Chapter 2: Determination

“Uh, Yike, what do you mean by this?”

Yike’s words honestly sent a chill down Lin Sheng’s spine.

He felt that the more he listened to Yike’s explanation, the higher the probability he was being scammed, but there was no doubt about the authenticity of the letter.

Having already passed his intellectual peak, Lin Sheng just felt a headache coming on.

“What do I mean? It’s exactly as it says. Saint Laia is, in the most literal sense, a girls’ school. Whether it’s students, teachers, or staff, all are female; it’s even said that the school’s pets are all female. Inviting a man like you, Old Lin, at a time like this—no matter how you look at it, it’s fishy.”

“Could… could it be a scam?”

“Impossible!”

Yike, who had been lost in thought, replied to Lin Sheng’s slightly doubtful question with great indignation.

“Impossible means impossible! Why are you reacting so strongly?”

Yike’s reaction left Lin Sheng bewildered.

Although Yike’s personality was a bit troublesome, such anger was rare and usually only surfaced when something he liked was being denied.

That was strange.

Clearly, Yike was also male, so why did he long for a girls’ school so much?

“I just think you’re really stupid, Old Lin. Utterly stupid!”

Yike still didn’t seem to have calmed down, fuming with anger, yet her wording was surprisingly… uh, refined?

In the past, Yike would have started calling him trash fish this and that.

While not much damage was dealt, the insult level was high enough to always get Lin Sheng riled up.

Worse, after being provoked, Lin Sheng could never find an outlet to vent.

If Yike had been just an ordinary female brat, Lin Sheng probably would have lost his patience long ago and gone on the offensive to teach her a lesson.

But the most infuriating thing was—Yike was a man.

A man!

Every time Lin Sheng felt the urge to “educate” her, remembering Yike was a man would instantly deflate his resolve.

No matter how you looked at it, Lin Sheng didn’t have the courage to climb on a man.

“Old Lin, oh Old Lin, that’s Saint Laia we’re talking about! Saint Laia, whose wealth rivals nations! Do you really think there’s any chance Saint Laia would scam you? Are you rich?”

“No, no.”

“Then does your family have power?”

“Also… also no.”

“You have neither money nor power, and your looks—at best—are just slightly handsome. Would Saint Laia need a mental problem to scam you?”

Although Yike’s words had grown more refined, his bratty behavior hadn’t changed at all.

There was still a sharp edge to his speech, and in just a few sentences, Lin Sheng found himself unable to lift his head.

“But—but like you said, Saint Laia doesn’t accept men. Then what does this letter mean?”

Lin Sheng argued, stiffening his neck.

He knew he didn’t have anything worth scamming, but he also didn’t qualify to be accepted by Saint Laia.

It couldn’t be that Saint Laia started recruiting male teachers this year, right?

“I don’t know, either… Maybe it’s a prank?”

Yike, who had been brimming with confidence, lost his nerve after hearing Lin Sheng’s question.

He glanced left and right, then mumbled a few words.

“A prank?”

“Yeah. Think about it—it might be a novel prank, and you’re just the unlucky chosen target, Old Lin.”

At first, Yike sounded uncertain, but the more he spoke, the more convinced he became, as if successfully persuading himself.

“If it’s a prank, then do I have to go?”

Though the explanation sounded far-fetched, Lin Sheng had to admit it was the most reasonable explanation he could think of.

But since he’d already guessed it was a prank, was there any need to go?

A prank this elaborate was bound to be more than just a joke.

There would probably be hidden cameras everywhere, capturing his clueless and embarrassing reactions and his dismay when the truth was revealed.

Lin Sheng didn’t think he was ready to be on TV.

“Go, of course! Why not? A prank of this scale would definitely come with compensation, and it’s Saint Laia Academy, after all—the compensation they offer wouldn’t be small.”

“But—”

“Besides, they’re even covering travel. You don’t even have to worry about the fare. Just think of it as seeing the world! Aren’t you even a little curious about what a Noble Ladies’ School is like?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Then that settles it! What are you still worried about? If you miss this chance, Old Lin, you’ll regret it for life!”

Yike spoke as if even being pranked was a rare stroke of luck.

But Yike was right.

Saint Laia was such a top-tier academy—even if they had some reason to prank him, there was no way they’d let him get off without any benefit.

Opportunities to see, or even step inside, a Noble Ladies’ School were few and far between.

As Yike said, if he missed this, he might never get another chance.

Screw it.

So what if it’s a prank?

So what if it’s being on TV?

Compared to the allure of a girls’ school and noble ladies to a teenage boy, that’s nothing.

Who knows, maybe this is the first step toward being pampered by a rich woman!

“I’ll go! It’s just a little prank! Compared to a Beastwoman Onee-san, it’s nothing!”

Good.

Yike had completely fired up Lin Sheng’s blood.

For the next few days, Lin Sheng was so excited he even clung to Yike, pestering him to help pick out clothes for the big day.

Though Yike brushed him off with, “It’s just a tour, don’t be so formal,” Lin Sheng’s enthusiasm remained high.

But honestly, when your blood is boiling, you tend to overlook some things—like: Yike is obviously male, so why does he know so much about Saint Laia, and why does he trust it so much?

Still, those are small issues.

Lin Sheng would definitely get the chance to ask Yike about these “little” questions someday, right?

Uh, there’ll be a chance, right?

Singing Star Calendar, July 15th, 5:00 AM.

The weather forecast said today would be perfect—clear skies for miles.

Thanks to yesterday’s constant drizzle, the air was cool and fresh, ideal for a campus tour.

Lin Sheng, grandly, was wide awake.

He had no choice.

The most luxurious place Lin Sheng had ever visited was the Capital of the Human Empire, and the farthest he’d traveled was a few neighboring cities around the Capital.

Meanwhile, Saint Laia Academy was built at the center of Moonlight Forest on the border of the Human Empire’s Capital.

Though called an academy, its land area even surpassed the Capital itself.

It wouldn’t be wrong to call it a giant city.

Inside, every imaginable facility existed.

From online sources, Lin Sheng even learned there was a sizable farm within the academy, which, from a certain quirky perspective, increased his fondness for the place.

And this—this was the Saint Laia Academy Lin Sheng would be visiting today.