After Shuta An returned to his bedroom, Oguri Cap quietly lowered her head. She stared at her hands—the same hands that had just been held by her Trainer—curling her fingers, then slowly spreading them open again.
Believe in Trainer. Believe in myself, the one believed in by Trainer.
She kept repeating that sentence in her heart.
Meanwhile, Berno Light, hiding behind the crack of the door, felt her cheeks burning. "What did Trainer just say to Oguri Cap…?"
She hadn't caught a word, only feeling a faint sense of crisis—as though she had somehow become an outsider to the team.
"If I ask Oguri directly, she definitely won't tell me anything… but it's also awkward to ask Trainer." Berno Light pursed her lips, whispering to herself, "But when everything becomes reality…"
She couldn't imagine how she would face the two of them then.
"No, no!" She shook her head like a rattle. "I have to find an opportunity to take the initiative!"
Meanwhile, Shuta An lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling in silence.
"I didn't have a hot spring bath today," he muttered to himself.
But there had been no footsteps outside for a long while, and he didn't feel comfortable walking naked through the living room to get there—it would be unbearably awkward if Oguri Cap or Berno Light came out of their rooms.
Ever since that accident, Shuta An had been much more careful. The first time could be brushed off, but a few more and… it would be hard to explain. As he lay there quietly, his eyelids grew heavy. Soon, he slipped into the Dream World—today's destination: Nagoya, where he would partner with Oguri Cap in an open race.
Not only that—thanks to his miraculous record of seven wins in a single day at Kasamatsu, Shuta An had also gained the trust of other horse owners and Trainers. Today, he was scheduled to compete in five races at Nagoya.
"The first, fourth, fifth, eighth, and Oguri Cap's eleventh," Shuta An murmured as he reviewed his race schedule.
Aside from Oguri Cap, he had already met the horses for the other four races in the Dream World. Their skill levels were only average—stronger horses already had permanent partners, leaving Shuta An to fill in where needed. Still, he had confidence. His goal remained the same: win them all.
But the day started with a setback.
The horse he rode in the first race—despite being the favorite—was overtaken by the second favorite right before the finish line.
Shuta An dismounted, frowning, his expression dark.
Sagami Masayuki noticed and stepped forward to comfort his disciple. "It's fine. There's no shame in losing as the favorite. Many people bet on that horse simply because you were riding."
"But that's exactly why I feel uneasy." Shuta An forced a smile. "I let down the expectations of everyone who believed in me."
He now completely understood Oguri Cap's anxiety before a race.
"There's no need for that," Sagami Masayuki said, clapping him on the shoulder. "It's seven parts horse, three parts human. No matter how skilled you are, most of the result depends on the horse's ability. You're a jockey, not a savior."
"I understand," Shuta An replied quietly, lowering his head. He understood—but that didn't mean he could accept it easily. He wanted revenge in the next race.
After the setback in the first race, Shuta An rebounded spectacularly, winning all three subsequent races and leaving no chance for his colleagues to shine.
"If not for the poor horse in the first race, Shuta An might have scored another clean sweep today," commented the live announcer in Nagoya—a sentiment echoed by the audience.
In the lounge afterward, Shuta An wasn't met with the cold stares he once faced in Kasamatsu. Instead, the local jockeys gathered around, eager to hear about his riding techniques. No matter their experience, all of them recognized that this apprentice from Kasamatsu possessed skills surpassing even Central-level standards. Even if they couldn't fully grasp his methods in a few minutes, any new insight was worth learning.
Shuta An didn't hide anything. In the Dream World, he had realized that his riding techniques were deeply tied to his physical fitness. Even if he shared them, most jockeys couldn't replicate his execution.
Generous and open-handed, Shuta An quickly earned the respect of Nagoya's jockeys. But when it came to the main event—the eleventh race, Oguri Cap's race—his expression turned serious once again. The earlier races had been for his pride. This one was for Oguri Cap's honor.
Despite her six consecutive wins in Kasamatsu, this was Oguri Cap's first appearance in Nagoya. Even with her reputation, she was listed as the second favorite, behind the local star, Overall Commander.
Shuta An didn't care about the odds. He calmly guided Oguri Cap into the gate. The moment it opened, he secured a strong position near the lead, pacing steadily beside the front-runner. As they entered the final straight, he angled outward, gave a single sharp whip, and Oguri Cap surged forward—all in one seamless motion.
"Kasamatsu's White Meteor breaks through! Heading straight for the finish line! The pairing of genius and genius defies all prejudice!" The commentator's voice boomed with excitement.
"Seven straight victories! Oguri Cap stands at the peak of Nagoya's two-year-old class this summer!"
Shuta An could clearly hear the cheers as they crossed the finish line.
"Seven consecutive wins, huh," he thought quietly.
At the waiting area, he dismounted with a light hop. Oguri Cap, usually composed, suddenly turned and bumped her head into his. Shuta An grimaced in pain but laughed, gently rubbing her nose in return.
Then, a familiar chime sounded—his attribute viewer had updated again. Opening it, Shuta An was stunned. His affection level with Oguri Cap had surpassed 200.
"Two hundred and one…? What's the cap on this, anyway?" he muttered, bewildered.
But another question immediately followed in his mind—one that had bothered him for two months now: "How do I even teach that skill, Senko no Oni?"
With two unsolved mysteries looming, Shuta An's expression—despite his victory in the Dream World—grew solemn once more.
The next day, Shuta An noticed that Oguri Cap's behavior toward him was no different from usual. While that fact brought him relief, he couldn't help feeling a trace of disappointment.
