The summer training camp has finally begun. Five days have passed, and we've gradually gotten used to the new environment and are enjoying fulfilling days.
However, even though I see this as a good opportunity to level up Urara and the others, I don't have them train all day from morning to night. I push them a little past their limits, but putting more stress on them would only accumulate fatigue and wouldn't lead to growth. That's why I need to train them with a good balance while being careful not to injure them.
Also, since the rainy season is over and midsummer has arrived, it's incredibly hot during the day. So, for the training menu, I avoid the hottest part of the day and have them train for two hours from 9 AM to 11 AM.
After that, I give Urara and the others a break and a lunch break, and set aside time for them to do the homework given by Tracen Academy. Then, they train for three hours from 3 PM to 6 PM, for a total of five hours of training.
Of course, we take breaks in between the training sessions, so the actual training time is a little over four hours a day.
Training seriously for four hours without any shortcuts is quite tough for a human. In fact, I'd collapse. But it's fine for a horse girl, who has a superior physique, and you can train them well in four hours if the content is substantial.
By the way, during the lunch break, I'm getting work done that's sent to me via email from Tracen Academy. However, as Tazuna-san said, the workload is quite small, and I can finish it in just an hour or two of focused work.
That's why I'm so enthusiastic about training Urara and the others.
"When you run, be mindful of your whole body's muscles and balance! Especially the balance! C'mon, King! Your upper body is swaying! Run while being more conscious of your back muscles!"
"Ugh... I know! One more time!"
"Good, that's the spirit! Urara and Rice, one more time! Don't lose to the person next to you!"
"Okay!"
"Yeah!"
I shout encouragement to Urara and the others with a stopwatch in hand.
It's a morning training session, and I've chosen the beach as the training location. And not just any beach, but I'm having them run specifically at the water's edge.
A beach is not much different from the dirt course at Tracen Academy, but the water's edge is a different story. The waves that come and go keep the sand wet, making the track condition close to "bad."
Because of this, it takes a lot of effort to run. At the same time, the sand itself is soft from the seawater, so it doesn't put much strain on their knees.
On top of that, the occasional large waves try to make them lose their balance, so it's a difficult environment to run in. Also, the sand that gets dug up from Urara and the others running gets brought back by the waves in just a few minutes, returning to its original state. It's the best bad-track dirt course that doesn't require any maintenance.
The only problem is that the horseshoes in their shoes are prone to rusting. We're using ones that have been rustproofed, but they'll get damaged if we don't take proper care of them after training.
Also, they're wearing Tracen Academy's designated spandex-style swimsuits so they can get wet, but the sight of them wearing training shoes with them looks a little abnormal. But if they run barefoot and step on a seashell, they'll get hurt, so it can't be helped.
My impression of Urara, Rice, and King running is that Urara is the fastest because of the footing. But Rice sticks with her with her own speed and stamina, and King follows with her guts. The sight of them competing with each other looked even more brilliant than their usual training.
(The change in environment really changes their motivation...)
Urara shines the most on a bad footing course, but it's a different story on a turf course or a maintained mountain path. Rice will leave them behind, King will follow with her guts, and Urara will also try her best to keep up.
"Ugh! One more time, Urara-san! I won't lose this time!"
"Yeah! I won't lose either!"
But here, the strongest... no, the one who is most suited for this place is Urara. So, I smiled at King's frustrated challenge to Urara, thinking it was a good sign.
When the morning training is over, there's a break until the evening training.
So I quickly got my work done and went to Urara and the others' room. I was there to check if they were doing their homework properly.
Rice and King were quickly going through the homework piled on the low table, but Urara was poking her head with her fingers as if massaging it. But when she noticed I had come to the room, her face lit up.
"Ah, Trainer! Hey, Trainer! Can you teach me my homework?"
"Oh, sure. What don't you understand?"
"Hehe... everything!"
Urara said something outrageous with a cute smile. Haha, you rascal.
The homework given by Tracen Academy during the summer vacation is not only high in quality but also large in quantity. This is because Tracen Academy promotes both academic and athletic excellence, but there are some students like Urara who are not good at studying.
I sat down next to Urara and crossed my legs—and Urara sat on my crossed legs. Then she leaned against me and looked up at me.
"There's so much homework! King-chan taught me for the final exam, but this homework is also super difficult!"
