Uma Musume Pretty Derby: To The Basement Chapter 216: Uma Musume Pretty Derby: To The Basement [216]

Rewinding three minutes earlier, when Mizuno was still trapped between Tokai Teio and Rice Shower, completely immobilized…

"You two…can let go of now…" Mizuno shook his head in resignation, surrendering entirely to his body's uncontrollable desires.

"Onii-sama, are you really sure?" Rice Shower lifted her head, blinking her big, innocent eyes at Mizuno.

"Well…" Mizuno hesitated for a split second.

"Trainer, it's fine if I just keep holding you like this forever, you know?" Tokai Teio similarly blinked cutely at him.

"Let go!" Mizuno instantly answered with firm resolve.

"Okay…" The two Uma obediently nodded at his order and reluctantly released his arms.

The very mont Mizuno regained his freedom, his legs uncontrollably stepped forward, rushing straight towards King Halo in front of him.

"!" Seeing Mizuno running toward her like a boyfriend who'd been separated from his lover for years, King Halo nervously pressed both hands to her chest, freezing in place and completely lost on what to do.

Should I run?!

But what if I kinda don't want to run?!

As she watched Mizuno's rapidly approaching figure, she even felt a faint urge to run forward and embrace him herself…

However, doing that would completely ruin her carefully cultivated top-tier image. Besides, so many classmates were watching; the sheer embarrassnt made it impossible for her to drop her pride and openly embrace Mizuno in return…

Ultimately, King Halo neither ran away nor ran toward him—instead, she decisively closed her eyes, opened her arms, and stood there with a bright-red face, waiting for Mizuno to reach her.

Although Mizuno only needed a few seconds to reach her, to King Halo—who stood nervously waiting—those few seconds felt unbearably long.

With eyes shut, she could only hear Mizuno's approximate location by sound, unable to see exactly when or how he'd hug her. This uncertainty caused her imagination to run wild.

Will he run straight into ? Will the hug be really tight? Won't that squish my chest terribly?

"Eep—" Only when she was finally gently drawn into a warm embrace, her face softly pressed against his chest and the familiar scent filling her nose, did King Halo's nervous heart finally relax.

Unexpectedly, at that mont, she actually felt a sense of relief—sothing like, I've finally hugged him…

"Fufu~" King Halo's Uma ears excitedly twitched, and she instinctively nuzzled her cheek against Mizuno's chest.

"King Halo-san?" Mizuno stared down in shock at the prideful young lady who normally demanded constant praise, unable to believe she was now acting like a spoiled little girl.

"Uuu!" Realizing her dignified image was collapsing, King Halo quickly raised her head in panic. Her face turned redder than a boiling kettle, steam practically puffing from her head.

"T-That, that! It's definitely not what you think!" Her eyes spun wildly, hands tightening their grip around Mizuno's waist.

"I'm just…I'm just trying to find a more comfortable position! Don't misunderstand !"

"I get it, I get it! But don't squeeze so hard—My back!" Mizuno cried out in pain, feeling like his waist was about to snap.

"S-sorry!" Hearing his howl, King Halo hastily loosened her grip and anxiously asked, "Are you hurt…?"

"I'm fine, really…" Mizuno gritted his teeth and shook his head.

Not dead, at least…though I nearly turned into a certain white-haired teacher who said 'Nah I'd Win'…

"Grr…" Tokai Teio, watching the pair embrace from the sidelines, angrily puffed her cheeks until they resembled two oversized buns.

I'm jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous × N!

Although, strictly speaking, if judged by frequency and total duration of hugs with Mizuno, Tokai Teio would clearly hold first place, she still wished her rivals would always remain at zero. How wonderful if she alone stood at the top!

"Onii-sama…" Rice Shower shared similar thoughts to Tokai Teio but with an extra layer of regret.

Regretting why she didn't just dispose of that potion…

Or better yet, why hadn't she simply drunk it herself back then?

"Umm…" Unlike the two Uma glaring jealously at King Halo, Kiryuin-san instead lightly tapped Mizuno's shoulder, raising a very important question:

"Trainer Mizuno, where are you planning to stay tonight with King Halo-san?"

