The Only Ultimate Alpha in the Universe - Chapter 26

The next day.

Xiao Sa and Landis shared breakfast in the drawing room.

Landis spread butter onto his toast with a knife, his gaze flickering toward Xiao Sa from time to time. The latter was eating his breakfast in silence.

After a moment of thought, Landis took the initiative to speak. “Regarding your request last night to study at the mecha academy, I’ve considered it. It’s not entirely out of the question. However, you must promise me not to live in the dorms. You have to come home every day on time, and I will arrange bodyguards to escort you.”

Xiao Sa looked at him in surprise. Landis actually remembered that?

Landis continued, “Don’t be angry anymore. I’m just worried that your condition isn’t suitable for a military school; your body might not be able to handle the strain.”

Xiao Sa picked out the peas he disliked and, pretending to serve Landis, slipped them into the other’s plate. He shook his head. “I’m not angry. After all, you have no obligation to grant my every request.”

Landis ignored the picky eating habit. “Then why haven’t you spoken to me since last night?”

Xiao Sa replied casually, “I was a little annoyed last night. But I slept on it, and by the time I woke up this morning, I’d already forgotten.”

Landis fell silent for a moment before asking, “And what if I hadn’t agreed?”

Xiao Sa shrugged. “Then I would have found another way.”

Landis let out a soft sigh. He stood up to make a few phone calls. When he returned, he informed him, “In a few days, I’ll have someone arrange a spot for you as a transfer student.”

With a piece of bread hanging from his mouth, Xiao Sa gave him a generous, albeit muffled, smile. “Thash great, thanksh.”

Landis thought to himself: Young people are always full of fleeting enthusiasm. Perhaps Xiao Sa’s interest was just a sudden whim. Once he tasted the bitterness of military academy training, he would naturally realize that Landis only had his best interests at heart.

A few days later.

Xiao Sa and Landis sat in the back seat of a shuttle as the driver navigated smoothly. The Capital Mecha Academy was about an hour’s flight from the city where the Wincer Manor was located.

Xiao Sa looked at Landis. “Don’t you have work today? I can go by myself.”

Without looking up from his light-brain as he processed today’s meeting agenda, Landis replied, “It’s your first day of school. I’m seeing you off personally.”

Xiao Sa sighed inwardly; Landis’s care for him was truly excessive. However, he planned to tell him eventually that he wasn’t a low-rank, let alone a terminally ill “disabled” person.

He wondered if Landis’s expression that day would be one of pleasant surprise or sheer shock.

The butler handled the enrollment procedures. Since the Wincer family was one of the shareholders of the Capital Mecha Academy, there were no obstacles. Xiao Sa smoothly became a transfer student in Class A of the Mecha Piloting major.

The Dean of Students led Xiao Sa into the classroom.

In the spacious lecture hall, nearly thirty students were scattered about. Some were sleeping, others were playing with their light-brains. When he entered, they all looked up in unison.

The Dean gave a brief introduction, said a few words to the professor, and departed.

The students in the class sized Xiao Sa up brazenly, whispering among themselves. Those who were well-informed had already heard that he was the “C-rank disabled” person who had “married” into the Wincer family as Admiral Landis’s partner.

In the back row, a student with an unbuttoned uniform stared at Xiao Sa’s face for a while. “I heard his compatibility with Admiral Landis is 100%. Combined with that face, no wonder he managed to bewitch him.”

A classmate beside him asked curiously, “Weren’t there rumors before that the Wincer family planned to ally with your Lott family through marriage?”

The student sneered. “Just my father’s delusions. My useless younger brother made such a fool of himself in front of the Admiral and everyone else that father has already sent him back to a lower-tier planet.”

Xiao Sa ignored their gossip and took an empty seat. A light-screen automatically rose from his desk, displaying his course schedule and theoretical textbooks.

He was far from being ignorant about mechas. On the contrary, back on his home planet, he had been the top student in his mecha classes. However, on this planet, because the language and operating methods were entirely different, he was temporarily unable to pilot the current models.

He opened his light-brain and asked Hino to pull up the textbooks. He also kept a comprehensive glossary of technical terms by his side for quick reference.

Someone mocked him from behind in a low voice: “Is that guy illiterate? He actually has to check a dictionary.”

“I heard he’s from a lower-tier planet. Somehow he hit a 100% match with Hino and ascended to heaven in a single bound.”

Xiao Sa focused on his textbooks, checking the current academic progress. Hino’s voice suddenly rang softly in his ear:

【Sa-Sa, those people behind you are insulting you. Want me to cut off their light-brain access to vent some steam for you?】

Xiao Sa covered his mouth and whispered helplessly, “Don’t do anything unnecessary. I just want to focus on figuring out the mecha system here.”

