Starlight looked at Mejiro McQueen sitting opposite her, narrowing her eyes with a smile.
"I see~ It seems we've taken the wrong seats. Do we need to swap, McQueen-chan?"
Hearing this, Mejiro McQueen's face flushed slightly, and she reached out to lightly cover the corner of her mouth.
"Ahem... that won't be necessary."
"Speaking of which, McQueen-san really does love sweets! Last time at that dessert shop downtown, I saw you order a whole lot!"
"To think you finished them all, that's amazing..."
"As an Uma Musume of the Mejiro family, I do possess self-control, I wouldn't normally eat that much. That day happened to be my birthday," Mejiro McQueen explained, waving her hand in response to Haru Urara's praise.
"So, what do you plan on ordering today? Personally, I'm planning to try every single one of the new items."
Hearing Starlight's words, Mejiro McQueen looked surprised. She picked up the menu from the side to check.
"There are over a dozen varieties. Are you really going to order them all? That would lead to..."
'That would lead to gaining so much weight...'
"McQueen-chan is so silly~ How could I possibly finish them all by myself? We have Urara and Rice Shower here too."
"We'll each order two or three, and then we can share and try everything."
"I am not silly! You just didn't explain it clearly. Besides, sharing..."
As Mejiro McQueen spoke, an image flashed through her mind.
She saw Starlight holding a spoon, scooping up a bite of cake.
"Come, Rice-chan, open wide~"
"Starlight-chan, try some of Rice's too."
The scene was so vivid and sweet that McQueen didn't dare let her imagination wander further.
She hurriedly shook her head to delete the image.
"I—well then, I'll join in too."
In the evening, at the Mejiro Estate.
At this time, many Uma Musume were training on the practice grounds.
"Hey McQueen, you're back!"
Mejiro Ryan, just coming off the field, saw that cheerful white figure and waved her hand.
Ryan's short grey hair was still slightly damp. She took the towel draped around her neck to wipe her face.
"Ah, Ryan. Good evening."
"Looking at your expression, you must have run into something wonderful."
Hearing this, Mejiro McQueen covered her mouth in surprise.
"Is it that obvious?"
"The smile hasn't left your face."
"Ahem, it wasn't exactly 'wonderful'... Oh, I'm heading inside first."
Watching the back of the figure hurrying away, Mejiro Ryan scratched her head.
"What's going on with her..."
Just then, an Uma Musume with long chestnut hair walked over, a long cowlick swaying on top of her head.
"McQueen is definitely hiding a smile in her heart. In a few days at the tea party, I'll interrogate her with a few brownies."
"Better not, Bright."
"Aren't you curious, Ryan?"
"While that's true, if McQueen doesn't want to say, it's clearly her private business. It wouldn't be good if she got angry."
"Fine, fine. I'll be a bit late for dinner tonight. I just planted a few new varieties in the garden, so I'm going to go check on them."
"Yeah, I got it."
When dinner time arrived, the Mejiro family, being such a large clan, naturally had many members present.
"McQueen-chan~ Is the seat next to you empty? May I sit there?"
Her ears twitching and her ponytail wagging happily behind her, Mejiro McQueen was joyfully preparing to enjoy tonight's meal.
Hearing the voice, she lifted her head to see Mejiro Ardan smiling at her with narrowed eyes. McQueen pursed her lips.
"Of course, please."
"Thank you..."
After taking her seat gracefully, Mejiro Ardan set down her plate filled with delicacies.
She picked up her knife and fork, beginning to enjoy her meal with composure.
"By the way, McQueen-chan was in a great mood when she returned. You must have encountered something happy, right?"
Pausing slightly, Mejiro McQueen tilted her head in confusion.
"Is it really that obvious? How unrefined of me..."
As an Uma Musume of the Mejiro family, one must maintain composure at all times— a rule McQueen kept firmly in mind.
Thus, she quickly adjusted her expression back to a dignified one.
"There's no need to be so serious, McQueen-chan... I recall you were preparing to look for a Trainer recently? Is there a specific team or Trainer you're looking to join?"
"You can tell me about it, I might be able to help you out."
Nodding, McQueen picked up the cup beside her and took a sip of some unknown tea.
"Thank you for your kindness, Ardan-senpai, but I have already decided on whom to seek out."
Hearing this, Mejiro Ardan tilted her head curiously.
"Oh? Which Trainer are you looking for, McQueen-chan?"
"The Trainer who guided the 'Gray-Haired Monster,' Oguri Cap. Although I was rejected once before, I can catch glimpses of his true ability from the messages in his interviews. I don't intend to give up..."
"Is that so? Then I wish you success. Oguri-chan's Trainer has a bit of an eccentric personality, but if it's you, it should be fine."
At the table behind the two of them...
An Uma Musume with beautiful black hair was dining elegantly. Her eyes revealed a clear maturity, yet her expression still held a touch of youthful innocence.
Beside her sat the equally impressive Mejiro Ramonu.
Looking up at the chatter of her juniors, and through what she had seen and heard at the academy, she had gathered some useful information.
"It feels like you're all talking about that Uma Musume named Divine Starlight. Have you had any contact with her, Ramonu?"
Mejiro Ramonu looked up, unhurriedly swallowing her food. She gazed into the distance, her eyes shimmering with an indecipherable brilliance.
"She is a peculiar girl... like a unique work of art with breathtaking colors."
Her eyes widening slightly, Mejiro Dober was somewhat surprised.
"For Ramonu to give such a high evaluation of this Uma Musume, it further confirms the rumors I've happened to overhear."
"Miss Dober..."
Suddenly, the voice of a man asking a question came from behind.
"Ahhh~~!!"
Like a little mouse encountering a cat, Mejiro Dober shuddered all over and hurriedly stood up to lean closer to Ramonu.
A man dressed in a butler's uniform stood there, looking somewhat at a loss.
"Is... is there something the matter?"
"I am the new butler... I've received orders to come and work under you."
"I... didn't I apply to have no men?"
"Ah, well... that was an order from above. They said it was to provide therapy for your fear of men."
"Sigh, fine. You... please stay away from me. I am very sorry for treating you this way, but please understand."
"No problem, I will strictly follow Miss Dober's instructions."
Catching this scene out of the corner of her eye, the corner of Mejiro Ramonu's mouth curled into a slight smile.
"Dober, just relax. I'm right here beside you."
"Mm, I know."
Unlike the Mejiro family dinner, Starlight was currently undergoing night training.
Inside the clubroom...
Divine Starlight was holding dumbbells in both hands, performing deep squats. Her face was slightly contorted, clearly gritting her teeth to persevere.
Large drops of sweat rolled down her cheeks, and the floor beneath her feet was already soaked through.
Standing in front of her, Rice Shower held a timer, reading out the seconds in a soft voice.
"Final ten seconds! Keep going, Starlight-chan!"
"Mm... don't worry, Rice... I... I will..."
Breathing heavily, Starlight spoke with difficulty.
This continued until after dark, when the two finally finished their evening session.
As they pushed open the door to the clubroom, a cold wind whistled past, making the sweating Starlight shiver.
She quickly pulled out a coat to wrap around herself, then turned to see Rice Shower in her long-sleeved jacket. She took a white scarf out of her bag.
She wrapped it around Rice's exposed neck.
"Here, Rice. It's a bit chilly today, don't catch a cold."
The sudden closeness and the gentle touch made Rice Shower freeze. Her horse ears stood bolt upright, and with a slight blush on her face, she looked at Starlight.