Saturday morning.
After his usual brief morning routine, Kitahara threw on some casual clothes and left the dorm without waiting for Eclipse.
Thanks to Hayakawa Tazuna and the security team's return, campus safety had improved dramatically. Patrols were everywhere, and Black Forest had suffered heavily in recent operations. Since Tuesday, they hadn't made a single move against Tracen, eliminating the need for Eclipse to shadow him constantly.
Kitahara arrived at their meeting spot half an hour early, just like last time, and just like last time, everyone was already there.
Besides Eclipse, who arrived simultaneously with him, Tokai Teio, Agnes Tachyon, Grass Wonder, Special Week, Oguri Cap, and Agnes Digital had all shown up even earlier—some evidently waiting quite a while.
Yet Kitahara didn't feel the least bit guilty, nor did he plan to come earlier next time. Instead, he found himself feeling slightly exasperated.
Isn't it enough to go all-out during training? Now they're even competing about who arrives first for casual outings?
Considering those trainers who took "rolling" so far that it landed them hospitalized in bed, maybe Tracen should rename itself "Roll-to-Death Academy."
He shook his head inwardly at the absurdity, still not paying much attention to the girls' careful outfits. It was normal for girls to dress up before going out; nothing unusual about it.
Instead, he focused briefly on Grass Wonder's situation.
Unexpectedly, Grass Wonder had finally managed to pull herself together. She was chatting animatedly with Special Week even before Kitahara arrived, the conversation apparently going well. The gloominess that had shadowed Grass Wonder's expression recently had clearly lifted, which relieved Kitahara immensely.
When she noticed his gaze, Grass Wonder turned slightly and offered him a look full of gratitude. Kitahara subtly returned a thumbs-up before leading the group toward the clothing shop.
The journey to the store went smoothly without any surprises, though they naturally bought some snacks along the way.
When Kitahara opened the door, the older Uma Musume was once again fiddling behind the counter. She glanced up, and upon seeing him, her eyes brightened, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips.
Her smile deepened into something almost sinister once she saw the seven Uma Musume following Kitahara inside.
Kitahara noticed her strange expression but didn't comment—he'd never understood what went on in that old woman's head, and asking would be pointless.
"Well done, kid. Last week it was six, and now it's seven? You're as impressive as ever." The older Uma Musume chuckled delightedly, clearly amused at his expense.
Kitahara, used to her odd teasing, ignored her comment. Instead, he beckoned Special Week, Oguri Cap, and Grass Wonder forward, explaining to the older woman that these were the three he had previously arranged outfits for.
She glanced over the trio, a hint of satisfaction flickering in her eyes, then handed Kitahara two completed racing outfits before guiding the three new arrivals for their measurements.
Kitahara wasted no time passing the outfits to Tokai Teio and Agnes Tachyon for fitting.
Teio went first. Her racing outfit featured blue and white tones: a long-sleeved jacket and short skirt with safety shorts underneath, complemented by a small red cape draped over her right shoulder. It retained her original charm while exuding a more dignified presence.
Although similar to her iconic design from the game, numerous subtle changes had been made—most notably the addition of a pair of blue-and-white thigh-high stockings and redesigned racing shoes.
Kitahara wasn't knowledgeable about racing outfit design, but after observing Teio move around briefly, he realized the stockings and shoes significantly reduced the burden on her legs.
Unknown to the Uma Musume themselves, after collecting their standard measurements, the older woman had sought Kitahara's advice before finalizing the designs. While he lacked technical knowledge of fashion, his observational skills were something she genuinely valued. He provided insights no ordinary designer could obtain—such as subtle flaws in Teio's legs, imperceptible to most but clear to him. He could even estimate precisely when she might suffer an injury.
Of course, Kitahara could resolve this hidden problem if Teio asked for help. But since she'd specifically requested he not interfere with her training, he respected her wishes.
That was before.
Now, however, with this modified racing outfit and its supportive stockings and shoes, Teio might avoid certain catastrophic outcomes. She might even genuinely achieve her undefeated Triple Crown dream without relying directly on her trainer…
Staring thoughtfully at Teio's legs, Kitahara fell into contemplation.
However, Teio interpreted his stare rather differently.
Initially, she hadn't paid his gaze much attention, but as his eyes lingered longer, her tail began swishing nervously.
