Special Week's Kisaragi Sho ended without any suspense.
Special Week's popularity was now soaring. With excellent performances in all three races so far, she had become a hot topic.
After all, her next step was also announced in an interview: the Triple Crown.
Special Week's classmates also showed excellent performances. Except for El Condor Pasa, who was striving for overseas competitions, and Grass Wonder, who couldn't run due to injury, everyone's goal was the same.
They were all Uma Musume with exceptional talent that made Zero tremble whenever she saw them, but in the end, she could only sigh that a good era was coming.
So she couldn't rush; she had to take it slowly. As a predecessor, she would protect them well so they wouldn't leave the track due to accidents or injuries. When they grew into independent Uma Musume… After putting down the file in her hand, Zero took out a stamp and affixed it.
Today, because the Student Council members had other matters to attend to, she was in charge of the school affairs. In the vast Student Council Room, there was only her, a shorty less than 1.5 meters tall.
"So you skipped class just to mock me here, huh? And don't forget, you're 1.4 meters tall, even shorter than me," Zero glared at Tamamo Cross, who had been acting as a narrator since earlier.
"Hehe~ I suddenly found this quite fun," Tamamo Cross, who was usually persecuted, finally persecuted Zero for once, even if the method was mutual destruction. Perhaps because she was happy, her tail was wagging back and forth.
"By the way, where's Oguri Cap? Weren't you two always together?" Somehow, Zero felt that something was off with Tamamo Cross.
"Oguri-chan… Hmph, I don't care where she goes!" Tamamo Cross replied through gritted teeth.
Okay, it was clear that Oguri Cap had annoyed Tamamo Cross again.
After scrutinizing Tamamo Cross for a while, Zero finally understood where that sense of incongruity came from.
"Where's your ball?"
"…" Tamamo Cross covered her face, looking as if words failed her.
Seeing the other party's expression, which was like a mother with a headache when her child ate something strange, Zero's expression also became a bit peculiar.
"It couldn't be… bitten by Oguri Cap, could it?" she asked uncertainly.
"…" Tamamo Cross nodded with a pained expression.
Among Tamamo Cross's usual hair ornaments, there was a small red and blue ball on her right ear. Although it looked like it was connected to her headband, it was actually a detachable part.
"Did she spit it out?"
"She didn't swallow it; I found it and pulled it out…"
"…You have my sympathy…" Zero could only express pity for the other party.
"I was thinking… since Oguri-chan has already taken a bite out of my hair ornament, when will it be my turn…" Tamamo Cross's face was a bit green, seemingly genuinely afraid that day would come.
"Well, she wouldn't go as far as eating people, would she… probably?" I always feel that if I told Oguri Cap that Tamamo was delicious, she wouldn't mind trying it… But they're friends, so it shouldn't go that far, right?
"Hey!"
"Well, well, well, you know in your heart whether it's true or not anyway." Persecution is one thing, but Oguri Cap wouldn't actually eat people.
Moreover, Oguri Cap cherishes everyone around her, although her way of showing care is by trimming their nails and sharing food with them. Zero had also been taken care of by Oguri Cap when it came to nail trimming; it must be said that Oguri Cap was really good at it.
"Ha… But sometimes I can't help but think that way…" Tamamo Cross, who understood herself, also sighed. Having spent so much time with Oguri Cap, she naturally understood this matter, but sometimes Oguri Cap's behavior was simply too creepy.
"So, you came here to complain to me?" Zero still didn't understand why the other party specifically ran to her while she was working.
"Do you remember how many Uma Musume in Spica and Sirius are roughly our size?" Tamamo Cross suddenly posed a question.
"? Let me think… You and I, Kome, Haru Urara, Inari, and Teio… Six people, what's wrong?"
"Oguri Cap."
"? Oguri Cap's build isn't… Ah…" Zero realized something.
"Could it be… again?" Her voice trembled slightly as she looked at Tamamo Cross as if seeking confirmation.
"(Nodding), Inari… she has already sacrificed herself…" Tamamo Cross nodded sadly.
Zero silently went and locked the door.
Surrounded by a bunch of Uma Musume who were as petite as children, yet none of them would specifically seek her for comfort due to their own matters, Oguri Cap's maternal instinct accumulation speed far exceeded the norm. She should have expected this outbreak.
However, it was good that it happened within the school. Just sacrificing a few more Uma Musume caught by Oguri Cap would suffice!
She still had many documents to approve today, so she couldn't collapse here.
If push came to shove… she could still throw Tamamo over and escape herself.
"Kora! You said it out loud, you dummy!" Tamamo Cross started grinding her teeth.
"Ah, oops, I accidentally said it."
"You haven't repented at all, you scoundrel!"
"Well, well, don't mind it. You're pretty much used to it by now, aren't you?" Just as she was about to continue persecuting, Zero saw Tamamo Cross pull out something.
A baby rattle.
"Hey! What are you doing!? Put that away!" Zero looked in horror at the object Tamamo Cross pulled out.
"Hehehe, did you think I came here today just to hide with you?" Tamamo Cross smiled darkly, the tool in her hand looking terrifying to Zero.
"I've been waiting for the moment you cut off your own escape route!" Her smile became increasingly wild.
"Dummy! Put that thing down!" Zero immediately pounced, but Tamamo Cross dodged.
"Too late!" Tamamo Cross began to shake the object in her hand.
The sand inside the rattle and the ceramic inner wall collided and rubbed against each other, producing a very pleasant sound, but for the two of them, it was like a death knell from the abyss.
Of course, Tamamo Cross was prepared to die together.
Soon, a series of hurried footsteps came from the corridor.
"It's okay, even if you shake it now, the door is locked. Oguri Cap wouldn't break down a door!" Zero breathed a sigh of relief as she listened to the footsteps that lingered outside the door for a while before leaving.
"…" Tamamo Cross said nothing.
Something's wrong… Wait!?
Zero immediately turned to look at the window, but… *Slap!*
A hand reached in from the open window, gripping the windowsill.
"Mommy… is here~" Following that was Oguri Cap's gentle yet excited voice, and her extremely excited face.
"Kyaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!"
When the Emperor and others finished their outdoor tasks and returned to the Student Council Room, they found the door locked. While marveling at Zero's efficiency, thinking she had finished and gone back, they opened the door and saw a different scene.
*Slap!* The Emperor clutched her head.
"Ah, la~" Maruzensky's smile was also a bit strained.
Ling and Tamamo Cross, pacifiers in their mouths, were cradled by an overflowing with maternal love Oguri Cap, who was teasing them with a maraca. Oguri Cap's face bore a gentle and tolerant smile, like that of the Virgin Mary. If one ignored the hollow eyes of the two in her arms, they would probably find the scene quite beautiful.
Looks like I'll have to work overtime... the Emperor thought as she closed the door.
Thankfully, the sound of the door opening didn't disturb Oguri Cap. During her maternal bursts, Oguri Cap was someone even the Emperor had to give a wide berth to.
Ling, you've worked hard. Let us handle the rest of the work. All members of the Student Council clasped their hands together and prayed towards the already closed Student Council Room door.
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