The night after training was exhausting, but everyone gathered together, unwilling to sleep so early.

The lively atmosphere lingered.

After soaking in the hot spring, the Uma Musume sat around playing board games, and they even pulled Lu Jue in.

“No, it’s a four-player game, and the three of you are ganging up on me. Are we even going to play?”

At first, Lu Jue won many times, sticking many white strips on Seiun Sky, Silent Suzuka, and Uralala’s faces.

But his triumph didn't last long, as the three of them started to team up.

As long as Lu Jue came in last, it didn't matter who was first.

“Trainer, no cheating, come here and let me put it on your face.” Uralala held a white strip, looking at Lu Jue’s chin, which looked like it had grown many white whiskers, wondering where to stick it.

“Alright, alright~” Lu Jue extended his head, and soon three more white strips appeared on his face. “I’m not playing anymore, Xiao Te, you take my place.”

“Okay, Trainer, leave it to me.” Special Week hadn't forgotten losing so many carrots yesterday, and she was determined to win them back.

Lu Jue stood up to give his seat, and his phone rang just then. “Hello, Nishizaki-senpai, is something wrong?”

“Where did you abduct my Uma Musume? Why haven’t they returned yet?” Nishizaki Ryu’s voice was loud and boisterous as soon as he spoke, scaring Lu Jue into holding his phone a distance away.

“Them?” Lu Jue glanced at the members of “Spica.” “They’re playing Ludo. I’ll give you their phone.”

Lu Jue patted Gold Ship’s shoulder, “Your Trainer is looking for you.”

“Huh? Trainer? Let me finish this game first.”

Gold Ship was very focused.

Lu Jue leaned over and saw that her piece, which had just left home, had been stepped on and sent back. “Your luck is a bit bad. You should have sent out another plane just now.”

“That makes sense.” Gold Ship nodded.

“Hello, Lu Jue? Lu Jue!?”

“Cough, cough, I’m here, I’m here, Nishizaki-senpai, you heard it just now.”

Lu Jue didn’t mind, anyway, there were beds and rooms here, so staying to sleep wasn't out of the question.

But he didn't dare to say that to Nishizaki Ryu.

“Don’t give the phone to Gold Ship, give it to someone else, give it to…” Nishizaki Ryu even hesitated for a moment, thinking that the Uma Musume in his team were all mischievous, making him, as a “parent,” worry endlessly.

“Give it to King Halo, give the phone to King Halo.”

“Okay.” Lu Jue handed the phone to King Halo again. “Nishizaki Trainer is looking for you.”

King Halo at least picked up the phone. “Trainer?”

“King Halo, it’s almost time to come back, isn’t it? It’s almost nine o’clock. Call Daiwa and the other three.”

“Oh, it’s only nine o’clock…” King Halo muttered, throwing the dice high again. “Six!”

“Huh? What six?”

“Nothing, Trainer, we’ll be back in a little while.” The young lady rarely played board games with everyone, and she was so immersed that she didn’t want to leave.

Lu Jue took back his phone and said, “Nishizaki-senpai, they’re playing a game, and it’s still early, anyway. I’ll just send them back later.”

“Alright…” Nishizaki Ryu said helplessly.

In such a large inn, he was the only one.

Thinking of this, he felt a bit resentful towards Lu Jue. One by one, why did they all run to his side?

Hanging up the phone, Lu Jue also sat down.

These board games were actually quite boring, but the Uma Musume certainly weren't playing for the sake of winning or losing.

Lu Jue was very supportive; appropriate entertainment was necessary.

“Do you want to eat fruit? Or what do you want to drink? I’ll go prepare it.”

“Carrots!”

“Xiao Te, aren’t carrots vegetables? I want a banana.”

“Apples, if Lu Jue-jun can peel them well, that would be even better.”

“Oh… Trainer, do you have oranges?”

“Uralala wants milk!”

...

Lu Jue suddenly regretted asking that question.

But he still obediently got up and went to the kitchen to prepare.

He made a fruit platter and, at Silent Suzuka’s request, peeled and sliced the apples.

He also brought back a bottle of milk for Uralala.

“Eat, eat.”

The members of “Spica” were probably too embarrassed to make any requests, so Lu Jue still prepared an identical fruit platter and placed it on their side.

“Just act like you’re at home here, don’t be polite with me. Tell me if you want anything else.” Lu Jue also sat down, quietly watching them play Ludo.

...

Unconsciously, half an hour passed again.

Lu Jue estimated the time and realized it was indeed time to tell them to go back.

“Everyone, it’s getting late. Your coaches just sent another message, reminding you to go back.”

“Trainer, can’t they stay? Aren’t there many empty rooms next door?” Uralala suggested.

“It’s not impossible…” Lu Jue looked at Taiki Shuttle, Grass Wonder, and the other Uma Musume. “What do you think?”

“If it’s possible, then we’d be grateful.” Taiki Shuttle was an old acquaintance, so she wasn’t polite with Lu Jue.

Seeing someone take the lead, the others also hesitated and wavered.

“Stay, stay, anyway, we’ll be gathering together tomorrow anyway~” Tokai Teio also showed considerable enthusiasm.

It's more fun with more people during training camp.

A certain empty-nested Nishizaki: Speak for me.

“Then we’ll trouble Trainer Lu.” Grass Wonder also agreed.

The remaining members of “Spica,” led by Gold Ship, also stayed.

Lu Jue nodded, “But you all need to tell your respective Trainers first.”

...

“What!? Not coming back!? Lu Jue, did you give them some kind of magic potion?” Nishizaki Ryu cursed loudly on the other end of the phone.

“You’ve got it all wrong, it was their own decision.” Lu Jue appeased Nishizaki Ryu. “Nishizaki-senpai, don’t worry, I’ll take good care of them.”

He thought to himself that this wasn't poaching yet. If he really poached them, Nishizaki Ryu would probably cry.

...

Tojo Hana didn't care about that, but Air Groove’s report had already reached her.

“Lu Jue, I heard you bullied my team members this afternoon. Let’s find some time to have a good talk.”

“You’ve got it all wrong, Sister Hua, Nishizaki-senpai ordered me to do it.”

“Lu Jue, what did you say?! I haven’t even hung up yet, and you’re already blaming me?!” The call with Nishizaki Ryu hadn’t ended, and everything Lu Jue said was heard by him. “You little rascal…”

The Uma Musume temporarily stopped, laughing as they watched Lu Jue, holding a phone in each hand, looking comical as he tried to appease both sides.

Lu Jue’s face darkened. He was careless, he hadn’t hung up.

“Ah Hua, listen to my explanation…”

“Explain what? I haven’t even settled your score yet. ‘Surpass Grass Wonder first to whet your appetite’—you said that, didn’t you?”

“I was just learning from this brat Lu Jue to motivate the team members…” Nishizaki Ryu’s ability to change his expression was also first-rate. He spoke nicely to Tojo Hana, but when it came to Lu Jue, his voice grew louder. “Lu Jue, don’t pretend to be innocent, speak up!”

“That’s right, I can prove Nishizaki-senpai said it.”

“Lu Jue, you!!!!!”

“Cough, cough, Nishizaki-senpai, my signal suddenly got bad here. What did you say? I can’t hear you anymore… Never mind, good night, both of you.”