"Thump thump—"
It was the sound of Silence Suzuka's heartbeat.
It was also the sound of Lucian's heartbeat.
...
The next day's training arrived as scheduled.
After warming up, Lucian led everyone into the training session.
"Today's focus is specialized endurance training." Lucian held a small clipboard and began reading out today's running drills.
"First, two sets of five kilometers, with a five-minute break in between. The pace is... Then one set of four kilometers, one set of three kilometers, and one set of two kilometers, with three-minute breaks in between. The required pace is..."
After Lucian finished reading, the three—Special Week, Silence Suzuka, and Haru Urara—gazed at him with clear eyes.
"Trainer, stop reading. I've already forgotten everything," Haru Urara said, clutching her head.
"Trainer-san, could you say it again?" Special Week, on the other hand, was full of fighting spirit.
"It's fine if you don't remember. I'll remind you later. I just wanted to give you a general idea first." Lucian looked into the distance. The weather today was excellent—sunny but not too hot. "Alright, make sure your shoelaces are tied and your horseshoes are secure. Double-check everything."
"We're ready, Trainer!"
The three stood at the starting line.
"Wait, one more thing." After saying this, Lucian ignored their puzzled looks and hurried back to the training room.
A moment later, he returned with three wristbands. As he put them on the three, he said, "These are for you too. Pace yourselves properly not too fast, not too slow."
...
Despite Lucian's instructions beforehand, the three still lost their rhythm during the training.
"Urara, hurry up, hurry up! You're falling behind! Come on!"
"Spe-chan, just maintain this pace. Don't chase after Suzuka, and don't wait for Urara."
"Suzuka! Slow down! This isn't a race it's training! There are still more sets to go. How are you going to manage later?"
...
Lucian was practically wearing himself out, shouting at the top of his lungs on the field with a stopwatch in hand.
Sometimes, he even ran to key points along their route to remind them.
Before long, his back was drenched in sweat.
Of course, the other teams heard Lucian's shouts too, and they all curiously turned to look in his direction.
On the spectator stands, Toujou Hana adjusted her glasses and said to her team, "Keep training!"
Nishizaki Ryo, sitting on the grass with a blade of grass in his mouth, sighed and muttered something about youth.
Then he turned his gaze to Gold Ship, Vodka, and Daiwa Scarlet. "Don't just watch. They're working so hard we can't fall behind either. Come on, let's go!"
...
After the two sets of five kilometers, the three barely managed to complete this phase of the task.
Special Week and Silence Suzuka were both leaning forward, hands on their hips, panting heavily.
Haru Urara knelt on the grass and yelled, "I'm exhausted! So tired! I'm dying!"
Lucian checked his watch and smiled. "Rest well. Talking? Talking counts toward your rest time too, you know."
"Trainer, you're so cruel!"
"Thank you."
"Urara wasn't complimenting you!"
"I'll still say thanks."
After some back-and-forth with Haru Urara, Lucian walked over to Special Week and Silence Suzuka. "What about you two? How are you holding up?"
"This is different from all the training I've done before," Special Week said, wiping the sweat from her face.
"Your previous training wasn't systematic enough. Keep at it."
"Understood, Trainer-san."
Lucian then turned to Silence Suzuka. "Suzuka, what about you?"
"I can still keep running."
"That's good. You need to find your own rhythm. It's the same in races—you have to develop a sense for it."
Lucian checked the time. The break was almost over. "Alright, get ready for the next set. Strict rest periods—build good habits."
Special Week and Silence Suzuka nodded and set off one after the other.
Lucian approached Haru Urara, who was still lying on the ground. "Urara, it's time for the third set."
Urara sighed but eventually got up from the ground.
She watched the figures of Silence Suzuka and Special Week already running ahead, her eyes dimming.
Maybe the gap in talent was just too big...
Following the pace Lucian had set for the remaining drills felt downright impossible to her.
"Urara, whether you can finish is one thing. Whether you try is another."
After yesterday's experience, Lucian was much more natural at patting heads now.
Noticing his team member's low spirits, he knew he had to speak up.
Hmm, maybe I should get a counselor's certification when I have the chance.
"Come on, stand up. Giving up so easily isn't the Haru Urara I know." Lucian reached out to Urara with a gentle smile. "Remember what I told you? Coming in last isn't failure—giving up is."
"Trainer..."
In Lucian's eyes, Haru Urara felt a sense of being trusted.
Moved, she took his hand. "Urara, fully recharged!"
"Trainer, I'll do my best!"
"Yeah, go for it."
Watching Urara's figure run off into the distance, Lucian wrote "Mental Fortitude: Excellent" on his clipboard.
Occasional discouragement was only human. What mattered was the ability to bounce back quickly.
...
By the time training ended, the three were too exhausted to even speak.
"Walk around slowly. Don't sit down right away to rest."
Lucian handed them the water he'd prepared and quickly jotted down his initial evaluations of the three on his clipboard.
In the last two sets, the three were clearly on the verge of exhaustion and couldn't meet the pace requirements.
Silence Suzuka's endurance rating was still an A.
Special Week was slightly weaker, scoring an A-, but with continued training, she could likely improve.
As for Haru Urara, she only rated a B.
But the fact that she'd even finished today's training made Lucian look at her in a new light.
...
After resting, Lucian led the three through some stretching exercises.
"You all did great today. Keep it up."
"Urara is completely drained~"
"This is the first time I've ever felt so tired," Special Week said, finishing the last of her water.
Silence Suzuka didn't complain, though. She just blew into her palm.
No weird smells, right? Maybe I should start carrying mints around...
"Once you're all rested, head to the training room to change. I've already prepared everything. There's more water in there too."
"Training isn't over yet."
"How is it not over? I really can't run anymore!" Haru Urara protested.
Even Special Week and Silence Suzuka looked at Lucian in confusion.
Overtraining wasn't good—Lucian should know that.
"I'm not making you run more. The main drills are done. What's left is something light and easy—nothing tiring."
The three still stood there, unconvinced.
Lucian sighed helplessly. "Just go. A man from like me doesn't lie to Japanese horse girls."