On the training field, Fujiwara Chiya was making pre-race adjustments.
There was no need to say much about Shirayuki's condition. Everything about her was within his grasp. Rice Shower was also fine and could follow his instructions properly.
Mejiro Dober's situation was a little more complicated. If Shirayuki ran beside her, she would become distracted. Right now, the two of them were still teammates, but once they were on the track, the situation might become even worse.
It seemed he needed to give Dober some psychological guidance for a while and help her accept the reality of directly competing against Shirayuki.
As for Matikanefukukitaru and Agnes Tachyon, the final two, both had their own characteristics. Fukukitaru's confidence was overflowing. She believed luck was on her side and that no matter how she ran, she could win.
As for Agnes Tachyon.
"Run quickly, finish quickly, and go back to my experiments..." she muttered impatiently. Clearly, she did not take this race seriously.
If they won, they advanced. If they lost, there was no punishment. The race itself had not even been promoted much, only lightly mentioned in the schedule. The number of spectators present might only be a few thousand. No matter how one looked at it, it did not seem like a race worth taking seriously.
However, even if the race itself did not carry much meaning, it was still a stepping stone that could lead them toward a stronger path. Growth was built up from seemingly insignificant things like this, one step at a time. When they eventually became powerful Uma Musume, they would surely be grateful for every track they had once run on.
Fujiwara Chiya gave his final reminder.
"When you cross the line, pay close attention to each other's positions. Don't give the opponent an opening because of your own acceleration. You are all on the same team. This is not yet the time for you to compete against each other."
After saying everything that needed to be said, Fujiwara Chiya dismissed them.
On the way back, Fujiwara Chiya ran into Hayakawa Tazuna, who had been waiting for him. The two walked toward a flowerbed where there were few people.
Because of the ban, Hayakawa Tazuna could no longer go to Chiya's room, but their relationship outside was not restricted.
"Chiya is starting to feel more and more like a senior trainer now."
"I'm still far from that."
"Recently, you seem to have been taking Shirayuki to the library often. Are you teaching her?"
Whenever she had time, Hayakawa Tazuna would come to ask about his recent situation. Was anything bothering him? Did he need help? Fujiwara Chiya deeply felt the strong maternal warmth from Tazuna, almost enough to melt a person.
"I'm just studying a little with Shirayuki." Fujiwara Chiya did not tell her the full truth.
Through Agnes Tachyon's research, Fujiwara Chiya had discovered that when he and Shirayuki used their minds together to memorize things, their efficiency was more than doubled. This was practically a weapon for studying. He could memorize all the training documents Central had issued to new trainers in less than half the usual time. In this way, his training methods could stay ahead of others by quite a bit.
Fujiwara Chiya was working toward becoming a senior trainer in his own way, doing everything he could. However, in the end, what mattered most would still be the results of his Uma Musume.
"It must be hard on you, Chiya. You're both a trainer and a teacher."
"It's fine. I actually quite like things as they are now."
Hayakawa Tazuna smiled.
"The bracelet you gave me last time was very beautiful. I haven't had a proper chance to thank you yet."
"As long as you like it. I found it by chance in a gift shop. I didn't know what you wanted, but I thought the colour of the bracelet was nice, so I chose that one."
"What a coincidence. I thought the same." Hayakawa Tazuna leaned closer beside him. "By the way, Chiya, did you go to the summer festival during the training camp?"
"Mm, I went."
"With whom?"
Finally, Hayakawa Tazuna began to approach the main point.
She had observed Chiya for the past few days and found no signs that he had become especially close to any other woman. In other words, nothing she did not want to see had happened at that summer festival.
She was satisfied with Chiya. Since he had behaved so properly, she did not need to use any excessive methods. Recently, Akikawa Yayoi had been showing something close to withdrawal symptoms toward Chiya and had become more concerned about him than before. Because of that, Tazuna had not had many chances. But in truth, she missed him far more than Yayoi did.
"With... Rice."
