...
In truth, Rice Shower and Tokai Teio hadn't been asleep for long at that time, their sleep still light.
So when the others left the room, even though their footsteps were quiet, it still disturbed the two who had just entered their dreams.
"Urara, you all haven't slept yet...?" Rice Shower's small face scrunched up as she drowsily opened her eyes. "Urara?"
She pushed aside the blankets and sat up. "Spe-chan? Suzuka-senpai?"
Rice Shower gradually realized something was wrong and became slightly more awake. "Are you all playing a prank?"
The silent darkness and the thunderstorm outside instinctively made her feel scared. She hurriedly got up and turned on the light, only to find the room completely empty.
Not only were Special Week and the others gone, but even their futons had disappeared.
Just as Rice Shower was puzzled, the door suddenly slid open, startling her again.
"Teio... Teio?"
Tokai Teio rubbed her eyes. "Rice-chan, your roommates are gone too?"
"Too?"
"Yeah, my roommates are nowhere to be seen either." Tokai Teio covered her mouth as she yawned. "Where could they have gone so late at night...?"
"Trainer's place?" x2
The two suddenly spoke in unison.
...
The scene shifts to Lucian's room, where the group is still chatting intermittently.
"I mean... did you all come here to sleep or to have a group chat?"
He could speak normally now because he had discovered Urara's weakness—her back.
Earlier, Lucian had accidentally brushed his hand against Urara's back, and it was like flipping a switch—her body immediately curled up.
Out of curiosity, he did it again, only to see Urara shrinking into a ball in his arms, barely holding back giggles.
This new discovery made it easy for Lucian to handle Urara.
He stroked her back gently, over and over, like petting a small animal, leaving her with no energy left to cause trouble.
As for Seiun Sky behind him? She was no threat at all.
Abs and chest? If she wanted to touch them, so be it—it wasn't like he'd lose anything.
But Lucian was still cautious because there was also Special Week present... who, for now, remained an outsider.
"Trainer-san, I can't sleep tonight. It's too noisy outside."
Special Week's words didn't quite match her feelings.
Earlier, in her own dorm, she had indeed been too scared of the thunder to sleep.
But after coming here, she already felt much calmer—yet somehow, she still couldn't fall asleep.
"Alright... Since everyone's here now, there's something I'd like to talk to you all about."
Just as Lucian finished speaking, footsteps sounded outside the door at the worst possible time.
...
Knock knock—
"Trainer, are you asleep? Are Seiun and the others with you?" Tokai Teio's voice came through the door.
She didn't even consider whether she might be waking Lucian up.
Having so many team members go missing at night was actually a pretty big deal.
"Teio? Come in." Lucian understood this, so of course he had to let her in.
"Are you sure? Trainer, are you dressed properly?" Tokai Teio didn't immediately open the door.
"Teio..." For some reason, Lucian felt oddly moved.
What a good kid—no nighttime ambushes, no yandere tendencies, no lewdness, and so polite... He wanted to cheer for her.
Then he looked at the group surrounding him. Just moments ago, they'd been completely unbothered, but the second they heard Tokai Teio knocking, they all scrambled away and started pretending to sleep.
So shameless. Use him and then toss him aside.
"Then Rice-chan and I are coming in." Tokai Teio slid the door open and flipped on the light. "This..."
Seeing their roommates in Lucian's room, Rice Shower and Tokai Teio were utterly bewildered.
Urara, who had just been in Lucian's arms, rolled away a few times and pretended to be fast asleep.
Seiun Sky lay a short distance from Lucian, face-up, looking perfectly serene.
Dextrous Bailey had long since disentangled herself from Lucian's legs.
"Trainer, why did you steal my roommates and bring them to your room? What were you planning?" Tokai Teio narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Lucian.
"Teio, do you hear what you're saying?" Lucian felt like the victim here—he'd been asleep and was forcibly woken up!
He glanced at the horse girls around him and called them out. "Stop pretending. Just now, you were all telling me you couldn't sleep, and now you're acting like this?"
"Mmm... Teio? Why are you here?" Urara rubbed her eyes as if she'd just woken up. "This place... How did I end up in Trainer's room?"
"What's all this noise? So loud..." Seiun Sky played her part flawlessly.
Silence Suzuka and the others also pretended they'd just woken up.
"Trainer, do you have anything else to say in your defense?" Tokai Teio pressed.
"Let the heavens judge my loyalty."
Lucian looked exasperated. But the moment he finished speaking, a bolt of lightning split the silent night.
BOOM—
The lights flickered.
All the horse girls flinched and instinctively huddled closer to Lucian.
Rice Shower and Tokai Teio also pressed close together.
"Scared now? Then start talking properly." Lucian crossed his arms. "No lying—the Three Goddesses are watching."
"Apologize. Urara, you first."
"I'm sorry, Trainer... Urara is sorry..." Urara explained to Rice Shower and Tokai Teio, "Rice-chan, Teio, I was just too scared of the thunder, so I came here..."
Lucian nodded in satisfaction. "Seiun, your turn."
"Sorry, sorry~" Seiun Sky said, adding silently in her heart: I'll dare to do it again next time.
He decided to let Dextrous Bailey off—it was just a matter of a few leg hairs, not worth making a fuss over.
As for Silence Suzuka and Special Week? Their behavior tonight had been acceptable.
But Lucian knew—Silence Suzuka had just arrived late and missed her chance to claim a good spot.
Did he not know her? If she lifted her—ahem, he already knew what she was thinking!
Probably late at night, once everyone was asleep, she'd start making her move... Had she been infected by Seiun Sky's antics back then? Did she really enjoy this kind of thrill that much?
Looking at it this way, Seiun was really lame—Silence Suzuka had learned from her and surpassed her.
"Teio, are you still going to wrongfully accuse me?"
Tokai Teio grinned mischievously. "Hehe, I was just joking, Trainer."
Lucian sighed and motioned for Rice Shower and Tokai Teio to come in and sit down.
"Since everyone's here now, there's something I'd like to discuss. After the New Year, would any of you be interested in traveling to China?"
...
Two new New Wuwa Fic are out