough. This actually goes for both men and women.
"Mhm," Zoey nodded. "The last straw was when my father announced my engagement with someone. I just woke up that day, got out of bed, and thought that it was going to be one of those normal days. I went down to the living room and that's when my father dropped the bomb. He said I had no say in it and that it's final. So I ran. I ran as far as I could, boarded a ship, and then ended up in Kellar. This all happened right after the school year. I really thought I'd have a good vacation on a relaxing planet and not Kellar. No offense Big Sis."
Zoey finished her rant.
Eva shook her and smiled "None taken. I also think my country is not the best place to be in."
"Big Sis if you want, I could go and ask my father to investigate what happened to your parents." Zoey looked at her. Eva was the one who comforted her and she has gotten really close to her this past week.
"No, I want to do it myself. I want to use my own power in the future" Eva was determined to dish out the revenge herself.
'Boy her problems are, well, tough I guess' Marcus listened to Zoey. These kinds of problems for him are quite inconsequential compared to the ones he's carrying.
'I guess it's a big deal for women. I do think that people shouldn't be forced to do what they don't want to. If they did then isn't it close to slavery? In the end, it all boils down to power.' Marcus was lost in thought.
"I never got your name. Big Sis also didn't tell me." Zoey finished her conversation with Eva.
"Oh," Marcus extended his arms and positioned it for a handshake "My name is Marcus, Marcus Kauffman. You are?"
"I'm Zoey, Zoey Xalia. Once again, thank you for saving my life." She too, extended her hand.
Marcus could feel her soft and smooth palm pressing against his. It only lasted for a second or two before they let go.
"Heir of a tech company right?" Marcus placed his hands back on the table.
Eva finished her tea so she stood up and excused herself.
"Well, cars, games, spaceships, and even energy drinks. But we're well known for our watches all over the 2nd rate countries." Zoey sounded proud.
"I guess now we know where we'll buy our watches when we get there." Both Eva and Nexus still didn't have watches that could communicate planet to planet yet as the three of them agreed to buy one when they reached Estra.
"Are you also from Kellar?" Zoey asked.
Marcus shook his head, "I'm from a place far away."
"Sounds mysterious. Girls dig that. Will you be enrolling in a university in Estra? I'm sure a lot of pretty ladies will want to get their hands on you." Zoey giggled.
Marcus placed his hand below his chin. "I thought hum--girls dig creepy guys? As for enrolling in a university, I currently have no plans. Just so you know, I'm only 17. I don't think they'll even accept me. Oh, and do you also want to get your hands on me?"
Zoey's eyes went wide. "You're 17? No way! And you're already that strong? Hahaha, I'm 22 and in my third year in college. Don't you think I'm too old for you"
Marcus touched his face, "People actually say I look young. I was only kidding, I already have women in my heart. For how strong I am, I hope you won't tell anyone about it, about us three."
Zoey nodded "Big Sister Eva already told me to keep it a secret so you don't have to worry. As for going to a university at your age, you only need the right amount of money. I still couldn't believe you're only 17."
'Women? Plural?' She thought to herself.
Eva came back to her chair which was beside Zoey's. She just listened to them talk.
"I'm just talented in magic." Marcus had a smug look in his face.
"I'm not going to argue with that." Zoey smiled.
Marcus stood up. "I'll go check the ship for a while."
Zoey nodded "The people who'll come to get us will probably be arriving soon. I'll also be telling my dad what happened here so that Moonsplorers can give us a good answer."
"That sounds great!" After Marcus said that, he walked away towards the door.
before he could step out, he heard Nexus's voice in his head "I guess you're finally back!"
He chuckled when he heard Nexus's words.