...
Lucian had just placed the last steaming dish on the table and was about to tease the reckless one who'd run off somewhere when, from the corner of his eye, he caught a swaying figure at the bedroom door.
"Meisho Doto, you finally remembered to come eat?" Lucian raised a brow, pretending to be stern.
Meisho Doto was still hugging a little dango. "Trainer, I'm starving—of course I remembered to eat.
( .ớ ₃ờ)."
"See this?" Lucian pointed at the Q-version Meisho Doto on the cake—the ahoge was especially prominent.
"Kawaii—!ฅ(´︶`)ฅ*" Meisho Doto's gaze locked on instantly; her eyes lit up with a whoosh.
"Made with edible ingredients, but since you weren't here just now, it's already been reserved. It'll be eaten in one bite soon."
"Eh!!? =͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪ ‧̣̥̇)" Meisho Doto's mouth fell open in shock, her tailing note long and soft.
"Mhm~ Eat what you need to supplement." Lucian held back a laugh and explained slowly, "So your big head's been reserved by Twin Turbo. Your arms? Haru Urara and Teio claimed them. Your legs? Seiun and Spe-chan want them."
"Oh, and that ahoge—I'll cut it off and put it on display. Next time you don't show up for dinner on time, this is what happens." Lucian paused deliberately, watching Meisho Doto's expression shift from shock to heartache to a touch of bewilderment.
"Then... what about the body part?" Meisho Doto asked in a daze.
"No one wants the tummy—everyone says they don't need to supplement their stomach—so I'll eat that part. As for the rest..." Before Lucian finished, he felt a scorching gaze land on him. "Ahem, never mind the rest."
Meisho Doto's voice turned soft like cotton. "It's so cute—how can anyone bear to eat it? Trainer, can you not eat it? ( ๑ŏ _ŏ๑ )"
"Sure." Lucian raised one finger, changing tack. "But there's a condition."
"What condition? (´-﹏-`;)"
"Since Meisho Doto won't let us eat it, there has to be a substitute, right? Pick someone else from up there." Lucian was curious to see what Meisho Doto would choose.
Meisho Doto's eyes swept across the three-tier cake before finally settling on her own Q-version figure. "Trainer should just eat mine."
"Why?" Lucian wasn't surprised.
"Because mine looks like it has the most material..."
Alright—Lucian was actually caught off guard. He hadn't expected the reason to be—most material!?
In the corner, Silence Suzuka frowned, growing even more displeased—but the emotion was still directed at Lucian. On the surface teasing Meisho Doto, but secretly playing with her, huh?
"Alright, alright, just kidding. It's your own figure—you decide... but if you don't eat it, preserving it will be a hassle."
Lucian said no more, turned, and sat down with Nishizaki Ryo and the others.
He raised his glass. "Before we dig in, let's celebrate today's star—Spe-chan! Congratulations on winning the Japan Cup!"
"Congratulations, Spe-chan!"
"Spe-chan-senpai, congrats!"
"Spe-chan, I haven't clinked glasses with you yet!"
Special Week hurriedly raised her glass, flustered yet utterly sincere as she responded to everyone's blessings. "Thank you all!!"
...
With Toujou Hana, Nishizaki Ryo, and Minamizaka present, Lucian naturally joined them in drinking.
"Little Lu, that night during the trip Hana and I were still worrying—and then you turned around and won the Japan Cup." Nishizaki Ryo popped a peanut into his mouth, crunching crisply, sighing with emotion.
Lucian lifted his glass and clinked it lightly against Nishizaki Ryo's with a clear "ding." He took a sip, eyes deep. "When the timing's right, things naturally fall into place."
"The race was thrilling, but whether before or after, I always believed in Spe-chan's strength. In the end, this honor is something she won herself."
"That said." Toujou Hana raised her glass, swirling the liquid inside, and pointed out, "The trainer's role can't be overlooked. Little Lu, Spe-chan's state and Zone back then had a lot to do with you, right?"
"Mm, that was the Zone." Lucian nodded. "So that's what I mean by things falling into place."
Minamizaka sat quietly nearby.
He had intended to be a silent listener, but he was suddenly stunned by a melt-in-your-mouth piece of tender meat; his eyes nearly closed in bliss.
"This dish..." Minamizaka unconsciously let out a low exclamation—quiet, but enough to hush the air around him.
Toujou Hana and the other two immediately turned their gazes to him.
"Uh... it's just too delicious—I couldn't hold back." Minamizaka froze. "Sorry for interrupting the seniors' conversation."
"Hey, Minamizaka, why so formal? No need to call me senior." Lucian waved it off—but his tone was pure senior.
Toujou Hana and Nishizaki Ryo exchanged glances and burst out laughing.
Minamizaka still seemed a bit awkward. "Trainer Lucian, next time one of my team wins, I'll arrange a victory banquet like this for them too."
"Minamizaka, no need to copy this guy. You know how much Uma Musume eat." Nishizaki Ryo looked utterly content. "Good thing my team's Uma Musume didn't come—otherwise they'd be demanding Hana throw one just like El Condor Pasa and the others."
"Sorry, but I'm loaded." Toujou Hana elegantly took a sip, not even lifting her eyelids, replying coolly. "I don't know what you're so smug about."
"I'm not talking about money..." Nishizaki Ryo choked, catching Lucian's teasing look. "Of course, money is an important issue."
"Hahaha!" Everyone burst into laughter again, clinking glasses once more. The swirling liquid caught warm yellow light in the glass, reflecting their relaxed, satisfied faces.
At that moment, Lucian's gaze passed over the pile of Uma Musume and landed on El Condor Pasa, who was buried in her food nearby. "El Condor Pasa, aren't you forgetting something?"
El Condor Pasa, mid-bite of deliciousness, froze at her name; a flash of guilt crossed her eyes.
She'd actually remembered the whole time. Seeing Lucian hadn't brought it up, she'd thought she'd dodged it. "I didn't forget..."
"Good." Lucian called to Matikane Tannhauser nearby. "Tantan, go bring out the drink."
"Roger!" Matikane Tannhauser hopped up nimbly.
Right now, Lucian could only rely on her—everyone else was too engrossed in the food to be moved.
"El Condor Pasa, what is it?" Toujou Hana asked, concerned for her team member.
"N-nothing... just that I promised to help Trainer Lucian test 'Jue Juice 2.0,' that's all."
"Hm?" Toujou Hana frowned.
Nishizaki Ryo spoke up for her. "El Condor Pasa, if Little Lu's threatening you, just blink."
"El Condor Pasa, am I threatening you?" Lucian laughed.
"No! I'm doing it willingly! I mainly just want to try it—it's fine, really fine!" El Condor Pasa seemed to be explaining to Toujou Hana and the others, or perhaps reassuring herself.
...