Chapter 126.
Even though he hadn't fully figured out exactly how to trigger his new system skill yet, Trainer Shuta was absolutely thrilled with the results of his visit to Tachyon's lab.
Using this same logic, maybe I can actually... contact Ayabe's sister—
After officially confirming that other supernatural beings existed outside of the notoriously aloof Three Goddesses, Shuta's mind immediately jumped to Admire Vega.
But wait—the trigger condition might require the explicit permission of the haunted individual or even the favorability, right?
That thought made the young man hesitate.
While Admire Vega didn't seem quite as icy toward him these days, that fragile peace was built entirely on Shuta being incredibly careful to never touch the massive, gaping wound in her heart. If he wanted to secure her permission to summon her sister's spirit, he would inevitably have to bring up the very trauma she was trying to outrun.
He had no idea what kind of catastrophic emotional meltdown that request might trigger.
Let's just stick to the plan and continue slowly building up our mutual trust, he decided.
With the system's attribute viewer guiding him, that wasn't an impossible task.
As long as Admire Vega continued to flawlessly execute his customized training regimens every day, her favorability and trust parameters would steadily increase. If one month wasn't enough, he'd spend a year. If a year wasn't enough, he'd spend two. Shuta firmly believed he had enough time to eventually build a foundation strong enough to help her confront her psychological trauma safely.
Of course, there was one other massive bombshell that had completely caught him off guard today: Manhattan Cafe's 'friend.'
He had always assumed the rumors were just talking about an imaginary coping mechanism. But after physically seeing the entity hovering behind Cafe with his own eyes—well, it was a lot to process. Even though the spirit had manifested as an Uma Musume—a form completely different from his memories of the Dream World—Shuta was absolutely certain of her true identity.
That 'friend' was Sunday Silence.
So Sunday Silence actually exists as a conceptual entity in the real world—I really wonder what kind of karmic bond ties her to Manhattan Café.
Shuta murmured to himself as he walked.
However, the most shocking realization was the fact that a being native to the Dream World could actually cross the dimensional threshold into the waking world.
If she can exist here, even just as a phantom... what about the others?
Shuta unconsciously clenched his fists, his heart racing at the impossible implications.
—
After returning to the Team Sadalsuud lounge, Shuta didn't immediately clock out. It was a Sunday, which mathematically meant he was racking up some very nice overtime bonuses.
Since he was already parked at his desk, the young Trainer decided to front-load some of his administrative tasks for the upcoming week.
If I grind through the paperwork now, Monday will be a breeze.
He thought happily. He settled into his chair, flicked on the TV, and tuned it to the Green Channel to use the Twinkle Series broadcast as some pleasant background noise.
Just as he finished drafting Admire Vega's customized training menu for the upcoming week, the heavy lounge door swung open.
Shuta looked up, blinking in surprise.
"Oguri?"
Oguri Cap, dressed in her crisp Central Tracen Academy uniform, strolled in. She plopped down on the sofa, poured herself a glass of water from the pitcher, cleared her throat softly, and looked at him.
"Ann... I have a question I want to ask you."
"What's up?"
Shuta asked calmly. He had already laid all his cards on the table with Oguri, sharing everything he was legally allowed to about the system and the Dream World, so he didn't feel any pressure.
The Gray Uma Musume lowered her head, her voice dropping to a surprisingly shy volume.
"Ann... do you think I have what it takes to pass the Trainer's license exam?"
"Eh?"
Shuta practically dropped his pen.
He had absolutely not expected Oguri to suddenly express interest in becoming a licensed Trainer.
"Is everything okay over at Kasamatsu?" the young man asked quickly, his mind jumping to worst-case scenarios. "Doesn't the construction project over there need your constant supervision? We funneled a massive chunk of our corporate sponsorships into that district!"
It wasn't just the turf and facilities at Kasamatsu Tracen Academy that were getting an upgrade. In recent years, Oguri had personally directed a staggering amount of capital to support the modernization of the local urban infrastructure.
