'It's finally our turn, Loretta-san!
'The steeplechase has resumed, as if you remembered.

That's right.
The competition had been suspended for a while to save the injured and to discuss the situation, but it was resumed with the rule that 'one person should not run while the other person holds the injured person'.

The first race to resume was the one in which Ginette and Loretta participated.

'I've forgotten all about the strategy.
I also lost the feeling that I could do it after the break.
'......What?
'Magda, you had a feeling you could do it? I had a gynecological feeling that I could do it.

However, all the teams had lost tension after the break, so they couldn't complain about it.

'I'm sorry, sir. It's just that I acted without thinking.
'It's not Molly's fault.'
'Yes, it is, Molly. You don't have to worry about it. In fact, it's our steering committee that's responsible for not being aware of it.
'No, it's the players who got carried away and said, "This will be a piece of cake!" even though they can't do it.
'Yashiro, don't say anything you don't want to say because it will make it difficult to put the story together.

Because it's not my fault.
But you don't have to worry about it at all, Molly.

Even if I say ......, she'll probably still care, Molly.

'You should learn a little more from your brother, Molly.
'What?What, what, what area, what, what?'
'Wait, Molly!You're too upset!You've got a lot to learn from me, don't you?
I've got a lot to learn from you.
'I didn't do anything criminal!
'I'm sorry, Yashiro-san. I don't think I can be so insensitive as to justify stalking.
'That's terrible!My family members are the worst... seriously!

I'd rather you learn from Molly, I tell myself every day like a Buddhist monk.

'You're right, hero.

Barbara, who for some reason is snuggled up next to me.

'I'm not mad at you at all.
'But ......'.
'Come on, don't look like that. You're probably prettier when you're smiling. Just like Teresa. So keep smiling. See?'
'...... Thank you, thank you, thank you.'
'Hmm. Don't worry about it.'

She taps Molly on the shoulder and gives her a 'how's it going? I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not.
What, is that an appeal to me?

Next to tits.
'Where's the information, what's that?
'Well, ......, don't you like a good cook, Yashiro?

I'm not sure what to say. You've got a very targeted opinion.
I'm sure you're not the only one who thinks that.Hmm?

'Hero.
I'm a hero.
'Aashi, let's boil some corn.
'What's wrong with that?
'Three times out of four, it will fail.
'Why don't you tell me you can do it when it's 100%?
'No, I'm not!When I asked Ka-chan what 'boiling' meant, she told me that it meant to put corn through boiling water quickly, so I put corn through boiling water quickly, and it was really hard.
'It's called boiling corn, but you have to boil it for a long time!
'It's confusing!
'Don't tell me!

The landlady said 'cook'.
At Yap Lock's place, they call it 'boiling'.
Also, when I went to Hokkaido, they called it 'boiled corn'. Since that's what the locals say, it must be 'yugaku', right?

Seeing Barbara so attached to me, Molly pinched her chin and pondered for a moment.

'Um, Yashiro-san, ...... I think it's probably not the same ............, no way?'
'Yes, Molly. As you can see, it's different.'

As expected of Molly, she's very perceptive.
She seems to have understood this complicated situation exactly.

It's not my fault, but I'm in a lot of trouble.

'Well, you know. Most of the injured people know they deserve it, and no one's going to blame Molly.


'...... even if that's the case.'
'Even if that's the case, don't worry, if you get really pissed off, I'll make you take responsibility for it.
'Hey, you!What are you talking about, seriously?
'I think the guardian should take full responsibility for the actions of the minor sister.
I'm not sure what to say.
'...... If that's what you mean, then...'
'Molly has been convinced!
'So, Aashi, when you're pissed off, you should just hit your brother, right?
'There was a person who blew up a lot of things and interpreted them in a messy way!

Molly's expression lightened slightly.
In this girl's case, she didn't really think that she could just put the blame on her brother, and decided that she shouldn't stay down forever because the people around her were taking such good care of her.
Percy was the perfect opportunity for him to do so.

