Faced with questions from Symboli Rudolf and the others, Mizuno didn't foolishly blurt out that he'd rented a new place—he just claimed he had some work outside the city and needed to go on a business trip for two weeks. Somehow, that excuse managed to get him off the hook.
After all, if Symboli Rudolf and the rest found out he'd gotten a new place, they'd probably do exactly what they did with the flowerbed tent—haul over all their stuff and move in with him.
And if too many Uma Musume started hanging around here, his secret of living in the same building as Maruzensky would be exposed.
Mizuno really didn't want Maruzensky to know they were neighbors.
First, he was afraid Maruzensky would misunderstand, thinking he'd deliberately chosen to rent here just to get close to her, sparking all kinds of unnecessary fantasies.
Second, he worried that once Maruzensky knew where he lived, she might sneak in for a late-night ambush while he was sleeping.
Granted, the first time Mizuno met Maruzensky, she'd been so timid she could barely look him in the eye—definitely not the type to obsess over him like Air Groove, plotting to drag him off for some personal justice.
But Mizuno couldn't risk it. What if Maruzensky secretly wanted to do exactly that?
You're not supposed to wish harm on others, but you definitely need to be on your guard. Mizuno decided it was best to keep his address hidden from any Uma Musume with even the slightest risk factor.
That "business trip" excuse might fool someone like Tokai Teio, but it didn't get past the two Student Council members.
...
"Huh? Work stuff?" Sitting on the flowerbed tent's bed, Symboli Rudolf and Air Groove exchanged looks, both rolling their eyes at Mizuno's reply.
As Student Council, they managed all kinds of affairs at the Academy and kept tabs on every Trainer's schedule—especially Mizuno's. What tools had he borrowed? Where did he go each day? They knew it all.
The Academy hadn't assigned Mizuno any out-of-town duties. What kind of business trip was this?
Obviously, he was lying to them!
"Fine, fine." Symboli Rudolf let out a dark little laugh, pulling out her notebook and jotting down another mark under Mizuno's "Uma Pyoi" tally.
She'd already filled up three volumes by now since she started keeping track, but due to various reasons, she'd never managed to cash in those "IOUs."
This time was no different—even though Symboli Rudolf knew Mizuno had once again broken the rule about not lying to her, she understood he wouldn't make something up for no reason. Claiming to be on a trip was clearly his way of going solo to solve Maruzensky's problem.
She could tell by how he spent the entire previous day tinkering with his wheelchair in the tent, and how he left at the crack of dawn today. Sure, he acted scared of Uma Musume and avoided other people, but if someone needed help, it didn't matter who—they could always count on him to go all out.
So even if she was mad, Symboli Rudolf couldn't stay mad for long. That tsundere streak was exactly why she liked him.
It was just a shame she wouldn't get her wish tonight...
"When will he ever pay his debt..." Symboli Rudolf sighed, putting away the mountain of "balloons" piled next to her pillow.
"Looks like these will have to wait until next time."
...
Meanwhile, Mizuno, rolling along in his wheelchair, suddenly felt a chill down his spine. He couldn't help braking, hunching his shoulders and shivering for a bit.
Fujiwara-san noticed Mizuno looking out of sorts and asked with concern, "You all right, kid?"
"No, no, I'm fine, just a little cold..." Mizuno waved it off.
"Cold?" Fujiwara-san frowned, glancing around at the warm—almost stuffy—weather, and found Mizuno's answer odd.
"Is it because your wheelchair doesn't have a windshield? Been riding into the wind too long?" Fujiwara-san suggested.
"Maybe..." Mizuno rubbed his arms and managed to feel a little better.
Was it really the wind making him cold? Mizuno wasn't convinced.
Feels more like the "ghosts" spying on me are multiplying. That's what's making me uneasy...
Either way, he'd already practiced enough for the day. His whole body was filthy from all the failed drifts and wipeouts—it was time to call it quits. So Mizuno said his goodbyes to Fujiwara-san and made his slow way back to the apartment.
But as he headed home, the ominous feeling only grew stronger, especially as he neared the building. By the time he reached the apartment complex, that sense of being watched was nearly suffocating.
Is there really a ghost here?
Standing at the door to his rental, Mizuno held the key, slipped it into the lock, but hesitated—he didn't turn it.
Because, honestly, he was starting to worry that some creepy thing really was targeting him. Alone here, maybe he really was in danger...
Sure, Mizuno wasn't especially afraid of ghosts, but he wasn't stupid enough to charge headlong into a haunted room either. That was just asking for trouble.
Just as Mizuno was hesitating about whether to spend the night here, the cardboard box that had been trailing him from a distance seemed to realize something important. It gave a barely perceptible shiver.
So this is where he lives...
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T/N: OUGHHHH MIZUNO STOP RIZZING PEOPLE WITH UR AURA
it seems author updates every week? im not sure but i guess 1 update per week