Facing Ardan, whose eyes held a trace of eager anticipation, Nearl felt a faint, almost imperceptible sense of peculiarity—a premonition that left her slightly unsettled.
She knew well that such feelings didn't arise without reason, yet understanding their origin was far more difficult than simply acknowledging them.
Her physical limits were still too great, making it impossible to fully follow that thread of thought.
"Sigh." Letting out a soft breath, she tucked away the odd sensation and turned back to meet Ardan's gaze squarely.
"..."
That gaze remained steady and unwavering, not faltering in the slightest even after more than ten seconds of silence.
Though she had long known that this young lady, gentle and delicate in appearance, hid a glass-like resolve beneath the surface, seeing her expression now made it clear that refusing this request would be difficult.
"Very well. For the next few days, my duties won't differ much from those of a trainer. Let me briefly take on the title of 'trainer' during this training camp."
Nearl accepted the form of address. Since Ardan didn't have an assigned trainer, there was no offense in her using the term, and thus no reason for Nearl to refuse.
"But only during this period. Once the camp ends, there's no need to continue. If you were to keep calling me 'trainer' back at Tracen Academy..."
Imagining her classmates staring at her and Ardan with confusion and curiosity, Nearl's toes curled in embarrassment for a moment, and she gave her tail an abashed flick.
"I'd probably have to become nocturnal just to avoid the attention."
"Ardan understands what's appropriate, don't worry. I won't put you in such an awkward situation."
Ardan responded with a faint smile, her whole being now radiating a lovely, early-spring-like warmth, like a flower blooming in an instant.
"Was there really a need to be this happy?"
Watching her friend, who could hardly contain her joy, Nearl sighed softly and smoothed her own temple hair, unaware that she too had unconsciously let a slight smile show.
She was happy because Ardan was happy, even if she didn't yet understand exactly what was going through the young lady's mind.
However, Nearl had overlooked one small thing.
Ardan had employed a subtle verbal trick—she hadn't directly answered Nearl's question. Her replies were all vague and ambiguous, skirting around the edges.
"Hehe." Ardan narrowed her eyes slightly in satisfaction. Her plan was progressing steadily, step by step.
But by the afternoon, such small schemes could no longer occupy her mind. Nearl's training regimen was tightly structured, keeping Ardan fully focused from start to finish.
"Report—jogging complete. What's the next training task?"
A sweat-drenched Ardan panted to a stop in front of Nearl, looking up at her with eager anticipation, her expression bright and energized.
Ardan had noticed that Nearl's control over training intensity was unexpectedly adept—whether it was jogging, sprinting, weighted jumps… every aspect was handled with precision, as if she understood Ardan's physical limits even better than Ardan herself.
"Hmm, there's no next task for now."
Nearl swiped through a tablet, making occasional adjustments, having fully settled into the role of trainer.
"Your legs are already starting to swell slightly. You can't continue—rest for a while."
"Huh? But my usual training volume is more than this—"
"Less than this, if I remember correctly."
Cutting Ardan off with mild firmness, Nearl looked up and met her eyes directly, handing over the tablet filled with dense notations.
With just one glance, Ardan recognized what the data represented—she knew it all too well.
"This is my physical assessment report?"
"Mhm. The training load I've arranged is already at the limit. Pushing further would just harm your future. Do you really want me to do something like that with my own hands?"
"Ahaha…"
Ardan immediately gave up on pressing further, her smile turning awkward. She opened her mouth but ultimately said nothing more.
Nearl had ended the discussion right there—that retort left no room for argument.
Indeed, Ardan knew her body seemed a bit better now, but there was no telling when issues might flare up again. If luck was bad and it happened right in front of Nearl…
Ardan could already picture Nearl weighed down by guilt for the rest of her life.
'Never mind,' Ardan sighed inwardly.
'Nearl's approach is sound, and her training plan is efficient. Even with slightly less training than before, the improvement should be similar, with less strain on my body. She isn't trying to harm me—no need to insist.'
With that, some of her impatience quietly subsided. Ardan looked at Nearl and nodded.
"You're my trainer. I'll follow your arrangements when it comes to the training plan."
"Good. Just make sure not to push yourself too hard, Ardan. Leave the rest to me—after all, I am your trainer."
"Even if only temporarily."
Having said that, Nearl took back the tablet and began scrolling through it again.
She was so focused that she missed the gentle, wistful expression on Ardan's slightly turned face.
"What a heart-stirring thing to say. How I wish that one day, those words would be directed not at training plans… but at me."
Ardan mumbled under her breath, her words soft and indistinct. Even though Nearl's ears twitched and caught some sound, she couldn't make out what was said.
But her curiosity about Ardan's words was fleeting.
Checking the time, Nearl decided to proceed with the planned massage session.
Ardan's face flushed tomato-red… Well, of course not.
For Uma Musume, leg massages—especially for the calves—were practically a weekly routine.
Those from well-off families even had dedicated technicians. It was all too familiar, something experienced since childhood.
Besides, this wasn't ancient times—there were no outdated, restrictive notions about such things. There was nothing to remark about therapeutic touch for legitimate purposes.
Though Ardan would only accept female massage therapists; her temperament was still slightly conservative. Nearl was likely one of only two people who had ever massaged her legs.
It just showed how deeply fond she truly was.
And the results certainly didn't disappoint. Nearl's massage skills were no less than those of a professional—perhaps even better.
Her knowledge of meridian points from medical studies, her perfectly controlled pressure, and that warm energy subtly channeled through her hands—Nearl could rightly be called a "healing touch."
"Ah! Hehe! Eek!"
Ardan could hardly hold back her reactions. Her legs grew slightly warm, alternating between soreness and tingling, yet each press brought an unexpected sense of release.
'Nearl knows so much. How does one even learn to be this versatile?'
Slightly lost in relaxation, the young lady began to feel lightheaded, her tail swaying comfortably back and forth, occasionally tapping against Nearl.
All of this was witnessed by Oguri Cap, perched on a distant tree, tilting her head in a slightly puzzled manner.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.