The night passed without incident.
Although much had happened, and though the little Uma Musume's mental states subtly shifted—
In the end, due to mutual vigilance among all parties, nothing actually occurred that night. Kitahara got through it smoothly and without trouble.
Kitahara himself didn't suspect a thing, simply assuming that they were worried since he rarely returned home this late.
With a warm appreciation filling his heart, he calmly returned to his room, lying down peacefully to sleep.
Then came the next morning.
Kitahara woke as usual, dressed as usual, washed up, ate breakfast, then headed to the training grounds.
Though there were two more races coming up, he'd already finished the preparations needed earlier, so there wasn't really much left for him to do, and he slipped comfortably back into his usual lazy routine.
Browsing videos, surfing forums, casually chatting online...
The morning quickly slipped by.
Lunch, resting in the clubroom, then back to loafing around in the afternoon...
Everything returned to normal. Rediscovering his comfortable idleness after so long, Kitahara felt a wave of genuine relaxation.
Yet as he lazily idled all the way until evening, Kitahara suddenly noticed something unusual.
Glancing casually to the side, he saw the little Uma Musume—still following closely even after training had ended and they should've separated for the evening. Thinking back over the day's events, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Why do I feel like they're being extra clingy today...?
Normally, even though they'd seek excuses to stick to him, acting spoiled and affectionate, it wasn't usually this frequent. At least, it had always been within normal bounds.
But today was different—not only during breaks, but even during training, Kitahara had distinctly felt numerous gazes locked onto him.
Some from within the training grounds, others from beyond the fences, and even more disturbingly, some from barely inches away.
It was really strange.
But Kitahara didn't dwell too deeply on it.
After all, it wasn't as if their looks could cost him anything tangible.
As for the reason... Children's minds were always tricky to understand. Since they'd just been a bit clingier without causing actual trouble, he decided not to pursue it, quickly putting it out of his mind.
And so, time continued passing quietly.
Though the little Uma Musume's mental states had indeed changed slightly after recent events, causing them to watch over and guard Kitahara more intensely—
Paradoxically, precisely because everyone had intensified their vigilance and monitoring of him, while this did successfully block others from sneaking around or making secret moves, it also inevitably caused each individual to face even stronger resistance from the rest.
The ironic result was that despite their overall progress actually advancing one step further, due to this intensified mutual restraint, Kitahara's daily life was paradoxically even calmer and more peaceful than before—this was precisely why he hadn't sensed the undercurrents flowing beneath the surface.
And amid this apparent tranquility, with unseen currents quietly raging beneath, time flowed steadily onward until it finally arrived—Agnes Digital's race day.
Speaking of Digital's upcoming event...
As previously mentioned, motivated by her recent victory in the Autumn Tenno Sho, along with Kitahara's encouragement, Agnes Digital had decided to challenge the Autumn Triple Crown.
Naturally, this meant today's race was the Japan Cup—a highly prestigious G1 event open to second and third-year debuting Uma Musume.
But Kitahara wasn't concerned about that.
After all, regarding actual race results, he hardly needed to do anything extra; if he just loafed around a little less, losing would be a challenge.
But outside the race itself, there were certain matters trainers simply couldn't resolve using their professional skills alone.
As usual: getting up, washing, eating breakfast, meeting up at the gathering point, heading to the clubroom.
Everything had been completely normal—right up until he stepped into the clubroom, where the situation became subtly complicated as they found themselves alone as a trio (including Eclipse, who was spacing out as usual, her presence now practically negligible).
If he were being honest, Agnes Digital wasn't particularly aggressive or fond of taking initiative.
Even when entering such an overwhelmingly advantageous scenario, she had no intention whatsoever of taking advantage of it to sneakily act or force Kitahara into anything.
Yet, while she wouldn't act, the desire was still there.
The yearning to do something, yet lacking the courage; longing within, yet suppressing it desperately.
Though Digital successfully restrained herself from actually acting upon those impulses toward Kitahara, the tumultuous emotions inevitably leaked out in subtle little ways.
Eyes that silently begged for attention, lips trembling faintly without making a sound, hands stretching out halfway towards him before flinching back as if shocked by electricity...
And it wasn't just now.