Berno had even joked while they were hanging out recently that if Oguri actually wanted to pivot to politics, the second she reached the minimum age to run, she would absolutely sweep the election and become the House of Representatives member for Gifu's 3rd District.
However, Oguri had never shown an ounce of interest in politics.
Shuta just hadn't expected her to be interested in his profession instead.
"Everything is perfectly fine! Berno can hold down the fort on her own now."
Oguri said, flashing a confident, easygoing smile.
"Well... I definitely think you could pull it off." Shuta said, genuinely considering the idea. "However, Oguri, you know you have to complete the mandatory Trainer curriculum before you're even eligible to sit for the exam, right?"
"I know! I already bought all the textbooks and I'm planning to self-study!"
Oguri clapped her hands together enthusiastically.
"If I run into a concept I don't understand, I can just come ask you, right Ann?"
"Of course! Anytime." the young man smiled. He could never refuse her. But he did want to clarify one specific detail. "If you do manage to pass... you'll come work here at Central Tracen, right?"
"Naturally! I've even picked out my future team's name!" Oguri flashed a triumphant thumbs-up. "I'm going to call it Team Sadalmelik!"
"Sadalmelik—Alpha Aquarii?" Shuta blinked, quickly running the astronomical data in his head.
That specific star, alongside Sadalsuud (Beta Aquarii), belonged to the constellation of Aquarius. Sadalmelik was the second-brightest star in the constellation—the brightest, of course, being Sadalsuud.
"That is an incredibly sweet name."
The young man said, a warm, genuine smile spreading across his face as he gave Oguri an approving nod.
"I knew you'd like it!"
Oguri beamed, clearly thrilled that he understood the reference. Her bright, happy energy instantly lifted the mood in the room.
Oguri hung out on the sofa for a little while longer before finally heading out. She had stopped by today partly to ask her boyfriend about her career pivot, and partly because she had scheduled a reunion with her old rivals from her active Twinkle Series days.
Well, everyone except Tamamo Cross. The 'White Lightning' was currently way too busy running her family's guesthouse up in Hokkaido. Apparently, her massive fame from her racing days had translated into a ridiculous surge of reservations, and business was booming.
Watching the Gray Uma Musume leave with a spring in her step, Shuta smiled to himself, settled back into his chair, and turned his attention back to his monitor.
"Alright, next up is... Teio's two-week taper plan for the Japan Cup." the young man muttered, pulling up the spreadsheets. "The lineup for the Japan Cup this year is absolutely stacked. A massive wave of overseas Uma Musumes have registered."
In previous years, international competitors usually flocked to the Japan Cup because the prize money was astronomical and the local talent pool was perceived as relatively weak—making it an easy payday.
This year, however, the paradigm had violently shifted. The vast majority of the overseas invaders who had booked a flight were coming specifically to try and take the head of Tokai Teio.
To be fair, Tokyo Racecourse isn't mathematically Teio's absolute strongest track; but defeating her under these conditions is still basically impossible.
Operating on absolute faith in Teio's terrifying baseline parameters, Shuta chose to actively reduce the intensity of her two-week taper compared to their previous campaigns. He wanted to aggressively flush out any lingering fatigue from her brutal autumn schedule.
After all, she's dead set on challenging the Arima Kinen after the Japan Cup.
Even though that meant he was going to have to watch his two aces, Teio and Rice Shower, cannibalize each other in a brutal civil war at Nakayama Racecourse, Shuta felt he had no right to stop them. It was their dream to clash at the absolute peak.
—
On Wednesday morning, the official pre-race press conference for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup kicked off at Central Tracen Academy.
As the Trainer for Mejiro Dober—the undisputed star of the upcoming race—Shuta An was once again scheduled as the final speaker to address the press pool.
"Good morning, everyone! You all look exceptionally well-rested today."
