"Oguri?"
"Oguri-cap?"
The Japanese and French names rang out almost simultaneously. A male voice and a female voice intertwined, identical in their utter bewilderment. Their tone posed a single, burning question:
Oguri, what on earth are you doing?!
Why lick Fujimaru Ritsuka's finger? It wasn't a piece of cutlery with food scraps on it, nor was it an ingredient. There was absolutely no logical reason to lick it!
"Hmm?" Oguri Cap didn't seem to realize what was happening at all. She was completely oblivious to the sheer audacity of her actions. It wasn't until she noticed everyone's eyes glued to her that her body gave a belated, involuntary shiver.
In the next heartbeat, a vivid, pale pink flush surged from the girl's chest, racing up to the crown of her head and flooding her limbs. She froze as if turned to stone.
"Um... I..." Oguri was mortified. Her mind went blank. Her first thought was: Wait, I think I just did something very weird. I can't face the Trainer ever again!
The girl's legs trembled; she looked ready to bolt. The only reason she didn't was because of Fujimaru Ritsuka.
Just as Oguri was about to spring up and flee, Ritsuka placed a hand on her shoulder. His azure eyes locked onto hers with a gaze so focused it could almost be described as "affectionate."
"That..." Oguri still couldn't find her voice. She fully expected Ritsuka to scold her. Even though she wasn't entirely sure what she had done wrong...
Try as she might to rack her brain, she didn't know why she had done it, nor why everyone was staring at her like that.
The "why" behind the lick was likely because she had been taught from a young age to cherish every scrap of food. Or perhaps because her appetite had always been so monstrous that the idea of wasting even a speck of cream felt like a sin. Or... maybe it just tasted really good?
As for whether it was the flavor of the cream or the flavor of Fujimaru Ritsuka with the cream, that was a question Oguri couldn't answer. She hadn't thought about it. She had acted purely on instinct.
As for the others... Oguri pondered hard and finally reached a conclusion: They probably think I'm being far too childish. After all, any proper parent would teach their child to mind their manners. Licking fingers was definitely not something one did in front of others; in fact, it was usually a strictly forbidden behavior.
Seeing Oguri trembling without stop, Ritsuka set aside his own confusion. Oguri was a "natural airhead" after all; she likely hadn't meant anything by it. It was probably just her legendary hatred of food waste in action.
If she actually harbored romantic feelings or some other motive, a girl as honest as Oguri would have just blurted it out. She wasn't the type to hide her heart.
So, he took the piece of carrot cake she was holding and offered a reassuring smile. "Thank you, Oguri. I appreciate your commitment to not wasting food. But I have to say—if there are scraps on my hand, don't eat them. Just wash them off."
Ritsuka spoke with total sincerity, like a doting father teaching a young child. Oguri gave a small nod, showing she understood.
"Good. Now, as a reward, allow me to return the favor." Ritsuka placed the large piece of carrot cake on the table and sliced it in two with a knife. He kept one piece for himself and handed the other back to Oguri. "Here, Oguri. Eat your fill now; we have a lot of training ahead of us later."
Ritsuka's lighthearted chatter successfully defused the tension in the office. The girls' stern expressions "melted" into joyful smiles.
Rudilemo remarked, "I knew it. Oguri is just... well, she says what's on her mind. That was definitely just an accident."
Mini Lady teased, "It feels like food is almost as important to her as the Trainer."
That comment didn't sit well with Oguri. While she ate the cake Ritsuka had returned to her—which somehow tasted even better now—she "rebutted": "The Trainer is the person I respect most in the world. Food could never be more important than him."
At that, almost everyone laughed. The only exception was Gloria, who could only understand the gist of the conversation. After Ritsuka translated, Gloria joined in the smiling.
Since the 'airhead' said it, it must be true, Gloria thought. Next, I'll continue the feeding. I'll show these Japanese Horse Girls exactly how close the Trainer and I are. Or... I'll let him feed me.
After witnessing the interaction between Ritsuka and Oguri, Gloria had a new idea. She decided that mutual feeding was the ultimate strategy. It was far more persuasive than a one-sided attempt!
Ritsuka had no idea what Gloria was plotting. He was worried the girls would surround him and start a "feeding frenzy" again, so he decided to take the initiative. He picked up a macaron dusted with powdered sugar and held it out to Oguri's lips.
"One good turn deserves another. Here, Oguri, try this."
He chose to proactively feed Oguri, using the adorable glutton to draw everyone's focus. Oguri was cute and loved to eat; watching her would give the girls the same joy as feeding a pet. If he led the way, everything would normalize!
Ritsuka watched Oguri with a gentle gaze and a small nod, signaling she should enjoy the treat. Oguri blinked, looked at the macaron, then at the nearly finished cake in her hand. After a moment's hesitation, the girl parted her lips.
With a soft "Aum!", Oguri accepted the feeding. she chewed with a look of pure bliss, seemingly having forgotten the previous embarrassment entirely.
Or perhaps, to her, being fed by Ritsuka was such a joyful experience that it easily washed away the awkwardness. Especially since the snacks Ritsuka prepared were genuinely delicious!
Feeding Ritsuka? Oguri had already tossed that thought to the back of her mind. She had succeeded once and was satisfied; she didn't feel the need to keep at it like the others. Ritsuka had already eaten plenty; he'd be full soon. She just needed to focus on filling her own stomach.
After finishing, Oguri licked her lips, looking like she wanted more. Ritsuka didn't stop there; he picked up a piece of Uirou and held it to her mouth. Oguri, ever the willing participant, happily accepted.
