After the Satsuki Sho, Kitahara had assumed that the one under the most pressure would be Oguri Cap.
After the reign of Symboli Rudolf, it wasn't as if no remarkable horse girls appeared — but the ones who stood out as dazzlingly as those of the Emperor's generation were much fewer.
Many horse girls delivered a single spectacular race and then, like shooting stars, quickly faded into mediocrity.
Compared to the era of Symboli Rudolf — with its "Triple Crown Clashes" and "Japan Cup victories over foreign champions" — the present seemed rather dull.
That was precisely why such a rare commotion had erupted back during the Yayoi Sho. The fans were simply desperate for a horse girl who could stir their hearts again.
To redirect that restless attention, Kitahara had gone to great lengths, collaborating with the Academy Board, the Student Council, and the Nishijin Corporation on projects like "Moe Monster" and "Uma Musume: The Great Movie" — all to keep the public from putting too much pressure on Oguri Cap and the Eisei Team.
But when, after so many years, a new "undefeated first-crown horse girl" finally appeared — Kitahara realized, to his surprise, that the one most burdened by pressure… was himself.
That day in his office, facing a mountain of papers, reports, and clippings stacked nearly half a person high, Kitahara, for the first time in ages, felt the urge to slack off.
I'll never finish this… there's just too much! How long will it take to get through all this?!
I'm done. I didn't even get a proper New Year's break this year… I just want a little vacation…
Massaging his temples, he groaned quietly — only to hear a muffled voice from the other side of his desk.
"Kitahara… you rook very troubuled."
"…You mean troubled, right?"
He mentally corrected her pronunciation with a sigh. "Finish what you're eating first, Oguri Cap."
"Okay… munch munch… gulp."
Sitting at a low table nearby, Oguri Cap was surrounded by an assortment of snacks — donuts, meat buns, chocolate — each carefully packaged, accompanied by postcards, letters, and posters.
Many of those letters had been opened, some hadn't. Regardless, they were covered in messages like "I love you, Oguri Cap!", "Capzilla is the best!", "Keep it up! Become the undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume!"
They were gifts and blessings sent by fans after the Satsuki Sho. What was on the table was only a small portion — the rest was stacked in Kitahara's office, Oguri's dorm, and even the Academy's delivery warehouse.
At first, Oguri had been stunned to receive so many gifts — as were all members of Team Eisei. Even Tamamo Cross and the others couldn't help feeling a bit jealous.
Of course, that jealousy evaporated once Oguri distributed most of the edible gifts among them.
So what was left in the office and storage were just the leftovers after a generous round of sharing.
After gulping down her snack, Oguri looked at Kitahara seriously.
"Kitahara, you look like you're working too hard."
Standing from the sofa, she said earnestly, "Why don't we take a break and go out for a bit? Everyone's resting after the race — even Tama's gone out to play. You shouldn't just keep working all the time."
"I can't help it." Kitahara stretched with a groan, yawning as he walked to the corner of the room.
There were several boxes of drinks stacked there — carrot, honey, corn, and other flavors popular among horse girls.
Many bottles were already gone, a few of them the ones Kitahara had been drinking himself. After trying the carrot flavor and finding it too odd, he picked two bottles of honey drink — one for himself, one for Oguri.
"I don't want to be busy, but there's so much that needs doing."
After she thanked him and accepted the drink, Kitahara began muttering as if venting.
"Take the recent Satsuki Sho, for example. It's a major G1 race — full of data worth studying. Every bit of it is valuable, and any insight we gain will be crucial for you, for Tama, for all horse girls."
"Especially regarding Domains. We need to analyze that as soon as possible. I asked you, Ardan, and Super Creek before — all of you said that your Domain manifestations differ from Dicta Striker's and Yaeno Muteki's."
"We need to figure out why. If all goes well, this Satsuki Sho could help us define the difference between 'Entry-Level,' 'Mastered,' and 'Permanent' Domains."
He sighed. "Honestly, it's a headache. These are powers granted by the Three Goddesses themselves — so why couldn't they just tell us how it works directly?"
If he'd said that to a different horse girl — especially someone strict and devout like Symboli Rudolf — even their friendship wouldn't have spared him from a scolding.
For horse girls, the Three Goddesses were sacred, the very source of their gifts and powers. Disrespect was nearly unthinkable.
But Oguri was an exception. Though she'd encountered the divine will directly when earning her G1 victory outfit, in her heart the Three Goddesses were simply "three very kind, very gentle big sisters."
