"D-d-date?"

Symboli Rudolf shakily put down her broken pen, rubbed her eyes, and carefully read the characters on her phone screen again. She even read them out loud several times, making sure she hadn't misread.

"Trainer Mizuno is going on a date with Teio?!"

From her body seeped a dangerous aura. The entire Student Council office was shrouded under a crushing pressure called [Emperor's Dignity]. Even the flowers in the pot by the window shivered as though under frost.

"Trainer Mizuno…" Rudolf's expression grew stern.

The reason she had insisted Mizuno become Tokai Teio's trainer rested on two points.

The first was ability.

Though he was only a rookie trainer, Mizuno's training level and insight were already on par with advanced trainers. With his potential, he might grow stronger still, enough to help Teio achieve her dream of an undefeated Triple Crown.

Of course, that was only secondary. The Academy had many excellent trainers, and Teio's talent was high—she didn't necessarily need Mizuno.

The real reason he had stood out among all the rest was something else:

Responsibility.

Trainer Mizuno not only fulfilled a trainer's basic duty, he also followed Academy rules more faithfully than others. He always maintained proper distance from his charge, never developing a romantic relationship. That was why Rudolf had been able to entrust Teio to him with peace of mind.

But if Mizuno were no different from other trainers—if he saw his charge as a love interest and stole away that precious child Teio—then she would have to reconsider whether Mizuno should remain Teio's trainer at all…

Or perhaps—it wasn't that Mizuno wanted to do this. Maybe because of the threats she had forced on him last night, he had grown resentful, and so deliberately agreed to a "date" with Teio as rebellion against her?

Ding-ling~

While Rudolf wrestled with these thoughts, another message arrived from Tokai Teio.

She hurriedly opened it.

[Chat with Teio]

[Tokai Teio]: Trainer Mizuno said to invite you too, Prez. The three of us will go together~

Rudolf blinked, then suddenly understood.

"Heh… so that's it…"

A smile returned to her face. The terrifying aura slowly melted away, replaced by a shower of sparkling little stars.

The flower by the window, its spine bent under her earlier pressure, now stood tall again, basking in warmth.

"I misjudged you, Trainer Mizuno…" Rudolf sighed with a self-deprecating smile.

Not only had Mizuno not harbored resentment for last night, he had generously invited her to join their outing with Teio tomorrow. That was proof of his upright character.

By contrast, she herself—after trusting him so deeply, even resorting to underhanded tactics to force him and Teio together—she had let a single word twist her judgment. She had been petty. Petty, and utterly unworthy of the dignity of an Emperor.

In that light, she felt ashamed of herself. And toward Mizuno—her trust deepened. Her respect grew.

"I've decided! From now on, no matter what Trainer Mizuno does—I will believe in him!" Rudolf vowed silently in her heart.

"And when we go out tomorrow, I'll properly apologize for last night."

She lifted her phone and typed back.

[Chat with Teio]

[Symboli Rudolf]: Yes. I look forward to it.

Afterward, she slipped the phone back in the drawer, drew a fresh fountain pen from the cup, and bent over her papers again.

"For tomorrow's outing, I must finish this work quickly."

...

"Prez agreed And she's looking forward to it!"

Tokai Teio beamed, showing Mizuno her chat with Rudolf.

"Oh, that's great." Mizuno nodded.

With Rudolf along, he no longer had to worry about Teio clinging only to him.

All he needed to do was keep quiet while Teio glued herself to Rudolf. Combine that with the [Doctor's Outfit] lowering his presence, and he could slowly fade into the background—just a bystander in the outing.

That way, he would still keep his promise of going out with Teio, but avoid any excessive contact with her. Perfect balance.

"Let's go to the cooking classroom and help. Everyone's waiting for us," Mizuno suggested.

He hadn't forgotten that all the groceries still needed prepping. The most important thing now was to host Urara and Happy Meek's victory feast. Tomorrow's outing could wait until tomorrow.

"Okay~"

Teio and Gold Ship agreed, and went with him to the cooking classroom.

...

One trainer, four Uma—all busily working on the mountain of food.

Urara washed carrots while humming. Rice Shower stood with a knife, carefully chopping vegetables. Kiryuin Aoi and Happy Meek, brave and steady, scrubbed little lobsters and clipped their legs.

And King Halo…

She was trying to cook rice with the electric rice cooker.

Though King Halo always boasted that a first-rate self could do anything, when it came to cooking she really had no experience.

Washing vegetables? Everyone else had already done it. Only Urara's pile of carrots remained, no help needed.

Chopping vegetables? She couldn't wield the knife properly—everything came out one big piece, one tiny, unbearable to look at. That was handed over to the professional (Rice Shower).

As for washing live lobsters with snapping claws, cutting off all their legs? Too terrifying. She simply didn't have the courage.

So the only task left for her was to cook rice…

Just as King Halo was debating how much to make, Mizuno arrived with Tokai Teio and Gold Ship.

"Trainer Mizuno, do you want rice?" King Halo called out.

"Rice?"

Mizuno thought for a moment.

As someone who ate rice at every meal, rice was indispensable to him. Whether a meal had rice was more important than whether a dish had salt.

Even if there were no side dishes, just soy sauce drizzled over rice—he could make do with that.

"Then please cook me a bowl. I really like rice. Eating without it always feels like something's missing," Mizuno said.

Not far away, Rice Shower's ears perked with joy as she chopped.

"Hehe~ Onii-sama likes rice..."