For a long while, within Tracen Academy, though Digital outwardly maintained a perfectly normal interaction with him, carefully keeping a proper distance, sometimes—especially when there weren't many around and they were alone—
Digital would unconsciously reveal that desperate craving for his affection. Realizing afterward, she'd hurriedly pull back, looking heartbreakingly small and pathetic.
If she'd been just a little more assertive, perhaps Kitahara wouldn't feel as troubled as he did right now.
But seeing her so timid, so terribly hesitant, Kitahara stayed silent for a long moment. Eventually, he sighed deeply, sat down on a nearby chair, then raised his head toward Agnes Digital, gesturing gently.
"Come here."
Hearing this, Agnes Digital froze briefly. Even after registering what he meant, she didn't immediately leap into his arms like others would've done. Instead, she remained rooted to the spot, a conflicted, hesitant expression written clearly on her face.
"Um...Kitahara-senpai, if you don't want this, it's okay—I don't mind..."
"Come here," Kitahara repeated gently but firmly.
Seeing Kitahara's seriousness, noticing not a single trace of reluctance in his eyes, Digital hesitated a moment longer before finally stepping forward, cautiously walking toward him.
Even after reaching his side, Digital hesitated again. She initially planned to simply sit next to him, perhaps cuddling lightly or hoping for a gentle pat on the head—
But seeing his open arms, feeling that encouraging warmth in his gaze, Digital finally couldn't resist the temptation, her face flushed deeply red as she carefully nestled herself into Kitahara's embrace.
Ah, this child…
Watching Digital trembling shyly, Kitahara sighed quietly in his heart. Wrapping his arms gently around her, he softly rubbed her hair while casually chatting about the upcoming race.
Digital was incredibly well-behaved. She showed no intention whatsoever of pushing for anything further, quietly staying curled in Kitahara's arms, obediently answering whatever questions he asked, completely sweet and docile.
And so, in this peaceful atmosphere, time quietly slipped by until soon it was time to enter the stadium.
Listening to the gentle ticking sounds in the distance, feeling the warmth encircling her, Digital hesitated for a long while, her cheeks bright crimson as she finally gathered the courage to speak a few minutes before the race started.
"Um, Kitahara-senpai..."
"What is it, Digital?"
"If…if I win this race, can I ask for another reward...?"
"Of course," Kitahara smiled softly, ruffling her hair again.
"Didn't I already tell you? Don't worry—I'm not changing my attitude toward you."
"Besides, just like last time: regardless of the outcome, I'll grant you one request. And if you win, I'll give you an extra reward as well."
"Senpai..."
Hearing this promise, Digital's body shivered slightly. She slowly raised her head, her blush deepening even further.
"Then...could I possibly request an advance on my reward again, just like last time?"
She paused, voice shrinking further.
"I-I'm not trying to trouble you deliberately, Senpai. It's just...ever since I activated my Domain that last time, I haven't managed to enter that state again during training..."
"I thought about it afterward, and at that time, my mind was completely filled with thoughts of you, Senpai... That was how I naturally slipped into that state. I tried replicating it on my own later, and although it somewhat worked, it still feels like something crucial is missing, so…"
Digital's voice faded gradually until it was completely inaudible.
Yet even though he hadn't caught her final words, Kitahara could easily guess their meaning from the context.
Honestly, Kitahara genuinely didn't want to agree to her request.
But seeing the timid, yearning expression on her delicate face, recalling how utterly gentle and obedient she'd been lately, making his heart ache with sympathy—
After a long silence, Kitahara finally sighed helplessly and nodded.
"All right."
Then, before Digital could react, he quickly added:
"But this time—I won't take action myself. You'll have to do it."
Eh?
Hearing his request, Digital's eyes widened slightly in shock.
He wants me to take the initiative? So that means...
Her delicate ears trembled slightly, and an intense blush quickly bloomed across her face, even spreading down to her neck and earlobes.
But unlike her, Kitahara's expression remained calm, even somewhat serious.
The reason he'd made this request of Agnes Digital wasn't because he harbored hidden thoughts or had some strange kink.
It was simply an attempt to encourage her to take initiative.
Through actions she voluntarily chose, bit by bit, he wanted her to build up genuine confidence in herself.
Kitahara knew this wasn't exactly appropriate—but the issue was, he also knew he didn't have the heart to outright refuse her. So he decided that he might as well use this chance to bolster her confidence, even slightly.
