"Stare…"
"…"
"Stare…"
"…Hey, Norn. You've been staring at me this whole time. What are you trying to say?"
Two days had passed since the Derby. In the training lounge at Central Tracen, Norn Ace was glaring at Su Luo with a strangely loaded expression.
It made Su Luo extremely uncomfortable.
"After the Derby ended, Oguri said those things—don't you have any thoughts about it?"
Su Luo blinked, genuinely not expecting that to be what Norn wanted to talk about.
Honestly, Oguri Cap's post-race comments had caught Su Luo off guard too.
He never would've guessed that the girl who always looked a bit slow and blank-eyed would come out after the Derby and deliver a love declaration that sounded like a formal declaration of war.
You really couldn't judge people by appearances.
The only problem was… Su Luo didn't actually know who Oguri Cap's crush was.
That silly kid could eat. Whoever ended up being her boyfriend would probably be under a terrifying amount of pressure.
He offered a silent moment of mourning for their future.
The boy prayed.
Still, to be fair, Su Luo did care who exactly had "kidnapped" the horse girl he'd invested in. He figured he ought to at least check what kind of person they were.
But when he went straight to Oguri Cap to ask, she always fumbled, changed the subject, and went bright red in the face.
Ah… pure, innocent maiden stuff.
Su Luo felt like a distressed father watching his precious cabbage get snatched by a wild boar.
Heartache.
Kids really did grow up and stop confiding in you.
"What am I supposed to say? That was Oguri's own decision. I'm just the investor—what can I even say…"
"…You seriously don't get it at all."
Seeing how completely clueless he was, Norn Ace sighed.
But… that might actually be for the best.
If Su Luo really understood what Oguri was thinking, then wouldn't Norn lose her chance…?
With that in mind, Norn Ace pulled over a chair and scooted closer to him.
"By the way, Norn—how long are you planning to stay at Central? March already went back to Kasamatsu. Why are you still here?"
"What, you trying to kick me out?"
Sitting right up against him, Norn Ace fiddled with her phone casually, acting like his words didn't matter at all.
"Uh… that's not what I meant…"
He caught a faint fragrance drifting from her—like orchids—and instinctively shifted away a little. But the moment he did, Norn silently leaned in closer.
Back and forth like that, Su Luo ended up pinned against the wall.
"Um… Norn? Isn't this a little too close?"
The corner of Su Luo's mouth twitched. Realizing he had nowhere left to retreat, he could only speak up.
"Hmph."
Norn Ace glanced at him like that, clicked her tongue, and lightly tapped him with the tip of her small leather shoe.
I'm already this close—why is this guy still so upright and proper…?
Don't tell me I'm not charming enough?
Damn it.
"I was planning to go back to Kasamatsu today. But now that you've said that, I don't feel like going anymore."
"And besides, you weren't planning on staying at Central either, right? So what's wrong with me going back with you?"
"So you were planning to go back with me all along."
"Yeah. Otherwise, why do you think I've been hanging around here waiting for you for so long?"
Norn Ace turned to look him in the eyes, arms crossed over her chest. Her cheeks puffed slightly, like a little steamed bun you could swallow in one bite.
"I thought you just wanted to stay around Tokyo and sightsee—hey! Why are you pinching my waist?!"
"Hmph!"
Norn Ace rolled her eyes.
Su Luo honestly couldn't figure out what this gyaru-brained girl was thinking, but he did have real reasons to remain in Tokyo for now.
First, there were still follow-up plans after Oguri Cap's Derby run—Kitahara wanted to brief him on them.
Second, the principal back at Kasamatsu Academy had asked him to do a little publicity work for Kasamatsu while he was at Central.
And then, Tamamo Cross had been messaging him these past couple of days, saying she had something she wanted to talk to him about.
All things considered, Su Luo still had quite a bit to handle.
"Anyway, you should go back first. I'll come by the shop later when the time comes."
He didn't know why Norn Ace was so dependent on him, but he could guess part of it.
It was probably that debuff the system had mentioned.
If he wasn't around them, they'd feel restless…
And possessive, and all that.
Right now, Norn Ace fit that description perfectly.
But honestly, this level of possessiveness was fine.
He'd thought she might actually tie him up and haul him away.
What a joke.
So this is all the system's got?
Don't make me laugh.
Still, he figured he should soothe Norn Ace a bit. If simply being nearby made her feel at ease, then lending a hand wasn't a big deal.
"Relax. I'm not staying at Central for the rest of my life. You just go back and keep the shop running."
Su Luo smiled and patted her on the shoulder.
In moments like this, you say something about bonds—something that reassures her.
"Given the relationship between you and me, are you really saying you can't even trust me on something like this?"
You're my important money-losing employee. How could I possibly abandon you?
What Su Luo didn't notice was that the moment his hand rested on her, Norn Ace's body trembled slightly.
"…Fine."
"Since you're saying it like that…"
Her voice lifted a touch, and she turned her head away so Su Luo couldn't see her expression.
"Then I'll head back first. When you return to Kasamatsu, remember to call me."
"Yeah, yeah. Got it."
After Su Luo saw Norn Ace off on her way back to Kasamatsu, his phone chimed with a bank notification.
"One hundred million yen…"
Su Luo stared at the extra funds, his feelings complicated.
If he didn't lose all that money, then by the system's judgment, he'd still be considered profitable.
He needed to think of a way to spend it—burn it down—fast.
Should he start some kind of money-losing project in Central?
Or invest in a new horse girl…?
No, no.
He'd invested in two already, and both had gone wrong.
By this point, Su Luo had realized his luck lately was genuinely terrible.
What if he invested in another one and she started winning too?
Wouldn't that be trying to steal a chicken and ending up losing the rice instead?
Nope. Absolutely not.
Even if he was going to invest again, he'd have to wait until later.
He couldn't keep randomly picking genius horse girls forever, could he?
Ha.
And just as Su Luo was thinking through new ways to lose money, his phone gave a small vibration.
He picked it up.
On the screen was the name: Symboli Rudolf.
Wait.
Why does Miss Luna have my phone number?
Oh, hell.
…I think I'm the one who gave it to her?
I'm dead.
The ghost is coming to claim my life.
....
My Patreon : patreon/RuneA
If you want to read the novel in advance, you can subscribe for early access. I also have many more novels in my collection that you might be interested in
I upload ten novels a day, with 3 to 4 chapters per title depending on the length. If you're following a particular series, please wait your turn a little
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it