"Looking closely, Legend, you're quite the beauty."
Nice Nature stood to the side, watching Legend, who was looking down and picking out goods, and exclaimed from the bottom of her heart.
"Hm? Is this the first time you've noticed?"
Legend at least had the self-awareness that she was a beauty.
Although she completely lacked the poise a beauty should have.
"...Ha, you're completely hopeless the moment you open your mouth."
So could you please shut up?
Nice Nature was getting annoyed.
"No way, I don't want to be bound by those things," Legend rolled her eyes.
"Tsk, what a pity. But Legend, do you want to try a yukata? I have a feeling it would suit you perfectly."
"Just like you?"
"Just like me... What are you saying!"
Nice Nature's face turned bright red again.
"Let's talk about that another time. By the way, what's going on over there?"
Legend pointed to a crowded area.
"Weren't you here for that?"
Nice Nature asked, confused.
"Hm?"
"It's that thing. The amulet for love and marriage. Quite a few students came here just for that."
"Quite a few students?"
Legend picked up on the keyword.
"Yeah, I've already seen quite a few people."
Nice Nature nodded.
"People actually believe in that kind of stuff."
Legend, a product of the Young Pioneers, didn't believe in it.
"It's better to believe just in case. Besides, this amulet was made by Fukukitaru's family, and it's very effective."
Nice Nature said.
"That half-immortal..."
Legend thought about the rumors surrounding Matikanefukukitaru and wavered.
That was someone who could help Special Week pass her exams.
"How about we buy one and try it out?"
"Hm? Legend, is there some love you want to pray for?"
Is it McQueen or Teio?
Nice Nature's face lit up with gossip.
"I want to buy one for both Oguri and Ardan."
Legend said candidly.
"Two?"
Wait, who were those people again?
Nice Nature was shocked.
"Is two not allowed?"
"That's definitely not okay! Isn't that two-timing!" Nice Nature retorted.
"Is that so? Then never mind." Legend immediately lost interest.
"You stay right there!" Nice Nature grabbed Legend.
"You just wait here obediently! I'll go buy it for you, geez!"
Muttering something about doing it for Teio, Nice Nature went to line up.
"…Is that really necessary?"
Legend felt helpless, but oh well, at least Nice Nature meant well.
Hmm, I'm a bit hungry. Looking at the situation, it'll take Nice Nature a while, so I'll come back later.
Legend turned and walked toward another small stall.
"Wait!"
"Did I hear something?"
Legend's ears twitched, and she looked around.
A small hand was waving amidst the sea of people.
Legend blinked, walked to the edge of the crowd, grabbed that hand, and pulled hard.
"Ah!"
A Mejiro girl fell from the sky.
"Dober? You're here at the Temple Fair too? What a coincidence."
"Hello, Legend-san. What a coincidence,"
Mejiro Dober greeted her, blushing slightly.
"Are you here to buy that love amulet thing?"
Legend looked at the crowd nearby and asked curiously.
"Y-yes, I am."
That was a lie.
Mejiro Dober had followed Legend here, but because she was too focused on Legend's movements, she got pushed into the crowd.
"Then did you manage to buy one?"
"No, I didn't. There are too many people."
Dober's eyes darted around; she didn't dare look Legend in the eye at all.
"Dober, you really worked hard."
"What?"
"Doesn't Dober hate crowds? To be able to come to a place with so many people even though you hate it, you really worked hard."
Legend praised her sincerely.
"?…!"
Only then did Dober realize what the situation was, and her tail stood straight up.
She dodged behind Legend, grabbed her clothes, and leaned against her tightly.
"Eh? Dober? What's wrong?"
Legend was at a loss.
"Don't talk to me!" Dober's voice was sharp, with a hint of tears. "Please, Legend-san, take me away from here!"
"Oh, oh!"
Legend hurriedly pulled Dober away.
They hurriedly moved away from the crowd and arrived at a quiet corner.
"Are you okay?"
Legend looked at Dober with concern.
"I'm fine… Sorry, Legend-san, I've troubled you."
Dober had finally calmed down by now, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and apologized to Legend.
"As long as you're okay. If something happened to you, I wouldn't know how to answer to Mejiro Ardan."
"What does that have to do with Mejiro Ardan?" Dober blinked in confusion.
"Hmm? Ah, actually, I guess Ardan and I are dating?"
Legend thought about it; Ardan didn't seem to say she wanted to keep it a secret, so she answered frankly.
"You and Mejiro Ardan are dating!!!"
Dober's voice went up an octave.
"Yeah, well."
Legend thought about her current two-timing situation and answered with a guilty conscience.
