...
On the other side, Lucian's car was also quite lively.
"Trainer, have you missed Urara?"
Right behind the driver's seat was Urara's position.
She stood up with her body arched, holding onto the driver's seat shoulder, her fingers lightly playing with Lucian's hair.
"I missed you, I missed you~" Lucian replied while glancing at Tokai Teio in the front passenger seat.
Fully recovered, she simply gave Lucian a slight smile. "Trainer, did you only miss Urara?"
She was really looking forward to today's group outing, hoping to find an opportunity to be alone with Lucian.
"Uh, and Teio too." After saying that, he noticed Rice Shower's burning gaze from the lower right corner. "And Rice... I missed everyone."
By the window in the back seat, Mejiro McQueen propped her head up, casually glancing outside.
"Onii-sama, isn't that Devil's Valley really scary?" Rice Shower's slightly furrowed face was like a taut string, playing out faint worry and fear.
Lucian: "I think it's probably something like an escape room storyline."
"I hope it's not too scary."
"If Rice is scared, then..."
Rice Shower interrupted: "Onii-sama... I want to play. I'm just a little scared, that's all."
"It's fine, Rice can just stick with everyone when the time comes." The vehicle had just entered a straight stretch; Lucian controlled the steering wheel with one hand and used the other to reach back and gently pinch Rice Shower's cheek.
When he pulled his hand back, it passed by Tokai Teio again, and he took the chance to rub her cheek too.
"Trainer, what are you doing!" Tokai Teio protested verbally, but her body made no move to resist.
It was just that Lucian rubbed for too long, and she felt embarrassed facing the gazes of Mejiro McQueen and the others, so she finally pushed Lucian's hand away while still grumbling: "Stinky Trainer..."
...
The destination was relatively remote; it took over forty minutes of driving to arrive.
The place was huge, with four themed entertainment facilities that dazzled the eyes. But it was also somewhat monotonous—aside from these four categories of attractions, there was nothing else, not even any vendors.
The plan was to stay for three days and two nights, so everyone had brought very few clothes.
After coming out of the inn, everyone stopped in the middle of the main road.
Ahead in four directions were the ticket entrance gates. Each themed park was only open in the morning and afternoon, and according to online reviews, each facility could take four to five hours to fully enjoy.
So the group started debating which themed park to do first, but opinions differed and no conclusion was reached, so they handed the decision over to Lucian.
"Trainer, where do you think we should go first?" Haru Urara asked. "And why was Trainer so quiet just now?"
"Waiting for someone. One person hasn't arrived yet."
"Another person?" Haru Urara counted heads in confusion. "No, everyone's here."
"It's fine, she's here." Lucian waved toward a figure ahead.
The horse girls turned around and realized it was Ines Fujin, holding what looked like a three- or four-year-old little horse girl in her arms.
"Ines-senpai!"
"So Ines-senpai came too."
"Welcome, Ines-senpai~"
...
Everyone greeted Ines Fujin.
"Long time no see, everyone... Sorry I'm late." Ines Fujin said apologetically.
Lucian shook his head. "Not late at all. Perfect timing."
It wasn't that Lucian hadn't waited for her—Ines Fujin had come back from out of town.
The horse girls turned their attention to the little horse girl in Ines Fujin's arms.
"What a cute little baby. What's your name?" Meisho Doto was very interested in anything cute (.＾▽＾).
The little horse girl didn't answer, shrinking her head timidly.
Ines Fujin: "Hanakami, your big sister is greeting you. You can't be so impolite."
"Hello, big sister. My name is Ines Hanakami." Only then did the little horse girl look back at Meisho Doto.
"Hello hello~ Big sister's name is Doto~o(￣︶￣)o"
"Little cutie, I'm Urara!"
"Little sweetie, I'm big sister Tokai Teio!"
"You can just call Twin Turbo 'big sister'!"
Dextrous Bailey: "Urara, were you calling me just now?"
...
Everyone's enthusiasm only made Ines Hanakami even shyer. She turned to Lucian, her voice soft: "Onii-chan... I want you to hold me~"
"Got it. Come here, Onii-chan will hold you."
Lucian clapped his hands, and Ines Hanakami immediately stretched her arms toward him.
He had visited Ines Fujin's house before and naturally met her two younger sisters.
The older one was Ines Tsukigami, and the other was Ines Hanakami.
"Hanaka, where's your second big sister? Why didn't Second Sis come?" Lucian held her, feeling how adorably chubby this little one's cheeks were.
"Second big sister... Second big sister went to play with Mommy. They said they'll come later."
"I came with Big Sis first to play with Onii-chan~" Ines Hanakami called him "Onii-chan" over and over, warming Lucian's heart.
"O-Onii-sama..." Rice Shower started to say, but the next second she covered her own little mouth.
"What's wrong, Rice?"
"Nothing." Rice Shower shook her head.
In the group, she was the only one who called Lucian "Onii-sama," but this little one's arrival made Rice Shower feel like her Onii-chan had suddenly been taken away.
She could only silently tell herself not to argue with a child.
...
Silence Suzuka watched Lucian and said to Seiun Sky beside her: "Looks like Lucian-kun really likes children."
"Mm~ What is Suzuka trying to say?"
"After I retire, I'll give Lucian-kun a baby."
"Retire and... right away..." On this matter, Seiun Sky still wasn't mentally prepared. "So soon?"
"It's fine. Seiun can just watch our happy little family of three from now on."
Seiun Sky pouted. "It's clearly a family of four... five."
...
"Trainer, so have you decided where to go first?" Matikane Tannhauser raised her hand to ask.
Lucian thought for a moment. "Today let's go to Happy Valley, tomorrow the aquarium, and the day after Devil's Valley? How's that?"
"Good~"
"Agreed."
...
Since Lucian had made the arrangement, no one objected anymore.
"Onii-chan, I... I want to go to the amusement park, okay?" After acting spoiled, Ines Hanakami even rubbed her cheek against Lucian's.
"Happy Valley is pretty much the same as an amusement park. Onii-chan will take Hanaka to play, okay?"
"Okay~" Ines Hanakami happily clapped her hands, then pursed her lips and planted a kiss on Lucian's cheek. "Thank you Onii-chan, Onii-chan is so nice to me~"
Lucian smiled and looked at the others. "Alright everyone, let's head to Happy Valley!"
...