"I think… maybe… it was Trainer Gangmen Guantong."
The moment he said it, Tang Han was hit by a crushing sense of guilt.
Sorry, brother Gangmen Guantong. You'll probably get locked in a basement by Daisy sooner or later anyway, so what's a few more horse girls added to the mix? I'm helping you balance the situation here, old pal.
As for why Tang Han himself didn't just take on several more horse girls and let them keep each other in check…
Well, Tang Han was a shameless hypocrite. If it wasn't safe, he wasn't doing it.
"Is that so?" Rudolf Symbol narrowed her eyes, clearly unconvinced by the nonsense the three of them were spouting.
But there was not much she could do. She could hardly tie them up and drag them to those ten horse girls' homes one by one for identification.
Gifted horse girls were precious, but excellent trainers were precious too, especially now that the academy was suffering from a serious shortage of good trainers. Rudolf Symbol could not bring herself to side fully with either camp.
So in the end, she had no choice but to let it go.
"I think I understand the situation now. Thank you for your candid answers. If there's nothing else, you may all leave," Rudolf Symbol said politely.
"Understood."
Tang Han and the two senior trainers nodded and turned to leave at once.
"Wait a moment, Tang Han. Please stay. I still have something to discuss with you in private," Rudolf Symbol suddenly called out.
Tang Han's footsteps halted. He slowly turned around, body stiff.
"President Rudolf, what else is it?" Tang Han asked.
Why had Rudolf Symbol singled him out?
Could it be that she had realized Tang Han was the mysterious man after all?
Rudolf Symbol smiled gently.
"It's about what I mentioned before. I told you I had a very talented girl on my side. Have you thought it over?"
Ah. So it wasn't about discovering his true identity. She was trying to recommend Tokai Teio to him again.
Tang Han shook his head.
"I'm sorry, but my answer is still the same. I have my own judgment. President Rudolf, you should find someone else."
Seeing him refuse yet again, Rudolf Symbol spoke as though she had expected it.
"To be frank with you, that girl is Tokai Teio."
After saying that, Rudolf Symbol straightened proudly, as though she had just revealed some trump card she was very pleased with.
Tang Han, however, had no idea what sort of reaction she was hoping for.
He had known all along that the girl was Tokai Teio. So what?
"Oh," Tang Han replied out of courtesy, even though he still didn't know what point she was trying to make.
"Hm?" Rudolf Symbol was baffled by how calm he was.
This was not the reaction she had expected. Shouldn't Tang Han have been shocked to hear the name Tokai Teio?
Two days ago, during one of her usual chats with Teio, Rudolf Symbol had already learned that Teio had been going every afternoon to train and play with Urara and Tang Han. Tang Han should know better than anyone how extraordinary Teio's talent was.
Before, Rudolf Symbol had assumed Tang Han refused because he did not know the girl she was recommending was Tokai Teio. But now that he did know, why was his reaction still so flat?
"It's Teio. Tokai Teio," Rudolf Symbol repeated, worried that he somehow had not understood.
"Uh… I know…" Tang Han scratched his head awkwardly.
And that was exactly why he refused to train her.
Still, Tang Han now understood what Rudolf Symbol had been trying to say. She wanted to impress upon him just how talented Teio was, hoping to sway him.
Tang Han was indeed moved, but not in the way she intended.
"I'm sorry. Even if it's Tokai Teio, I still can't agree. I already have Urara," Tang Han said seriously.
Rudolf Symbol nearly let her face collapse, but somehow kept smiling.
She simply could not understand why Tang Han still refused to take Teio on.
Then, after thinking it over, she felt as though she had suddenly figured it out.
Wasn't the fact that Tang Han refused to abandon his current charge, even for a horse girl as gifted as Teio, proof that he was an incredibly responsible trainer?
Heh. As expected, entrusting Teio to him was absolutely the right call.
Tang Han, the more reserved you are, the more excited I become.
Since Teio's talent clearly wasn't enough to tempt him, Rudolf Symbol thought for a moment and decided to play the emotional card.
