After the conversation ended, Shuta An—already on his feet—instinctively extended a hand, intending to help the Uma Musume before him stand up.
Mejiro Dober froze for a split second. She hesitated, her fingers curling slightly. Before the now-aware Shuta An could retract his hand, she quickly grasped his fingertips, applied a bit of force, and rose to her feet.
"Sorry, that wasn't intentional just now," Shuta An explained at once.
"I understand. There's no need to apologize," Mejiro Dober replied immediately. "That's a gentleman's courtesy. I appreciate it."
She paused, then continued in a calmer voice, "Besides—I'm aiming to join Team Sadalsuud now. For a Trainer to take such care of me, I can only be grateful."
"After spring break, Miss Dober can get in touch with Miss Tokai Teio," Shuta An said casually. "She often stays around the Student Council office. She's also a member of our team—I think I mentioned that before."
Whether Mejiro Dober could secure first place in Central Tracen Academy's internal assessment was still uncertain. Yet in Shuta An's mind, he had already tacitly reserved a place for this Uma Musume who possessed exceptional artistic talent.
Among the Mejiro Family, Mejiro Dober's running aptitude was not outstanding. From training alone, Shuta An could tell that her ability in physical confrontation was weak, and her competitive drive lacked aggression—traits that mirrored her personality. The sharpness she displayed when facing the opposite sex was, at its core, a manifestation of weakness. That same weakness surfaced on the track.
However, in Shuta An's view, this was not a flaw that required forced correction.
In the Twinkle Series, there existed races where participating Uma Musume were forbidden from displaying rough conduct. In such competitions, physical confrontation was inherently limited.
These were the Triple Tiara races and their restricted counterparts.
In Japan's current G1 structure, this included the Oka Sho, Japanese Oaks, Queen Elizabeth Cup, and Hanshin Juvenile Fillies.
Looking overseas, similar races were abundant. Without much effort, Shuta An could name several first-tier Triple Tiara–restricted G1 events: England's Coronation Stakes; France's Prix de l'Opéra and Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud; America's Acorn Stakes, Coaching Club American Oaks, Flower Bowl Stakes, and Goldikova Stakes.
Even excluding dirt races, there were more than enough stages suitable for Mejiro Dober. There was no concern about her lacking opportunities after reaching senior year.
For Shuta An, Mejiro Dober's value to the team extended far beyond her identity as an artist.
—
"Something feels off lately," Oguri Cap murmured that evening, leaning into Shuta An's embrace.
"What's wrong?" he asked, startled. "Oguri, are you feeling unwell? You really shouldn't be overindulging during recovery."
"I'm not unwell!" Oguri Cap pouted, twisting his waist lightly. "It's just—the young lady from the Mejiro Family feels strange."
"Which Mejiro isn't a young lady?" Shuta An chuckled. "Who are you talking about exactly?"
"The one who asked Ann to be her model," Oguri Cap replied. "She doesn't seem as aloof as the rumors say. Today, she even initiated conversation with me and asked a lot about the team's daily routine. Her attitude changed too suddenly—it feels odd."
"That's because I told her she could join Team Sadalsuud if she won the Academy assessment," Shuta An answered.
"Huh?" Oguri Cap rolled over, bumping straight into his arms. "Why her? Among the Mejiro Family's undeveloped runners, shouldn't Mejiro McQueen be the most talented?"
"So that's what you think," Shuta An raised an eyebrow. "I agree. But our team isn't lacking in geniuses. And Miss Mejiro Dober has another specialty—one I think will be extremely useful in the future."
"What specialty?" Oguri Cap tilted her head, rubbing her ear against his chin. "Painting?"
"Hm. But as a Trainer, I can't just let her paint," Shuta An said, holding her close. "I'm confident I can help her maximize her strengths and avoid her weaknesses. With the right approach, she can achieve excellent results in the Twinkle Series."
"Ann thought this through," Oguri Cap said softly, eyes narrowing in comfort. "I was just worried you were only interested in her painting—like when Berno transitioned from racing to logistics."
"To be honest, I'm still improving as a Trainer," Shuta An replied candidly. "If Berno wanted to, I could train her to win local heavy-stakes races."
"But that's no longer the life Berno wants," Oguri Cap said gently. "We've talked about it many times. She doesn't want to compete anymore. She wants to be like Ann—deciding outcomes before the race."
"I can't do that," Shuta An shook his head. "No matter how perfect the preparation is, the result still depends on how hard you all run."
—
The next day, the Mejiro Family Uma Musume departed Lake Toya, returning to Tokyo to prepare for the reopening of school.
"It really isn't easy for Central Tracen Academy's Uma Musume," Berno Light muttered as she watched them leave.
"It won't be easy for us either," Shuta An said, patting the chestnut logistics Uma Musume on the shoulder. "We'll experience that difficulty ourselves soon enough."
"It's strange," Berno Light added, changing the topic. "Suzuka-san's been heading out early and returning late these past few days. I wonder what she's been doing."
"That's her private matter," Shuta An wagged a finger. "We shouldn't interfere."
"Then let's talk about something relevant," Berno Light puffed her cheeks. "Oguri's birthday is in a week. We haven't really celebrated it properly in years. What do you think?"
"Of course, we should celebrate," Shuta An replied without hesitation. "Let's inform the hotel in advance and prepare a birthday party—even if it's just the four of us, including Suzuka-san."
