Chapter 51. Mejiro Dober's New Creative Plan
After putting down his phone, Shuta An leaned back slightly and scratched his head, a faint trace of thoughtfulness settling across his expression.
"Is it time to prepare training plans for Air Groove and the others?"
The realization came naturally.
If they were already here, and the summer schedule had begun to take shape, then leaving things vague would only create problems later. Training, especially at this level, couldn't rely on improvisation.
Without delay, he reached for his phone again.
This time, he contacted Nishizaki Ryu and Tojo Hana, intending to confirm their expectations for the second half of the year. Only with a clear target could he construct a training plan that actually meant something.
—
Tojo Hana's reply came first.
Her plan for Air Groove was straightforward—an autumn debut at Tokyo Racecourse.
Once Shuta An saw that, his approach immediately shifted.
"Then there's no need to push her now."
If Air Groove were brought to peak condition in August, it would only backfire. Maintaining that state for too long would inevitably lead to instability, and by the time autumn arrived, her form might already be declining.
He had no intention of creating that kind of problem for Tojo Hana.
"Just stabilize her foundation."
That was enough.
Strengthen her base. Refine her fundamentals. Let her condition rise naturally when the time came.
No unnecessary acceleration. No forced progression.
—
Nishizaki Ryu's stance, on the other hand, was far more aggressive.
His goal for Mejiro McQueen was clear—
Win the Kikuka Sho.
And not just that.
After discussions with Mejiro Ramonu, he had adjusted his plan further. He wanted Mejiro McQueen to secure a solid result in a 2-win class race during the summer in Hokkaido. If successful, that alone would go a long way toward guaranteeing her entry into the Kikuka Sho.
If that wasn't enough—
He was prepared to escalate.
A 3-win class race. The Arashiyama Stakes.
Win that, and the ticket would be beyond doubt.
As for the specific race for 2-win class—Nishizaki Ryu had already made his selection.
Hakodate, 2600 meters. The Yokotsudake Special. Scheduled for the week after the Takarazuka Kinen.
—
When Shuta An saw the timing, he couldn't help but pause for a moment.
"He really thought this through."
There was no need to move between distant racecourses. No unnecessary logistical burden.
And more importantly—the race was exactly one week after Tokai Teio's debut. That alignment made planning far smoother.
"He's making this easier for me." A faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips."In that case, I can't afford to let him down."
His decision was immediate. "I'll make sure McQueen wins this race."
At the same time, another thought surfaced.
"It's also a good opportunity."
A 2600-meter race.
Even if the American circuit didn't emphasize long-distance races as heavily, Shuta An had still studied this field thoroughly under his father's guidance. Structuring training for stamina, pacing awareness, and endurance-based racing instincts—none of that was beyond him.
"This is the most I can do for the Mejiro Family."
—
With both directions confirmed, Shuta An fully immersed himself in his work.
For the next few days, he rarely left his room.
Air Groove.
Mejiro McQueen.
Two different targets. Two completely different training trajectories.
Every detail had to be adjusted accordingly—intensity, frequency, recovery cycles, even psychological load.
"Good thing they sent the physical reports."
He glanced at the data again. Without those detailed examinations, he would have had to design far more conservative plans. And that was something he found unacceptable.
If he was going to do it—then it had to meet his own standards.
—
Amidst this focused routine, Tokai Teio's second palpation came as scheduled.
This time, she was prepared.
Unlike before, there was no visible distraction.
No hesitation.
But—
When Shuta An pressed certain points along her foot—
Her body still reacted, then she had to force herself to remain silent.
—
Elsewhere, Silence Suzuka and Mejiro Dober had their own pacing. Although both had races planned for August, there was still time.
Two full months.
No need to rush.
One night, when Silence Suzuka asked about training plans—
Shuta An didn't answer. Instead, he simply leaned closer and silenced her question in his own way.
As for Mejiro Dober—her focus had shifted entirely elsewhere.
The summer Comic Market an her manuscript.
Day after day, she remained immersed in her work, rarely lifting her head.
And perhaps it was the environment—the quiet, the distance from routine—something here in Jozankei seemed to stir her creativity.
Her progress advanced rapidly. To the point where—she reached the stage of defining the core theme.
—
"Wait—weren't you drawing a Cardcaptor Sakura doujinshi?"
Agnes Digital blinked in surprise, clearly caught off guard.
"I was," Mejiro Dober replied calmly. "But I want to try something original this time."
She looked down at her notes, her expression more serious than usual.
"I can still do a Cardcaptor Sakura work in winter. But an original idea—I don't know if this kind of inspiration will still be there by then."
"Alright."
Agnes Digital sighed softly. As an assistant, once the decision was made, there wasn't much room to object.
