When El Condor Pasa opened her eyes again, the sky outside was already dark. She was tucked under her dormitory blanket, back in her own bed.
"Huh?" She blinked blearily, slowly sitting up as her gaze swept across the familiar room. Her head felt foggy, as if she'd just woken from a dream.
Hadn't she just been at home—her cozy childhood home—lying in her father's arms and eating candy? She remembered feeling sleepy, closing her eyes for a second… and now she was somehow back at school?
"Wait… something's off."
Rubbing her temples, El Condor Pasa frowned. Her memories were a tangled mess.
She hadn't been home in ages. She'd deliberately avoided going back so she could throw herself completely into training. There was no way she could've been snuggled up with her father eating candy.
Piece by piece, her mind cleared—and the truth came rushing back.
She hadn't gone home at all. She'd been wrestling someone in the warehouse behind the academy!
She'd almost broken free from her opponent's hold when he suddenly removed his glove and stretched his hand toward her…
That scent—sweet, irresistible, intoxicating—she'd never smelled anything like it. Before she even realized what she was doing, she'd licked his hand. Then she'd discovered it wasn't just the smell—it tasted good. Sweet. Addictively sweet.
Which meant… the candy in her dream had actually been that guy's finger?!
"Kyaaah!!"
El Condor Pasa screamed, grabbing her face, her voice bouncing off the dorm room walls.
She'd done something completely outrageous—something even family would never do—with a guy whose name she didn't even know!
Sure, she was American-raised and open-minded, but open-mindedness only went as far as friendly hugs, not… licking fingers! That was way past the line of decency!
"Guuu…"
After shrieking until her throat hurt, she slumped, staring down at her own hand in confusion.
Why had he tasted so sweet? Was his whole body like that, or was her tongue just broken?
Testing a theory, she hesitantly lifted her own finger and gave it a cautious lick.
"Blegh, ptooey!"
She immediately spat, grimacing. Her finger tasted exactly how she expected—salty, sweaty, gross.
Then how on earth—
Could it be… that guy wasn't human? Maybe he was some kind of candy spirit in disguise? That would explain his sweetness, right?
Or—wait—maybe their genes were just perfectly compatible! She remembered reading online that when someone's scent felt especially alluring, it meant your genetic match rate was high—practically a sign of destiny.
"D-destined… partner?"
Her face went red to the tips of her ears.
She'd never been one for sappy romance stories, but she had sometimes daydreamed about meeting someone special—someone strong, kind, someone who could match her blow for blow in the ring.
And that mysterious man… he fit every condition.
Physically impressive, unyielding, courageous—and he'd even managed to restrain her, something no one but her father had ever done.
If she got closer to him, she could wrestle him often… maybe even get to taste him again—
"Kyaaah!"
El Condor Pasa buried her face in her pillow, kicking her legs, steam practically rising from her head.
What was she even thinking?!
Her heart was fluttering like crazy, her whole body warm and light, like she was floating on a cloud. It was strange—but not unpleasant. Definitely better than the aching exhaustion she usually felt after training.
"Huh? My body?"
She blinked, suddenly realizing how light she felt. The pain and stiffness that had plagued her for weeks were gone. She rolled her shoulders, stretched her legs—everything moved freely, effortlessly.
Even her back and thighs, which usually throbbed after training, felt soft and loose.
Did that guy… massage me while I was asleep?
"Wait!"
Her eyes shot down to her pajamas.
She'd been wearing her school uniform earlier, drenched in sweat after the match—but now she was in her yellow dorm PJs, clean and dry.
That could only mean one thing.
He'd changed her clothes.
He'd seen her.
"Eeeee—!"
Her whole face went scarlet. She wrapped herself tight in her blanket, tail spinning like a fan.
That meant… he had to take responsibility now, right?!
"Guuu—!"
While she was busy rolling around in mortified chaos, a click sounded at the door. The knob turned, and the door opened.
A calm, graceful Uma Musume with chestnut hair and a white forelock stepped inside, her demeanor serene—until she saw her roommate thrashing on the bed like a tornado.
"Condor-san? What's wrong?" Grass Wonder asked gently.
"Grass?" El Condor Pasa froze, poking her head out from under the blanket.
Judging by her athletic outfit and light panting, Grass Wonder must've just come back from her evening run.
Without hesitation, El Condor Pasa flung off the blanket, leapt up, and threw her arms around her roommate's waist, pressing her face into Grass Wonder's stomach.
"Waaaah! Grass, someone saw my naked body!"
"Naked?" Grass Wonder blinked. Then, remembering, she tilted her head. "You don't mean… that strange, black-cloaked person who carried you back, do you?"
"Huh?!" El Condor Pasa's head snapped up, eyes wide. "You saw him?!"
"Mhm." Grass Wonder nodded. She touched a finger to her lips, recalling. "About an hour ago, someone knocked on the door. When I opened it, that cloaked person was standing there, carrying you—drenched in sweat—saying, 'Please take care of her.'"
"I thought it was serious, but you were just sleeping. Still, he startled me… looked suspicious."
"Before he left, he asked me to change your clothes so you wouldn't catch a cold."
"Oh? So you changed my clothes? I thought…"
"Thought what?" Grass Wonder asked curiously. "Could it be that—"
"It's nothing!" El Condor Pasa yelped, face burning, and buried her head back in Grass Wonder's stomach.
Her relief was immediate—but mixed with a strange, tiny disappointment.
"By the way, he left this for you."
Grass Wonder gently patted her shoulder, reached into the cabinet, and handed her a folded note.
"What's this?"
El Condor Pasa took it and read carefully.
[To El Condor Pasa]:
Let's call today's wrestling match a draw.
I won't be stripped by you, and you can keep chasing me if you want.
If you're still not satisfied, challenge me again—but you must rest for three full days first and make sure your body's at peak condition. Otherwise, I won't accept.
You're strong, but exhaustion is holding you back. I refuse to take advantage of that.
Rest properly. If your body breaks down, you'll never catch me.
If you need to find me, ask Student Council President Symboli Rudolf. She'll contact me.
And please—stop wrestling random trainers around campus.
"…Rest, huh."
El Condor Pasa read the note twice. Though he never said it directly, every line showed quiet concern.
A stranger, yet he cared for her—so much like her father.
Her eyes softened. She touched the mask on her bedside table. The familiar strength it gave her flowed back into her chest—but this time, the feeling was gentler, not forced.
Papa's mask wasn't meant to push her past her limits. It was meant to help her be brave—and happy.
"Condor-san?" Grass Wonder's soft voice brought her back. "You okay?"
"Yeah…" El Condor Pasa smiled faintly. "Thanks, Grass."
Grass Wonder blinked in surprise. Who is this calm, polite girl, and what did she do with my roommate?
"I'll sleep now. Night, Grass."
"Goodnight," Grass Wonder replied quietly.
El Condor Pasa lay back down, holding the note close against her chest.
"…Maybe tomorrow, I'll go visit Papa," she whispered.
...
Meanwhile, in a small hotel room downtown:
Mizuno sat slouched at a desk, flipping idly through a notebook, his brow furrowed in irritation.
He sighed and muttered, "I'd better go visit Master Jin again tomorrow…"