Meanwhile, Acting Chairman Kashimoto was also grappling with a troublesome Umamusume.
"No way! No way, no way, no way! NO WAY!!!" The Little Witch seemed to be throwing a tantrum, refusing to listen to a word Riko said.
Sweep Tosho's temperament was infamous throughout Tracen Academy. Her willful nature and obsession with so-called "magic" had earned her the nickname "Little Witch" among the trainers. Her stubbornness was no mere exaggeration; countless trainers had suffered at her hands.
At her age, once she set her mind on something, she wouldn't budge. Skipping classes and staying out all night were common occurrences. Whenever a "magical inspiration" struck, she would dive headfirst into it, and eventually, the trouble she caused landed squarely on Riko's desk.
Somehow, she had managed to sneak into the Director's Office by climbing through a window, only to be caught red-handed by Riko.
Sweep's actions clearly violated the Thorough Management Education Program. But in Riko's eyes, the trespassing was a minor issue compared to the grave danger Sweep had put herself in.
If Sweep had accidentally fallen, even as an Umamusume, she wouldn't have escaped unharmed—especially given how young she was. Riko had to take this seriously. Others had reported Sweep's behavior to her before, but at the time, she had dismissed it as childish mischief and paid it no mind.
Before this, Sweep's temperament had prevented any trainer from taking her on, and she had yet to make her debut race. As Riko looked at this headstrong Umamusume, images of several people flashed through her mind.
Her long-deceased Master, her bedridden senior apprentice, and the figures of many other Umamusume.
Suddenly, she made a decision. If no one was willing to take on the "Witch," then she would. Riko was startled by her own thought; accepting the "Witch" was a choice she never would have considered before, but now...
"What are you doing?! Get out of my way! I'm looking for magic!"
As Riko hesitated, Sweep suddenly spoke up.
"Do you... realize how dangerous your actions are? What if you had accidentally fallen?" Riko's voice was calmer than she expected.
"Hmph! I'm not scared! I know magic! If I fell, I'd just fly away on my broomstick!" Sweep declared proudly, seemingly never doubting that magic didn't actually exist in this world.
Normally, Riko would have told her that magic wasn't real, given her a light punishment, and let it go. But she held her tongue. She knew that before they met, countless people must have already told Sweep the truth—that there was no such thing as magic in the world.
And yet...
"Why are you looking for magic?" Riko asked aloud.
Sweep puffed out her chest and declared proudly, "Grandma said that if I find magic, I can make everyone in the whole world happy."
The "Witch," unbound by worldly conventions, searching for "Magic" that could change people's hearts.
"That's certainly something only magic could achieve."
"Of course!" Sweep nodded emphatically.
"Does magic really exist?"
Ripples spread across Riko's aqua-colored eyes, mirroring the turbulent waves in her heart. The scene was strangely reversed: Riko, the adult, was seeking an answer from Sweep, the child.
"Of course! I've seen it with my own eyes!"
Sweep began to describe it vividly to Riko. Her grandmother had used magic instead of common sense to paint a picture of how things grew. In Sweep's telling, the world transformed into a magical kingdom where everything was wondrous—flying fish, towering trees, and singing frogs.
Riko didn't interrupt, listening quietly as Sweep spoke for a long while, until she finally paused on her own. Perhaps it was fate. Ever since parting with her, Riko had never imagined a day like this would come again.
Everything that had happened up to this point had left Riko utterly exhausted. She couldn't understand why things always went against her wishes.
Had the things she'd fought so hard to protect ever truly mattered?
It had been a long time since she'd felt so lost. The weight of reality was suffocating her, yet as the "Director," how could she afford to sigh in despair?
"Did you find the magic?" Riko asked.
Sweep's head drooped. "No," she said, sounding dejected. "I searched every single corner of the Academy, even the Director's Office, but I couldn't find it. Grandma said the magic was here at Tracen, so why isn't it?"
Sweep looked genuinely troubled.
"There's one place you haven't looked," Riko said, her gaze fixed on Sweep.
"Where?" Sweep asked immediately.
"The racetrack."
A sudden gust of wind blew the curtains open. Riko's brow unfurrowed; she had made her decision.
"Will you come with me to the racetrack to find the magic?"
Changing people's hearts. Riko firmly believed that Sweep truly possessed such "Magic." She clung to this belief—one of only two irrational convictions she had ever allowed herself.
-
The damp, humid weather seemed to seep into their joints, a persistent, grinding discomfort.
"I just don't want to train today!!!"
Riko and Sweep had officially registered for their debut. As the first horse girl Riko had taken on since becoming Acting Director, Sweep naturally drew a great deal of attention. The pairing of a "Witch" and the "Director" was certainly intriguing.
Riko and Sweep's relationship clearly needed some work. Unlike other Umamusume, Sweep was exceptionally resistant to training, outright refusing her Trainer's instructions.
"That girl! The Trainer stayed up all night creating a custom training plan just for her, and she throws a tantrum!" Little Cocon fumed, infuriated by Sweep's willfulness. Though she appeared cool and composed, she had a surprisingly short temper—a stark contrast to the rough-looking Bitter Glasse.
"Calm down, Cocon," Bitter Glasse said, grabbing Little Cocon's arm to stop her from storming over. "The Trainer has her reasons."
Working with Sweep was a completely new experience for Riko. The rumors about her were, without a doubt, true. Throwing tantrums and acting recklessly were her trademarks.
Yet Riko wasn't worried. She tried to see Sweep from a different perspective.
The Little Witch is just willful; she would never deliberately make things difficult for others. Otherwise, she wouldn't be searching for Magic to make everyone in the world happy.
Her obscure kindness must be hidden beneath that unreasonable facade.
Sweep stood motionless, and Riko stood with her for a full fifteen minutes.
"Cough—"
Years of overwork had taken their toll on Riko's already frail body. The damp, humid weather aggravated her condition.
"Trainer!"
Bitter Glasse and Little Cocon stopped watching from the sidelines and rushed forward to support Riko.
Riko shook her head helplessly. Her body was simply too weak. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. There's nothing I can do.
She often wished she could be like Kiryuuin, or at least as healthy as an ordinary person. Then she would have more time to do more for the Umamusume.
Riko looked at Sweep, who still refused to move an inch or show any reaction. A wave of frustration washed over her, and she could only sigh inwardly.
"Let's go."
A Trainer and their assigned Umamusume are bound together. Building a relationship of mutual trust with Sweep couldn't be forced. The future of a child rested on her shoulders—a long and arduous journey. Riko knew she had to take it one step at a time.
Only after the footsteps had completely faded did Sweep's perked-up ears finally relax.
"Hmph..."