8. Transfer

[07:00 PM]

Two days later, I received the order to be the personal bodyguard of Nikolai's Niece. I've been given transfer papers to her school and will be living in the same condominium. Packing what little belongings I have into my rucksack, I drove my car to the condo I'll be staying at. Parking in the underground parking lot, I grab my rucksack and head to the elevators. Different from the two typical elevators in the basement, there is one elevator beside them that has a security console. Swiping my E-band over the console, it gives me a satisfying ding as the elevator gives me access to the penthouse.

Entering the elevator, I tap the only floor available on the console: the 71st floor. As the door closes, the elevator quickly accelerates as it ascends the building. In under half a minute, I arrive at the final floor. When the elevator door opens, I see a long hallway leading to the penthouse. Walking out of the elevator, I head towards the door at the end of the hallway. Grabbing the handle, I feel resistance as the lock in the handle doesn't budge; I try again and it still doesn't open. 

I sigh. I look at the camera next to the door and knock. "Open the door!" I call.

Waiting for a few seconds, I was met with silence. "Can you please open the door!" I call out again and still no answer. Shaking my head, I grab the spare keycard from my pocket and press it on the door's sensor, which I hear a click as it finally unlocks. Twisting the handle, I feel the latch retract as I twist it open; when I push the door, something barred me from opening It. 

You gotta be kidding me… 

I grab the spare key from my pocket and unlock the deadbolt on the door. 

Finally! If that doesn't let me in, I would have grabbed a shotgun and blasted the latches to pieces! 

When I swing the door open, a girl with her arms crossed is glaring at me on the other side of the doorway; wearing a blouse and stylish pants. That girl is no other than Nikolai's niece which tried to lock me out: Kayla Hess.

`Kayla Hess: 18 years old and the daughter of Nikolai's sister. From what Nikolai told me, he brought her under his care when his sister died a few years ago and has been taking care of Kayla ever since.`

Still glaring at me, I try speaking to her. "Starting today, I'll be your bodyguard." With an awkward silence, I scratch the back of my head. "I'll be going to the guest room…" With a scoff, she walks away and enters a room on the second floor of the penthouse; presumably her room. Letting out a sigh, I remember the blueprint of the penthouse and walk to my new room. Passing by the luxurious living room, kitchen, and even the balcony pool; I open the door of my room. 

Whistling, I look around the highly modern, and elegant bedroom. With a 55-inch tv screen built into the wall, a small couch set at the corner, a full-size bed facing the tv, a sliding glass door with a good balcony view, and even a private bathroom with a bathtub; you could imagine the price tag floating in this bedroom alone. 

I then remember what Nikolai said to me when I was preparing to transfer to his Niece's condo. "You can live in the room I used a few times when I was staying at the condo."

Setting my rucksack on the bed, I began unpacking my meager belongings. It only took me five minutes to unpack everything I have in my rucksack, before placing the rucksack itself in the cabinet. Finished with the unpacking, I went outside my room.

Checking the large double door fridge, I was surprised to see it only full of sweets and a freezer with multiple boxes of ice cream; not even a single piece of meat, fish, or vegetables for a decent meal. Then I hear someone yell behind me. "You bastard! Are you stealing my food!?" An angry white-blond girl stands behind me with her hands on her hips.

"Food? These are just sugary snacks! How the heck can you even make a meal out of this!?" I retort.

"Are you an idiot!? There's a food replicator right beside you!" Kayla points at the rectangular machine mounted in the wall.

"That thing? You've been living by eating only from that?" I say dumbfounded. 

The replicator isn't bad at providing you food per se, but some low-end models are notoriously lacking in flavor that you usually get from the usual cooking; even the best replicator can't compare to regular cooking. That's why so many people would avoid eating replicator-based food if they can help it or would add spices to make it palatable.

Embarrassed, she blushes. "S-so what!?"

I place a hand over my face as I shake my head. "I'm going to buy some groceries." 

Needless to say, I'm going to be cooking for both of us.

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0600 hours, my usual waking time. I start my day by exercising for 30 minutes in the morning before taking a shower. After showering, I wear my new tailored school uniform over my concealable bulletproof vest; inserting my pistol in the hidden holster behind my pants with two extra magazines. Grabbing my new backpack with school supplies, I head out of my room. Opening the fridge with newly filled groceries, I cook up some breakfast. Ten minutes later, I finished making breakfast for two. Walking up the stairs, I knock on the door of Kayla's room.

I hear her groaning from the other side of the door. Knocking again, I call out to her. "Breakfasts ready!" 

Hearing a faint yawn, loud footsteps start to approach the door before it opens. Kayla in full pajamas says with an irritated, "What?"

"Breakfast's ready," I say.

"You woke me up for that?" Discontent clear from her voice.

"Yeah, why?" I raise a single eyebrow.

With an annoyed click of her tongue, she tries to close the door on me, which I held open. "Let go!" Using every strength she got, she didn't manage to budge the door by a centimeter.

"So are you going to eat?"

Glaring at me, she walks out of her room and heads downstairs to the table, grumbling under her breath. She sat down on the chair and quickly took a bite out of the food I cooked, she suddenly stopped. 

