Everyone agreed with Orfevre's idea.
Ending the call, Yasui Makoto pondered for a moment before video-calling Kitasan Black.
"Hello? Good evening, Kita-chan…"
Seeing the familiar face appear on the screen, he instinctively greeted her, then paused.
"…Are you taking a bath?"
"Good evening, Trainer! Yes, I just finished drying my hair when you called."
Water droplets ran down her chin and onto the collar of her pajamas. Kitasan Black held her phone in one hand while wiping her cheek with a towel in the other.
"Please wait a moment, my phone is almost out of battery. Let me find the charger…"
The scene on the screen spun wildly for a moment before the girl's face, still flushed from the bath steam, reappeared.
"It's so late, Trainer. Aren't you asleep yet?"
"Ah… I was just discussing something with Tokai Teio and the others…"
Yasui Makoto averted his gaze from the screen and rubbed his nose. "Hold on, I'll grab my charger too…"
"Mhm! I'll wait for you!"
A moment later…
Now holding his phone connected to the charging cable, Yasui Makoto calmly nodded as he looked at Kitasan Black, who had wiped the water from her face.
"Actually, I just wanted to ask if you wanted to go watch the Tenno Sho (Spring)."
He had come up with the idea earlier when Orfevre mentioned the race. The Twinkle Series in Japan drew its origins from European and American racing traditions, and its overall structure aligned closely with them. The Classic Triple Crown, for example, referenced Britain's own series—the 2,000 Guineas, Epsom Derby, and St. Leger Stakes—which had existed in prototype form for two centuries, with the Epsom Derby as the oldest.
Japan had also cultivated its own deep racing culture. Before the international grading system, the Eight Great Races—Satsuki Sho, Japanese Derby, Kikuka Sho, Oka Sho, Oaks, Tenno Sho (Spring), Tenno Sho (Autumn), and Arima Kinen—stood as the highest and most prestigious events in the country. Even after grading, they retained special weight in evaluations and fan sentiment.
It was precisely because of this tradition that Gold Ship's habit of "being busy" playing mahjong right before the Tenno Sho (Spring) had become so infamous. Yet, personality aside, her record was undeniable. Twelve victories, ten of them in major races—including five G1s—made her one of the strongest active Uma Musume. Her long-distance adaptability and top-tier physical conditioning were especially clear in the Kikuka Sho, Arima Kinen, and Hanshin Daishoten. She could even bring that same power to middle-distance races like the Satsuki Sho and Takarazuka Kinen through her signature style: a sustained "super long-distance sprint" that began accelerating while others still conserved energy.
Those exact qualities—long-distance strength, exceptional stamina, and relentless acceleration—were ones Kitasan Black also possessed in abundance. Watching Gold Ship's Tenno Sho (Spring) in person would give Yasui Makoto the perfect chance to teach her key points from her recent special training while letting Kitasan Black ask Gold Ship directly about real race experiences.
After briefly explaining his thoughts, he waited.
"No problem!"
Without hesitation, Kitasan Black agreed excitedly.
"Actually, Trainer, even if you hadn't said anything, I was going to ask if you wanted to go watch the Tenno Sho (Spring) together. We can just go as a group then."
"Oh, by the way, Crown-chan and the others are coming too. I also invited Almond Eye."
"And Cheval-chan. You don't mind a big group, do you, Trainer?"
Yasui Makoto had always known his Uma Musume was quite sociable, but the last name still caught him off guard.
"Takasho… Cheval Grand?"
He recalled the student files he had read.
"Trainer really knows her."
Kitasan Black smiled.
"Cheval-chan's been in a bit of a bad mood lately, so I wanted to invite her out for some fun. She said she didn't want to go at first, then decided to check with her sister. When we asked Verxina-senpai, she was really happy and even messaged me specifically to take good care of Cheval-chan."
"Oh, right—we've already booked the train tickets and hotel in Kyoto. Should I book yours too, Trainer?"
"Is that so…"
Yasui Makoto was surprised she had moved so quickly, arranging everything ahead of him.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
"It's no trouble at all, Trainer. You're too polite."
Kitasan Black beamed brightly.
"Great! Then let's make this a fun Kyoto trip!"
…
After becoming a Trainer, this would be Yasui Makoto's first time heading out as a spectator to watch a race.
Stepping off the Shinkansen, he felt a unique thrill in the air. Giant promotional posters of Gold Ship stretched from the exit all the way to the ticket gates, and life-sized standees of the participating Uma Musume stood at regular intervals. Many passengers lingered instead of rushing off, crowding around the displays with phones and cameras, snapping selfies or asking friends—and sometimes strangers—for photos.
Kitasan Black immediately dove into the lively atmosphere. Clutching a cheering stick and a small flag with Gold Ship's face on it, she rushed straight to the giant poster.
"Wow! Gold Ship-senpai looks huge! Crown-chan, Dura-chan—who wants to help me take a picture? Trainer can too!"
"Honestly, she's like a puppy that's been cooped up for days and finally let outside…"
Satono Crown chuckled with her usual indifferent expression as she pulled out her phone. Duramente did the same, a faint smile on her lips.
"Kita-chan trains so hard every day. She probably hasn't had a chance to go out and play in ages."
"No way! I just took Almond Eye to the amusement park last week…"
Grumbling again, Satono Crown aimed her camera at Kitasan Black posing in front of the poster. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Duramente.
"So, you often go watch Kita-chan train? Don't the two of you train together a lot?"
she asked casually.
Duramente, also framing the shot, answered with a slight tremor in her voice.
"Only for strength training. Air Groove-nee-san said I'm still not as good as Kita-chan in that area and should learn from her."
After Satono Crown and Duramente finished taking pictures, Kitasan Black insisted they all join in—including Satono Diamond and Almond Eye—for group photos with the poster. She didn't even leave out Cheval Grand, who had been quietly fiddling with the brim of her navy cap the whole time, eyes downcast.
Watching the lively scene, Yasui Makoto felt a warm glow in his chest. At the same time, his gaze drifted to the side, scanning the area beside him.