A luxury car slowly approached from a distance.
In front of the grand iron gates, two suited men wearing white gloves saw the vehicle and quickly jogged to either side, slowly pushing the gates open.
Immediately after, they each pulled out a roll of red carpet from behind them, stepped to the center, and unfurled them forward.
The moment the carpet was laid, the black luxury car came to a perfect stop.
The driver quickly exited the car and hurried to the rear to open the door for the young lady in the back seat.
A pair of legs stepped out slowly, and after rising elegantly, Mejiro McQueen tossed her white hair.
"Go fetch the wheelchair, you're dismissed here."
"Yes, My Lady..."
Throughout the journey, Starlight had felt a bit uncomfortable, primarily because she was sandwiched right between Teio and McQueen.
Fortunately, the interior of the car was quite spacious, so she didn't feel entirely cramped.
Outside, McQueen lifted Starlight up and placed her into the nearby wheelchair before stepping forward to help Tokai Teio out of the car.
"Alright, we've arrived..."
Leaning on her crutches, a drop of cold sweat rolled down Teio's forehead as she asked curiously, "So, why did you want me and senpai to come to your house?"
Straightening her clothes, McQueen glanced at Teio and spoke with great pride.
"You'll find out in a moment, hmph."
The scene shifted to the main hall.
Starlight looked at the four middle-aged people in uniforms standing before her with a look of slight exasperation.
"Alright, introduce yourselves to our two guests."
McQueen gestured toward the four with her hand.
"Ahem... I am the dessert chef of the Mejiro Estate."
"The master massage therapist of the Mejiro Estate."
"The nutritionist of the Mejiro Estate."
"And I am the head chef of the Mejiro Estate."
"Uh, what is all this for?"
"To ensure you both have a better recovery, of course."
"Alright everyone, you may begin. Show our guests your professional expertise. Especially regarding the desserts— I haven't had a proper dessert in quite a while, so showcase all of your best techniques."
"By your command, My Lady x4"
Starlight and Tokai Teio looked at the excited expression on Mejiro McQueen's face.
After locking eyes for a moment, the same thought occurred to both of them:
'She just wants to satisfy her own sweet tooth, doesn't she...'
"By the way, My Lady... the attending physician has also arrived."
"Please send him in. He can check on the two of them right now."
Just as she finished speaking, a tall middle-aged man with a fierce expression, wearing a white lab coat, walked in.
"Hello to you both, and hello, My Lady. I am the attending physician."
The moment his steady, magnetic voice rang out, Tokai Teio felt a shiver run down her spine.
The memory of being suddenly jabbed during her last medical check-up was still vivid in her mind.
"Ahahaha, I'll pass on this! I probably won't have many races to run for a while anyway, so I'd rather just eat desserts with McQueen."
Bypassing the remote control, Starlight gripped the wheels of her chair with both hands to turn herself around, declining with a grin.
She then flashed a highly encouraging look, giving Tokai Teio a big thumbs up.
"Teio, I'm really looking forward to seeing you shine at the Kikuka Sho, so make sure you recover well. I'll... reluctantly let you have the doctor all to yourself."
"Wait, senpai—!"
"Yes, exactly. Doctor, please take good care of Teio."
"McQueen, you..."
Watching the two of them distance themselves, Tokai Teio turned her head stiffly.
Looking down, she saw the syringe in the doctor's hand, which was currently dripping with medicinal fluid.
"AAAHH!! Why are you holding a syringe?!"
Her body trembling slightly, Tokai Teio let go of her two crutches and clutched her cheeks in panic.
Click.
"Teio, if there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask me anytime. Starlight and I are going to go taste the desserts now~"
The door clicked shut, and as McQueen's voice faded away, Tokai Teio felt her heart completely wither away.
"Senpai! McQueen! Hey, don't leave me here alone! I'm begging you guys—!"
It had to be said that the attending physician of a top-tier estate was truly exceptional, his medical techniques were indeed brilliant.
After a series of treatments, Tokai Teio was actually able to walk slowly without the use of her crutches.
Even the cast on her leg had been removed.
The next morning, Starlight woke up and stared at the slightly unfamiliar ceiling for a moment before slowly sitting up...
Looking around at her surroundings, she finally remembered that she had been staying at McQueen's house for the past few days.
When they first arrived, she had intended to head back, but McQueen insisted that she could recover in peace here without having to trouble the other Uma Musume to look after her, making it much more convenient.
Swayed by the offer, she decided to stay.
Rubbing her slightly dizzy head, Starlight muttered grumpily to herself.
"Last night, Dober-san insisted I try the fruit wine she brought... I didn't expect it to be so strong. One glass and I was out..."
Knock, knock, knock...
There was a knock at the door, and Starlight instinctively replied, "Come in~"
Click.
The door opened, and an Uma Musume with her black hair tied up, accented by white highlights, walked in gracefully, exuding a strong, intellectual charm.
She was carrying a tray of tea. Seeing that Starlight was already awake, she smiled and walked over.
"Are you awake? How are you feeling, Starlight-chan?"
"Ah, Ramonu-san~ Good morning."
"Mhm~ Good morning. This is some sobriety tea, drink it while it's still hot."
Taking the tray, Starlight gave a quick "okay" and began to sip the tea slowly.
Placing the tray on the side cabinet, Mejiro Ramonu brushed back a loose strand of hair from her forehead and sat down beside Starlight.
"The weather is lovely today. Would you like to go for a stroll in the back garden? The gardens at the Mejiro Estate are always quite beautiful."
"Sure~"
The scene shifted to the garden. Starlight was sitting in her wheelchair, surrounded by flowers of every color, with butterflies occasionally fluttering by.
Autumn was approaching, and such beautiful scenery would soon be hard to find— especially with the silver-haired Uma Musume sitting right in the middle of it.
To complete a project of hers before the autumn harvest, Mejiro Ramonu had settled Starlight right in the center of the garden while she set up an easel not far away.
She began to paint with meticulous patience.
"Starlight-chan, you don't have to stay perfectly still, you can move around, you know."
"..."
"Ramonu-san, how exactly do you expect someone like me to move around?"
Though she felt a bit helpless, fortunately, the pouch on the back of the wheelchair was stuffed with her usual manga and some snacks.
Starlight pulled out an unfinished book and a few bags of crackers, beginning to enjoy her morning.
...
After a while, the open book ended up covering Starlight's face as she drifted off to sleep against the wheelchair.
Nearby, Mejiro Ramonu straightened her back and wiped the sweat from her face.
Smiling, she walked over to Starlight's side and woke her up.
"Did you finish the painting, Ramonu-san?"
"Mhm, in a manner of speaking."
"Let me see..."
Ramonu pushed Starlight over to where she had been painting.
Looking at the canvas, Starlight froze in surprise.
'This... this was way too beautiful!'
"The detail on these little butterflies is amazing! I can't believe you managed to capture the exact moment they landed on the petals!"
Indeed, Mejiro Ramonu hadn't painted Starlight, nor had she painted the flowers, she had painted a very tiny, delicate butterfly...
The only reason she had placed Starlight there was because she had once noticed that this silver-haired Uma Musume seemed to be quite a magnet for small insects and animals, so she had used her as "bait" in the center of the garden.