...
"Spe-chan, try lowering your center of gravity on your next run."
"Understood, Trainer-san."
Special Week walked back with a serious expression.
...
"Seiun Sky, can you handle it? You look like you're struggling."
"Instead of encouraging me, Trainer is crushing my morale~ Sigh~"
"Give it your all next time. You don't want to lose to Suzuka at the Arima Kinen, do you?"
An unusual way of motivation. Seiun Sky froze for a moment before puffing her cheeks. "Who says I'll definitely lose?!"
"We'll see."
...
The two-on-one practice races allowed Lucian to observe closely. After the horse girls reached the finish line, he would correct their running postures and offer suggestions.
"Air Groove, try stabilizing your upper body more. Also, attempt a higher cadence with shorter strides."
"T.M. Opera O, you're competing against yourself. Why are you focusing on Air Groove?"
"Understood." Air Groove nodded.
T.M. Opera O: "My bad, force of habit."
...
As the two walked past Lucian, Symboli Rudolf approached.
Her expectant gaze seemed to say: My turn, my turn.
"Uh... Symboli Rudolf, your form is already perfect. Just keep it up and push forward."
Symboli Rudolf nodded. "Trainer Lucian, I heard about Silence Suzuka."
Lucian froze. "Huh? You all know already?"
"Yes, I just found out."
"I see."
...
Symboli Rudolf's heroic face suddenly filled with reverence as she spoke earnestly, "Trainer Lucian, your arrival is an honor for Tracen Academy. You are an exceptionally qualified trainer."
Lucian smiled and straightened his expression. "Thank you."
...
By evening, the remnants of the sunset could no longer reach this side of the sea, leaving the distant horizon even darker. The sky there seemed soaked in haze, gray and dull.
The sea breeze carried a chill, brushing against the sweat-drenched uniforms of the horse girls and sending shivers through them.
It hadn't rained in the afternoon—just a few rumbles of thunder—so training concluded smoothly.
Nishizaki Ryo dismissed the horse girls first to prevent them from catching cold, while he and Lucian stayed behind to clean up water bottles and other items.
...
"Lucian." Nishizaki suddenly called out, his gaze complicated as he looked at Lucian, but he said nothing.
"What is it, Nishizaki-senpai?"
Nishizaki walked over and patted Lucian's shoulder, still silent.
"Just say it, Nishizaki-senpai. The way you're looking at me is creeping me out. My sexual orientation—"
"Cut it out." Nishizaki immediately broke his serious demeanor, giving Lucian an exasperated look. "What the hell goes through your mind all day?!"
"Then tell me what's up." Lucian grinned.
Though he addressed him as "senpai," it felt like he was constantly messing with him.
...
"It's about the Suzuka situation." Nishizaki's hand returned to Lucian's shoulder as he sighed. "Your decision was... unexpected."
When he saw Silence Suzuka during training camp, Nishizaki had assumed her recovery was quick and her injuries minor.
Putting himself in Lucian's shoes, he doubted he would've even considered such an idea.
"It's nothing. Because she's Suzuka, she's worth it." Lucian shook his head, his tone calm.
"Maybe that's why the Three Goddesses favor you." Nishizaki genuinely respected Lucian—though the only thing he had over him now was seniority.
"Nishizaki-senpai, why so sentimental all of a sudden?" Lucian didn't want to dwell on the topic. "That night when the 'Spica' members came over to sleep, you didn't shed any little pearls, did you?"
"Shed your head! Hurry up and pick up these bottles so we can wrap up! Otherwise, you're walking back alone!"
...
Back at "Dream," the horse girls quickly soaked in the hot springs to relieve the day's fatigue.
Since there was an event planned for the evening, they couldn't linger too long before dinner.
After about forty minutes, they emerged from the baths.
...
Before dinner, Lucian gathered them together.
"Tonight's winner's stage training—since you didn't bring any outfits besides your training clothes, I had some prepared."
With that, he led them to an empty room filled with racks of exquisite clothing.
Pleated skirts, dresses, lolita fashion, JK uniforms, and even various cosplay outfits.
There were even traditional Chinese qipaos, antique-style dresses, horse-face skirts... Lucian had thought of everything.
For a moment, the horse girls were stunned speechless.
...
"T-There's so much!" Special Week's eyes wandered over the outfits. She loved pretty clothes, and this felt like stepping into a wonderland.
"Can Urara wear all of these?!" Haru Urara's eyes had already turned into sparkling stars.
"Of course. Urara can wear whatever you like."
"Wah... Trainer!" Overcome with joy, Urara threw herself into Lucian's arms like a swallow returning to its nest.
"Why the tears? Didn't you like the outfits I prepared?" Lucian wiped the tears from Urara's eyes.
"I'm happy! Urara is just too happy!"
"Urara never thought she'd get to wear so many pretty clothes in her life..."
...
Without Lucian, she'd probably still be traveling alone between Kochi and Tracen.
Let alone growing this close to Special Week and the others.
To Lucian, it might've been nothing, but to Urara, every little moment was deeply touching.
...
"Lucian-kun, how did you prepare so much all at once...?" Silence Suzuka finally tore her amazed gaze away from the clothes.
"We'll have training camps every year from now on. Since 'Dream's' lodging is here, we can just store these outfits permanently."
"You can use them for winner's stage training. In the future, when new horse girls join, they can wear them too."
"So it's for the future members~ I thought Trainer was giving them to us~" Seiun Sky teased.
Lucian smiled at her. "If I were giving you outfits, I'd take you shopping to pick them out."
...
"Alright, let's eat first. After dinner, come back and change. No matter how the training goes, just by showing up, 'Dream' has already won big."
His thorough preparation proved this wasn't just a spur-of-the-moment idea.
He didn't just want his horse girls to feel unburdened—he wanted them to take pride in being part of "Dream."
...