"Then, see you tomorrow."
After leaving those words behind, Kuroha didn't say anything else. He simply took Bourbon's hand—who had been standing quietly beside him the whole time—turned around, and once again blended into the bustling flow of people.
"…See you tomorrow, Onii-chan."
Silence Suzuka maintained her deep bow until the one tall and one small figures disappeared completely at the end of her sightline. Only then did she slowly straighten up.
For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had done something terribly important… something so important that it had tilted the direction of her fate.
Then she turned around and looked down at the emerald-green turf where the fierce battle had just ended.
The last light of the setting sun spilled across the track, and reflected in her emerald-green eyes as well.
"I will definitely… seize this chance!"
The wind passed by, and Kuroha's long hair fluttered with it.
…
At the same time.
Tokyo Racecourse, inside the competitors' tunnel.
The cheers outside were still deafening, but in here, the air felt heavy and subdued.
"Hah…"
March let out a deep breath, as if exhaling every last trace of the boiling fighting spirit from moments ago.
She had won, but it hadn't been easy.
Her chest was still heaving, and the long muscles in her legs trembled faintly.
Even with flawless tactics and flawless technique, to suppress that "monster" behind her—one built purely out of brute force—
she had to keep her mind taut to the breaking point every single meter of those 1600 meters, driving her strength to the absolute limit without a moment's lapse.
It was a dance on a knife's edge. One misstep, and that savage power would tear her to pieces.
Thud, thud, thud…
Heavy footsteps approached from behind.
March's movement paused. Then she turned around.
Oguri Cap was standing there with her head slightly lowered, her ears giving a small twitch.
Her gray-white race outfit was smeared with plenty of mud—evidence of how violently she had driven off the ground in the final sprint.
"Oguri, you lost again." March angled her body slightly, a faint smile curling at the corner of her lips.
Oguri Cap lifted her face a little. Yet in her clear eyes, there wasn't the slightest trace of dejection after defeat.
"Yeah, I lost."
"March, you were just too fast."
All this time, Oguri Cap had felt that, besides the Domain, March possessed something else that was different from her.
In fact, that difference seemed to extend to every Uma Musume in Chasing Light.
Ginjirou had called it technique.
But Oguri Cap could never understand why she couldn't manage even the "normal" version of it.
So, if she couldn't figure it out…
then she might as well lump it all together under one simple answer: speed.
"Mm. March is faster than me, so next time, if I run even faster than her, I can win!"
That was what the ashen-haired monster whose head was full of brute force concluded.
"Then shall we head back?" March raised a brow, one hand on her hip, and hooked a thumb toward the corridor exit. Her silver, armor-like race outfit made her look impressively dashing.
"Mm-hm, let's go back." Oguri Cap nodded repeatedly and followed March's stride.
"Speaking of which, March…"
"Yeah?"
"If we head back now, are we going to miss a proper dinner?"
"Probably… Are you trying to mooch off us again, Oguri…?"
"Mmff…"
In the tunnel, only the voices of the two ashen-haired queens remained, drifting farther and farther away until they faded.
…
The next day.
As night retreated, the uproar of the Yasuda Kinen finally quieted for the moment, but the aftershocks of that race still rippled through the entire racing world.
At dawn in the Mejiro training grounds, the air was crisp and fresh, with morning dew not yet dried.
Thud, thud, thud…
As the final group finished their morning practice, the lively track gradually returned to calm.
"Trainer! We're heading to school first!"
Tokai Teio, backpack slung on, waved energetically this way while tugging McQueen along with her.
Beside them, Mejiro Ardan carried a small bag with an elegant smile, her posture poised and her expression relaxed.
Bourbon and Rice Shower—two little girls—stayed close to the seniors, preparing to go to the academy together.
As for March, by Chasing Light's usual routine, after a race she would rest at home for a few days in addition to the standard rewards.
So she wasn't at the training grounds today.
"Mm. Be careful on the way, and don't be late."
Kuroha stood by the entrance, smiling as he waved goodbye to the girls heading off to morning classes.
He watched as the car bearing the Mejiro family crest slowly drove away, and the training grounds fell completely silent.
Kuroha turned and went back to the lounge.
The sun was bright, the sky clear and cloudless—rarely such good weather.
After squinting and sinking into the sofa for a while, he casually picked up the tablet on the table, preparing to plan the training schedule for his Uma Musume in the days ahead.
Since the beginning of the year, after several members of the team gradually retired,
the number of active Uma Musume under Kuroha had dropped sharply.
March and Ardan, both in their prime.
Teio, who hadn't debuted yet.
Even if he counted generously, that made only four.
Compared to last year, when Chasing Light was at its peak with six active Uma Musume, the workload had fallen by far more than just a little.
"March and Ardan are maintaining their condition well…"
"…Bourbon, mm, she's improving fast. I can consider adding some training toward standard, general-purpose skills."
"Rice Shower… honestly, she's a headache. She's too timid. I still need to set her a goal—wake up that hidden fighting spirit."
"McQueen… basically unbeatable. Nothing to worry about for now."
"Teio's debut race… mm, let's set it for next month. Shouldn't be a problem…"
Before long, a fairly complete plan took shape.
Just then—
Knock, knock.
A polite, restrained knock broke the quiet in the room.
"Come in."
The door opened.
A Mejiro household staff member in uniform stepped in, his expression respectful. "Kuroha-san, apologies for disturbing your rest."
"What is it?" Kuroha asked.
The staff member shifted aside, gesturing toward the hallway beyond the door as he reported in a lowered voice.
"There is a visitor outside. They said they came specifically to see you."
"A visitor?"
Kuroha raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
"It's Ginjirou Musaka-san."
"Oh?"
Kuroha looked surprised.
Ginjirou-senpai?
Usually, it was Kuroha who went to find him for tea when he had time. For him to come in person today…
"I understand."
Kuroha stood up, adjusted his collar, and said to the staff member.
"No need for the reception room. Just bring Ginjirou-senpai here."
"Yes."
The staff member departed to carry out the request.
A few minutes later, the door opened again.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
To the dull sound of a cane striking the floor, Ginjirou's slightly stooped figure entered.
The old man's expression carried unmistakable fatigue, as if he hadn't slept at all last night.
"Kuroha."
Ginjirou sat down on the sofa beside Kuroha, a faint smile appearing on his face. "Coming this early to disturb your sweet dreams, you don't mind, do you?"
"Unless I'm forced to, when have you ever found me at a time like this when I'm still sleeping?"
Kuroha replied flatly, then lifted the teapot and filled the cup in front of Ginjirou.
"Here. I'm always the one going to your place to mooch tea. Today, you can try mine."
Ginjirou lifted the cup and took a sip.
"Good tea."
"…Ginjirou-senpai, you didn't come all the way here just to drink tea, did you."
No sooner had Kuroha finished than Ginjirou fell silent.
His hand clenched the handle of his cane, head lowered, not saying a word.
Kuroha didn't press him. He simply sipped his tea and waited in silence.
After a while, Ginjirou slowly lifted his head. His sunglasses hung half-lowered, revealing bloodshot eyes beneath.
"Kuroha…"
As if making up his mind, the old man spoke hoarsely.
"About that 'overseas expedition' proposal that bastard Hideto brought up yesterday…"
"I have an idea. Do you want to hear it?"
(End of Chapter)
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