The transfer procedures for Urban Sea and Sea the Stars went remarkably smoothly.
Perhaps it was because, of the two Umamusume transferring their registrations, one was virtually unknown. Nothing in her racing record suggested any extraordinary talent or overwhelming presence.
The other was still an elementary school student.
The Irish Umamusume Association hesitated briefly when it discovered that the pair would be transferring to the somewhat unusual Team Chasing Light, but that ultimately did not affect the outcome.
Thus, Urban Sea and Sea the Stars, the two future rulers of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, officially joined Chasing Light!
"Sea, Star, stay with Si-san for the next couple of days and pack your things."
"I'll come pick you up the morning after tomorrow, and then we'll head back to Central Tracen."
After leaving the association building, Kuroha smiled at the two girls beside him.
"Okay..."
Urban Sea nodded.
For some reason, the normally energetic girl had been unusually quiet ever since they began processing the transfer paperwork.
No one knew what she was thinking about.
Pat.
A hand settled on her head, making Urban Sea blink in surprise.
"What's on your mind?" Kuroha asked gently. "Do you want to stay here a little longer?"
That would be understandable.
Not long after Kuroha earned his local trainer's license and left for Kasamatsu, the two girls had followed Si to Ireland.
They had spent several years on this land.
Ireland was practically their second home.
People often spoke of feeling apprehensive when returning home after a long absence, but the sorrow of leaving could be even more bewildering.
It was only natural that they would be reluctant to go.
"A little, but what I've mostly been thinking about is..."
Urban Sea paused, then suddenly raised her head and looked seriously at Kuroha.
"Once my registration is transferred, you'll officially be my trainer, right, Kuro-kun?"
"So should I keep calling you Kuro-kun, or should I call you Trainer from now on?"
"Huh?"
Kuroha had not expected that question, and it left him momentarily stunned.
"If I keep calling you Kuro-kun, would that be... inappropriate?"
When Kuroha did not answer immediately, Urban Sea hurriedly tried to explain.
"I mean, would it seem rude? Like I don't respect you enough, or... Oh, I don't know!"
Seeing how adorably serious she was, Kuroha shook his head in amusement.
"Would you ever disrespect me?"
"Absolutely not!"
Urban Sea immediately shouted her promise.
"Then there's no problem."
Kuroha lowered his hand and took hers, smiling.
"Call me whatever you want. Either way, you're officially my trainee now."
I'm... Kuro-kun's trainee now?
Steam practically burst from her head.
Urban Sea felt her entire body growing hot, her blush spreading from her pale neck all the way to the tips of her ears.
"Th-then... I'll keep calling you Kuro-kun!"
After stammering for what felt like an eternity, Urban Sea finally stopped worrying about the matter.
However, she silently added one more thought:
Calling him Kuro-kun feels more intimate.
"..."
Sea the Stars, who was obediently holding Kuroha's other hand, gave her older sister an innocent look. She then suddenly tugged on Kuroha's hand.
"Onii-chan, I want ice cream!"
"Hm? Sure. Let's go buy some."
Kuroha slipped one arm around Sea the Stars's slender waist and lifted her into his arms. He then turned toward Urban Sea.
"Come on, Sea. Let's head back."
Urban Sea fell silent.
She gave her seemingly innocent younger sister a resentful look.
Strange. Why did Star seem a little different lately?
...
Once Kuroha finished dealing with everything involving the Sea sisters, his business in Europe was more or less complete.
Before returning to France, he briefly considered whether anything else might still require his attention.
Suave Dancer's sudden attraction to him?
McQueen could probably handle that.
Kuroha did not believe he was particularly close to Suave Dancer, nor did she truly know much about him.
If anything was going to happen there, it would have to wait until next year's European campaign.
Only after this year would Suave Dancer and McQueen truly reach their primes.
As for everything else...
Matters involving Secretariat and the Umamusume associations of various countries were most likely nothing more than political overtures, so they required little thought.
After considering it for a while, Kuroha could think of only one other person: the royal princess he had met several months earlier near Leopardstown Racecourse in Ireland.
Fine Motion.
He had previously advised her to tell her mother the truth.
He wondered how that had turned out.
At the thought, a faint smile once again appeared on Kuroha's lips.
Several seconds later, his smile deepened.
"It seems Central Tracen will be welcoming a princess before long."
After leaving the Sea sisters in Si's care, Kuroha returned to France.
He then spent two wonderful days off with his Umamusume.
Time passed gently as everyone ate, drank, explored, and enjoyed themselves.
The only incident worth mentioning occurred on the night before their departure.
When Fumino followed the plan and pulled Kuroha into a room before bed, she brought another Umamusume along with them.
The baby-faced Super Creek was still half-asleep when her trainer pulled her into the room, leaving her completely bewildered.
After fidgeting shyly for a while, however, she honestly remained where she was.
Fumino had long understood exactly how her trainee felt and had no patience for any more coy back-and-forth.
Instead, she took hold of the red string of fate and tied everything together in one decisive move.
Thus, that night, Kuroha finally discovered just how warm and all-encompassing Super Creek's embrace could truly be.
(End of Chapter)
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