...
"Secret horse race! Secret horse race!" Special Week hurriedly ran over to apologize to the two. "Rice-chan, Doto, are you okay?"
"It's fine, just a little painful." Rice Shower rubbed her head.
"So sudden." Doto stroked her hair; that ahoge was pressed down but popped back up.
"Spe-chan." Lucian and Haru Urara also walked over.
"Trainer, it seems my luck isn't very good; even this big cauldron rejected my wish." Special Week said tearfully.
"Eh, don't say that; Spe-chan got three birds with one stone, avoiding so many strangers and precisely hitting Doto and Rice-chan."
"Ooh—" Haru Urara opened her mouth wide. "Said like that, Spe-chan is really amazing."
"Trainer, and Urara-chan, please don't tease me anymore."
"So what wish did you write, Spe-chan?" Lucian asked.
Special Week glanced embarrassedly at Lucian. "This... can't say."
Lucian vaguely felt that Special Week's wish was related to him, but he could only ask her privately later.
...
Continuing forward, Lucian led the horse girls into the temple.
Haru Urara and Rice Shower were thirsty and went together to buy water. Dextrous Bailey, Special Week, Doto, and the others chatted while walking, spontaneously leaving the group to go sightseeing.
Thus, only Seiun Sky, Tokai Teio, and Silence Suzuka remained by Lucian's side.
"Lucian-kun, can you walk alone with me? There's something I want to talk to you about." Silence Suzuka suddenly turned and stopped.
Seiun Sky inserted herself between the two. "What matter? Is it very important? Needs to be talked about alone by two people; why can't Teio and I listen?"
Tokai Teio followed up: "Exactly exactly."
"It's very important." Silence Suzuka looked at Seiun Sky, tone affirmative, expression very serious.
Seiun Sky was stunned for a moment; she wasn't someone who couldn't tell priorities, especially since Silence Suzuka had left a lot of time for her and Lucian this morning...
"Then Teio and I will go walk elsewhere."
She just didn't want to owe this "whining monster" anything.
Right, that's it!
"Ah, where to walk?" Tokai Teio indicated she didn't really want to leave, but had no proper reason to stay.
"Just casually stroll~ " Seiun Sky stretched lazily. "This place is so big; feels like it would take an afternoon to finish."
And Lucian and Silence Suzuka were already gradually walking away in one direction.
Tokai Teio gazed at the two's backs, her heart suddenly feeling a bit stuffy; that chanting of sutras couldn't purify her mind.
"Teio?" Seiun Sky called.
Tokai Teio came back to her senses. "Nothing, let's go."
...
After passing a corner, Silence Suzuka grabbed Lucian's hand and started running.
"Wait, bridge bean sack, didn't you say walk? Why are you running?" Having just eaten not long ago, Lucian couldn't withstand Silence Suzuka's torment. "Temples require keeping quiet."
Lucian thought for a moment and added: "And can't do erotic things; if discovered..."
"What if not discovered?" Silence Suzuka interrupted.
"If not discovered..."
Seems feasible? But Lucian looked around; no little grove or effective cover.
No, what was he thinking... sin sin.
"Even if not discovered, no; gods are three feet above your head." Lucian said righteously, pointing at his head.
"Then why don't you say that about you and Seiun doing it in broad daylight..." Silence Suzuka said in a voice only Lucian could hear.
"That's because it was at home... no, I didn't do it in broad daylight!" Lucian was completely unguarded and led into Silence Suzuka's trap. "Don't talk about that; Suzuka, you didn't come here alone with me just to say these things, right?"
If so, then one could only say Seiun Sky was too young, simply deceived by Silence Suzuka.
"Of course not; I really have something important to tell Lucian-kun." A breeze lifted Silence Suzuka's hair; she lowered her brows and gathered it. "Lucian-kun, I want to go abroad next year."
"Eh?"
A long time ago, Silence Suzuka had told Lucian this idea.
In chapter 21.
"Is Lucian-kun very surprised?" Silence Suzuka's brows lowered further. "I asked Lucian-kun before..."
"Of course I remember." Lucian roughly restated what Silence Suzuka had said. "'If I want to go abroad, will you support me?'"
Silence Suzuka immediately looked up, eyes narrowing slightly, gaze suddenly softening. "So Lucian-kun remembers."
"Of course; important things you've said, I remember them all."
"Wasn't it 'we'?"
"Uh, that's not the point."
Not only that, Lucian also remembered his answer back then—support.
But with somewhat of an "whatever" indifferent attitude.
At that time, he had just become a Trainer and felt his abilities were outstanding, quite arrogant, thinking deep down that foreign Trainers weren't better than him, including Tracen Academy's Trainers.
But now...
Going abroad to experience amazing Trainers' different methods, competing on the same stage as powerful foreign horse girls, etc.; maybe Silence Suzuka could break through to new heights.
All good things; rationally, Lucian should continue supporting Silence Suzuka's decision.
But emotionally, he couldn't bear to let go.
Not separated by a few provinces, but by countries.
He couldn't visit Silence Suzuka often, nor could he drop Tracen matters to accompany her; that would be irresponsible to the other horse girls.
"Lucian-kun, is my decision troubling you?" Silence Suzuka had thought long and hard before telling Lucian. "As expected, I still..."
"Support."
"Hm?" Silence Suzuka was stunned.
"I mean, my answer is still support."
Hearing Lucian's reply, Silence Suzuka was stunned for a long time before coming back to her senses. "I thought Lucian-kun wouldn't want me to go."
"Nonsense, of course I don't want you to; but I can't be that selfish, right?" Lucian smiled relievedly. "I've said it; I'm always accompanying your growth, not helping your growth."
"And the road of growth doesn't necessarily come with separation; from another angle, growth is for better reunions."
"Suzuka, I'm happy you have your own decision; since you've chosen a direction, please keep going forward."
Silence Suzuka smiled; it seemed even the full tree's flowers and leaves were infected by her smile, rustling in song.
She spread her arms and fluttered into Lucian's embrace.
"Lucian-kun, thank you!"
...