Chapter 27

"Yoiishooo..."

Recently, I've felt like I've gained a bit of weight, so I decided to exercise every night.

Push-ups, sit-ups, and squats.

And right now, I'm challenging myself with 50 squats.

"Yoiishooo..."

This is quite tough.

With my hands clasped behind my head, I followed the textbook instructions, and before I knew it, my legs started trembling.

But it's all about determination.

Just a little more.

"Yoiishooo..."

Beauty isn't achieved in a day.

It's the daily effort that counts.

Come on, just three more!

"Yoiishooo..."

Phew, I'm sweating.

I just took a bath, but I think I'll take a quick shower again.

As I stepped out of the room, I ran into my older brother in the hallway.

"Oh, what's wrong, Oni-sama?"

He looked puzzled.

"No, I just thought I heard some strange noises."

"Strange noises?"

I didn't hear anything.

Hmm, could it be a burglar? Or maybe a ghost?

"Is there a ghost in this house?"

No, that's scary. I'm not good with ghost stories!

"What should we do, Oni-sama? I was just about to take a shower. I heard ghosts come out near water."

In horror movies, the killer usually attacks in the shower.

What should I do? Should I skip the shower tonight?

"That's not the case. I've never heard of ghosts in this house. Go ahead and take your bath."

"But..."

"I think I just imagined it. Sorry for startling you."

"Is that so? If you say so, Oni-sama, I'll believe you."

"Okay."

Since Oni-sama smiled to reassure me, I decided to believe him.

But Oni-sama might be tired from studying for exams.

His face didn't look good either.

As a caring younger sister, should I make him a midnight snack?

I've never cooked anything outside of home economics class.

But it's the thought that counts. I'm sure Oni-sama will be happy.

What's a classic midnight snack? Onigiri or ramen?

No, no, those don't fit this house at all.

But something rich at night...

Maybe I'll try making congee.

I'll consult with the maid tomorrow.

That night, I was still scared, so I slept with the lights on.

There were no strange noises.

Every year in May, we have a school trip. This year, it's to a farm.

Before we left, Mother made sure I applied sunscreen and reminded me to reapply it regularly.

At the farm, we're going to experience milking cows, horseback riding, and rafting.

When we arrived at the farm, it was full of nature and the air was fresh!

I couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Sometimes, I could smell manure, though.

During milking, the pampered girls were scared by the size of the cows, but I was excited and took the lead.

Wow, it's warm!

Afterward, I was praised, "Rika-sama, you're so brave."

Of course, it was fun!

The farm also had goats, sheep, and rabbits, making it very peaceful.

I petted them all.

Aww, the rabbits are so cute. I want one!

The rabbits' big eyes tempted me, and I seriously considered taking one home.

While I was leisurely feeding the goats, I heard cheers in the distance.

Curious, I went to see what was happening and found Daitokuji and Enjo riding horses confidently.

Both of them have horseback riding experience and looked very dignified.

They were like princes on white horses. (Though the horses weren't white.)

The girls were in a frenzy.

There were a few other students with horseback riding experience, but they were completely overshadowed.

"Daitokuji-sama, you're amazing..."

"Just like a real prince."

"Kyaa! Enjo-sama looked at me!"

Some girls even waved at them.

Of course, they didn't wave back.

Still, seeing them in a different light made the girls' excitement skyrocket.

Even the usually poker-faced Daitokuji was talking to his horse with a smile.

I couldn't help but feel a little swoon when I saw that.

Oh no, the power of animals is strong.

After playing with the livestock in the morning, everyone had a mixed reaction when we were served meat for lunch.

The fresh, cold milk was delicious, though.

We continued with rafting and hiking in the afternoon, and after a full day of physical activity, everyone fell asleep on the bus ride back.

The water splashed on me, making my trademark curly hair a bit limp.

I can't wake up...

I just hope I'm not drooling.

However, Daitokuji and Enjo's horseback riding was really cool.

I tried riding with a lead, but it would be even more fun to ride alone like them.

I heard Oni-sama also learned horseback riding as a pastime when he was younger.

He's in the archery club, so he's even done yabusame.

What? I didn't know that!

I really wish I could have seen Oni-sama doing yabusame!

I thought about learning it too and asked Mother, but she opposed it, saying it would be dangerous for a girl to get hurt.

Hmm, that's a shame.

I heard horseback riding is good for weight loss too.