The young man smiled as he took his seat at the podium.
"Let's keep things efficient and straightforward so we can all wrap up early and go home."
The URA staff member standing behind him visibly frowned at the casual opening, but quickly recovered his professionalism and pointed to a reporter to kick off the Q&A.
"Trainer Shuta! This race has been officially confirmed as Miss Mejiro Dober's retirement from the Twinkle Series. With over a month remaining until the Dream Cup winter season begins, is Miss Dober considering an immediate transition to the Dream Trophy Series circuit?"
"No." Shuta answered instantly, leaving absolutely zero room for ambiguity. "Although I will not be formally managing Dober's administrative affairs should she enter the Dream Trophy Series, I can tell you with high certainty that she will likely choose to take an extended rest."
"Well, as fans of the sport, we eagerly look forward to seeing Miss Dober's grand debut in the Dream Trophy Series next year!"
The reporter bowed respectfully and sat down.
Watching the journalist, Shuta felt a sharp twinge of pity.
The press and the fans were completely in the dark. They had no idea that the undefeated Triple Tiara champion had already firmly decided to permanently retire her racing shoes to dedicate her life entirely to her passion for painting. Barring a complete anomaly, this Sunday at the Queen Elizabeth II Cup would be Mejiro Dober's final, absolute public appearance on a racetrack.
"Next question. The reporter in the sixth seat from the left, third row, please."
The staff member called out, oblivious to Shuta's internal melancholy.
"Trainer Shuta, is there any specific, sentimental reason why Miss Dober chose the Queen Elizabeth II Cup as the venue for her retirement race?"
Shuta genuinely wanted to just say 'no' and move on. But since he was already sitting in front of the cameras, he figured it wouldn't hurt to weave a slightly dramatic, mysterious narrative—it wasn't like anyone could fact-check him anyway.
So, gripping the microphone, the young Trainer paused for dramatic effect before flashing a brilliant, charismatic smile.
"Actually, my initial tactical proposal was to schedule the Hong Kong Cup as Dober's grand finale."
A ripple of surprise went through the press pool.
"But Dober vehemently objected. Not because she lacked confidence in her ability to conquer the overseas turf, but because she firmly believed that, as an undefeated Triple Tiara champion born and raised in Japan, it was her absolute duty to choose a domestic race for her final bow."
The cameras flashed rapidly. Shuta leaned into the microphone.
"At that point in the calendar, our tactical options were limited. The Arima Kinen was structurally unsuitable for her ideal distance profile, and trying to clash with Tokai Teio in the Japan Cup presented—obvious logistical complications. The Mile Championship was a solid alternative, but Dober ultimately selected the Queen Elizabeth II Cup. She reasoned that, as an Uma Musume who conquered the Triple Tiara route, it was only fitting to conclude her Twinkle Series career with a G1 race exclusively dedicated to the fillies."
"She has promised to leave absolutely everything on the turf at Kyoto Racecourse this weekend to give her fans one final, peak performance. And reviewing her recent telemetry during training—I can assure you, she isn't joking. I firmly believe she will deliver."
Shuta's gaze dropped to the podium, a microscopic, almost imperceptible smile curving his lips.
"She also deeply hopes that every single fan who tunes into the Queen Elizabeth II Cup this year will walk away with absolutely no regrets."
A heavy, solemn atmosphere settled over the press room.
Regardless of whether the individual reporters personally liked or disliked Mejiro Dober, it was a fact that she had successfully taken the baton from Silence Suzuka and single-handedly maintained—and even elevated—the explosive popularity of the Twinkle Series, before passing that momentum onto Tokai Teio.
Her dominance had made the current era of Japanese racing unprecedentedly thrilling.
Her name was already permanently carved into the most glorious pages of Twinkle Series history.
"In any case, Dober's final run demands your absolute, unwavering support. I hope to hear your cheers shaking the foundations of Kyoto Racecourse this weekend."