"So what's the story?"
Mejiro Dober lifted her head slightly.
"It's about an ordinary Uma Musume." Her voice softened. "One who, in her dreams, becomes incredibly powerful—and also finds love."
Before she could continue—
Agnes Digital cut in immediately.
"You're not making it a tragedy this time, right?"
"Of course not!"
Mejiro Dober waved her hands quickly, almost instinctively.
"This is my first original work. It has to have a good ending. In the end, she'll meet her lover in the real world."
"That's good." Agnes Digital muttered under her breath. "I thought maybe you were having a rough time lately and wanted to drag everyone into it."
"What was that?"
"Nothing." She smiled quickly, redirecting the topic.
"But—you and Trainer haven't talked at all these past few days. Is that really okay?"
Mejiro Dober tilted her head slightly, as if the question itself felt unnecessary.
"We're both busy. That's normal, isn't it?" Her tone was calm. "It's my vacation. Trainer still has work. I shouldn't disturb him."
"But I've seen the others talking to him a lot." Agnes Digital hesitated slightly before continuing. "Not long ago, I even saw Teio go into his room in her pajamas—she came out less than half an hour later, and her face was completely red."
"Less than half an hour?"
Mejiro Dober blinked. Then, without hesitation— "Then there's nothing to worry about, right?"
Her tone was completely straightforward.
"It wasn't long."
After all—she had already done her "research."
Unexpectedly, that response left Agnes Digital momentarily speechless.
"Let's just go back to your story." She exhaled lightly. "Have you decided on the protagonist's name?"
"Yes."
Mejiro Dober answered without hesitation.
"Mejiro Rosaline."
"Wait." Agnes Digital froze. "You're using a Mejiro Family name?"
"It's fine," Mejiro Dober replied calmly, as if the concern didn't exist. "I've already decided to give all my share of the doujinshi income to the family."
She paused briefly.
"And besides, there are plenty of doujinshi using our family name already. As a member of the Mejiro Family, it's not strange for me to use it too, right?"
"I suppose…"
Agnes Digital nodded slowly.
But deep inside—a faint unease lingered.
She couldn't explain it.
Only that—
"This might cause trouble."
Whether that trouble would be good or bad, even she couldn't tell.
—
In the Dream World, once the Japanese Derby concluded, the focus of the racing calendar shifted naturally toward the next G1—
The Takarazuka Kinen.
And for Shuta An, his partner for this race was, without question—
Tokai Teio.
—
Two weeks before the Derby, Tokai Teio had already returned to Matsumoto Shoichi Stable to begin preparations. However, during that period, Shuta An had been fully occupied with Rice Shower's Derby campaign, leaving him no opportunity to personally oversee Teio's training.
Now that the Derby was over—
That changed.
Starting from Wednesday, he made a point of visiting the stable every single day.
—
"His condition is excellent. He's grown."
Matsumoto Shoichi's evaluation was concise, but there was a quiet confidence in his tone.
Shuta An nodded as he observed Tokai Teio, his gaze sharp yet satisfied.
"His mental state has also stabilized after the overseas expedition," he added. "Compared to before—he feels completely different."
He paused slightly, as if weighing the right words.
"It's like he's finally stepped into adulthood."
Matsumoto Shoichi gave a faint smile.
"He still has his willful moments, but he doesn't make a fuss anymore. Overall—he's much more sensible."
Then, after a brief hesitation, he admitted:
"To be honest, this is my first time handling a King-level Racehorse. I'm always worried I might make a mistake somewhere."
"He won't be going overseas in the second half of the year," Shuta An said calmly, taking over the conversation. "Tenno Sho (Autumn), Japan Cup, Arima Kinen—that's the plan."
His tone was steady.
"If everything goes well—he has a chance to surpass Symboli Rudolf this year."
Matsumoto Shoichi blinked, clearly caught off guard.
"You're saying she can go undefeated the entire year?" There was disbelief in his voice. "Even Oguri Cap never had that kind of schedule."
Shuta An shrugged lightly.
"I think fewer races, with better condition management, is far more effective than the current approach most stables use."
His gaze drifted slightly, recalling the past.
"Back then, Oguri Cap nearly ran Tenno Sho (Autumn) followed immediately by the Mile Championship. That kind of schedule—"
He didn't finish the sentence.
"It's hard to imagine."
Matsumoto Shoichi shook his head slowly.
Even by the standards of that era—when Racehorses ran frequently—that schedule had been borderline excessive.
For a horse of Oguri Cap's caliber—
It would have been a storm of criticism if anything had gone wrong.
—
Back in reality, Sunday morning at the hotel unfolded at a much calmer pace.
In the restaurant, Shuta An handed out the finalized training plans.
Air Groove.
