"Where are we going this weekend, Onii-sama~?"
Rice Shower clung to Fujiwara Chiya's arm and asked happily.
No matter how good the relationship between Fujiwara Chiya and the others was, "Onii-sama" was still Rice Shower's exclusive way of addressing him. The identity of little sister was also something no one could replace.
That was why, whenever Rice Shower called him that, she felt an inexplicable sense of pride.
"An amusement park. How does that sound?"
"Okay! Hehe~"
Watching the two interact, Mejiro Dober gripped Shirayuki's hand tighter and tighter.
However intimate she had been in the morning was how angry she was now.
"If Trainer-san wants to go out with Rice Shower, then you can come with me, Shirayuki. I happen to want to go to an amusement park too."
Mejiro Dober's smile was dazzling, but beneath that expression, there was a chill that made one feel as if they had fallen into an ice cellar.
The sweet, clingy Dober from earlier had not even lasted half a day before disappearing.
Standing in front of Shirayuki now was Dober with her pressure fully raised.
It was not only Rice Shower. Whenever an uma musume approached Chiya, Shirayuki could clearly feel Mejiro Dober's body twitch slightly.
"Come to think of it, why didn't I notice before that Trainer-san is so popular? It seems everyone likes him quite a lot. What do you think, Shirayuki?"
A dark shade spread through Mejiro Dober's eyes.
It had clearly disappeared while she slept last night, but today it suddenly emerged again. Its intensity was several times stronger than before.
"I-I think everyone having a good relationship is the most important thing…"
Shirayuki answered haltingly.
"A good relationship, hm? Then who does Shirayuki want to have the best relationship with? Me, or Rice Shower?"
What kind of fatal question was this?
In the past, Mejiro Dober had clearly been unmoved by matters concerning Rice Shower. But today, she was especially sensitive. After sleeping for one night, Mejiro Dober's emotions had not weakened at all. Instead, they had grown even stronger.
At this moment, Shirayuki's mind spun rapidly.
If she accidentally answered wrong, she could forget about sleeping peacefully in the dorm from now on.
"Actually, I don't have a younger sister. When Rice Shower calls me Onii-sama, I'm very happy, and I've always taken care of her like a little sister. Dober, with our relationship, Rice Shower can also be considered your little sister. There's no need to compare, right…"
Mejiro Dober's delicate eyebrows moved slightly as she looked at Shirayuki's face.
"Then will you go out with me this weekend?"
"Of course."
Mejiro Dober nodded, temporarily letting her off.
It seemed that answer had been acceptable enough.
But before Shirayuki could relax, Hayakawa Tazuna found Chiya again. She leaned close to Chiya's ear and whispered something.
Shirayuki heard it.
She was telling him to prepare the documents for the selection race.
However, while no one was paying attention, Tazuna also lightly teased Chiya's ear, making Shirayuki's body shiver.
Hayakawa Tazuna understood him far better than anyone else.
If stimulation levels were classified, Rice Shower was level four, Mejiro Dober was level six, and Hayakawa Tazuna could reach an astonishing level nine.
Her fingers and toes could precisely strike the weakest points of Fujiwara Chiya's body.
To put it simply, whenever he went out with Hayakawa Tazuna at night, his mind would practically melt.
However, because of Akikawa Yayoi's recent restrictions, Hayakawa Tazuna had not done anything too excessive. And for some reason, Hayakawa Tazuna's attitude toward him had become much gentler than before. She no longer had that overwhelming forcefulness from the beginning.
She would often say to Chiya, "There's no need to trouble Shirayuki, let me do it."
And she would also say to Shirayuki, "There's no need to trouble Chiya."
In short, she was intentionally or unintentionally separating the two of them.
Compared to actively getting close to him, Tazuna was more concerned about whether Shirayuki was together with Chiya.
Actually, Shirayuki roughly understood the consequences of excessive contact between the two bodies as well.
She was also trying her best to avoid it.
Under normal circumstances, she would not use her two bodies to do anything strange.
Unless she could not hold back.
But Shirayuki trusted herself.
Her willpower was still very strong.
For example, because of Mejiro Dober last night, she had spent quite a while alone in the dorm calming herself down, and even the bedding had become a mess afterward. Even so, she had endured it.
What did that prove?
It proved she would not lose to desire.
So there was basically no need to worry about her and Chiya.
Just as Hayakawa Tazuna was quietly teasing Chiya's ear, Mejiro Dober tightened her grip on Shirayuki's hand again. From her angle, she could only see Tazuna speaking beside Chiya's ear, not the actual movement between them.
Noticing Mejiro Dober's abnormal state, Chiya immediately separated from Tazuna.
He had only just managed to comfort Mejiro Dober. It would be bad if another problem appeared now.
"Dober, let's start training."
Shirayuki shifted her attention.
Right now, Dober's gaze kept drifting toward Fujiwara Chiya. Even after one night together, her attention toward him had increased far too much.
That sentence, "You're mine," had apparently not been said casually.
"Okay…"
After narrowing her eyes and observing Hayakawa Tazuna for a while, Mejiro Dober nodded.
Once everyone had left and training finally got on track, Darley quietly approached from the side. A subtle smile appeared on her face.
"Nicely done, Trainer."
"What?"
"When it comes to handling relationships with uma musume, you don't neglect anyone, and you constantly look after their feelings. Whether from the perspective of a man or a trainer, you've done quite well. From now on, you are my Lamb-kun."
"Lamb?"
"'Lamb' is what we call special people. Only trainers who have been recognized are called 'lambs' by us."
"Is that a nickname your uma musume research department uses for special trainers?"
"Exactly. Let's just say that's what it is."
"It sounds weird."
"Maybe. But that title carries a very special meaning."
Darley looked up at the sky and said to Fujiwara Chiya,
"It represents a trainer blessed by the Three Goddesses."
It was the first time Fujiwara Chiya had heard of such a thing.
Not only this. Many of the things Darley spoke of were things he had never heard before.
"Is it really okay for you to use that title on me without permission?"
"It's fine, it's fine. As long as you check history, you'll know those trainers possessed qualities similar to yours. He loved uma musume, and uma musume loved him. I think this title suits Trainer perfectly. But there is one difference."
"What difference?"
"That person did not have uma musume blood. He could not handle too many uma musume. But you are different. You will become a fine seed, with more energy to nurture others."
Fujiwara Chiya's expression gradually changed.
He felt Darley was starting again.
"Do your best. Don't disappoint your uma musume. If you ever feel lost, you may come seek my help. Then, see you next time, Lamb-kun."
"Hey… where are you going? Work isn't over yet."
Darley, who had just started leaving, silently walked back again.