"There were four of us when we arrived, but now there are seven on the way back. Do you have any thoughts on that, Oba-chan?"
On the ride back, Gold Ship asked with a playful expression.
"Thoughts? What thoughts?"
Isn't it just running into a few acquaintances while wandering around? What's there to make such a fuss about?
Legend, who was driving, answered casually.
"I really didn't expect that you could drive, Oba-chan. By the way, where did you get a driver's license? You aren't even an adult yet, right?"
Gold Ship asked, puzzled.
"There are many things you don't know," Legend said smugly. "As for the license, it's true I'm not an adult, but I have money."
"I'm actually speechless..."
Gold Ship thought for a moment and said nothing more.
"But they really are very tired."
Legend turned her head to look at the backseat, where Vodka and Daiwa Scarlet were leaning against each other, sleeping soundly.
Further back were Nice Nature, Dober, and Digital.
Nice Nature and Dober were leaning on Digital, breathing evenly.
As for Digital, her expression was somewhere between nirvana and serenity. It's truly impressive that she could sleep so well while sitting upright.
...If that could even be called sleeping.
"By the way, Golshi, didn't you go to set up a stall? How were the earnings?"
Legend asked casually.
"Average, just ten times the cost of the raw materials," Gold Ship said nonchalantly.
"Is that all?"
Legend thought about it; it didn't seem like a huge profit.
"Earnings aren't important; this is what matters."
Gold Ship pulled a package out from who knows where.
"What is this?" Legend asked.
"Fermented rice balls. The boss gave them to me for helping sell items. How about it? Want some?"
"That sounds okay, I suppose? But I'm driving right now. Let's wait until I drop them off."
Legend was always laid-back about such things.
"Yes! Sir!" Gold Ship saluted.
It took some time to drop off the sleeping group at their dorms, and then Gold Ship and Gold Legend went together to report to the Trainer.
"You're surprisingly diligent. It would have been fine to come back tomorrow," the Trainer said, looking somewhat exhausted as he organized the training documents for the next day.
"What needs to be done must be finished, and we agreed to report in," Legend said, helping to tidy up the messy office.
"By the way, why are you still here?" What time is it even? Legend asked, puzzled.
"Well, I didn't have anything else to do, so I came over to check the training plan for tomorrow," the Trainer explained with a smile.
"Didn't you go out for a drink?" Gold Ship chimed in.
"...Well, my pockets are a bit empty," the Trainer said, his expression becoming awkward.
Legend and Gold Ship exchanged a glance.
"How come you're out of money?" Legend asked curiously.
"Correction: I've never had much money," the Trainer said, puffing out his chest proudly.
"I get it. Because you have no savings, you can't even afford a drink now that you don't have Oba-chan's discount!"
You're so lame~ Gold Ship's expression was full of mockery.
"...Damn it!" The Trainer's expression was full of frustration, but he didn't retort.
"Actually, you could just put it on my tab and get reimbursed," Legend said, raising an eyebrow.
"Wouldn't that make me a freeloader living off a woman?" the Trainer said righteously.
"Aren't you?" Legend said, looking shocked.
"I..."
"Stop struggling, Trainer. You have to understand that ever since you lost control of the team's finances, you've already been Oba-chan's dog. Can't you just lie down and accept it?" Gold Ship teased.
"I have dignity too!" The Trainer raised his head stubbornly.
"Then can you pay back the money?"
Come to think of it, you actually owe me quite a bit. Legend blinked innocently.
"..." The Trainer froze. "Woof!"
"...You've successfully surprised me, Trainer." Gold Ship was shocked.
"Alright, enough joking. By the way, where are Golshi's fermented rice balls? Let's take them out and eat together as a reward." After all, the Trainer had been working quite hard. Legend put the organized documents back on the table.
"Nani? There's actually a consolation prize?" The Trainer was somewhat surprised.
"Hmph, here, eat!" Gold Ship said, but she still obediently took out the items and laid out the disposable cutlery one by one.
"It smells amazing, this is great! I haven't smelled alcohol in over half a month!" The Trainer cheered and eagerly picked up his chopsticks.
"Is it really that exaggerated?" Legend asked, puzzled.
