Living Normally In An Abnormal World

Chapter 22: An Invitation from a Young Lady’s School

On a weekday morning, I opened the mailbox outside our house and found a beautiful letter inside. It was clearly too conspicuous; it was obvious that they wanted me to see it. I wondered if it was addressed to Mana. I checked the envelope and saw that it was addressed to:

“To Kinoshita Yuuto.”

So, it was for me, not Mana.

I wondered, “Is this an invitation from Maria or Lady Erina? If so, they should have contacted me via L○NE.”

Curious, I decided to open the letter and read its contents.

“To Kinoshita Yuuto-san, we would like to invite you to an event where our students from St. Athens Girls’ Academy can interact with you. We believe that by having you attend this event, we can help our sheltered young ladies gain exposure to gentlemen and learn how to interact with them. We humbly request your assistance in this matter and ask that you give our proposal your kind consideration.”

In simpler terms, they wanted me to be a male sample.

Although I often got invited by Maria and Lady Erina to parties, where I would just cross-dress to avoid being recognized.

Apparently, the rumor of me wearing a wedding dress had spread among the nobility. Every time I attended a party with Maria, I would be asked, “Is that gentleman here?”

While I felt relieved that they didn’t know it was me, I also felt a sense of dread…

However, the idea of going to a young lady’s school… It sounded too stiff and formal for my liking. I was about to decline the invitation…

Suddenly, I felt a pair of eyes on me, and I looked up.

A woman dressed in an expensive-looking suit was staring at me. She must have been the one who just put the letter in the mailbox.

“Oh, good morning,” I said, offering a greeting.

“Good morning. What a lovely day it is today,” she replied.

“I just read your letter, but I have my own circumstances, so I would like to decline the invitation…” I explained.

“Please, is there anything you need? Anything at all?” she pleaded.

“No, I…” I hesitated. Why was she so insistent on me specifically? There were other men out there.

“Look, why does it have to be me? Anyone else would do, right?” I asked.

“No, it has to be you, Yuuto-san,” she insisted.

“What do you mean by that?” I inquired, confused.

“May I come again another day? I understand that you may have plans on weekdays, Yuuto-san,” she said.

“Oh… well, that’s fine. How about this Sunday?” I suggested.

“Thank you so much!!!” she exclaimed, bowing deeply. Her reaction made me feel that she was somehow desperate or in a hurry.

“My name is Hayashi Minako,” she introduced herself, handing me a business card.

“Then, I’ll see you on Sunday!” she said, leaving with a cheerful expression on her face and skipping away while humming a tune. I was surprised by her reaction, as I hadn’t even agreed to her request yet.

Sighing, I thought to myself, “Because of my indecisiveness, I ended up postponing this troublesome matter again.”

I looked at the business card she had given me. Oh… she was the school principal.

I decided to at least hear her out. It was Sunday, and Mana was also free, so I would discuss it with her later.

“What were you talking about just now?” Mana asked, appearing right behind me.

“I was just checking the mailbox, but you took a long time, so I wondered what was going on,” she added.

“It’s an invitation from St. Athens Girls’ Academy,” I explained.

“St. Athens… an invitation from a noble’s school?” Mana asked, surprised.

“You know about it?” I inquired.

“It’s Lady Erina’s alma mater. I’ve heard a little about it before,” Mana replied.

“I see,” I nodded.

I handed the letter to Mana, who quickly skimmed through it.

“A male sample, huh?” she commented.

“Yeah, that’s the gist of it. I’ll hear the details on Sunday. I couldn’t bring myself to refuse,” I admitted.

“Just do what you want, Yuu-kun. I’ll keep Sunday free for you,” Mana assured me.

“Thanks,” I said, feeling grateful.

… St. Athens Girls’ Academy. I wondered if I should ask Maria about it today.

—At School—

“St. Athens Girls’ Academy?” Maria asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, do you know anything about it?” I inquired.

“Of course, it’s my mother’s alma mater, and I was supposed to attend that school as well. But why do you ask?” Maria questioned.

“Well, I received a letter from them, asking me to be a male sample for their students,” I explained.

“What!? Let me see!” Maria exclaimed, taking the letter from me and quickly reading through its contents.

“It seems you haven’t replied to them yet,” she noted.

“That’s right,” I confirmed.

“When did you get this letter?” Maria asked.

“I don’t know,” I replied.

“You should refuse. It’s a noble’s school, so its location is not known to the general public. If something happens and you get kidnapped, no one will be able to help you,” Maria warned.

“Kidnapped!? Surely, they wouldn’t go that far,” I said, taken aback.

“According to my mother, there have been at least four such incidents while she was studying there,” Maria revealed.

“Alright, I’ll decline the invitation!” I said, feeling a sense of relief. The thought of spending my life there was not something I wanted to contemplate.

