"You're ten minutes late, Fujiwara Chiya!"
Inside the director's office, a petite woman in a purple outfit raised her fan and scolded him.
"I'm very sorry!"
"Since this is your first offense, I'll let it go with a warning. Next time, you'll be writing a formal reflection."
"Yes, Director Akikawa."
He lowered his head. Standing before him was Akikawa Yayoi, the director of Tracen Academy. Despite her small stature and orange hair, her presence carried undeniable authority. Today, he had come to discuss the termination of his contracts with his Uma Musume, but things had been delayed because of Shirayuki.
"Recognizing your mistake is a good thing," Akikawa said, tapping her fan lightly. "Now then, who is this white-haired girl beside you? She's an Uma Musume, isn't she? And not one of our students?"
"Yes. She's my cousin. Her name is Fujiwara Shirayuki. She just arrived at Tracen today."
"I see. You have a cousin."
Akikawa stepped down from her chair and circled Shirayuki, examining her closely.
"She looks promising. Good leg structure and well-balanced proportions. I wonder about her strength. Has she competed before?"
"No."
"That's a shame. As a trainer, you should guide her."
"That's exactly why I brought her here," he said, straightening his posture. "I'd like to request that Shirayuki be admitted into Tracen as a student Uma Musume."
"Admission?"
"Yes."
The Three Goddesses had given him a second chance, and he intended to seize it. Through Fujiwara Shirayuki, he could finally understand what Uma Musume truly felt during training, during races, in victory, and in defeat. Only by experiencing those emotions firsthand could he stand in their shoes and become a proper trainer. He believed this was the purpose behind the goddess's help, so he looked straight at the director and waited for her answer.
"Very well."
"…Huh?"
"What do you mean 'huh'? I said I approve her admission," Akikawa replied, tapping her fan. "Tracen does not reject anyone who wishes to become an Uma Musume. If she has the determination to race, she is welcome here. Besides, her trainer cousin is already on staff, isn't he?"
"…Ah."
He blinked. That was unexpectedly easy. He had been prepared to argue his case, but she agreed without hesitation, leaving him with a strange sense of unreality.
"Tazuna, I'll leave the rest to you."
"Yes."
The door opened, and a woman in a green uniform stepped inside.
"Good morning, Trainer Fujiwara."
"G-good morning…"
He nodded awkwardly. The woman was Hayakawa Tazuna, the director's secretary. When he first arrived at Tracen, she had helped him countless times as a clueless rookie. Even after his contracts were terminated, she had come to comfort him personally. Facing her like this still felt embarrassing.
"So this is the girl transferring in? She's adorable. What's your name?"
"Fujiwara Shirayuki."
"Even her name is lovely. Come with me."
"Wait, she's leaving?" he asked, startled.
"Of course. You don't expect her to complete the admission process here, do you?" Akikawa waved her fan dismissively.
"No, of course not…"
Guided by Tazuna, Shirayuki left the office. The moment she stepped into the hallway, his vision split, and the perspective settled fully into her side.
"Where are you from, Shirayuki?"
"Yokohama."
She walked beside Tazuna along the corridor. "That's not too far from Tokyo," Tazuna said gently. "What made you decide to come to Tracen Academy so suddenly?" Her tone was calm and warm, naturally easing the atmosphere.
"I want to understand Uma Musume."
"Understand them?"
"I want to know what racing really feels like. Standing on the track and competing against others. What does it feel like to win? To lose? I want to understand everything about Uma Musume."
"That's a rather unique answer."
Tazuna had asked many students the same question before. Some wanted to win, some wanted the thrill of competition, and others dreamed of fame. Every answer was different, yet they all shared the same core goal: victory. But someone who simply wanted to understand Uma Musume was different.
"Why do you want to understand them?" Tazuna asked.
"Tokino Minoru."
"…Tokino Minoru?"
"When I was young, I happened to watch one of her races."
Tazuna paused.
That name stirred something vivid in her memory. It had been an 800-meter debut race, and the result had shocked everyone. A lead of eight lengths at the finish line, a performance so overwhelming it shattered records and left the audience in stunned silence. After that, the same scene repeated itself race after race, with dominance so absolute that even an undefeated rival was defeated with ease.
Even now, those memories remained clear in her mind.
"I fell in love with her."
Shirayuki's voice was steady as she continued.
Ten races. Ten victories. Undefeated.
"And then she retired after winning the first two titles of the Classic Triple Crown."
She lowered her gaze slightly.
"In the years that followed, stronger Uma Musume appeared. Records were broken, and people gradually forgot her."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"But I didn't. I never forgot how I felt when she crossed the finish line."
Tazuna remained silent, listening.
"I admire her. Because of her, I came to love racing. Because of her, I want to understand Uma Musume. And because of her… I worked hard to reach Tracen Academy."
Her words were calm but filled with conviction.
Then a small sound escaped Tazuna.
"Mm…"
Her face had turned red, and her green eyes shimmered with something between joy and embarrassment.
"Miss Tazuna… are you alright?" She stepped closer and looked up at her.
"Ah!"
Tazuna flinched slightly. "I'm fine. I just remembered something from the past." She touched her cheek, trying to steady herself.
"So you came here because you admire Tokino Minoru. I thought no one remembered her anymore."
"How could I forget? I remember every race. I still have the newspapers from her victories, and I kept the photos too…"
With each sentence, Tazuna's face grew redder, as if she were struggling to contain something. Finally, she reached out and covered Shirayuki's mouth.
"That's enough. I understand. Let's stop there."
"Mmmph—!"
After taking a few breaths, Tazuna slowly let go.
"Sorry about that, Shirayuki. It's not that I dislike hearing about her. But since you're here at Tracen, instead of only admiring someone, you should aim higher. For example, becoming even better than her."
"…You're right."
"But… if that's the case…" her voice softened. "Why did she retire before the final crown? She was so close. She could have become the greatest."
The regret was still there.
Tazuna's expression grew complicated as she looked at her.
"Maybe she chose something more important than racing," she said quietly. "For example, helping others become great Uma Musume."
"That sounds like a saint."
"Well… not exactly," Tazuna replied with a small, awkward smile before changing the subject.
"Anyway, Shirayuki. Do you have a trainer in mind?"
"Yes," she answered without hesitation. "I want to train under my cousin."
"Trainer Chiya?"
"Mm."
"So you want Chiya as your trainer, huh? That's not bad. Your cousin is quite talented. The moment I saw him, I could tell he was different."
"Eh? Really?" Fujiwara Shirayuki's mood suddenly lifted.
"That's right. Both of you are quite unique."
"So that's how you see it, Miss Tazuna…"
Heh… hehe…
"What are you grinning about like an idiot?!"
Smack!
Fujiwara Chiya took a hit from the fan.