"..."
In the Spica team's lounge, a man with a lollipop in his mouth rested his chin in his hands, looking gravely at the two newspapers in front of him.
Seiun Sky...
A thoughtful expression appeared on the unkempt man's face.
After the Zhongjing Newcomer Championship, on the Victors Stage, this Uma Musume announced that she would participate in next year's Classic Triple Crown races.
Next year's Classic Triple Crown...
The man felt a headache coming on at this thought.
Next year, will Emperor meet her in the Classic Triple Crown races...?
Okino Koji, who had spent some time watching the videos of the two races the Black-haired Horse Girl had run so far, covered his head and sighed incessantly.
...If he continued to train Emperor according to the original plan, could she defeat Seiun Sky head-on in next year's Classic Triple Crown races?
The more Okino Koji thought about it, the more worried he became.
...Could Emperor's final burst of speed help her defeat Seiun Sky in the final sprint?
"Bang—!"
Just as Okino Koji was still deep in thought, the iron door of the lounge was suddenly kicked open.
"Trainer, I've brought Emperor and the others!"
Gold Ship walked into the room casually, as if she hadn't heard the wailing sound of the iron door hitting the wall and bouncing back.
"...Gold Ship, can't you just open the door properly?"
Okino Koji, feeling a pang in his heart as he looked at the iron door kicked open by Gold Ship, clutched his chest: "If you break it again, I'll have to report to the academy again to replace the iron door of our team's lounge."
"Trainer, when have you ever seen me push a door open normally?"
Gold Ship waved her hand with a grin, then picked a stool and sat down.
"...Trainer, didn't you have something to say to Emperor? I've brought Emperor over as you asked, you know?"
"Eh? What, what? What does Trainer want to tell me?"
The lively Tokai Teio bounced over to Okino Koji, leaning forward to look at the two newspapers on his desk.
"Seiun...Fūga?"
Tokai Teio, who quickly found the commonality between the two newspapers, read out the name in confusion.
"Yes, Emperor."
Okino Koji nodded and pushed the two newspapers towards her: "...She will also be an opponent you'll face in next year's Classic Triple Crown races."
"Oh, oh! So she'll be one of my opponents?"
Hearing Okino Koji say this, Tokai Teio immediately became excited.
She picked up the newspaper and stared intently at the Black-haired Horse Girl in the photo for a long while, as if to commit her to memory.
"Seiun Sky...Seiun Sky, mm-hmm! I remember her!"
Tokai Teio, who had repeated Seiun Sky's name several times, looked up at Okino Koji.
"Besides this, Trainer, do you have anything else?"
"Hmm...I'd like to slightly modify your training plan."
Okino Koji nodded, then began to discuss this with Tokai Teio.
...
"Oh my~ Good morning, Trainer."
The next morning, Seiun Sky looked at Saito Asuka, who was already standing on the training ground, and greeted him with a grin, raising her hand: "Today is another day full of hope, isn't it~?"
"...Fūga, before today's training begins, I need to tell you something."
Saito Asuka, who had been waiting for a long time, looked at the Black-haired Horse Girl slowly approaching him, his face serious.
"Yesterday, after the Victors Stage, you said, 'I will participate in next year's Classic Triple Crown races,' right?"
"Hmm? Trainer, weren't you there then?"
Seiun Sky tilted her head at Saito Asuka's words, asking in confusion: "...Didn't you see clearly what I did then, Trainer?"
"Ah, ah...Yes, it was indeed crystal clear."
Saito Asuka, remembering what the Black-haired Horse Girl in front of him did on the Victors Stage last night, covered his head with a headache.
Last night, after the Victors Stage, Seiun Sky, who could have simply left, instead dropped a bombshell on the audience with a smile.
"I've decided to participate in next year's Classic Triple Crown races, so everyone remember to come and cheer me on then~?"
Seiun Sky said these words, which caused the audience to collectively erupt, in a casual tone as if discussing everyday matters.
If it had only been up to that point...
Saito Asuka, truly unwilling to recall what Seiun Sky said next, shook his head.
"In short, you need to be prepared to be targeted by other Uma Musume in the upcoming races."
As he said this, Saito Asuka couldn't help but reach out to flick Seiun Sky's forehead.
But seeing her preemptively hug her head, he ultimately couldn't bring himself to do it, only gently flicking her nose.
"...Do you feel that the races you're currently participating in are too boring, so you want to add a little difficulty for yourself?"
Saito Asuka, whose blood pressure rose due to Seiun Sky's actions last night, spoke with extreme helplessness: "Let's just run the races properly, okay? Don't do all these weird things."
"But...wouldn't this also bring a lot of attention to our Himeji Tracen Academy?"
Seiun Sky's smile remained: "In that case, wouldn't we be one step closer to your goal, Trainer...? Oh!"
"But if you do that, you're very likely to be targeted by all Uma Musume in the upcoming races!"
Seeing Seiun Sky's lack of remorse, Saito Asuka, exasperated, flicked her forehead hard: "...Were you just having fun and saying whatever came to mind on the Victors Stage yesterday?!"
"Didn't you consider the consequences of saying those things?!"
"You...you...Oh! Can't you just run the races properly?! Why do all these flashy things?! What good does it do you?!"
By the end, Saito Asuka's tone even carried a hint of exasperation, as if he were disappointed in her.
...If you're going to run a race, run it properly. If there's a race you want to participate in, come and discuss it with me. If we can sign up, we'll sign up. Why do you have to make yourself so famous?!
You're making me so angry!
"..."
Covering her forehead, which had been reddened by Saito Asuka's flick, Seiun Sky looked up at the scolding Saito Asuka in front of her.
"Trainer, I won't lose."
Dropping her hands, Seiun Sky looked at the black-haired man standing in front of her.
"...Before fulfilling my promise to you, I will not yield victory to any other Uma Musume."
The Black-haired Horse Girl said.
"And...even if those Uma Musume want to interfere with me on the track, it's not something they can achieve just by saying so~?"
However, while Saito Asuka was stunned, the Black-haired Horse Girl, who had returned to her usual lively self, said with a grin and jogged, leaving him behind.
"I'll be counting on you to time today's training, Trainer~?"
"..."
Looking at the Black-haired Horse Girl who had started her warm-up exercises on the training ground, Saito Asuka, certain that he hadn't seen wrong, showed a helpless smile on his face.
I can't do anything with you.
Saito Asuka, pulling out a stopwatch from his pocket, thought to himself.
But...who asked me to be your Trainer?