The next morning, Luo Cheng put on his jacket and settled Cafe, who was sleeping blissfully. Yesterday, the sounds of "chu-chu-chu~" were non-stop, and the coffee nearly turned into a cream latte. Why did Cafe love that taste so much? Was it really that delicious? Seiun Sky was the same; she loved it immensely, her scary suction seeming to draw him dry. Perhaps their fondness for that taste was the same reason Luo Cheng liked horse girl juice.
Opening the door and stepping out of the room, Mejiro McQueen stood at the entrance. She had taken off the Tracen uniform, replacing it with a white half-sleeved shirt and a light brown skirt. The cuffs were semi-transparent gauze, subtly revealing her smooth, white armpits beneath.
"Oh my, Trainer, good morning. Did you just wake up?"
"Just now."
"Dober said you agreed to come to the birthday party. I'm here to pick you up. Shall we leave now?"
"Yes."
Luo Cheng waved his hand toward the inside of the room and left. Mejiro McQueen tilted her head.
"Is someone still inside the room?"
"No, I was just saying goodbye out of habit."
"I see. That's a good habit. Maintaining good etiquette, even when no one is present, is befitting of the Mejiro name."
"The Mejiro family seems very strict. Is it okay for me to wear this outfit?"
Mejiro McQueen looked him over.
"Let me help you straighten up. Although I think Trainer is fine as he is, there will be many guests later, so it would be better for Trainer to show his handsome side." Mejiro McQueen helped him straighten his collar.
"Guests? Who are they?"
"Mejiro family partners, people we have commercial dealings with. Trainer can just stay with us; you don't need to say anything to them."
"Are they... all local?"
"Some are local, and some are guests from other countries."
"I see..."
"What is it, Trainer?"
"Nothing."
Other countries meant international visitors. To go abroad, he might need to trigger the Arc de Triomphe training scenario. Currently, Luo Cheng was in the Master's Cup, so he probably wouldn't encounter those foreigners. However, their presence here indicated that the real world had no regional restrictions; he could go anywhere he wanted. But once the plot time was over, no matter where he was, Luo Cheng would be forcibly dragged back to Tracen, back to that office desk.
"Where's Dober?"
"Outside. This is the Trainer's dorm, and she doesn't like to come over much. Trainer must know about Dober's physical condition."
"Yes, I know."
Outside the dorm, Luo Cheng saw Mejiro Dober waiting. Her eyes lit up when she saw Luo Cheng, then she frowned slightly.
Leaning close to Luo Cheng, Mejiro Dober whispered, "Trainer, are you not in Luo-chan Mode today?"
"How could I be?"
If you made me like that at a birthday party, you might as well just kill me!
"That's too bad. I wanted to feed Luo-chan."
"You can feed me, too."
"I can, but it feels like something is missing..."
"What are you two talking about?" Mejiro McQueen narrowed her eyes, looking at the pair whispering.
"Nothing."
"Let's go, McQueen." The two conspired to keep the secret.
Outside the school, a black luxury sedan was parked by the Tracen gate. The driver got out and opened the door for them. Enjoying the fragrant air, the group headed towards the Mejiro home.
In the center of Tokyo, in a relatively quiet residential area, a large wall surrounded a massive, highly decorative iron gate. Stepping out of the car, Luo Cheng gaped slightly at the colossal, three-story mansion before him, which looked like a palace. It was about the size of the main building at Tracen. For the Mejiro family to own such a property in the city center meant they were absurdly wealthy.
However, for Luo Cheng, money was external; no amount was useful unless it helped him farm items. Besides, these horse girls of the Mejiro family were all his people, so by extension, the Mejiro house was his house, too.
"Let's go, Trainer Luo Cheng." Mejiro Dober took Luo Cheng's hand. Mejiro McQueen, seeing this, furrowed her brow and, while Luo Cheng's attention was drawn to the outside garden, rushed over to Dober. "Dober, did your symptoms get better?"
"Hmm? What are you talking about?"
"You know, you're not usually good with men. Why are you so... close with the Trainer?"
Hearing this, Mejiro Dober scratched her cheek.
"Because the Trainer is special. He's different from others." Mejiro Dober had successfully self-hypnotized Luo Cheng into a touchable subject; he would forever be Luo-chan in Dober's heart.
"To me, the Trainer is a thoroughly good sister."
"Huh??" Mejiro McQueen shook her ears, thinking she misheard.
"Dober, calm down. Don't be so nervous that you mistake the Trainer's identity."
"I know, McQueen. It's just that the Trainer and I have a little something special."
Looking at Mejiro Dober's inexplicable smile, Mejiro McQueen's sense of unease grew stronger. Though her relationship with the Trainer was supposed to be closer, in terms of both the invitation and physical distance, Mejiro Dober was closer.