And surely such kind big sisters wouldn't be angry over a few harmless complaints from Kitahara.
Taking a few swigs of honey drink, Oguri pondered a moment, then picked up some donuts and handed them to Kitahara.
"Well, I didn't understand most of what you just said," she admitted cheerfully, "but…"
As he instinctively took the donuts, she smiled. "You should eat something before you complain. That way you'll have more energy."
"Also, I really think you're too busy — you and Komiyama both."
"The race is over, the next one's far away. You guys should take a break."
Kitahara, having been working nonstop all day, realized he was indeed hungry. He didn't bother with words — just shoved a donut in his mouth, chewed, washed it down with his drink, and sighed.
"I can't help it. It's not just me — Komiyama and the others are in the same boat."
He rubbed his forehead. "There's data processing, training plans, company operations with Kawabane Enterprise, collaborations with Nishijin, invitations from the Mejiro family, interviews from Shining Communications…"
"It's like all the fame Eisei accumulated suddenly exploded after the Satsuki Sho — now everyone wants something from us."
"Everyone's got responsibilities, but it's just too much."
"And…" He glanced at Oguri, hesitated, then shook his head. "Never mind."
"And?" she tilted her head. "And what?"
"Ah, nothing."
He sighed again. He'd wanted to tell her she didn't need to worry so much — that he could handle a little overtime, that this workload wasn't too bad. But knowing her, she'd never agree — maybe even get mad — so he let it drop.
Still, this couldn't go on forever. The Classic Triple Crown had only just begun. Once the Japan Derby and Kikuka Sho arrived — not to mention other high-stakes races — things would only get busier.
Especially the Japan Cup this year. If all went as expected, world-class horse girls like Tony Bianca, Moonlight Madness, and Obey My Master would come to compete.
All Domain-level elites. To face them, the preparation alone would take ages — never mind the post-race analysis.
Wait, wasn't it Rudolf who first mentioned the Japan Cup to me…? Kitahara's thoughts flickered.
Maybe I could ask her for help — see if the Academy can lend some extra hands.
The Chairwoman too — I haven't talked to her properly since the Satsuki Sho. I've been too swamped. Time to visit her anyway.
With that, he gulped down the rest of his honey drink and perked up a bit. "Oguri, you're free right now, right— oh wait, that's obvious, since you're here eating snacks."
"How about coming with me to see Chairwoman Akikawa? Maybe she can assign us some support staff to ease the workload."
Oguri didn't really understand the details, but she vaguely grasped that meeting the small yet incredibly authoritative horse girl called the Chairwoman would probably make things easier for Kitahara. So she agreed brightly.
[She knows Chairwoman is a Horse girl ?]
After thinking for a moment, Kitahara decided they'd visit the Chairwoman's office first, then the Student Council.
On their way there, a thought crossed his mind.The Satsuki Sho's a big annual event — yet the Chairwoman hasn't contacted us since it ended… Could she be as busy as I am?
He soon got his answer.
Normally, the Chairwoman's office was quiet — she handled most affairs herself, and anything major went to the Board or the URA Association. But now the hallway outside was packed with people in suits, anxiously chattering.
Kitahara immediately spotted Tazuna among them, wearing her trademark green suit, struggling to handle a barrage of questions. Beside her stood another professional-looking woman — poised, sharp, with naturally curled black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her thin lips moved curtly as she answered, but her pale-golden eyes gleamed with clear irritation.
Uh… maybe this isn't a good time… Kitahara thought.
He could tell that Chairwoman Akikawa was even busier than him. From the voices of the men in suits, it was obvious — they were from corporations and media outlets, all there about the Satsuki Sho.
Oguri seemed to sense the same and tugged his sleeve."Um… maybe we should come back later, Kitahara. Or we could go play instead?"
He hesitated. It was a tempting idea — he had been working nonstop. A little break wouldn't hurt…
But before he could answer, a cheerful voice rang out from the crowd.
"Ah! It's Mr. Kitahara! Kashimoto-san, please bring him in — the Chairwoman was just asking for him. I'll handle things out here!"
Recognizing Tazuna's voice, Kitahara looked up — just in time to see her extend one arm across the crowd, physically holding back several full-grown men in suits. Somehow, she was winning.
As Kitahara blinked in disbelief, the dark-haired woman from before quickly stepped over, rested a hand on his shoulder, nodded politely to Oguri, and murmured:
"Come with me. Otherwise, this will get troublesome."
