Chapter 46. The Invited "Sparring Partner"
"Compensation?"
The word landed like an unexpected blow, sharp enough to momentarily disrupt Shuta An's composure. His brow lifted slightly, eyes narrowing as he looked at the URA Association Chairman.
"What compensation?"
"Next year, we plan to designate the Yayoi Sho as the Oguri Cap Memorial, commemorating her first race in Central."
That was the card laid on the table.
At present, there were only two such memorial races in existence—the Shinzan Kinen and the Tanabata Sho Kyodo News Service Hai. Even Symboli Rudolf herself had yet to receive such an honor. The weight behind this proposal was undeniable.
From a purely rational standpoint, the new regulation posed little direct inconvenience to Shuta An and Team Sadalsuud. At most, it would require adjusting the timing of their summer overseas expedition—departing slightly later than usual. Moreover, the restriction applied only to the Twinkle Series; the Dream Trophy Series remained entirely unaffected. In other words, Oguri Cap's global schedule would proceed unimpeded.
To Symboli Rudolf, this "compensation" was more than generous—it was a display of unmistakable sincerity. If she had been in Shuta An's position, she would have accepted without hesitation.
After all, this was not merely a gesture. It was a Central naming rights race.
As long as the Twinkle Series continued, the Yayoi Sho would remain a cornerstone prep race for the Satsuki Sho. And as long as it endured, so too would the name "Oguri Cap Memorial," passed down year after year. For any Uma Musume, such an honor was nothing short of monumental.
But Shuta An was not an Uma Musume.
He considered the offer in silence, his expression calm, almost unreadable. Then, after a brief pause, he shook his head.
The movement was slight—but decisive.
The URA Association Chairman's heart tightened instantly.
"Shuta-kun… what dissatisfaction do you have?" he asked quickly, unable to conceal the tension in his voice.
"This is a very difficult condition to refuse," Shuta An admitted, his tone even. Then he paused, letting the weight of his next words settle before speaking again. "But I think, Mr. Chairman, you've overlooked one thing."
"What…thing?"
"The ones affected by this new regulation are not Oguri Cap."
Shuta An's gaze locked onto him, steady and unyielding.
"They are Mejiro Dober. Tokai Teio. Kurofune. And every future Uma Musume in my team."
His voice did not rise, yet each word carried a quiet, undeniable force.
"If this regulation had been implemented last year, Mejiro Dober might not have been able to run in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies."
Silence followed.
"I like this compensation," he continued, lifting a hand in a small, dismissive gesture. "And I believe Oguri would like it too."
Then, his tone sharpened—just slightly.
"But Oguri would never accept a gift that comes at the expense of her juniors."
The words struck cleanly.
"Besides," Shuta An added, "I believe the Chairman is aware that Kasamatsu already has an Oguri Cap Memorial. That's enough. Oguri doesn't need Central to create another one as well."
The Chairman looked up, meeting his gaze directly.
"Can you confirm that this is Miss Oguri Cap's intention?"
Before Shuta An could respond, Symboli Rudolf spoke.
"Of course," she said calmly, her voice cutting in with effortless authority. "As a Trainer, he is responsible for everything concerning the Uma Musume under his care. Perhaps the Chairman has never been a Trainer, so this point was overlooked."
The implication was clear.
The Chairman fell silent, recognizing the misstep.
"In any case," Shuta An said, rising from his seat, "thank you for informing me of this regulation in advance. I have no objections to its implementation."
He paused briefly.
"But there's no need for compensation. And there's no need to trouble yourself further on this matter."
With that, he stepped away from the table.
"Today's meal is on me."
—
After Shuta An left the restaurant, the atmosphere shifted once again.
Seated across from the URA Association Chairman, Symboli Rudolf raised a brow slightly, her ears twitching with faint amusement.
"Now, Chairman," she said, her tone measured, "do you understand why I advised against discussing this matter directly with Shuta-kun? For him, the current URA Association in Japan poses no real threat."
She leaned back slightly, closing her eyes for a moment as if picturing the possibilities.
"Don't forget—he has Secretariat, the focal point of the West Coast, backing him. If matters truly escalate—" She let the sentence trail off before finishing softly, "the outcome will not be what you wish to see."
The Chairman's voice dropped.
"In the end…he is still a Trainer. I believed that inviting him personally, informing him in advance, and offering compensation was a sincere gesture."
"But sincerity alone isn't enough."
Symboli Rudolf picked up a dinner knife, idly rolling it between her fingers before letting it spin once across the table. Then, she pointed it lightly toward him.
"Without the Chairman, the URA Association can elect another."
Her gaze sharpened.
"But without Shuta-kun…"
She smiled—a bright, almost dazzling smile.
"The Twinkle Series in Japan will never see another Trainer in Shuta-kun's calibre."
The Chairman lowered his head.
"I understand."
—
Shuta An, meanwhile, had already returned to his car.
The engine started, and soon, the soft melodies of Silence Suzuka's and Mejiro Dober's solo songs filled the interior. As the music played on loop, he guided the car smoothly out of the parking lot.
