The night had grown deep. Without realizing it, the clock had quietly slipped past midnight—time to rest and sleep.
Yet, in the midst of the dark night, a single tent still shone brightly with lamplight. Inside, four beautiful girls of completely different personalities sat on a soft, spacious bed, excitedly fluffing pillows and arranging blankets while fantasizing about what cozy positions they might use to cuddle up and fall asleep with a certain someone.
Tonight, the four Uma Musume tasked with caring for Mizuno included the mistress Air Groove, along with Symboli Rudolf and Tokai Teio, who'd previously booked their spots. And the final lucky girl was El Condor Pasa, who'd sneakily recorded Mizuno's careless promise earlier.
The moment Air Groove chose El Condor probably went something like this…
"By divine decree, imperial command thus states: Student El Condor! Your diligent recording of criminal Trainer Mizuno's offenses is commendable! You are hereby appointed official Imperial Historian! Tonight, you may participate in our imperial sleepover!"
Thus, El Condor Pasa had smoothly obtained tonight's coveted qualification to stay behind and care for Mizuno.
Though the other Uma Musume were privately unhappy about this arrangement, they didn't object too loudly.
Perhaps it was because Air Groove had promised everyone that the Uma Musume responsible for Mizuno's nightly care would rotate daily. Meaning every girl present had her chance to spend the night with Trainer Mizuno eventually, thus removing the need to compete fiercely.
Or perhaps it was because the girls now had a common enemy—that vile woman named Kiryuin Aoi!
Thus, the young ladies, who previously glared daggers at each other, unexpectedly united, deciding to temporarily set aside their internal differences and band together against their external enemy. Before Trainer Mizuno was rescued from that vile woman's grasp, nobody could lay a finger on him!
And with everyone's tacit approval, Rudolf, Teio, Air Groove, and El Condor Pasa became tonight's caretakers responsible for Mizuno.
But under one strict condition:
Absolutely no hugging Trainer Mizuno, and definitely no intimacy allowed!
They must adhere strictly to professional standards—no taking advantage of their positions!
Though Rudolf and the others verbally agreed, they had no intention of following the rules in their hearts.
After all, who could really predict what might happen during a deep sleep? Wasn't it perfectly natural that due to their "already bad" sleeping habits, their bodies might "unconsciously" roll over, ending up "accidentally" nestled into Trainer-san's embrace?
"Trainer-san~ Aren't you finished writing your training plans yet? Come to bed already~" Tokai Teio lay on the bed, legs tightly wrapped around a pillow, softly calling to Mizuno, who still sat at a nearby desk. Her lonely gaze was just like a neglected wife, hoping desperately for her husband to quickly finish work and comfort her.
"......"
The other three girls said nothing but stared fixedly at Mizuno. Their heated gazes felt like sharp needles piercing him, making Mizuno—who seemed on the surface to be diligently working but was secretly committing mischief—extremely restless.
"Just… just a bit more, almost done..." Mizuno didn't dare turn around. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his right hand, pretending to write something with a pen, was shaking uncontrollably.
Because beneath the desk, hidden from Teio and the others, his left hand was frantically tapping his phone screen, madly sending messages to Kiryuin Aoi to warn her of the danger he was currently in.
[Chat with "Secret Crush" Kiryuin Aoi]
[Mizuno Sora]:Trainer Kiryuin, are you asleep yet?
[Kiryuin Aoi]:Um… not yet.
[Kiryuin Aoi]:Is there something you need at such a late hour, Trainer Mizuno?
[Mizuno Sora]:Yes! I have an extremely important favor to ask! Please agree—it's the request of a lifetime!
[Kiryuin Aoi]:…
[Kiryuin Aoi]:Hold on, let me mentally prepare first.
(Five minutes later)
[Kiryuin Aoi]:Okay, go ahead.
[Mizuno Sora]:Actually...
[Mizuno Sora]:I'd like you to act out a play with me.
[Kiryuin Aoi]: I think that's moving a bit fast for us. Shouldn't we try dating first, then discuss the future? (message deleted immediately)
[Kiryuin Aoi]: What type of play are you referring to exactly?
[Mizuno Sora]:…
[Mizuno Sora]:Didn't you just delete something?