"I can't say how much my grades went up while teaching Urara-san... It was a good review, but Urara-san, you have to listen to the classes properly... and that's not how you study, is it!?"
King, who was doing her homework, immediately retorted when she saw Urara sitting on my legs. When Rice also noticed me and Urara, she held up her math workbook.
"R-Rice doesn't understand either! Big Brother, Rice wants you to teach me too."
"I understand middle school problems, but high school problems... I'll check them later, so solve the problems you can first."
I have to get Urara's homework done, otherwise, she'll face a hellish day on the last day of summer vacation. Well, I guess that's also a summer tradition.
Also, Rice, I have a central trainer's license and I've graduated from a trainer's school, but I'm not sure if I can teach high school subjects... You forget knowledge you don't use, and the class content is completely different depending on the school...
"Then, then, Rice will sit on Big Brother's lap, and Urara-chan will sit on Rice's lap, and we'll teach Urara-chan together? That way is faster."
"What kind of situation is that? Wait, huh? Are you really going to do it? It's fine, but my legs are aaaaahhhhh!?"
It's dangerous when two people's weight is on my crossed legs! The part where my legs cross is under so much pressure!? Oh, isn't this a collapsed figure-four leglock?
"Stop playing and get to work!"
"Yes..."
"Okay..."
"I'm sorry..."
And then the people who were scolded by King for being noisy were me, Urara, and Rice.
After that, I helped Urara with her homework normally, but I was troubled by the parts that had changed from what I learned in the past.
It's 3 PM. The sun is still blazing with a deadly heat, but it's time for the afternoon training.
I focused on training their legs and hips in the morning, so I'm going to focus on stamina in the afternoon. We'll head to the nearby mountain and have them run on the mountain path.
"Alright, the warm-ups are done. Let's head to the mountain, but be careful not to fall!"
I said that and started the engine of the motorcycle I borrowed. It's something Tracen Academy loans out to trainers who come to the training camp, and I decided to borrow it since I had the chance.
By the way, it's a motorcycle with a 90cc displacement, classified as a Class 2 moped. It doesn't require a vehicle inspection and the insurance is cheap, so I borrowed it even though there were only a few available. I have a large motorcycle license, and I feel like riding a motorcycle sometimes.
Before riding, I checked the turn signals, tire pressure, brakes, and clutch, and everything was well-maintained and fine. The only problem is that the legal speed limit is 60 km/h. The speedometer goes up to 100 km/h, though.
It's hot in the summer, but I'm wearing long sleeves and long pants, and I have rider gloves on my hands. I don't plan on falling, but it would be dangerous if I did.
I led Urara and the others to the nearby mountain on the motorcycle. Then I stopped and looked at Urara and the others, who had followed me without a single breath.
"Alright, I'll be following you on the motorcycle today. No cars are supposed to be coming, but be careful when you run. And if you feel anything wrong with your body, tell me right away. Got it?"
When I said that, they replied with an energetic "yes."
The mountain path we're going to use is a road maintained for horse girl training, and it's paved with asphalt, so it's easy to ride a motorcycle on. The road is wide enough for cars, but since there's nothing at the end of it, cars won't come in. Still, I set up a "Horse Girls Training" sign that I brought with me and looked at Urara and the others.
"Alright, let's start!"
When I said that, Urara and the others started running at once. The mountain path is 2 kilometers one way, which isn't very long for a horse girl who runs long distances. However, it's a steep slope, and even a horse girl can't run at a tremendous speed like on a flat surface, and just climbing it once is a considerable burden.
"C'mon, Urara, go! Rice and King are leaving you behind!"
The beach training was Urara's exclusive domain, but in a place where the footing isn't bad, Urara falls behind all at once. Still, she's trailing behind the leading Rice and the slightly trailing King, but by a close margin, not a big one.
"Ha... ha... Okay! I won't lose! Urara, go!"
Urara shouted to encourage herself and picked up her pace. I smiled at that, revved the motorcycle's engine, and positioned myself behind King.
"Oh, Urara has suddenly picked up the pace! King, Urara is right behind you! Are you going to be overtaken!?"
"Hey, why are you commentating!? Wait, she really is right behind me!"
Noticing Urara closing in behind her, King showed her fighting spirit and picked up her pace. But when it comes to guts, Urara doesn't lose either. She continues to chase after King without being left behind.
(The footing isn't turf, so King can't get to her top speed either...)
