"If you don't want to say it, forget it. I'm clocking out first."
As Lucian spoke, he made to rise from his seat. Dextrous Bailey hurriedly reached out to stop him—though her hand only grasped at empty air.
"I'll talk... I'll talk!"
Seeing the troubled look on her face, Lucian couldn't help but be amused. "Hey now, I'm not forcing you to say anything."
"It's what I want to say myself!"
Even at this point, Dextrous Bailey's tone remained defiant.
But Lucian didn't dislike it. In fact, the sheer contrast struck him as... cute?
...
Ten minutes later.
"So, you're saying that after I scolded you last time, you felt some kind of... pleasure. And today, you wanted to recreate that situation so I'd scold you again." Lucian lightly tapped the desk as he spoke calmly.
Though he'd already suspected as much, hearing it straight from Dextrous Bailey's mouth still surprised him a little.
Dextrous Bailey glanced nervously at the closed door and lowered her voice. "Yes..."
She didn't understand why Lucian didn't seem the least bit shocked.
Had he encountered someone like her before?
"For your situation... I think you should see a doctor."
"A doctor?! Is it that serious?" Dextrous Bailey's mind flashed to last night's insomnia—every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was Lucian reprimanding her.
"That's for the doctor to decide."
Lucian stood up and walked over to Dextrous Bailey.
From a distance, Lucian didn't appear particularly tall.
But up close, Dextrous Bailey had to tilt her head back to look at him, feeling an undeniable pressure—though some of that was probably psychological.
Uncertain of Lucian's intentions, she instinctively took a step back.
When she saw him raise his hand, she squeezed her eyes shut, the corners wrinkling like tiny leaves.
Was Lucian going to hit her?!
But the expected pain never came—neither to her head nor her cheek.
Instead, she felt a large hand gently patting her head.
"Don't overthink it. Don't go down the wrong path. Why insist on being scolded by me? If you behave well in class, I can just as easily praise you."
Lucian had a mischievous streak when it came to teasing others, but he knew where to draw the line.
Though Dextrous Bailey showed potential to develop in a certain... direction, Lucian figured this was just a temporary reaction from someone used to being spoiled suddenly facing consequences. Given time, she'd probably get over it.
Besides, what good would scolding her do now? She'd only enjoy it—it wouldn't make her change.
Dextrous Bailey opened her eyes, but Lucian was no longer in front of her.
She turned around just in time to catch his retreating figure.
And his words, not yet scattered by the breeze, lingered in her ears.
Dextrous Bailey stood frozen in place, one hand slowly rising to rest over her chest.
Her heartbeat pounded like wild drums across an open field.
This feeling... it was even more intense than being scolded by Lucian.
...
That afternoon, the sunlight was warm and the breeze refreshing.
The members of "Dream" had already gathered at the training field.
Clap clap clap—
Lucian clapped his hands, trying to shake off the drowsiness clinging to Haru Urara and Special Week. "Did you two nap too long this afternoon? Training's about to start—wake up."
"Yesss..."
"Got it, Trainer."
It was Friday, which meant the weekly intra-team mock race—a regular event.
So instead of intense drills, Lucian only scheduled some basic exercises for the afternoon.
Even Haru Urara, who usually complained nonstop, didn't utter a word about exhaustion. The others were even more focused.
Still, by the time the final exercise ended, everyone's training clothes were soaked with sweat.
"Don't sit down, don't sit down. If you're tired, walk around slowly for a bit." Lucian chased after Haru Urara as he spoke.
"Trainer! Spe-chan sat down too just now!"
"I did not!" Special Week quickly shook her head, though the evidence was written all over her face.
"Alright, alright. Take a short break—you haven't forgotten about today's mock race, have you?" Lucian reminded them.
"Of course not! This time, Urara's gonna win first place, and then Trainer will buy me lots and lots of yummy food!"
The race hadn't even started yet, but Haru Urara was already making her pre-race wishes.
Special Week, meanwhile, glanced toward Silence Suzuka and smiled without a word.
Seiun Sky's gaze also drifted toward Silence Suzuka. Their eyes met, and the air between them seemed to crackle with electricity.
It was worth noting that in previous mock races, first place had always gone to Silence Suzuka.
Second place was invariably Seiun Sky.
Third and fourth places, however, often rotated...
Lucian seemed to recall something and motioned for Special Week to come over.
"Trainer-san, what is it?" Special Week asked, clasping her hands behind her back.
"Spe-chan, even though this is just a mock race, I want you to treat it with the same seriousness as a real competition."
"Maybe the prizes I've set don't interest you, or maybe you're running with the mindset of 'holding back'... But whether it's Urara, Suzuka, or Seiun, every time they run, they're giving it their all."
"I know you value friendship, but that's exactly why going all out is how you respect them. Or think of it this way—what if one day you realize your friends are all running ahead, and no matter how hard you try, you just can't catch up?"
Lucian had noticed it before—Special Week never went all out during mock races.
But this wasn't just a small race. It was also part of Lucian's endurance training for the team.
The distance he'd set was 3000 meters. By the final stretch, the only thing driving them forward would be sheer willpower.
Even Haru Urara pushed herself to the point of exhaustion just to reach the finish line. How could Special Week, with her greater talent, afford to be so careless?
As Lucian spoke, Special Week's expression grew more serious.
It was clear Lucian had a knack for being a Trainer—he'd seen right through her innermost thoughts.
"I'm sorry, Trainer-san... I understand now." Special Week's gaze hardened with determination.
"Good. You've got to show me that resolve to become Japan's number one racehorse girl, right?" Lucian lightened the mood with a joke, dispelling the seriousness. "Go take a break."
"Mm." Special Week took a few steps before suddenly turning back. "Trainer-san, I actually am really interested in the prizes you set!"
Like a small stone tossed into a still lake, her words sent ripples across its surface.
Lucian froze for a moment before smiling as he watched Special Week's figure grow smaller in the distance.
"Every single one of them keeps me on my toes."