"No wonder…"
Dober thought about it and finally understood why Ardan had been apologizing to McQueen lately.
I never expected Ardan to be that kind of horse!
"Then what about McQueen?"
Dober asked.
"Hmm? What does that have to do with McQueen?"
"Well, um… Oh right, look, you and McQueen are so close. If you date Ardan, won't McQueen be upset?"
Dober rolled her eyes and racked her brain to come up with a reason.
"Huh? Me dating Ardan doesn't affect my relationship with McQueen. We're best buds with a bond stronger than gold!"
Legend said confidently.
McQueen, what on earth are you doing!!!!!
Dober screamed in her heart.
No, I have to think of a way!
The way Dober looked at Legend gradually became a bit dangerous.
My manga prototypes are you and McQueen; what am I supposed to do now?
Seeing Legend and Nice Nature at the Temple Fair together had already ruined my outline.
Now you pull this, what am I supposed to do? Draw a love triangle?
Wait… that actually might not be impossible…
Dober fell into deep thought.
"Dober?"
Legend reached out and waved her hand in front of Dober.
"Ah, I'm fine."
Dober returned to her senses and reined in her myriad thoughts.
"That's good. What are you planning to do next? Do you want me to call a taxi to take you back?"
"Aren't you going back?"
"Ah, I promised Nice Nature I'd wait for her… Oh no, I have to go back quickly. What about you, Dober?"
"I… I'll go with you!"
Dober gritted her teeth and decided to stay and watch how things developed.
Even if it's just for material, I can't retreat now!
"Are you sure? Dober, you don't like crowds, right?"
Legend said worriedly.
"N-no, it's fine. I just wasn't mentally prepared earlier."
Dober took a deep breath.
"Alright then…"
Seeing Dober insist, Legend didn't say anything more.
"Um…"
Just as Legend turned around, Dober called out to her.
"What?"
"My hand… can you hold my hand?"
Dober asked timidly.
"Sure."
Seeing Dober's worried expression, Legend smiled, reached out, and took Dober's hand.
Then she led her back.
"…So warm."
Dober said softly.
"What?"
Legend didn't hear clearly.
"Nothing!"
Along the way, they bought some things to help Dober calm her nerves.
The two arrived at the place where they had agreed to meet Nice Nature.
"Legend!! Didn't I tell you to wait here?"
Nice Nature noticed the late-arriving Legend immediately and came up to demand an explanation.
"Sorry, sorry, there was a little emergency."
"What kind of emergency… By the way, who is this cute child? Why are you holding her hand and not letting go?"
Nice Nature saw Dober, who was being held by Legend, and her expression immediately changed.
It was the look one gives to the scum of the earth.
"Ah, let me introduce you. This is Mejiro Dober, she's sort of our underclassman."
"…Mejiro? Is she McQueen's?"
"Hello, I am Mejiro Dober. Thank you for taking care of my sister, McQueen."
Dober displayed the elegance of the Mejiro Family perfectly.
"Hello…" Nice Nature responded in a daze, then pulled Legend aside.
"You won't even spare McQueen's sister?"
I never thought you were that kind of horse!
"Ah? No, you've misunderstood. Dober and I don't have any relationship."
Legend explained.
"If you don't have a relationship, why are you holding her hand?"
Nice Nature's eyes were full of distrust.
"Ah, that's because Dober is a bit shy…"
Legend hurriedly explained blah blah.
"...Really?"
"Really!"
Looking at Legend's innocent eyes, Nice Nature still expressed, with half-belief, that she would trust her for now.
"Ah, that's right, this is a love charm."
Nice Nature took out the charm and handed it to Legend.
"Hm? Oh, thanks, how much is it?"
"It's fine, it's not expensive anyway, as long as you don't make Teio sad."
Nice Nature waved her hand.
"Oh, thanks, though what does this have to do with Teio again?"
Why do you people only have this one sentence structure?
Legend, who had just been asked a similar question by Dober, felt a bit annoyed.
"...Figure it out yourself." Nice Nature rolled her eyes, then turned to look at Dober and reached out her hand, "Well, Mejiro-san, would you like to walk around with us?"
I am Teio's sworn sister! I will be the one to protect Legend-san!
"...Just call me Dober, please let me join you."
Dober, not to be outdone, grasped Nice Nature's hand with an expression of determination.
Even for the sake of McQueen and materials, I cannot stop my steps here.
"Hm?"
What happened?
Legend looked at the two Uma Musume who had suddenly become harmonious and friendly while she was distracted playing with the charm, and scratched her head in confusion.
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