...
Lucian thought for a moment—Meisho Doto's suggestion was actually pretty good.
Back when he opened the restaurant, it was mainly to promote the newly formed team.
Things were different now. With "Dream" as established as it was, there was no real need for promotion. He could easily choose not to participate.
But participating wouldn't hurt either. As Meisho Doto said, he'd get to see the horse girls in new outfits again.
"Trainer, what do you think of my idea?"
"It's a solid thought. Needs more confirmation, though. Most importantly, we have to ask if they're willing to come at that time."
Like last time, when Silence Suzuka and the others had performances.
His restaurant would be short-staffed again. Besides Rice Shower, he'd probably have to recruit three temp workers last minute.
"Can't we decide first? I... plus the Trainer, that's already two people."
Lucian looked at Meisho Doto in confusion. "Two people aren't enough. I make the coffee and desserts—Doto can't handle front counter, cleaning, and serving all by herself, right?"
"Coffee and desserts—you're going to make them personally too, Trainer?"
"I could teach you guys. Me staying at the front counter happily collecting money sounds pretty nice too." Lucian said it matter-of-factly, then vaguely sensed something off. "Doto, you're not thinking of making me cosplay too, are you?"
Meisho Doto pressed her joined hands between her thighs. "No good? The Trainer is so handsome—it suits you perfectly."
"Hss..." Lucian rubbed his chin, letting Dango-chan lightly pat his wrist. "Even if Doto says so, I've never done role-playing before."
"Don't worry desu, I… I have experience!" Meisho Doto leaned forward excitedly. "If you agree, you can leave all the costumes to me."
Though Meisho Doto could be clumsy sometimes, Lucian mostly teased her and never dismissed her entirely over small flaws.
Besides, she really had done cosplay before—like the ghost girl outfit, the maid dress... her taste probably wasn't bad.
"Doto, then let's tentatively decide this for now and talk about it next year."
"Yay~~~~!!"
After settling the preliminary plan, Meisho Doto didn't say anything more and devoted herself fully to playing with Dango-chan.
Lucian watched TV on the sofa for a while, then when the time felt right, he made Meisho Doto some late-night snacks so she could eat before heading home.
...
Time passed in routine training.
Training couldn't be neglected, but light team-building couldn't be skipped either.
However, Mejiro McQueen had made an absolute vow of self-discipline. No matter how Tokai Teio tempted her, she refused to break her schedule.
The team-building didn't feel lonely after the excitement faded.
Because not only did some stay behind to wash dishes for Lucian—some stayed to talk with him until dawn.
Silence Suzuka, Seiun Sky, and Special Week had left after team-building, then returned.
Lucian had just finished showering and stepped out of the bathroom when he saw the three horse girls sitting side by side on the sofa.
Come to think of it, this was their first proper four-person meeting.
"The ingredients have already been cleared away on their own~?" Seiun Sky tilted her head and said.
Lucian had only a bath towel around his waist. He instinctively raised an arm to cover his bare upper body, but then figured there was no point and lowered it. "Breaking and entering, huh?"
"But Lucian-kun gave us the password himself."
Silence Suzuka elegantly sipped her tea, already treating the place completely like home.
Only Special Week still looked restrained, cheeks flushed, secretly stealing glances at Lucian's body.
If it had been just one person like usual, she would have boldly stepped forward for a kiss, then collapsed weakly into Lucian's arms.
"I'm going back to the bedroom to change first." Lucian draped the towel over his shoulders and walked past the three.
Their eyes followed his figure until the soft click of the bedroom door closing snapped their souls back.
"Suzu-chan... is that Big Succubus book you wrote?" Special Week suddenly asked.
Silence Suzuka shook her head. "No, it's just that everything is too coincidental. Or maybe the author's life is just that blissful."
"What are you two talking about? What big succubus?" Seiun Sky joined in curiously.
"Nothing, just a book..."
Special Week had imagined many awkward scenes with Seiun Sky, but none of them had actually happened.
And the other girl really seemed to have been with Trainer Lucian for a long time—just as natural as Suzu-chan.
"Okay~ Books aren't that interesting. If anything, aren't we the protagonists of that book?" Seiun Sky bent her legs, hopped off the sofa. "I'm going to find the Trainer to write some new chapters~"
"Sky... Sky?" Special Week looked stunned.
Silence Suzuka got off the sofa too and took Special Week's hand. "Spe-chan, let's go together."
...
"Trainer, you changed clothes and didn't even say anything." After climbing onto the bed, Seiun Sky crawled toward Lucian step by step. "And why is it still in the Trainer's arms?"
"Dango-chan is a resident here. Sky is the outsider." Lucian pinched her refined, jade-carved chin.
"Is its meowing prettier than mine?" Seiun Sky leaned in first and planted a kiss on Lucian's lips.
But what intertwined even sooner were their breaths.
"Don't corrupt the little kitten."
"I will corrupt her, mm..." She kissed him again. A nimble tongue slipped familiarly past the gate of teeth, like the wedding night after the banquet—the groom approaching the bride waiting inside the room.
Actually, Seiun Sky's current arched, cat-like posture really did resemble a feline—just in human form, no need for a prop tail.
Maybe... adding one more tail wouldn't be bad. Two tails.
Seiun Sky let out a soft, pouty hum, opened her dazed eyes, gently pushed Dango-chan away, shooing her out of Lucian's arms so she could take her place.
At that moment, the door opened. Silence Suzuka and Special Week entered the bedroom too.
Seiun Sky propped herself up, glanced back, her ponytail swinging like a swing.
She licked her moist lips with a teasing air, declaring she had already seized the initiative.
But when she turned back to kiss again, Lucian tilted his head away.
"Trainer? What do you mean?" Seiun Sky draped herself over Lucian's shoulders, practically melting into his arms.
"You didn't brush your teeth, and you didn't eat any candy... stinky." Even so, Lucian still gave her a kiss.
Fine, Seiun Sky admitted she'd been too impatient and forgot about Lucian's mysophobia.
And right now, in front of Silence Suzuka and Special Week, she felt a tiny wave of embarrassment. "I... I'll go brush my teeth now, but you have to save my spot here."
At that moment, Special Week finally seized her chance to get even. "Sky... I have mint candies here."
She still remembered this clearly, so she always carried candies of various flavors for Lucian to choose from.
...