Just as Mizuno and Rice Shower arrived at the training grounds, they spotted Tokai Teio—who always arrived earliest—standing near the fence beside the track. With her was Mizuno's fellow trainer and classmate, Kiryuin Aoi.
At this moment, Teio was obediently standing, hands clasped behind her back, quietly listening to Kiryuin-san as she assigned today's training tasks.
Kiryuin-san was holding her phone with one hand, its screen showing her chat history with Mizuno—filled from top to bottom with training plans Mizuno had sent her several weeks ago for each Uma on the team.
"Tokai Teio-san, according to Trainer Mizuno's instructions, today's tasks are thirty sets of weighted jumps, fifty laps of running, one hour of swimming training, and also…"
But halfway through Kiryuin-san's explanation, Teio's nose twitched slightly as if sensing a familiar scent in the air, her ears instantly perking up with excitement.
"Trainer!" Tokai Teio joyfully spun around, discovering Mizuno's arrival.
But the next moment, her smile froze stiffly upon seeing something she found extremely displeasing.
"...?"
Teio stared at the hands that Mizuno and Rice Shower were holding together, her eyes gradually dimming.
Why did Rice Shower-san arrive together with Trainer Mizuno—holding hands so intimately, almost like lovers?
Teio couldn't understand. After all, until yesterday afternoon, Mizuno had still been spending time in the flowerbeds with her and President Rudolf. How could Rice Shower-san's relationship with Mizuno become so close overnight?
"Teio-san?" Kiryuin-san, who had just been wondering why Teio abruptly turned her head away during the task assignment—and whose mood seemed to have instantly worsened—finally followed Teio's gaze and spotted Mizuno after a few seconds.
"Oh! Trainer Mizuno?!"
Kiryuin-san jogged lightly toward Mizuno, looking him up and down. Her expression showed three parts surprise, three parts happiness, and four parts…
Anger!
"Trainer Mizuno, have you finally finished your business?" Kiryuin-san stood with hands on her hips, her cheeks slightly puffed in frustration, clearly dissatisfied about Mizuno leaving his team in her care and then vanishing for several weeks.
Do you know how troublesome it was to help Trainer Mizuno look after his Uma?
The actual training itself wasn't a problem. After all, apart from Urara-san, the other Uma in Mizuno's team were all extremely talented. They required little detailed instruction and could achieve their training goals easily.
The real headache was their emotional state.
Because the girls in Mizuno's team, to varying degrees, were actually very dependent on him…
When Trainer Mizuno was absent, they acted like the West without Jerusalem, children deprived of their favorite toys, animals robbed of their safe shelters. Their moods soured, and their behaviors turned erratic.
King Halo-san's usual confident laughter became rarer, and she appeared somewhat melancholy, often staring blankly at the chat logs on her phone, seemingly reminiscing about the days when Mizuno-san praised her generously, day and night.
Rice Shower-san, though never saying anything and always appearing obedient, clearly suffered deeply from losing Mizuno-san's company. Judging by her increasingly saddened expressions, Kiryuin-san suspected she might have secretly cried many times.
But the worst was Mejiro McQueen-san! She desperately craved Trainer Mizuno's homemade Honey Drink, treating it as an essential energy source for survival. Even one day without it made her unbearably miserable!
Sometimes Kiryuin-san even overheard McQueen murmuring to herself about recruiting a few Mejiro family sisters, using her family connections, and digging up the entire city if necessary just to find Trainer Mizuno…
What surprised Kiryuin-san the most was that the usually clingy Tokai Teio had actually acted the most normal among all the girls during Mizuno's disappearance.
This made Kiryuin-san suspect that perhaps Teio had some secret way to keep in touch with Trainer Mizuno…
"Ahem… Sorry about that…" Mizuno coughed awkwardly, scratching his head guiltily upon seeing Kiryuin-san's annoyed expression. "Kiryuin-san, it must've been tough on you these past few weeks…"
"If it's just a simple apology, Trainer Mizuno, I won't accept it," Kiryuin-san shook her head decisively.
Sure, when Mizuno entrusted his team to her, he'd also helped create training plans for her own Uma, Happy Meek, and those had indeed helped a lot…
But the bit of help Mizuno offered was nowhere near enough to offset the mental exhaustion from constantly enduring the resentment that poured from his Uma.
Therefore, a simple verbal apology definitely wouldn't cut it!
"You must give me some additional compensation before I accept your apology," Kiryuin-san raised her index finger seriously at Mizuno.
"Compensation? What kind of compensation?" Mizuno asked, puzzled.
"Hmm…" Kiryuin-san tapped her cheek thoughtfully with one finger, suddenly having an idea. She brightened up, nodded in satisfaction, and said:
"Trainer Mizuno, how about accompanying me to the city bookstore this weekend? I just found some interesting new books I'd like to share with you."
"The bookstore?" Mizuno's eyes lit up, suddenly very interested.
He'd initially expected Kiryuin-san to take advantage and ask for something excessive. He was even prepared to find an excuse to refuse and offer more customized training plans for Happy Meek instead…
Yet the request turned out to be merely visiting a bookstore?
This was fantastic! Mizuno had already finished all his stored books and needed fresh supplies. Kiryuin-san's invitation to the bookstore perfectly matched his next step.
Mizuno immediately nodded and agreed, "Sure, no problem."
"Then it's decided!" Kiryuin-san clapped happily and smiled brightly. "Trainer Mizuno, I'll see you this Saturday. Don't be late."
"Yeah, see you then," Mizuno replied.
"Grr…" Tokai Teio, still standing a distance away, saw Mizuno and Kiryuin-san chatting cheerfully. Her eyes dimmed further, and an intense frustration welled up in her chest.
I clearly knew Trainer Mizuno first… I've clearly spent the most time with Trainer Mizuno…
Why is it that whenever I want to hold Trainer Mizuno's hand, it always happens right when he turns away, causing me to miss the chance?
Yet Mizuno-san returned just this morning already holding hands with Rice Shower-san?
Why is it that whenever I invite Trainer Mizuno to go out and play, he always says he's too busy with work?
But when Kiryuin-san invites him, he suddenly has the time?
"This is so unfair…" Teio puffed her cheeks angrily, feeling targeted by heaven itself.
Otherwise, why had she put in more effort than anyone else, yet still couldn't win over Trainer Mizuno—her progress even lagging far behind everyone else?!
This completely went against her goal of always being number one in everything!
"Wait…" Amidst her misery, Teio suddenly had a strange but strangely logical idea:
If Trainer Mizuno isn't able to interact with other fe—no, no other person besides herself, wouldn't she eternally be number one in capturing Mizuno-san's heart?
She didn't quite know how to achieve this goal yet…
But now wasn't the time to think about that. Her most urgent matter now was to take Trainer Mizuno back!
Just as Teio made up her mind and prepared to rush forward and hug Mizuno directly—to demonstrate to everyone who was closest to Trainer Mizuno…
"Huh? What's that smell?" Mizuno suddenly sniffed the air, trembling slightly, and his body started moving involuntarily.
He let go of Rice Shower's hand and turned mechanically toward another direction.
"Onii-sama?"
"Trainer?"
"Trainer Mizuno?"
The girls were puzzled, unsure where Mizuno was suddenly headed.
After walking robotically for a short distance, Mizuno suddenly opened his arms wide—
And in full view of everyone present, firmly embraced King Halo, who had just arrived and was about to greet them.
"?!!!"