...
After successfully "deceiving"... err, inviting Rice Shower, Lucian left the lounge with her before they went their separate ways.
Lucian arrived at the temporary dining hall that was still under construction.
Having received a message from Symboli Rudolf, he knew a horse girl assigned to coordinate with him would be waiting there.
However, Lucian didn't expect the one sent to be someone he was quite familiar with.
"Doto?" Lucian called out to the girl standing before him, clutching a small clipboard while lost in thought.
"Ah?! L-L-Lucian-sensei, hello!"
Lucian had taught most of the horse girls at some point, and even though their interactions had been brief, many remembered him quite well.
So it was Doto, huh?
Who would've thought Rudolf would assign him a big, adorable, socially awkward klutz?
Doto's hairstyle and color were similar to Special Week's—both had brown hair with a single white forelock.
However, Doto's bob cut was fluffier, and... well, certain parts of her were much "fluffier" than Special Week's too. Additionally, Doto had a single antenna-like ahoge sticking up from her head.
Though her name carried an imposing and fierce tone, she herself was a ditzy, adorable airhead.
Whenever she spoke, her voice would waver uncontrollably due to nervousness, like an amateur clumsily plucking at a piano.
Lucian particularly liked her mouth—the natural upward curve at the corners gave her a perpetual smiling expression.
But it also made him feel that if her horse ears were swapped for cat ears, Doto would resemble a cat girl even more.
This reminded him of Seiun Sky, whose lazy demeanor was very cat-like, whereas Doto's lips and facial expressions while speaking gave off feline vibes.
"Hello, sorry for keeping you waiting."
"N-No, not at all! P-Please take a look inside and let me know if anything else is needed!"
"No need to be so nervous. Was I really that terrifying when teaching your class?"
Doto hid half her face behind the clipboard. "S-S-Sorry~! I-I'll... I'll be more careful..."
"No need to apologize either." Lucian chuckled and stepped into the temporary dining hall ahead of Doto.
The basic facilities inside were already set up.
"Lucian-sensei, there are two... no, three styles of tables and chairs to choose from. Please let me know which one suits best, and I'll arrange it ASAP."
Since Lucian was preparing a Chinese menu, the furniture and decor naturally had to lean toward a Chinese aesthetic.
After some thought, he selected one style and finalized the decoration plan with Doto.
Then, the two headed to the kitchen.
"Lucian-sensei, please check if any kitchenware is still missing."
Lucian scanned the area before nodding. "Everything's well-prepared. Thanks, Doto."
"No problem, no problem~ It's my duty~" Doto's smile widened noticeably upon being praised.
"By the way, Lucian-sensei, regarding the staff you asked to recruit... since everyone wants to enjoy the festival, almost no one was available for part-time work. I only managed to find one person."
"That's fine. One is enough—I'll figure out the rest later." Lucian paused. Actually, there was a ready candidate right in front of him. "Doto, will you be busy later?"
"Not busy..." Doto blurted out instinctively before immediately regretting it and hurriedly correcting herself, "B-Busy... probably..."
She wanted to visit the café run by "Rigil" and see T.M. Opera O in a suit.
"Busy?" Lucian activated his "pie-in-the-sky" persuasion skills. "What a shame. Even with a daily wage of 10,000 yen , I can't find anyone? Not to mention getting to enjoy the same dishes as the customers... Doto, did you mention these conditions when recruiting?"
Compared to the profits he expected, this amount wasn't much to Lucian, but it was highly attractive to others.
"Eh?!" Doto was shocked. She couldn't recall Lucian ever mentioning this before. "S-Sorry~! My mistake..."
"It's fine, it's fine~"
"So, what do you think now?"
"But I'm really clumsy..."
"No issue. Just don't break everything." Sensing her hesitation, Lucian pressed on, "Then it's settled. I just need to find one more horse girl."
"O-Okay..."
"Don't worry, it won't be too hectic. You'll just need to wear a uniform."
"Understood... No problem."
...
After discussing the decoration details a bit longer, Lucian left the dining hall and went to find Toujou Hana.
"So, you want to borrow Taiki Shuttle as a waitress for your restaurant?" Hana crossed her arms, scrutinizing Lucian. "Lucian, you're not planning to make them wear maid outfits, are you?"
Lucian inwardly acknowledged her sharp intuition—but he wasn't about to admit it outright.
"I'm short on staff, Hana-nee. Besides, your restaurant already has enough people. With Symboli-san, Air Groove, and Fuji Kiseki-san standing there in suits, customers will flock in endlessly... My little shop can't compete with that."
"Stop right there. Everyone knows your restaurant is reservation-only."
"Hana-nee, please? I'm even offering daily wages."
Hana remained silent, still considering.
Lucian lowered his voice. "Otherwise... I must say, Hana-nee, you're still quite charming..."
"Enough, enough." Hana smacked the table. "Fine, but you'll have to ask Taiki Shuttle yourself. I can't decide for her."
"Got it. I'll go now."
This was exactly what Lucian wanted—he needed Hana's permission before approaching Taiki Shuttle.
...
Lucian found Taiki Shuttle on the training field.
"Hello! Trainer Lucian!" She waved energetically, her face still glistening with sweat from a recent run.
"Shuttle-chan." Lucian greeted her before cutting straight to the point. "I've got a great part-time opportunity for you. Interested?"
Every time Lucian called her "Shuttle-chan," Taiki Shuttle would pause briefly.
Though he had explained it, it always gave her a strange, fluttery feeling.
"Part-time?" She tilted her head in confusion.
Lucian then launched into a five-minute pitch—and it worked like a charm.
Having won G1 races, Taiki Shuttle had plenty of prize money and wasn't concerned about the pay.
But she was highly intrigued by Lucian's cooking.
The festival happened every year, but Lucian's culinary skills weren't something she could enjoy just anytime.
"Then it's settled. Come by later to familiarize yourself with the place, and I'll assign your tasks."
"No problem!"