"Ehhhhhhhhhhhhh?!"
Mizuno's second announcement hit the Uma Musume far harder than hearing that Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka were joining the team.
"Trainer-san, you'll be staying at the academy from now on?!" Tokai Teio asked urgently, tail wagging like crazy.
"Yes," Mizuno nodded.
"We can visit Onii-sama anytime?!" Rice Shower leaned closer, eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"That's right," Mizuno said again, nodding calmly.
"Can we stay up all night chatting with you?" King Halo chimed in curiously.
"Of course… eh?" Mizuno froze mid-nod, blinking at King Halo. Something about that question felt off.
After a brief pause, he added carefully, "Well, you could, but unless it's really important, you should go to bed early and rest properly."
"EHHHHHHH—?!!"
The girls' chorus of shock echoed through the training room.
They had expected Mizuno to reject the idea flatly—he always turned down their invitations to hang out, claiming he was busy or tired.
Yet this time, he'd agreed?!
"Hehehe~" Someone giggled, and honestly, it could've been any of them.
Just imagining sneaking over to Mizuno's tent at night, curling up in his arms, and whispering to him under the stars made their hearts flutter. They crowded closer like a litter of affectionate kittens.
But then they noticed—everyone else was having the same thought.
"Only if you have important matters should you come find me at night!" Mizuno clarified quickly, sensing danger.
Unfortunately, that did absolutely nothing to help. After all, wasn't spending precious time with their beloved Trainer-san an important matter?
His words only strengthened their resolve to "accidentally" drop by later that night.
"Um, Condor-san…" Mizuno turned to the masked foreigner.
"Yes! That's me, El Condor Pasa!" she declared proudly, hands on hips and chest puffed out. "What are your orders?"
"Although you're not officially part of our team, if it's convenient, could you join their training sessions too?" Mizuno asked politely.
"Osu! No problem at all!" Condor replied without hesitation.
In truth, it was exactly what she'd been hoping for. She'd been trying to come up with a good excuse to get close to this tricky fiancé of hers who loved hiding behind fake names.
Now he'd invited her himself—perfect! Trainer Tojo had just granted her a long vacation, giving her all the time she needed to "protect" Mizuno.
After all, that unfair treaty bearing his alias might have recorded his promise to her, but without his real signature, it wasn't legally binding.
Condor decided she had to find a chance to make him sign properly. Otherwise, she'd never feel secure—especially since nearly every Uma Musume around him clearly adored him.
Despite her loud, cheerful, goofball image, Condor's sharp jade-green eyes behind the mask could clearly see the affection written all over Rice Shower and the others' faces. And an Uma Musume's nose was terrifyingly keen—whether it was Mizuno's scent or the "heat" radiating off jealous rivals, she could smell it instantly.
Her fiancé was in danger—surrounded by predators.
And now he was going to live at the academy full-time? That was practically inviting them to attack.
Which meant Condor would also be paying him late-night visits… purely to protect him from those wicked, scheming Uma Musume. (Definitely not because she wanted alone time. Nope.)
"Alright, that's everything from me. If nobody has questions, let's begin today's training," Mizuno said gently.
"Me! Me! I have a question!" Tokai Teio's hand shot up immediately.
"Go ahead."
"Trainer-san, where exactly will you sleep tonight?"
"…" Mizuno stared speechlessly at the grinning Teio.
Going straight for his address, huh? Planning a home invasion already?
Still, the whole point of staying at the academy was to make himself accessible, so he saw no reason to hide it.
"I'll be setting up a tent near the flowerbeds," he said honestly.
"Yes~!" Tokai Teio pumped her fist in victory.
Not only did she know exactly where he'd be, but she'd visited that area before. Finding him now would be easier than ever.
"Onii-sama, I have a question too," Rice Shower said timidly, raising her small hand.
"Go ahead."
"What time do you usually go to sleep?"
"?" Mizuno blinked. Was she… genuinely concerned about his rest?
"I'm not sure. Usually after I finish work—around 1 a.m.," he replied. "Anyone else?"
"Me, me! I still have another question!" Teio's hand shot up again.
"Go ahead."
"When Trainer-san's asleep, how much noise does it take to wake you up?"
"???" A giant question mark practically appeared above Mizuno's head.
What was she scheming now? Planning to kidnap him mid-dream?
"I wake up at the slightest touch—no exceptions," he said flatly.
"Oh, I see…" Teio muttered, clearly disappointed that certain plans were now off the table.
"Mizuno-san, I have a question too," Vodka spoke up from behind him.
"Go ahead."
"Um…" Vodka swallowed hard, brushing aside her bangs as she mumbled shyly, "Do you… have someone you like?"
"!" The moment she said it, the air froze. Every pair of horse ears around perked up in unison, swiveling toward Mizuno like radar dishes.
"Eh?!" Daiwa Scarlet gawked at Vodka, utterly blindsided that her friend would ask something so bold.
Of course, no one looked more shocked than Mizuno himself.
"Hah?! Why would you ask that?!"
"Didn't you say you'd answer any question?" Vodka leaned in, eyes serious.
"When did I say that?!" Mizuno sputtered.
"Um… when you made your second announcement, maybe…?"
"Huh? I said you could come ask me any training-related questions, and I'd do my best to guide you. I never said all questions!"
"Ah… close enough…" Vodka scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"That's way off!" Mizuno sighed helplessly.
Realizing the conversation had derailed, he straightened his posture and spoke in a firm, teacherly tone:
"Anyway, I absolutely won't answer anything unrelated to studying or training!"
"Guh…"
Aside from Urara, every Uma Musume in the room let out a collective groan of disappointment.