Chapter 49. Summer
Although he had not won the Japanese Derby, the moment Shuta An returned to the underground passage, he was met with a reception that felt no less than heroic.
Rice Shower's team gathered around him almost immediately, their expressions filled not with disappointment, but with relief—and unmistakable admiration.
After dismounting, the Young man didn't linger. He stepped forward and embraced Trainer Iizuka Yoshitsugu and the Horse Owner in turn, his tone calm, yet carrying a trace of apology.
"I realized near the end that we couldn't catch up, so I eased him down," he said frankly. "Sorry about that."
There was no attempt to embellish, no attempt to soften the truth.
And precisely because of that, the two in front of him only shook their heads.
They had seen it clearly.
In the final stretch, Rice Shower had already reached his limit. The gap was not one that could be closed through effort alone—it was a matter of development, of physical maturity not yet fully realized. No amount of urging would have changed the outcome.
If one were to think in darker terms, the only way to overturn such a gap today would have required something far beyond fair racing.
Under those circumstances, finishing second—especially as the tenth favorite—was already far beyond expectation.
The Horse Owner, who had initially felt a pang of regret, quickly let it go.
"There's nothing to apologize for," Trainer Iizuka said, patting Shuta An's shoulder. "This result is already more than enough."
Shuta An nodded slightly, then turned his attention to Rice Shower. His hand rested lightly against his belly, his touch careful, evaluative.
"After this race, he should take a proper break at the stable," he said, his voice thoughtful. "The muscle development here still isn't complete. By autumn, I want to see a clear transformation."
Trainer Iizuka considered this for a moment before offering his own suggestion.
"Since he finished second in the Derby, how about starting the autumn season with the St. Lite Kinen at Nakayama—2200 meters as a warm-up—and then moving on to the Kikuka Sho?"
Shuta An instinctively wanted to refuse.
In his original plan, minimizing unnecessary exertion before the Kikuka Sho had been a priority.
But then—he paused.
This year's schedule gave them over a month between the St. Lite Kinen and the Kikuka Sho. That window was sufficient for recovery. Moreover, Rice Shower's current record still lacked a graded stakes victory—his main win remained the Fuyo Stakes.
Upgrading that record earlier would not only stabilize his standing, but also strengthen his support base.
"Alright," he said at last, giving a small nod. "That works."
—
As they prepared to leave the underground passage and head toward the jockey lounge to retrieve their belongings, a voice suddenly rang out from the side.
"Third in the Satsuki Sho, second in the Derby—can Rice Shower take first in the Kikuka Sho?!"
The question cut cleanly through the noise.
Shuta An turned without hesitation.
"Of course!"
He raised his thumb high, his answer loud and certain, leaving no room for doubt.
—
When he woke up, the lingering intensity of the Dream World faded quickly.
Shuta An moved efficiently through his routine—washing up, getting dressed—before picking up his phone to check the time.
"Six o'clock… flight's at ten-thirty."
He calculated briefly.
"Leaving a bit after nine should be enough."
Despite the early hour, he didn't allow himself to linger in bed.
Instead, he headed downstairs, prepared breakfast, and ate quickly but properly. Once finished, he collected his luggage, adjusted his clothes, and stepped toward the door.
"Let's go," he murmured to himself. "The Derby is over. Time to look ahead."
—
At the same time, the members of Team Sadalsuud had already begun their own preparations.
Under Tokai Teio's initiative, everyone had been woken early. They completed their morning practice together, returned to the dormitory to shower, and then gathered in the cafeteria for breakfast.
Afterward, they returned once more to pack.
Among them, Mejiro Dober's luggage was, unsurprisingly, the most extensive.
Her digital tablet, laptop, and an assortment of drawing tools filled her suitcase to the brim, each item carefully arranged with almost obsessive precision.
Just as she was finishing, a message arrived in the Line group.
Shuta An had already reached the main gate of Central Tracen Academy.
—
Counting everyone, there were nine people in total.
Even though Curren Chan had planned to travel separately and meet them in Sapporo, the logistics were still tight. Shuta An's car simply couldn't accommodate seven passengers.
So, while driving over earlier, he had already contacted Kitahara, asking him to bring his own car to assist.
Thus, when the Uma Musume arrived at the academy's gate, they were greeted by two vehicles waiting outside.
The arrangement was straightforward.
Shuta An's car carried the core members of Team Sadalsuud, while Agnes Digital and the others rode with Kitahara.
"Must be nice," Kitahara's voice came through via Line voice chat, tinged with unmistakable envy. "Having this kind of budget for a training camp."
Shuta An, seated behind the wheel, responded almost immediately.