With a firm tug on his sleeve, she guided him and Oguri through the door. Once inside, she shut it behind them, cutting off the noise outside.
Then she turned, extending her hand."Good afternoon, Mr. Kitahara. I'm Riko Kashimoto — assistant to Chairwoman Akikawa Yayoi. A pleasure to meet you."
Kitahara already knew her name, but still took a moment to glance around the room — and froze.
Inside were not only Chairwoman Akikawa Yayoi herself, but also Symboli Rudolf, Maruzensky, and CB — the three great heads of the Student Council.
What are they doing here…?
As he wondered, he shook Riko's hand. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Kashimoto. A pleasure."
Efficient as ever, she turned toward the Chairwoman and gave a respectful bow.
"Madam Chairwoman, you mentioned wanting to see Mr. Kitahara. I met him just outside — he seemed to be looking for you as well."
Akikawa Yayoi was mid-conversation with Rudolf and the others. She hadn't even noticed the commotion outside, nor the door opening. Her words continued smoothly:
"…Those trivial interviews are secondary. The real priority is our students' needs."
"With Mr. Kitahara's results, we can now offer better training conditions for the upcoming classes. That means we can start considering debut match arrangements."
"True, the trainer program isn't ready yet — that'll come after expansion — but we can at least check the candidates' intentions for now."
"For example, the three Mejiro girls are excellent — diligent in training. We should ask them first."
"Tokai Teio, who's close to Mejiro McQueen; Agnes Tachyon, who's close to Mejiro Dober; and Daiwa Scarlet, who's close to Mejiro bright — all promising."
"And then there's First Ruby, and Ikono Dictus — both talented."
"Also, Excellent Qualia, Twin Turbo, Eman Seihui, Kaisen Miracle,Rice Shower, Sakura Bakushin O…"
"Oh, and Nishino Hana, Step Thunder, Former World — they're all wonderful too!"
"Oh right, and Taikan Pegasus — that kid's amazing!"
"In short, with Kitahara-san and Team Eisei's undefeated Satsuki Sho victory, the entire Central Tracen Academy feels rejuvenated! Rehahahaha!"
"Meow meow meow~!"
With a booming laugh completely at odds with her petite figure, the small blue-eyed Chairwoman waved her fan energetically, her cat mascot on her head mewling excitedly. Her eyes sparkled with ambition and pride.
After laughing for a bit, she finally noticed them and turned.
"Welcome! Kitahara-san, you're here! Ahaha, I got so carried away chatting that I didn't notice!"
Kitahara didn't mind being momentarily ignored. In fact, the words he'd overheard filled him with quiet excitement.
He recognized those names — the next generation of horse girls who would soon shine on the stage of history. No matter the world, their races would leave an indelible mark.
And now, they were about to make their debut — to step into their own glorious era.
As a trainer, Kitahara couldn't help but feel moved. Everything he'd worked for was to create a better future for horse girls like them.
From Akikawa's words, it sounded like his work had directly helped improve conditions across the academy — something that made his heart swell with satisfaction.
He was about to express that joy, but before he could speak, Akikawa broke into another hearty laugh.
"Rehahaha! Perfect timing, Kitahara-san! I was just talking about you with Rudolf, Maruzensky, and CB here!"
Waving her fan toward the three, the tiny but thunderous Chairwoman beamed, "Thanks to you and the Eisei Team's tireless dedication, Central Tracen Academy now has better training and teaching systems than ever!"
"Hmph! Those idiots out there don't understand, but we do."
"Whether it's medical integration in training, the health supplements developed from Oguri Cap's data, or the innovative methods you've pioneered — all of these are priceless contributions to the entire world of Uma Musume!"
"Of course, Chief Naise and her Chouetsu Team have done great work too — but don't forget, you inspired her to form that team in the first place! So part of that credit still belongs to you!"
"Rehahaha! I'm absolutely delighted! I knew I wasn't wrong about you, Kitahara-san!"
The sudden flood of praise left Kitahara bewildered.
"Uh… pardon me, but…" He gave a sheepish smile. "Could you maybe explain what's going on? Why all the praise all of a sudden?"
"Eh? You didn't get it?" Akikawa blinked.
Then Riko Kashimoto smiled faintly and said, "Allow me to explain, then."
