Wada eventually bid farewell to Tojo Hana. Tojo Hana, in a good mood, even proactively invited Wada for a drink afterwards, but Wada politely declined. At this moment, Wada was aimlessly walking the streets of Tracen Academy, pondering his conversation with Tojo Hana.
Wada had to admit, he got a bit carried away at the time and spoke too confidently—not that he had lost confidence in himself again, but rather about what Tojo Hana had said regarding challenging Opera O in the Mainichi Hai, a GIII Stakes race.
Wada understood Opera O's capabilities very well, but it was precisely because of this understanding that he felt immense pressure after making such a bold declaration—that was Opera O! The "Seikimatsu Haō"!
Wada used to win races by riding Opera O and letting her do all the work. In terms of racing experience, it could even be said that Opera O taught him through each race. When they were teammates, they were inseparable, but now that they were rivals, Wada felt a pressure similar to what Jockey Yutaka Take experienced back then.
Even more daunting was that he knew Opera O's strength very well, which was completely different from the sudden shock Yutaka Take faced, making the pressure even greater!
But what could he do? The boast had already been made, and there was no taking it back now. And his opponent was not just the combination of Opera O, the "Seikimatsu Haō," and the "Trainer of Tracen Academy's Strongest Team"; his current situation was that of a Jockey who had only won one GI, and he hadn't even found his담당Uma Musume yet.
"This is bad... I've bitten off more than I can chew, now I'm in trouble..."
Feeling physically and mentally exhausted, Wada slumped down in a cool, shaded spot, running his hands through his hair—an effective way for him to relieve stress.
"My opponent is Opera O. Even if Senior Tojo hadn't discovered Opera O's potential, I'm sure after our talk today, she'll start taking Opera O seriously again. If I had known, I wouldn't have talked. Why talk? I should have just used the Mainichi Hai as a wager..."
"How am I going to beat Opera O now... I can't even find a담당Uma Musume... How can I train an Uma Musume capable of running the Mainichi Hai within two months... It's not like I can conjure up a Tokai Teio on the spot to race against Opera O—speaking of which, are there Uma Musume versions of Tokai Teio in this world?"
For some reason, Wada couldn't help but think of Tokai Teio, probably because the Student Council President was Symboli Rudolf. Wada suddenly had a whimsical thought: if he were to ask the President to let Tokai Teio be his담당Uma Musume, perhaps he would have a chance to beat Opera O.
After all, Tokai Teio was Symboli Rudolf's most famous offspring. The President would surely know Tokai Teio's whereabouts.
—Forget it. Considering the era, Tokai Teio wouldn't be the age to run a Debut Race at this time. And even if the President did know Tokai Teio's whereabouts, it probably wouldn't be his turn as a newly debuted Trainer. After all, Tokai Teio should receive better treatment, right?
Thinking this, Wada fell into another period of silence. His biggest concern now was how to break free from his current predicament of not even having a담당Uma Musume, and this담당Uma Musume couldn't be just any ordinary Uma Musume.
To beat Opera O, he needed an Uma Musume with at least the potential to win GI Races, otherwise there would be no chance... "Um, excuse me... Trainer Wada?"
Just then, Wada suddenly felt a gentle tug on his sleeve. He slowly looked up, and the first thing he noticed wasn't the girl's face, but the two conspicuously large... "hearts" that became prominent as she bent down.
Up close, they were truly enormous. This was too impactful. What kind of large Horse Girl could possess such a robust physique? "Deep Impact" level.
"Trainer Wada..."
"Ah, I'm sorry, I was spacing out just now." Wada's attention was immediately drawn back by the timid voice. He looked up at the shy Uma Musume, whose face was still flushed with a hint of embarrassment, and only then did he belatedly realize.
"You are... the Uma Musume who was with Opera O..."
"Yes, yes, Trainer Wada still remembers me..."
The timid Uma Musume seemed a little happy that Wada remembered her. Her voice carried a hint of joy, but she was still very nervous as she whispered, "I saw that Trainer Wada's attention was entirely on Opera O... I thought you hadn't noticed me..."
