Chapter 6.
After buying the honey, before seeing Tokai Teio off into the car, Shuta An instructed, "Next Tuesday, you'll have a comprehensive physical examination. I've already contacted Miss Symboli Rudolf about the arrangements. Just hand me the report during Wednesday's training."
"Physical examination?" Tokai Teio covered her mouth. "Does Trainer think I'm sick?"
"No, not at all. I just need to understand your condition better." Shuta An shook his head, reassuring her.
He didn't voice the rest of that thought: Perhaps I've found a way to make you, Tokai Teio, even stronger.
Still, Shuta An didn't intend to make uncertain promises to an Uma Musume whose intimacy level barely reached seventy — twenty of which, admittedly, came from those two bottles of honey.
"Then, goodbye, Trainer!" Tokai Teio waved cheerfully before hopping into the car.
"Goodbye~" Shuta An watched until her figure disappeared, then turned away.
"Should I say she's worthy of being Symboli Rudolf's junior?" he murmured. "Even with low intimacy toward me, she remains polite and follows every instruction."
Since the morning training had already been intense, Shuta An kept the afternoon light — only asking Oguri Cap to spend an hour in the gym before resting. As for himself, he retreated to the guest room to organize his findings from the morning session.
"When Tokai Teio warms up, she does a unique high-knee movement. According to Miss Symboli Rudolf, that motion — 'Teio's Dance Steps' — is unique to her. During running, I noticed her footwork resembles a less exaggerated version of those steps."
"In that footwork, while most force is directed forward, a noticeable portion pushes upward, giving her a light, springy stride."
"The reason it feels light, I suspect, lies in her soft ankle cartilage. But cartilage, by nature, is fragile. If her technique relies heavily on it, it may cause long-term wear and tear — something the physical examination should confirm."
"If I'm right, then Tokai Teio's instincts already understand this — which explains why she runs that way."
He paused, staring at the words he'd just written.
"Is that really the case?" he frowned. "If her soft ankles enable that form, would it really reduce cartilage stress?"
"Then… if Oguri Cap mimicked that technique, wouldn't it also lower her injury risk?"
Shuta An closed his eyes, trying to imagine Oguri Cap performing Teio's Dance Steps — but the image simply wouldn't come.
"…So the secret behind this footwork isn't that."
He tore the page from his notebook, shredded it, and tossed the fragments into the bin.
"Let's wait for the examination report before drawing conclusions." He sighed, deciding to set the research aside for now.
At that time, one week remained until the Yayoi Sho. With only eleven Uma Musumes registered out of eighteen available slots, the current lineup would certainly run next week.
After several days of study, Shuta An solidified his conclusion. "In this race, only Sakura Chiyono O and Dicta Striker are worth my analytical effort."
Since the gate numbers hadn't been announced, he wasn't in a rush to discuss tactics with Oguri Cap.
"Well, I'm suddenly free," he muttered, standing up and walking to the living room. He grabbed the remote, switched on the TV, and slumped onto the sofa to pass the quiet afternoon.
Meanwhile, Tokai Teio had just returned to Central Tracen Academy.
She'd intended to head straight to her dorm to rest — but was called to the Student Council room. Symboli Rudolf studied her closely, then asked about the day's training in detail. Tokai Teio answered honestly, also mentioning that Shuta An had given her two bottles of honey — emphasizing that they were rewards for completing her tasks.
"Controlling pace during chase training?" Symboli Rudolf repeated, remembering the question Shuta An had sent her earlier that morning.
"And that physical examination request…" she thought, frowning. "Could it be that Shuta-kun sensed a hidden injury?"
The thought made her tense. If Teio's dream were ruined by an injury…
Tokai Teio noticed her expression shift and asked nervously, "President, did you think of something?"
"Nothing." Symboli Rudolf quickly masked her worry, shaking her head.
"That's good." Tokai Teio exhaled in relief. "I thought something bad had happened."
"About that physical examination Shuta-kun mentioned," Symboli Rudolf said firmly. "We'll go tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Tokai Teio's face went pale. She'd been terrified of doctors since childhood. X-rays were fine, but a comprehensive checkup meant blood tests—and she hated needles.
"Tomorrow," Rudolf repeated, her tone leaving no room for negotiation. She knew Teio's fear well, but this time, she wouldn't indulge it.
'If there truly is a hidden issue, the sooner it's found, the better. One day of delay is one more day of risk.'
Tokai Teio didn't know what Rudolf was thinking; all she could think was that she'd be completely at the mercy of doctors tomorrow.
"Ugh…" Just imagining it made her stomach twist. Even if someone handed her a honey drink now, she couldn't bring herself to sip it.
Unaware that Symboli Rudolf had moved up the examination date, Shuta An spent the rest of the day "busy" — in other words, watching TV — and turned in early that night.
As always, when sleep took him, he drifted into the Dream World once more.