Maruzensky, who had been quietly smiling on the side until now, finally spoke up. Among everyone in this office, aside from Oguri Cap, she was the one who knew Kitahara best.
Having trained together with the Eisei Team for so long, she was practically half a member herself — and quite familiar with the team's internal workings.
"The general situation is pretty much as the Chairwoman said," Maruzensky began with her usual gentle smile."Many of the training methods and philosophies from your Eisei Team — the Chairwoman has actually been promoting them gradually, even before you officially joined the Central Academy."
With a light laugh, she continued:
"Our dear Chairwoman always has a lot of ideas. They're all for our sake, of course, but turning ideas into reality always needs someone to carry them out."
"In the past, she never found the right person for that job. Then you suddenly came along, happened to think the same way as she did, and just started doing it yourself."
"Since you weren't hiding anything, she didn't feel the need to have a formal talk with you. She simply began spreading some of your approaches and ideas throughout the Academy."
"For example — remember what you told me and Rudolf last time? About how we should strengthen the nutritional health of horse girls like Mejiro McQueen and Tokai Teio? When we discussed it with the Chairwoman, we found out she'd already been working on that!"
Maruzensky ended her explanation with a cheerful laugh:
"In short, thanks to you, the Eisei Team, Chief Naise, and the Chouetsu Team, the Academy's overall training and education standards have really improved."
"More and more students are actively seeking trainers of their own, eager to debut and race as soon as possible."
"Of course, the idol effect from Oguri Cap and her peers also plays a part. But whether it's the influence of Chief Naise's team or that idol effect — much of the credit goes to you, Kitahara."
Hearing Maruzensky's words, Kitahara finally understood what had been going on behind the scenes. He hadn't realized that some of his casual actions had already begun to shape the entire world of horse girls.
He was familiar with the horse girls that Chairwoman Akikawa Yayoi had just mentioned — and by the timeline, they were all supposed to appear after Oguri Cap's generation.
In another "dimension," they would only debut later — in the original manga, during the era when Oguri Cap and Tamamo Cross dominated the track, those new names hadn't even shown up yet.
So… the timeline is starting to accelerate?
Slightly surprised, Kitahara fell silent in thought for a moment before asking tentatively:
"May I take a look at that list, Chairwoman Akikawa?"
Earlier, while observing Akikawa Yayoi, Symboli Rudolf, and Maruzensky, he had noticed that on their desks — aside from the towering stacks of paperwork similar to his own — there were a few sheets of paper laid neatly at the center, looking like lists.
When the Chairwoman had enthusiastically read out names before, her eyes had been fixed on one of those sheets. It must have contained more detailed information.
"Of course! Maruzensky, would you please hand that to Kitahara?"
Rustling through the papers, Maruzensky picked up the list and passed it over. Meanwhile, Akikawa Yayoi flicked open her folding fan again, laughing as she spoke:
"But you know, Kitahara-san, thanks to you, we've also ended up with a lot more trouble!"
Hearing that half-serious complaint, Kitahara froze for a moment just as he took the list.
"Ah… trouble?"
Rudolf chuckled softly before he could respond.
"Don't be nervous, Kitahara. The Chairwoman is just teasing."
Then, in her usual composed tone, Rudolf explained:
"In truth, it's because the newer classes of students have become increasingly active lately — inspired by the recent achievements of the Eisei and Chouetsu teams."
"Under the current nutrition and training programs, their physical abilities are far superior to previous generations. It's not unreasonable to start thinking about debuting them soon."
"However, that also means the number of available trainers at the Central Academy may no longer be sufficient."
"We'll have to expand recruitment — or transfer some outstanding trainers from the regional branches."
"And that, Kitahara, is also thanks to you — and to Trainer Yuzuhara."
"Without the incredible success you and your horse girls like Oguri Cap and Inari One have achieved, the URA Association wouldn't have revised its regulations so quickly. Until now, there weren't even any provisions that allowed trainer transfers between regions."
"So yes — we truly owe you a lot of thanks."
Wait a second. Kitahara nearly choked.
Recruiting horse girls isn't enough for you, Emperor Rudolf — now you're poaching trainers too? Don't drag me into this!
Then he remembered — well, technically, I did scout Super Creek myself…
Still, that was different! Yuzuhara and Komiyama were teammates — not people he'd stolen from other groups like Rudolf did!
Suppressing the urge to sigh, Kitahara turned his attention back to the list in his hand, shifting focus.
