Special Week nodded, "Understood... roughly."
This time, Lucian didn't neglect Seiun Sky. "What about you, Little Seiun?"
Seiun Sky extended her index and middle fingers, using them to mimic legs. "It's like this 'clip-clop clip-clop,' and then like this 'pat-a-pat pat-a-pat.'"
Lucian: ...
It was unclear whether the two truly understood or not.
Lucian felt it was still necessary to borrow Taiki Shuttle from Toujou Hana, just like in the anime.
After all, a practice race could indeed provide richer experience—for example, allowing them to physically feel the rhythm of their heart and lungs when using pitch running techniques, as well as the difference in energy consumption compared to regular running methods.
"I'll go ask Hana-nee to lend me Shuttle-chan so she can have a practice race with you two." As soon as Lucian finished speaking, four pairs of eyes immediately shot in his direction.
"Shuttle-chan?"
"Who's Shuttle-chan?"
"Is there a horse girl in Trainer Toujou's team with that name?"
...
Good grief, Silence Suzuka's rapid-fire triple questions left Lucian utterly stunned.
Only then did he realize he had slipped up. "Uh, I mean Taiki Shuttle."
Before his transmigration, he had followed the chat and called her that, gradually getting used to it. Now, calling her that way did seem a bit overly familiar.
"Taiki Shuttle-san? Are you close with her, Lucian-kun?" Silence Suzuka frowned, her sharp gaze scrutinizing him like a detective interrogating a suspect.
"Just somewhat... She came with Hana-nee to your celebration party last time, remember?"
Seiun Sky also chimed in, "'Just somewhat'? And you're calling her 'Shuttle-chan'?"
Suddenly, the nickname "Little Seiun" didn't sound so pleasant to her ears anymore.
"It was a slip of the tongue. Please spare me, you two." Lucian clasped his hands together, bowing repeatedly to the two prosecutors, then quickly changed the subject. "So, Seiun and Spe-chan, what do you think? Will you race or not?"
"I should mention this upfront—Shut... Taiki Shuttle is currently the undisputed champion of sprint races, a genuine G1 horse girl."
Faced with Lucian's preemptive warning, Seiun Sky's response was resolute. "I'll race. I want to see just who this 'Shuttle-chan' Trainer speaks of really is."
"I'll race too." Special Week raised her hand, her gaze at Lucian carrying a hint of resentment. "I'd like to see just how amazing the horse girls outside are that have caught Trainer-san's attention."
"Alright, then I'll go discuss it with Hana-nee later."
...
Given the state everyone was in after just finishing training, it definitely wasn't suitable to race again right away.
So after discussing with Toujou Hana, Lucian scheduled the practice race for the following afternoon.
Somehow, word got out, and by that afternoon, the spectator stands were filled with many off-duty horse girls.
"Spe-chan, Seiun, don't be nervous. Just do your best." Lucian cheered them on.
"As for Shuttle-chan, I can't wait to race her." Clearly, Seiun Sky was also a jealous type, and even after a night, she hadn't let it go.
"I won't lose either!"
"Alright, alright, you two do your best."
At that moment, Silence Suzuka, standing nearby, asked with utmost seriousness, "So where's Shuttle-chan? Hasn't she arrived yet?"
Lucian smiled wryly, just as he noticed Toujou Hana approaching with Taiki Shuttle and the other members of "Rigil."
Haru Urara suddenly blurted out, "Yay, it's Shuttle-chan! Seiun-chan and Spe-chan are saved!"
Lucian immediately broke out in a cold sweat. "Urara, who taught you that?"
Haru Urara stuck out her tongue. "Hmph, I won't tell Trainer!"
Amid the chatter, Toujou Hana had already reached Lucian. "Lucian, sorry for the wait."
"Not at all. I'm the one troubling you, Hana-nee."
Toujou Hana nodded, and Taiki Shuttle beside her stepped forward. "Exciting~ Thank you very much for the invitation, Trainer Lucian! So who will I be racing against?"
"Spe-chan and Seiun." Lucian slightly turned to the side.
What should have been a somewhat tense meeting unexpectedly turned into one filled with overwhelming goodwill from Seiun Sky and Special Week.
Seiun Sky: "Shuttle-chan-senpai, please guide me well."
Special Week: "Shuttle-chan-senpai, I'm honored to race with you. Thank you for your guidance."
Taiki Shuttle was utterly confused, her starry eyes wide with bewilderment.
Shuttle-chan? Was that what they were calling her? But she wasn't that close with the two of them, was she?
True to her straightforward personality, the girl voiced her confusion directly. "Why are you calling me Shuttle-chan?"
"Trainer calls you that, so we're following his lead," Seiun Sky explained.
"Trainer Lucian?!" Taiki Shuttle first looked at Lucian in surprise, then quickly lowered her head, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.
It was rare for the girl to show such a reaction.
With her adorable, ditzy personality and her tall, curvaceous figure standing out among the generally petite horse girls, who wouldn't be charmed?
Lucian first shot a warning glance at Special Week and Seiun Sky, but the two weren't intimidated at all, turning their faces away.
He thought to himself: These are the horse girls I chose...
Then, he turned to Taiki Shuttle to explain. "Well... that nickname is pretty common where I'm from. It's a term of endearment. Don't let it bother you."
"OK, got it." Taiki Shuttle didn't doubt Lucian's hastily made-up excuse and instead asked, "Trainer Lucian, if I win, can I go to your place for another meal?"
"Of course, no problem—as long as you win against these two."
Given Taiki Shuttle's current abilities, defeating Special Week and Seiun Sky would be a breeze. Especially in her specialty, the 1600-meter race.
The reason Lucian agreed to Taiki Shuttle's condition was to ensure she wouldn't hold back.
In the anime, he always felt Taiki Shuttle didn't take the early part of the race seriously, as if she was just playing around—yet she still beat Special Week.
"Come on! I'll give it my all!"
...
"Amazon, you go be the finish line."
"Huh? Why me again~"
"No backtalk, go!" Air Groove placed one hand on her hip, her expression stern, with a faint trace of imperial authority between her brows.
The tanned girl grumbled but obediently complied.
In her eyes, this was a race with no suspense. Aside from Taiki Shuttle's overwhelming victory, she couldn't imagine any other outcome.
...
As soon as Lucian stepped off the track, Silence Suzuka's voice whispered hauntingly in his ear.
"Lucian-kun, does your hometown really have such a naming custom? Lucian-kun, in your heart, do you want Shuttle-chan to win, or Spe-chan and Seiun to win?"
"Of course I want my own team to win. But accepting reality is important too. As for the custom..." Lucian decided to go all-in and sell the lie. "It's real. Don't you believe me? Suzu-chan?"
"Su-Su-Su-Su-Su-Su-Su..."
A flustered Silence Suzuka lowered her head but couldn't see her toes. Her hands twisted together like the tangled thoughts suddenly knotting in her heart.
With just the slightest effort, Lucian melted the fragile ice on Silence Suzuka's face.
"From now on, every time I hear 'Shuttle-chan,' I'll call you 'Suzu-chan.'"
"Y-You're so shameless."
"Thanks for the praise~"