[Kiryuin Aoi]:Sorry. I assumed you were going to confess to me like the other colleagues who text late at night.
[Mizuno Sora]:Er… well, you're not entirely wrong…
[Mizuno Sora]:Actually, I'm going to pursue you from now on.
[Kiryuin Aoi]:?
[Mizuno Sora]:But don't misunderstand! It's just an act! I need your cooperation!
[Kiryuin Aoi]: …
[Kiryuin Aoi]:I don't really understand your meaning.
[Mizuno Sora]:Simply put, over the next year, I'll occasionally confess and show interest, but you absolutely must reject me every single time.
[Kiryuin Aoi]:…
[Kiryuin Aoi]:Could it be that your family is pressuring you to get married, but since you don't want to settle down yet, you're pretending to like me and pursue me just to appease them?
"......" Mizuno paused, sneaking a glance over his shoulder at the four Uma Musume still waiting patiently on the bed, and involuntarily shuddered. He turned back to continue messaging Kiryuin Aoi.
[Mizuno Sora]:Something like that...
[Kiryuin Aoi]:Such a vague answer won't do!
[Kiryuin Aoi]:If you don't clearly explain the situation, I won't know exactly which girl you're trying to avoid, and then I can't help you effectively.
[Mizuno Sora]: …
[Mizuno Sora]:Alright, I'll be completely honest.
[Mizuno Sora]:I've been liked by Uma Musume! I'm troubled by how to gently reject them without causing emotional outbursts!
[Kiryuin Aoi]:I see. Being liked by your own students certainly is troublesome—especially when they're Uma Musume.
[Kiryuin Aoi]:Growing up as a Kiryuin trainer, I often heard from my parents that Uma Musume who had their confessions directly rejected usually ended up abducting their trainers and vanishing from the world together.
[Kiryuin Aoi]:So I suppose it makes sense for you to pretend you already have someone you like, to discourage them in advance…
[Kiryuin Aoi]:Well then, which student has feelings for you? Rice Shower-san? Or perhaps Tokai Teio-san?
[Mizuno Sora]:Rice Shower is fine, but Tokai Teio is a serious problem!
[Mizuno Sora]:Aside from her, King Halo-san and Mejiro McQueen-san have interest too. And two new members joined my team recently; I can't fully understand their intentions, but there seem to be problems there as well…
[Mizuno Sora]:Wait! There are three other Uma Musume not even from my team!
[Mizuno Sora]:Roughly counting, the Uma Musume who seem interested in me number about… eight!
[Kiryuin Aoi]: ......
[Kiryuin Aoi]:Trainer Mizuno… Are you sure this wasn't intentional?
[Kiryuin Aoi]:How exactly did you manage—in only a few months after joining Tracen—to conquer over half of your own team, and even Uma Musume from other teams?
[Mizuno Sora]:Gua! How should I know?!
[Mizuno Sora]:I've been the most careful rookie trainer, strictly following all the seniors' warnings and keeping a safe distance from every Uma Musume! But it was totally useless, and now I'm even worse off!
[Mizuno Sora]:So please, Trainer Kiryuin, you must help me! Otherwise, I'll never see tomorrow's sunrise again!
[Mizuno Sora]:I beg you, I'll do anything!
[Kiryuin Aoi]: …
[Kiryuin Aoi]: Let me think about it some more. I'll reply tomorrow…
"Trainer-san~ aren't you finished yet?" Tokai Teio's sweet voice came from behind again.
"All right, all right!" Mizuno hurriedly hid his phone, then slowly organized his messy desk like a news anchor wrapping up a broadcast, pretending he'd just completed his work.
"Yay~!" Teio cheered, immediately releasing the pillow substitute in her arms and leaping off the bed, running barefoot across the room towards Mizuno.
"Time to sleep with Trainer-san~!"
"......."
Mizuno helplessly watched himself get effortlessly picked up by Tokai Teio and carried off towards the big bed where three other Uma Musume eagerly awaited, like a delicious meal being served on a platter, ready to be devoured by hungry guests…
Mizuno bit his lip miserably, tears nearly flowing.
Trainer Kiryuin! Please—you must agree!