Shuta's gaze swept across the silent room as he delivered his final, earnest remark.
Half an hour later, the press conference officially wrapped.
Shuta was the first to stand up and exit the venue.
Upon returning to the quiet sanctuary of the Team Sadalsuud lounge, Shuta splashed some water on his face, dried off, and dropped into his desk chair. He booted up his computer, intending to quickly scan the sports news aggregators.
Historically, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup wasn't exactly a G1 that generated a massive volume of mainstream hype. But this year, purely because of the gravitational pull of Mejiro Dober's retirement, the media coverage was absolutely saturated. Even the mainstream NHK network had jumped on the bandwagon, running prime-time segments detailing the pre-race preparations of the various competitors.
However, Shuta wasn't interested in reading the articles. He knew from experience that the training photos published by the media were usually highly staged, and the "exclusive insider data" was largely fabricated.
He only cared about one thing: the comment sections.
Since it's Dober's final race, the comments should be overwhelmingly positive and supportive, right? the young man hypothesized.
But as he scrolled through the top-rated comments on the major racing forums, Shuta was genuinely surprised to discover that the support for Mejiro Dober hovered at a meager 40%.
While the general public was perfectly happy to politely wish Dober a happy retirement, when it came to predicting the actual outcome of the race, a massive chunk of the fanbase was actively betting against her.
The primary target of their affection wasn't Dober, but rather this year's Double Tiara winner: Phalaenopsis.
The dominant narrative in the comments was a desperate hope that Phalaenopsis could dethrone Mejiro Dober at the Queen Elizabeth II Cup and officially force a dramatic, passing-of-the-torch generational shift.
"Only by definitively crushing Mejiro Dober on the turf can we truly say that the current generation of Triple Tiara runners has evolved!"
That specific comment had racked up thousands of upvotes.
Shuta stared at the screen, utterly speechless. But given his professional status, he obviously couldn't jump into a forum flame war to argue with random spectators.
Well, it doesn't matter. Dober is going to use her raw, absolute speed to prove to them that the outcome of a G1 race isn't determined by wishful thinking. Trying to defeat her with just 'hopes and dreams' is mathematically impossible.
The young man muttered to himself.
He closed the forums and opened a folder containing a batch of candid photos he had taken of Dober earlier that day. He quickly edited the lighting, preparing to upload them to Team Sadalsuud's official social media accounts as part of their final fan engagement push.
This is going to be the absolute last time we publish new, public photos of Dober. After Sunday, the vault is closed permanently. Shuta thought, a pang of sadness hitting him as he clicked 'Upload'. I really hope the fans cherish this last glimpse.
He could only imagine the apocalyptic meltdown that was going to occur in the comment section when the official announcement dropped next week confirming that Dober was boycotting the Dream Trophy Series entirely.
—
Meanwhile, across campus, Mejiro Dober pushed open the door to her dormitory room.
Taiki Shuttle, who was sprawled on her bed reading a magazine, blinked in surprise.
"Dober? What are you doing back here?"
"What, am I not welcome in my own room anymore?" Dober rolled her eyes affectionately at her roommate before dropping onto the edge of her own bed. "I'm officially retiring in a few days, and I'm going to be swamped with off-campus stuff after that, so I probably won't be staying in the dorms anymore. I figured I'd sleep here for my last few nights."
Taiki Shuttle tilted her head, a teasing grin spreading across her face.
"Are you finally moving into Trainer Shuta's house full-time?"
Dober violently flinched, her face flushing bright red.
"Hey, don't worry! My lips are sealed! Though... I'm pretty sure literally everyone on campus already knows, right?" Taiki laughed, throwing her hands up defensively. "Anyway, I'll be at Kyoto Racecourse this weekend cheering my lungs out for you, Dober!"
Taiki's expression softened into one of genuine, heartfelt sincerity.
"You absolutely have to win, okay? Don't be like me... losing your very last race."