What does this mean? Where does this leave me, McQueen?
Are "good sisters" meant for stealing people?
"Mister."
However, completely oblivious to the emotions between the two horse girls beside him, Luo Cheng's attention was focused on a gardener not far away. He raised his hand and waved the person over.
"Yes, sir?"
"Later, I'd like two flowers, any kind is fine. Can you bring them in for me? Just before the birthday party ends."
"Certainly, sir." The gardener took off his hat and nodded to Luo Cheng. Even though he was just a groundskeeper, he still maintained excellent etiquette.
"Trainer wants flowers?"
"If that's the case, I can make a floral arrangement for the Trainer," both Mejiro Dober and Mejiro McQueen offered.
"No, I just want the flowers to confirm something." Looking at the gardener who returned to turning the soil, Luo Cheng's eyes flickered slightly.
Are you a person, or just a character created to keep the plot running...?
McQueen and Dober exchanged confused glances.
Entering the mansion, dozens of maids and butlers stood on both sides. They bowed in perfect unison.
"""Welcome home, Young Mistresses."""
What a huge display! Luo Cheng was startled. Mejiro Dober hid behind Luo Cheng, while Mejiro McQueen showed a composed smile.
"Yes, we're back."
It was one thing for him to be shocked, but why was Dober so afraid? Luo Cheng looked behind him.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes..." She carefully held onto the edge of Luo Cheng's jacket. "Sorry, Luo-chan, I'm not very good at handling these situations."
"Aren't they your family's servants?"
"E-even so, I'm not very used to it..."
Luo Cheng knew Dober was somewhat shy and suffered from androphobia (fear of men), but he didn't realize she was so timid that she struggled even with her own household staff.
Mejiro Dober advanced while hiding behind Luo Cheng.
"Are Bright and the others here?" McQueen asked.
"Mistress Bright and the others are already seated."
"Good, let's go over, Trainer."
Arriving at a heavy wooden door, McQueen pushed it open, revealing a table laden with desserts, where two horse girls were seated.
The one on the left had long blue hair tied in a beautiful coronet braid, a flawless complexion, clear purple eyes, and emanated an aura of frailty. Her name was Mejiro Ardan. A form-fitting pale purple dress accentuated her delicate figure, and white sheer tights showed beneath her short skirt. In contrast to her delicate body, her thighs looked quite round and full, clearly indicating frequent training.
And the one on the right was the only horse girl in the Mejiro family whose affection level Luo Cheng had maxed out: Mejiro Bright. She had beautiful, slightly wavy hair that reached her waist, and cute braids tied at her temples. Her golden eyes, unlike Cafe's, gave off a lazy feeling. Beneath her semi-transparent pale green dress, her fair, delicate thighs were slightly tucked, and her two glowing small feet were neatly pressed together. Seeing Luo Cheng, she showed a smile so soft it felt like it could melt in one's palm.
She was a horse girl who greatly appealed to Luo Cheng's preferences, possessing the same involuntarily relaxing presence as Seiun Sky. However, while Sky was associated with sleeping, Mejiro Bright was associated with zoning out. She often sat in a chair the whole day, staring at the branches and doing nothing. Sometimes, Luo Cheng would sit next to Mejiro Bright and zone out with her, completely emptying his cluttered mind. When he was tired, he could lie down on Mejiro Bright's pale thighs. Whether by design or not, after Luo Cheng lay down on Mejiro Bright's thighs, she would gently rub and knead his ears. This feeling, more comfortable than ASMR, made Luo Cheng unable to stop. Her small fingers were truly skilled at kneading, whether it was his ears or other places. It was precisely because of this that Luo Cheng favored Bright slightly more than the others.
As for Mejiro Ardan, sleeping on her lap didn't come with a special action. Her gentle and virtuous lady-like charm also didn't manifest any special actions toward Luo Cheng. At most, her voice was pleasantly melodious, so her priority was not particularly high for Luo Cheng. However, her affection level was not low. Ardan had a permanent debuff called 'Glass Legs' which increased her chance of injury with prolonged training or racing. A few times, Luo Cheng had seen Ardan sprain her ankle and used medicine to heal her, which increased her affection by quite a bit. It had now reached '81'. Like Fumino Nase, Ardan was someone who had achieved such a high affection level through non-physical means.
"Good morning, Trainer Luo Cheng." Mejiro Ardan smiled, the man's face reflected in her clear eyes.
"Is it just you two? Where are Peak and Sister Zenno?" Mejiro McQueen asked.
"Zenno and Sister Ryan went outside to greet guests. Sister Peak is in her room drawing."
"So, is this gathering just the few of us?"
"Yes." Mejiro Ardan's beautiful eyes turned to Luo Cheng. "Then please let our Trainer be seated."