The daily training of active horsegirls.
For the three novice little horsegirls—Dober, Bright, and Brian—it was undoubtedly full of novelty.
Kuroha led them around with great interest, giving them a tour of the entire Mejiro Training Field.
After that, he brought them over to Suzuka.
The tiny deer's little ears, wrapped in green ear covers, twitched. She tilted her head, curiously studying these new faces.
Seeing this, Kuroha smiled and rubbed her little head.
"Suzuka, from now on, these three are also members of the team."
"After a while, they'll probably be doing basic athletic training with you. If there's anything wrong with their form, then as their senpai, you'll have to correct them properly, okay~?"
"T-Trainer…"
Suzuka instantly blushed and murmured shyly, "Senpai and all that… wouldn't Bourbon and the others be more suited for that?"
"It's fine. Whoever has mastered something can be the teacher."
Kuroha chuckled softly, then had the three little horsegirls give one another simple introductions.
Dober, Bright, and Suzuka were all around the same age.
They had plenty in common.
Very quickly, they hit it off.
Even a child like Dober, who had severe social anxiety, soon became friends with Suzuka thanks to Bright smoothing things over between them.
On the lawn not far away.
Brian stood quietly beside Kuroha, watching them play together cheerfully.
"What's wrong? Aren't you going to join them?"
Beside her, Kuroha bent down and asked softly.
Brian froze for a moment, then shook her head. "It's fine. This is good enough…"
Brian, in truth, was not an introverted child the way Dober was.
The evaluation her parents and academy teachers had always given her was—rather timid.
But what she feared was actually the unknown.
Things like darkness, ghosts, or places that could easily give rise to supernatural occurrences.
If it was something that objectively existed in the physical world, then after a little adjustment, she acted no different from any ordinary horsegirl.
Even so.
Compared to taking the initiative to enter a circle and share in the laughter.
Brian preferred staying alone in a corner, quietly watching others play.
That was also why, earlier that afternoon, she had stayed by herself at the edge of the training field, silently watching her classmates race.
Hearing this, Kuroha smiled. He simply sat down on the spot and patted the grass beside him.
"Come here, Brian."
Seeing this, Brian hesitated for a brief moment, then obediently sat down next to Kuroha.
After the two sat together for a while, Kuroha paused, then suddenly spoke.
"Does it feel like everything happened too suddenly?"
"…"
Brian fell silent when she heard that. Then she nodded and looked at Kuroha, her face full of confusion.
"Yes. I don't know what good points I have that made you choose me… when there are so many horsegirls around me who are stronger than I am."
"You want to ask why I chose you?"
"Yes!"
"…I see."
Kuroha lifted his head and thought for a moment before answering in a light voice.
"Hmm… if you're asking about the first reason I chose you…"
"At first, when I returned to Central last time, I saw that a new trainer was strongly recommending you."
"He believed that among this generation of new-era horsegirls, you were the most outstanding one."
"Nase…"
Brian froze for a moment and searched her memories for that name. "Do you mean the 'Magician of the Racetrack'?"
"Mm."
Kuroha gazed gently at the little horsegirl beside him and nodded slightly. Then he added, "Of course, his opinion is ultimately only his opinion. Since you were joining my team, naturally, I had to evaluate you myself."
"And your opinion…"
The moment the words left her mouth, Brian stopped.
It was clearly a pointless question.
If Kuroha had not approved of her, then he would never have invited her to join Chasing Light in the first place.
Sure enough, before she could even finish speaking, Kuroha's gentle voice reached her ears.
"My opinion is exactly the same as Trainer Nase's."
He lowered his head and looked directly into Brian's eyes.
Although those golden eyes were currently filled with confusion, they still held a firmness that could not be hidden.
"Little Brian, you are the most outstanding horsegirl on that elementary division training field."
The unreserved recognition of two top trainers.
Even the current Brian could clearly sense the trust and weight behind it.
The little girl with the single ponytail stared blankly at her own palm.
A thought she had only dared to long for in dreams now became exceptionally clear.
"I… am the most outstanding?"
Pff—
A warm hand settled on top of her head, and Kuroha chuckled.
"Of course."
"But whether or not you are the most outstanding right now, you have already become an outstanding horsegirl."
"…Isn't a Chasing Light horsegirl supposed to be the most outstanding horsegirl?"
She asked back subconsciously.
Kuroha froze, then smiled helplessly. "So that's how you understood it…"
As he spoke, he reached out and gently pinched the little girl's soft cheek, then raised his hand and pointed toward the far side of the training field.
"Look over there."
Brian followed the direction of his finger.
