In the lift, Nikolai felt confident in himself.
However, he lacked an educational background. He felt his character and hard-working nature would make him perfect for the role. His fingers brushed along his chin while the elevator brought over fifteen people to the 69th floor.
'What exactly is the role, I don't think the application mentioned.'
The other candidates brought with them a mixture of scents-a blend of light floral fragrances and overpowering cologne as they entered the elevator.
Since birth, Nikolai has possessed an extraordinary sensitivity to strong scents. This unique trait has served him well in his previous jobs, particularly those involving food. He can easily detect products nearing expiry, pushing them to the front and boosting sales.
'Someone is sweating a lot; the scent is horrible.' He turned his gaze to see a single male, average in looks but slightly overweight, with an oily sweat across his brow.
Though it disgusted Nikolai, he felt for the guy as he read through his sheets of paper while squashed against the walls.
"Ah... S-Sorry." A soft voice sounded as the elevator shook, a woman's soft body falling into Nikolai's. Thanks to his training, he caught the girl with his muscular arms and held her stable, avoiding any injuries. "Thank you!"
Her voice was loud, and she seemed nervous. "It's no problem; make sure to be careful in the future."
Ding-Dong!
[Welcome to the Scarlet Rouge Group's 69th floor]
With the lovely mechanical voice from the speakers, many people rushed out as if it meant they had got the job.
As for Nikolai, he held an arm behind the female and observed the large male, not because he aspired to be friends or anything. He noticed the male struggled to move well, his legs seeming to be made of lead, tripping over them and almost hitting the young woman.
"Woah!? Help!" The male cried out while the female just released a soft yelp.
"Ahh!?" The difference between the two was roughly 100-150lbs; thus, Nikolai's right arm pushed out and caught the male with his hand, gripping his chest tight. At the same time, his other arm wrapped around the waist of the woman above her hips.
"Waa.... what?" The big guy's voice was deep, but a little soothing to hear. His large glasses slipped from his face into his palm while looking at Nikolai with a shocked face.
The guy's eyes were wide open, and his nose was snivelling.
"You alright, big guy?"
"Ah... yeah, thanks for catching me. Your hands are huge. I'm Luke, nice to meet you." Luke seemed to be rather free, adjusting himself and offering his hand, wiping it twice on his rather expensive suit.
'it seems he's quite well off, but that doesn't matter.'
Nikolai reached out and grasped Luke's hand. He didn't mind interacting with people, and the man apologised. Plus, he wanted to know more about the job, and this guy was perfect.
"Nikolai, do you have a few minutes after we get off?" Luke asked, wiping his face with a tissue.
"Of course!"
"Excuse me, I'm Yulia from the J-Empire. Thanks for helping me twice. If you need anything, I can help, too."
Once he bonded with Luke, it seemed the small woman with the dainty figure and soft black hair in a bob cut was called Yulia. "Oh? Thanks. It's no problem, though. Anyone would have helped a pretty woman win points with her. Normally, I was just lucky."
"Am I pretty?"
Nikolai didn't speak again. Instead, he stepped off the lift with Luke, wrapping his arm around his back and guiding him to a muted space near the window.
"H-Hey... don't just leave me alone!?"
The sixty-ninth floor was amazing. A spread of rare and beautiful flowers spread across the balcony, with human-sized windows across the entire floor. However, Nikolai noticed outside people couldn't see through them, which he thought made the place even more extravagant.
"So, big guy. What exactly is the job opening for?"
"Eh... what! You didn't even know and reached this far!? How there were strict tests and hurdles to get through!"
Luke seemed overexcited, and his eyes seemed to devour Nikolai.
The pair looked at each other, Yulia standing near them as if a member of their group. The rest were still waiting at the end of the hall, making noise and complaining.
"Well, I just applied and got through to the finals with that." Nikolai shrugged his shoulders while leaning against the stone pillar.
"Heh... some people have a big backing, I am envious. But seriously, you don't know?" Luke mocked, poking Nikolai's abs with his fingers.
"Ah, no clue. Can you help a brother out?"
"I can tell you, don't leave me out. Those people have already formed groups!" Yulia complained, pointing out that the others stood in groups of three or four.