"Oh, right!" Mizuno and King Halo exclaid simultaneously.

Because of the forced effect of the Hug Potion, the two of them would be locked in each other's embrace for the whole week. They'd have to remain together while eating, studying, working, and even sleeping.

Indeed, where they'd sleep tonight was a huge problem!

The old Secret Boys' Dormitory was being relocated and rebuilt, and until the new dorm was ready, Mizuno had no proper private quarters.

They couldn't possibly spend the night together in the team's training room, right?

Mizuno himself wouldn't mind it, but he refused to let King Halo—a growing teenage girl—suffer with him. Students should sleep on comfortable beds!

But what other options were there?

Should they perhaps get a hotel room?

No, no, no! A trainer checking into a hotel with an Uma was way too scandalous!

Even putting aside the reputation-damaging rumors about King Halo, Mizuno seriously doubted his personal safety would be guaranteed!

While Mizuno was deeply troubled by this dilemma, a cheerful, innocent voice suddenly called out from nearby.

"Trainer-san~!"

Haru Urara, wearing her signature sunny smile, happily dashed over to Mizuno and stopped in front of him.

"Trainer-san~ You're finally back~ Everyone really missed you, you know~?"

"Mm, I missed everyone too." Mizuno managed to free one hand, gently patting Urara's head.

He realized as long as the conditions for hugging King Halo remained satisfied, he could apparently still use his hands freely.

"Trainer Mizuno…"

Behind Urara, jiro McQueen slowly approached, though her gaze toward Mizuno and King Halo was complicated. Her face rested anxiously on her hand, clearly deep in thought.

"Trainer Mizuno, have you and King Halo-san…beco a couple?" jiro McQueen cautiously asked.

"Uu—!" Upon hearing this, King Halo shyly shut her eyes, tail wagging gently. She neither confird nor denied the question.

"…" Tokai Teio and Rice Shower's faces darkened instantly.

"No! Don't misunderstand!" Mizuno furiously shook his head and quickly explained the situation again.

"Oh, I see…" jiro McQueen placed her hand over her heart, letting out a relieved sigh.

Whew, thank goodness…

This ant the mission her grandmother assigned hadn't failed yet—the jiro family still had a chance!

In that case, she could finally have a taste of that Honey Drink she'd been deprived of these past weeks~

Thus, jiro McQueen extended her hand gracefully: "Trainer Mizuno, a Honey Drink please."

Mizuno: "?"

Demanding a drink imdiately after seeing him—did she really think he was a vending machine?!

However, Mizuno actually preferred that impression. He was rely an ordinary vending machine at their beck and call, maintaining nothing more than a transactional relationship with jiro McQueen—definitely never going further.

Even for jiro Ardan, who enjoyed discussing Chinese history with him, Mizuno rely regarded her as a student fond of history class. Whenever the younger jiro family Uma invited him to their estate, Mizuno always found reasons to politely refuse.

The jiro Estate?

I'd rather be Uma-Pyoi'd to death than set foot there!

"Fine." Mizuno ultimately agreed, taking out materials from his pocket to swiftly prepare a fresh Honey Drink for jiro McQueen.

"Thank you." McQueen eagerly accepted it and imdiately took a long sip.

The sweet yet llow flavor stimulated her taste buds, flowing gently down her throat, warmly spreading through her body and energizing every cell. The long weeks of endurance finally found release in this very mont.

"Haa~" jiro McQueen exhaled in bliss, her eyes rolling up slightly, looking suspiciously like an addict getting their long-awaited fix.

"Uhh…" Mizuno stared at jiro McQueen's strange expression, desperately wanting to comnt:

You gluttonous filly! Are you treating Honey Drink like a street drug now?!

Right then, a quiet, mosquito-like voice softly called out from Mizuno's embrace:

"Um…Trainer Mizuno…"

King Halo shyly buried her face in Mizuno's chest, murmuring very softly:

"Tonight…stay at my dorm, okay…?"