...
After arriving at Tracen Academy, Lucian often felt that life was comfortable and peaceful.
"Trainer, what are you looking at?" Urara circled around to Lucian's side and glanced at the list on the table.
"It's the registration list for my practical course." Lucian sounded somewhat proud because, as far as he knew, some teachers' classes hadn't even filled up, and some couldn't even start due to lack of enrollment.
"Let me see, let me see! Did Urara get in?!" Urara immediately began scanning the list line by line for her name.
Hearing this, the other horse girls gathered behind Lucian as well.
"Oguri Cap."
"Rice Shower."
"Doto."
"Matikanetannhauser."
"Nice Nature."
"Twin Turbo."
"Tamamo Cross."
"Grass Wonder."
"Ines Fujin."
...
"Mejiro McQueen!?"
That last exclamation came from Tokai Teio.
...
Lucian hadn't checked the list yet either, so he quietly listened as Urara read it aloud.
By the time the last name was called, Lucian realized that while there were many familiar faces, only Rice Shower from his own team had successfully enrolled.
"Why isn't Urara on the list?!" Urara looked at Lucian pitifully.
"This is the roster generated by the academic system based on priority registration... You might've been too slow," Lucian explained. "The rest of you too—if you missed it, it's fine, but remember to sign up for other electives later."
"Sorry, Trainer~ I signed up for a dance class instead~" Tokai Teio hadn't even registered for his course. Compared to cooking, she preferred being the one who ate.
Once a week was already more than enough for her.
She was just curious why Mejiro McQueen was on the list—and right at the very end, no less.
Could it be that Mejiro McQueen had also been won over by the trainer's cooking skills?
"Alright, alright." Lucian hadn't expected there to be a traitor in their midst. "I hereby revoke Teio's right to choose dishes."
"Eh?! No, no, no~ Trainer, you can't do this! I strongly protest!" Tokai Teio shook her head vigorously. "This is abuse of power!"
"Then what about my wounded heart?" Lucian rarely had the upper hand against Tokai Teio.
"I know Trainer is hurt right now, but can you maybe... not be hurt?"
"Go away, go away."
"Why isn't my name on there either?!" Special Week also asked in disbelief.
Lucian comforted her, "It's fine, it's fine. If Spe-chan wants to learn, I can teach you privately."
"Wait, Spe-chan." Silence Suzuka suddenly spoke up. "Didn't you sign up for that 'Carrot Cultivation and Growth' class? Or something like that?"
"Ah!?" Special Week fell into deep thought. She remembered agonizing over the decision in front of the computer that day—so she had ended up choosing that course after all. "Oh~ So I didn't sign up for Trainer-san's class."
Lucian's lips twitched. "Alright, alright. I take back what I just said."
"I'm sorry, Trainer-san." Special Week poked her index fingers together sheepishly.
Lucian sighed. "So, who among you actually signed up for my class?"
Hearing this, Urara, Silence Suzuka, and Seiun Sky raised their hands.
"Little Bailey, what about you?"
"I missed the first registration period, hehe~" Dextrous Bailey shared the same mindset as Tokai Teio—they only wanted to eat, not cook, so whether they enrolled or not didn't matter.
Lucian massaged his forehead. Another mastermind hiding in plain sight. "So three of you didn't get in. There's nothing we can do about that."
Seiun Sky had originally been a little resentful, but after learning that only Rice Shower had successfully enrolled, her resentment faded.
Besides, in Seiun Sky's eyes, Rice Shower was an extremely passive girl, and Lucian was also quite passive—which actually put her at ease.
"Trainer, can't you just let Urara join anyway?" Urara shook Lucian's arm, pleading.
"The main issue is that the system won't register your name. Even if I let you in, you wouldn't get credit for it."
Oddly enough, Lucian had never noticed Urara being this passionate about cooking before. "We have team activities every week anyway. How about I teach you privately?"
"Okay..." Urara was still a little dejected. "But during team activities, I won't be learning. Urara just wants to eat delicious food."
Lucian's mouth twisted. He felt like his goodwill had been tossed into the East Sea. He turned to Silence Suzuka and Seiun Sky. "You two, remember not to miss the follow-up registration period."
"Got it."
"Understood~"
Lucian nodded. "Alright, gather at the training field. Let's start today's training."
...
With the Tenno Sho approaching, Silence Suzuka's training load had gradually decreased, though she still maintained a certain intensity to keep her competitive condition.
Lucian's focus had also temporarily shifted to Silence Suzuka.
"Suzuka, make sure you don't train extra on your own from now on, okay?"
"Mhm."
"And also..."
Sometimes, aside from overseeing Silence Suzuka's training, Lucian felt there wasn't much else he could do. "The day before the race, double-check your horseshoes and shoes. I'll inspect them again on the day itself. And also..."
"Lucian-kun."
"Yeah, what is it?"
"Are you feeling a little too tense?"
Lucian's reminders were something the veteran members of the team had heard many times before, but he never tired of repeating them.
But never had he started this early—over a week before the race.
"I am a bit nervous. Your opponents this time aren't weak—El Condor Pasa, Hishi Amazon, Mejiro Ryan, Nice Nature..."
Silence Suzuka interrupted, "Does Lucian-kun not trust in my ability?"
"Of course not. You're the most reassuring presence on the track." Lucian didn't want to bring negative energy, but anxiety had a way of leaking out.
"Lucian-kun, can you cheer for me? Can you say those words again—the ones you used to encourage me when I was recovering from failure?"
A gentle breeze from the horizon rustled the leaves, coaxing a smile from Silence Suzuka's lips.
Lucian froze for a moment. In that instant, his heart found solace.
"Suzuka, run a great escape for me."
...