"This regulation actually restricts me more than other trainers," he muttered to himself, eyes focused on the road ahead. "No wonder the Chairman wanted to talk to me directly."
He exhaled quietly.
"But if you really think about it, the actual impact isn't that significant—"
His grip on the steering wheel shifted slightly.
"I don't understand what they were thinking with that so-called compensation. How could I accept something like that?"
His voice grew lower.
"It affects the Uma Musume currently active in the Twinkle Series—and then they try to compensate Oguri? Are they trying to make the atmosphere within my team more awkward on purpose?"
For a brief moment, his hand trembled.
"Don't tell me that was their intention from the beginning?"
The thought lingered—dangerous, unsettling.
He immediately shook his head, forcibly dismissing it, choosing not to pursue that line of thinking any further. Instead, he focused on the road, driving steadily back home.
—
He did not tell his lovers about the meeting with Symboli Rudolf and the URA Association Chairman.
But he did share the new regulation in the Line group.
Almost instantly, Silence Suzuka responded.
"In that case, do we need to rearrange our trip to the UK?"
"For the August race, we'll depart in mid-July and return in mid-September," Shuta An replied. "There's no need to adjust the schedule."
"Then that means we can play in Hokkaido for a month and a half?!" Kurofune chimed in immediately, her excitement practically leaping through the screen.
"To be precise," Shuta An corrected, "only you, Kurofune, will have that much free time. Teio needs to prepare for her debut race, while Dober and Suzuka will be focusing on their overseas expedition."
As the conversation continued, a faint crease appeared on his brow.
"If that's the case—Kurofune will probably get bored."
The thought lingered only briefly before an idea surfaced. Without hesitation, he typed again into the group chat.
"You can each bring one additional friend. We'll cover their food and accommodation."
The response was immediate.
"Thank you, Trainer!"
Kurofune's gratitude came without delay. After a brief moment of thought, she clearly understood—the offer had been made with her in mind.
—
On the third day, when Shuta An returned to work, he had only just settled into his seat when his phone began to vibrate repeatedly.
One message after another.
He picked it up, glanced at the screen—and immediately understood.
"So they coordinated this beforehand."
A faint, helpless smile appeared on his lips. The Line messages from the Uma Musume in his team were all neatly aligned in purpose: every single one of them was about the friend they intended to bring along to the summer training camp.
Although the original suggestion had been made solely to keep Kurofune from getting bored, the others had clearly taken it as a shared privilege. Naturally, no one intended to let that opportunity pass.
Shuta didn't mind.
If anything, this kind of lively anticipation wasn't a bad thing.
He opened Kurofune's message first.
As expected, her choice did not deviate in the slightest from what he had anticipated.
"Curren Chan, huh…"
He let out a quiet breath, already picturing the dynamic between the two. It made perfect sense.
"In that case, I'll arrange a double room for Kurofune and Curren Chan."
His fingers moved quickly as he replied with a simple "OK," the matter settled without complication.
Next, he opened Tokai Teio's message.
And this time—
"Huh?"
Shuta's brows lifted in genuine surprise. Teio hadn't chosen Mayano Top Gun. Instead, she had invited Mejiro McQueen from Team Spica.
That was unexpected.
Without delay, he sent a follow-up message, asking for the reason behind the decision. At the same time, a faint crease formed between his brows.
"They didn't fall out, did they?"
The possibility immediately raised a red flag in his mind.
If there was a problem between roommates, it wasn't something he could ignore. Tokai Teio and Mayano Top Gun would be sharing their daily environment for years. Any strain in that relationship would inevitably affect Teio's condition—and that was something he would not tolerate.
The reply came quickly.
"Maya failed math, so she has to catch up during the holidays."
For a moment, Shuta An simply stared at the screen.
Then—
"You can fail middle school math?"
He couldn't help it.
A laugh slipped out before he could stop himself.
The absurdity of it struck him more than it should have. After all, in his own case, his mathematical ability had always conveniently aligned with the stereotypical expectation—solid up to pre-university, and then—effectively abandoned. Once he entered university and committed himself fully to Trainer studies, he hadn't even bothered purchasing another math textbook.
Still, the situation was what it was.
And bringing Mejiro McQueen along did present certain advantages.
"If we're in Hokkaido, McQueen can act as a sparring partner for Teio and Dober."
The thought formed naturally.
At that point, even if Mejiro McQueen wanted to refuse, she likely wouldn't have much room to do so.
"But I should still inform Nishizaki-kun—"
Muttering to himself, Shuta picked up his pen and jotted down a quick note in his notebook. It wouldn't do to let such matters proceed without proper communication. A misunderstanding here would only create unnecessary complications later.
"I'll talk to him during lunch."
With that decided, he moved on.
Mejiro Dober's message came next. Her choice, unsurprisingly, aligned perfectly with Shuta's expectations.
Agnes Digital.
The reasoning was just as straightforward.
"I need Digital-chan to come with me to the training camp so we can prepare the doujinshi for this summer's Comic Market in advance."