The footing is a disadvantage for Urara, but it's not a complete advantage for King either. However, I'm very satisfied with the sight of the two of them running as if competing with each other.
From there, I accelerated the motorcycle and caught up to Rice.
"Rice! King and Urara are behind yo—"
"Then I'll go even faster?"
I was about to say "coming," but Rice suddenly accelerated. It seems she was slowing down to let King keep up. I changed gears and twisted the throttle as Rice accelerated.
"That's a good pace! As expected of you, Rice!"
When I caught up and called out to her, Rice also picked up her speed. So I changed gears again while riding the motorcycle.
I'm on a 90cc motorcycle, and even though my opponent is a horse girl, it's super shocking if I can't catch up to her on two wheels!? While thinking that, I tilted the motorcycle to match the leading Rice and turned the curve. However, I still couldn't overtake Rice.
I felt a competitive spirit as a motorcyclist, so I downshifted into low gear and accelerated at once. It was a bit slow to accelerate on a steep slope since it's a 90cc, but I succeeded in overtaking Rice. Rice's figure was getting farther and farther away in the side mirror.
"Come on, can you keep up!?"
"Rice won't lose even if it's Big Brother!"
I shouted in excitement, and Rice shouted back as if responding to me.
"Alright! If you can overtake me before the top, I'll do whatever you want!"
I'll make her carrot hamburg steak or buy her anything she wants. I thought that and said that to encourage her—but.
"—I'll definitely win."
The moment I heard that voice, Rice's figure, which should have been in the side mirror, disappeared. Huh? In that moment, I saw Rice running alongside the motorcycle.
(What kind of acceleration is that!?)
This isn't a flat surface!? While thinking that, my body was properly riding the motorcycle. Rice can only maintain her top speed for a limited time, but the motorcycle can maintain its speed as long as it doesn't break and I don't decide to slow down.
So it's normal to think that I won't lose.
(Oh, no. Rice is serious.)
Somehow, Rice was chasing me with the same intensity as a real race. I feel like I'm hallucinating a blue flame. At worst, she's trying to pass me with the same intensity as in the Arima Kinen.
(Hee...)
I see, this is how a horse girl marked by Rice feels. This pressure that makes your heart shrink must be a lot of stress.
I, who was being harassed by my survival instinct, twisted the throttle to its fullest and ran away at once. Thoughts of "that's childish" or "let her win" didn't even cross my mind.
By the way, Rice sulked because I ran away with all my might, but when I checked her legs to make sure they weren't under too much strain from running at full speed on the mountain path, Rice's mood got better without me even realizing it.
And at night. After having dinner at the inn's cafeteria, Urara and the others relaxed in their rooms or went to the hot springs, and I researched races in my room, spending time however we wanted.
I had already taken a bath after sweating from training and getting cold sweats from being chased by Rice. I was wearing a yukata from the inn instead of my pajamas and leisurely watching race videos.
It's already 9 PM, which is early to go to bed, but if I'm going to train Urara and the others from the morning tomorrow, I should start getting ready for bed soon.
But just a little bit more, one more hour... no, two hours... It's probably safe until after midnight, I thought as I checked the race videos one after another. I can wake up later than usual, and I can get enough sleep, and I've been having trouble sleeping lately.
However, I stopped my thoughts when there was a sudden knock on the door. I wondered what it was and opened the door, and for some reason, Urara was standing there.
Urara was wearing pink pajamas and looked ready for bed. So I tilted my head, wondering what she wanted.
"What's wrong? Is everything okay?"
"Hehe... I came to say goodnight!"
Urara said that and smiled brightly. Since she was trained thoroughly during the day, she's probably tired and plans to go to sleep early.
I thought that and was about to say goodnight, but for some reason, Urara leaned forward and peeked into my room.
"Trainer, are you working?"
"No, I finished my work in the afternoon... Ah, I'm researching races and Urara and the others' rivals."
I couldn't hide it, so I answered with a wry smile. Then, for some reason, Urara looked up at me.
"Trainer, are you okay? Aren't you tired?"
"Huh? Haha, I'm fine. It's a lot easier than working at Tracen Academy."
I smiled at Urara, who was worried about me, and patted her head. In fact, it's easier since the workload has decreased a lot. Also, being able to relax in the hot springs and eat at the cafeteria so I don't have to prepare or clean up is a big plus.
"...Really?"
Oh, Urara asked me with her eyes looking up at me. I'm really not that tired, but she looks worried.
