With the end of the Arima Kinen, the year was drawing to a close.
Just from the decorations already going up around the academy, it was obvious that the grand year-end celebration was almost here.
Fresh off completing the Autumn Triple Crown, Offside Trap couldn't even walk down the academy paths without running into juniors—and even seniors—asking for her autograph. Among the girls still active in the Twinkle Series, she was already on the older side, but many retired horse girls who had given up on the Dream Cup League had also come back to the academy for the holidays, wanting photos with her.
For Tracen Academy, this was the biggest festival of the year. Plenty of horse girls were setting up little stalls of their own, while others gathered in groups to organize events.
At the thought of that, Offside Trap's eyes dimmed for a moment.
She had wanted to invite her trainer to stroll around the academy with her and watch the fireworks together. But when she had brought it up, Terumi Shinji had flatly told her he planned to stay in his dorm room and sleep like a log, which had left her simmering.
She had turned down invitations from plenty of other horse girls just for this day, all because she wanted some alone time with Terumi Shinji.
Thinking about the call that had gone unanswered earlier, she lifted her gaze to the sky.
The night had already deepened completely. Moonlight and starlight wove together overhead, and Offside Trap came to a stop beneath it.
She kept count of the passing time in her heart. There was still a while before the New Year's fireworks, but if that man was not going to be at her side, then she honestly did not know whether she even wanted to go to the place where everyone would be watching them.
A beautiful view was still only a view.
Without the person you wanted to share it with, even the loveliest scenery lost its meaning.
In the end, scenery was only beautiful because someone was there to see it with you.
"Hey, Little Yue, want to try a bowl of soup from our stall?"
The sudden shout snapped her out of it. She turned and saw Sakura Super King waving excitedly at her. Since the roommate she had invited had refused her, running into Offside Trap here felt like fate.
Standing beside Sakura Super King was Sakura Bakushin O, dressed in cook's clothes that somehow gave her a charm all their own. Only her usual brimming energy remained exactly the same. She was watching Offside Trap with curious, sparkling eyes. As one of Japan's short-distance queens, she and Offside Trap ordinarily had no overlap, so they had barely ever spoken.
"How come you're wandering around alone, Little Yue? Where's that guy?"
This was clearly a Sakura-family stall. Judging by the division of labor, Sakura Bakushin O was handling the cooking, while Sakura Super King was drawing in customers. Just then Sakura Laurel came out from inside, another girl trailing behind her, apparently the two of them in charge of serving.
Sakura Laurel's question made Offside Trap blush.
She had boldly declared before that she was absolutely going to watch a fireworks display unforgettable for a lifetime with Terumi Shinji. Who would have guessed that in the end, it would become a lonely one-person outing?
Seeing the answer on her face, Sakura Laurel's expression turned teasing, making Offside Trap even more embarrassed as she looked away.
"He turned you down?"
There was no malice in Sakura Laurel's teasing, so Offside Trap only nodded, feeling a little wronged. Among all the horse girls, Sakura Laurel—who had also suffered through injuries and bloomed late—had always been one of the ones who supported and encouraged her the most. There was nothing wrong with showing her this side of herself.
"What's there to brood over? Who cares about some stupid man? You're an Autumn Triple Crown horse girl!"
The one who spoke was Sakura Glory King, standing beside Sakura Laurel. The hot-blooded horse girl brandished her fist, her tone full of exasperated disbelief, and Sakura Super King burst out laughing at once.
She knew perfectly well how deeply dependent Offside Trap was on her trainer. Since they lived together, Sakura Super King saw it every day. Autumn Triple Crown or not, Offside Trap had already been wrapped firmly around his finger.
Sure enough, Offside Trap puffed out her cheeks in displeasure at Sakura Glory King's remark. The other girl froze for a second, then slapped Offside Trap on the shoulder with force.
"Alright, alright, my bad. I won't say it. Fine, your man smells wonderful or whatever. Honestly, you look way too cute like this!"
Sakura Laurel watched with amusement, then turned toward Sakura Bakushin O, who seemed to be lost in thought as she looked at her sisters getting along so well with Offside Trap.
"Bakushin O, what do you do in a situation like this?"
"Hm? Huh?"
Caught off guard, Sakura Bakushin O reacted a beat late—but just as Sakura Laurel expected, she suddenly thrust her ladle upward.
Some broth splashed onto her hair and face, but she paid it no mind as she opened her mouth wide and shouted the line she was famous for.
"BAKUSHIN!"
