It was Kaito's first time speaking with Teahouse. Even though she was at maximum affection, in the game world, aside from greetings, the only sounds he could ever provoke from an Uma Musume were little gasps.
Finally, he had a chance. Kaito talked endlessly, filling the air with words, and Teahouse responded with a gentle, smiling demeanor.
"Next time, Trainer, you can come to my room and try that brand of coffee. I really like it," she said softly.
"You always smell like coffee, Teahouse. It's different from everyone else."
"Do you… like the smell of coffee, Trainer?"
"I do. But I only started liking coffee after I started liking you. Especially chocolate milk coffee."
"Tr-…Trainer…" Teahouse cupped her face with both hands, cheeks flaming, her golden eyes shimmering like distant stars, faintly glowing in the dim light.
As they chatted casually, Kaito began noticing certain oddities. In the game, trainers were forbidden from entering the student dorms. So how had he gotten into Teahouse's room without permission?
To him, dorm rooms were essential stops every day—like a player raiding an NPC's house to see if there was anything valuable. Kaito did the same.
He often wandered the student dorms, looking for anything interesting.
And in the girls' dorms, filled with young Uma Musume at the peak of their adolescence, he naturally stumbled across some… pink little toys.
He had always wondered: what would the student council do if he took these items? Would they just… stroke the air?
So, for several nights, he staked out the dorm.
Sure enough: the Uma Musume would react when objects moved, but if something vanished, they would literally grab at air. When Kaito took a comb, they'd run their fingers over empty space, tying their messy hair back with strings.
Of course, Kaito only did this when he had nothing better to do.
But if his actions crossed into reality—then how had he entered the dorm? He should've been stopped by the administrators, yet they never reacted at all.
After taking a walk with Teahouse outside, Kaito suggested checking out the dorm.
"Trainer, can we go in? I remember the dorm leader said… no one except students may enter."
"Not sure. Let's ask."
In the game, Kaito had practically explored every corner of the student dorm. The beds were comfortable, though small. For Uma Musume, that wasn't an issue—they were petite, lying there like porcelain dolls. But Kaito, at nearly 1.8 meters tall, found it cramped to squeeze in alongside them.
He often woke up to find one of their soft little feet pressing against his face. And being so small, the Uma Musume could easily overpower him while he slept.
Some, however, would cling tightly to him, their soft, bouncy thighs wrapping around him like octopus tentacles, their ears pressing against his chest like they were listening to his heartbeat. Surprisingly, it felt… nice.
At the dorm, Kaito was blocked by the dorm leader. Her deep navy hair fell in a glossy sheet behind her, her tanned skin glowing softly under the lights. Her crimson eyes shone sharply in the night. She had a curvy, imposing figure—an unmistakable big-sister aura.
She was Rison Amazon, dorm leader of the Miho dorm.
"No way. Trainers shouldn't be wandering into the girls' dorm at night. Are you planning something naughty, Trainer Kaito?"
"I am."
"You admit it?! Not happening!"
"Amazon, I already… did."
Her chest—F-cup, easily top-tier in Tracen, rivaled only by a few Uma Musume who could bury Kaito's face completely—rose and fell dramatically as she folded her arms, accentuating her figure. A tiny fang peeked out from the corner of her mouth, completing the perfect combination of cute and sexy.
"Enough nonsense. During the day, when no one's here, I might let you come in for a snack—but at night? No. All the girls are in their rooms," Amazon said, gesturing toward the dorm behind her. Even if she let him in, it would only be the common hall or kitchen.
So why did Teahouse seem to remember him coming into her room?
"Have I been in before?" Kaito asked.
"You haven't… but, hmm…" Amazon muttered to herself. Her memory wavered, twisting slightly. She clearly remembered him having been there, even though he hadn't.
What was going on?
Watching her expression, Kaito guessed that the game world's influence on reality might not be limited to Uma Musume affection—it could also extend to objects and events in the real world.
He silently recorded the observation.
"Then I'll sneak in when no one's around," he said.
"Don't say 'sneak.' I'm inviting you," Amazon corrected.
"Alright, alright. Let's go—don't disturb the girls. Come back when it's empty. Sneak into my room then. Got it?"
It seemed today, his personal sanctuary was off-limits. Kaito shook his head, resigned.
Before leaving, Teahouse took his hand.
"Trainer, let's go for another walk tomorrow."
As she said it, Kaito felt a sudden breath near his ear, faint and tinged with laughter.
A chill ran down his spine. He looked around—but saw nothing.
He gently patted Teahouse's ear and promised to meet her again tomorrow. Seeing her flushed face, he felt the sudden urge to play with her cat-like form again.
Back in his dorm, he passed a few other trainers greeting him. He awkwardly responded, realizing he had been in Tracen for so long and didn't even know their names.
"Yo, Kaito! Just got back, huh?" a middle-aged man with curly hair called. Kaito forced a smile.
This man lived next door, but Kaito didn't know him. In the game world, the concept of friends didn't exist—he'd always been alone.
After muddling through the interaction, he returned to his room.
Everything was exactly as he remembered: the same layout, clothes on the wall, shoes in the cabinet, even the half-eaten apple in the fridge. Everything here corresponded to the game world.
Kaito felt like he existed in a liminal space, caught between reality and the game, unable to distinguish the two.
Tomorrow, he planned to sign a contract with Seiun Sky, adding another Uma Musume to his roster. Then he'd see how the game world would change.
Stripping off his clothes, Kaito lay on the empty bed. He still wasn't used to sleeping alone here. He should've bought a body pillow.
The next morning, birds chirped outside the window. Kaito groggily opened his eyes and felt someone standing beside his bed.
Stretching and yawning, he looked up—and saw her.
Wearing a white dress with a blue-purple jacket draped over her shoulders, long orange hair flowing to her waist, and crystal-clear blue-purple eyes, she was unmistakable: Tracen Director Yayo Akikawa.
"Good morning, Trainer Kaito!" she called out, fanning herself energetically. "I couldn't see you in the office, so I came to the dorm… and here you are!" She jabbed the fan at him.
"Why are you still asleep? The morning sets the tone for the day! Get up! Breakfast is already prepared!"