...
Restroom.
Four horse girls stood in a row, each with different expressions.
Lucian stood before them, scrutinizing them. "Were you eavesdropping just now?"
Their gazes drifted elsewhere, pretending not to hear.
Since that was the case, Lucian decided to pick on the easiest target first. "Urara?"
"Ugh..." Haru Urara twisted her fingers together.
The trainer looks so scary when he's angry!
"Answer me—were you eavesdropping?"
Urara swallowed hard and decided not to betray her friends, declaring loudly:
"N-No eavesdropping!"
The other three turned their eyes to Urara, instantly feeling that her image had become radiant and noble.
However, that impression didn't last long before it shattered.
"We didn't understand a single word of the Chinese you were speaking just now!"
The corner of Lucian's mouth twitched, and the light in the others' eyes dimmed gradually.
Urara, the first to charge forward, quickly realized her clumsy mouth had slipped up again and immediately resorted to acting cute. "Trainer, I'm sorry... We were going to come in, but Suzuka and the others said not to disturb you yet, so we ended up listening to just a little bit..."
"You guys..." Lucian couldn't keep up the stern act anymore and sat back down. "Didn't I give you the day off today? Why are you still in the restroom?"
Seiun Sky promptly teased Special Week. "We were going to go shopping, but Spe-chan said she wanted to keep training hard for the Derby... Since she said that, I had no choice but to tag along~"
Lucian didn't buy it.
If you wanted to grind, just say so—why use Special Week as an excuse?
Silence Suzuka nodded. "Since the two of them came, I didn't feel like shopping anymore."
Urara: "All three of them came, so what else could Urara do?"
"Balance between work and rest is important." But since they were already here, he wasn't going to kick them out. "Actually, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."
The four horse girls obediently took their seats, waiting for Lucian to continue.
"Here's the thing—the Autumn Festival for the Twinkle Series races is coming up soon. Yesterday, Symboli Rudolf called and asked if you'd be willing to participate in a performance."
After explaining, Lucian went into further detail about the specifics.
There would be a big stage where many famous horse girls would perform together, like an idol group.
"Will it interfere with the races?" Special Week asked.
"No, there aren't any races during that period."
"But Urara wants to enjoy the festival..." Urara hesitated. She really wanted to dance on a formal stage with everyone, but she also didn't want to miss the festival.
Seiun Sky and Silence Suzuka felt the same way.
"Of course you can enjoy the festival. You'll only need to perform on the final evening," Lucian said.
Unlike in the anime, this grand Autumn Festival would last for three days.
"Yay! I'm gonna eat all the delicious food!" Urara excitedly jumped up from her seat.
Silence Suzuka was also intrigued by the grand event. "Spe-chan, let's plan our route carefully when we get back to the dorm."
The scale of Tracen Academy's Autumn Festival was estimated to be several times larger than an amusement park.
The liveliness of the event went without saying.
Not only would horse girls from the school be there, but also outside tourists.
Seiun Sky, however, reacted indifferently and asked Lucian, "Trainer, will you be on break during the festival, or will you be at the school?"
If Lucian was on break, she'd go to his house and mooch off his cooking.
If he was at the school, then she'd... stroll around with him.
"I'd love a break, but faculty and staff have to handle logistics. And I'll probably be even busier... I'll have to temporarily open a restaurant."
"Temporary restaurant!?" x4
Everyone gasped in shock.
Silence Suzuka: "Why... would you need to open one specifically?"
Special Week: "And a temporary one at that?"
Seiun Sky and Urara were equally puzzled. "Was it the president's idea?"
"Not really." Lucian shook his head. "Some of my former distinguished guests specifically requested me, so they made the suggestion to the school."
"Lucian-kun, can't you refuse?"
Silence Suzuka, thinking the school was forcing him, immediately grew unhappy.
She also wanted to stroll around the Autumn Festival with Lucian.
"Of course I could, but these guests have supported me a lot in the past. Plus, this is a good opportunity to promote my practical cooking class. For the first two days, I'll take reservations for honored guests, and on the last day, it'll be open to everyone—though the menu will be different."
By repaying a favor while also benefiting himself, Lucian's plan was quite shrewd.
The only thing was that the menu needed careful planning—this was his duty as a top-tier chef.
Of course, there was another reason he agreed—among his honored guests, one family was named "Mejiro," and another was named "Satono."
"Trainer~" Urara suddenly ran to Lucian's side, grabbing his arm and swinging like she was on a swing. "Urara wants to eat too!"
"Sure, if you come, you'll count as a guest." He hadn't realized before just how good Urara was at acting cute.
"Hehe~ Urara wants to eat from the reservation menu!"
Noticing Urara's actions, Seiun Sky pursed her lips as a hint of jealousy sprouted in her heart—but then a faint smile appeared on her lips.
She imitated Urara, running to Lucian's other side and grabbing his other hand, then copying Urara's tone. "Seiun wants to eat from the reservation menu~"
The difference was that Urara was tugging at his sleeve, while Seiun Sky had outright taken his hand.
As she swung his arm, she secretly scratched his palm.
So smooth, so natural—and right in front of... Silence Suzuka.
Somehow, Seiun Sky felt a strange sense of satisfaction and excitement.
Like she was... stealing, stealing, stealing...
Special Week, realizing she was a step too late, felt a bit dejected.
But then she considered if there were other options... and there were. The space in front of and behind Lucian was still open.
Behind him...
Imagining that ambiguous scene, Special Week's ears turned red. She still preferred getting a hug from Lucian.
Only Silence Suzuka frowned slightly, her mind as tangled as a unraveled ball of yarn, messy and knotted. Her head felt hot and numb, as if tiny bugs were crawling all over it.
"I want to eat... from the reservation menu too."
Angry! She was the first one here!!!
"Alright, alright, let go." Lucian pulled his hands back, giving Seiun Sky's palm a firm squeeze. "You're going to shake my arms right off."
"Trainer, so you'll agree to Urara's request?"
"Trainer, so you'll agree to Seiun's request?"
"Fine, fine, how could I say no to you?" Lucian chuckled, looking at the four horse girls. "You... are also my honored guests."
Yes, life is a grand feast—and weren't they, too, his most cherished guests?