"So even after her affection passed two hundred, there's still no visible difference?" he muttered under his breath. "Or maybe I have to take the initiative to find out?"
Still, for Shuta An, stability before an important race was a blessing. Any change—especially a negative one—could be disastrous. What he wanted most was for Oguri Cap to maintain her composure and focus.
"Anyway, that OP race victory in the Dream World only bumped Oguri Cap's affection for me to 201, with no other reward," he mused. "I guess I'll need to win a Grade race next time if I want something better."
However, through Berno Light's eyes, things seemed a little different. Ever since the Trainer had held Oguri Cap's hand the night before, Oguri's demeanor toward him appeared subtly altered.
"Oguri's suddenly paying attention to keeping her distance from Trainer…" Berno Light thought suspiciously.
Her reasoning wasn't baseless. That very morning, she had noticed a series of small but telling changes:
"Normally, after Trainer finishes washing up, Oguri would go next—but today, she told me to go first."
"During training, the space between Oguri and Trainer was just a little wider."
"She wasn't even concentrating while eating breakfast."
"And when Trainer walked into the living room, Oguri immediately straightened her posture."
Berno Light wasn't as naïve as a countryside Cinderella. She could more or less guess what might have happened between her good friend and the Trainer.
"Trainer's really too much," she pouted inwardly. "He knows Oguri has a big race coming up, and he's still saying all sorts of things to distract her. I really need to figure out what's going on."
And—though she hated to admit it—she also had her own, more selfish reasons.
"If it's really what I'm thinking… then how am I supposed to deal with that myself?"
By the afternoon, Shuta An had started noticing that Berno Light's gaze toward him was unusually intense.
"What's with that look? I haven't done anything to her, have I?" he muttered. "Why is she staring at me like that?"
"Hnn!!!" A sudden thought struck him, and he froze. "Could it be… she found out what I was doing last night?"
Of course, he wasn't a saint. A young man in his prime, closing the door at night to handle certain… personal needs, wasn't exactly shocking—especially considering the constant tension and stimulation he'd been experiencing lately.
"But I always lock the door, don't I?" Shuta An frowned, sitting on the edge of his bed.
Just then, a knock came at the closed door.
"Who is it?" he asked, looking up. "Come in."
"It's me." Berno Light entered, bowing slightly before closing the door behind her.
"What's wrong?" Shuta An studied the chestnut-haired logistics Uma Musume standing in her casual clothes. "Shouldn't you and Oguri be napping right now?"
"Oguri just fell asleep," Berno Light replied, addressing his question first before continuing. "There's something I want to confirm with Trainer."
"Confirm something?" Shuta An's brow furrowed. "What do you mean, Berno?"
As he spoke, he subtly tensed up. The air around Berno Light carried an uneasy mix of emotions—nervousness, hesitation, even anticipation.
'What is she planning?' Shuta An's instincts kicked in. He'd already begun analyzing her micro-expressions, reading the tension in her posture and the quiver in her voice.
Originally, Berno Light had intended to ask about Oguri Cap. But now that she stood before the Trainer, alone in his room, her courage faltered. Her question shifted course entirely.
"What plans does Trainer have for my future?" she asked quietly.
"Your… future?" Shuta An blinked, surprised. "I'm not sure I follow, Berno Light."
"Oguri will stop being an Uma Musume someday, right? And Trainer will leave Kasamatsu after that," Berno Light said, stepping closer. "So what about me? Will I stay here alone? Switch teams and start over?"
Shuta An frowned slightly. "Didn't I promise you before? When that time comes, Berno, you'll come to Central with me."
"Will I still just be in logistics then? Always running errands for Trainer?" Berno Light's voice wavered as she met his eyes, then quickly looked away. "If that's all, Trainer could replace me with someone else anytime, couldn't he?"
Shuta An immediately understood the heart of her insecurity—she feared being replaced. After all, logistics didn't require specialized skills, just diligence and obedience.
"That's true," he admitted. "Continuing like this isn't a long-term solution."
After thinking for a moment, he offered gently, "If you're willing, Berno Light, once we return to Kasamatsu, you can start learning the basics of training under me."
"In that case…" She bit her lip, voice trembling. "After Trainer leaves Kasamatsu, could I… become a Trainer too?"
"If that's what you want," Shuta An nodded. "When the time comes, I'll help you apply for a Trainer's license."
Her eyes brightened slightly—but then, hesitating, she asked, "What if I want to go to Central with Trainer?"
Shuta An didn't seem to notice the longing in her tone. He considered her words carefully before answering, "If you want to come with me to Central, I'll arrange for you to study logistics at Central Tracen Academy. Once you graduate, you can become my assistant Trainer."
He smiled faintly. "Honestly, I doubt I'll ever find an assistant as capable as you."
Of course, that wasn't entirely true—finding one wasn't impossible. But for Shuta An, the three most important traits in an assistant were clear: obedience, competence, and trustworthiness.
The first two could be trained; the third, trust, could only be earned.
In his eyes, Berno Light had already proven herself worthy of it. Their shared experiences—the victories she'd achieved through his guidance—had built a foundation of mutual reliance he valued deeply. He hoped she would continue to be someone he could trust to the very end.
"Thank you, Trainer." Berno Light bowed deeply. "I'm willing to follow Trainer and learn in the future."
"That's good." Shuta An grinned. "Any other questions?"
Berno Light remembered why she had come in the first place—but now, she didn't dare to ask. Awkwardly, she shook her head.
"I still can't bring myself to say it…" she muttered under her breath as she backed out of the room. "But… Trainer's so kind to me. There's no way he'd ever hurt Oguri."