Why was I assigned to be a horse girl?

"Some horse girls might try to pry open the bricks on the wall, or even kick them a couple of times..."

Kotobuki Toru, using common sense, briefly imagined what the future Uma Musume would do if she saw Hitoko Amber's words, and immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

It might not even take more than a decade, just a few years, before this dormitory wall is completely ruined by the relentless horse racing girls.

Not only that, but there should be more messages from other racehorse girls appearing next to the blue bricks where Hitoko Amber left her message.

It's foreseeable that this section will be flooded with comments like "There's a scammer ahead," "My foot hurts so much," and "Did you think this was a hidden wall?"

I just hope I've already run away by then...

After finishing the engraving, Fei Tu Amber was as proud as if she had left her handprints and footprints on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. "Let's go, let's go find our rooms first, and then I'll bring you my gift!"

Nishizaki Ryu found it amusing: "You even get a gift for passing the exam? May I ask what it is?"

Fei Tu Hu Po smiled brightly: "I filled him with a pillow."

Nishizaki Ryu felt a little jealous again. "Great... I don't even need to prepare a pillow."

Kotobuki Toru smiled without saying a word. Luckily, Nishizaki Ryu didn't know that the pillow was also filled with the fluff from Hitoko's tail...

Otherwise, she might actually die of jealousy. As a trainer, there's nothing more comforting than a gift made by the horse girl herself.

Upon entering the lobby, several trainers in suits were registering room numbers, their thick room name books still filled with names for many rooms.

"Hello, I am a newly hired trainer."

"Hello! Welcome to Central Treson. Let me take a look at your employment notice first."

While checking the information, the senior trainer chatted with everyone, "You're dressed so casually on your first day here, and you even had Fei Tu help you carry your suitcase... I'm so envious! Young man, I really admire your relaxed attitude. You should stay on the second floor!"

Kotobuki Toru knew he was likely to get into trouble today, but he was still curious about why the second floor was considered a bad spot, so he immediately asked.

"What are the disadvantages of living on the second floor?"

"There aren't any major drawbacks, except that you can often see racehorses climbing up the security bars... and you can hear the sound of stone being chiseled downstairs at night."

Kotobuki Toru didn't even try to get a better room, and simply nodded in agreement to the room assignment from her trainer colleague, "That's fine... It's quite interesting, the second floor it is."

Kotobuki's calm and composed demeanor surprised the trainer who was arranging the room. However, he assumed that Kotobuki was unaware of the advantages of a high floor and quickly explained, "Didn't you want to stay on a high floor? Let me tell you, Central Treson is located in the heart of Tokyo... There's a shopping street right outside your door, and the core business district is just a few steps away. If you can stay on a high floor at night, you can open the window and see the dazzling Tokyo metropolitan area."

Hitoko Amber nodded. Her dormitory was in a good location, and the Twin Towers were very tall. Just as the trainer said, if you opened the curtains and the window at night, you could see the colorful lights of Tokyo in the distance. The night sky in Shinjuku was always illuminated with colorful lights, and the Tokyo Skytree would be open for an hour every night. If you listened carefully, you could always hear the excited shouts of pedestrians on the street.

Every evening, the lady would sit on the balcony in her bathrobe, holding a glass of juice, gazing at the distant commercial district, marveling at the true essence of everyday life. Then she would be called back to play Three Kingdoms or Dou Dizhu.

Hitokohaku's eyes sparkled with love for the Tokyo night view, and she felt that Kotobuki Toru should also see such a beautiful sight...

"Yes, that's true. The view is great from the higher floors."

"Yeah, I roughly know what it's like. Don't forget, I'm a local too..."

Kotobuki Toru smiled at Hitoko Amber, then shook his head. "We can just look at the light pollution once and be done with it. It's better to be practical when choosing a place to live. I just did some research. There are so many employees at Treson, and there are only two elevators. I don't believe there won't be long queues every day when everyone is crowding into the elevators! I can sleep a little longer if I live on the second floor and take the emergency exit stairs downstairs!"

This time it was Nishizaki Ryu's turn to touch his chin.

"Hey...you're absolutely right. I'm so tired of squeezing into the elevator every morning. And when there's an earthquake and a power outage, it's even more hilarious. I'm on my own two legs. Going down the stairs is bearable, but going up is impossible...Is this what it means to see the world from a different perspective?"

