Chapter 1708: with translation of title, then ===GLOSSARY=== with list of named entities appearing in these lines, using exact English

NO. 323: When we are discussing the contract, actually what are we discussing?

To be honest, although Chengtian Bai ren always appears tough and efficient in others' eyes, even when slacking off she maintains a no-nonsense demeanor, yet there are still topics that make her gaze wander and her tone stiff.

And these topics are often a 'grilling' by relatives.

As for the love-related topic, which many also regard as sensitive……

Chengtian Bai ren, who is naturally stubborn, usually doesn't blush… but her heart racing is another matter.

At most, her ear tips turn a little red.

But having said that, even if her ears are red, can you tell from the colored ears of a horse girl?

Impossible (wagging a finger).

Just that the past is the past, and the present is the present.

By now, feigning ignorance is no longer appropriate; all he can do is at most change the subject, and he must do so before the Dream Cup ends.

By now, feigning ignorance again is hardly appropriate; all he can do is at most change the subject, and he must do so before the Dream Cup ends.

That is the deadline he had previously made clear to his subordinate horse girls.

It is both the Dream Cup finale, which falls at the very end of the year, a few days after the Arima Memorial, and the announcement that their tightly scheduled race season is coming to a close.

By then, even if there remains any unfamiliarity, unease, restraint, or obstacle, they ought to truly face this scene brought about by both sides stumbling along.

Even if not for anything else, they should confront all that waiting and endurance.

That is the appropriate response, and at this moment before that……

"Moonlight, indeed it's not just once."

Aomo, having made that remark, raised his hand to call over Chengtian Bai ren, whose solemn, earnest expression after speaking could barely hide her microexpressions.

Aomo, who had just expressed the aforementioned sentiment, raised his hand, greeting the solemnly serious Chengtian BaiRen, whose microexpression could barely be contained after he finished speaking.

The seats had been prepared long ago.

Besides the girlfriends' chairs, there were also 11 ergonomic high-resilience folding chairs whose color and finish could be adjusted.

Although they look flimsy as folding recliners, that flimsiness is only superficial.

With camping gear purchased under the guidance of the expert mountaineer Manchester Chazuo, plus Aomo Lindun's specially allocated generous budget, the result was, in Chengtian Bai ren's eyes, an excessively luxurious setup.

Ergonomic high-resilience folding chairs, fully automatic smart folding tables, spacious habitable tents……these are exactly the kinds of ultra‑convenient and expensive group camping gear that hardcore campers would scold, saying, 'You call yourself a camper while bringing this stuff?!'

It made Chengtian Bai ren, who had been taught by her father since childhood to hunt in the forest and to set up camp, recall how, long ago, that person had insisted on not buying automated or expandable gear, only to suddenly loosen up two summers ago.

Only then did her older sister and mother also agree to join the camping crew.

That made her realize anew the meaning of flexibility, yet she never expected that the one who always insisted on hardcore black coffee, whom she viewed as a tough‑player, Chazuo, had already achieved this.

"Chazuo, is this what you recommended to him?" she asked, somewhat reserved, walking under the scrutinizing gazes of Shinjo Akane and Hororu Haiya, and she drew near the black‑haired horse girl.

The questioning expression, voiced softly, even made the little girl feel a bit estranged, and she unconsciously gave a confused look.

"... Yes, though I originally didn't recommend these models." Apparently wanting to defend her hardcore image in the eyes of her seniors, Chazuo rebutted in two sentences.

"I merely… couldn't argue with the trainer."

"Chazuo is a flexible, adaptable good kid who took my advice."

Aomo, having pulled over his black chair and sat down, joined the conversation as if he hadn't noticed Chengtian Bai ren's slight lowering of her head when he spoke: "Although upholding tradition is important too, this time many people have no camping experience."

Even starting a fire, they just wanted to smash things with their fire‑starting ability; this rashness actually gave Reiwa and Hororu Haiya a chance to show off.

As for the raccoon dog who had previously joined the group and listened seriously to many of Chazuo's explanations, she ended up in the audience because she wasn't proactive enough or quick enough; at the time, watching those two explain, she also seemed spaced out, not knowing what she was thinking.

