...
When Lucian and Special Week returned, they were immediately teased by the internal members such as Seiun Sky.
Even though they were all people who "knew the situation," they pretended not to understand and asked all sorts of irrelevant questions.
"Spe-chan and Trainer are so late. I've already finished eating~" Seiun Sky had perhaps been unable to stand the smell of sweat on her body and had eaten especially quickly today.
"Spe-chan hid too far away. Finding her wasn't easy." Lucian gave a simple explanation and sat down.
Special Week only felt that Seiun Sky was really mean. Wasn't she afraid that one day she herself wouldn't be able to hold back either... Hmph, there would definitely be such a day.
But with Special Week's soft and sticky personality, she couldn't find a way to retaliate.
Even though Seiun was clearly... more "that" than her.
"Spe-chan, you've endured for a long time, haven't you?" Silence Suzuka filled a full bowl of rice for Special Week. It looked like a somewhat irregular pyramid. "If it's not enough, fill more. There's still egg fried rice over there."
"Thank you, Suzuka-chan." Special Week gratefully accepted the bowl and chopsticks. "I'm digging in~"
"Why isn't anyone filling rice for me?"
The moment Lucian's voice fell, Silence Suzuka, Seiun Sky, Tokai Teio, Rice Shower, Haru Urara, Ines Fujin, and Mejiro McQueen all simultaneously showed signs of standing up.
It was like lighting the beacon fires to play with the feudal lords—except here the "feudal lords" all wanted to win the chance to fill a bowl of rice for Lucian.
Lucian also froze for a moment and could only stand up himself to fill a bowl of rice. "Very good. I've felt everyone's sincerity."
"Trainer, from now on when we eat, Urara will help you fill rice." Haru Urara spoke up and claimed this opportunity.
"Then I'll leave it to Urara."
...
There was no need to elaborate too much on the process of dinner.
After the Uma Musume finished eating, the first thing that came to mind was naturally the hot spring that could wash away all fatigue.
Except for Tokai Teio, who had been kept behind by Lucian, everyone else excitedly ran back to their rooms to grab toiletries, little duck toys, and the pajamas they would change into.
Lucian and Tokai Teio left the cafeteria and sat down on the corridor outside the courtyard.
The daytime of summer had thick cumulus clouds, unreal like something out of an anime. Only when night fell did the deep ink-colored clouds return to the true nature of life.
Yet only the interweaving of black and white made a complete reality.
"Trainer, is it time for a leg massage? Today doesn't really hurt much." Tokai Teio was still worried Lucian wouldn't feel at ease, so she added, "I know Trainer cares a lot, so I won't force myself and I won't deceive Trainer."
"The Kikuka Sho is definitely in the bag! No problem at all!"
"I haven't even asked anything yet and you've already said everything?" Lucian bent one leg and casually leaned against the carved wooden door frame behind him, posture relaxed. "After you finish soaking in the bath, I'll massage your legs then."
"Is Trainer looking down on me? Clearly that time... Trainer said he liked it most when I was dripping with sweat..." Tokai Teio quietly shifted closer to Lucian.
Going to the hot spring a little later also seemed to have benefits—for example, successfully earning private time alone with Lucian.
With the intensity of this training camp increased, Tokai Teio could no longer run to Lucian's room in the middle of the night to sleep like before. She was afraid of disturbing others, and also afraid of affecting the next day's training.
Of course, if she really came, she might also discover that Lucian was not in his room—not every Uma Musume needed to train.
"Alright, alright, why that resentful look... I like Teio no matter what she looks like."
"Hehe~ My favorite drink is honey special, but the thing I like even more than honey special is Trainer!"
Tokai Teio shifted closer again and squeezed out the last tiny pitiful gap between them. Her cheeks flushed red from the closeness of the moment. "Trainer, they've all gone to the hot spring. I want a kiss."
"I still have proper business I haven't talked to you about yet."
"Aiyah, kiss first and then talk!" Tokai Teio gave him no chance to refuse and kissed Lucian hard.
Unlike Special Week who had completely lost herself, she still had some reservations. One kiss and she separated.
"Does Trainer still have something important?"
"Mm. It's about Twin Turbo."
"Twin Turbo?" Tokai Teio's eyes filled with confusion.
"When she's not around, Teio can correctly pronounce her name."
"Trainer, just say it. What exactly is it?"
"Turbo has always treated you as her rival and goal, right? But her recent results haven't actually been good, and before she even confessed to me that she's started thinking about retirement..." Lucian briefly explained Twin Turbo's current situation. "Don't tell anyone about this yet."
"Oh." Tokai Teio nodded, vaguely understanding Lucian's meaning. "Trainer hopes I can help her? How should I help?"
Lucian's tone carried a trace of helplessness and worry. "That little one overthinks too much. I'm afraid her mentality won't be good in the upcoming races either and she won't be able to run good results... A few more failures and the kid might really collapse."
"So..." Lucian clearly explained all of his thoughts to Tokai Teio.
...
"Of course no problem!" After listening, Tokai Teio agreed immediately. "Trainer rarely asks me for favors, and although Turbo is noisy, she's a really good person."
"It's good that Teio is willing to help."
"Trainer, you're not allowed to be so polite with me!" Tokai Teio puffed out her little cheeks and pinched Lucian's face with both hands. "Trainer can't treat me like an outsider!"
"And also..." Her gaze shifted downward and landed on the slightly open collar of his loose sleep robe.
There, a clear line of collarbone and a little firm chest skin were exposed. Under the moonlight, it looked especially attractive.
"Trainer needs to wear his clothes better! Enduring this kind of thing... is really, really difficult."
"This… yukata are designed like this." Lucian tugged at his collar a little between laughter and tears, trying to explain.
"I don't care! Especially when Trainer has just finished bathing and smells so nice!" Tokai Teio lifted her chin and glanced to the side. "Doesn't Trainer want me to train properly?"
"I know, I know~ In front of Teio, I will definitely wear my clothes properly."
"That's more like it." Tokai Teio still hadn't noticed the trap in Lucian's words.
Seeing that the time was about right, she stood up. "Alright, I should go soak in the hot spring too, otherwise I'll be all alone later."
"Go on, go on~"
Tokai Teio walked away with light steps. After only a few steps, she suddenly stopped, turned back, and fiercely kissed Lucian several more times. Only then did she finally turn around and trot away, disappearing down the small path that led to the hot spring.
...