'Molly, back to the blue team. The longer I'm around you, the worse it's going to get for me.'
'Why don't you just let it happen? I like being around you, Yashiro-san.'
'That's terrible, Molly!

Molly makes fun of her brother.
But there's a guy here who's a bit of a pain in the ass and can't take a joke like that. ......

'What is it?You like heroes too?

Barbara's whole body is filled with fighting spirit.
Molly quickly changes her color, then says with perfect composure.

'I didn't mean to imply love.
'I see. I'm glad to hear it!You're a good guy after all.

Barbara rubs her face with a smirk, squaring her shoulders without permission.
Molly. You can call me annoying if you want.

But I've got a problem.
Even Estella, Jeannette, Magda, and Loretta, including myself, are having a hard time figuring out how best to deal with Barbara in this situation.
How should I deal with this guy?

'Okay, Percy. Take Barbara and Molly back to the blue group.
'Don't add anything else!

What do you mean 'extra'? ...... You're really terrible to everyone but Nephrite.
You'll never be popular. You have a pretty face. Don't be popular. You're disgusting.

'......, take care of Barbara, Percy.'
'Nice to meet you, Mr. Percy.'
'Hey, hey, hey, sunny-side up girls!Listen to my opinion once in a while!
'What's all the fuss about, guys?

Neffely comes trotting over.
Tracy's not here. Looks like she hasn't tied her legs yet. Well, she took a big tumble on her way in.

'Oh, it's you, Neffely!Thanks for what you did back there. Aash, I learned a lot from you.
'I didn't do anything to deserve your thanks, though. ......'
'Mr. Nepheli, this guy ......, no, did you have a problem with him?'
'There was, or rather ......'
'He taught me about 'love'.'
'Wait, what?Barbara, don't embarrass me, please!
'You're embarrassed?'
'I'm embarrassed!

Neffely glanced at me.
You don't want to talk about love in front of boys, do you?
It really reminds me of the chickens in elementary school, that move.

'Where there are no boys, you know.
'Oh. Tell me all about it.

Nephrite pulled away from us, gave Barbara an earful, and nailed her hard.
I don't know how this behavior appeared to him, but Percy asked me something misguided.

'Hey, kiddo. Is that woman close to Mr. Nephrite?
'Yeah, I guess so. You might want to be nice to her because she might become your best friend.

So I said something appropriate.
What you said today is not subject to the judgment of the spirits.
In the first place, 'may become' is not a lie.

So.

'I see!I'll be nice then!

I'm not responsible for any of Percy's snickering.



'Hey, you. Barbara, right?Come here. There's a place where you can see the race better.'
'No, Aashi needs to be next to the hero.
'You haven't finished your race yet. You shouldn't be so close to him, seriously.'
'Hero didn't say it's annoying!
'Even if you don't say it, wouldn't you hate it if people thought that even a little bit in your mind?You can't laugh if your desire to be liked goes out of control and you end up with the exact opposite result, seriously.
'...... brother, if you know that, why ......?

Molly.
Your brother is aware of the general logic.
He just can't see himself objectively.

'Cause I understand what it's like to try to look good for someone who's not looking back. I'll help you, seriously.

It looks like Percy is saying something decent .......
If you can disregard the fact that this is all about showing Nepheli that I am a man who can be kind to your friends.

And Nephrite, who is insensitive to his own affairs.

'Percy, you're a very caring person, aren't you?

And Percy says, 'Aha!I got a point! He turned his face away as if he was aiming for the moment when Percy raised his fist and said

'......But being cheered on by the current Barbara is kind of complicated and ......subtle, isn't it?

He made a difficult face and mumbled.

What is this?
I'm not sure if this is the world of shoujo manga, with its complicated quadrilateral and pentagonal relationships, or what?
I don't care who you are, just get together, it's too much trouble!
Well, if you do, I'll smash you to bits!