"As expected."
Shuta didn't even bother asking about the theme.
There was a high probability it would be related to "Cardcaptor Sakura," which had been particularly popular this year. Some things didn't need to be confirmed—they were simply understood.
Then, finally, he opened Silence Suzuka's message.
And for the first time that morning—
He paused.
"Huh?"
His eyes lingered on the name displayed on the screen.
"Air Groove?"
That…was not someone he had anticipated.
Of course, he knew her.
There was no way he wouldn't. As someone frequently present in the Student Council office, Air Groove was a familiar figure. Their paths had crossed often enough for him to recognize her capabilities.
But this connection—
"A Student Council Uma Musume—how did Suzuka get to know her?"
More importantly—
"They're close enough to go on a trip together?"
That was new.
Still, surprise aside, Shuta didn't question her choice.
Air Groove's ability was beyond doubt. Even before her Twinkle Series debut, she had already secured the position of Vice President within the Student Council. That alone spoke volumes. An Uma Musume without sufficient talent simply couldn't operate in that environment.
After all, not everyone could endure the constant presence—and pressure—of figures like Symboli Rudolf, Maruzensky, and the often missing Mr. C.B.
—
At noon, inside the Trainer cafeteria, Shuta took the opportunity to address the matter directly.
He approached Tojo Hana and Nishizaki Ryu, briefly explaining the situation.
"Bringing friends to the training camp, huh?"
Nishizaki Ryu's reaction was as casual as ever.
"Either way, McQueen is supposed to return to the Mejiro family this summer to rest and prepare for the Kikuka Sho. If she goes to Hokkaido instead, Ann-san can help look after her. That works out just fine for me."
"Since Nishizaki-san puts it that way," Shuta replied with a smile, smoothly taking over the conversation, "then it seems McQueen-chan's holiday will be partially shortened because of me."
He added, without hesitation,
"I also plan to have her train with Teio. So in reality, it'll be more training than vacation."
At that moment, Tojo Hana spoke.
"I think it would be better for Air Groove and Teio to train together."
Shuta turned to her.
"Both of them are debuting this year," she continued, her tone calm and precise, "and they will be entering the Classic races next year. Training together should produce better results."
(WTF, the timeline was so messed up starting this point. The Classic Triple Crown and its Triple Tiara were from different timeline)
"So instead, have the two from the Mejiro family train together?"
Shuta grasped her intention almost immediately.
"Since their experience in the Twinkle Series is similar, their training efficiency should be higher," Tojo Hana explained.
A strange expression crossed Shuta's face.
He looked at her again, as if confirming what he had just heard.
"Miss Tojo—you really want Air Groove and Teio to train together?"
Nishizaki Ryu chuckled lightly from the side.
"I've heard that although Tokai Teio's training intensity isn't particularly high, any Uma Musume who tries to secretly compete with her ends up giving up halfway."
"I'm certain," Tojo Hana replied without wavering. "Air Groove's goal is also the Triple Tiara. There's no conflict with Tokai Teio next year. Training together now will only benefit her."
"Alright." Shuta didn't argue further. "I'll arrange it."
But internally, he had already made a decision.
If Air Groove showed even the slightest sign of mental strain—even the faintest crack—he would immediately change her training partner.
There was no room for compromise on that.
Regardless of trust, regardless of goodwill, he would not allow either Mejiro McQueen or Air Groove to be placed in a situation that could damage them.
—
In the afternoon, after a brief nap in his office, Shuta shifted his attention to the next matter.
The training camp location.
Hokkaido had already been decided.
But Hokkaido itself was vast.
There were too many viable options.
"Noboribetsu and Shiretoko are out…"
He crossed them off immediately—they had already been there with Oguri Cap.
"Sapporo… Hakodate… Asahikawa… Otaru… even Mombetsu could work…"
Each option had its merits.
And that was precisely the problem. For a moment, he found himself caught in indecision.
Then, as if sensing his hesitation, Kitahara spoke up from the side.
"I think Sapporo would be a good choice."
Shuta turned slightly, listening.
"It's the largest city in Hokkaido. Transportation is convenient, and the facilities are complete," Kitahara continued. "And since you're planning to have Tokai Teio debut in the Twinkle Series during the training camp, your venue options are essentially limited to Hakodate and Sapporo anyway."
He paused briefly before adding,
"Going to a scenic area for a short-term training camp isn't very practical."
"Sapporo, huh."
Shuta repeated the name under his breath.
At this point, he was already leaning toward a "anywhere works" mindset. With that push, the decision settled naturally.
He nodded.
"Alright. Sapporo it is."
"And during the summer, there are plenty of festivals there too," Kitahara added with a faint grin. "Good for both training and relaxation."
That sealed it.
Without further delay, Shuta began searching for accommodations.
Hokkaido's summer tourism was no less intense than Okinawa's. If he delayed even a few days, securing suitable lodging for a group of Uma Musume could quickly become a serious problem.
Time, as always, was not something he intended to waste.