"For the third dance, you should teach Teio how to dance, McQueen."
"Eh? What are you going to do then?"
"Running around and securing a path for escape."
"Why…?"
"Just because. I could never predict what would happen in the future, so I want to be prepared."
"I could not either, but I don't think you'd ever need to know that."
"And that's why you will always be in my shadow, Wife."
Like an absent father, the young man left the group to have his own journey. The group was mature enough to have their own adventures inside the sprawling mansion, so the young man could confidently walk away with no worry.
"Whistle~~~"
The prince leisurely walked through the empty hallway while his eyes scanned everything. In his mind, he was creating escape routes for every possible scenario.
If I go through that window, then I'll fall into a rose bush. It might hurt like hell, but it could work.
…Huh?
The last thing the young man was expecting to see was a slightly opened door into one of the rooms. With how festive the ball is right now, it should only be him who is wandering around like an idiot.
Another thief…
Tch! Guess it's time to make the Mejiro owe me one.
The young man tiptoed closer to the opened door. With the speed of a snail, the young man peeked into the room.
"Huh?"
And for the second time in complete succession, the young man was taken by surprise. He expected to see plenty of things, even Mejiro Asama in sexy lingerie, but what he found was Mejiro Palmer standing solemnly on a balcony.
The room was dark, illuminated only by the pale moonlight spilling through the open balcony doors. Even in the dim light, however, the young man could make out various instruments scattered along the edges of the room, leaving a wide, empty space in the center.
It was clear that this room had been designed for one purpose: dance practice.
"Sigh…"
A sad and heavy breath escaped from the umamusume's mouth. It was loud enough for the young man's human ears to catch it from the other side of the room.
Uuugghh… Fiiiinnneeee!!!!
I guess it's my fate as the fanfic protagonist to step in.
*Tap* *Tap*
"Huh? Who is there?"
"Calm down. I'm not an assassin."
The young man calmly entered the room. He put more effort into his steps so Palmer's ears would catch them and turn around to see him. The last thing he wanted was for an umamusume to get startled from behind.
"Fufufu~~ I'm not important enough for someone to send me an assassin, Trainer Igo Heita."
"Too bad, I'm an assassin then."
The young man's steps echo in the empty room as he encroaches toward Mejiro Palmer's position.
"Am I getting in the way of something, Cutie?"
"Trainer Igo Heita! You shouldn't flirt with anyone now that you have McQueen as your fiancée, you know? She would get pouty if you do so."
That's the best part about her, Palmer.
She is extremely cute when she is jealous.
"I'm just… catching some fresh air…
Besides, I should be the one who asks you that question. Why is the main star of tonight's ball here?"
"My harem sense tells me that one of my wives is being a gloomy little patootie."
"Trainer!! Mmoouu~~!! Do you know how many complaints I have heard from McQueen because of you? Stop being such a shameless flirt."
"Yeah~~ Yeah~~" The young man stood beside the lonely umamusume and leaned his entire body on the railing. "This is a nice view, I give you that." From the balcony, the young man could see the beautiful Lake Toya bathed in starlight. "So… What's with the heavy sigh, Palmchi?"
"So you heard that… It was… nothing…"
"Which fat, ugly bastard has been trying to hit on you? I'll make sure they get the worst ending a human could get."
"I wish it was that, because it would make things easier to solve…"
Palmer dejectedly lowered her head. A couple of guesses popped into the young man's mind, considering how he knew Palmer's story.
"The fact that they're trying to make a connection with you means that they consider you a true Mejiro, Palmer."
"If you know what is going on, then shouldn't you know my side of the story, Trainer Igo Heita?"
"Indeed…" The wind howls, carrying the cold wind of the incoming winter. The room is cold as it is, but the temperature dropped even more with the howling wind. "So what does it mean to be a Mejiro, Palmer? How much have you figured out about yourself?"
"I… still couldn't grasp what it means to be a Mejiro."
"Don't worry. It's been… like two months or something like that. I would be surprised if you already found what you're searching for, Palmer." The young man gently patted the lonely girl before gently yanking her head up so he could see her eyes. "Tell me what your current answer is. I'll help you in any way I can."
"Why are you going so far for your future sister-in-law?"
"If I keep helping you, you might turn into my concubine instead of just a sister-in-law."
Mejiro Palmer is currently wearing a simple, shoulderless, teal-colored dress. It is nowhere near as complex as McQueen's is, but at least it looks easy to move in. The young man recognizes the dress as the one Palmer wore in the 10 million download art celebration that Cygames posted on their social media.
"Sigh… Please stop that before I actually think you are being serious."
"I am."
"You should reconsider marrying a failed Mejiro like me."
"And what does it mean to be a Mejiro then, cutie?" The young man moved his hand from the top of Palmer's head to her chin.
"...I can't think of anything other than running.
Even though I know that running has little to do with what it means to be a Mejiro, I…
I…
I couldn't simply see anywhere else that might lead me to the answer that will satisfy me…"
"I see… So that's where your road ends for now…"
The young man rested his big ass on the railing and looked up at the starry sky.
"Palmer… I need you to not make a fuss about what I'm going to say."
"...okay."
"Palmer, stop running."