He looked around and noticed that most students weren’t listening to the lecture at all. Some were even fast asleep in the back. Yet, the professor didn’t react, continuing to explain the theoretical points as if no one were there.

The first class was Mecha History. Although Xiao Sa was a transfer student, he was lucky that the semester had only just begun, so he hadn’t missed much.

Students at the Capital Mecha Academy were between 18 and 25 years old. Even those who had attended other higher institutions could enter through exams for advanced studies.

There were five classes in this year’s mecha major. The other four classes had over 50 students each, while Xiao Sa’s class only had 30. Furthermore, the entrance exams were rigorous and the tuition was exorbitant—at 500,000 credits a year, it was far beyond what a commoner could afford unless they were exceptional enough to earn a scholarship.

Xiao Sa opened his light-brain and asked Hino privately, “Why is this school different from what I imagined?”

Hino: 【Class A is a special class meant for the children of the Imperial nobility to ‘gild’ their resumes. The curriculum is very basic. It suits you perfectly.】

Xiao Sa arched an eyebrow. “A ‘gilding’ class?”

Hino: 【Class A doesn’t require the daily fixed military physical training like the other classes. The exams are different too. You just need to follow the motions for three years to get a diploma. Other classes require strict entrance exams, two years of professional courses, and one year of field practice. To graduate, they must complete a graduation mission.】

Xiao Sa curled his lip. No wonder Landis had agreed so easily; he had enrolled him in a “noble class.”

Well played, Landis.

Hino: 【All four major academies on the Central Star have classes like this, specifically prepared for the playboy scions of noble families.】

Xiao Sa fell silent. Since when did I become a playboy scion?

Hino chuckled: 【Well, you didn’t take the selection exam; you came in through the back door.】

Xiao Sa shook his head. “Three years to graduate is too long.”

Hino: 【According to school rules, if you can complete a specific graduation mission early, you can receive your diploma and Mecha Pilot Certification ahead of time.】

Xiao Sa looked at his schedule and found there were no field practice sessions scheduled. It was almost entirely theoretical study with only occasional practical training, and classes were only held three days a week.

Xiao Sa was speechless. These well-connected students weren’t here to learn at all. No wonder the academy treated them differently.

After class, Xiao Sa took his schedule and marched up to the podium, intercepting the professor.

“Student, is there something you need?” the professor asked patiently.

He knew this new transfer student had been personally delivered by Admiral Landis, the “Sword of the Empire.” Though he didn’t know why the Admiral would send his new spouse to study mechas, he knew better than to be dismissive.

“Professor, why doesn’t our class have field practice? And why are there no scores for the monthly grade-wide combat exams?”

The professor replied pointedly, “Field practice is high-risk and prone to injury. Class A is a foundation class and isn’t suited for participation. As for the monthly combat trials, you have to sign up yourself. If you don’t sign up, you don’t get a score.”

Xiao Sa asked, “Can I transfer to a regular class?”

The professor shook his head. “Only students who pass the formal entrance exam can do that. But you are a transfer student.”

Xiao Sa didn’t give up. “Then how can I participate in field practice and earn an internship spot in the Explorer Legion?”

“The Explorer Legion?” The professor looked at him in surprise and couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s far too dangerous for you. The Explorer Legion needs to travel to other planets and face unknown organisms. You could be injured at any moment.”

Unknown organisms? Xiao Sa’s interest was instantly piqued. That was exactly what he was looking for.

The professor continued, “Internship spots are only allocated if the total class score reaches above the grade average.”

Xiao Sa hummed in response. “What is Class A’s current ranking?”

The professor’s lips twitched. “First. But from the bottom.”

Xiao Sa rubbed his nose. This is going to be troublesome. He was confident in his own strength, but looking at these thirty “dead weights” who didn’t even attend physical training, he felt his future prospects were a bit bleak.

Hino offered a bad idea in his ear: 【You could just beat all the other students into the hospital. Then you’ll be the only one left in your class.】

Xiao Sa: “…” You’re a real genius, aren’t you!

According to regulations, every mecha piloting student could bring one personal mecha. If they didn’t have one, they could use the standard-issue mechas provided by the school.

Landis had already commissioned a customized C-rank mecha for him. It had performance specs close to a B-rank but only required C-rank mental strength to operate. While it couldn’t reach its maximum potential, it was more than sufficient as a “toy.”

After lunch, Xiao Sa went to the Mecha Maintenance and Maintenance Base.