"You say that like your team doesn't have funding," he shot back. "If you want to organize a training camp, there's no real issue, right?"
"How many Uma Musume do I have?" Kitahara retorted without hesitation. "Even if we just go somewhere like Gunma, the budget would still be comparable to what you're spending this time."
Shuta An fell silent.
There was no clean rebuttal.
After all, telling his friend, "Who told you to recruit so many members?" would have been socially disastrous.
—
At 12:30, the group landed at New Chitose Airport in Sapporo.
"Phew~ Big Brother Shuta really went all out," Curren Chan remarked softly as she stepped off the plane alongside Agnes Digital.
Although she had originally planned to meet everyone in Sapporo, she had already joined the group earlier at Haneda Airport. When Shuta An discovered that she had booked an economy class ticket, he had immediately upgraded her seat, allowing her to travel together with the others.
"It's safer this way," Shuta An said from ahead, having caught her remark. "I saw quite a few people in the waiting area paying attention to you. As an influencer, flying alone in economy class could get troublesome."
"It was fine," Curren Chan replied with a gentle smile, shaking her head lightly.
She didn't elaborate.
If it had been just the two of them, she might have explained—how traveling in economy class could either save money if unnoticed, or become a clever publicity opportunity if recognized.
A win-win situation.
But with so many others present, she chose to keep those thoughts to herself.
—
From the airport, the journey continued.
The destination—Chalet Ivy Jozankei—lay about 66 kilometers away, a drive of over an hour. Fortunately, the hotel had arranged a private vehicle, sparing them the need to deal with transportation logistics.
As the scenery shifted gradually from urban to more tranquil surroundings, Silence Suzuka glanced at her phone, then looked up in mild surprise.
"This hotel—it's not in the city, is it?"
"Chalet Ivy Jozankei," Shuta An replied from beside her, seated between her and Tokai Teio. "It's located in the Jozankei Onsen area, in Sapporo's South Ward."
He leaned back slightly as he continued.
"I originally considered somewhere near Odori Park, but the training facilities there weren't ideal. This place only opened last year, so I called ahead to confirm the conditions. Everything checked out, and it's much quieter, so I decided to book it."
At this point, neither Tokai Teio nor Silence Suzuka paid particular attention to his wording.
Until—
"I booked the entire place."
The implication had not yet fully registered for the Uma Musume.
But the reality was simple.
All twenty-six rooms.
For the entire summer.
Reserved under one name.
This newly opened hotel would not be hosting a single other guest during their stay.
—
"Although this is a training camp, aside from Teio, none of you need to increase your workload this week. Just maintain a minimal training volume—that's enough."
Standing on the observation deck of the hotel, Shuta An spoke calmly, his gaze sweeping across the members of Team Sadalsuud.
The Uma Musume all nodded in agreement without hesitation.
They understood.
This trip, for most of them, was closer to a recovery period than an intensive camp.
Only one person stood apart.
Tokai Teio.
She knew it clearly—while the others had come to Hokkaido to relax and adjust, she had come to ignite something new. Her debut would not merely be a race; it would be the opening note of an entirely new generation.
"I'm ready," Tokai Teio said, her eyes locked firmly onto her Trainer, her voice carrying absolute certainty.
"I know you are," Shuta An replied, pausing briefly before continuing, "but our goal isn't just to win your debut race."
"It's to show, from the very beginning, that I'm a favorite for next year's Classic races, right?"
A bright smile appeared on Tokai Teio's face.
"In other words, I need to win beautifully."
Shuta An gave a small shrug.
"That means this summer won't be like your previous ones. The intensity, the expectations—they're different. I hope you understand that."
"Of course I do," Tokai Teio answered immediately, shaking her head without the slightest hesitation. "If I want to become a Uma Musume stronger than Kaichou, I can't afford to be complacent."
"Good."
Shuta An could feel it—the confidence, the resolve, the quiet fire beneath her words.
"If everything goes smoothly," he continued, "I plan to schedule your debut at Sapporo Racecourse. Race 5, turf 1800 meters—on the day of the Takarazuka Kinen."
"No problem!"
Tokai Teio accepted instantly, her tone brimming with enthusiasm.
"They say that debuting successfully in Hanshin 5R on Takarazuka Kinen day is impressive—but this time, I'll prove that I'm the strongest Uma Musume of this generation!"
"I believe you." Shuta An reached out, ruffling her hair lightly. "Not just your generation"
There was no exaggeration in his voice.
Only sincerity.
After all, in the Dream World, Tokai Teio had already stood alongside him, achieving heights comparable to those of Oguri Cap. And in the time ahead—more than a year still within reach—that partnership would only deepen.