The booming cry carried far enough that people outside immediately noticed the stall called Sakura Kitchen and started gathering.
But Sakura Laurel had no time to serve customers now. She motioned for Sakura Super King to shut the stall door first, then plopped herself down right across from Offside Trap.
"Little Yue, you really are too hesitant. From where I'm standing, the bond between you and your trainer is already more than enough. You two are the real deal—trainer and horse girl who suffered through the hard times together and climbed up together. Those later trainees of his can't compare at all."
If not for the fact that Narita Brian existed, she might have blurted out something even more pointed.
"Super King may have read a ton of books, but at the end of the day she's still just talk. When it comes to actual execution, you've got to follow my lead."
Offside Trap nodded, half understanding and half lost, but she listened very seriously.
"Do you know where Shinji is right now?"
"In his dorm, sleeping."
The moment she brought that up, the grievance welled up again. If she could hear the system, she would know that from the instant Terumi Shinji told her he planned to sleep the night away, she had already produced nearly three hundred points of negative emotion.
Stupid trainer. After wins before, you always spent the whole day with me.
This was the Arima Kinen. The Autumn Triple Crown.
Shouldn't a win like that earn some kind of reward?
How about rewarding me with your time tonight?
"Asleep, huh…"
Sakura Laurel first nodded, then looked toward Sakura Bakushin O again. The latter still looked completely absorbed in her BAKUSHIN mode.
"Bakushin O, doesn't the student council have that booklet? The one that records where all the trainers live?"
It sounded like a question, but Sakura Laurel's tone made it clear she already knew the answer. With Symboli Rudolf and Air Groove running the student council, there was no way trainer dorm arrangements weren't carefully documented.
"Eh?"
For the first time Sakura Bakushin O hesitated. But after seeing Offside Trap's conflicted expression, along with her sisters literally linking arms with her, she clenched her teeth and nodded.
She honestly thought Offside Trap just desperately wanted one look at her trainer. What she didn't know was that Offside Trap was already feeling guilty—because she knew exactly which room Terumi Shinji lived in, and the moment Sakura Laurel started asking Bakushin O about the dorm records, Offside Trap had already formed the idea of simply going to see him herself.
If she could watch the fireworks with her trainer, then even exposing her own "underhanded" behavior would be worth it.
At that thought, she stood, ready to excuse herself—
Only for Sakura Super King to clamp a hand down on her shoulder.
The roommate apparently thought Offside Trap was about to lose her nerve and run. She grabbed her wrist excitedly.
"Little Yue, trust us. We'll definitely help you."
"Yeah, don't be scared," Sakura Laurel added.
No need, I can just go directly! If you lot go digging around now, that's just wasting time and making it easier to get caught!
Offside Trap was miserable inside. She made one final attempt to stop this, but before she could say anything, Sakura Bakushin O cut her off.
"The president shouldn't still be there at this hour. Let's head to the student council office right now."
Once Sakura Bakushin O committed herself, she was all action. She immediately prepared to lead the group there, forcing Offside Trap to press her lips together.
It looked like she really was going to have to make this trip after all.
Symboli Rudolf sat alone in the student council office.
The lights were off, and in truth, she liked the atmosphere like this.
Through the window, she could see the academy still brilliantly lit up outside. She could almost hear the horse girls' laughter and cheer, and a genuine smile rose to her face.
Even though the past stretch of time had brought her trouble after trouble—and even though, in the end, she had indeed made mistakes—just seeing the academy so full of life still allowed a sincere happiness to rise through all her frustration and exhaustion.
Then—
clatter.
The pen she had been idly spinning slipped from her hand and fell to the floor. Rudolf froze, staring down into the darkness below her desk, then sighed. Lately she truly had been mentally drained if she couldn't even keep hold of a pen.
She bent down in the dark to pick it up.
At that exact same moment—
click.
The door lock of the student council room suddenly gave a crisp sound as it turned.
Rudolf's whole body went rigid.
She heard footsteps.
Careful.
Sneaking.
Drawing closer to her desk…
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 138)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter160)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter98)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter175)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 163
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 150
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 100
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 170
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 145
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 125
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 69
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 90
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 100
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 70
Uma Musume: I Want All 90
I Can Copy Unique Skills 65
Summoning an Evil God, but the 52
Supernatural Multiverse 65
My Harem Is Indescribable 55
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 55
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 66
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 55
Still playing traditional Honk 35
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 35
What Should I Do After Switchi 24
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 35
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 27
Transmigrated as Sukuna 27
Checking In in Demon Slayer 32
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 44
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