Capítulo 4: Chapter 4:
The mysterious man wasn't a security guard, and he certainly wasn't an archaeologist. So who was he, and what was he doing here?
Did he come because he heard the screams?
Elina curiously watched his back as he moved. He stopped in front of the tomb entrance, raised his right hand, and the ring on his pinky finger suddenly emitted a bright light that illuminated the entire dark chamber.
Even Elina had to squint at the sudden brightness.
The man glanced around, and Elina noticed that he had locked his gaze onto her body.
He crouched down beside her corpse, placed his hand over the main artery in her neck, then carefully examined the bruises on Elina's lifeless form. He used a single finger to lift her limbs and then inspected her neck area again.
Of course, he had already deduced the cause of her death.
The man was about to stand up but then paused, his eyes lingering on Elina, deep in thought. Suddenly, he reached out and gently closed her eyes.
Elina silently thanked him in her mind. This way, she looked less gruesome. At least, if someone discovered her body tomorrow, they wouldn't be scared, and when the forensic team took pictures, she wouldn't look as hideous.
Who would mourn for her in the future?
It certainly wouldn't be her two roommates.
After closing Elina's eyes, the man stood up and took slow, deliberate steps toward the opened coffin.
His eyes gazed inside.
Then he frowned.
"It escaped."
He uttered three words, his voice smooth and captivating, causing even Elina the cat outside to flinch.
After that, he turned and walked out.
As he passed by Elina's body, he suddenly stopped.
His deep, dark eyes glanced over, the sheer obscurity in his gaze making it impossible to decipher what he was thinking. Then, to Elina's shock, he picked up her corpse.
Cat-Elina's mouth dropped open. What was he trying to do?
Where was he planning to take her?
The man carried her body outside. Cat-Elina panicked, clueless about his intentions. What did he want with her body? Was his purpose good or bad? Should she try to "fight to the death" with him? But suddenly, she felt a hand grasp her neck and lift her up. Her whole body stiffened instantly, and she struggled desperately. But no matter how much she flailed her paws, she couldn't reach the hand holding her scruff.
With tear-filled eyes, Elina looked at the man in fear. Had he realized that she was actually Elina's soul?
It was truly miserable to be a cat, left helpless in someone's hands, unable to resist.
Elina spread her claws, wanting to scratch the man a few times, but as if sensing her intent, the hand holding her moved farther away.
"Why is there a cat here? And such a feisty one too. It seems hard to tame, but that's okay. I'll train you slowly."
Oh, thank goodness, he hadn't figured it out.
But why did Elina think it was a relief…?
She didn't know either.
The man then suddenly tucked Cat-Elina under his arm while carrying her human body with his other hands.
Elina was completely taken aback by his actions.
She wanted to keep struggling, maybe even tear up his suit. The man seemed to have read her thoughts and chuckled softly.
"Don't be reckless and scratch my suit. If you make a tear, I'll peel off a layer of your fur to patch it up."
Elina was so frightened that she immediately went limp.
Seeing this, the man chuckled again, clearly pleased.
"That's right. A pet should know how to behave."
Pet?
Cat-Elina was momentarily stunned, then she thought, perhaps this wasn't so bad. At least she wouldn't be a stray cat, rummaging through garbage bins every day, sleeping on the streets, and getting chased away. Compared to being the pet of a seemingly wealthy man, it might actually be a better fate.
Elina yawned, feeling suddenly drowsy. After all, it was already late, and this was the time when people should be deep in their sleep.
__________
When Cat-Elina woke up again, she found herself in an unfamiliar place.
As she had expected, the man was indeed very rich.
Elina looked around at the European-styled decor of the room—something she hadn't even dared to dream of.
The floor was polished to a mirror finish, reflecting her face. A gray woolen carpet covered the center. The bed placed in the middle of the room was over two meters wide, and the mattress and bedding looked exceptionally soft, exuding a distinct fragrance. The room was furnished with a sofa set, a TV, a wardrobe, bookshelves, a work desk, and a bedside table, all crafted from wood and exuding luxury. On the right side of the room, there was a bathroom and shower—clean and modern facilities that Elina had never had access to.
Was heaven granting her dream?
But why in the form of a cat? If only she were still the human Elina, that would have been perfect.
Yet, if she were a normal person, this man probably wouldn't have brought her here, and she wouldn't be lying on such a soft mattress as she was now.
While Elina was still entranced by the beautiful lights in the room, she suddenly heard a voice outside:
"What? You want to keep a cat?"
Startled, Elina tore her gaze away from the room's splendor. She realized the voice must be referring to her. It was a girl's voice.
His girlfriend? Or his wife?
Curious, Elina jumped off the bed. With her cat body, moving felt entirely different. At least she could lightly leap off the bed and land without making a sound, then sneak quietly to the door.
Elina noticed that the door was slightly ajar. She peered out cautiously.
To her surprise, the girl speaking wasn't his girlfriend or wife, but just a teenager who barely reached his chest, with a youthful face that suggested she was no older than fourteen or fifteen.
His sister?
At that moment, the man's voice rang out:
"That's right." He confirmed the girl's earlier question.
"But our hotel's policy doesn't allow pets."
Hotel?
Was Elina currently in a hotel?
And judging by the girl's words—"our hotel"—did that mean this entire grand hotel belonged to them?
Elina was amazed. Truly wealthy people.
Just then, Cat-Elina felt as if someone was watching her. She looked up and realized that the girl outside had spotted her hiding behind the door. Elina broke into a cold sweat and was about to dash away when she saw the man follow the girl's gaze, and upon seeing Elina, he too turned around and noticed her hiding.
Elina: "…"
If she suddenly ran away now, it would seem a bit awkward, especially since the girl clearly didn't want to keep her. But if she just stood there, it would be even more awkward.
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