Now she wanders between the kettle and various drink ingredients, as if she enjoys making drinks for everyone, prompting Aomo to wonder whether this person would be well suited to a job at a milk tea shop.

Looking back, it seems whether she eats and drinks herself or brings others to eat and drink, she always shows that rather enthusiastic demeanor.

The behavior of cheating for food and drink in multi‑person subjugation battles also led Aomo to feel that he should confiscate some of Miss Shinjo's otaku guides, lest erroneous misleading knowledge be spread as authoritative common sense. This is just like something Bi Ze once typed online: although contemporary technical support lets many performances in the red‑character book become possible, some operations still can't be reproduced.

In the multiplayer subjugation battle, the act of freeloading also made Aomo lament that he should confiscate some of Miss Xintiao's second-dimensional guides, lest some erroneous misleading knowledge be taken as authoritative common knowledge and spread. This is just like what a certain Bi Ze typed online: although modern tech support allows many expressions that circulate in red-character books to become possible, still some operations cannot be reproduced, ah!

He thought this was Bi Ze's own method being off, but he wouldn't take up the topic that drags the conversation into the vulgar and sensitive abyss, after all Bi Ze's every mention of such topics hardly counts as serious academic discussion.

Not listening honestly and not speaking, he would also randomly spout outrageous whims.

Although it wouldn't attract the net police passing by, it might instead draw the probing heads of witch beasts.

"Flexible and adaptable…"

Unaware that the person beside her had already watched the raccoon dog bring over a tea cup and run off somewhere, Chengtian Bai ren simply held her tea cup and muttered thoughtfully.

She also noticed that when those words fell, Chazuo's gaze flashed with brief dissatisfaction.

Although their personalities differ somewhat, as fellow people of few words, Chengtian Bai ren could fully read Chazuo's gaze—this was most evident in the initial training session when she taught Chazuo to run, where the two were like a synonym for tacit understanding, needing only a few words to set the whole afternoon's training baseline and fine‑tune details.

But she had also noticed long before that Chazuo's reticence does not work in front of the trainer.

"... Trainer, you're shifting the concept."

"I didn't rebut, and I even honestly helped recommend different styles to you; saying I'm shifting the concept only makes you look like you're stirring up trouble for no reason, Chazuo."

"I merely realized that convincing the trainer is not at all realistic."

"So you just went along with it?"

"Does the trainer want me to keep arguing?"

"From the standpoint of cultivating autonomous ability, it's naturally desired, but I think you currently lack nothing in that regard, so I admit my fault, Miss."

"From the perspective of cultivating autonomous ability, it's naturally desirable, but I think you currently lack nothing in this regard, so I admit my own shortcomings, Miss."

"Perhaps you could go chat with Miss Shinjo then." Aomo, lightly laughing and raising his hand to guide, watched the girl glance at Chengtian Bai ren and then, as told, walk over to the pink‑haired goddess poking the campfire nearby, after which he also turned his head back.

He looked toward Chengtian Bai ren, who was showing a gentle smile without realizing it.

"What's making you so happy?"

"She's been guided far more than I was this morning," Chengtian Bai ren replied, "once you realize that, you can't help but feel regret for having overlooked so much before, while also feeling a bit envious."

"But compared to moonlight, she prefers the darkness you reject."

But compared to moonlight, what she likes more is the Hei'an you reject.

Is this the reason she's been here from the beginning?

It's not that it's not, but I think you don't need to hesitate on the topic of light and darkness.

Is it that obvious?

Or maybe I just see it too clearly; after all, it's not unfamiliar around me.

After a brief silence, Bai Ren asked:

Will the next horse girl who comes over also come following the light?

Light and darkness may also be purely for the guidance of a command; don't forget the original contract between trainer and horse girl, Bai Ren.

The guidance of the command...

Master, Meipu Bopang, reporting for duty.

You see, isn't it here?

Suddenly, the voice made the trainer turn and wave.

It was a white yukata with a strong cyber vibe, with purple circuit-board patterns flowing in Hei'an, and even more striking than the pattern was undoubtedly the chestnut-red long hair illuminated by the firelight as they stepped forward steadily.

Meipu Bopang, 2nd.