'Yashiro. Didn't you just make a face as if you were putting yourself on the shelf?
'Estella, are you a researcher?Don't try to read my emotions with the movement of your facial muscles.

Leaving Barbara in the care of a buoyant Percy, we here begin to prepare for the resumption of the race.
First, some advice.

'Loretta.
'Yes, sir.
'When you put your foot out, keep it facing out.
'Outward ......?'

'Yes.
Ginette has extremely inner thighs.
If you run inwards to Loretta, you'll be 'pulling' each other's leg ties.
That is exactly the same as being 'pulled', which hinders running and increases the risk of falling.
Therefore, if both of you open your hip joints to the extent that you are thigh-deep and put your feet outward, you will be able to run smoothly without being pulled.

'If I put my feet outward, won't I push or kick the manager?
'Don't worry. The human body is not as flexible as you think. It will finally straighten up when it is facing too far outward. That's about it.
'...... I can do some pretty extreme movements, can't I?
'Hmmm.........I wonder how it is with the beastmen.........'

In the case of humans, even when we think we've gone to extremes, we're still inward-looking. ......

'Then match the ginette's feet.'
'Okay, sir. I'll try to be more conscious.

'Loretta's usually pretty handy, so she should be able to handle it.
Because she's plainly handy.
Because she's plainly ordinary. Oh, that fits. Yes, yes, Loretta is plain and ordinary.

So, the problem is Jeannette. ......

'You don't care about Loretta.
'What?But if you do, Loretta's burden will be ......'.
'It's more of a burden to be cared for by you. Even with your full effort, Loretta has a lot of energy left. It would be easier for her if you just give in and let her do all the work. You know?
'That's right, Manager!Just leave it to me!
'Is that so?
'You know, Jeannette. There are certain things you're not good at. Think about what would happen if Loretta pushed herself too hard and tried to cook your food. What if Loretta insists on doing all the appetizers, main course, soup, and dessert while you still have a lot of energy left?
'Oh, .......'
'You'd kick her out, right?'
'No, I wouldn't go that far. ......'
'Well, something like that.'

Don't push yourself if you can't do it.
If you can't do it, take advantage of those who can.

You're not fighting this alone.


You have friends you can count on.

You have friends you can count on,' he said, and sent them on their way.

'Well said, sir.
'Shut up. Natalia has been giving you a lot of attention.'
'Of course I understand. That's why I do my best to leave things to her. Natalia is a trustworthy person.'
'If Natalia hears you say that...'
'...... in Estella's bed.'
'You're not, are you, Magda?Why are you forcing your way in and leading us in a strange direction?

Of course it's because it's fun.

'Anyway, there are only a few races left, but don't get hurt. Don't try any crazy maneuvers.'
'I'm not going to do anything that might get me hurt.

I don't like pain.

As Estella left, the riders were lining up.
Familiar faces lined up at the starting line.

The blue team is Neffely and Tracy.
Percy is cheering hard from his seat.
Next to him is Barbara. You really did take them. Molly's making a subtle face.

And the yellow team is Paula and Wendy.
Paula was the best in the race, and Wendy was the slowest.
She doesn't seem to move too fast, and she is a researcher. I guess that's fair.

And the white team was Ginette and Loretta.
Both of them look crisp, but ...... in their case, the more they exert themselves, the more they seem to spin out of control.

The last red team is the bumpy duo of Delia and Millie.
If Delia had sprinted with Millie in her arms, this team would have been on its own, but that was forbidden by the rules.
Now, let's see how they can overcome the height disadvantage.

'Miry. There's no need to panic.
'Derria-san ....... Thank you.
'It's fine as long as you can match my speed.
'It's impossible for you to do that without pushing yourself too hard, Miri!

Millie, I hope you make it to the finish line.


'Get in position, okay!

--Boom!


The waiter gave the signal and all the runners started running at once.
There are three things that surprise me, and one thing that saddens me.

