At Tracen, Good at Doing Time

Zhou Yuang learned firsthand just how fast Silence Suzuka could run.

The wind whipped past his face so hard he thought he needed goggles.

But Silence Suzuka was a running fool. She had no destination; she just wanted to prove herself.

She wanted to break away as a Front Runner on a whim and keep running until even she had no idea where she was.

But she wasn't afraid.

Her trainer was right there beside her.

No matter where she ran, he would be watching her.

And she could share with him the view from the very front, a view no one else had seen.

Umapyon Police on Patrol!

"Silence Suzuka, welcome back!"

The moment Zhou Yuang said it, the jarring sound of an alarm clock rang out.

He sprang upright, looked at the clock beside his bed, then down at the sheets.

"That dream felt so real."

Zhou Yuang reached over to silence the alarm and picked up the clock while he was at it.

He'd dreamed he was Silence Suzuka's trainer and led her from one victory to the next.

But just like in the livestream, a whole lot had happened.

He'd met Air Groove and Special Week, for one thing, and there was that bad-ending dream they'd shared.

But what was with the dream inside a dream?

Neither he nor Silence Suzuka had acted like first-time players. They'd seemed like two people who'd been through it all, grown wiser, and made it through the Tenno Sho Autumn hand in hand, smiling.

Then, just as he was about to unlock the CG, his alarm woke him up.

For a second, he'd thought they had reached the good ending only for the Clock of Life Replay to send him back through it all again.

"But... that dream... Never mind."

I thought it was a dream, so I went and blurted out my real name... I'm going to explode!

I knew the Three Goddesses couldn't be trusted. This has to be their scheme!

Zhou Yuang put the clock back and got ready to leave.

It was still early for work, but there was nothing wrong with heading to Tracen to see his wife sooner.

Zhou Yuang got up at once, finished getting ready, and headed for Tracen Academy.

After greeting Hayakawa, he was about to head to his office when he spotted someone impossible to miss.

There was no overlooking Silence Suzuka's striking orange hair.

The Carrot Sprite really was one of Tracen's most eye-catching beauties.

Most horse girls had black or brown hair. There weren't many with orange hair like hers.

"Um..."

Silence Suzuka spotted Zhou Yuang at once and jogged over.

She wore a smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Zhou Yuang."

The bright, beautiful schoolgirl ran up to him.

She wore her Tracen uniform, a shoulder bag slung over one shoulder, and her lovely long hair flowed behind her. Zhou Yuang couldn't have been happier to see a horse girl like her running toward him.

Silence Suzuka might not have much to bounce, but her long hair fluttered beautifully!

I have to propose to Silence Suzuka!

Zhou Yuang couldn't resist a quiet girl with long hair.

"Good morning, Suzuka."

Zhou Yuang held back his urge to act up and greeted her.

Looking at him, Silence Suzuka decided it was time to carry out her plan.

And what was the plan?

An all-out attack, of course!

What plan? What ears of wheat?

Just rush him! She was a Front Runner!

Why wouldn't she charge straight in!?

After the shared dream last night, Silence Suzuka had woken up with an [Ukare (Lost Composure)] debuff over her head.

It had driven her to go for a morning run as soon as she got up, just to calm herself down.

But she wasn't a horse girl who came equipped with a stamina-recovery skill.

After all, she had no bonuses to stamina or intelligence.

So without a recovery skill, she wasn't exactly thinking clearly.

And once she reached Tracen Academy, she'd started lying in wait for Zhou Yuang.

I'll never give up the view from the very front!

She distinctly remembered that Zhou Yuang had a horse girl named Oguri Cap.

She might not have been as versatile as Oguri Cap,

but she could run faster!

A horse girl had to run fast on the track and faster still through life. That was what it meant to be well-rounded!

She also remembered the nickname she'd earned in yesterday's dream.

Interdimensional Fugitive.

Today, I'm going to make a great escape across dimensions as a Front Runner!

"Mr. Zhou Yuang, are you AT?"

Silence Suzuka's question left Zhou Yuang dumbstruck.

You're opening with your ultimate move?

Come on.

Didn't I teach you anything on the stream?

Do your research before you make a move!

Zhou Yuang checked his surroundings. When he saw no other horse girls nearby, he turned back to Silence Suzuka.

He wasn't the sort of person to shirk responsibility, so of course he had to answer.

Goodbye, my fifty diamonds...

Wait, isn't that just losing one day's training mission reward?

Is that a bad trade for a wife?

Hell no. That's a steal!

"Didn't you say anything in the chat yesterday? I thought you'd have spoken up when I was picking the mission with the three-star ticket."

Zhou Yuang answered her question with one of his own.

Whether I say "I think I'm AT" or "I am AT"... that's just too embarrassing.

That screen name really was way too casual.

Maybe I should pick something nicer for the next stream?

"...I did! Just once."

So it was you. Thank goodness!

You really are my trainer.

Silence Suzuka looked at Zhou Yuang, her heart brimming with joy.

His impressive performance on the stream, his care and gentleness during yesterday's training, and the way it felt as if they'd truly spent the time from their contract through the Tenno Sho Autumn together had all made her fond of him.

They'd known each other for less than a day, yet it felt as though they'd been together from her debut through the end of her senior year.

"Just once? You really know how to keep quiet."

A lurker, huh?

Silence Suzuka, your lung capacity is incredible.

Zhou Yuang felt helpless, but it made sense. Silence Suzuka was a quiet, clingy horse girl, even if she wasn't as docile as certain horse girls who were gentle as cows.

There was nothing wrong with speaking less.

"By the way, did you have a good dream last night?"

That dream had been so real that seeing Silence Suzuka brought its scenes rushing back to Zhou Yuang.

It also made him want to look after her... and have her carry him around town on her back.

It was a little embarrassing, but riding on Silence Suzuka's back as she ran really had felt wonderful.

Especially the way the scenery had flown past them... Oh no.

I think Silence Suzuka's rubbing off on me.

I'm going to inherit Silence Suzuka's running-fool Factors.

"You dreamed it too? The one where you revealed who you were?"

Silence Suzuka was delighted. She'd never imagined they could share dreams in real life, too, not just on the stream.

Then... doesn't that mean we're truly sharing the views we each see?

"I did. You even carried me while you ran. And just like on the stream, you were still hung up on what happened with Special Week. Silence Suzuka, there's something I need to ask you..."

"What is it?"

Silence Suzuka pricked up her ears, eager to hear what Zhou Yuang wanted her to do.

"Well..."

"GOOD MORNING!!!"

A sharp greeting burst out, brimming with energy.

A certain pink-haired girl came charging over.

While Zhou Yuang was the prince who'd promised to watch over Silence Suzuka forever, this was the loyal pink-haired knight who shipped the two of them.

Who knew whether this pink-haired knight might suddenly whip out some power-up item and bring anyone she deemed impure to justice?

Help!

Zhou Yuang blinked a signal to Silence Suzuka, who understood at once.

She turned to greet Agnes Digital.

"Good morning, Miss Digital."

"Good morning, Literacy-kaa-san!"

Seeing Silence Suzuka's ladylike manner, Digital's mouth split into a strange grin.

She was in bliss.

"Silence Suzuka really is adorable. AT's tone and attitude are such trash, and yet he gets to spend time with a horse girl this cute..."

She pressed her palms together and rubbed them, though she wasn't praying for anyone's safety.

The next moment, she began to mutter.