Wrapped in a warm sensation, Luo Cheng's eyelids twitched.
These horse girls were certainly creative with their new "mechanics." In the game, their mouths never moved; only Teio would move her tongue if he gave her a command. Now, Luo Cheng hadn't said a word—he'd only hoped she'd stay quiet—and instead, she had started moving. And she was being quite vigorous about it.
"Is everything okay?" Seeing the man's strained expression, Yayoi touched his forehead. It was warmer than normal body temperature. "Just rest in your room today. I'll make you some porridge."
With that, Yayoi headed to the kitchen.
"Trainer, mghu..."
Now that she knew they were "mutually in love," Cafe had no reservations. They had already shared a special relationship, so what was a little more?
Glug-glug... pop...
To cover up the sounds, Luo Cheng curled his body, making sure Yayoi couldn't see any flaws in the covers.
No, this won't do... Luo Cheng clenched his fist and endured. If they were discovered, it would be a disaster. If Yayoi—who also had maxed affection—saw this, the room would turn into hell in an instant! If even the easy-going Seiun Sky could nearly squeeze the life out of him, Yayoi and Cafe were likely cut from the same cloth. Luo Cheng took back what he'd said earlier: the world of Uma Musume was not a safe place. To them, a human was as fragile as a bug!
Don't be too blatant. At least not when they're conscious. Luo Cheng's muscles spasmed.
"It's ready."
Yayoi brought the porridge over. Luo Cheng's heart hammered. He shifted his body forward imperceptibly, trying to block any view of what was happening under the covers. Fortunately, she was petite, so there were no obvious signs of abnormality from the outside.
"Ah~" Yayoi scooped a spoonful of porridge. Luo Cheng twisted his head, drinking it in a very awkward, strained position.
Slurp, slurp...
"Won't you turn around? Isn't that position uncomfortable?"
"My right shoulder... it hurts a bit..." Luo Cheng tugged at his collar, swallowing repeatedly as sweat beaded on his forehead.
Once he finished, Yayoi set the bowl down. "Sleep for a bit, and you'll be fine."
"Okay. Thank you, Chairwoman." While his world was being turned upside down under the sheets, he had to pretend nothing was happening. What kind of punishment game was this?
Luo Cheng remembered a line in the handbook marked with a series of exclamation points: [Interact with Uma Musume with Caution.]
Unfortunately, after living in the game world for months, he had long since tossed that warning to the back of his mind. Now he understood its meaning. It wasn't referring to the defenseless dolls, but to the horse girls with their own autonomous thoughts.
That book was like a player's quest log, recording what should be done and what should be noted. But Luo Cheng wasn't the type to read manuals; his instinct had been to ignore all interaction warnings, focusing only on the race schedules.
Now that he thought about it, those warnings were probably telling him to maintain distance and keep affection levels within a certain threshold. But back then, Luo Cheng didn't care. Besides, wasn't it better the higher the affection? Just like stats, maxing it out usually gave extra perks. These maxed-out girls all had hearts over them, which Luo Cheng found quite aesthetically pleasing.
After the meal, Yayoi didn't rush to leave. Instead, she sat by the bed and stroked Luo Cheng's head, speaking from her heart.
"You've worked so hard lately, Trainer Luo Cheng. You must have gotten sick from overwork."
"Maybe." Luo Cheng couldn't say. He had been working hard. Just... not in the way the Chairwoman thought.
"If you run into any trouble, remember to tell me. As the Chairwoman, I will do everything in my power to help you."
"I'm truly honored."
In contrast to her cute, easily-handled "loli" exterior, Yayoi's maternal comfort raised a question in Luo Cheng's mind: In her memories, how had she and Luo Cheng met? The game world corresponded to the real world, yet certain things he did were erased or altered by the system.
Wouldn't this lead to logical inconsistencies? Why would the great Chairwoman frequently run to a Trainer's office? No matter how he looked at it, it wasn't realistic. Luo Cheng called this place the real world, but the various illogical behaviors proved this world wasn't exactly "real" either. Did no one notice how strange things were? Everyone seemed to accept the anomalies quite normally.
Where exactly is the flaw?
The man closed his eyes, his breathing gradually steadying. Yayoi leaned down, slowly wrapping her arms around his neck. After taking a few deep breaths against his skin, a look of intoxication appeared in her eyes.
This scent is wonderful! Unbuttoning his collar, Yayoi swallowed hard. She began to rationalize her own impulses: Luo Cheng is sweating so much, he must be very hot. I should get into bed and use my body to cool him down.
Yes, that was a Chairwoman's duty! She couldn't stand to see an employee suffer. Just as Yayoi prepared to "mark" Luo Cheng with her own scent, her phone rang, giving her a start.
"Hello?" she answered with a hint of annoyance.
"Chairwoman, word came from the Central Office. There are some notes regarding this year's races. They want you there for a meeting."
"Understood. I'm on my way."
Yayoi hung up, glanced at the "sleeping" Luo Cheng, and stood up reluctantly. It seemed today wasn't the day. But there was no rush. He was her employee; she could come whenever she liked.
Once Yayoi left the room, Luo Cheng let out a massive sigh of relief. That phone call was a lifesaver. If she had pulled back the covers, he would have been finished. In plain terms, he'd be dead. In euphemistic terms, it would be a "Game Over."
Rustle, rustle... The black-haired girl poked her head out. After being stifled for so long, her body was glistening with sweat. Her hair clung to her fair chest. Her slender neck and delicate collarbones looked like the work of a master sculptor, radiating a human beauty that drew Luo Cheng's gaze.
Her mouth moved slightly, followed by a "gulp."
"Trainer... can I take a shower?"
A flush appeared on her face as Cafe licked her lips and let out a soft burp, a look of satisfaction on her face. Today really was a good day.
"Yeah. Go ahead."
Stepping off the bed, Cafe walked to the bathroom, her small, bare feet making a patter-patter sound. The mouths of horse girls were very clean; they brushed their teeth diligently every day, leaving no food residue or strange odors. If there was a scent, it was a sweet one, mixed with their body fragrance.
Getting dressed, Luo Cheng sat on the edge of the bed. His mind was now incredibly calm; the world felt much clearer. The reason why the horse girls were "reverse-recruiting" him so aggressively was that the phase where they were supposed to build their relationship had already been skipped over in the game world. All of these horse girls were currently in their "post-route" state.
Not only was the world incomplete, but even the sweet-and-sour love stories were incomplete.
How did my transmigration end up like this...
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My : https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Uma Musume: Inside the Game (40 Chapters – Ongoing)
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