First, Delia is running slowly, matching Millie's stride.
I was afraid that if Delia went out of control, Millie would surely be dragged along, but Delia has grown up to take care of the kids, hasn't she?

'As expected of Delia, she's good with kids!
'Milly, you're an adult!

Milly, who was running slowly, sent a desperate protest.
Haha. That's funny, Miri jokes.

And then, the second surprise--

'Wendy, you're so slow!
'I don't blame you, hero!I'm a researcher ...... and I'm a flower in the shade .......'

Wendy stumbles, stumbles, stumbles anyway, clinging to Paula.
She was killing the speed of the lively Paula.

'Well, well, don't worry about it, Wendy. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.'
'Ugh. ...... I'm glad you're a kind person, Paula. But I am sincerely sorry.

Wendy bows her head to Paula's fake smile.
How do I know it's a fake smile?
Because Paula's tail is wagging slowly to the left.

Dogs tend to wag their tails to the left when they are unhappy.
The reason for this is still unknown, but judging from Paula's face, I'm sure it's not wrong.

Okay, let's check it out.

'Paula, what if it's Bekko next to you right now?'
'I'd hit him.'
'I'm sorry, Paula!I'm sorry I'm such a dull woman!
'No, before that, Mr. Paula should apologize to me!

Becko complained a while ago.
Cheeky.
I'll let him play again, of course, paired with Medora.

And...
The biggest surprise is...


The white team is now in the lead.


Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd see Ginette running at the head of the pack.

'Mr. Manager, it's looking good.
'It's so easy to run with Loretta-san matching me.



Ginette fell hard right after she let her guard down, and Loretta was involved.
It's a good thing they weren't on the averages.

The white team cleared the averages smoothly, leaving the other team behind, and moved on to the next ball.
That's a big lead.
This might be a good chance.


And finally, a sad note: ......

'Tracy's a Salacious ......'

It's not shaking at all!
Next door at Nepheleigh, it's shaking a bit!

'I hate Salacious and Gellaracious!
'Don't you dare disrespect me, Oobar!

I heard the lord's voice from afar, but I did my best to ignore it.

'I wish Nephrite's beak would be as sharp as an eagle's and bite off the sarashi next to him. ......'
'Mr. Nepheli wouldn't do that, would he, young man?

I'm not sure what to say.
I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.
You can hear me too much!
Is this a studio?You can't hear me!Don't pay attention to me!

'...... Chororin'.
'Hey, palm snapper!

What?
Why does everyone have such good hearing? ...... Does the athletic event sharpen the senses of the athletes and spectators?
......No way.

'......Yashiro. Your voice is loud.'
'What!My voice?
'......Yashiro's voice comes through so well that it's easy to hear him even when he's far away.'
'I see. Then it's the same principle as the sound of boobs shaking, isn't it?
'...... Although I don't agree with that.

d*mn.
Talented people will always be hard to understand.
But a hundred years from now, my theory will have become common knowledge. I believe in that future.

Yes, a future in which everyone will be able to hear the sound of a taut H-cup that was slowly bouncing and slightly increasing its bouncing speed!

'Derria-san, Miri, I think I can run a little faster.'
'I see!Then I'll just fly a little faster!
'Hmm!

The red team picked up speed.
The bumpy duo is in perfect sync.
Their bond seems to have been strengthened by the fact that they survived the averages together.

They are in hot pursuit of Neffery and Tracy, who are in front of them.

'They're catching up, Mr. Nepheli!
'Let's pick up the pace here too, Tracy!

Nepheli and Tracy finish carrying the wooden ball and start running with their long legs spread as wide as they can.
But they have long legs, those two.
Lucia and Estella are the same, but lords have long arms and legs, don't they? Maybe it's their bloodline, or maybe they've been raised on good food.
I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not.
...... I really wonder why his face looks like a chicken's.

You're so cute!I'm so fat!

What's that, Percy?
What do you mean, you look happy?Are you loosening the end of your beak?

