“Quickly tell the squad that you will not be staying in the dorm tonight, don’t make me wait,” Layla said with a stony face. Arthur and the sergeant were standing in front of his squad’s dorm room; he could hear Tamara and Simon arguing about something inside.

The two of them were fighting over their sleeping arrangement. Tamara was setting up a portable partition to give her and Athena some privacy during the night, while Simon was saying that as a squadmate, they should not do such a thing and should have more trust in each other. Silent Athena was on Tamara's side, while Simon was alone in his fight, as the other boys wanted no part in the fool’s endeavor.

*Knock, knock.*

Arthur knocked before opening the door; the squad turned silent as they looked toward him. They could see Sergeant Layla behind Arthur, with her back against a wall.

*Squeak, squeak!*

Rat ran toward Arthur; it was left in the dorm with the other bond when the squad got treated. It was glad Arthur came back, saving it from the chaos Tamara and Simon made in the dorm.

“Ahem...” Arthur cleared his throat to dispel the awkward silence they were in, “I’m just here to pick up Rat and let you know that Sergeant Hawkins has another accommodation prepared for me tonight, so I will not sleep here.”

Arthur was still trying to make it sound like nothing was going to happen between them, but Simon already had a wide grin at him, but the short guy kept his silence since Layla was looking at them.

Arthur closed the door behind him, walking toward the waiting Sergeant. The moment the door closed, he could hear Tamara and Simon explode in discussion; even Stevan and Kale joined them. And it was clear that they were not talking about their sleeping arrangements.

Arthur noticed that Kale seemed more comfortable talking with the other squad members already.

“You done? Let’s go; it's getting dark, and we don’t want to bother the guards patrolling at night,” Layla hurried him.

The city had a curfew, and anyone wandering late at night would be arrested for some questioning.

Both of them went out of the military compound before going to the residential district, which confused Arthur since most hotels are in the commercial district.

“Ma'am, where are we going?” he asked the woman in front of him.

“My room in the compound is too small; I have an apartment, so we are going there,” she said while walking. Her voice sounded annoyed. She put off all façade the moment they left the military compound.

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Arthur stopped in his tracks, confused. “Huh? You are not going to get me a hotel?!” he freaked out, which earned him a glare.

“No, my budget's kind of tight this month; I just bought a new katar,” she said. Arthur could see a hint of embarrassment when she said it.

“If that's so, I will just sleep under the bridge; it's not a big deal, I’m used to it,” Arthur said hurriedly, trying to run from the madwoman.

“Don’t you dare! If the Colonel finds out you sleep under the bridge, he will have my pay cut again; I can’t have that!” She held his arm with so much force that it made him flinch.

Arthur bit his lips in frustration; he would rather stay in the dorm with the others and make friends than go with Layla!

After a short walk, they arrived at a modest apartment building. Layla greeted some neighbors politely with a smile, like a totally different person.

“What are you waiting for? Come in,” she told him as he stood before the door.

Layla’s apartment was not that big; it had a kitchen and living room, and what seemed to be two bedrooms. It was cleaner than he thought it would be.

“Ummm...” Arthur was about to talk when Layla glowed for a second, and a giant white tiger materialized behind her, looking at him.

“Good girl...” she scratched the tiger while hugging it. The tiger was the size of a horse!

The sudden appearance shocked Arthur, causing him to fall backward. Layla laughed at him; she seemed more relaxed in her home.

“This is Karina, my bond,” she said while snuggling the giant cat.

“Go take a seat; I will make dinner,” she said as she went toward the kitchen.

While Layla prepared dinner, Arthur did not even dare to move as the tiger looked at him with curiosity.

“It's definitely an apex predator, might be higher,” he thought.

Arthur had heard that there is a superior trait that apex predators can upgrade to, but he doesn’t know what.

It did not take long for them to sit at the dining table; Layla heated a simple chicken soup from the fridge while giving a dozen kilograms of meat for Karina and one piece of meat for Rat.

Arthur looked at the soup in front of him in silence; it was the first proper dish he had in such a long time.

“What are you waiting for? Do you think I poisoned it or something?” Layla asked him with a hint of irritation.

“No, it just... I did not think you would give me food...” He said hesitantly.

“Do you think I’m a monster or something? I can at least provide dinner for guests!” She got offended.

“Moreover, today is kinda partially my fault, so it's the least I can do,” she mumbled while avoiding eye contact.

“Partially? That was completely and utterly your fault!” Arthur screamed internally, barely able to keep his thoughts to himself.

“Anyway, make sure to finish your dinner; I’m going to take a bath first!” she said after finishing her food.

“Karina, keep an eye on them, don’t hesitate to bite them if they try anything funny,” she said to the Tiger.

Karina nodded back while gnawing at its meal; it seemed to enjoy the meat very much.

Arthur could hear Layla humming and water running from the bathroom, but he did not pay them any mind; he just wanted to savor the soup in front of him.

“Humans live to eat! What have I missed out on all this time!” He thought.

After half an hour, Layla emerged from the bathroom; her damp hair hung loose behind her. She no longer wore her uniform but a loose-fitting white shirt and short pants, which showcased her beautiful long legs.

“It’s your turn, don’t forget to wash your hair as well, they are filthy. Make sure to wash it clean,” she told him seriously.

“When you are done, knock on my bedroom; I’m going to dry my hair,” she said while going to the bedroom followed by Karina.

“What does she want?!” Seeing the madwoman acting somewhat nice to him caused Arthur to freak out.