That morning, Oguri Cap didn't eat at home. Kitahara brought her to Kasamatsu Tersen Academy, where they had a cafeteria buffet.
The horse girl industry in this world was enormous. Although gambling-related events were strictly prohibited, other areas could still generate huge revenue.
For example, in peripheral industries alone, products like horse girl race highlights, cartoon figurines, and merchandise had a market scale of tens of billions. Related training facilities, venues, and educational programs added even more value.
Against this backdrop, as a core part of the horse girl industry, Tracen Academy—whether in operations or sponsorship—was never short of funds, even as a regional academy.
This differed from the other world, where "academies" or racetracks had to be self-sufficient; many closed due to poor management. In this world, some local academies were financially supported by the Central, preventing such situations.
Even the cafeteria reflected this. The buffet at Kasamatsu Tracen Academy offered a generous variety of dishes.
Oguri Cap's astonishment upon entering the cafeteria made this clear.
"R-really… can I eat for free? And as much as I want?" Her voice was filled with incredulous joy.
As a trainer for horse girls, Kitahara also had an important, respectable role. Even at a regional Tracen Academy, he had substantial privileges; free cafeteria meals were one of them, and he could even bring others along.
"Of course. I'm a trainer here, and the buffet is unlimited. As long as you can finish it, take as much as you want…"
Kitahara only finished half the explanation, but Cap wasn't listening.
Once she confirmed she could eat for free and without limits, her surprise turned into excitement and happiness. She eagerly went to the cafeteria counter.
"Hello! I'll have this, this, this, and also this… ah, can I have all of this? Don't worry, I can finish it all."
Before Kitahara could react, Oguri Cap was already carrying a massive tray of food to the table. The chefs behind the counter looked stunned.
Kitahara was slightly dumbfounded as well, because the amount of food Oguri Cap had taken was indeed enormous.
Oguri Cap was about 1.6 meters tall, relatively tall for a horse girl. Sitting down, her upper body towered above the table.
Yet her tray was piled high with potato pancakes and fried noodles, stacked above her head.
On top of that, she returned to the counter for a large portion of rice, filling a bowl to the brim and stacking it high.
This only deepened the chefs' stunned expressions.
Kitahara, after a moment, snapped out of his daze. He had already known about Oguri Cap's voracious appetite and had witnessed it a few days ago. Now, it no longer surprised him.
Fortunately, his own body belonged to a trainer, and Tracen Academy's funds supported him. Otherwise, just teaching Oguri Cap would bankrupt him with the amount of food she ate.
Smiling, Kitahara asked for two potato pancakes from the counter and brought them to Cap.
By this time, Cap had already eaten eight or nine potato pancakes, along with most of her large bowl of rice.
"You don't have to eat so fast—no one's going to take it from you," Kitahara said with a laugh, seeing her wolfing down food, crumbs and grains stuck around her mouth.
Oguri Cap suddenly paused. In Kitahara's surprised eyes, she turned, licked her greasy lips, and spoke earnestly:
"Mom told me to eat well, to run well, and become a remarkable horse girl."
"Become a remarkable horse girl…" Kitahara repeated thoughtfully. "So, Cap, what do you think makes a horse girl remarkable?"
Kitahara had thought of many ways to communicate with Cap, given her slightly airheaded personality. He decided to just let the conversation flow naturally—responding to whatever she said.
But unexpectedly, Cap became airheaded again.
"A remarkable horse girl… I don't know."
With a slightly silly expression, she continued eating, speaking unclearly but still understandable:
"Mom told me about trainers, but… I'm sorry, I don't know about races or Tracen."
Not surprising; she had shown ignorance about these things before.
Kitahara thought silently as Cap continued:
"I just… like running. Mom enrolled me in this school."
"Also because I like running. Mom said that after joining your team, I could run. So I thought it was fine."
"So, if it's running, I have no problem at all, Trainer."
Cap paused slightly, puffing out her cheeks like a little hamster, pulled her fist toward Kitahara to show determination, then resumed eating.
"You like running… then, why do you like running?"
Though her previous answer was a bit odd, Kitahara felt the simple approach was fine. They had just met, yet conversation flowed naturally—indicating this style suited Oguri Cap.
Oguri Cap, without hesitation, stopped eating and looked at him earnestly, her eyes full of sincerity:
"Because I can run… so I like running."
This logic would confuse most people. Running is ordinary, like eating or breathing—why would anyone "like" it just for being able to do it?
But Kitahara, knowing Oguri Cap's childhood from the other world, immediately understood her meaning.
He fell silent.
Oguri Cap didn't. She continued eating, but more slowly, deliberately picking grains of rice and putting them in her mouth, as if with some special emotion.
Her voice also slowed:
"Being able to stand and run… for me, just that is already a miracle."
"My knees used to be so weak, I couldn't even stand."
"If Mom hadn't never given up, massaging me every day, finding ways to keep me from going hungry… maybe I'd still be lying in bed now."
"Watching others stand, walk, and run… but I couldn't."
"So, being able to stand and run is already a miracle for me."
"That's why I'm so happy to run, and I really, really like it. That's all."