...
Later on, Ines Tsukigami and her mom also arrived.
Ines Tsukigami had a more lively personality. The moment she saw him, she ran over and threw herself into Lucian's arms. "Onii-chan!"
"Tsukitsuki, long time no see." Lucian held her in his embrace.
When Ines Hanakami saw this scene, she quietly got sulky on her own and walked to the corner to squat down.
Although she was very understanding when it came to Ines Fujin, she was still just a child after all—she couldn't handle everything perfectly.
Lucian noticed and carried Tsukigami over to her. "Hanaka, why are you mad?"
"Little sister must be angry because Onii-chan is holding me, hmph~ Clearly little sister has already spent almost the whole afternoon with Onii-chan!" Ines Tsukigami refused to back down—who here wasn't a little kid?
"No! Onii-chan only held me for a tiny while... As soon as big sister arrived, Onii-chan went to hold big sister instead, hmph."
She looked like a little aggrieved bun, as if saying that if he didn't coax her, she would stay mad forever.
"The Trainer's charm really is something." Ines Fujin not only had no intention of helping, she even covered her mouth and chuckled lightly from the side.
Lucian shot her an annoyed glance.
But handling kids was nothing difficult for him—and he also felt that being too spoiled wasn't good in the long run.
"Looks like Hanaka doesn't really want to play with us. Oh well, I'll just carry Tsukitsuki and go."
Lucian turned to leave. Ines Hanakami furrowed her brows and slowly turned her head.
Seeing Lucian actually walking away while carrying Tsukigami, the little one's tiny bit of pride instantly crumbled. She ran over and tugged at Lucian's pant leg. "O-Onii-chan..."
"What? Hanaka's not mad anymore and won't talk to Onii-chan?" Lucian turned around.
"No, no..." Ines Hanakami shook her head like a rattle drum. Her whole body clung to one of Lucian's legs like a koala. "Hanaka isn't ignoring Onii-chan."
Tears glistened at the corners of the little one's eyes. Lucian's heart softened. He squatted down while still holding Ines Tsukigami and rubbed her head. "Then will Hanaka do this again in the future? Can you get along well with big sister?"
"Yes." Ines Hanakami nodded urgently. "Onii-chan, can you not ignore Hanaka anymore?"
"If Hanaka listens to Onii-chan, of course." Lucian pulled Ines Hanakami into his arms as well, then shot a provocative look at Ines Fujin.
The latter also pursed her lips and gave a light smile.
"Little Ines, didn't I tell you to go find Doto? How come you're the only one back?"
"I did find her. We played a few attractions together, then suddenly a little cat jumped out of the bushes."
Lucian could guess the rest even without Ines Fujin saying it.
"It's about time. Let's wait for them at the entrance." Lucian said.
...
After that little interlude, Lucian sent a message in the group chat. The horse girls received it and gradually came over.
Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen walked one behind the other, both with heads lowered and backs hunched, as if each were carrying a thousand-pound mountain on their shoulders.
"Teio... hurry and delete it..." Where was any trace of the elegant young lady left? Only the awkward sight of her sticking out her tongue and panting remained.
"Catch up to me... and I'll delete it..." Tokai Teio said while gasping for air.
The last time she felt this exhausted was when she did too many deep squats in that small world.
Lucian: "You two didn't run around the whole afternoon, did you?"
Tokai Teio: "I even dragged McQueen to play all the thrilling attractions."
Mejiro McQueen: "Teio tricked me... played me through every thrilling attraction... no, I was played by every thrilling attraction... Teio, delete them now!"
Aside from those two, the other groups came back chatting and laughing.
"Now that everyone's back, we can..."
"Trainer, Doto hasn't come back yet." Ines Fujin reminded him.
Lucian glanced around roughly—indeed, he had overlooked the big one, Doto. "Where is she? She's not answering calls either."
"Trainer, she replied in the group chat. She's coming right away and said we can go ahead first." Dextrous Bailey said while looking at the messages.
"No, we'll wait for her. Since we came together, we leave together."
After the lively day, Happy Valley felt somewhat desolate, but with Lucian at the lead, everyone bathed in the afterglow, their shadows stretched long and long.
...
Not long after, a familiar figure finally appeared at the end of the road.
When Meisho Doto saw the group ahead, she actually slowed her steps. Earlier she had been so focused on chasing the meowku that she completely missed the group messages, making everyone wait this long.
"Doto."
Meisho Doto froze in place, watching the tall figure ahead walking toward her.
I'm done for... Trainer is really going to be mad this time, done for, done for... (つд⊂)( p′︵‵.)
She hunched her shoulders, shrinking tighter and tighter. When Lucian's figure filled her vision, Meisho Doto nervously squeezed her eyes shut.
Trainer isn't going to hit me, is he...
But the pain she imagined never came. Instead, two rough palms clamped onto her cheeks and rubbed vigorously. "Doto~ You don't even check messages, do you? Do you? Do you? Do you?"
"Wu... wuwu..." Meisho Doto opened her eyes, pouting and whimpering. The unease in her heart gradually dissipated because of the smile on Lucian's face.
Even though that smile was a little cheeky.
After rubbing to his heart's content, Lucian finally let go with satisfaction.
"Tra... Trainer." Meisho Doto turned her eyes away.
For some reason, the fantasy that had scattered at noon reconnected in her mind again.
"You... you're not mad at me? For making everyone wait so long..."
"Why would I be mad? We're here to have fun—coming back a little late doesn't matter." Lucian looked at Meisho Doto's dirty clothes and messy hair. "You, you—a little wild cat really stole your soul away!"
He patted her sleeves, then stepped closer to pick off the leaves stuck in her hair.
"No such thing—I still have little dango to raise. ＜( _ _ )＞"
Having her soul stolen by a little kitty...
As if possessed, Meisho Doto secretly glanced at Lucian's face again.
Where are Cat-sama's ears... hidden?
"Still spacing out? Going back to eat or not?"
"Eat..."
"But Doto, you need to apologize to everyone—they waited for you a long time."
"Mm! Cat... Trainer is right."
The moment Lucian turned around, Meisho Doto quietly lifted her gaze again—like a cat hiding in the corner secretly observing a human.
...