"Next Sunday's Hanshin race will be Oguri Cap's Central debut. Everything depends on you, Shuta-kun."
Oguri Cap's current trainer, Setoguchi Tsutomu, had already done his homework. He knew the so-called "intern jockey" before him was anything but ordinary.
Considering Oguri Cap's displayed ability and Shuta An's command of horsemanship, the team's goal was clear — a debut victory.
"I will do my best," Shuta An replied solemnly.
Oguri Cap's race schedule in the Dream World differed slightly from her real-world counterpart. Although the dates aligned, she was registered for the Pegasus Stakes instead—a 1600-meter G3 turf event held at Hanshin Racecourse.
When Shuta An checked the entry list, he frowned. "Not a single familiar name," he muttered, shaking his head. "Let's go, Oguri Cap. We'll focus on training."
He stepped out of the stable, where Oguri Cap and her assistant were already waiting.
"Today's training is straightforward," he read from the plan Trainer Setoguchi Tsutomu had given him. "A warm-up in the walking ring, followed by a solo 6F run on the C woodchip track at Ritto Training Center."
"Any time requirement?" Shuta An asked as he mounted up.
Setoguchi Tsutomu thought for a moment, then said, "Six furlongs in eighty seconds. Any problem with that?"
"An average of 13.3 seconds per 200 meters," Shuta An calculated quickly. "Understood."
"Good," Setoguchi nodded with a faint smile. "Let me see if your local-racing reputation is justified."
As a seasoned trainer, Setoguchi knew pace control was one of a jockey's core skills—and the time he'd just set wasn't an easy benchmark. It demanded near-perfect rhythm, impeccable communication between horse and rider, and an intuitive sense of timing that couldn't be faked.
When Shuta An and Oguri Cap arrived at the walking ring entrance, a familiar figure was already there, mounted and waiting.
"Take-kun, good morning," Shuta An greeted casually.
Yutaka Take, who had noticed him earlier, reluctantly turned and nodded. "Morning."
"Don't look so serious," Shuta An chuckled, guiding Oguri Cap closer. "I saw the entry list. Seems like we'll be facing each other at Hanshin again next week."
"I doubt I'll beat you. Oguri Cap's the heavy favorite," Yutaka replied, glancing away.
"Favorites don't always win," Shuta An said with a confident grin. "Back at Kasamatsu, I won plenty of races on horses no one expected to place."
"For me, being the favorite isn't what matters—it's finishing first," he continued, voice calm but steady. "Tell me, Take-kun—are you the kind of jockey who thinks he can't win without a good horse?"
That jab struck home. Yutaka snapped his gaze back, eyes narrowing. "I'm not that kind of guy!"
He was still young, still at the stage where pride easily overrode patience. Shuta An's provocation hit the mark.
"Then let's prove it on the track," Shuta An said as the walking ring gate opened. "In the Pegasus Stakes, I'll be a mid-pack chaser and waiting for the right moment."
"Then I'll mark you closely," Yutaka shot back. "I won't lose!"
"We'll see." Shuta An's smirk widened. His confidence in Oguri Cap was absolute. He entered the walking ring proudly, chest high in the saddle, leading her into a steady warm-up trot.
Two days later, on Tuesday, Symboli Rudolf arrived at the training center, handing him a folder. "This is Teio's medical report."
"Thank you, Miss Symboli Rudolf." Shuta An accepted it, surprised. "But wasn't the exam a bit rushed? It was right after training—her condition might've been affected."
"I was worried about a hidden injury," Symboli Rudolf admitted. "So I advanced the examination. Was I mistaken?"
"Not at all," Shuta An waved it off. "Though Teio does have minor issues, it's not as bad as a hidden injury. Still, I'll need time to study the details."
He flipped through the report briefly. "It could take half a month, maybe a year. But please don't worry, Miss Rudolf. Since I'm responsible for her training, I'll see to it that she has every chance to fulfill her dream."
"I'll trust you, then," Symboli Rudolf said softly, bowing her head—a rare gesture from the proud "Emperor." "Teio's dream has always been the undefeated Triple Crown. I've seen her determination since she was little."
"Then I'll do everything to protect both her dream and her health," Shuta An said firmly.
"That's good," she replied. "But Teio would rather sacrifice her body if it meant achieving her dream."
"That shouldn't be the tradeoff," Shuta An countered quietly. "Both honor and health matter. That's what a real Trainer should aim for."
Symboli Rudolf's gaze turned distant, memories surfacing of her own overseas expedition years ago. "If only I had…" She stopped herself, exhaling softly. "Never mind—it's all in the past."
Shuta An caught the shift in her expression but didn't comment. He knew better than to touch on someone's regrets.
"Teio's future is in your hands now," she finally said.
"Of course." Shuta An looked down at the report again. "She's hardworking and gifted—a combination that deserves a worthy outcome."
"Let's hope your efforts lead her there," Symboli Rudolf murmured. She had seen too many talents burn out before their time.