"Not at all. It's my honor to guide you, seniors. This way, please!"
Yin Shu led the way with light steps. Following the path beside the spired building, the group entered the forest behind the academy.
Lush vegetation filled the woods. Sunlight spilled through gaps in the leaves in dappled flecks, and the air carried the damp scent of grass and trees.
Flender followed behind, his fingers unconsciously twirling his signature little mustache.
Every so often, he raised a hand to smooth his hair. Su Yu watched, silently grumbling:
If he had a mirror, he'd probably spend a whole hour looking into it.
Of course, that was only a thought. Following Yin Shu, the group soon entered the forest on the outskirts of the main campus.
Watching the scenery change around them, Flender asked in puzzlement:
"Doesn't your dean live on campus?"
"The dean usually isn't at the academy. She prefers peace and quiet, so she lives alone in the forest."
"The teachers handle the academy's daily affairs. Only major matters need to be referred to the dean."
When he mentioned the dean, genuine respect shone in Teacher Yin Shu's eyes, coming entirely from his heart.
"I see."
Flender asked no more questions and followed Yin Shu deeper inside.
After about ten minutes, the trees around them grew increasingly dense. Suddenly, a faint, gentle thread of song drifted toward them on the wind.
The song was tender and lingering, tinged with an elusive melancholy.
It was like someone pouring out a heart full of troubles in a low voice, softening the listener's heart while stirring a faint ache.
Flender stopped abruptly, his ears twitching slightly as a trace of delighted certainty flashed through his eyes.
He could never mistake that voice!
It was Sister Erlong!
Several hundred meters farther on,