Kuroha didn't take the bait in Ginjirou's teasing.
Instead, he smiled, lifted his glass, and clinked it with the veteran Central Tracen trainers at the table.
After telling them to "eat well and drink well," he turned, ready to make the rounds to the other tables.
Only.
When he clinked glasses with Hideto, the one senior trainer from Central Tracen, and also Fumino's "old man," the man looked at Kuroha with an intensely complicated, deeply meaningful gaze.
There was too much packed into that look. It made the back of Kuroha's neck go slightly cold.
After leaving that table, Kuroha led March toward another banquet hall.
In the corridor, March gathered the white hem of her wedding dress in her hands, following obediently behind him.
They'd only gone a short distance before the girl finally couldn't hold back her curiosity. She called softly, "Trainer, just now, Trainer Hideto…"
Clearly, with her sharp instincts, she'd also felt how impossibly subtle and strange the atmosphere had been in that one moment.
"Uh…" Kuroha's steps paused for a fraction. He rubbed his brow, helpless. "Fumino probably told him something."
What was going on between him and Fumino was an open secret among his Horse Girls. There was no need to hide anything on purpose.
After all, during the stretch after he'd returned home, Fumino had been dropping by the Chasing Light dorms every few days to crash.
By now, it was common knowledge among the Chasing Light girls, to the point it barely even counted as news.
March nodded, understanding, her red eyes serious. "Yeah, it really should be made clear."
"Fumino-onee-san always says she doesn't like Trainer Hideto, but no matter what, they're still alumni."
"And for something as important as this, you should explain it properly to your parents…"
Before she could finish, her lips felt a warm touch.
Kuroha turned and gently pressed his index finger to the ash-gray girl's lips, cutting off her overly serious muttering.
"That's enough, March. Today is your wedding."
"On a day like today, all you need to do is look beautiful and be happy. Don't worry about the annoying details."
"As for Hideto… yeah. I'll handle it."
Beside him stood the person she trusted most as her Trainer, and from this day forward, her husband.
March froze for a beat.
Then, like ice and snow finally melting away, her cool face bloomed into a smile so lovely it almost hurt to look at.
"Yes!"
…
They reached the other banquet hall.
This one held not only family and friends from the Kasamatsu group and the Oi group, but also friends from places like Tōkō (東煌), all seated together.
After greeting everyone, Kuroha brought March to a round table tucked in a corner.
At the table, two top Horse Girls from New Zealand were eating with effortless elegance.
And Lisi, along with Haitoshi and Haito Star, had both tucked themselves in neatly, sitting up straight.
Right now, Tracen in Ireland happened to be on break, so they'd been able to fly to Tokyo for Kuroha's wedding.
Still, Kuroha understood perfectly. This was probably the only time they'd ever manage to gather this completely.
After all, over the next six months there were still six weddings left.
Setting aside whether he could afford to throw this kind of event every time, they weren't exactly going to be free to fly internationally every month just to attend a reception.
Seven weddings in half a year. In the world of Horse Girls, or honestly, in the whole world, that was genuinely outrageous.
Smack.
Coming up behind the Haito sisters, Kuroha reached out out of habit and planted his palm on Haitoshi's head. Then he bent down, bringing his gaze level with the little Haito Star.
"Little Haito, little Star, how's the feast today?"
Haito Star had her mouth stuffed full, cheeks puffed like a tiny hamster.
Even so, she kept a calm composure that didn't match her age at all. "Mm. It's very tasty."
"Hmph!"
Beside her, Haitoshi's face turned red as she was held in place. She didn't even bother trying to pry Kuroha's mischievous hand off. Instead, she turned her head, eyes shining as she looked at March.
"You're March-senpai, right? You're just like the rumors. You're really pretty!"
March was delighted that this foreign girl, whom she'd never met, actually knew who she was. She smiled gently.
"Thank you. You're very cute too."
Seeing March quickly warm up to the two little ones, Kuroha raised his glass to Lisi and clinked once.
Then he strolled over to the Folkqueen sisters.
"Ailerslie, Folkqueen, does the Chinese food suit your tastes here?"
Ailerslie Glory gave a soft laugh and nodded. "It's excellent. And congratulations, Kuroha. Happy wedding."
Folkqueen, meanwhile, slowly turned those beautiful gold-and-crimson mismatched eyes. Her gaze fell on Kuroha first.
He was in a crisp suit, looking even more striking than usual.
Then she flicked her eyes to March in the distance, chatting and laughing with the kids.
A faint, almost imperceptible curve lifted at the corner of Folkqueen's mouth. She raised her fruit tea and tapped her cup to Kuroha's.
"Me too. Happy wedding."
"Thanks," Kuroha said with a smile, taking a drink. Then, looking at the silver-haired girl with heterochromia, he seemed to remember something. "Right. I was looking at the materials the URA Association sent over a few days ago. Folkqueen, did you apply for a thirty-year long-term residency permit in Tracen?"
Folkqueen nodded, indifferent. Her tone stayed flat.
"Yeah. It got approved in under half a day. Your URA Association is ridiculously fast when it comes to paperwork."
Kuroha couldn't help feeling a little speechless.
Come on. You were the strongest active Horse Girl in the Atlantic, and the reigning champion of this year's Japan Cup.
A "monster" of that caliber applying to live long-term in the Far East. The association higher-ups were probably smiling in their sleep.
Of course they'd put it on the fastest track and approve it instantly.
Even if it reached his desk, it was basically a formality.
When everyone up top had already stamped it through, his opinion barely mattered at all.
(End of Chapter)
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