After hesitating for a few moments, Fujiwara Chiya told the truth. He had originally wanted to say Katsumura Yota, but if Tazuna asked Yota later, the lie would definitely be exposed. It was better to answer honestly now.
"Rice, is it?"
Tazuna's expression changed slightly, and an unreadable emotion surfaced in her emerald-green eyes.
"You didn't do anything with her, did you?"
"No..." Fujiwara Chiya paused as he spoke. He remembered the embarrassing request Rice had made of him.
"No."
Hayakawa Tazuna's expression shifted. The unnatural pause in Chiya's answer clearly meant something had happened.
That disobedient little girl.
Hayakawa Tazuna secretly gritted her teeth.
She liked all children, but there was one important condition: those children had to maintain a pure relationship with Chiya. If Rice were only Chiya's little sister, Hayakawa Tazuna could care for her even more and even treat her like her own little sister. But that child always wanted to develop her relationship with Chiya beyond that, and this was something Hayakawa Tazuna could not tolerate.
"Then during the summer festival, did you think of me? You didn't forget our promise, did you?"
"Of course not. During the final wish-writing part, I wrote that I wanted to attend the next summer festival with you."
Hearing this, Hayakawa Tazuna showed a smile that Chiya could not understand.
"Since you thought of me, and I'm right here, don't you want to do something?"
"Do... what?" Fujiwara Chiya swallowed.
"You're always like this. If I don't take the initiative, you never will. Even in the end, I was the one who confessed to you first. If I don't do anything, were you planning to keep things like this forever?"
Hayakawa Tazuna held Chiya's hand and pushed him down onto the bench.
So strong!
Fujiwara Chiya's eyes widened. The moment Hayakawa Tazuna held him, he felt as if he had become a baby, completely unable to resist and only able to let her move him as she wished.
Was she really human? This strength was already like an Uma Musume's.
Uma Musume...?
Only then did Fujiwara Chiya remember that he had never seen Hayakawa Tazuna take off her hat. Even in the dorm, Tazuna always wore her green round hat.
Could it be that Hayakawa Tazuna was not human, but an Uma Musume?
Fujiwara Chiya sensed something about her identity, but before he could think any further, Hayakawa Tazuna had already leaned in and sealed his lips. A strong sensation rushed through him, and Fujiwara Chiya instantly felt almost breathless. His mind seemed to melt as she took the lead.
Wait... Tazuna...
Amid the intense closeness, Fujiwara Chiya faintly saw the emerald pupils in Hayakawa Tazuna's eyes shining like those of a beast. Nearly two months of separation had pushed Tazuna's restraint close to its limit. Hearing that he had gone out alone with Rice became the final straw.
At this moment, she wanted to pour all of her pent-up feelings onto Fujiwara Chiya.
On the other side, Fujiwara Shirayuki covered her mouth and crouched on the ground, her face completely red. Her breathing was unsteady, and she could barely keep herself composed.
How can they be kissing like that... in the garden...
Fujiwara Shirayuki's eyes grew watery, and her breath became heavy.
"Yuki-chan, why are you sitting here?"
Grass Wonder, who had just finished training and was returning to the dorm, saw Fujiwara Shirayuki crouched by the corner of the stairwell. A faint, dizzying fragrance drifted in the air.
"G-Grass..."
Hearing the voice, Shirayuki raised her head.
"Don't look..."
Her words came out unclear and weak.
But at that moment, Grass Wonder could no longer properly process Shirayuki's words. Her gaze locked tightly onto Shirayuki and could not move away.
Snow-white hair clung to Shirayuki's fair face with sweat and tears. Her cheeks were flushed, her breathing uneven, and her eyes unfocused and hazy.
Her body looked as if it had lost all strength, slumped on the ground and unable to move.
Grass Wonder's heart skipped.
She nervously looked around. After confirming that no one was nearby, Grass Wonder picked up Fujiwara Shirayuki and quickly ran toward the dorm.