Mejiro McQueen.
The two Uma Musume accepted them immediately, their expressions turning serious as they began reviewing the contents in detail.
"No matter what, this is still a training camp," Shuta An said, leaning slightly against the chair as he spoke. "There will be rest periods, but there will also be structured training."
His gaze shifted briefly toward Curren Chan, who was busy taking photos of the newly released desserts.
"As for those who haven't entered full training yet, you can continue treating this as a vacation."
"Is there anything we can help with?" Agnes Digital raised her hand slightly. "It feels a bit strange doing nothing."
"There may be some low-intensity sparring sessions where I'll need help," Shuta An replied. "But most of the time, just enjoy the surroundings."
He paused briefly, then clarified:
"For this period, the ones with actual training tasks are the anticipated tow active Twinkle Series Uma Musume, Air Groove, and Tokai Teio."
—
Curren Chan, still focused on capturing the perfect angle of a dessert plate, listened quietly.
"Even if he says that, we can't just do nothing."
Her thoughts moved swiftly beneath her calm expression.
Kurofune might not have formal training scheduled—but maintaining physical condition still required consistent, low-intensity activity.
And as for herself—even if she couldn't officially participate in training yet, there were other ways to contribute.
"Logistics."
Support.
Coordination.
Small things—but necessary ones.
Shuta Trainer hadn't said it explicitly. But she had already understood.
—
That night, after coaxing Silence Suzuka to sleep, Shuta An finally allowed himself to rest.
He pulled her into his arms, holding her close.
Not just out of affection—but with a faint, half-serious thought lingering in his mind.
After all, Silence Suzuka had won the Takarazuka Kinen before.
"Maybe this will bring some luck."
Unaware of being treated as a "good luck charm," Silence Suzuka slept peacefully.
And when Shuta An entered the Dream World—
Everything felt…unusually smooth.
—
After a training ride, he faced the reporters.
"Tokai Teio's condition today is excellent," he said without hesitation. "His movements are smooth, his fighting spirit is clear, and his reactions are extremely sharp."
A faint smile appeared.
"I'm looking forward to challenging the Takarazuka Kinen with him."
"This race will pit you against Mejiro McQueen," a reporter said quickly. "What are your expectations?"
Shuta An frowned slightly.
Then corrected him immediately.
"That's not quite accurate."
His tone sharpened, precise and firm.
"It's not Tokai Teio and I challenging Mejiro McQueen." He paused briefly. "It's Yutaka Take and Mejiro McQueen challenging Tokai Teio and me."
The statement landed heavily.
"Tokai Teio is an undefeated Triple Crown winner—the first to win an overseas G1. Even with a Tenno Sho (Spring) victory, Mejiro McQueen does not surpass her in either quantity or quality of G1 titles."
His gaze was unwavering.
"The title of strongest active belongs to Tokai Teio. And this Takarazuka Kinen…is a challenge against her."
Only after making that distinction did he continue.
"Mejiro McQueen is very strong," he admitted. "But this race is 2200 meters—not 3200."
A faint confidence crept into his voice.
"In middle-distance turf races—there is no opponent in Japan who can defeat Tokai Teio."
"Not a single one. As long as we are partnered… we are the strongest."
—
Beside him, Tokai Teio snorted softly, lifting his head with unmistakable pride.
The reporter blinked in surprise.
"That reaction…"
"Tokai Teio is very intelligent," Shuta An said with a smile, reaching out to gently touch his nose. "There's almost nothing he can't understand."
"Except speaking human language."
The remark was noted immediately.
—
The next morning, while Silence Suzuka still slept peacefully, recovering from the previous night, Shuta An had already finished preparing for the day.
He stepped out toward the training grounds—
And stopped.
Tokai Teio.
Air Groove.
Already running.
—
"You two don't even share a room," he said, genuinely surprised. "How are you both up this early?"
"Everyone has their own room this time," Tokai Teio replied, slowing down slightly. "I was woken up by Air Groove."
"Because we're both preparing for our debuts," Air Groove added calmly. "And aiming for next year's Classic races."
Her tone was firm.
"We don't have the luxury of being complacent."
"That's true," Shuta An nodded.
Then—he raised a finger slightly.
"But your situations are different."
His gaze settled on Air Groove.
"You don't need to start pushing your condition now. Your debut is later than Teio's. If you peak too early, your form may decline by the time it actually matters."
His tone remained calm, but there was no room for misinterpretation.
"An Uma Musume cannot stay at peak condition indefinitely. The mental strain alone would break first."
He lowered his hand slightly.
"Morning practice is fine. But during the day, your training intensity will remain controlled."
A brief pause.
"I'll emphasize this again—this has already been approved by Tojo Hana."
The decision was final.