Chapter 101: Bloodhounds chasing a scent

Chapter 101: Bloodhounds chasing a scent Eva nodded in response, accepting his explanation—but she couldn’t help wondering how he knew about her birthmark when neither she nor their parents had ever seen it. "We’ll go after lunch," she said. Right on cue, her stomach growled. Aaron chuckled and moved closer. "Alright, what do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you." He already acted like this was his home, showing no trace of politeness. Eva shot him a skeptical look. He looked like a pampered young master. Could he really cook? As if reading her mind, Aaron smirked. "Don’t worry. My food’s edible." He rubbed her head. Eva frowned and smoothed her hair back. Why were the men around her always messing with her hair? ’Does it have something special I’m unaware of?’ she wondered, shifting away—but Aaron stuck to her like glue, cutting off Ethan, who had been about to move closer. Ethan couldn’t respond to Aaron’s provocation—after all, he might become their brother-in-law. A grimace tugged at his face as he recalled Eva’s infamous parents, and for a moment, he and Julian’s future felt grim. Julian followed silently behind them, his expression blank and lifeless. Inwardly, he was cursing himself. ’Why did I open my big mouth and say I had nothing to do with that family of hot, dangerous mess?’ Now he was married to their long-lost daughter, and her brother clearly didn’t like them. The killing intent in Aaron’s eyes made that very clear. ’It can’t get any worse,’ Julian thought, trying to console himself as Aaron dragged Eva to the kitchen. He and Ethan were left behind at the dining table. They shared a look, a long sigh escaped their lips. "What do you think we should give her parents when we visit?" Ethan asked. At the thought of Leo becoming their father-in-law, cold sweat broke out on both their foreheads. Unaware of her husbands’ growing panic, Eva watched in awe as Aaron moved with practiced ease—his knife slicing through the meat effortlessly. Each piece came out uniform in length before he began seasoning with confident precision. Eva found it oddly satisfying to watch a handsome man cook. After letting the meat marinate, he scooped flour into a bowl, cracked in a few eggs and added butter, then began kneading the dough with patient, practiced hands "Whoa... I’m convinced. You can cook," Eva said, stepping closer, genuinely impressed. "It’s nothing. I learned to cook for myself—my powers burn a lot of energy, so I hunt edible monsters to keep up," Aaron explained, his heart warm with happiness at her praise. He was genuinely glad he could showcase his skill to his sister. "What are you making?" Eva asked. Her stomach growled, and she quickly covered it, embarrassed. "Noodles," Aaron replied, picking up his pace as he kneaded the dough. "It won’t take long—just hang in there." Eva hummed, famished from her morning exercise. With the main training set for noon, she knew she needed to eat well to endure the torture ahead. As Aaron began cooking the meat, he made conversation to distract her from her hunger. "You’re at level four?" His voice carried concern. "I’m training to build up my body strength," Eva said quietly, feeling the pressure of having such a powerful brother. He didn’t need to say his level—holding his own against Ethan and Julian said more than enough. "Can you tell me how you’ve been living all this time?" Aaron asked gently. He’d already been concerned, but now that he knew her power level, his worry deepened—surviving with such limited strength couldn’t have been easy. He watched her expression carefully, hoping his question hadn’t stirred any painful memories. But Eva’s mind remained blank—she caught his subtle gaze but couldn’t recall anything from the original owner. As for her own past, there was nothing particularly emotional to begin with. So she came up with a suitable cover for herself. "Umm... I can’t remember my past—there was an accident in the dungeon," Eva muttered in a steady tone. But to Aaron, it sounded like she was putting on a brave face. After all, who wouldn’t feel shaken after losing every memory of their life? "Don’t worry. You have me and our parents now. We’ll make new memories together." His tone was warm as he rubbed her head comfortingly. He turned back to the food, leaving Eva to bask in the warmth of his words. Though the story she gave was a cover, the part about her memory loss was true—and his concern touched her deeply. For the first time, she found herself looking forward to having a family. "Hmm.’’ She nodded, her eyes brightening with a smile. .... "What’s taking him so long?" Leo muttered, pacing the room, his tone thick with impatience. Grace shot him a sidelong glance, irritation flickering in her eyes. His constant pacing was getting on her nerves—she was trying to focus on her writing. "Do you think he recognized her? Or maybe he knows an electric power user?" Leo added, once again breaking her concentration. With an exasperated sigh, Grace set her pen down with a sharp thud. "Please, just go outside. I’m trying to work! Don’t you have a new poison to brew—or a potion to make?" she snapped, clearly trying to get rid of him. Leo coughed sheepishly, silently admitting he was in the wrong. But her words sparked a reminder. "Love, I forgot to tell you what I discovered from the herbs you gave me." He dragged a chair closer and sat, his expression turning serious. "Were they the ones from the trial ground?" Grace asked, her interest instantly piqued. "Yes, those," Leo confirmed. "I’ve already figured out most of them, but two stood out. One showed signs of boosting a person’s power level, and the other wasn’t affected by my corrosive poison. I’m still running more tests." Grace’s eyes narrowed in thought. If the first herb could truly increase power levels without dungeon kills, it could turn the current system upside down. But there was a problem—they had a very limited supply. "Once the city stabilizes, we’ll put out a notice," she said. "Ask those doing beast egg trials to bring any similar herbs with them... but we keep this quiet for now." "You don’t need to tell me," Leo said with a frown. "I know exactly how those old men behave once they catch a whiff of news like this." He spoke of the hidden clans whom the noble clans had to fear and respect. "They’re useless," Grace spat. "Where were they when the city fell apart? They only show up when there’s a chance to gain something—like bloodhounds chasing a scent." Leo wisely said nothing, not wanting her anger redirected at him. Grace snorted as she glanced at her husband, briefly wondering how she’d ended up marrying one of them. "Love, I’m not like them—you know I help you," Leo said, flashing a flattering smile as he massaged her back. "They only care about challenging those big dungeon monsters." Grace sighed, leaning into the massage. She knew all too well—those men only stirred when an unranked monster appeared. A creature so powerful, it defied classification. That was the only thing that could rattle them. "Press a bit harder on my right shoulder," she instructed, picking up her pen again and returning to her work.