In the week after returning to Kasamatsu, Shuta An felt a strange sense of disorientation.
"Going back to normal work—even though summer vacation is only half a month away, it feels like the past few months stretched into years." He muttered this while driving to the Academy. "And even when summer vacation comes, I won't be free. I still have to go to Tokyo—I already accepted Miss Symboli Rudolf's invitation."
Oguri Cap's next race was still four months away. For the first time in a long while, Shuta An felt the tight string in his mind finally loosen.
"If I'm this idle just sitting in the office every day and receiving a salary" His lips twitched. "Maybe I should let Oguri run another Nagoya stakes. Something like the Tokai Derby?"
Of course, that thought evaporated once he realized the Tokai Derby was just days away.
Upon arriving at the office, he unexpectedly ran into Mr. Kitahara. A few days earlier, Shuta An had asked about his Central Trainer exam. Kitahara's lack of confidence back then had been obvious, so Shuta An hadn't pressed further. After greeting each other, Kitahara asked:
"Ann-san, among the new Uma Musume who enrolled this year—have you spotted anyone promising?"
"I haven't even paid attention to the new cohort this year." Shuta An shrugged. "Just training Oguri takes all my energy. I don't plan to recruit anyone new."
"If word gets out, the new students will be disappointed. Many came to Kasamatsu hoping for a chance under Ann-san."
"But Uma Musume and Trainers are a mutual choice," Shuta An replied calmly. "Besides, Kitahara-san knows that after Oguri retires, I'll go to Central."
"I didn't ask on anyone's behalf, so you don't have to speak so cautiously," Kitahara waved a hand. "I'm just curious if you intend to expand your team."
"Instead of worrying about me, Kitahara-san should worry about himself." Shuta An countered. "Aren't you recruiting new Uma Musume this year?"
"I'm not planning to either" Kitahara admitted. "I took the exam. If I pass, I'll only end up harming whoever I recruit."
"Fujimasa March should meet the transfer conditions, right?" Shuta An raised an eyebrow.
"She does," Kitahara scratched his head. "But whether she can adapt to Central— that I can't say."
"If she can't, then what? Have you thought about that?" Shuta An pressed.
Kitahara fell silent.
"With Fujimasa March's local record, she'd start in Central's three-win class. One more win puts her into stakes. But you know better than anyone—the gap between stakes-level Central and local isn't something training alone can bridge."
"I know." Kitahara's voice was tight. "But she said she wants to try."
"Then let her try." Shuta An replied neutrally. "But you need to think through her future. What if she can't adapt?"
"Then like Berno Light," Kitahara murmured. "She'll transfer to logistics."
"Are you sure she'll agree to that?" Shuta An frowned.
"I haven't talked to her about it yet," Kitahara admitted. "I'll find the time soon."
Shuta An doubted Fujimasa March would settle for logistics. But he didn't want to crush Kitahara's hopes, so he let the conversation end there.
———
Meanwhile, having told Oguri Cap she didn't need formal training until the end of June, the Gray Uma Musume was suddenly freer than ever. Between classes, she was constantly dragged out by her friends to play or shop. Sometimes she would return to her mother's apartment for a night and recount her experiences abroad.
Mrs. White Narubi—whose farthest journey had been from Hokkaido to Kasamatsu—listened with sparkling eyes whenever "Paris" came up.
"The day after the Derby, Berno and I walked outside in the evening, and I noticed all the decorative lights had turned gray." Oguri Cap leaned back on the sofa. "I thought they broke. But when I asked someone— guess why, Mom?"
White Narubi blinked. "I really don't know."
"Because I won the French Derby!" Oguri puffed up with pride. "They changed the lights to match my hair color to celebrate!"
"The whole city turning your color~" White Narubi stroked her daughter's hair. "That sounds so romantic."
"It was~" Oguri Cap smiled softly. "I want to experience that in Japan someday—so you can see it yourself."
"I believe you will," her mother replied gently.
———
Berno Light, unlike Oguri Cap, wasn't idle at all. Her fellow logistics students flocked around her daily for advice, and each time she helped them, she was shocked by how unmanageable certain tasks were for them. Problems she solved easily were mountains to others.
"The budget is too small— that's the biggest reason," Berno concluded as she opened her notebook to calculate Oguri Cap's total French earnings.
———
Central Tracen Academy's summer camp began the day after summer vacation started, but Shuta An and his team didn't need to show up early—they were only there as guests. Thus, instead of coordinating immediately with Symboli Rudolf, he focused on planning their summer trip.
They would go as a team again, so naturally Shuta An's first thought was returning to last year's hot spring inn.
"But will they be bored with Mombetsu or Biratori?" Concerned, he sent Oguri and Berno a message.
Their replies came instantly:
Berno Light: "Hokkaido is big. There are many places to explore."
Oguri Cap: "If you want something new, deduct the extra cost from my prize money!"
The intention behind both replies was the same—they wanted a new location.
And, of course, Shuta An would never deduct Oguri's prize money. Her French earnings—though prestigious—were small. The franc–yen exchange rate was terrible, and French Classics (except the Arc) were not lucrative. Even tax-free, her two Classic wins earned less than a single Japanese Derby.
"Too bad Oguri doesn't care about prize money at all," Shuta An sighed.
He had intended to explain her earnings to her, but when he arrived at the apartment that day—her mother conveniently out shopping—Oguri Cap dragged him straight into her room, making up for half a month of separation with overwhelming enthusiasm.
By the time they resurfaced, Shuta An had completely forgotten his original purpose. Later, when he tried again, Oguri simply said:
"There's no need to split it. We're one, aren't we?"
Thus, Oguri still had no idea how much she'd earned.
Having ample yen thanks to "special attention" from the Academy Director—and no guilt whatsoever about draining the Nagoya government—Shuta An selected their destination: Noboribetsu Onsen.
Japan's most famous hot spring, with 11 types of water, great transportation, and close to Sapporo and Hakodate. After comparing hotels and calculating costs, he exhaled. "Good. Still manageable."
He forwarded everything to Berno for processing, stretched, and stood up.
"I should go for a walk."
Kasamatsu Tracen Academy had many corners to wander through. As he leisurely circled the outer walls, he passed the garden beside the central courtyard—and heard familiar voices.
"That's why I need you to give me a clear answer, Fujimasa March! Central isn't easy! I promised to take you with me—but if you can't stand there, I'll be harming you!"
"So long— and Kitahara is only now saying this?" Shuta An murmured.
"But Trainer hasn't even let me try," Fujimasa March's voice trembled. "Why assume I can't make it?"
"The difference between local and Central is huge. After taking the exam, it became even clearer to me. I don't want to hurt you," Kitahara said. "Can't we plan a fallback first?"
"Oguri made it in Central. I know I'm not as good as her—but at least let me try condition races. If I can't even do that, what's the point of going to Central? Just to become a 'Central Uma Musume' earlier than Oguri?"
"Honestly with your ability, establishing yourself in Central's condition races really is difficult," Kitahara whispered.
Fujimasa March's answer was cold:
"If I really can't make it— I'll return to Kasamatsu myself. That way Trainer won't have a burden."
"That's not it—" Kitahara sounded pained. "I don't want to part with you. I want you to stay—like Berno Light did for Ann-san—and become my logistics support."
At that, Shuta An lowered his gaze, turned around, and silently slipped away from the garden.
"Whatever comes next isn't something I should be listening to."