After Saint Crown's turn ended, it was Tokai Teio's.
Teio looked at Tang Han and gave him a playful wink.
"I understand," Tang Han said at once, thinking he had figured it out. He quickly made a cup of honey special drink and set it in front of the treadmill.
"You can start now." He made a polite gesture, then moved out of the way and sat down to one side.
"Guh…" Teio felt miserable.
Tang Han didn't understand her meaning at all!
Still, she said nothing. She stepped onto the treadmill and began running while staring at the drink in front of her.
After ten minutes, though, her motivation started to wane.
It was true that she really liked honey special drink, but compared to what she actually wanted, it simply was not enough to keep her going.
Teio secretly glanced to the side and saw that Tang Han was watching her too.
"Heh~" Teio's mood brightened, and she raised a hand toward him, holding up three fingers.
Tang Han: "..."
Wow. It's cute Tokai Teio, everyone… but maybe I should keep looking at Urara and Rice Shower in the distance instead.
After nodding back in acknowledgment, Tang Han turned his head away and went back to watching the girls on the track.
"Guh…" Teio felt a stab of jealousy.
You won't look at dazzling, adorable Teio, but you'll look at other horse girls instead?
Not happy. Not happy at all.
Teio quietly stepped off the treadmill and nudged it a little, changing the direction so that it now faced Tang Han.
"Mm." Teio nodded in satisfaction, climbed back on, and fixed her gaze on Tang Han's back.
Sure enough, the motivation this gave her was several times stronger than what she'd felt while looking at honey special drink.
"I'll work hard and win everything I want—whether it's first place… or my trainer…"
Having made up her mind, Teio ran in earnest, radiating an unstoppable aura.
"Brr…" Tang Han, still happily admiring the two little cuties Urara and Rice Shower, suddenly shivered.
Strange. Why did he feel cold all of a sudden?
After Teio, it was Mejiro McQueen's turn.
Just like Teio, she secretly adjusted the treadmill while Tang Han was watching the girls on the track, angling it toward him. As a result, Tang Han's inexplicable chill lasted twice as long.
"Has winter come already? But isn't it summer right now?"
Tang Han looked at the blazing sun overhead, yet somehow felt no warmth whatsoever.
At last, it was Gold Ship's turn.
"Where's Ship-bro?"
Tang Han looked around and found no sign of Gold Ship, scratching his head in confusion.
Had she gone to the bathroom? Or gone off to do something else?
She couldn't have run off… right?
After waiting ten minutes with no sign of her, Tang Han finally accepted reality.
"Right. Ship-bro's skipping training again."
That night—
After taking a bath, Saint Crown sat on her bed, opened her phone with eager anticipation, and tapped into a certain conversation.
[Chat with Future First-Rate Trainer Tang Han]
Tang Han: Saint Crown, your smile is so mysterious, so enchanting, that even the Mona Lisa's smile in the Louvre cannot compare to one ten-thousandth of yours.Tang Han: Every single part of your being proclaims that Saint Crown is a first-rate horse girl.Tang Han: You're so full of charm, yet I still don't dare get too close to you. Do you know why?Tang Han: Because you're too beautiful. One extra glance and I'd explode. One step closer and I'd melt.
(Several hundred more words of praise omitted.)
"Ohohohohohoho—!"
Saint Crown laughed delightedly, her tail swishing happily across the bedsheets.
Just as she'd expected, Tang Han was already preparing to poach her.
All this praise was obviously meant to raise her affection level. Once the timing was right, Tang Han would surely reveal his true purpose—he wanted Saint Crown, the very embodiment of first-rate excellence, to become his trainee.
"Ohohohohohoho—!" Saint Crown laughed again, utterly convinced she had seen through everything.
"Sainty's really happy What are you looking at?"
Urara, from the neighboring bed, noticed her delight and trotted over, then wriggled into Saint Crown's arms.
"Tang Han is praising me~" Saint Crown said without bothering to hide the conversation, proudly showing it to Urara.
"Wow Trainer said so much" Urara's eyes sparkled.
"Trainer must really like Sainty~"
"Ohohohohohoho—! Naturally. Who wouldn't like a first-rate Saint Crown?"
"Then Sainty should become Trainer's trainee too!"
