Unlike Mr. C.B., who still had work to handle at Tracen Academy, Maruzensky was currently at a ranch in Hokkaido.
Beside her stood a blonde woman.
There weren't many obstructions across the open pastures, so Maruzensky easily spotted the child in the distance.
"That girl..."
"Her name is Special Week, right?"
"…Yeah."
The woman's voice carried obvious worry as she stared anxiously at the girl.
Maruzensky turned toward the concerned stepmother, paused thoughtfully, then replied, "It's hard to say right now. Once she reaches full awakening, we'll be able to tell for sure."
She glanced at the blonde woman again, contemplating briefly before continuing. "Afterward, she can try coming to Central. It'll be fine."
Turning away, Maruzensky added cheerfully, "Once she awakens fully, send her to Central to try things out~"
"That girl… Do you think she can make it?"
"I'm not completely sure, but judging by her performance, it should be doable. Besides, you wouldn't want to disappoint her mother, would you?"
Maruzensky adjusted the brim of her hat and smiled lightly. "Central's got a mountain of things to take care of, so I'll head back first."
Watching Maruzensky walk away, Special Week's stepmother respectfully bowed, then turned around and walked toward Special Week.
Maruzensky didn't notice the gesture.
Her visit was purely to scout potential Umamusume—someone similar to Rudolf.
Moreover…
She took out her phone, glanced at the information on the screen, and murmured softly, "Who would've guessed she shares even a tiny bit of blood with me."
Bloodlines rarely mattered much among Umamusume, so after a brief glance, Maruzensky pocketed her phone again.
"Well, that's the end of business. Now, I suppose I should pick up some souvenirs for Natural~"
...
When Tokai Teio and Yayoi Mochizuki returned to the shop, it had already reopened. Other than a slightly smaller crowd, everything was back to normal.
Noticing this, Tokai Roman quietly slipped into the kitchen, tied on her apron, and began her shift.
Teio trotted up to Yayoi Natural. "Mo— Auntie Natural, my aptitude test went really well today!"
"Is that so? Then I suppose you'll join Tracen Academy once you fully awaken?"
Natural glanced at Mochizuki. "And how about you, Mochizuki? How was today?"
"The Umamusume there were interesting."
Hearing Mochizuki's assessment, Natural blinked in surprise, then nodded. "Really? It seems like you found them pretty intriguing."
She paused briefly, then added, "Would you two like something special for dinner tonight?"
"Eh? Can we?"
"Let's call it a celebration," Natural said warmly, turning her eyes back to Teio. "What would you like to eat, Teio?"
"Hon— something sweet!" Teio corrected herself hastily after a brief hesitation.
After hearing this, Natural's gaze shifted toward Mochizuki, who stood a short distance behind Teio. Mochizuki immediately caught her mother's look and reacted quickly, "Mom, about skipping grades—can we step outside for a moment to discuss it?"
Seeing how swiftly Mochizuki understood her intentions, Natural turned back to Teio with a smile. "I'll step out briefly. When I come back, we can plan your special treat~"
Natural and Mochizuki then walked outside the shop together.
Once outside, Natural asked softly, "Mochizuki, what do you think Teio really wanted?"
"Probably a honey-based special drink," Mochizuki replied, pausing briefly before continuing. "But she was probably worried about our finances and held back. Anyway…"
"What did you decide, Mom?"
Natural considered it briefly, then spoke, "Let's go with honey. We don't have anything too fancy, but it should be good enough."
She paused briefly, then asked, "How was your check-in?"
"The Chinese Umamusume don't really talk much. So not very exciting, but…"
As if recalling something amusing, Mochizuki smiled faintly. "It seems Auntie Ardan has been caught up by one of the Chinese Umamusume."
"Is that so…" Natural fell silent for a moment before continuing, "And you?"
"You don't have to worry about me, Mom. Everything I'm learning feels pretty easy. If I keep this up, maybe I'll even qualify as Teio-nee's trainer."
Natural gently pinched her daughter's cheek, saying softly, "There's no need to push yourself so hard."
Mochizuki nodded obediently, then changed the topic. "Mom, where did you go today?"
"Ah…"
Natural turned away silently, clearly unwilling to answer.
Seeing this reaction, Mochizuki rubbed the spot on her cheek, her expression full of quiet resignation. "If you don't want to talk about it, then don't. It's probably nothing worth worrying about."
Though she said this, Mochizuki had already pieced things together. Situations where her mom deliberately separated her and Teio like this were rare.
Meaning…
It probably had something to do with the supposedly "dead" father her mom had mentioned before.
Thinking this, Mochizuki turned to her mother. "Mom?"
"Hm? What is it?"
"Aren't you going to start preparing Teio's treat?"
Natural was momentarily startled, then nodded quickly. "Right, we should head back. Honey dishes can be tricky, especially at short notice."
Mochizuki smiled gently. "Let's go then. We need to get things ready for Teio."
---
T/N: since maruzensky said tiny bit its probably like they came from the same line like they share a common ancestor and such!
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