Dusk, White Lights, and Sighs

Outside the window, it was night.

The fluorescent lights on the ceiling cast a white glow.

Once late June passed, the sun's direct rays began moving south, and daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere began to shorten.

By the time I returned to Nishiken Farm, the sun had set. After putting away my luggage and entering the lounge, I found nothing but darkness outside.

In the small room surrounded by the black night, sighs rose and fell.

"Ah..."

They had not stopped for nearly three minutes.

"Even Ravide..."

The manager, who usually wore a poker face, had been rubbing his temples and joining the other staff in sighing ever since he stepped into the room.

"Ah..."

Across from me, Kikuchi sat with her chin pressed to the low table, facing my way.

The long-haired woman lay sprawled across the table and let out a tremendous sigh. She looked downright terrifying.

"Boss!"

"Y-yes!"

"The budget! The budget!"

"On the farm's books..."

"The auction budget, boss."

Rachel Ho raised her hand too.

"I'm very sorry."

I shifted from sitting cross-legged to kneeling formally, then bowed with a little more solemnity.

Trying to bluff my way through it really was a bad idea.

"Still, getting that youngster for 150,000 guineas was an absolute bargain... I'd have done it even at twice the price."

That was not stubbornness born of refusing to admit defeat after the excitement of the auction had faded. It was simply a judgment based on the facts.

Though it certainly sounded like I was digging in my heels.

"...I see."

Ravide nodded. His usual poker face had returned at some point, and he put the pedigree and conformation photos sent to the farm's group chat that morning up on the screen.

"The conformation really is as excellent as the boss