Eva walked towards the bus stand with Julian following her. She felt ill at ease under his probing gaze.
"I don't know....you. Why are you.... following me?" Eva asked in a helpless tone, staring at him with her green eyes, seeking answers.
Julian was stunned."You don't know me?" Seeing her shake her head, her eyes clear, he couldn't help but say, "Julian Warren. That's my name." He waited for her to react, she just kept looking at him, her gaze asking if she was supposed to know him.
Realizing she truly didn't know him, he burst into ironic laughter, having overestimated his fame.
Ethan, too, was stunned. In his second form, it could be excused if Dungeon raiders didn't recognize him, but not knowing his human form was a huge surprise.
"I followed you to your city for my cat. I'm stuck with you until tomorrow," Julian said matter-of-factly, a punchable smile on his lips.
Eva, who was rubbing her face against the cat's body, paused at his words, squinting in enjoyment one moment, then glaring at his irritatingly calm smile.
"What's your name? Or should I just call you Green-Haired lady?" Julian teased, standing beside her as if she'd accepted for him to follow her home.
Eva gazed at the handsome but annoying man with an expressionless face, her next words shocking him.
"Eva Quinn. How do you...know the cat...belongs to you?" Not waiting for him to respond, she continued.
"I took this cat from.... his dead owner. He belongs to me." She lied, burying her nose in the cat's fur, feeling guilty and avoiding his reaction.
As if the world heard her, a bus stopped in front of them. She quickly boarded, while Julian ran a hand through his black hair, laughing at her lie. 'Dead owner, huh?' he thought in amusement.
His eyes gleamed with mischief as he followed her onto the bus, eager to see her reaction when she found out the cat's true form.
"Umm, you can sit here." A woman stopped him, throwing a flirty glance his way. Her ogling eyes made him frown, his usual frosty demeanor returning. Startled, the woman quickly looked away, unable to handle his cold aura.
The other women on the bus took note and avoided eye contact. 'This Greek god of a man was not their cup of tea. He could be only admired from afar.' their thoughts were surprisingly the same.
The males threw him an envious glance but Julian seemed not to notice and walked toward Eva's seat.
Julian sat beside Eva's petite form. "Oh~ so I'm dead now?" He drawled in a husky voice, flashing a questioning look at Ethan as if to ask when he would be returning to his human form.
Eva ignored him, her throat aching from talking too much. Her stomach growled from hunger. She couldn't wait to go home and search around for food.
Julian leaned back into the seat and closed his eyes, after getting no response from her.
Eva's eyes darted around. Every face she saw was pale from lack of sunlight. The roads were filled with cars and buses, but there wasn't a green leaf in sight.
Her mind processed what she remembered from the dungeon apocalyptic novel she read, which was written from the female lead's point of view.
The story follows a heroine who found a powerful ring, gathered strong teammates and lovers, and rose to the top, upgrading her powers and living a happy life with her husbands.
A simple, straightforward tale that focuses on the female lead glow-up while forgetting about the teammates who sacrificed themselves along the way. Eva was just a passerby in this world, an orphan.
"Ehh!!!" Eva screamed internally as she remembered the sky-high cost of living here. Even the air you breathe requires a monthly tax. And that didn't even include the capsule drugs for vitamins and iron, necessary due to the lack of sunlight.
If survival was easy, people wouldn't risk their lives in dungeons, hunting beasts for drop items and dead skin that could be sold for money or a chance to live under the protection of greater powers.
Her mood sank as she got off the bus and flashed her card at the payment panel, watching her money disappear.
Eva felt her heart bleed, that was her food money, and found that food was another level of the word costly. She let out a depressed sigh making Julian look at her, wondering why dark clouds surrounded her, as if someone had died.
He said nothing and followed her passing through many turns, moving away from the bustling streets to a quieter middle-class section.
Eva climbed the stairs of a three-story building, stopping on the top floor. Following her body's memories, she placed her hand in a hidden wall opening and brought out a key.
As soon as she opened the door, the cat jumped down from her arms, she moved after it to carry it back, only for it to turn into a tall, muscular naked man.
Julian closed the door just in time to witness Ethan's transformation and Eva's stunned expression, a wide grin spread across his lips and he leaned against the wall, ready to enjoy the show.
"Eva dear, did you think it was a normal cat?" Julian teased, adding fuel to the fire.
His words snapped Eva out of her shock. She circled Ethan, who was now pulling on his pants with a cold expression.
"Where's my cat? Give...me back my cat," Eva demanded, her voice rising, as she anxiously scanned the room for the cat.
"I'm not your cat." Ethan coldly stated, unable to look Eva in the eyes after all he had been through at her hands.
"GIVE ME MY CAT!" Eva's voice grew colder, her powers flaring. Her hair began to glow, and murderous intent filled her eyes.
Both men were startled. Was she being serious? Julian straightened from the wall and moved closer, leaning in to whisper in her ear.
"He's not a cat, dear. He just transforms into one. And that's not the only beast he can shift into." Eva frowned, looking from Julian to Ethan with a scrutinizing gaze.
Ethan sighed helplessly and, to prove it, he shifted back into the cat and then back into human form in a matter of moment
Eva's expression became icy with disappointment. "Why isn't he a cat? My dream of having a normal cat gone puff into the air."
Ignoring both men, she headed off to find food, to console herself.