"You don't understand the suffering of an alcoholic forced to quit drinking for half a month!"
"You're already calling yourself an alcoholic..." That really is quite serious... Gold Legend whispered.
"Golshi, hurry! Open the package!"
"Tsk, beg me!" Gold Ship put on an expression that didn't do justice to her looks.
"I beg you! Great Lord Gold Ship!" The Trainer lowered his head with great gusto.
For some reason, it felt so pathetic... Legend shed two crocodile tears.
Seeing the Trainer be so straightforward, Gold Ship lost the urge to tease him and crisply opened the package, placing it on the table.
"Hmm~ This aroma, rich and mellow. It's a waste to use it for fermented rice balls."
Despite what she said, her hands didn't stop for a second. Her movements were swift yet precise; one look and you knew she was an expert!
"Leave some for me!" Seeing that this foe had such skills, Gold Ship couldn't be bothered with psychological warfare and hurriedly joined the fray.
"Delicious! Legend, aren't you eating?" Having bested Gold Ship once more, the Trainer turned to look at the indifferent Legend.
"I'll pass. I don't really like things with an alcoholic taste." Gold Legend waved her hand.
"Don't bother. Oba-chan can't handle alcohol; she's the type to go down the moment it touches her lips," Gold Ship said casually.
"Really?" The Trainer asked, surprised.
"...I can't just let that slide!" Legend said, getting a bit agitated.
"Don't try to hide it, Oba-chan. I remember it very clearly. Have you forgotten about when you were a kid, got curious, took a sip of wine, and then went on a drunken rampage and kicked Sister Lütu into the hospital?"
"..." The Trainer listened and rolled his eyes.
"...That's fake news!" Legend said, panicking, and grabbed a pair of chopsticks.
"Even if my alcohol tolerance isn't great, I'm not going to be mocked by something on the level of fermented rice balls!"
When has Gold Legend ever suffered such grievances!
She picked up a fermented rice ball with her chopsticks and tossed it into her mouth.
"The taste is just..."
Before she could finish, she went down.
"...Whoa!"
I never expected there would really be someone who goes down upon touching alcohol...
The Trainer didn't understand, but he was Deep Impact.
"Tsk tsk, this Oba-chan is just weak!"
Gold Ship said with a smile.
"Hm? So you're saying you're very brave?"
"Just kidding, I'm super brave, okay?"
Gold Ship looked at the Trainer with dissatisfaction. Am I someone you can mock?
"...That wasn't me saying that."
The Trainer waved his hands in a hurry.
"Huh?"
Gold Ship finally realized something was wrong. She looked over and saw that Gold Legend, who had already collapsed, had stood up again at some point.
"Hm?"
Gold Ship suddenly felt a chill rush straight to her scalp. Her intuition told her that the current Oba-chan didn't seem right.
"Oh my, I didn't expect alcohol to have this kind of effect. How interesting~!"
Gold Legend pushed her bangs up, revealing a dazzling smile, like flowers blooming all over the ground, breathtakingly beautiful.
"Oba-chan?"
Something was wrong, very wrong!
Gold Ship felt cold sweat breaking out all over her body!
"A thoughtful reminder from Gold Legend: some things shouldn't be said carelessly, okay~?"
Legend hopped closer to Gold Ship, extended a finger to press against Gold Ship's lips, a smile playing on her lips.
"What's going on?"
The Trainer on the side opened his mouth wide, looking at Gold Legend, whose actions and tone had become completely different, feeling at a loss.
"Don't worry about it. Beautiful girls always have some little secrets, don't they~?"
Legend winked at the Trainer.
"...Oh-ho!"
The Trainer clutched his heart area.
"A new day starts with a wonderful encounter? It's rare to be out, so let's have some fun!"
Gold Legend said, happily opening the office door and skipping away.
Leaving the two instigators frozen in place.
"...I get the feeling we've done something incredible."
Is it really okay to let this Oba-chan out?
Gold Ship came to her senses, recalling Legend's actions just now, her heart beating faster involuntarily.
"I hope everything is normal tomorrow."
The Trainer calmed the palpitations in his heart, praying silently.
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