"Forget it, Mizuno-dono, you can step down…"
Gold Ship shook her head helplessly.
It was true—a hero's story lost all luster without a worthy villain. But right now, Gold Ship couldn't find anyone suitable to play the part. So, with no other choice, she sent Mizuno back to standby, deciding to tackle the upcoming show—"Is the Mysterious Gentleman a Gentleman or a Knight-Errant?"—on her own.
"All right…" Mizuno mumbled, shoulders slumped. He got to his feet and shuffled away, looking as dejected as a contestant leaving a dating show after getting zero lights in the first round.
But he had barely taken two steps when someone suddenly grabbed the corner of his clothes.
"?" Mizuno turned, startled—it was Vodka clutching onto him.
"Wait!" Vodka blurted out. She hadn't even bothered to put on her shoes; her white-stockinged feet stood directly on the cold tile, quickly gathering dust.
"Didn't you promise to take us to hang out with Agnes Tachyon-senpai? Where are you going now?" she demanded, shaking his arm.
"Yeah, yeah!" Daiwa Scarlet jumped in, grabbing Mizuno's sleeve from the other side. "You said once you got your reward, you'd take us out drinking with Gimlet-senpai—don't you dare back out now!"
"Uh… I've got something else today. Next time, okay?" Mizuno tried to tug free.
"No way!" both girls cried at once, tightening their grip.
"You even touched our feet—you have to take responsibility!"
"Gah!" Mizuno stared at the two pairs of slender white hands clutching his shirt in despair.
Failing miserably as a villain had already bruised his pride, and now he wasn't even being allowed a clean exit. Instead, he was stuck being pestered by two insistent Uma Musume demanding to meet their senpai. Did he really have to make good on that promise to take them to Tachyon and Gimlet?
But he hadn't even solved their "wish" issue yet! If he brought them back empty-handed, Tachyon and Gimlet would tear him to shreds.
Broshi, it's all on you now! Mizuno screamed inwardly, praying Gold Ship would make a dramatic enough entrance to save him.
And sure enough, Gold Ship didn't disappoint.
"Heh heh~"
A magnetic chuckle cut through the air as a gust of wind swept across the square, carrying a flurry of pink petals that blinded everyone for a moment.
"What's going on?"
Before Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka could react, a tall figure appeared atop the fountain wall they'd been sitting on just moments ago.
Dressed in a crisp white suit and top hat, the masked stranger stood poised against the sunlight, cape fluttering in the breeze. Golden patterns shimmered on the elegant white mask concealing "his" face.
Out of nowhere, the deep swell of Roman opera filled the air. Doves burst from beneath his cloak, circling gracefully.
"He" struck a perfect pose before the Three Goddesses statue, the fountain behind glittering in the light, amplifying the mysterious allure.
"Heh."
With a soft laugh, the gentleman produced two roses from thin air and offered them to the dumbstruck girls.
"My beautiful ladies," he said smoothly, "would you care to join me tonight above the city, sipping wine brewed from moonlight?"
"Or, if adventure calls, I've got some thrilling plans too…"
"It all depends on whether you can grasp my free, wandering heart."
"But truthfully," he added with a flourish, "my heart was already yours from the very beginning."
He bowed elegantly, extending an inviting hand toward the two Uma Musume.
Every move, every word exuded impeccable charm—the polar opposite of Mizuno's awkward scheming earlier. Mizuno instantly recognized the dashing gentleman as none other than his dependable bro—Gold Ship!
"So cool…" Mizuno's eyes sparkled. Truly worthy of being Broshi—he could never pull off that kind of effortless charisma.
If he were a girl, he'd probably want to marry Broshi on the spot.
Watching the outstretched hand, he almost wanted to take it himself—he wanted that date.
But, surprisingly, he was the only one impressed.
"…"
Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka exchanged complicated looks as they stared at Gold Ship's overly theatrical performance.
At first, seeing someone appear in a white suit by the fountain had thrilled them—they thought their prayers had actually summoned the mysterious gentleman again.
Then they recognized her. And instantly deflated.
Daiwa Scarlet: "Oh… it's just Gold Ship."
Vodka: "Yeah… it's Gold Ship."
"?"
Gold Ship stiffened. Her confidence wavered, but she forced herself to stay composed, placing a hand dramatically over her heart.
"You two must be mistaken," she declared. "How could I possibly be Gold Ship?"
"I am the mysterious gentleman—handsome, gentle, brave, clever, and swift—who captures every Uma Musume's heart at first glance~"
"Now, come—enjoy supreme pleasures with me~"
"…"
Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka exchanged another look.
Vodka: "Definitely Gold Ship."
Daiwa Scarlet: "Yeah, one hundred percent Gold Ship."
Having confirmed it, they ignored her completely and went right back to pestering Mizuno.
"Hey! You promised! Take us to the senpai already!"
"Uwah!"
Completely ignored, Gold Ship froze like a broken statue, her spirit shattering into dust in the breeze.
"Wait, that's not right!" Mizuno couldn't believe it. How could they just ignore Gold Ship's spectacular performance? Even he, a grown man, was half ready to swoon.
"Hold on—she's wearing a mask! How did you even recognize her?"
Gold Ship was in full disguise! He'd thought no one but him could possibly tell. Yet these two had seen through her instantly.
"Well…" Daiwa Scarlet tapped her chin. "We kinda know Gold Ship pretty well."
"She's that infamous alien-weirdo Uma at Tracen who's always causing trouble. Hard to miss."
"She'd been quiet lately, so we figured she'd turned over a new leaf. Guess not—she's back to pretending to be the mysterious gentleman."
"But no matter how cool she acts, there's always that silly vibe. We can spot it a mile away."
"Exactly," Vodka agreed. "The real Mysterious Gentleman's charm is subtle—like a violet hidden among blue roses. Gentle. Unique."
"Gold Ship, on the other hand, uses flashy, exaggerated moves to grab attention…"
"Cool, yeah, but also… kinda greasy."
Vodka visibly shuddered.
"Ugh…" Gold Ship swayed as if hit by multiple arrows.
Seeing her crumble, Mizuno couldn't stand it. "You've got it all wrong! Broshi isn't like that—she's actually a really good Uma Musume!"
"Mizuno-dono…" Gold Ship teared up behind her mask, touched by his defense.
But Daiwa Scarlet caught on a particular word.
"'Broshi'?" she repeated, frowning. "Isn't Gold Ship a girl? Why does he call her bro?"
"Wait… could it be that you're being bullied by Gold Ship?"
"Huh?" Mizuno froze. Bullied? What kind of logic was that?!
"Indeed!" Daiwa Scarlet said, taking his hesitation as confirmation. "You're totally being bullied by her!"
"Wait, I'm not—" Mizuno tried to protest, but Vodka suddenly threw her arms around him.
"Don't worry, mister(?)! We'll protect you from Gold Ship's bullying!"
"HUH?!" Gold Ship yelped, flailing. "He's my beloved Mizuno-dono—I'd never bully him!"
That only made it worse.
"'Beloved Mizuno-dono'? So he is your captive?" Vodka declared, tightening her hold on him.
"Gold Ship, you bully!"
The scene dissolved into chaos—one human, three Uma Musume running laps around the fountain in what could only be described as an absurd game of tag.
Then—
"Enough!"
A chilling voice sliced through the air.
A sinister-looking woman emerged from the shadows, glaring daggers.
Pointing at Mizuno dangling over Vodka's shoulder, she hissed,
"Could you stop insulting villains already?!"