"Shirayuki, we've received a joint petition from nearly a hundred students asking that you be relieved of your position as student council vice president."
At Symboli Rudolf's words, Shirayuki froze on the spot.
"Relieved of my position? Wait… am I being impeached?"
Shirayuki went stupid.
She had worked herself to the bone for the uma musume, helped students in trouble, ran around handling every little disaster. So why had nearly a hundred students banded together to report her? What had she done?
Don't tell me they found out about me and Chiya?
No, that didn't fit. If that had been exposed, this wouldn't be an impeachment. It would be a full-blown bloodbath. Besides, way too many people had signed it!
While Shirayuki's brain was busy sprinting in circles, Rudolf calmly explained, "It isn't an impeachment. The students feel that your duties have become too heavy, and that the pressure is affecting your health. For your sake, they hope the student council can give you a few days off."
"Oh… so that's what it was." Shirayuki wiped away a cold sweat.
For a second there, she had thought her and Chiya's little homemade imperial film had been uploaded online. She nearly died on the spot.
"My work is fine. I've gotten used to it ages ago. And compared to me, President Rudolf is much busier. It wouldn't feel right for me to abandon you and take a vacation by myself."
Rudolf looked at the girl in front of her. Perfect to the point where jealousy didn't even have room to grow. She smiled.
"I only handle the student council's paperwork. You're the one truly running around Tracen every day. I think everyone has a point. You're an active uma musume. You already have the pressure of racing, your grades are among the best, and there are students asking you to guide their training. On top of all that, making you serve as vice president really is too much."
"So I've decided to give you one month off. Until your final race in Japan, rest properly. Live like an ordinary student for once and enjoy campus life."
"An ordinary student…"
Shirayuki had almost forgotten how to write the word ordinary.
"President Rudolf, will everything really be okay without me?"
"I'm not so dull that I've rusted away, you know. Student council work is still well within my abilities."
Rudolf walked up to Shirayuki and gently patted her head.
"You've worked hard all this time. Leave the rest to us."
"Yes…"
Amid the student council members' words of thanks, Shirayuki walked out of the room. She turned back and stared at the tightly closed door.
Starting today, she could temporarily set down her duties as vice president.
She stood there, gazing blankly out the window.
Then, all of a sudden, Shirayuki felt incredibly idle.
Before, most of her time had been swallowed by student council work. Now that she was suddenly told she did not have to do any of it, she had no idea what she was supposed to do.
For now, I'll go see Chiya.
In the office, Fujiwara Chiya was organizing Gold Ship's training data. Among the three candidates for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Gold Ship was the only one whose upper limit remained completely unknown. Chiya honestly could not tell whether she would ascend to godhood or turn into an absolute disaster on race day.
For now, he could only train her according to the highest possible standard.
"Trainer, I'm going out to inspect the grounds."
"Yeah, go ahead."
Fujiwara Chiya answered without even lifting his head. A few seconds later, his brain finally caught up, and he turned around.
"Wait, didn't you do that yesterday—"
Darley was already gone.
So fast!
That Darley. Lately, she had been using all kinds of excuses to leave. Half the time, she vanished completely. Fujiwara Chiya was seriously starting to suspect she was not working at all and was sneaking off to play somewhere.
Still, considering Darley had already received an invitation from Central to take the trainer exam, Chiya decided not to say anything. In all likelihood, it would not be long before Darley became a proper trainer and left this place.
"To think even scatterbrained Darley would have a day where she becomes a trainer. Man…"
Chiya leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head, feeling unexpectedly sentimental.
Click.
The door opened. Shirayuki walked in.
She sat down on the sofa and pulled snacks out from beneath the tea table.
Without work, all she could do was come here and play with Chiya. After pouring herself a cup of tea, Shirayuki drank while watching him.
The man was earnestly drawing out an uma musume's growth curve.
Admiring her own serious working face, Shirayuki rose to her feet and came up behind Chiya. Her slender fingers pressed into his shoulders, touching his muscles as she adjusted the strength and position.
So handsome.
When she was little, her mother once said she loved the way her father looked while working. That serious expression hit every one of her preferences.
Apparently, that part of her mother's genes had been passed down too. Watching Fujiwara Chiya work so intently made Shirayuki's heart sway. His face was already handsome to begin with, but now that focus only added several more layers of charm. She could not help but wrap her arms around his neck.
And it was not just Shirayuki. Chiya was the same.
Whenever Shirayuki fulfilled her student council duties with such diligence, watching her from the side made him feel just as satisfied.
His mother's genes were terrifyingly strong.
Shirayuki opened her mouth and bit Chiya's ear, helping him clean the curve of it.
That sticky sensation. That faint, wet sound.
A shiver ran across Shirayuki's skin.
In truth, Shirayuki's ears were also extremely sensitive. Biting them felt wonderful. But uma musume ears had fur, so when Chiya put them in his mouth, there was always that fluffy texture. It was not exactly the most elegant sensation.
Smooth skin was better.
It was like eating pudding.
After holding his ear in her mouth for a while, Shirayuki blew gently against the dampened shell of it.
Both of their bodies trembled at the same time.
When she got tired, students helped ask for time off on her behalf, and Rudolf took over her work.
But when Chiya got tired, he could only shoulder everything himself. No one else could truly share that burden.
Shirayuki rubbed her cheek lightly against Chiya's. When he had no one else to rely on, she would be his best support. She was part of Chiya. She would stay by his side forever.
Letting go of his neck, Shirayuki sat in front of Chiya, picked up a training sheet, and started recording data.
A faint breeze brushed over Chiya's damp ear. In front of him, Shirayuki's sweet fragrance drifted through the air. Her silver-white hair fell over both sides, revealing the pale, delicate line of her neck.
So small…
Every time the two of them pressed close, Fujiwara Chiya had that thought. Shirayuki's body was so exquisite and petite, as if one careless move might break her.
But in reality, she rather liked rough and intense movements.
Because they left deep sensations on her body.
Just like when she had bitten Chiya's neck back then and left her own mark on him, Chiya would also leave marks on her body.
Was this what an uma musume's desire to monopolize felt like?
Shirayuki had felt the depth of an uma musume's emotions.
Leaning against Chiya, Shirayuki fully enjoyed his warmth. Then her body twitched slightly as her tail was pushed aside.
Really. He just can't control himself.
Well, actually, I'm not much better.
Shirayuki turned around. Just as she was about to hug Chiya, the office door opened, and Agnes Tachyon walked in.
"Guinea pig-kun, I looked over your analysis…"
Before she could finish, Agnes Tachyon shut her mouth.
She saw Shirayuki straddling Chiya.
Her head tilted slightly.
Then she closed the door behind her.
Click.
She locked it.
Walking over to the desk, Agnes Tachyon dropped herself into a chair.
"Um…"
"Don't mind me. You two may continue," Agnes Tachyon said. "I merely wish to conduct research on biological self-fertilization. As a researcher, I am extremely curious. I do hope you'll provide me with a live demonstration."