"Hmmm, who are you?" Nikolai asked before he suddenly realised and gave a wry smile. "Sorry, Yulia. Was it?"
"Bro... did you just forget a beautiful woman like that in seconds?" Luke whispered in Nikolai's ear.
Nikolai nodded, put both hands in his pockets, and looked at Yulia objectively. He didn't really care who told him; Luke or Yulia could both give him what he wanted. "Just tell me, time is running out."
However, before Yulia could speak, the sound of a buzzer echoed, and then a soft, polite voice spoke clearly.
"Candidate 1069: Nikolai Volkov, please enter door number one. Thank you."
"Hmm?"
"Oh?"
The two looked at Nikolai with a strange look, like their gaze upon him changed from thankful for his help to reverent. He wanted to ask, but they called for him, and this job meant the difference between paying off his father's debts and being forced to sell his organs.
"Sorry, I'll see you after the interview." Nikola waved at the two before turning away.
"W-Wait, Mr Volkov!"
"Sir Volkov, are you really going to become her squire!?"
Nikolai's enhanced hearing picked up both Luke's and Yulia's words while jogging down the halls, checking them by numbers. 'five.... four... what's a squire?'
"Ah, door number one." The first door was a huge double door with the sign plate of the CEO and Owner written.
[Selene Aria Tepes]
He thought little and only thought her name sounded pretty. Nikolai knocked several times with a loud, powerful blow before stepping inside.
The moment he entered the room, a soft scent of roses and strawberries filled his nose, a sharp yet comforting scent with the aftertaste of blood. He looked towards the desk, only to find a familiar figure that caused his heart to race.
"Hello, little doggy~ It seems we meet again. How does it feel to know that this hysteric fool in the ridiculous jacket is the one who will decide your fate?"
Nikolai looked around the room, but only she was present; though the woman carried a beauty close to perfection, looks alone couldn't sway him. His mother's beauty, an even match for this woman, made him almost immune to beauty tactics.
"My name is Nikolai, thanks—where is the real interviewer? They can't let an irrational woman like you tend to their new hires, right?"
In reality, Nikolai knew he was being a prick, yet he couldn't hide his true feelings when someone irritated him or seemed to toy with him. He knew he wasn't right for the job, but for this woman to be waiting for him made him angry.
So, like a fool, he became defiant and stopped thinking logically. He might need the money, but he wasn't a dog or some slave.
Maybe it felt similar to her because Selene knew his background and that he would act this way. It was the signature of the Volkov family, written in countless meetings between her family and them that they are arrogant and ignorant but would never betray someone.
That loyalty is what she needed.
The office became silent.
Yet something about him made her react; she couldn't ignore him or block him out, and Nikolai felt the same. They didn't understand and couldn't let the other's actions go without punishment or complaint.
Even if they looked stupid or made horrible choices.
Her eyes opened wide to their limits, her scarlet iris trembling as her mouth opened wide. She seemed to wish to speak several times, opening and closing her lips, but words didn't come out, so Nikolai walked to the water machine, filling a cup slowly.
She watched his actions with confusion. Then, when he placed the water on her desk, she couldn't help but feel her entire body trembling from his cheeky remark.
"You should probably learn to interact with humans before you pretend to be more than an intern." Nikolai scoffed before he sat on the black leather sofa, a thousand times more comfortable than the one at home.
While leaning back against the backrest, he let out a loud sigh. The stress of his interview, his father's illness, and his loss of sight of the future gave him a moment of solace. "Hey, little girl, what's your name?"
"Who is a little girl!? I am far older than you, and my esteemed name is Selene Aria Tepes!"
Selene's face turned the colour of her jacket in a rage.
Her hand grasped the empty water cup, crushing it into waste plastic. All the while, she stared daggers at the man with his feet up on her expensive imported marble table.
"Esteemed name, huh? Well, it is a beautiful name, and it suits you quite well. But I can see where this is going, and I don't need to put up with your abuse, right?"
For a moment, her face became more agreeable until the second part of his sentence. "You, a member of the Volkov family come into the territory of my Tepes family and don't think to act with respect? Do you seek the past to repeat itself with your arrogant display?"
'Jeez, this girl's delusions and irrational personality are off the charts.'
"So... when will I have my interview? Selene"