Meanwhile, Nephrite and the others were catching up with the white team.
Ginette's breath is rising. Is she running out of stamina? ......

'Loretta!Jeannette has more energy in her bounces than anyone else, and it's wearing her out!Hold on to her tight!'
'Big brother, you're being too loud!
'If you want, I can help you hold him down!
'I said it's too noisy!

I'm trying to tell you that your stamina is going to run out because you're not as athletic as the rest of us.
Jesus, why don't you grab her tits? ......

'Loretta's guy, why isn't he grabbing Jeannette's tits ......?
'...... And do you need an explanation?'

Magda doesn't seem to want to answer, so I won't bother.
If I were you, I'd definitely help you hold it down.

'...... Manager and his team enter the dark labyrinth'

Ginette and the others managed to enter the dark labyrinth without being overtaken.
However, the gap between them and the second and third players is almost nil.
If they got lost in the maze, they would be reversed in no time.

'Ms. Wendy, hang in there!Come on, get up!


'Sorry, sorry, it's kind of hard to run ...... Ukya!

Paula and Wendy's strides were fatally out of sync.
Paula, impatient because of the delay, tried to go as fast as possible, which in turn caused Wendy to fall.

'Wendy, you're worse than Jeannette this time!
'That's not fair, Paula!

Yeah.
You guys, even if you didn't mean it, that's terrible.
You're just treating Jeannette like a girl who can't do anything!
Well, it's true, but...

'But, Manager. You haven't fallen at all this time.'
'That's right. I thought that since I was paired with Loretta, I wouldn't be able to move a single step from the starting point.

Paula is underestimating Loretta.
He's a pretty average player. He's not a great player. He's just plain awesome. Just plain.

Wendy probably thought she was more athletic than Jeannette, and Paula must have thought she was better than Loretta.
But when they actually started running together, things took an unexpected turn.
You must be in a hurry, a lot.

This difference is the result of my advice to Loretta to 'run with your feet out'.
It's all about how much support you can give to someone who can't exercise. That's the difference.

Because Paula's legs are stronger than Wendy's, Wendy can't run straight because her legs are taken up by Paula's legs, and even though she is not good at sports, she falls down because of the force applied in a strange direction.
They were a bad match, this pair.

Now, while the pair of Paula and Wendy were struggling, the players of the other team were...

'So, Derria-san, which way are you going?That way, to the wall!
'Tracy, don't stop so suddenly.
'Hey, Millie!There's something here!I've got something!
'Whoa, whoa, whoa!Ms. Delia, that's me!It's my head!
'Mr. Neffely!This wall's really starting to look a little hinty.
'Tracy, that's not a wall, that's my ......... Anyway, please don't poke me too much!

It seems that she is very lost in the dark.
I mean, what Tracy was poking at was--

'It's definitely the boobs!
'...... She couldn't help but say it out loud. It's just a matter of time, though, since it's Yashiro.

We lagged behind the rest of the team, lost in the darkness, for several tens of seconds. Finally, Paula and Wendy entered the dark labyrinth.
Until then, none of the teams emerged from the labyrinth.

But!

'''' dazzling!
'Ah, now you know the way, Loretta.
'Wow, this isn't scary at all, is it, Derria?
'Wendy,......, what are you doing sending salt to the enemy,......'
'What?I'm ............ sorry.'

Wendy seemed to glow inside, and the whole team came out of the dark labyrinth together.

'''Thank you, Wendy.'''
''No, um, please stop .......''

Wendy turned her head and started to run.
But Paula didn't continue and had a big fall.


And so, the second half of the tripod obstacle race resumed, side by side.
The red team with the height difference had the advantage in the curve with the caterpillar, and the duo of Nepheli and Tracy adapted to the tripod without any trouble. But in the end, the red team came in first, and the white team came in third.

But in the end, the red team finished first and the white team finished third. ...... Well, that's a normal result.
That's Loretta. Even with Ginette, the results were normal.