"To be honest… Teio is sick…"
"She's sick?" Tang Han asked, concern immediately coloring his voice.
Though he was terrified of getting involved with Tokai Teio, as long as it didn't threaten his personal safety, he still sincerely cared about the horse girls' health and feelings.
This wasn't a fracture, was it? Please don't let it be that. Teio fans feared Teio getting injured above all else.
Seeing the concern on his face, Rudolf Symbol was privately pleased and continued.
"She was caught in that sudden rain from the forum thread yesterday. She's showing cold-like symptoms now. Teio seems to like spending time with you and Urara, so I hoped you might take care of her a little."
"A cold…" Tang Han quietly let out a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness it wasn't a fracture.
Still, that rain had been suspicious. Tang Han worried it might have caused some irreversible harm to the horse girls who'd gotten soaked.
Tang Han: Lucky, what do you think?
Lucky: She got hit by the bad luck in yesterday's rain, but it's nothing serious. She'll recover on her own in a few days.
Hearing that Teio would be fine in a few days, Tang Han relaxed further.
"Don't worry, President Rudolf. It's just a mild cold. Let Teio rest properly, and she'll recover in a few days."
"Hm?" Rudolf Symbol looked startled by that answer.
Even Teio being sick couldn't stir more concern from him than that?
Tang Han, why are you so cold-hearted?
But then Rudolf Symbol thought again and immediately came to another conclusion.
No, that wasn't it.
Tang Han clearly had been worried the moment he heard Teio was sick. He had only relaxed once he learned it was merely a cold.
That was right. A trainer had to be this firm. A mere cold was hardly a serious illness. If he fussed over her every minute of every day, how would Teio ever grow stronger?
And besides, if a trainer were too soft, if he stayed by her side every second over something as minor as a cold, what if someone snatched Teio away from her? As an old father figure, Rudolf Symbol absolutely could not allow that.
As expected, there was no trainer more suited for Teio than Tang Han.
"Tang Han, why not think it over one more time?" Rudolf Symbol pressed on.
Tang Han was starting to feel speechless.
No, seriously, why are you this persistent? What exactly did I do wrong?
He felt that if he stayed any longer, Rudolf Symbol would keep pestering him, so he decided it was best to flee.
"I'm sorry, but I still have things to do. I'll be going now. We can talk another time."
Without looking back, Tang Han turned and headed straight for the door.
Rudolf Symbol wanted to stop him, but had no grounds to do so. This time, she had no choice but to let him go.
Whew…
When Tang Han realized she wasn't trying to stop him, he finally relaxed and made for the exit.
But just as he reached for the door, Lucky's warning suddenly rang out in his mind.
Lucky: Boss! Don't open that door!
Tang Han: Why?
Lucky: There's danger outside!
Tang Han: What danger could possibly be outside?
Lucky: Boss, trust me. My danger alert is going off. Something unlucky is waiting on the other side. Don't go out there!
Tang Han didn't really believe her.
Mainly because Lucky had messed with him before, and also because he simply couldn't imagine what danger could be lurking outside the student council office.
Even if Tokai Teio were outside, that would still be better than staying here. And besides, Teio was sick. There was no way she'd be here.
So Tang Han ignored Lucky's warning and opened the door anyway.
The moment it swung open, he saw Senior Iin and Senior Kiyoshi hiding behind it, each holding a large club, ready to bring them down on him.
"The clothes that can erase your presence! They're ours now!"
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 139)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter171)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter100)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter184)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 168
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 156
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 105
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 185
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 160
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 150
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 76
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 97
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 116
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 75
Uma Musume: I Want All 93
I Can Copy Unique Skills 79
Summoning an Evil God, but the 55
Supernatural Multiverse 75
My Harem Is Indescribable 68
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 70
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 66
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 69
Still playing traditional Honk 49
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 53
What Should I Do After Switchi 42
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 50
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 38
Transmigrated as Sukuna 35
Checking In in Demon Slayer 40
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 55
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