Inside, swarms of robots were busy among various mechas, performing routine maintenance under the control of technicians.

Feng Yu was a student in this year’s freshman Class B. He had been admitted with the highest total score. Even with most of his tuition waived, he was still short on funds, so he worked part-time at the base to earn a living.

Feng Yu’s spiritual body was a woodpecker. He was extremely sensitive to mental energy and had excellent hearing, allowing him to detect minor mechanical malfunctions through his heightened senses. He had dreamed of owning his own mecha since childhood, hoping to one day become a commoner-hero like Landis Wincer.

He also came from a lower-tier planet and had worked incredibly hard to gain entry to the Capital Mecha Academy.

Among the new batch of mechas today, his favorite was a silver-white one. It had a sleek body without any redundant decorations, glowing with a noble, moon-like aura under the lights. It was a modified mecha, clearly the work of a master who had maximized performance while lowering the threshold for operation even a C-rank pilot could drive it.

A name tag hung beneath it: First Year Class A, Xiao Sa.

The transfer student who just enrolled today. Feng Yu frowned. Even though he disliked gossip, he had heard the other students talking about this new arrival Admiral Landis’s new spouse, who was merely a “C-rank disabled.”

Despite also being from a lower-tier planet, Feng Yu had fought tooth and nail with his Double-A mental strength to get in. Yet this person, simply through a 100% compatible marriage, owned the mecha of his dreams despite not even having a spiritual body. Meanwhile, Feng Yu had to use the most basic standard-issue mecha provided by the school, which couldn’t even utilize the full strength of his Double-A rank.

I guess this is what it means to be a noble scion.

He took a sip from his thermos and set it aside. Despite his lack of affection for these playboys, he still meticulously performed the basic checks on the new mecha, confirming it was flawless before hanging the “Inspected” tag.

Just as he turned around, he nearly bumped into a man’s chest. A tall man in white leisure sportswear was standing behind him. The man pulled down his hood, revealing short dark brown hair. He wore a black mask that traced the sharp bridge of his nose, and his amber eyes held a casual smile as he looked down at him.

“Student, this is my mecha. Can I go in and take a look now?”

This was Xiao Sa. Feng Yu frowned but stepped aside without a word. “Go ahead. The inspection is complete.”

Xiao Sa nodded. He unlocked the mecha with his ID and iris scan before binding his mental frequency. As the cockpit door opened, he climbed up nimbly.

This was his second time sitting in a real mecha cockpit; the first had been in the virtual arena. Xiao Sa opened the basic instructions from his textbook, studying the operating system while attempting a mental link.

His massive mental energy network covered every neural port in the cockpit. With a “vroom,” the power unit showed full charge. Following his own habits, Xiao Sa confidently pressed the start button to take the mecha for a spin. However, the moment it moved, the mecha lost its balance and toppled over.

It nearly crushed Feng Yu—who managed to dodge just in time.

From inside the cockpit, Xiao Sa spoke sincerely: “Sorry, I’m a student driver. You okay?”

Feng Yu shot him a look. “I’m fine.”

The thought that his favorite new mecha belonged to someone like this felt like throwing a pearl before swine.

Xiao Sa hadn’t operated a real mecha in a long time. Excitedly, he began confirming every control on the console. For some reason, Feng Yu didn’t leave immediately; instead, he stood there watching the silver-white mecha begin to walk in a zig-zag, staggered manner.

It jumped, it fell. Even with his eyes closed, Feng Yu could imagine how reckless Xiao Sa was being inside. Seeing the white mecha move like a toddler learning to walk—nearly doing the splits at one point—Feng Yu finally couldn’t take it anymore.

He walked to the side of the mecha and said in a heavy voice, “Beginners shouldn’t try to use hands and feet at the same time. Start with leg power first. Don’t try to jump before you can walk.”

Such a beautiful and rare modified mecha. What if he breaks it?

Xiao Sa was stunned. He hadn’t expected this classmate to be so helpful. He asked, “Are you a student here too?”

Feng Yu: “I’m from Class B. I’m working here part-time.”

Xiao Sa nodded. “I’m the new transfer student. I missed some earlier classes. Could you teach me?”

Xiao Sa didn’t see anything wrong with asking a younger student for help. If he remembered correctly, the tuition here was very expensive; those with part-time job qualifications were usually top-tier students. Having a “top student” provide one-on-one guidance was a bargain.

Feng Yu rejected him without a second thought. “I’m just a student. If you have questions, you should ask a professor.”

He found it absurd. Xiao Sa had “married” into the Wincer family and become one of the untouchable elite; why was he asking him for help?