Just then, my phone pinged, indicating a notification from Lady Erina. I had messaged her earlier to ask about the school as well.

I opened the message and read:

“Please, do not participate under any circumstances.”

What!? Was the treatment of men in noble schools really that bad? I felt a sense of dread.

“Maria… I’m starting to get scared of the nobility,” I confessed.

“Well, they have money and power, so they can do whatever they want,” Maria replied.

“I guess I’ll just avoid going there,” I said, feeling relieved.

“I don’t want to be separated from you, Yuuto-sama,” Maria added, looking at me with a sincere expression.

“I don’t want that either. I enjoy our conversations, Maria,” I said, smiling gently.

“Fufu, thank you, Yuuto-sama ♪,” Maria replied, her cheeks slightly flushed.

(She’s so cute.)

—On Sunday—

“So, as I explained, I would like to decline the invitation…” I told Minako-san, the school principal.

“Wha… What!? Are you serious!?” she exclaimed, clearly disappointed. It was understandable, given what she had heard about the potential for kidnapping.

Mana, who was standing next to me, remained silent throughout the conversation.

“Is there any way that you would reconsider?” Minako-san asked, her eyes pleading.

“I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do,” I replied, feeling a bit helpless.

“At least let me explain…” Minako-san begged.

“I’ll listen, as that was part of the initial proposal,” I said, trying to be accommodating.

“As I mentioned before, the reason I insisted on you, Yuuto-san, is that most of the students who will be participating in this event are your fans,” Minako-san explained.

“Oh… because of the wedding dress incident?” I asked, recalling the previous event where I had cross-dressed.

“Yes, that’s right,” she confirmed.

“But why now? Why not before?” I inquired.

“Well, we felt that inviting a seven-year-old boy would be too much for them to handle, so we waited until you were older,” Minako-san explained.

I was surprised to learn that I had fans among the nobility. And they were even considering my feelings by waiting until I was older.

“But… if it’s just about having a male presence, why does it have to be me specifically? Surely, any other man would do for this interaction event?” I questioned.

“The students are adamant that they want you, Yuuto-san, and they won’t listen to any other suggestions,” Minako-san explained, looking slightly exasperated.

“So, because they’re all young ladies, it’s hard for you to refuse?” I asked, understanding the dilemma.

“Yes, that’s correct,” she nodded.

It seemed that working at a noble’s school came with its own set of challenges.

“…By the way, do you know why I’m hesitant to accept this invitation?” I asked, changing the subject slightly.

“Is it because of the kidnapping incidents?” Minako-san guessed.

“Yes, that’s right. I value my safety, so I’m inclined to decline the invitation. I hope you understand,” I said, trying to be firm but polite.

“I see… Well, if the venue were to change, would you consider participating?” Minako-san asked, a hint of hope in her eyes.

“Well, sure.”

“Really!? Are you serious!?” she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.

“Yuu, you’re too soft-hearted,” Manatsu sighed, rolling her eyes.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“It’s fine. I knew this would be your response from the start,” Mana said, patting me on the shoulder.

“How about we change the venue to the place where you first attended a party in a dress? Would that be acceptable to you, Yuuto-san?” Minako-san suggested.

“Yes, that place would make me feel more at ease,” I agreed.

“Then, it’s settled! We’ll make the necessary arrangements!” Minako-san exclaimed, sounding relieved.

“So, when will this event take place?” I asked.

“Next Sunday,” she replied promptly.

“Alright, I’ll keep that day free,” I confirmed.

“You don’t need to worry about transportation. I’ll accompany you as well,” Mana volunteered.

“That’s a great idea. Having you there will make me feel even more secure,” I said, feeling grateful for Mana’s support.

“Thank you so much for your cooperation! I really appreciate it!” Minako-san exclaimed, bowing deeply.

Well, it seemed like they were in a pinch, and this was the least I could do to help.

And so, I agreed to participate in the interaction event at St. Athens Girls’ Academy. To be honest, I felt a bit anxious about the whole thing.

—Days later—

“That’s so like you, Yuuto-sama,” Maria said, shaking her head in amusement and slight exasperation.

“I just couldn’t bring myself to refuse,” I admitted.

“I’ll come with you!” Maria declared.

“Huh? What do you mean?” I asked, taken aback.

“I’ll be there as well. My presence should help keep the young ladies in line, and I want to see you in a dress again!” Maria explained, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Yeah, I know your reason is definitely the latter, but I appreciate your support,” I said, laughing.

“I’ll let Mother know as well,” Maria said, taking out her phone and sending a message.

“Lady Erina must be busy with work, traveling to and from foreign countries every day,” I commented.

“She already replied!” Maria exclaimed, reading the message.

“That was fast!” I said, impressed.

“She said, ‘Let me know the date, and I’ll cancel my plans for that day.’ Mother is amazing!” Maria exclaimed, her eyes shining with admiration for her mother.