The fragrance of tea curled upward, slowly spreading through the quiet tea room.
After playing with the two little girls for a while, Kuroha chatted with Lady Mejiro about everyday family matters.
Before long, Ramonu shifted to the main topic.
"Kuroha, the reason I invited you here today is that there's something concerning Dober and Bright I'd like to entrust to you."
Ramonu gently set down the teacup in her hand and looked toward Kuroha.
At those words, the two little girls beside them, Bright and Dober, both gave a tiny start and quietly pricked up their ears.
Although Kuroha more or less knew what Ramonu wanted to say, he still smiled and gestured for her to continue.
"Please, Okāsama."
"I want Dober and Bright to join your Chasing Light!"
Ramonu's expression turned solemn.
When Kuroha had visited the Mejiro residence in the past, they had once discussed the management philosophy behind Chasing Light.
Unlike other Central trainers, who tended to select elites directly from among umamusume who had already matured into their prime racing years, Kuroha preferred to start training them from childhood, laying the strongest possible foundation for their future maturation.
And Chasing Light as it existed now was proof of that.
Apart from early members like Fujimasa March and Inari, whom Kuroha had only taken in at their respective stages because of unavoidable issues such as his age when he first joined the academy, his core philosophy had never changed.
Some time ago, Ramonu had also looked into the current internal structure of Chasing Light.
At this point, with Bourbon and Rice about to make their debut races, the only young umamusume still participating in basic athletic development within Chasing Light without having officially debuted was Suzuka.
In other words, when it came to raising young umamusume, Kuroha should still have both the capacity and the motivation to do so.
"Dober and Bright are at exactly the age when they most need to build their foundation. Leaving them to you would put me most at ease," Ramonu said softly.
"And in terms of talent, among the current Mejiro family, the two of them are already the strongest after McQueen and Ryan."
"They absolutely won't disappoint you in the future."
After listening to Ramonu, Kuroha pondered for a moment.
In terms of ability and aptitude, there was naturally no issue with taking in Dober and Bright.
The two of them could be called the final glory of the Mejiro family.
Both would go on to claim G1 victories in the future.
Dober in particular would become a top-class racing umamusume who seized five G1 crowns.
Even so, there were still two difficulties that needed to be considered.
"I have no problem letting them join the team, but there are two issues we need to make clear first."
Kuroha raised one finger, his tone growing a little more serious.
"The first issue is what the other branches of the Mejiro family, and the outside world, will think."
Under the gazes of the three umamusume, Kuroha explained the matter in detail.
The gist was simple.
Right now, all of Tracen—and even the entire world—knew that Chasing Light was the strongest and most dominant team at Central Tracen Academy.
Countless conglomerates and prestigious families were desperate to squeeze their own umamusume into Chasing Light.
But ever since Chasing Light had been founded, every single umamusume on the team had been personally screened and invited by Kuroha himself. There had never been any precedent of anyone entering through connections.
If Kuroha opened that door for Ramonu, the outside world would inevitably believe that Chasing Light had begun accepting recommendations from famous families.
When that happened, banquets, gifts, and every other kind of backdoor tactic would likely become endless annoyances for him.
"…Put that way, I really was a bit thoughtless."
After hearing this, Ramonu's brows drew together slightly as she sank into thought.
The two young Mejiro umamusume sitting nearby could not help looking dejected as well.
Dober in particular lowered her head even further.
Yet just as the atmosphere turned faintly heavy, Kuroha suddenly changed his tone and gave a soft laugh.
"However, that doesn't really matter."
"My team is mine to decide."
"I've never paid much attention to rumors and gossip from the outside world."
Ramonu froze, then looked at him in surprise.
"Then Dober and Bright…"
"As long as they agree themselves, I can decide right now to accept them into Chasing Light."
As Kuroha spoke, his gaze fell on the two little girls beside him.
"But that leads to the second issue."
Kuroha paused, then spoke softly.
"Little Dober, Little Bright, do you yourselves want to join Chasing Light?"
At that, the two little girls tilted their heads.
Facing their two slightly confused pairs of eyes, Kuroha patiently explained.
"The reason I'm asking is because I'm worried you might only be making this decision because of your family's arrangements, or because the adults around you have guided you into it too smoothly."
"I want joining Chasing Light to be your own will."
"A trainer and an umamusume should choose each other. We are each other's responsibility."
"If either side has reservations, it becomes a form of torment for everyone involved."
After hearing Kuroha's words, Bright's previously somewhat languid little face immediately turned serious.
She blinked, then said in a soft, fluffy voice, "Compared to joining some other training team in the future, of course I'd rather join your team, Kuroha-nii."
"After all, Ardan-neesan and McQueen-neesan are both there."
She thought for a moment, then added, "And I like you quite a bit, Kuroha-nii. I don't have any… reser—"
Kuroha smiled and quickly covered his mouth.
"Oh, right, right. Reservations!"
The little girl with brown hair and golden eyes hurriedly nodded.
"If you join Chasing Light, training from now on will be very hard. It might even be more tiring than on other teams. You won't be allowed to slack off."
Looking at the tall ahoge sticking up from the top of her head, Kuroha could not help teasing her.
At that, Bright's tiny face immediately scrunched up. Somewhat unconvinced, she lifted her cheeks and replied, "I won't slack off at all!"
"Haha. All right, all right. I believe Little Bright won't slack off."
After soothing Bright, Kuroha turned his gaze to the other little girl, whose entire face screamed social anxiety.
Considering her extremely severe "fear of men," Kuroha softened his voice and gently suggested, "Dober, if you feel reluctant or unwilling, I can introduce you to an extremely capable female trainer."
"Fumino-sensei. Her team also has the brilliant record of producing G1-level umamusume."
"In terms of professional knowledge and training ability, across all of Central Tracen Academy, she should be second only to me. You might feel more comfortable on her team."
Dober froze for a moment.
She hesitantly raised her eyes and carefully looked toward Kuroha.
Their gazes met in the air for an instant, and the little girl immediately pulled her eyes back as if she had been shocked. Her small hands nervously clenched the hem of her clothes.
But after only a brief silence, she took a deep breath. Her voice carried a firmness she had never shown before.
"I want to join the strongest team… Because I'm an umamusume of the Mejiro family, so I have to run results worthy of the family name!"
By the end, Little Dober's face had already flushed bright red. She murmured one final addition.
"Mm… That's what I think."
Looking at her adorable appearance as she tried so hard to overcome her fear and force herself to remain calm, Kuroha and Ramonu exchanged a glance. Both saw the deep amusement in each other's eyes.
"I see…"
Just as Kuroha was arranging his words and preparing to say something, Dober suddenly turned her head away.
She folded her arms in front of her chest, put on the aloof air of a tiny adult, and muttered, "And you're not quite the same as other people. I… I don't really hate you."
"…Is that so? Haha. Then I'm very happy to hear that."
Kuroha froze for a moment, then could not help laughing softly.
He stood up and walked over.
Amid a burst of startled cries, he planted one hand on each of their heads without the slightest hesitation.
Then he began rubbing their heads hard, as though kneading dough.
"Mmm…"
Bright narrowed her eyes, like a kitten being stroked the right way, looking extremely comfortable.
"Aaah… D-Don't…"
Dober, on the other hand, frantically reached out with her little hands, trying to hold down Kuroha's mischievous arm.
Her purple eyes had already started spinning dizzily.
Looking at the two little umamusume, whose personalities were utterly different yet equally adorable, Kuroha finally stopped moving his hands and announced with a brilliant smile.
"Very good!"
"Then, Little Dober, Little Bright—from today onward, you are umamusume of Chasing Light!"
(End of Chapter)
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