After training, the two of them still left Tracen together.
Wuyou didn't really feel like cooking today, so he suggested getting yakiniku with Chihaya. Naturally, she agreed, and the two headed into the shopping street to a well-reviewed barbecue place.
It was peak dinner hour—the restaurant was almost full.
Meat sizzled on iron grills, fat dripping into the charcoal and flaring into little bursts of flame, releasing that unmistakable smoky aroma.
The moment Chihaya Representative and Wuyou entered, they drew a lot of attention.
"Yo! Isn't that little Chihaya?" a middle-aged man drinking beer called out.
Chihaya greeted him warmly. "Oh! Uncle Jirō from the veggie shop—good evening!"
"Long time no see, Chihaya!"
"Yeah, it's been ages since I've had yakiniku."
"Come eat at our place sometime too—we've got a new menu!"
"Sure thing, Aunt Yoshiko!"
By the time Chihaya and Wuyou finally sat down in a quieter corner, a ridiculous number of people had already greeted her.
"Your popularity's insane," Wuyou said with a laugh.
Honestly, no matter where you went, Uma Musume tended to be the center of attention.
Not even exaggerating: in looks, physique, and sheer presence, they generally outclassed most humans by a wide margin.
Think of those over-the-top hack-and-slash games—like Dynasty Warriors—where generals mow down armies like grass.
If it were an Uma Musume?
They could actually do it.
It was only because this was a peaceful era—and because Uma Musume were all women—that they weren't out there conquering the world.
In ancient times, after all, there were empires founded by Uma Musume.
And supposedly, over in the eastern superpower, there were still occasional border wars started by steppe Uma Musume… specifically to raid and carry off men.
Chihaya poured Wuyou a glass of barley tea, smiling, saying nothing.
She was born beautiful—at this point, acting modest would just feel fake.
But in truth, there was another reason.
Chihaya noticed that most eyes, after landing on her, immediately shifted to Wuyou—
and then stuck to him like a magnet drawing in iron.
Wuyou's androgynous, universally lethal looks and presence were honestly even more dangerous than Chihaya's.
That made Chihaya feel both proud… and troubled.
Who wouldn't want a trainer beside them who turned heads?
But if Wuyou was too popular, she couldn't help worrying he'd get snatched away by some bad woman.
They ate their fill, and Wuyou generously took the bill.
As a well-known streamer, money wasn't an issue for him.
Even if it were Oguri Cap sitting here with her bottomless appetite, Wuyou could still afford to treat her.
Just after paying, the staff member said enthusiastically:
"Oh! By the way, the shopping street is running an event. If you spend enough at participating stores, you can get a chance at a lottery draw. Please go try your luck!"
Wuyou smiled at Chihaya. "Since we ran into it anyway, want to take a shot?"
Chihaya nodded, clearly interested, and followed.
They stepped out and went in the direction indicated.
The lottery booth was set up at the busiest part of the shopping street. A banner hung overhead, and a man and woman in festival outfits handled the crowd.
A lively scene like this naturally drew attention. Housewives carrying groceries and students just out of school gathered around.
That's how humans are—even if you can't draw yourself, watching someone else draw is still entertaining.
If someone hits the jackpot, you get a little sour and imagine it was you.
If they don't, you laugh at them and find some weird joy in it.
When Chihaya and Wuyou walked up, the "handsome guy + pretty girl" pairing alone made a lot of eyes light up.
"Hello. We're here to draw," Wuyou said with a gentle smile, handing over the receipt.
The male staffer hadn't even had time to reach out when the female staffer shoved him aside and snatched the receipt.
Whether on purpose or not, she also "accidentally" brushed Wuyou's hand.
"Hi, handsome~ Amount confirmed! You two have two draws!"
She set the capsule machine on the table.
"Go ahead," Wuyou said, stepping slightly aside to give Chihaya room.
The way he held his white cane made him look like an elegant British gentleman—prompting a wave of excited squeals from the women watching.
The closest staff girl even seemed to tense up in a very specific way.
Chihaya didn't hold back. She walked up, warmed her fingers, grabbed the handle, and spun.
Plastic beads rattled around inside. At last, a single white capsule rolled out and dropped into the tray.
"Aaa too bad consolation prize," the staff girl sing-songed, handing over a pack of tissues.
Chihaya accepted it with a shrug, not saying much.
She didn't really care about things like this…
and yet, for some reason, she vaguely felt like she should be disappointed.
At that moment, Wuyou stepped forward and placed his hand on the handle.
Click-click-click—
the soft clatter of plastic beads filled the air again.
But suddenly, Wuyou felt something subtle at his fingertips.
As if some invisible force slid along his motion and merged into the mechanism—turning what should have been random into something… guided.
Before he could think too hard about it, a capsule popped out, bounced twice in the tray—
gold.
Silence.
Then both staffers cried out, and the crowd immediately turned.
"Congratulations! You've drawn the only super grand prize of the entire event!!"
Somehow, they produced bells and started shaking them—clang-clang-clang.
Even passersby who'd only been walking past were pulled in by the commotion.
Wuyou was still trying to figure out what that strange sensation had been—
when Chihaya had already pulled him into her arms.
"Wow, Yuu, your luck is amazing today! You actually hit the jackpot!"
Their closeness drew plenty of jealous, resentful stares in equal measure.
Wuyou flexed his fingers. That odd resonance was already gone, like it had never existed—just a momentary illusion.
Fine. I'll think about it later.
He shook his head and asked what the super prize actually was.
"The super grand prize is… a luxury hot spring weekend travel voucher!"
The staff handed over a beautifully printed voucher in black and gold. It promised lodging, meals, private baths, and an all-inclusive weekend itinerary.
Not only that—
it also allowed up to five companions.
Chihaya leaned closer to read it and said, "I know this place. It's really famous. A lot of Tracen's rich girls go there on weekends to unwind."
Wuyou nodded thoughtfully. "In that case, let's go relax this weekend. We'll invite Oguri Cap too—and your sister and the others."
"Yeah! Yeah!!"
....
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