"Unfortunately, your dormitory location has already been assigned, Nishizaki-san. If you really want to change, remember to submit an application first."

The trainer filled out Qin Chuitou's personal information on the roster and smiled, "I think you're really good. It's rare to find a young trainer as composed as you... Go on, room 222 on the second floor, it's the room with the best lighting."

"Thanks." Kotobuki Toru looked grateful, then turned around and nodded to Hitoko Amber behind him: "Room 222, aren't you going back to get your gift? Why don't you leave your luggage here and go back to get your gift? I'll go tidy up the room first."

"Okay! I'll come to your room later!"

Carrying their suitcases, they walked into their rooms. Although the dormitories that Treson had assigned to the trainers were not as luxurious as those of the racehorse girls' dormitories, each person still had their own room, complete with a bathroom and wardrobe. It was small but perfectly formed.

“It’s enough for one person, but it’s a bit of a stretch for two.” Nishizaki Ryu leaned against the door frame. “However, if the trainers get married, Treson will give them another apartment.”

"I still have a long way to go."

"It's still pretty early... But hey kid, when are you going to get your horse racing girl certification? I just searched for Amber... and she's still not a formal trainer. How can you be so shameless!"

"Oh, I remember now."

Nishizaki Ryu looked at Kotobuki Toru speechlessly, "Hurry up and get my marriage certificate! The registration office staff are coming to Central Tereson for New Year's Eve tomorrow."

Qin Chuitou nodded, preparing to print out the template for the certificate of appointment tonight.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one else was around, Nishizaki Ryu spoke up again, "By the way... I have another question. I feel that the relationship between you and Hito is closer than that between a typical racehorse girl and her trainer. What exactly is your relationship?"

-------

Chapter 153 People who lack love naturally don't know how to care for others (Bounty 14)

"Ahem, of course, I didn't mean anything by it... I'm just curious, don't overthink it."

Seeing Kotobuki Toru stop what he was doing, Nishizaki Ryu immediately thought he had asked something he shouldn't have, and with a smile on his face, he took back his words, "It's fine if you don't answer, just tell me it's just a normal working relationship."

"But we should just have a normal working relationship, right?"

Kotobuki Toru scratched his head: "I was just curious, why would you ask that question, Senpai..."

"Because what I see... the way you two get along is much closer than a typical mentor-mentee relationship. Look at me, if Golden Ship didn't call me boss, could you tell that she and I are already mentor-mentee?"

Nishizaki Ryu pointed to himself and started counting on his fingers: "The current number one trainer in Treson, Tojo Hana, is the strong woman who interviewed you last time. The racehorses under her are very respectful to her."

"So I think there might be something else between you two?" Nishizaki Ryu stroked his chin. "Of course, it's absolutely true that trainers and racehorse girls have a good relationship... There are quite a few trainers and racehorse girls with close relationships."

Kotobuki Toru stopped tidying up the room. He pulled a chair over from the desk, straightened it, and leaned back to sit down, looking thoughtful. "Of course, you're right, Senpai... My relationship with Kohaku does seem to be quite close, but I think there are reasons for that."

"Ok?"

Kotobuki then recounted Hitoko's background as an orphan since childhood, but cleverly omitted the fantastical and secret aspects of her life, such as being turned into a racehorse girl by the three goddesses and returning to her prime of youth.

"Huh? Hito-kun has such a past..."

Ryuya Nishizaki seemed a little surprised, then his old eyes reddened, "No wonder I haven't seen Hito wearing any luxury items lately, like pinky rings or earrings. It turns out she's still worried about making money after graduation... Waaah."

"No, I think she just doesn't like wearing them."

Kotobuki Toru recalled the scene when the noblewoman tried to force Hitsukohaku to wear those pierced earrings, and Hitsukohaku cried out in pain. Hitsukohaku probably really didn't like wearing such accessories.

I can't afford to wear them anyway...

"Of course, these are not the most important things. What is important is that Fei Tu Hu Po probably did not receive much care and love since childhood. She was alone, ignored, and unloved, and she did not know how to get along with other close people."

"I don't even know what love is."

"Hmm...that sounds a bit strange."