"Hmph. That depends on whether Tang Han shows enough sincerity," Saint Crown replied haughtily.
In truth, she had already felt Tang Han's sincerity. She recognized his worth, and she was willing to become his trainee.
But he had to be the one to say it first. A first-rate Saint Crown could never take the initiative. That would lower her standing.
With that thought, she typed a reply and sent it.
Back in Tang Han's dorm room—
Tang Han was seated at his desk, writing out tomorrow's training schedule.
Ding.
The phone beside him chimed with a new message.
He set down his pen, picked up the phone, and opened it.
[Chat with Saint Crown, Who Needs Encouragement]
Saint Crown: And then?
"Hm?" Tang Han frowned in confusion.
What was and then supposed to mean? Had his praise not been enough?
After thinking it over and organizing his thoughts, he began typing again.
Tang Han: Saint Crown is super amazing~Tang Han: Every time I think of you, my brain trembles.Tang Han: Ahhhh— Saint Crown is so beautiful! Ahhhh— if I can't see Saint Crown, I'll die!
(Several thousand more words of praise omitted.)
"Ohohohohohoho—!"
Bathed in yet another torrent of praise, Saint Crown felt herself floating upward, as if she were ascending into heaven.
So comfortable. She wanted to be praised like this forever.
"Sainty has lots of sparkly little flowers over her head~" Urara said curiously, peering up at her from Saint Crown's lap.
Saint Crown happily patted Urara's head, then typed the same three words again.
Saint Crown: And then?
"?" Tang Han stared at his phone with the expression of an old man on the subway looking at his screen.
What? He'd already written several thousand words, and Saint Crown still wasn't satisfied?
Was that still not enough praise?!
"…Fine…"
Tang Han sighed helplessly and kept writing more little essays in praise of Saint Crown.
Their exchange continued well into the middle of the night. In the end, Saint Crown was the one who lost to sleep. With Urara still in her arms, she drifted off and stopped replying.
Tang Han waited five minutes. When he finally confirmed Saint Crown wasn't going to ask And then? again, he nearly cried with joy.
"It's finally over…"
His whole body relaxed, and he collapsed onto the bed.
The next morning—
"Mmm…"
Saint Crown woke slowly and felt warmth in her arms.
"Hm?"
Looking down, she discovered it was adorable Urara, who had spent the whole night sleeping in her embrace.
Saint Crown gradually remembered what had happened the night before.
She had been chatting with Tang Han. Urara had asked to sleep with her, and Saint Crown had agreed. The two horse girls had cuddled together. Urara had fallen asleep very quickly, while Saint Crown had continued savoring Tang Han's praise…
"Oh no! Tang Han!"
All sleepiness vanished in an instant.
Last night, she'd been too tired and had accidentally fallen asleep. What if Tang Han had sent her a message afterward formally inviting her to become his trainee—and because she hadn't replied, he'd assumed she wasn't interested?
"Oh no, oh no!"
She hurriedly opened her phone and checked their chat.
But there was no message asking her to join him. The entire conversation was still nothing but praise for how first-rate she was.
"..."
Saint Crown frowned unhappily.
Why still hadn't Tang Han tried to poach her?
Meanwhile, Tang Han was riding the school bus back to campus.
Because he had gone to sleep so late and had gotten up especially early to finish the training schedule he hadn't completed the night before, he was now utterly exhausted.
He sat slumped in his seat, half asleep.
Ding.
His phone vibrated in his pocket, notifying him of a new message.
Tang Han shakily pulled it out and looked.
Saint Crown: And then?
"Pfft—!"
Tang Han spat out a mouthful of blood, utterly spent, and collapsed bonelessly against the seat.
"Oh… oysters…"
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 150)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter190)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter105)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter225)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 195
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 170
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/5
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 225
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 210
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/30
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 115
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 130
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 105
I Can Copy Unique Skills 100
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 90
My Harem Is Indescribable 85
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 90
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 100
Still playing traditional Honk 69
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 75
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 60
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 71
Checking In in Demon Slayer 75
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 80
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 66
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 58
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 65
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 63
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 59
Why did they assign me to Uma 55
MYGO Beauties 56
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 45
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 49
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 36
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 35
The Uma Musume Who Became 30
I'm Definitely Not the King of 25
After Maxing Out Every Class 25
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