If this had been her younger self, freshly acquainted with him, she would have snapped embarrassedly, "Dummy Trainer-san, what do you think you're staring at?!" to break the tension.
But now, even though she knew she should say something—though she knew this was slightly improper—she found herself inexplicably unable to utter a word.
Trainer-san…so you like this kind of thing…? Then maybe later I could—
Her embarrassment approached a breaking point, the blush on her cheeks impossible to suppress. Just as she thought she couldn't handle another second, Kitahara finally averted his eyes.
Relief flooded Teio momentarily—until Kitahara murmured appreciatively:
"That's really nice…"
Dummy Trainer-san, what are you saying?!
His innocent praise shattered Teio's final defenses, deepening her blush. Her tail whipped behind her so fast it blurred as she hastily turned her head aside, too flustered to face him.
Normally, Kitahara might have noticed Teio's unusual reaction.
Unfortunately, he was lost in thought, suddenly inspired after assessing the stockings' beneficial effects, pondering new training possibilities. By the time he resurfaced from his musings, Teio had already composed herself.
Next was Agnes Tachyon.
Her racing outfit closely resembled Kitahara's expectations: a white lab coat over a loose yellow sweater, exaggeratedly long sleeves, and a short skirt nearly hidden beneath. Black stockings completed the look.
While some minor differences existed—like subtle decorative elements on the coat and sweater, and the texture of the stockings—nothing stood out dramatically. Thus, Kitahara didn't examine her as long.
However, Kitahara decided to give extra thought to Tachyon's regular clothing. Her condition wasn't something a mere racing outfit could address; after selecting casual wear, he intended to discuss a specially-designed therapeutic outfit with the older Uma Musume.
When he approached her, she had just finished measuring the other three girls. After instructing them to browse freely, she led Kitahara outside to their usual spot in the backyard.
"A therapeutic outfit? That's doable. This old woman has nothing better to do anyway..." She took a slow drag on her pipe, releasing the smoke leisurely. "And honestly, I'm not even satisfied with those two outfits I gave you today. Maybe I'm rusty—or maybe something else—but either way, they're not my best work."
"They're already excellent," Kitahara said truthfully. He'd seen plenty of other outfits around Tracen Academy; these two were clearly superior.
"Shut up, you amateur. If I say they're lacking, they're lacking." She shot him an annoyed glance. "Bring those girls around more often. I've got too much idle time, and this old body will rust if I don't keep moving."
"Won't the workload be too heavy?" he asked cautiously, recalling trainers' comments about how long it usually took designers—half a month per outfit, at best.
The older woman scoffed, guessing his thoughts immediately. "Don't lump me in with those useless amateurs out there."
In her prime, she'd created racing outfits in just two days—outfits far superior to these. Though outsiders might praise today's efforts, she saw only flawed goods.
Had it been the past, that crazy woman would've coldly mocked her for producing such trash before throwing them directly into the fire.
Shaking off old memories, she refocused on Kitahara.
"Oh, speaking of interesting things, last week I met two girls planning to transfer to Tracen's main campus. They asked if I knew any skilled trainers…"
Kitahara felt sudden dread. "How did you answer?"
"I'm just an old designer. What do I know? But since I happen to know a capable young trainer there, I recommended him."
Kitahara's eyebrow twitched. "Obaa-san, I already have seven in my team…"
She gave him a dismissive look. "Seven? That hard for you?"
Not hard—but dangerous, Kitahara thought nervously, but didn't argue. He just sighed in resignation. "If needed, I'll find some reliable trainers later so you can recommend them instead."
"No need." She checked her watch casually. "I figured we'd finish around now, so I invited them over to meet you directly. They should be here any moment—"
Just then, the shop's door opened with a creak.
After brief chatter inside, two curious faces peeked shyly around the garden doorway.
Spotting them, the older woman waved warmly.
"Come on in, Kita-chan, Dia-chan."
Initially, Kitahara had prepared to help as repayment for past favors, despite mild annoyance.
But hearing "Kita-chan" and "Dia-chan," his heart nearly stopped.
No way. It can't be…
The older woman smiled slyly, pulling the two girls to sit beside her.
"Allow me to introduce. This is Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond—both wonderful girls."
She turned to them next.
"And this young man is Kitahara Sota, the trainer I told you about."
"If you have questions, ask away."