"Really. But... you're right. In that case, can I ask you for a favor?"
"What is it?"
"A shoulder massage. I feel like I'll be full of energy if you give me a shoulder massage."
Urara is probably tired too, so I didn't plan on asking her for something like this. However, I thought it would make her feel at ease if I showed her that I'm also relaxing outside of training hours.
"Yeah, okay!"
Urara nodded with a smile. Ah, that smile is dazzling.
I let Urara into the room, sat on the futon, and turned my back to her. Then Urara made fists and started tapping my shoulders.
"Tap, tap, Trainer, how is it?"
"Yeah, it feels good."
My heart is the one that's being healed the most. Ah, I'm being healed...
"Wow... your shoulders are really stiff! That's amazing!"
"That's not amazing... Amazing is one thing, and "that's bad" is another..."
In fact, if your shoulders are really stiff, you can get headaches and nausea. At that point, it's really bad. I hummed a tune and exchanged words with Urara, who was tapping my shoulders, and narrowed my eyes. Ah... I'm so healed...
Urara was tapping my shoulders, but her fists eventually went down to my shoulder blades. I thought it was a bit low for a shoulder massage, but I somehow rolled over onto the futon. Then, Urara continued to tap my back and hips.
"Hup, hup... Hehe, how is it, Trainer? Does it feel good?"
"Ahhh... this is heaven..."
If I had to say whether Urara's massage was good or bad, it was bad. However, just the fact that Urara was working hard to massage me made me feel like all the fatigue was leaving my body.
In fact, it feels so good that my soul might leave my body. Urara made a happy sound when she saw my reaction and started stepping on the soles of my feet with her own feet.
Ah, my pressure points are being stimulated... This is bad... I'm suddenly getting sleepy... The air conditioner is on and the temperature is comfortable, and Urara's massage feels good...
"Trainer... thank you, always."
With Urara's gentle voice as the last thing I heard, my consciousness faded.
"...Huh?"
The next morning, I woke up, looked up at the ceiling, and let out a strange sound as I felt a weird sensation. Somehow, I had slept more soundly than I had in a long time.
I didn't wake up in the middle of the night, and I don't remember having any dreams while I was sleeping. I just fell into a deep sleep, and my body seemed to be well-rested.
"Mmm... I slept so well..."
I pushed my head up on the futon and stretched my body with a big yawn. And then I brought my arms back—and there was a smooth sensation.
"..."
I shifted my gaze from the ceiling and looked to my side. And there was a very cute young lady with dazzling long pink hair curled up and sleeping.
"..."
Hmm... I must have slept too deeply, and my head isn't working, but who is this cute young lady...? She's a horse girl since she has horse ears, but I've never seen that hairstyle before.
"Mmm... Papa..."
The horse girl said that and reached for me. My paternal instincts were stimulated, and I gently stroked the horse girl's head with a dazed mind.
"Hehe..."
The horse girl's face softened. I patted her head, thinking, "Good girl," and gently stroked her horse ears. Then the horse girl's expression softened even more, and she clung to me. Her horse ears twitched reflexively, and her tail gently tapped my leg as if she was fawning over me.
(Mmm... when did I have a child...? But she's cute, so it's all good...)
A warm feeling spread through my chest. What is this? She smells like the sun, and my heart is at peace. Yes, it's just like when I pat Urara's head—wait.
"It really is Urara!?"
I woke up. No, my brain woke up. And I was completely flabbergasted.
Why is Urara sleeping with me? Huh? Why? Did something happen last night? Last night... ah, come to think of it, Urara did give me a massage...
Could it be that she just fell asleep in my room? I probably fell asleep because it was so comfortable, but Urara could have gone back to her room.
Urara's hair, which she usually wears in a ponytail, is untied, so her impression is quite different. She usually seems like a cheerful and energetic girl, but when her hair is untied and she's sleeping, she looks like an innocent young lady.
But the fact that I didn't wake up at all even though Urara was sleeping next to me means that my sleep was that deep, or that Urara's massage was effective, or that I felt at ease.
(Hmm... I feel like all the fatigue from the last few days is gone at once...)
Could it be that some kind of negative ion that heals fatigue came out of Urara? Is it Urara therapy?
As I tilted my head, Urara seemed to sense my presence and opened her eyes. She blinked a few times sleepily, then looked at my face and smiled dreamily.