—
Chalet Ivy Jozankei was located deep within the Jozankei Onsen area.
Every one of its twenty-six rooms came equipped with a private open-air hot spring.
After the discussion concluded, the others had already dispersed, each assigned to their own rooms.
Shuta An's accommodation was the largest suite.
One hundred thirty-seven square meters.
Fully furnished, spacious, and quiet.
Even the bed was excessively large—large enough, by his own estimation, to comfortably fit three people without issue.
"Phew."
The fatigue of travel finally caught up to him. Without even bothering to eat lunch, he took a quick shower, letting the hot water wash away the lingering exhaustion, then collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep almost immediately.
—
Meanwhile, the Uma Musume wasted no time.
After organizing their luggage, they split into small groups, heading out according to their own plans.
Silence Suzuka pulled Air Groove along with her, heading toward a shopping center over ten kilometers away. The two walked side by side, already immersed in quiet conversation.
Mejiro McQueen, on the other hand, had intended to go out and try Hokkaido's famous ice cream—
Only to be stopped midway.
"Come with me," Tokai Teio said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Let's check out the training grounds and gym first."
"It's only the first day," Mejiro McQueen covered her mouth lightly, her tone half amused, half exasperated. "You're already this eager?"
"My debut is at the end of June," Tokai Teio replied without hesitation. "That's only about a month away. I need to get into training mode as soon as possible."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Besides, aren't you also aiming for the Kikuka Sho later this year? We can't waste the summer, can we?"
"I can't argue with that."
Mejiro McQueen sighed softly, though there was no real resistance left in her expression.
"Fine. Let's go."
And just like that, her ice cream plan was postponed.
—
Elsewhere, Kurofune had originally planned to stay in her room and rest. But that plan didn't last long.
"Big Sister Kurofune, come with me!"
Curren Chan grabbed her arm with an energetic smile.
"There are so many great photo spots in Jozankei! Let's go take pictures together!"
"Eh?"
Before Kurofune could properly refuse, she was already being dragged out the door.
—
When Shuta An woke up, the clock pointed to exactly four in the afternoon.
He sat up slowly, ran a hand through his hair, and headed to the sink to wash his face. The cool water helped clear the last remnants of drowsiness from his mind.
"Let's see what there is to eat."
With that simple thought, he left his room and headed toward the restaurant.
But as he passed by the training grounds—
He stopped.
Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen were there, running lap after lap under the afternoon sun.
One after the other.
Their breathing steady. Their pace controlled.
"So diligent." A quiet sigh escaped him. "I just hope that effort truly pays off."
—
The restaurant was offering a buffet at that hour.
Shuta An stepped inside, glanced around, and then turned back without taking a plate.
Instead, he returned to the training grounds.
"Eating alone while they're still training…" he muttered under his breath. "That just feels wrong."
—
By the time he arrived, Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen had just completed another lap.
"Take a break," Shuta An called out.
The two slowed down, turning toward him.
"We just came from Tokyo today. A light run is enough. If you push too hard now, recovery will become harder later."
"Okay," Tokai Teio responded immediately.
Mejiro McQueen nodded as well, accepting the suggestion without protest.
"I just checked the restaurant," Shuta An continued, extending his hand slightly in invitation. "They're serving a buffet. And the Hokkaido specialty ice cream looks pretty good."
"Let's go try it."
"I do!!!"
Mejiro McQueen's reaction was instantaneous. Her eyes lit up, and her voice rose noticeably in excitement.
—
The ice cream served at the hotel came from a well-known shop in Sapporo—BARNES.
The flavors were synchronized with the main store, including seasonal specialties. Today's limited flavor—
Rum raisin.
Mejiro McQueen didn't hesitate. After finishing her first serving—she immediately went for a second.
Only after that did she finally pause, composing herself just enough to speak.
"Although it looks soft, it doesn't melt easily," she began, her tone turning unexpectedly analytical. "The milk flavor is rich, but not overwhelming, and the aftertaste is very refreshing. The rum-soaked raisins are excellent—they blend smoothly with the milk ice cream without overpowering it."
Tokai Teio, who had originally intended to try the same, froze slightly at the words "rum-soaked."
"Alcohol?"
She hesitated.
"I get dizzy just from the smell, and rum definitely counts."
In the end, she quietly chose a safer option—
Milk ice cream topped with white sesame seeds.
—
As for Shuta An—
He had no such interest in desserts.
He came to eat.
While the others focused on sweets, he turned his attention to something far more substantial.
Akkeshi oysters.
Fresh. Plump.
He could choose to pair them with local whiskey, or simply enhance them with lemon juice.
Without hesitation—
He chose the latter.