"…So, next is the Victor's Stage, right?"
After chatting with Seiun Sky for a while, Nakayama Megumi suddenly asked.
"Huh? Yes."
Seiun Sky looked down at the time, and finding that it was only around five in the afternoon, she simply stood up and brushed the wrinkles from her clothes: "It's still early, why don't we go out to eat something and then come back?"
"That's true… It's not good to dance on stage on an empty stomach."
Nakayama Megumi glanced at Saito Asuka, who had become silent after she brought up the topic, and agreed: "...Since you said so, let's go out and eat something to tide us over."
"Mm-hmm, if I'm hungry, it wouldn't be good if people heard my stomach rumbling on the Victor's Stage later, would it~?"
Seiun Sky echoed.
"Um… this might have to be postponed."
Just as the two were about to leave the room to grab a bite to eat nearby, a faint voice suddenly sounded in their ears.
Seeing that both of their gazes were focused on him, Saito Asuka raised his right hand and added weakly, "I think we can still salvage it now."
"…Salvage? Trainer, what are you talking about?"
Seiun Sky, who didn't understand, asked in confusion.
"He's talking about the Victor's Stage."
Seeing the confused expression on Seiun Sky's face, Nakayama Megumi helped him clarify.
"Victor's Stage? What about the Victor's Stage?"
Seiun Sky was still completely bewildered.
"…Asuka was so focused on your training that he didn't do any Victor's Stage training with you, did he?"
Nakayama Megumi first glanced at Saito Asuka standing beside her, and after realizing he looked away, not daring to meet her gaze, she continued: "So he wants to do some emergency special training with you before the Victor's Stage begins."
"Oh, I see."
Seiun Sky nodded, understanding.
"But Trainer, isn't it a bit too late for you to just remember now?"
Seiun Sky looked at Saito Asuka, who had turned his head to look elsewhere: "…There's less than two hours left until the Victor's Stage begins. What can you teach me in that time?"
"Uh… the most basic dance steps shouldn't be a problem."
The man thought for a moment, then replied somewhat hesitantly: "Although there's less than two hours, at least this way you can…"
"At least it can prevent me from making a fool of myself on stage, right?"
Seiun Sky finished the second half of his sentence for him: "…Although it's last-minute preparation, it's better than nothing."
"But! Trainer, have you considered another possibility?"
Then, Saito Asuka saw Seiun Sky smilingly extend a finger and wiggle it left and right in front of him.
"That is… I actually already prepared to dance with two other beautiful girls?"
"Already prepared… Wait! You added Victor's Stage training after completing your daily training?!"
Saito Asuka expressed his shock: "Is your stamina really limitless?!"
"Isn't it obvious that such a thing is impossible?"
Seiun Sky leaned forward, one hand on her hip, the other with an index finger pressed to her lips: "As for how I prepared for the Victor's Stage…"
"Every beautiful girl has her secrets~?"
…Forget it, if she doesn't want to say, she doesn't have to.
Seeing the Black-haired Horse Girl wink playfully at him, Saito Asuka let go of his last doubts.
…Since she said she's ready, then there won't be any problems.
Saito Asuka, completely hands-off, fully trusted his first Uma Musume.
Because the 'nurturing' had been too smooth, he only felt a slight sense of reality when he occasionally browsed Trainer forums during his rare free time.
Hmm… especially when Seiun Sky rubbed it in the faces of other Trainers.
'My first Uma Musume has strong self-control, doesn't eat too many sweets, doesn't stay up late, and can control her stamina well…'
'Can your Uma Musume do this.jpg'
…In a way, it's also a tragedy to have no sense of involvement because the Uma Musume being trained is too strong.
"…What do you two want to eat? My treat."
Saito Asuka, who had silently stood up and followed Seiun Sky out of the room, said this, then pulled out his wallet to check if he had enough money.
Good… The budget is ample, even if another Uma Musume came along, I could totally handle it!
"Trainer's treat?"
Seiun Sky's tone was inexplicably excited when she heard Saito Asuka say the last sentence.
Unfortunately, Saito Asuka didn't notice this at all, only quickened his pace to walk in front of them, leading them out of the Uma Musume lounge.
"Then… let's just eat something casual nearby to tide us over~?"
Seiun Sky, following Saito Asuka out, gave the same answer when she heard him ask the question again.
…
"…So, this is what you meant by 'just eat something casual' and 'tide us over'?"
Looking at the two stacks of plates beside the Black-haired Horse Girl, almost taller than her, Saito Asuka couldn't help but ask.
…On the Victor's Stage later, she wouldn't be too full to dance, would she?
"Hmm? Yes."
Seiun Sky, swallowing the fried noodles in her mouth, nodded, then took another plate of fried noodles from the table: "…Isn't it normal for an Uma Musume to eat a lot?"
"Could it be… I ate too much, and it pained you, Trainer~?"
"Pained? Hahaha… How could it be."
Saito Asuka smiled and shook his head, then pushed the untouched plate of tofu soup in front of the Black-haired Horse Girl.
"You need to eat your fill to have the energy to run, eat slowly, don't choke."
Looking at Seiun Sky, who had devoured more than half of the fried noodles in front of her in just a few seconds, Saito Asuka suppressed a laugh and added: "…But don't eat too much."
"If you eat too much, be careful not to be able to dance on the Victor's Stage."
"Mm mm, no need to worry."
Washing down the fried noodles in her mouth with tofu soup, Seiun Sky patted her chest: "…This is nothing, really."
Because her body was not yet stable, she needed more energy to complete this process.
This also led to her having a larger appetite than the average Uma Musume.
However… after coming to Himeji Tracen Academy, the problem of constantly feeling hungry was resolved.
Recalling the increasing amount of food the cafeteria auntie served her each day during that period, Seiun Sky, while stuffing food into her mouth, suddenly felt respect for the middle-aged auntie who always smiled while serving her food.
To fill my stomach, she must have put in a lot of effort for that…?