Initially, upon hearing Sakura Bakushin O tell such a cold, even embarrassingly toe-curling joke, Satono Diamond and Kitasan Black both looked at Sakura Bakushin O with expressions as if they had seen a ghost.
However, they immediately heard the usually stern-looking Symboli Rudolf let out a "pfft" sound as she failed to hold back her laughter. The two Little Horse Girls then turned their ghostly gazes towards Symboli Rudolf instead.
"What's wrong with these two?!"
Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond were incredibly shocked in their hearts, but they dared not ask aloud.
A moment later, Symboli Rudolf's laughter gradually subsided, and she finally composed herself and looked at Sakura Bakushin O.
This time, however, the look in her eyes towards Sakura Bakushin O had much less of the President's authority and a bit more familiarity.
"That's a good joke. I've noted it. Let's use them for promotion during Golden Week on May 1st."
Gold Ship & Special Week: "???"
Listening to Symboli Rudolf's words, Air Groove's eyes widened so much they almost popped out.
At this moment, Sakura Bakushin O also received a timely notification from the system:
"Mission accomplished: Make Symboli Rudolf laugh, +100 System Points"
"Mission accomplished: Air Groove in terrible condition, +50 System Points"
"Hmm? Why did the Empress's achievement add so little? Is it because she's always in terrible condition?"
Sakura Bakushin O grumbled inwardly, feeling quite satisfied with the mission she had completed.
After bidding farewell to Symboli Rudolf and the others, Sakura Bakushin O took her four team members to their team's clubroom.
The room's furnishings were very simple, just like those of Spica and Canopus's rooms: a few cabinets, a few desks, a whiteboard, and a large long table in the center.
Next to the whiteboard, on a cabinet, there was a television for studying race footage.
"This is our team's clubroom."
Sakura Bakushin O introduced it to Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond, the two newcomers.
"You still have classes, right? After today, I'll start formulating detailed training and race plans for you."
Satono Diamond and Kitasan Black nodded repeatedly, filled with both anticipation and some apprehension for future training.
Their anticipation stemmed from knowing Sakura Bakushin O's outstanding ability as a Trainer; they were very much looking forward to their growth under her guidance.
Their apprehension, of course, was due to Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen's earlier remarks.
"Before that, I need to understand what running styles and race distances suit you, as well as your adaptability to turf or Dirt Track."
"Do we have to run all of them?" Kitasan Black asked.
"No need for such trouble. Just pull your socks down to your heels, and I'll know after feeling it."
"Eh eh eh eh eh?!"
Upon hearing Sakura Bakushin O's words, Satono Diamond and Kitasan Black's cheeks immediately flushed crimson.
Although Sakura Bakushin O was also female, they both still felt extremely shy.
Especially Satono Diamond.
Her Satomi Family was a powerful and prestigious family in the Uma Musume world.
Satono Diamond herself was cherished like a precious jewel by her family, an Uma Musume who grew up under the utmost care.
No one, except her family, had ever touched her body.
Not even Kitasan Black, who she had played with since childhood.
"No no no no no no!"
Satono Diamond, her face red, waved her hands repeatedly.
"I haven't let an outsider touch my legs yet, Trai... Trainer-san, I think it would be more reliable to run it myself. If you just touch it, there might be errors in judgment..."
"Oh, I see. No big deal," Sakura Bakushin O said with a smile.
Satono Diamond sighed softly upon hearing this, thinking that Trainer-san was so easy to talk to; she had thought Sakura Bakushin O wouldn't agree.
But unexpectedly, she heard Sakura Bakushin O continue:
"You'll be living in the same room as Kita from now on. When you're tired from training, she'll often help you with massages to relieve fatigue. So there's no need to be shy now, after all, I just want to understand your leg quality."
Hearing Sakura Bakushin O's words, the cheeks of Satono Diamond and Kitasan Black suddenly became even redder than before.
Kitasan Black was so surprised that her tongue trembled a bit, her face like a ripe apple.
"Trainer-san, how did you know I can massage? I didn't tell you, did I?"
"Ah, such things, you can tell with a glance. It looks like your mother often massaged you when you were little, right?"
"How can you tell something like that?!" Kitasan Black asked in shock.
Satono Diamond initially thought Sakura Bakushin O was joking.
But upon hearing that Kitasan Black not only didn't deny it but was instead puzzled as to how Sakura Bakushin O knew about it, she felt the temperature of her cheeks rise a few more degrees.
"Xi... Kita, is what Trainer-san said true?" Satono Diamond, her face red, looked into Kitasan Black's eyes.
Kitasan Black, after meeting Satono Diamond's gaze, quickly shifted her eyes away, twisting her fingers together, her voice even a bit shy.
"Yes... ah, Diamond. I learned massage techniques from my mother, and I also thought about helping you massage after we get tired from training..."
"Ah!"
Kitasan Black's face grew redder and redder as she spoke, and Satono Diamond, listening as the person involved, became so shy she wanted to cover her face.
In the end, both of them were red-faced and couldn't say a word.
Sakura Bakushin O, along with Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen, all wore aunt-like smiles, watching the two close Little Horse Girl's red faces, feeling their entire mind and body healed.
After hesitating for a long while, Satono Diamond looked up at Mejiro McQueen and asked in a small voice, "Miss McQueen... did you also let Trainer-san touch you back then?"
"I did. I heard that Spica's Trainer also does this. Our Trainer-san is much easier to accept than Spica's Trainer-san, isn't she? That's a male Trainer, you know."
Mejiro McQueen brushed her long hair back, speaking indifferently.
"Then... what about Teio?"
"She touched me!" Teio replied with a cheerful voice, not showing the slightest shyness on her face.
"Then... since that's the case..."
Satono Diamond heard that Mejiro McQueen, the young lady of the Mejiro Family, didn't mind, so she felt that if she continued to be coy, she might seem a bit overly delicate, and might even displease Sakura Bakushin O.
So, she murmured, her face flushed with a captivating blush, and slowly, little by little, she pulled down her dark blue, white-striped over-the-knee socks, revealing her straight, fair calves underneath.
"P-please, Trainer-san."