"This… this is what the legends talk about! Such advanced gameplay—feeding?!"
"This is too fast! Even as a senior, I'm not that close to my trainer!"
"Who are they? I've never seen that trainer before… and that horse girl with such a cold expression—she doesn't even blush doing something so affectionate?!"
"But look at her tail! It's wagging so fast it's practically a fan. So she is shy after all."
"Ah! Look, look! It's getting closer!"
Since the earlier commotion, the interaction between Mihono Bourbon and Kitano Ryuichi had been under everyone's watchful eyes in the cafeteria. The horse girls were both shy and excited—some even wanted to imitate her.
Under everyone's gaze, the spoon in Mihono Bourbon's hand moved closer and closer to Kitano's mouth.
"So bold…!"
On the other side of the cafeteria, several horse girls had gathered. Most of them looked fairly average—just typical "horse girl" appearances. Among them, the one clearly at the center spoke:
" Classmate! King Halo Is this really the person you're looking for? He already seems to be serving another horse girl. Wouldn't it be better to find someone else?"
"Hmph, don't misunderstand. As a first-class individual, I would never choose someone so beneath me as my trainer."
The leader of the group was someone Kitano had seen before—his former partner.
King Halo
Although she was no longer his current partner, she had been asking her followers to look for Kitano Ryuichi since class. The moment she heard someone matching his description was in the cafeteria, she rushed over.
However, it was clear her followers hadn't told her that another horse girl was beside Kitano—and one whose looks and figure rivaled her own.
At first, Holy King Halo didn't care.
After all, she was a top-tier horse girl. She wouldn't feel threatened just because another horse girl had a good figure. Jealousy and pettiness were not traits of a first-class horse girl.
Besides, she didn't have any special feelings toward this "new trainer" Kitano Ryuichi. She came only to issue a challenge, because his earlier rude remarks had damaged her pride.
She planned to prove her ability during the lunch break.
But that mindset quickly disappeared the moment she saw Mihono Bourbon's intimate behavior toward Kitano.
Holy King Halo didn't understand why she felt this way.
But as she watched Mihono Bourbon carefully cool the soup and even feed him
She unconsciously bit her lip.
One of her feet tapped the ground.
Even her horse ears stood upright.
It felt like something that belonged to her had suddenly been taken away by someone who appeared out of nowhere.
The feeling made her extremely irritated.
Yet she couldn't figure out why.
"…Um, King Halo?"
One of her followers noticed her anxiety and cautiously asked:
"Should we go stop them?"
"—Why would we?"
Holy King Halo clenched her teeth.
Even though she desperately wanted to intervene, her rational mind kept telling her this had nothing to do with her. Whatever relationship that trainer and that third-rate horse girl had—it didn't concern her.
She forced herself to stay calm.
But her displeasure was obvious to everyone.
Her tail was swinging like a propeller—not from happiness, but from anger.
"A third-rate trainer and a third-rate horse girl—aren't they a perfect match? It has nothing to do with a first-class person like me."
"Let them be affectionate. We'll issue the challenge later. I don't mind giving them this time."
…You clearly mind a lot, though.
Her followers silently took a small step back—not out of dislike, but simply to avoid getting hit by her rapidly swinging tail.
Meanwhile, King Halo, despite being visibly furious, kept her eyes locked on Mihono Bourbon and Kitano.
She wanted to see just what else that expressionless horse girl would do.
"…Mr. Kitano, please cooperate. Ah~"
"—Um, Miss Mihono… don't you think we're a bit too close?"
Facing the spoon getting closer and closer to him, Kitano finally couldn't hold back and tried to remind her.
When did Mihono Bourbon become this enthusiastic—and this easy to persuade?
Back then, she wasn't like this. She simply followed his instructions.
If this were the Mihono Bourbon from his previous timeline, he could accept it.
But he knew clearly—this was a new timeline.
She shouldn't even know him.
Which meant she was doing something this intimate… with a stranger.
That was dangerous.
Fortunately, she had met him—someone who trusted her completely and would never harm her.
But if it had been someone else with bad intentions…
That would have been dangerous.
Kitano might have been overthinking, forgetting that Mihono Bourbon was far stronger than an ordinary person. Still, being cautious was his principle.
Even if she wasn't technically "his" horse girl anymore, he didn't want her to be in any danger.
So this time, Kitano firmly refused.
Mihono Bourbon paused slightly, then silently returned to her seat and placed the spoon back into the bowl.
"…I'm sorry. Just now… the system had an error."
She lowered her head and spoke softly:
"In Mihono Bourbon's database, there is a record of a past friend… who died from esophageal cancer."
"So whenever I see someone about to drink something very hot, I enter an alert state."
"I'm sorry for startling you, Mr. Kitano."
Her words made Kitano fall silent.
Seeing her apologize so seriously, he felt a pang of guilt.
Her mention of that illness triggered memories
Esophageal cancer.
The very cause of his death in his previous timeline.
Even now, recalling it, he almost felt phantom pain.
He had lived healthily, stronger than average—especially as her trainer.
Yet somehow, in that timeline, he died from it.
He didn't even live long enough to see her run in the Kikuka Sho.
And now, hearing her mention it again—
He realized…
He hadn't cared enough about her back then.
"…Bourbon, can you give me the miso soup?"
"Hm?"
She handed it to him.
Then, right in front of her, Kitano tilted his head back and drank the entire bowl in one go.
He wiped his mouth and smiled gently:
"It's not hot at all now. The temperature's just right… feels warm going down."
"Thanks, Bourbon. Don't worry—next time, I'll make sure to cool it properly before eating."
"…."
She stared at his face for a long moment.
Just as he thought he might have gone too far
She suddenly smiled.
"…You're welcome, Mr. Kitano."
"Mihono Bourbon—Happiness level rising. Current state: Excellent condition. Favorability toward Mr. Kitano has increased to 10%."
The familiar system-like report.
It brought back memories.
Even if their time together had been short—
It was one of the few memories that could still make him smile.
Just then
The cafeteria doors burst open.
Before Kitano could turn around, a sharp voice filled with restrained anger rang out:
"You two—this is a public place! Even if you're not first-class individuals, don't flirt in public!"