Kotobuki Toru scratched his head: "But that's also why Amber might not know what love is, or how to express her passion and care in close relationships with others... So sometimes, she might seem to be trying too hard?"

“I’ve known Amber for so long, and I used to want to observe her every day…” Nishizaki Ryu said indignantly, “But I’ve never seen Amber use excessive force against me. Of course, if she were to hit me, she would probably use excessive force… And it’s not just me. Amber is good to me and to her friends, but she’s never been like this to you.”

Kotobuki Toru fell silent for a moment. Nishizaki Ryu's words were not false. Just recalling the days he spent with Hitsukohaku, anyone who wasn't a fool could feel that... Hitsukohaku's attitude towards him was indeed somewhat hypocritical compared to how she treated others.

"This is……"

At this moment, Nishizaki Ryu spoke up: "I think this means they consider you family... They helped you carry your luggage and prepared bedding for you. My mother has never taken care of me like this."

Kotobuki Toru was taken aback at first. The word "family" was not unfamiliar to him. His parents were still alive, and he had an older sister... Regardless of the relationship between them, these were undoubtedly his family.

And now... even Hitotsu Amber is treating him like family?

Having lived for so many years, Kotobuki Toru was still somewhat at a loss when he asked Nishizaki Ryu, "So, Nishizaki-senpai, have you ever encountered this situation before?"

"How could I possibly have... uh, no, all these years of my racehorse girls have definitely treated me like family. If I've been a trainer for so many years and don't even have a single racehorse girl I can call family, how would that be a failure... I do have one, I'm sure I do. Hey, aren't we talking about you right now?"

"Huh? My affairs... what's there to consider? Family is family, that's fine."

In some companies, bosses shamelessly claim that all employees are their family.

Nishizaki Ryu pulled the lollipop out of his mouth with a "pop" and casually threw it into the trash can. Then, just like Kotobuki Toru, he dragged another chair from the room and sat facing Kotobuki Toru, mimicking Kotobuki Toru's backward sitting posture.

This time, this guy really does have the air of a senior.

"Hitotsu Amber is sincere. As her trainer, how should you respond? There are many kinds of family... There's a fundamental difference between a 'little sister' and a 'good little sister.' To put it bluntly, do you see her as a little sister, or as a girl with a soft voice, a gentle body, and who's not easy to push over?"

"To...to be buddies?"

"I'll do it too, bro..."

Kotobuki Toru's words sounded somewhat insincere, although she still verbally adhered to the previous agreement with Hitsukohaku that they would not interfere with each other, and tried her best not to regard Hitsukohaku as a beautiful girl...

But after so long, Kotobuki Toru felt that even reminding himself of Hitoko's identity was becoming less and less effective, because he had no idea what Hitoko was like before. From the first moment he saw Hitoko, she was a beautiful girl who wanted to stab him to death.

I can still treat Fei Tu Hu Po as a buddy now, but what about in the future?

Do I really want to treat Hitotsu Amber as just a buddy?

I don't seem to want to...

"Wow...this room is quite spacious."

At this moment, Fei Tu Hu Po pushed open the door and walked in, carrying a large pillow that was almost half her height.

As always, Fei Tu Hu Po had no sense of boundaries and asked immediately, "What are you guys talking about?"

As a veteran trainer, Nishizaki Ryu had seen this scene countless times, and immediately replied with a smile, "We were discussing how trainers and racehorse girls should get along... By the way, Kohaku-kun, besides being a trainer, what kind of person do you think Kotobuki Toru is to you?"

Fei Tu Hu Po answered with her usual adorable blank expression, "The first one, and also my best friend, my best buddy?"

"Ah...you two really have great chemistry..."

However, Kotobuki Toru has already started thinking... Let him, as the trainer, teach Hitsukohaku what lovemaking is...

----

Chapter 154 Is it true that you can't wear underwear while wearing a kimono?

"Hey, your trainers' beds are so narrow... it's barely enough for one person to sleep in."

Seeing that Kotobuki hadn't even had time to spread the sheets on the bed, Hitoko Amber pounced on it like a tiger descending a mountain without any hesitation. After spreading her arms and briefly measuring the width of the bed frame, she lay down and began to complain: "The bed frame is so hard, it's digging into my chest..."