As expected, aside from the horse girls they had just discussed, the list also included a Trainer List — or more precisely, a list of prospective trainers.
From what he could tell, these were all individuals who would debut in the next generation — something he'd already anticipated.What caught his eye now were the names of the trainers.
Many of them were familiar — names he had heard while talking with Komiyama and Yusuhara about regional performance reports. Most of these people were about to graduate or had already made a name for themselves in local circuits.
A few, though, stood out sharply.
"Kushino Ryu… oh, that easygoing trainer from the first season of the anime. He's… currently with the URA Association? Not an active trainer?"
Wait — no, he had been a trainer before, quite successful too, before joining the URA.
Looks like, in this world, his career took a slightly different path — or maybe he hasn't yet returned to training like in the original timeline.
"Tōjō Hana… huh, Kushino's old flame. A few differences here too — she's already an excellent trainer now, but not Rudolf's in this world… she's in the U.S.?"
"So, does that mean she's met Taiki Shuttle, El Condor Pasa, and Grass Wonder during her time there — and maybe convinced them to come back to Japan?"
"Namisaka Hideki… still a student, not yet graduated. So he'll probably become the trainer for Nice Nature, Twin Turbo, and Biwa Hayahide later on?"
"Kuronuma Kazuo… oh, that musclehead who trained Mihono Bourbon. Already graduated but hasn't taken a post yet? Maybe he's still busy developing his famous book 'Train Your Strongest Horse Girl'?"
"Makes sense — Bourbon's bloodline and innate stats aren't exceptional. It was thanks to his steep uphill endurance training that her cardio and resilience broke through all limits, earning her the title of 'Undefeated Two-Crown.'"
Maybe I should find a chance to talk with him — could learn something useful…
Kitahara's focus lingered on these names. All of them were trainers from the original story — though some details differed, likely due to this world being a parallel one. Still, their abilities and their horse girls' achievements were all outstanding. Definitely worth paying attention to.
This was a remarkable lineup of future trainers.If the others on the list were of similar caliber, the next generation of horse girls was bound to be spectacular.
While Kitahara pondered that, Rudolf spoke again:
"There's actually something else about this group of trainers that we wanted your opinion on."
Snapping back from thought, Kitahara nodded.
"Of course, President Rudolf — please go ahead."
"It's about Domains," she said seriously."We'd like not only your input, but also Chief Naise's."
"You understand very well how crucial Domains are for horse girls. If we could enable more — or even all — horse girls to master Domains, it would mean nothing short of a revolution for the entire world."
"I've talked to Maruzensky about this. Between your Eisei Team and Naise's Choeutsu Team, your side has the deepest experience with the subject."
"In fact, when we compared global data, your team's progress is unmatched — arguably the most advanced in the world. We've spoken with some overseas contacts, and apparently, outside of your group, no one else has even mentioned the concept of voluntarily triggering Domains."
"Your discovery," she concluded with a small, admiring smile, "is one of a kind."
Well, duh, Kitahara thought silently. It's not like anyone else here has played the Uma Musume mobile game.
Suppressing a laugh, he thought it over carefully.Sharing their current findings about Domains with other trainers shouldn't be an issue — their research was still incomplete anyway.
Having more trainers participate, testing theories through actual races, could only help accelerate progress.
Especially with someone like Kuronuma and his "uphill endurance" techniques — or others who might have unique training styles like Coach Dideno before him — cross-sharing knowledge could only be beneficial.
Finally, Kitahara nodded.
"No problem. I understand your intent."
"Our study of Domains is still at an early stage. We haven't clarified many of the fine details."
"For now, we've only classified Domain users into three tiers — Beginner, Mastered, and Constant — but the distinctions between them, their exact traits, and manifestations still need more analysis."
"Like in the recent Satsuki Sho — Oguri Cap, Dicta Striker, and Yaeno Muteki all clearly touched on Domain states, but at differing degrees. The differences were quite significant, and the data reflects that."
"I've been too busy these past two days to share the data with Chief Naise yet, but once we exchange notes, I'm sure we'll make even greater progress."
"If more skilled trainers could join the research — especially those who can test things in real races — I believe the day when all horse girls can awaken their own Domains will come much sooner."
When he finished, all the horse girls present smiled warmly — Rudolf, Maruzensky, and especially Chairwoman Akikawa Yayoi, whose eyes practically sparkled.
"Remarkable! Le-hahaha! Kitahara-san, once again, you've truly impressed me!"
"Nya-nya-nya!"