"Um, Trainer Wada, your expression is so down. Did the discussion with Trainer Tojo not go well?"
"Not well... I wouldn't say that, but it was indeed more difficult than I imagined."
Wada patted a spot next to him, signaling that she could sit there. After some hesitation, the timid Uma Musume didn't refuse Wada's request and obediently sat beside him, listening to the complaints of this new Trainer who had left a deep impression on her during their first meeting.
"I probably convinced Senior Tojo, but Senior Tojo told me to compete against Opera O in the Mainichi Hai. Only if I win will she agree to let Opera O become my담당Uma Musume."
"Oh... I have to beat Opera O? Then, wouldn't that be very difficult?"
The timid Uma Musume was clearly different from others. She seemed to hold Opera O in high regard. From the fact that she had been following Opera O since her Debut Race victory, it seemed this Uma Musume had a truly special connection with Opera O.
"Yes... it's very difficult, and coincidentally, I know it's very difficult, but I had to agree." Wada also sighed deeply, spreading his hands with a bitter smile, and said:
"My situation now is truly comical. I can't even find a담당Uma Musume, yet I have to compete against Opera O in the Mainichi Hai Stakes in the latter half of March... Time is very tight. I can't find an opportunity with an Uma Musume who hasn't even participated in a Debut Race."
"But if it's an Uma Musume who has already won her Debut Race... I'm afraid she would have already been reserved by other excellent Trainers. Where would there be any left for me? Am I, the Trainer, supposed to go out on the track and race against Opera O?"
"Oh dear... Well, that really is tricky..."
At this moment, the timid Uma Musume finally understood the predicament Wada was facing. Seeing Wada so dejected, the kind and gentle timid Uma Musume, feeling pity, also offered encouragement:
"No, no, it's okay, Trainer Wada. You will definitely find a suitable담당Uma Musume."
"Look, I, I won my Debut Race, and I still haven't found a Trainer yet. Although I'm not that great and there's still a gap between me and Opera O, I think a few of my classmates could be your담당Uma Musume... although I'll have to ask them if they're willing..."
Saying this, the timid Uma Musume began to calculate to herself the probability of convincing her close classmates.
Hmm... Air Shakur probably won't work. Agnes Digital still has some hope... As for Admire Vega... that might be a bit difficult, but it shouldn't be entirely hopeless... "—Speaking of which, I still don't know your name." Wada Ryuji only now realized that the Uma Musume beside him hadn't introduced herself, and he vaguely felt a bit strange.
After all, in Wada's memory, there weren't many Uma Musume who had a good relationship with Opera O. Wada, who had once been surrounded by Central, couldn't imagine who would have such a good relationship with Opera O. At that moment, he became a little curious about this Uma Musume's identity.
"My name is Wada Ryuji, an insignificant new Trainer, which you probably already know."
"No, no, I'm the insignificant one..." The timid Uma Musume was clearly unaccustomed to kindness from others and said with some embarrassment:
"As for me, my name is Meisho Doto."
"Oh, Meisho Doto, it's nice to meet you..." Wada smiled and nodded, but the next moment, he belatedly reacted to the name.
Wait? Meisho Doto?!
"You, you are Meisho Doto?!"
"Huh, you, you know me?" Meisho Doto was also startled by Wada's reaction and said meekly in a low voice:
"I, I'm not that famous an Uma Musume. I'm not as dazzling as Opera O. Um, I think..."
"..."
However, Wada stared at the timid, meek Meisho Doto in front of him and suddenly fell into a long silence. He didn't know how much time passed until Meisho Doto became so flustered by Wada's gaze that an idea finally emerged in his mind.
"—Meisho Doto."
"Yes, yes!"
"...Although it's a bit sudden, would you be my first담당Uma Musume?"
Wada said faintly, in a tone he didn't even know how to express, to the stunned Meisho Doto in front of him: "I will make you into someone who has a chance to defeat Opera O—please."
Looking at Wada, who was bowing to her, Meisho Doto's mind hadn't caught up. In a daze, she heard herself subconsciously whisper:
"Okay, okay..."