Back on the training grounds, Bukoku Fumie had been helping out in Shinji's absence, guiding his other two trainees through the regimen he had left behind.
So the first thing Shinji saw was Saint Halo and Narita Brian training under Bukoku Fumie's supervision.
The moment they caught sight of him, both girls visibly brightened, while Bukoku Fumie flashed him a huge grin and threw up a cheerful V-sign.
Remembering the conversation at the tavern the night before, and Nishizaki Ryu's offhand remarks, Shinji suddenly felt a little awkward. So when Bukoku Fumie walked up to him, he scratched his head before finally offering her a solemn word of thanks.
"What's this? You went abroad once and now you're being all formal with me?"
There was a trace of mock reproach in Bukoku Fumie's voice, but right afterward she happily congratulated him.
"Congratulations, Shinji! On the Coronation Cup!"
At her sincere congratulations, a broad smile spread across Shinji's face.
There were not many people in this academy who had truly made their way into his heart, but Bukoku Fumie was one of them.
"Mostly, it was thanks to Offside Trap's own hard work—"
"But we all know who took a girl who couldn't even win a graded race and brought her to where she is now."
Bukoku Fumie said it matter-of-factly, then her expression shifted into curiosity. Her ambitions as a trainer were not especially grand, but she had always wanted to see the famous racecourses overseas for herself.
"So what were the racecourses over there like? Was the turf at Epsom hard for Offside Trap to adapt to?"
"Well, Epsom really does deserve its reputation as one of Britain's most famous racecourses. The first time I stepped onto it, I honestly felt this rush, like the world had suddenly opened up."
As Shinji recalled the atmosphere of Epsom, even Narita Brian and Saint Halo couldn't hide the longing in their eyes.
How could a horse girl with dreams of going higher not yearn for a world-renowned course?
"Offside Trap actually adapted to the turf there pretty quickly, so it didn't affect her that much in the Coronation Cup. But I have to say, the way she committed to the lead was a little unexpected. On a course that clearly favored strong finishers, the fact that she managed to hold on all the way to the line was really impressive."
There was no exaggeration in his praise.
No matter what, it had been Offside Trap's first time racing on European turf. Even if she had simulated it countless times in training, a real race was still different from practice. Every trainer knew that.
That victory had been something Offside Trap won through her own efforts. Even against powerful rivals, even under unfavorable conditions, she had still managed to take another step upward.
A softness entered Shinji's expression.
He never noticed that the smile on Saint Halo's face, which had been full of yearning just moments before, had quietly stiffened.
[Negative emotion +70]
The sudden system notification made Shinji turn toward her in confusion.
Ever since the Spring Tenno Sho, the markings on Saint Halo's face had grown more vivid, more bewitching. Sometimes, when his eyes blurred for a moment, Shinji could almost swear those patterns were shifting, writhing slightly, as though something were caressing her cheek.
"So, where did you stay over there, Trainer? In the trainers' dorm at Paris Tracen? Compared to here, the conditions there are a lot better, aren't they?"
At Saint Halo's question, Shinji thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"I stayed with Offside Trap. At their academy, there's a—"
[Negative emotion +100]
"A place like a hotel, built specifically for visitors and outside personnel. Offside Trap and I stayed in one of the rooms there."
[Negative emotion +100]
[Negative emotion +50]
"In the same room?"
Saint Halo's voice rose so sharply that even she realized, two seconds later, that she had reacted too strongly. She hurriedly schooled her expression.
Her tail swished restlessly behind her, and even her ears were twitching strangely as her gaze slid off to the side.
"It was… it wasn't one of those rooms with just one double bed, was it?"
"Of course not."
Shinji flicked her lightly in the middle of the forehead, making her curl up a little.
"It was like when we went to Dubai. A large suite with several separate rooms inside."
Only then did Saint Halo let out a quiet breath of relief.
She herself didn't understand why she had lost control just now. It had felt just like the Derby all over again: her mind going blank, her instincts taking over, and her body reacting before she could think.
"Alright, enough about where we stayed. Tell me about your training."
Shinji's tone was enough to pull her thoughts back.
Saint Halo desperately wanted to argue, Why wouldn't that matter to me? But the moment she saw how serious his expression had become, she swallowed the words.
All of the girls in Kochab knew it well: once Shinji switched into training mode, he became absolutely focused and completely serious. He never left room for his trainees to drag the conversation elsewhere.
So she could only lower her head in slight disappointment.
But at the same time, her resolve to go abroad herself only grew stronger.
It was no longer just because she dreamed of standing at the top of the world, or because she wanted to personally experience those legendary races and world-class tracks.
Now, she had a new reason too.
Her cheeks flushed faintly, and her drooping ears perked back up again, enough that Shinji found the sight strangely cute.
"As for Brian…"
Bukoku Fumie's hesitation said everything before the words even came.
Shinji nodded at once. This was not Bukoku Fumie's fault. Narita Brian truly was in a difficult situation, one that no trainer, no matter how capable, could solve by skill alone.
Narita Brian closed her eyes.
She wanted to hide the hurt in them, but Shinji had already caught it before her eyelids fell shut.
"It's alright. Now that I'm back, I'll take another look and see what can be done. Brian's working really hard. I believe it'll pay off."
At his attempt to comfort her, Narita Brian remained silent.
"Halo, on the other hand, has been improving a lot lately. She's handled all the training plans you left very well."
This time Bukoku Fumie was smiling, and Saint Halo lifted her chin a little, waiting for Shinji's praise.
But exactly as she had expected, he only nodded calmly, as though what she had done was merely the minimum he took for granted.
It wasn't that he was wrong.
Still, not hearing any praise left her a little disappointed.
"That's good. I've already started organizing some material on the Takarazuka Kinen and your likely opponents. I'll print it out and give it to you as a file later."
At that, Saint Halo answered seriously.
Disappointed or not, she believed with all her heart that if she could win the Takarazuka Kinen—if she could become the first horse girl in Japanese history to complete the newly established Spring Triple Crown the very year it was created—then she would become a figure beyond compare.
No future winner of the Spring Triple Crown would ever be able to match the meaning of what she accomplished.
And when that happened, surely her trainer would praise her.
Her feet almost shifted with eagerness as she stared fixedly into his handsome eyes.
"Alright then, training continues today. Let me see how much you two have improved."
"Yes!"
"Understood…"
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
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Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 165)
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I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter250)
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Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
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Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
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From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 248
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 230
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 125
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 145
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 115
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 110
My Harem Is Indescribable 100
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 105
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 67
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
Still playing traditional Honk 80
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 85
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 78
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 80
Checking In in Demon Slayer 85
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 100
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 85
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 90
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 75
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 80
Why did they assign me to Uma 75
MYGO Beauties 70
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 70
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 80
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 80
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 57
The Uma Musume Who Became 55
I'm Definitely Not the King of 60
After Maxing Out Every Class 45
Naruto: I'm Konoha's Local Men 35
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 34
I, the Elden Sword Saint 27
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 24
No One Knows Pokémon Better 18
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 20
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