There, Teio was already drenched in sweat, panting heavily as she replenished her fluids.
But after resting for only a few minutes, she once again raised a radiant smile and stepped onto the track without hesitation.
On the other side.
Rice Shower was gritting her teeth as she chased after Bourbon's footsteps.
Even though her stride had already begun to stagger into disorder, even though sweat stung her eyes, she still clung on stubbornly and refused to give up.
"Inborn aptitude and gifts exist only so that one can keep running because of the desire to win."
Kuroha's voice was gentle, yet full of power.
"The perseverance and self-discipline to endure monotonous training. The tolerance and stability to withstand high-pressure environments. The sharp reading ability and decisiveness needed during races…"
"All of these are things you must carry with you as you run toward an unknowable distance."
Kuroha turned his head and looked at Brian again.
"But even these foundations do not make up the entirety of what it means to be a Chasing Light horsegirl."
"Temporary talent can never decide everything."
"It is not that only the most outstanding may become Chasing Light horsegirls. Rather, because you are Chasing Light horsegirls, you must work hard to become the most outstanding."
"…"
The black-haired little girl fell into a long silence.
Kuroha did not urge her. He simply waited patiently for her answer.
A moment later, little Brian lowered her head slightly and said softly, "I… will try."
"That's good."
Hearing this, Kuroha could not help pinching the little girl's cheek again.
He had to admit, these little horsegirls all had a bit of baby fat on their faces, and they really did feel quite nice to pinch.
"Of course, as your trainer, I'll also do everything in my power to help you."
Kuroha laughed brightly. "So, Brian, from now on, you are a Chasing Light horsegirl."
This declaration.
Compared to the earlier, more routine one, carried another layer of meaning.
The addition of three highly promising little horsegirls was naturally an event worth celebrating for Chasing Light.
That night.
Kuroha arranged for them to enjoy a sumptuous dinner at the Chasing Light villa, treating it as a welcome banquet.
Of course, aside from Dober and Bright.
After dinner, Brian still had to obediently go home and sleep.
…
Night gradually deepened.
Yet the villa slowly grew livelier.
In the spacious living room, some were quietly reading, some were playing chess, and some were crowded in front of the television playing games.
Nearly ten horsegirls, with their chatter and laughter, added countless traces of warmth and everyday life to the spacious house.
As for Kuroha at that moment.
He had also gained an extra facehugger on his head.
"Trainer~ When are you going back? Can't you stay here a little longer~?"
"And also, also, will you come watch the Kikuka Sho? That's a really, really important race, you know!"
On the sofa, Teio, wearing a loose set of casual clothes, was wrapping her long, straight legs around Kuroha's waist.
She clung to him like a koala, swaying in a syrupy voice.
"…Didn't I already say I'd be staying here for the whole season this time?"
Kuroha sighed helplessly.
"As for the Kikuka Sho, that's still far off. McQueen's expedition might already be over by the time it starts. Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Mm-hmm, is that so, is that so? Then that's good!"
The girl did not seem to have listened to Kuroha's explanation at all. After muttering a few words to herself, she directly leaned in and rubbed against him affectionately like a kitten.
"Then, Trainer, can I stay with you tonight?"
Before Kuroha could refuse, a pair of hands reached out from somewhere and mercilessly pulled Teio away.
The girl with crescent-shaped bangs looked back blankly.
Behind her, several pairs of eyes filled with deeply "benevolent" smiles were staring down at her from above.
Obey Your Master smilingly held Teio under the arms and shook her head in refusal.
"Of course not!"
"Teio, you're still too young to handle that. It's better to leave it to your senpai."
But she was the great Tokai Teio.
How could she be scared off by something like this? She immediately kicked her legs wildly in midair to show her protest.
"I object! I'm Trainer's horsegirl too! The senpai all get to, even McQueen has gone before, so why can't I?"
Amid the helpless laughter of the gathered horsegirls and Teio's frantic wheedling.
Kuroha sighed and reached out, taking Teio back into his arms and holding her steadily.
"Didn't we agree long ago that we'd wait until after you win the Triple Crown?"
Kuroha coaxed her gently.
Teio pouted pitifully.
"But Trainer, you just said the Kikuka Sho is still a long, long way away…"
Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly felt a light squeeze at her waist.
"Can this count as a little interest?"
Kuroha asked with a low laugh.
The girl's face instantly flushed bright red—not from shyness, but from indignant embarrassment.
"Not enough, not enough! Trainer, do it again!"
Immediately, Tokai Teio launched in place once more.
A precise landing.
And once again, she transformed into a facehugger.
(End of Chapter)
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