"And the birthday presents?" Berno Light pressed. "I've already prepared mine."
"Presents—" Shuta An paused. That, he truly hadn't thought about. "I'll need to think carefully about that."
Oguri Cap's birthday was only a week away, leaving Shuta An with very limited time to prepare.
After Berno Light left the hotel—planning to take a leisurely walk and enjoy the scenery—Shuta An remained where he was, brows knit tightly as he stood in silence, thinking for a long while.
Then, suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind.
Shuta An was confident—this idea would definitely make Oguri Cap happy.
"But for now, it's only a fantasy," the young man muttered softly. "I still need to contact a few people—and see whether the favors I built up last year are enough."
With that thought, he turned around and headed upstairs to his room.
—
Back in the room, Shuta An sat down in front of his computer, phone in hand. After checking the time, he dialed a number.
"Hello?" Dr. Grace's voice came through, thick with sleepiness. "Calling me so late—what is it?"
"I need to confirm something uncertain," Shuta An said seriously. "Does Santa Anita Park Racecourse accept one-time race naming sponsorships?"
"Naming sponsorship—one-time?" Dr. Grace immediately woke up. "Shuta, if you have spare money, why don't you invest in one of my research projects? Guaranteed returns!"
"I'm not spending money indiscriminately," Shuta An frowned. "This is personal. If you need funding, go ask the Student Council President. If she rejects you, then your research probably has issues."
"Ugh…" Dr. Grace fell silent for a moment, unable to refute him, before replying sourly, "I've only heard of multi-year sponsorships. Never a one-time one. You should ask the Student Council President directly."
"I knew asking you wouldn't give me an accurate answer," Shuta An muttered before hanging up.
At least one thing was confirmed—Santa Anita Park Racecourse did accept race naming sponsorships.
Without hesitation, he lowered his head and dialed another number.
—
If anyone else dared call the Secretariat at this hour—right when she was enjoying her leisure time—the call would be cut off without hesitation.
But Shuta An was an exception.
The legendary Uma Musume, seated quietly amid the faint scent of citrus, glanced at the caller ID and picked up.
"If you don't give me a good reason," the Secretariat said lazily, "you should know what kind of punishment awaits you."
"I do have a serious matter to ask you, Auntie Secretariat," Shuta An replied calmly, deliberately emphasizing the word Auntie.
Strangely enough, the word carried an entirely different tone to her ears. Ignoring his subtle provocation, she replied evenly, "Get to the point. What are you calling about at this hour?"
"Next week is Oguri Cap's birthday," Shuta An said. "I was wondering—would it be possible to pay for a race at Santa Anita Park to be named after her as a birthday present?"
The Secretariat instantly grasped the situation. Her voice turned teasing. "I see…And what level of race are you planning to name?"
"I'm not aiming for a heavy stakes race," Shuta An grumbled. "There's a G1 around that time, sure—but I know my limits. A class race is more than enough."
"That's no problem," the Secretariat replied smoothly. "I'll have the Student Council handle it."
For her, seeing her Trainer's child grow into someone with a future was a welcome sight. Her tone unconsciously softened.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Senior," Shuta An said sincerely this time, not daring to tease further. "I'll transfer the money immediately."
"Relax," the Secretariat smiled faintly. "I won't make things difficult for you."
—
But Shuta An still wasn't finished.
He placed another call—this time to the Director of Kasamatsu Tracen Academy.
The Director patted his chest repeatedly, agreeing without hesitation. In fact, he went even further.
"The naming sponsorship will come from the academy's budget," the Director declared. "All eleven races at Kasamatsu Racecourse on the 27th will be named 'Oguri Cap Birthday Memorial.'"
"Isn't that too expensive?" Shuta An asked cautiously. He knew the Japanese economy wasn't exactly flourishing, and local academies rarely had surplus funds.
"It's worth it," the Director said firmly. "Without Oguri Cap, Kasamatsu would still be stagnant. Her rise changed everything here. What you and Oguri have done for Kasamatsu cannot be repaid with money alone."
After ending the call, Shuta An quietly resolved to donate a sum to Kasamatsu Tracen Academy later—if only to ensure the academy's finances remained balanced.
—
Having settled everything, he stood up from his desk, planning to go out for a walk like Berno Light.
Just then, his phone rang again.
Symboli Rudolf.
"Miss Rudolf calling me personally—how rare," Shuta An teased lightly after answering.
"Well…I also have something important to tell you," Symboli Rudolf said, skipping pleasantries.
"Something wrong?" Shuta An raised an eyebrow.
"Next week is Miss Oguri Cap's birthday, correct?" She paused briefly. "The URA Association plans to add a naming sponsorship to the tenth race at Hanshin Racecourse this Sunday—the Kyobashi Stakes—renaming it 'Oguri Cap Birthday Memorial.' Limited merchandise will also be sold at the venue."
"This doesn't require me to pay, does it?" Shuta An asked warily.
"Of course not," Symboli Rudolf replied at once. "You're her Trainer, so you deserved to be informed. Additionally, 30% of the merchandise revenue will go directly to Miss Oguri Cap."
"Thirty percent without doing anything?" Shuta An raised his eyebrow. "That feels a bit awkward—Still, please thank the URA Association for their kindness. I'll promote it on Team Sadalsuud's official blog."
"That would be even better," Symboli Rudolf said with relief.
She hadn't expected Shuta An to accept the matter so calmly—and silently let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
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