"Eh?" Tokai Teio froze on the spot, eyes a little blank, unable to process what Mizuno had just said.

"Trainer Mizuno—'we already went and came back'… what does that mean?"

Faced with Teio's question, Mizuno turned his head awkwardly and explained:

"You were asleep. You looked so sound asleep, I couldn't bear to wake you, so I went with everyone else to the shopping street. We've already bought everything we need and come back, so there's no need to go anymore…"

But instead of clearing up her doubts, Mizuno's words only made Teio more bewildered.

"Already?" Teio shook her head in disbelief.

"But… isn't it not even departure time yet?"

She didn't understand. She had only napped for a moment—taking the train to the shopping street alone would take ten, twenty minutes at least. How could Mizuno already say they'd gone and returned?

And in the training room, there were only her, Trainer Mizuno, and Gold Ship. If everyone had really gone shopping and come back, then where were the others?

So Trainer Mizuno must be joking, right?! She could still go out with him later, right?!

"!" Teio suddenly snapped her head toward the clock on the wall.

The hour hand had just passed twelve, slowly crawling toward one.

Meaning—she had overslept. She had completely missed the departure time?!

Her very first outing—her very first date—with Trainer Mizuno… gone, just like that?!

"I must still be dreaming. Trainer Mizuno, let me bite you once, to see if it hurts."

Refusing to accept reality, Teio grabbed his arm, opening her mouth as if to bite down.

"Hiss…" Mizuno shut his eyes tight, already feeling phantom pain though her teeth hadn't touched him yet.

But after several seconds, the pain didn't come. Instead, his arm was enveloped by something soft.

When Mizuno opened his eyes, he saw Teio clinging to his arm, burying her head in his chest.

"Uu…" A small whimper escaped her. Her ears drooped limply, like a child nobody wanted.

Seeing her like that, Mizuno's chest flooded with guilt. His hand moved instinctively to pat her head in comfort, but reason made him stop halfway, lowering it again.

"Teio, don't worry. Even if you didn't go, I bought a lot of food you like. There are apples too." Mizuno tried to smile.

"Gu…" Teio puffed her cheeks angrily, clearly unsatisfied with that answer.

What she wanted wasn't food—it was to go out together with Trainer Mizuno.

She had looked forward to this for so long, waiting outside the training room early in the morning, determined to outpace the other Uma and have the happiest time with him.

But in the end—she was the only one who didn't go…

"Not only did I not get first… I didn't even get to compete…"

The thought of everyone else laughing and enjoying themselves with Trainer Mizuno while she was left behind made her heart ache with sourness.

"Gu…" Another soft whimper escaped. Teio hugged him tighter, not giving Mizuno any chance to pull away—as if she meant to lock him at her side forever.

"Teio…" Mizuno finally let his hand fall to her head, gently rubbing it.

Yes, he feared Teio—feared being locked away in her Monarch's Basement route, feared being Uma Pyoi'd until his pelvis shattered. His reason always told him: Be selfish. For your own safety, don't get too close to Teio, don't show her kindness.

But seeing her now—looking so pitiful, as though abandoned, though she had done nothing wrong—he couldn't suppress the compassion buried deep within him.

So I really can't stay rational, huh… Mizuno tilted his head back toward the ceiling, silently cursing himself.

After scolding himself enough, he lowered his gaze and said to her:

"Teio… how about tomorrow, the two of us go out?"

"!" The instant he spoke, Teio's drooping ears shot up, flicking across his face.

"Really?!" She looked up at him with sparkling joy. "Tomorrow we'll go out together?"

"Yeah." Mizuno nodded.

"Then… just the two of us?" Teio pressed.

"Not just us two. What if we bring President Rudolf along?" Mizuno replied.

Yes, his compassion had moved him, but that didn't mean he had lost his head. He thought carefully: how could he make her happy again without boosting her affection too far?

Going out alone with Teio was impossible—that would only give her more precious memories with him, dragging him straight toward the basement route.

But if he invited her beloved idol Symboli Rudolf along, most of her focus would naturally shift to Rudolf instead of him.

That way, Teio would be happy, and he wouldn't be in too much danger. Ha—two birds, one stone.

"Prez? That's perfect~!" Teio's joy rose even higher.

If Mizuno had said some other Uma, she would have agreed, but unhappily—because in any 'multiple people with Trainer Mizuno' scenario, she could no longer be first.

But if it was President Rudolf, that was different!

Going out with the two she loved most—the happiness would be doubled!

"Trainer Mizuno, have you already invited Prez for tomorrow?" Teio asked.

"No." Mizuno shook his head.

"Then I'll invite her right now!"

She pulled out her phone and began typing a message to Symboli Rudolf.

...

Tracen Academy, Student Council President's Office.

As always, Symboli Rudolf was at her desk, reviewing documents. Even on her days off, the workload never stopped.

Ding-ling~

Her phone buzzed from inside the drawer.

Rudolf took it out and glanced at the screen.

"It's Teio." The moment she saw the sender, her heart lifted, fatigue melting away.

"Could it be… Trainer Mizuno has finally invited her to be his charge, and Teio is here to share the good news?"

With one hand she kept writing with her fountain pen, and with the other she opened the message.

[Chat with Teio]

[Tokai Teio]: President, tomorrow I'm going on a date with Trainer Mizuno~

Crack!

The pen in Rudolf's hand split with several sharp pieces.

"D-d-date?"