With this, the girls were no longer able to swarm Ritsuka. The "crisis" was instantly averted. One had to admit—Ritsuka's "reverse-feeding" move was brilliant.
Ritsuka took the opportunity to say, "I've felt everyone's kindness, and I thank you for your support and care. But don't just focus on me; please, enjoy the tea party yourselves. I would be much happier seeing you all enjoying the food."
As the host and the chef, nothing made him happier than seeing his guests devour the food he had prepared. At least in this moment, that was the absolute truth.
The Horse Girls took his advice to heart. They withdrew their hands and began enjoying the snacks themselves, the office atmosphere gradually returning to harmony.
But someone noticed something else.
Gloria, for instance, had just realized that being fed was a very happy experience that highlighted a special relationship. Seeing Oguri's pure, simple joy after being fed, a glint of amusement flashed in Gloria's eyes. She found this interaction fascinating.
The question now was: how could she convince Ritsuka to do the same for her? She was a mature Horse Girl in her Senior year; most people wouldn't dream of doing such a thing to her. They'd likely consider it impolite.
In contrast, the Junior girls like Oguri had no such baggage. They were still "children" in the eyes of others.
Gloria set her fork and knife down gently, her eyes shimmering as she looked at Ritsuka. Her lips parted, as if she were about to say something...
Bell Glory, whose nerves were pulled taut as she watched Gloria's every move, felt as if a siren was screaming "WARNING! WARNING!" in her head.
No! I can't let her do that too! Bell Glory thought. Unless she can prove she isn't thinking of something untoward!
Just as Gloria was about to speak, Bell Glory surged to her feet. Her voice was much louder than usual due to her desperation: "Trainer! U-Um... I..."
The girl's face was a violent shade of red. Her right hand gripped the hem of her skirt so tightly her knuckles were white. She didn't even dare to look Ritsuka in the eye, but her voice was clear enough.
Perhaps it was the courage of someone with nothing left to lose.
"Um... that is... C-Can I... also be... fed by the Trainer... just like Oguri... just once?"
She had thought she could say it bravely, but it came out in stammers. She was so nervous she barely dared to breathe. But she had said it. It was progress! It was a victory!
Bell Glory felt weightless, as if she were about to float up to heaven.
The office fell into a sudden, dead silence. Everyone stared at Bell Glory. Noren Ace's expression was a masterpiece of shock. Mini Lady's face was frozen in surprise for a moment before "melting" into a mischievous grin. She loved this; after all, love is war!
Mini Lady's expression became "predatory," as if saying: Yes! YES! I love watching girls fight!
Gloria had been about to speak, but she was stunned that Bell Glory had beaten her to the punch. The expressions in the room were so strange—was it because Bell Glory's request was inappropriate? Gloria looked at her with genuine surprise. she had thought Bell Glory was a reserved, cautious girl. Had she misjudged her?
Fujimaru Ritsuka also looked at Bell Glory. Seeing her eyes darting around, her shoulders trembling, and her ears a vibrant shade of crimson, he realized he had no choice. The silence lasted only a heartbeat before the resignation in his eyes was replaced by a warm, teasing smile.
"Oh? Does Glory want to experience being 'hand-fed' too? Well, you are our star assistant; you certainly deserve that level of treatment."
With that, Ritsuka picked up a dark-chocolate macaron from the plate and held it out to Bell Glory's lips.
"Ah! That's so sneaky, Glory!" Mini Lady started to stir the pot. She glanced at Bell Glory, then at Ritsuka. "Trainer, our training is really hard too! What about us?"
She didn't actually want anything for herself; she was trying to create an opening for her childhood friend, Noren Ace. They weren't as talented as Oguri Cap, nor did they have Bell Glory's support capabilities. If they didn't try, they'd be "losers" in an instant.
Mini Lady didn't mind herself—she wasn't thinking about romance—but she knew Noren Ace wouldn't be able to resist Ritsuka's charm. She wanted to level the playing field. If everyone was fed, then no one was being treated specially.
It was at this moment that Bell Glory accidentally "bit" the wrong thing.
In a normal "hand-feeding" scenario, Bell Glory should have either taken the macaron with her hands or simply bitten the macaron itself.
She did neither.
Bell Glory "overcompensated." She "enveloped" the macaron, but her teeth clamped down right on Ritsuka's finger.
In that instant, Bell Glory felt her heart was going to burst out of her chest. Her request had been weird enough, but her execution was even weirder!
Feeling the subtle texture on her tongue and looking into Ritsuka's confused eyes just inches away, a massive explosion of shame and joy erupted within her. A thousand sensations flooded her mind.
The sweetness of the snack, the slight bitterness of the dark chocolate, the aroma of the tea... and a certain indescribable, wonderful flavor that surpassed any dessert... Bell Glory felt the flavors melting in her mouth, dancing on the tip of her tongue.
She was almost drooling.
She instinctively gave a small suck, and then her face turned an even deeper shade of red.
She had just thought Oguri's behavior was weird and nonsensical, but look at her now! Her actions were far more scandalous than Oguri's ever were!
Realizing everyone was watching her, her scalp went numb. Her mind was on the verge of a total meltdown. She had won a "one-of-a-kind reward," but... was it really worth the cost of her sanity?
Watching the "underhanded" Bell Glory, Gloria's eyes narrowed into slits.
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Musume: Oguri Cap Grand Order (122 Chapters – Ongoing)
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