Seeing the refusal, Xiao Sa didn’t push. He went back to consulting the manual while attempting basic maneuvers. He noticed that the efficiency of mental mecha control in this star sector was quite low. For instance, he could issue five commands in a second, but the mecha could only complete three. He wasn’t sure if it was because the mecha’s rank was too low or if it was related to how people here used mental energy. He had to lower his frequency to resonate with the machine.

Although Feng Yu had refused, his body was honest; seeing the silver mecha’s disastrous operation, he couldn’t help but point out Xiao Sa’s mistakes. Before he knew it, an hour had passed.

His woodpecker spiritual body flew around the silver mecha, pecking twice before being called back by its master to rest on his shoulder. It kept fluttering restlessly, even trying to peck its own master.

Feng Yu had a bit of a headache. He only had a few vials of his inhibitor stash left for the month; he had to use them sparingly.

Xiao Sa noticed the woodpecker seemed to have “itchy beak” syndrome, wanting to peck everything. He asked, “Your spiritual body seems a bit uncomfortable.”

Feng Yu was cold. “It’s none of your business. I’m leaving.”

Xiao Sa jumped out of the cockpit. He picked up the thermos Feng Yu had left behind and, with his back turned, pulled a vial of B-rank inhibitor from his pocket and dripped a single drop into the water.

“You forgot your thermos.”

Feng Yu massaged his aching temples, turned back to take the thermos, and left after a hurried thanks.

Behind him, he heard Xiao Sa’s lazy voice: “Thanks for today, kid. Will I see you here next time?”

Feng Yu’s footsteps faltered. That man was barely a few years older than him, yet he called him “kid”? What a strange person.

The school day ended. When Xiao Sa left the campus, the driver Landis had arranged was already waiting. By the time he returned to the manor, it was dinner time.

Landis was incredibly busy; he rushed back to eat a meal with him before heading back to the study to handle documents. It wasn’t until bedtime that Landis returned to the bedroom. Seeing Xiao Sa still writing feverishly—consolidating his notes and summarizing his experience—Landis’s surprise was evident. This was the first time he realized how diligent Xiao Sa was in his studies.

“How was your first day? Tired?”

Xiao Sa turned around, stretching lazily. “It felt pretty good. The classmates are hardworking, the teachers were passionate in answering my questions, and most importantly, the mecha is very cool.”

Landis arched an eyebrow. If he remembered correctly, the noble class Xiao Sa had joined was a notorious den of playboys; “hardworking” was the last word he would use.

Landis spoke with a complicated expression: “You don’t need to work so hard.”

Xiao Sa put away his notes and said with conviction, “My goal is to join the Explorer Legion. I have to work hard.”

After a moment of shock, Landis gave a short laugh. “A fine dream. Young people are always ‘newborn calves who don’t fear tigers.'”

“But joining the Explorer Legion isn’t child’s play. The quotas are tiny every year, the competition is fierce, and it’s dangerous. It’s not suited for you.”

He hadn’t realized that Xiao Sa was an adventurer at heart, so unwilling to settle for the status quo. Am I not good enough to him? Why is he always thinking about running off?

Xiao Sa didn’t argue. He began to understand why Landis’s adjutant used to complain about him scaring off blind dates. Landis was indeed good to him, but that “goodness” was rooted in marital duty, a sense of superiority, and a touch of chauvinism. He didn’t truly know him.

Of course, he couldn’t blame him, since he was hiding many things.

“It’s late. Time for sleep,” Landis said, pointing to the clock hitting 11 PM.

Xiao Sa tidied up and walked to the bedside. He stood over Landis, arms crossed. The lines from Landis’s brow to his nose were exceptionally sharp. Under the dim yellow bedroom light, shadows fell beneath his brow; when he didn’t smile, his sharp, stern angles were naturally revealed.

“Landis, want to make a bet?”

Landis propped himself up slightly against the pillows. “Oh? What kind of bet?”

Xiao Sa said slowly, “Let’s bet that I can make it into the Explorer Legion.”

The corner of Landis’s mouth twitched before straightening, he clearly didn’t believe it. But he played along patiently. “And what are the stakes?”

Xiao Sa looked at him with a half-smile. He knelt one knee onto the bed, leaning down with both hands braced on the headboard and pillow, completely surrounding Landis in his shadow.

“The loser has to grant the winner one request. For example,” Xiao Sa’s voice was low, carrying a mischievous, wicked grin, “The loser has to call the winner ‘Daddy’.”

Since you love acting like a father so much.

Landis narrowed his eyes, a low “Heh” escaping his throat.

Call him Daddy? Absolutely impossible.

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