Her little cat atop her head meowed excitedly as the Chairwoman fanned herself dramatically and laughed.
"Excellent, excellent! Since you're being so agreeable, Kitahara-san, I suppose I can tell you that thing now!"
"...That thing?"
Kitahara blinked, confused, just as the Chairwoman continued on her own.
"You mentioned being busy these past few days — I completely understand."
She snapped her fan shut and tapped it against her forehead with mock frustration.
"Ah, infuriating! I truly can't understand some humans — doing such meaningless things for no reason at all. So wasteful!"
"Anyway, the Satsuki Sho really did cause quite the stir. I had to work hard to calm public sentiment down, though I knew it must've caused you and the Eisei Team a lot of stress."
Only then did Kitahara realize — the Chairwoman had quietly been handling the media frenzy on their behalf all along. Without her efforts, he probably would've been buried in twice as much chaos this week.
Before he could thank her, she continued:
"So, I discussed things with Rudolf earlier — we agreed to find a way to lighten your load."
She pointed her closed fan toward CB and Maruzensky, seated near Kitahara.
"I've decided to establish a new Student Council department — called the Team Coordination Division."
"As the name suggests, it will assist horse girl teams with administrative and logistical matters."
"Naturally, its main focus for now will be your Eisei Team. Chief Naise's group seems to be managing fine on their own, so I won't meddle there."
"For this division, I'm appointing Maruzensky and Mejiro Ramonu as provisional committee members. They'll help you manage training operations — and with two legendary horse girls by your side, your workload should ease considerably."
Kitahara's eyes widened.
Does that mean… the Eisei Team now has two Hall of Fame–class legends assisting us?
He was thrilled.
Even before this, after working with Maruzensky for a while, she was already practically a regular member of the Eisei Team. If URA still held races for horse girls of her level, she would've been one of his official trainees by now.
Her guidance had already raised Oguri Cap and the others' standards tremendously. Whenever Maruzensky — the "Supercar" herself — stood beside them on the track, the pressure alone spurred everyone's performance upward.
So far, even undefeated, 15-race-winning Oguri Cap still couldn't beat Maruzensky in training matches — though she was getting closer every time.
Now, with Mejiro Ramonu joining as well, their team's overall level was bound to skyrocket.
Just that alone was enough to make Kitahara ecstatic — but Chairwoman Akikawa wasn't done.
"Besides training, you're also swamped with miscellaneous work, aren't you? Interviews, reports, the media — ugh, foolish humans."
"Nyaa!"
Shaking her head in sync with her cat's meow, the Chairwoman waved her fan toward the silent woman standing by the wall — Kashimoto Riko.
"Just in time — I'll assign you an assistant."
"I know I had Tazuna helping you before, but she's my personal secretary, so she can't always leave Academy duties."
"Riko here came to the Academy as an apprentice to observe administrative work. She's seen enough of the Chairwoman and Academy affairs by now — it's time for her to gain experience in the training field."
"Riko, starting today, you'll serve as the assistant to Eisei Team's Chief Trainer — Kitahara Jō-san. Help him manage his tasks, and learn from him what a top trainer's daily life is like."
"Kitahara-san is among the finest trainers of this generation — in fact, among the younger trainers, he's the best. Learn well from him."
"Yes, understood."
After a respectful bow, Kashimoto Riko turned to Kitahara and said firmly:
"Chief Kitahara, from this day forward, please allow me to assist you. I'll do my utmost to fulfill both the Chairwoman's expectations and any assignments you entrust to me."
"Ah— right."
The Eisei Team's atmosphere was usually easygoing, almost familial, so Kitahara wasn't exactly used to Riko's rigid, formal manner.Still, he quickly smiled and extended a hand to her.
"You don't have to be so stiff. You might not feel it yet, but my team and I are pretty relaxed people — you'll see soon enough."
"So take it easy, okay? I look forward to working with you."
Riko blinked, slightly taken aback by his casualness. After a brief hesitation, she coughed lightly and shook his hand.
"Understood. I'll remember that."
"Le-hahaha! Excellent, excellent!"
"Nyaa~!"
With a delighted look on her face, and the little cat on her head swishing its tail, Director Akikawa Yayoi nodded in satisfaction."Now that everything's arranged, Kitahara-san can focus on training without any distractions!"
"Ah, yes, exactly," Kitahara couldn't help but smile — this was the kind of daily life he had longed for.
