Inside the gym, Shirayuki was preparing for the final training exercise: body balance.
First was the horse stance.
Lift one leg, hang a dumbbell on it, then extend both arms forward and keep the body still.
It sounded simple, but it was incredibly difficult to do. The weight in front constantly pulled her body forward, and if she leaned back, her foot would touch the ground. This was not just a test of body balance, but also of coordination.
After ten minutes, Shirayuki was drenched in sweat, having fallen no less than ten times.
"Is it this hard...?"
She couldn't believe it.
Could it be that balance was this body's weak point? If so, she would be very prone to falling during turns.
No way. I can be lacking in strength or agility, but not balance!
As they say, practice makes perfect. She refused to believe she couldn't master it.
Finally, after the twentieth fall, Shirayuki lay flat on the ground.
"Shirayuki-san, would you like some water?"
Meisho Doto brought a cup of water over to her. She had just finished her step jump practice outside and came into the gym to rest.
"Doto..."
From the floor, Shirayuki looked up at her. "I feel so stupid. I can't even do something like this."
"How could you say that? I think you're already amazing... I can't even stand on one leg!"
Really, Doto?
Then what about the race next week?
Shirayuki took a sip of water and immediately spat it out.
"This is... vinegar!"
"Eh?! Vinegar, vinegar...? But I took a sip during training?"
"Really? Is there something wrong with your tongue?" Shirayuki sniffed the cup; it reeked of vinegar.
"I think I drank some... or did I drink something else..."
As Meisho Doto was trying to recall, Gold Ship suddenly appeared.
"Hmph, Shirayuki, you're not training right," she said, hands on her hips. "To train balance, you can't just rely on that."
"Do you have a better idea, Gold Ship?" Shirayuki asked, sticking out her sour tongue.
She was very much looking forward to this expert coming up with a training method more professional than her own trainer's.
"You should train like this." With that, Gold Ship did a handstand, supporting herself on one hand, and then began to walk on her hands.
"How did you do that?!" Shirayuki was stunned.
A Horse Girl's strength could easily support her body weight, even on one hand. But Gold Ship could actually walk forward, one hand at a time.
This was too surreal!
Could it be that her sense of balance was beyond imagination?
Looking at Gold Ship having fun on one hand, Shirayuki's expression was complicated.
Talent was just inherently unequal. Days and nights of her own hard work might not even match an hour of the other's training. No, it was more like her days of hard work couldn't even match the other not training at all. That was talent.
"So, Shirayuki, have you learned it yet?"
With a push, Gold Ship jumped up from the ground.
"Yeah, I've learned that I can't do it."
"If you work hard for a few hundred years, you can reach the same level as the great Gold Ship-sama."
Shirayuki clapped with a deadpan expression.
By the way, if those two were here, where was Rice Shower?
"Heave-ho~"
At that moment, Shirayuki heard a sound from behind her.
It was Rice Shower. She was copying Shirayuki's posture, in a horse stance with a dumbbell on her raised leg, her arms stretched forward with effort.
Her body wobbled rapidly, but she soon stabilized. After a few seconds, it began to wobble again, and then stabilized once more.
In this cycle of wobbling and stabilizing, Rice Shower maintained her balance.
This little one has a good sense of balance...
Looking at Rice Shower's puffed-out cheeks as she struggled to hold the pose, Shirayuki couldn't help but feel admiration.
Normally, this exercise would last for two to three minutes, or four to five for longer durations, followed by a few minutes of rest.
Watching her movements carefully, Shirayuki learned from the side. After about three minutes, unable to bear the muscle soreness any longer, Rice Shower put her foot down and sat down.
"You can't sit yet," Shirayuki said. "Your muscles are very tense right now. If you relax suddenly, it will actually accumulate fatigue. Stand for a while, and sit down after the soreness subsides."
"Shirayuki-san..."
Startled by her sudden words, Rice Shower paused.
"Do you... know about training?" she asked, her tone somewhere between a question and a challenge.
"Of course I do. I mean, I've heard about it from my cousin. I know a few things."
"From Onii-sama... I understand." With that, Rice Shower stood up and began to walk around slowly. At the same time, Chiya returned to the gym.
He had just been called away by Tazuna to fill out the list of participants for next week's race.
He had submitted everyone's names, but in their current state, he couldn't imagine how they would win.
Should he count on Gold Ship, or Meisho Doto?
Rice Shower was a decent bet. As for Shirayuki...
It was still uncertain.
He wasn't sure what his own skill level was among the new students.
"Onii-sama!"
Seeing him enter, Rice Shower's eyes lit up and she ran to greet him.
"Rice was just training very hard."
"Yes, I saw. Good job."
Chiya smiled and patted her head, and she looked blissful.
By the way, did I have her do balance training? I think I told her to do step jumps...
Looking at Rice Shower seeking a pat on the head as a reward, Chiya didn't bother with the trivial details.
"Psst, psst~ Shirayuki," Gold Ship sidled up to her and whispered, "If this keeps up, your dear brother is going to be stolen away."
"What..."
"Trainer Chiya, of course. Didn't you see how close he and Rice Shower are? You're his sister too, right? Are you just going to willingly watch your brother be stolen away?"
"What's there to steal? Isn't it a good thing for a trainer and a Horse Girl to have a good relationship? I think Rice Shower is quite cute like this."
Looking at Rice Shower's happy, smiling face, Shirayuki felt healed.
"For real?" Gold Ship looked like her worldview had been shattered.
At first, Shirayuki had said a lot of praise for Chiya, and Gold Ship had thought she had a brother complex. But later, she found that Shirayuki didn't seem to care at all about Rice Shower's affection for Chiya!
Could it be that Shirayuki was one of those people? The type who only wants her brother to be happy, a saintly character with a screw loose in her head?
Damn it! If that's the case, my future pranks on her are going to be tough! I can't handle this kind of blessing-type character. The light is too blinding.
Finally, after he had his fill of head-patting, Chiya announced, "That's all for today's training. Tomorrow is the weekend. Don't forget to return to school on time. If you have something to do, you need to ask me for leave. Got it?"
""Yes, sir!""
After getting their replies, the team was dismissed.
And Shirayuki took the headband back from Chiya and put it on.
Chiya's work was over. Now, it was Shirayuki's work time.
-------
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