"Ah... it's Trainer... good morning..."
"Good morning, Urara."
I said that and checked the clock. It was almost 8 AM, which is a bad time not to be awake. So I made Urara get up. Oh, her bedhead is a mess since she slept with her hair untied.
I have my own comb to groom myself, but Urara probably brought one or two combs with her. And King would probably comb her hair for her. Also, even though I made her get up, her brain wasn't awake, and Urara's head was gradually tilting.
"Trainer? Are you awake yet?"
While I was thinking that, there was a knock on the door. The voice belonged to King, and I put Urara back on the futon before opening the door.
"Good morning, Trainer. You're finally awake. Where's Urara-san? Is she still asleep?"
And King asked me that so calmly. No, isn't something wrong?
"Oh, she's still asleep, just as I thought. This girl, she doesn't get up easily even at the dorm... Oh my, her bedhead is a mess. I should have come to wake her up a little earlier."
King said that and entered my room. She had a comb in her hand and started tidying up Urara's hair after waking her up as if she was used to it.
...No, is something really wrong? If she knew Urara was in my room, couldn't she have taken her back to the room next door last night?
I was thinking that, and King must have read my mind. She smiled wryly.
"I know what you're thinking. I tried to carry Urara-san back too. But then..."
King said that and took out her smartphone for some reason. She did something to it and then showed me the screen.
On the screen, I was sleeping spread-eagled, and Urara was sleeping spread-eagled right next to me. It seems she took a picture with her smartphone. And when I looked closely at the picture, I could see that Urara was holding onto my yukata tightly.
"When I saw you and Urara-san sleeping together, I thought it would be rude to wake you up."
King smiled as if she was exasperated yet at the same time looking at something heartwarming.
"And... hehe. Your sleeping faces were so similar, so I thought there was no need to force her back to her room."
I scratched my head in a troubled manner at King, who was giggling. Our sleeping faces were similar... Oh, she took a few pictures, and there was one where Urara and I were sleeping with our mouths open at the same time. We really do look alike.
"No, but you should have taken her back."
"I tried to force her back, but she was holding onto your clothes so tightly that she wouldn't let go... This girl, once she falls asleep, she doesn't wake up at all, and even when Rice and I tried to pry her off, she wouldn't let go..."
It seems the yukata I borrowed from the inn was in danger. It would be bad if I damaged the rental item, but I wished they had tried harder to take her back. Or I wished they had woken me up.
"Not only Urara-san, but you didn't wake up at all either. You wouldn't wake up even when I called you, and you wouldn't wake up even when I shook you... I gave up in the middle."
Huh? I don't remember that. How deeply was I sleeping? Maybe I was unknowingly accumulating fatigue...
"I could have untied the belt and taken Urara with the yukata... No, never mind. Forget I said that."
I thought of another way, but I quickly retracted it, as it might be taken as "I wish you had undressed me while I was sleeping." No, there's no other way to take it. This is bad, my brain must be malfunctioning from just waking up.
"Also, Rice tried to sleep next to you, but I dragged her back. Urara-san is innocent, but Rice-senpai is... well..."
King mumbled and trailed off. What? I can't hear you. I can't hear you even when I listen closely. What was Rice like?
I was a little curious, but I didn't have the courage to ask. King then tossed me the key to my room.
"It's not safe to leave the door unlocked, so I locked it. Next time, please make sure Urara-san goes back to her room... C'mon, Urara-san, let's go back to your room. Wake up properly."
King said that and left my room while helping Urara walk. After watching them leave, I decided that I should try to go to bed a little earlier and not let fatigue build up.
By the way, when I asked a fully-awake Urara why she slept in my room.
"Trainer fell asleep, and I got sleepy too, so I went to sleep,"
was her reaction-inducing answer.
And so, Team Kitalpha spent its training camp in a slightly extraordinary daily life—but.
On the day a week after the training camp began, as I was eating lunch in the cafeteria, I saw a familiar person enter the inn.
"Ah, what a c-coincidence!"
It was Kiryuin-san and Meek.
----------
Kiryuin: "Meek! Meek! Let's go to a training camp this summer vacation and get stronger!"
Meek: "A training camp... that sounds nice. When are we going?"
Kiryuin: "Right now!"
Meek: "..."
That day, Kiryuin Aoi was lightly tapped on the leg by Meek's tail for the first time in her life, and she frantically put together a training camp schedule.
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