...
The next morning.
"Hello! Please give me one honey special drink! Thick, rich, and lots!"
"Okay, thick, rich, and lots."
"Arigatou~" After receiving her honey special drink, Tokai Teio hurriedly ran toward Tracen Academy.
As soon as she entered the gate, she saw almost everyone from "Dream" had already arrived. "Minasan, good morning! I'm not late, right?"
"Teio, you're not late, but I've been waiting a long time." Twin Turbo eyed the honey special drink in Tokai Teio's hand. "If you let me have a sip of that drink, I'll barely forgive you."
"Tappu, haven't you woken up yet?" Nice Nature said. "Speaking of which, where's Trainer? We're all here—why isn't he?"
As they spoke, the group just happened to see Narita Brian and Hishi Amazon leading a group of little horse girls into the campus.
At the very front, Narita Brian was holding a sign that read "'Rigil' Sightseeing Group."
"Yeah, why hasn't Trainer come yet?" Matikanetannhauser voiced the same question. "Suzuka-senpai, do you know why?"
All their gazes converged on Silence Suzuka—she had experience, after all.
"On campus open day, Trainer apparently doesn't need to be present." Silence Suzuka explained.
"What!? Don't tell me Trainer is still sleeping in?" Seiun Sky's jet lag hadn't adjusted yet—her eye bags were still heavy today. "I want to sleep too!"
"That Torena guy..." Mejiro McQueen smiled as she clenched her fist. It had been a while since she'd given Lucian a "bone-relaxing" session—her hands were itching.
The scene grew a bit chaotic. As the assistant trainer, Ines Fujin stepped forward in time. "Minasan, though Trainer didn't give me any instructions either, let's start working first."
...
Under Ines Fujin's arrangements, everyone paired up like "Rigil" and began guiding the tourists.
"Wow, it's McQueen—!!"
Mejiro McQueen and Tokai Teio were walking along when they heard a cry of excitement from afar. Immediately after, two tiny figures rushed up to them.
Mejiro McQueen maintained her composure and elegance. "Hello there. Would you like us to show you around campus?"
"Mc... McQueen, I'm your super-duper fan!" Satono Diamond's eyes sparkled with stars of admiration. "I watched all your races last year! You were so amazing! I think you're the most dazzling horse girl in the current Twinkle Series!"
Satono Diamond was one of them—so the other was naturally Kitasan Black.
At this point in time (different from the anime), Tokai Teio hadn't yet achieved her consecutive victories, so Kitasan Black hadn't become her fan yet.
"Ahaha..." Mejiro McQueen felt a little embarrassed by the praise. "Thank you. What's your name?"
"Satono Diamond! And this is Kitasan Black desu!" Satono Diamond excitedly introduced herself.
Tokai Teio watched the scene, her expression dazed—as if seeing her own younger self meeting Symboli Rudolf for the first time.
She too had gazed in admiration at the one who had just claimed the Classic Triple Crown, expressing her dream of becoming a horse girl like her.
"Satono Diamond, Kitasan Black—got it." Mejiro McQueen noticed Tokai Teio spacing out beside her and gently nudged her. "Teio, introduce yourself too."
"Oh." Tokai Teio snapped back. "Hello, I'm Tokai Teio. So, would you like us to show you around campus?"
"Yes! Thank you so much!" x2
...
Meanwhile, Special Week—who had just finished handing out campus route flyers—had also picked up a little horse girl.
"Special Week, I know—'special'." The new horse girl's expression was blank as she muttered things Special Week couldn't understand, almost like talking to herself. "Though I still can't achieve complete 'analysis,' before deepening understanding, let's start with 'dialogue'."
Special Week forced a smile and managed to latch onto one keyword. "You know me? You want to talk with me?"
"Mm."
"Would you like me to show you around campus?"
"Mm, arigatou." The new horse girl's horse ears twitched like antennas, but her tone remained flat, without a ripple.
...
Special Week first brought her to the library. "There are still people reading, so we have to be quiet while visiting, okay?"
The new horse girl nodded, looking around curiously like an eager child. "'Source' place... I really 'like' it here. Is this where you achieved 'strength'?"
Special Week carefully pondered the meaning behind her words.
Didn't quite get it, but she forced an answer anyway.
"Are you asking if this place can improve grades? Probably, but I don't come here often. There are lots of extracurricular books for you to read too."
Special Week regretted choosing the library as the first stop. She was a chronic underachiever who'd barely passed since enrollment—she'd hardly spent any time here.
She also kind of wanted to run away—because she didn't really understand what the other was saying.
"Mm... A 'test' trial? Not my 'pursuit.' Still want... to run."
"You're asking about training, right? Once you enter Tracen later and find a Trainer that suits you, that'll be it."
"Understood... 'Nurturer,' the existence called Trainer, can take New Universe 'onto the track'."
Special Week: O_o What is this little one talking about?
Trainer-san, Spe-chan is struggling so much, on the verge of tears~_~
...
Though there was nothing urgent today, Lucian hadn't stayed home lazing around—he was in the office.
"Nishizaki-senpai didn't draw the short straw?" Lucian pointed at the empty seat beside him, asking Toujou Hana.
"Yeah, probably still lazing at home." Toujou Hana replied without turning her head.
"Fair enough." Lucian stood up from his seat and stretched.
"Open day is for the team members to handle—Trainer doesn't need to participate... Unless drawing the lot counts as participating." Toujou Hana adjusted her glasses.
Clearly, she was a bit annoyed at drawing the short straw herself.
"I know, but I'm not going to greet the kids—I'm picking up a junior. Who knows, maybe he'll become our colleague someday."
...