Facing Kitahara's 'request,' Agnes Digital stayed quiet for a long moment, finally gathering her courage. She awkwardly lifted her head, inching closer and closer toward the face she'd dreamed of countless times.
Yet despite doing her utmost and mustering all her courage, when less than a centimeter remained—
Success lay just before her, yet she simply couldn't bridge that final tiny gap.
Just as Digital felt despair creeping in, thinking she'd failed again, Kitahara lowered his head, gently closing that last centimeter himself.
Their lips parted after a long, lingering moment.
Kitahara patted her back lightly and softly whispered:
"All right, go ahead now."
"...Mm."
Once again, Agnes Digital's mind went blank—but unlike last time, due to prior experience, she at least managed to maintain some basic consciousness. She clearly remembered walking onto the racecourse, even managing simple thoughts as she went.
Though still dazed, she dimly recalled that when she'd taken the initiative earlier, Kitahara-senpai's mood had visibly improved; she'd even noticed a subtle, different light in his eyes.
Does Kitahara-senpai...like it when I'm like this?
Digital wondered.
She knew very well that what Kitahara really wished for was for her to become more confident.
But the problem was, her personality had formed over many years—deep-rooted and ingrained. Even if she could change, it wouldn't happen quickly.
But if being actively confident was too hard…then simply being proactive...
She gently licked her lips, tasting the lingering sweetness. A peculiar light flickered quietly in Digital's eyes.
Maybe...it wasn't impossible after all.
...
The race ended.
Without any suspense, Agnes Digital won the final victory.
Compared to last time, although her opponents weren't weak, no one had managed a last-minute breakthrough this time around. Even the runner-up, who had the second-best performance, finished a full eight lengths behind Digital.
The procedures afterward were routine:
Resting briefly, returning through the corridor, greeting others, receiving congratulations, then finally returning to the clubroom.
Back in the clubroom, Kitahara asked Digital what reward she wanted this time.
"Ah...I'd like to discuss it with Eclipse-san first…"
Discuss it with Eclipse?
Kitahara felt momentarily confused, but didn't think too deeply about it. He nodded easily, agreeing to her request.
Under Kitahara's curious gaze, Digital approached Eclipse and leaned close, whispering softly in her ear.
Then, Kitahara watched as Eclipse, who was quietly listening to Digital's whispers, showed virtually no reaction aside from calmly nodding. Instead, it was Digital herself who grew increasingly flustered, her face turning redder and redder, while her tail behind her swished faster and faster.
Just what is she planning...?
Kitahara waited patiently for a moment. Just as he was about to pull out his phone to kill time, the girls' whispered discussion finally ended.
Then, without waiting for Kitahara to ask, the two girls walked together toward him. Without hesitation, they seated themselves—one on his left, the other on his right—snuggling directly into his arms.
This is…
Seeing this scene unfolding right before his eyes, a sudden uneasy feeling arose in Kitahara's chest.
A second later, his premonition came true.
Two pairs of slender, fair-skinned arms, four in total, simultaneously reached out from either side and gently wrapped around his neck.
Two exquisite faces—with entirely different yet equally charming expressions—slowly leaned closer to him.
"Kitahara-senpai, this…is the reward I want…"
Feeling their warm breaths drawing dangerously close, Kitahara finally snapped out of his stunned daze and hastily began:
"Wait, Digital—hold on a sec—"
His words came to an abrupt halt.
...
BIG AUTHORS NOTE
As stated in the title, due to recent circumstances, censorship has gotten noticeably stricter.
Unfortunately, the plot has also just reached a rather sensitive stage, as you've probably noticed, making passing censorship checks a real headache. Every day, most of my time isn't even spent writing, but repeatedly revising chapters just to get them approved. This is why updates have dropped to one per day lately, and they've often been late—sometimes delayed to the next day, or even disappearing after approval.
Thankfully, today is already the 18th, and the 25th is quickly approaching. At that point, we'll finally see the rules loosen up again, censorship won't be as intense, and regular updates can resume.
However, for today, between dealing with censorship and some real-life issues, my mental state's taken a bit of a hit, and my stomach troubles have flared up again. Let me take just one day off today—I'll try to compensate with a double update tomorrow.
Thanks for your understanding.
The repeater machine humbly bows.