Five minutes earlier.
Five hundred meters away from the Three Goddess Statues, crouched behind a patch of shrubbery, Gold Ship and Mizuno each held a pair of binoculars, carefully observing Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka.
With less than six days left before the medicine's effects kicked in, time was painfully tight for Mizuno. The sooner he could resolve the two Uma Musume's wishes, the better. So, the moment they left the Special Education Base, he dragged Gold Ship straight back to Tracen Academy, determined to act immediately.
Gold Ship hadn't asked why he was in such a rush, but watching his restless expression, she could already sense the truth.
Something was clearly forcing Mizuno-dono into a strict time limit—and if he failed, the consequences would probably be catastrophic. Maybe even… the loss of his precious chastity.
Thus, to protect her Mizuno-dono's virtue, Gold Ship had shelved her usual carefree antics and gone fully serious.
Human and Uma Musume huddled quietly in the bushes for half an hour, observing their targets and whispering strategy.
"Broshi, you ready?" Mizuno asked, lowering his binoculars.
"Naturally!" Gold Ship grinned, standing up in one smooth motion before dramatically flinging open her coat.
"Ta-da-da~"
The outfit hidden beneath was finally revealed in full.
She wore a spotless white suit tailored to perfection, paired with a deep-blue shirt and pale-red tie. White leather shoes gleamed under the sun, and draped stylishly over her shoulders was a long white cape fluttering in the breeze.
From her pocket, she produced a monocle and placed it neatly over her right eye, then crowned the ensemble with a pure white top hat.
"Broshi… what is that outfit?" Mizuno blinked, struck by a wave of déjà vu.
"Hmph-hmph~" Gold Ship smirked as she deftly tied back her hair.
"Mizuno-dono, you've seen Detective Conan, right? This is Kaito Kid's outfit! A perfect blend of gentleman and hero—charismatic, mysterious, irresistible! Those little girls will be swooning before I even speak!"
"Ohh~" Mizuno's eyes widened in sudden realization.
No wonder it looked so familiar. As a kid, he'd always been too distracted by Conan's tranquilizer-dart antics to pay much attention to Kid—but now he remembered. Kaito Kid wasn't just clever; he was dangerously charming.
A man who could be both gallant and daring—neither villain nor saint. In short, the perfect mix of gentleman and hero that Gold Ship was meant to embody.
And considering Gold Ship's striking looks, tall build, and magnetic confidence—well, aside from her, uh, slightly exaggerated chest—what teenage girl could resist crying out, "Husband~!" the moment she appeared?
"Broshi, you look super handsome~" Mizuno said earnestly.
"Hmph-hmph~" Gold Ship rubbed her nose smugly, then mused aloud:
"However, to make the hero shine brightest, every story needs… a villain."
Just like in any classic tale—the braver the hero, the darker the villain who stands against them.
Technically, their plan didn't require one, but if a creepy bad guy were to harass Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka first—only for the 'gentlemanly hero' to swoop in and save them—the effect would be perfect. The impact would definitely help grant their wishes faster.
"Hmm… who to cast as the villain…" Gold Ship tapped her chin thoughtfully.
Her gaze drifted toward Mizuno—then her eyes suddenly lit up as another name came to mind.
Symboli Rudolf.
Not only had Rudolf snatched Mizuno away, she'd also locked Gold Ship inside that Special Education Base, cutting off all contact for a full month.
According to Mizuno, that tyrannical woman even forced him to share her bed every night and massage her feet and shoulders daily!
Barbaric! Predatory! Completely unforgivable! In other words—perfect villain material.
"Yes, exactly!" Gold Ship nodded decisively, mentally casting Rudolf as the ultimate antagonist.
"Huh? Me?" Mizuno asked, mistaking her stare for a prompt. Straightening up, he puffed out his chest. "No problem—leave the villain role to me!"
"Hah? You?" Gold Ship gave him a look. "Mizuno-dono… you can play a villain?"
"Of course I can!" Mizuno declared proudly, planting his hands on his hips.
"In fact, I am a villain already! I just have to tone it down a little!"
He might not know how to be a hero, but acting bad? Easy!
"Uhh…" Gold Ship squinted doubtfully.
Villains weren't hard to portray—everyone had a dark side—but Mizuno? His worst crime was telling harmless lies to protect people. He was about as villainous as a wet puppy.
"Broshi…" Mizuno pleaded, grabbing her arm like a child begging for candy. "Let me try, please! I promise my villain act will redefine evil for you!"
"The lowest villain sets the bar for goodness," Gold Ship replied dryly. "Only the highest villain sets the bar for evilness."
"Aiya, details, details~" Mizuno waved dismissively.
Gold Ship sighed.
She really didn't want him to play the villain—but in truth, there was no one else. She couldn't actually ask Rudolf. If that dictator found out Gold Ship had escaped the base, she'd probably have her thrown in again immediately.
Recruiting anyone else would risk blowing their cover—Rudolf's spies were everywhere.
So… Mizuno it was.
Still, she couldn't shake the feeling this was a mistake.
As Mizuno eagerly clutched her arm, radiating all the menace of a lost kitten, she glanced toward the fountain where Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka were already bickering at full volume.
Mizuno-dono teasing two Uma Musume… isn't he just going to get teased himself?
"Alright, Mizuno-dono," Gold Ship relented at last. "Go ahead and give it a try."
"OK!" Mizuno grinned, releasing her arm and taking a deep breath. Then, dropping into his best "villain" stance, he hunched his shoulders and began:
"Kekeke—little Umas, you look sooo delicious~ Big bro's gonna gobble you up~"
He crept forward, rubbing his palms together, tiptoeing like a cartoon bandit.
Watching his exaggerated performance, Gold Ship's face slowly went blank.
Her skepticism toward Mizuno's "villain potential"… had only grown stronger.