"Are you ok?" I asked, concerned if the food I made was bad.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" Irritated, she answers me before eating the meal and drinking the coffee. After she finishes eating, I ask her a question. "How was it?" Ignoring my question, she heads back to her room. I sigh, which I pick up the dishes and place them in the dishwasher. Checking my wristwatch, it displays 07:00 AM, an hour before classes start; I wait for Kayla to get ready.

After 30 minutes of waiting for Kayla, she finally exits her room wearing her school uniform, quickly heading to the elevator. Following behind her, we enter the elevator as soon as it arrives, much to the annoyance of Kayla. As she was about to press the lobby on the console, I quickly tapped the basement.

"Why did you pick the basement floor!?" Kayla yells. "I have a car picking me up!"

"Oh right, I'm the one driving you to school now," I tell her.

"You're going to what? No way I'm going to let you drive me to school!" 

"If you want to complain go to your uncle. Unless you want to walk that is." 

Keeping silent, Kayla waits until the elevator arrives on the basement floor. When the elevator reaches the basement, we both exit the elevator and I tell Kayla to follow me, which she reluctantly does. Arrive at the car, it automatically unlocks the door for me when it detects the key in my pocket, so I open the door and sit in the driver's seat. Noticing Kayla just standing beside the car, I call out to her. "Hey! Aren't you going to come in?" With reluctance, Kayla sits in the back passenger seat before putting on her seatbelt.

With a press of a button, the engine hums to life. I reverse from my parking spot and drive out of the parking lot. The GPS from my car's dashboard console gives me the quickest and least trafficked route to school. In under 10 minutes, we arrive at school; parking at the nearest empty parking spot. Pressing the button again, the engine shuts off. Getting out of my seat, I open the backdoor for Kayla. Not bothering to even talk with me, she walks away, heading into the school building. 

Why is she so ticked off at me? I sigh.

Walking away from the car, I head to the principal's office to report my arrival. As I was walking through the school hallway, every human student I passed by kept glaring at me, whispering under their breaths, "What's a zulaith doing in here?" "Why is that thing wearing our school uniform?" "How did he even get past security?"

Shaking my head, I ignore their comments before I reach the principal's office. Knocking three times on the door, I hear a woman reply, "Come in!"

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[Room 6-A]

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"Ugh! It's making me so mad!" Kayla complains as she slumps into her desk. 

"Did something happen?" A human girl with long black hair and green eyes asks Kayla.

"My Uncle hired me a bodyguard." 

"Isn't that a good thing? You were just kidnapped a few days ago," She says.

"Well, yeah… but I don't know why he picked him!"

With her interest piqued, Kayla's friend places two of her hands under her chin, looking at Kayla with curiosity. "Oh? He's a guy?"

"Oh don't bother."

Grinning, Kayla's friend elbows her on the sides. "Why not, Kay? Is he seriously that hot that you won't tell me the details about him?"

Kayla rolls her eyes. "Far from it. I'm not even sure if that's even possible."

"Oh come on, Kay! Just tell me the details!"

"I suggest avoiding that question, Ivy. He's not what you're imagining him to be."

"That's why I'm asking in the first place! Come on! Spill it!"

"Like, I said—" Before she could even finish what she's saying, the electronic chime started playing in the school, letting students know that classes are starting. With perfect timing, a man in his late 20's enters the classroom with his tablet.

"Good morning, everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. Before I start the class, I like to announce a new exchange student transferring today."

Buzzing with excitement, the students start talking to each other about who the transfer student might be. "A new transfer student? Oh! Who could that be!" Kayla's friend excitedly listens to the teacher's announcement. Continuing his announcement, the teacher calls out to someone outside the door, "Please enter the room."

With wide eyes, Kayla looks at the figure entering the room in disbelief. "You have got to be kidding me..."

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After entering the classroom, the buzz of activity a few seconds ago died immediately as I set foot in the room.

It's expected that people will be surprised that a zulaith like me managed to enroll in a human-only school.

Pressing something on the tablet, the homeroom teacher projects my student info on the digital board behind me. 

"Now, can you please introduce yourself?" He asks with a warm smile. Nodding, I gave my introduction. "I'm Blaze Orlov, 18 years old; and I'll be attending classes with you from now on."

"Thank you, for introducing yourself. I'm Terence Coulson, your homeroom teacher. If you want to ask some questions, ask Ivy: the class president." He points at the human girl with long black hair beside Kayla, waving at me. "Please take the empty desk behind Kayla." Following Terence's suggestion, I sat on the convenient empty seat behind Kayla. After sitting down, the whispering began, and not a single one of them is pleasant.

"Hey, why is a Zulaith here?" 

"Aren't they nasty aliens?" 

"How can a monster like him enter the school?"

Like a new mysterious neighbor that moved into a town with a tight-knit community, bad rumors will immediately start if you don't try gaining people's respect. Calling out to everyone, Terence starts the class. "Ok everyone, let's start the lesson. Please focus on the board or your desk. Let's continue—" 

Turning on the digital desk, I began listening to the lesson when suddenly, someone tried to get my attention. "Psst, over here." Raising my head, the class president beside Kayla waves at me, whispering. "Hi! Names Ivy!"

Whispering myself, I say, "Blaze." Before Kayla tells Ivy to ignore me. My work as a bodyguard starts today.