Aside from the bed being a bit lacking, the room has really good natural light. Even on a winter morning like this, as long as the curtains aren't drawn, the bright sunlight can stream into the room through the window lattice. Even without any electric lighting, the room is bright, and the wooden floor is warm and cozy, making it a great place to sleep.

Just lying on Kotobuki Toru's bed, Hitoko Amber started to feel sleepy.

Looking at Hitoko's breasts, which were flattened into a pancake shape on the bed, Kotobuki Toru recalled what Nishizaki Ryu had said to her earlier...

Even family members have different roles, and relatives and lovers have two completely different relationships and ways of getting along. I haven't figured it out yet, and I may not even be ready to face this issue head-on...

"Hey, Amber, watch your image... Nishizaki-senpai is still here watching, be careful not to get misunderstood. Besides, this bed is for me, not for you."

"Hey~ Let me give you a preview."

Hitotsu Amber placed the pillow on Kotobuki Toru's bedside, then propped herself up on her arms and sat up straight. "My assessment is that it's quite comfortable to sleep on. It's definitely more comfortable than sleeping on the floor in my previous rented apartment."

Upon hearing this, Nishizaki Ryu's sympathy began to twitch again. "It's good that you're here in Treson. Although the conditions aren't great, at least you can eat and sleep well... You can make a wish to become rich on New Year's Day tomorrow? It's very effective."

"Yeah, I saw people hanging lanterns on the street just now... I didn't realize the year was almost over."

Hitoko Amber sighed, "Next year will be a brand new year as a racehorse girl..."

Ryu Nishizaki didn't understand what Hito Kohaku meant, so he corrected her according to his own understanding: "Your statement is grammatically incorrect. It should be 'A brand new year as a professional horse racer girl.'"

"Hmm, oh, that's true..."

Kotobuki Toru placed his reference materials and laptop on the table, which marked the initial completion of his preparations. He then turned to look at Hito Kohaku and asked, "Kohaku, do you need to wear a kimono when you visit the shrine for the New Year? I don't remember you ever buying one... If you're going to wear one, you'll have to go buy one now."

"Eh... a kimono? You mean the kind where you can't wear underwear or anything after wearing a kimono?!"

Upon hearing Kotobuki Toru's words, Hitobuki Amber, who had been sitting lazily on the bed, instantly sat up straight, her little face full of vigilance: "Toru, you know me! Whether I'm wearing a school uniform or a long skirt, I always wear safety shorts underneath..."

Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Hitotsu Amber bared her teeth and said anxiously, "I don't even feel safe in my safety shorts anymore, and now you're going to do a braless show in a kimono?!"

After all, it wasn't the first time she'd worn a skirt, and Hitoko Amber was naturally willing to admit that wearing a skirt felt great; it was clean and refreshing and didn't hinder her movements, much better than jeans or anything like that...

But if we go a step further and go completely naked, returning to the earliest state of humanity, that's something Fei Tu Hu Po can't accept. If a gust of wind blows past her feet, she'll definitely go crazy.

"No, no, no... What era is your knowledge from? Your knowledge is too fragmented. If we're talking about a sense of shame, modern people are actually much more conservative than those ancient people..."

Japanese traditional customs are truly taken to a whole new level, including things like night climbing, spending the night at whichever girl's house you want, and Nyotaimori (body sushi) where various dishes are displayed on different parts of a woman's body. Mixed-gender hot spring baths are just the tip of the iceberg...

On the contrary, it is only after the establishment of a moral standard in society that people have gradually begun to feel ashamed.

As for the legendary Nyotaimori (female body sushi), Kotobuki Toru had heard that some nobles enjoyed eating it, but he couldn't stand it.

If tableware isn't sterilized at high temperatures or rinsed with boiling water, is it safe to use? Of course, if you really want to sterilize it according to your own requirements... then the tableware definitely won't be able to withstand it.

So Kotobuki Toru quickly corrected Hitsuko's imagination to prevent Hitsuko's already limited brain memory from being occupied by yellow pollution waste, "Now everyone assumes they will wear underwear or safety shorts... With technology so advanced, there are probably hidden cameras everywhere."

Moreover, people, especially girls, are paying more and more attention to their personal image. In today's world, where it's increasingly popular to go out for a stroll together and celebrate the New Year, anyone who smells like a shark that died in the sea can be smelled immediately...