After all, whether it was running Kawawan Corporation, working with Nishijin Company, dealing with Flash Communications' interviews, or other various matters, they all existed for one purpose only — to create the best possible environment for the horsegirls' training, racing, and everyday life.
If he couldn't achieve that, it would all be missing the point.
Back when he was still in Kasamatsu, or even just after arriving in Tokyo, things weren't so hectic, and he could handle everything by himself.
But as his team's victories increased, their fame grew louder, and the races kept coming, more and more miscellaneous troubles started piling up.
Especially after Oguri Cap's recent "Undefeated First Crown," all that chaos had exploded at once, turning into an overwhelming pressure.
That day, he had left the office early — a rare thing — to come here with Oguri Cap precisely because he couldn't take it anymore. He wanted to ask the Director if there was any solution.
And not only did she have one — she had already arranged everything perfectly. Now, just like before, he could focus his full attention on training.
Speaking of training...
Just the thought made him itch to go back, gather his new assistants, assign their tasks, and dive right back into planning.
But before he could move, Akikawa Yayoi suddenly waved her fan with a mischievous smile, as if she had read his thoughts.
"Proposal! Kitahara-san, don't rush into work just yet — and don't rush into training either."
"Eh?" Kitahara froze, confused.
"Actually, there's another small-but-not-small task I wanted to give you today."Her smile deepened.
"And that is…"
"You're going to take a proper rest!"
"…Huh?"
"Mhm! I completely agree, Director! Kitahara needs to rest!"
"…It's 'Director,'" Kitahara sighed, pinching his forehead — and then realized Oguri Cap, who hadn't said a word since entering the office, had suddenly spoken up.
The reason she'd stayed silent was simple: she hadn't understood a single thing said earlier.
But this time, she understood perfectly — and she seriously agreed:
"When we were in Kasamatsu, Kitahara was always really busy and stayed up late every night. After I told him not to, he finally stopped."
"Then later, when he started working with Yuzuhara and Komiyama, it wasn't as bad."
"But these past few days, he's been busy again."
"I think... he might be planning to secretly stay up late when I'm not watching."
"I'm very grateful to the Di— to the Director for helping. This way, he won't stay up late anymore."
Oguri Cap bowed politely, her tone completely serious.
…Come on, Oguri, don't always be so sharp at times like this…
Kitahara felt a little guilty. Truth be told, before coming here, he had been thinking about staying up late to finish some work.
"Rehahaha! Kitahara-san, you heard her — even your own horsegirl says so! So, for the next few days, you'll rest properly!"
Akikawa laughed heartily. "Don't worry — training will be handled by Maruzensky and Mejiro Ramonu. Their theoretical knowledge might not match a professional trainer's, but when it comes to guiding horsegirls, they're second to none."
"As for the administrative work, Riko will take care of it. She's been with me for a long time and knows all the procedures inside out — probably better than you, actually."
"You and Komiyama, Youbara, all of you — the Satsuki Sho is over. The entire Eiyūshi Team deserves a break."
"Coming up next is the academy's annual Open Day for new students! New horsegirls will be enrolling, and others from local schools will be visiting Central Tracen."
"And what better time for a festival than that?"
"If you're interested, you can even host an event during the ceremony — consider it part of your relaxation!"
"Afterward, you can take Oguri Cap and the others on a short trip. The school will cover the expenses."
"Official statement! This is an order from the Director: Kitahara, you and your Eisei team must rest properly!"
"And…"
Her eyes gleamed as she pointed her fan toward Oguri Cap.
"I hereby appoint a special committee — the Eisei Team Rest Committee! The sole member: Oguri Cap!"
She snapped her fan open with a dramatic swish and burst into laughter.
"Rehahaha! Oguri Cap, this is your mission — make sure Kitahara rests properly for the next few days!"
"Meow-meow~!"
The cat chimed in enthusiastically.
"Yes, Director! I'll complete my mission!"
Understanding at last, Oguri Cap straightened up and saluted solemnly.
…Well, there goes my excuse for being busy. But still…
Kitahara gave a helpless smile, then looked at the earnest horsegirl beside him and felt a quiet warmth rise inside.
A little rest didn't sound so bad after all.
"Alright then — thank you very much, Director. And thank you too, President Rudolf, Maruzensky, and Miss Kashimoto."
After expressing his gratitude one by one, Kitahara was about to leave with Oguri Cap when Symboli Rudolf raised a hand and handed him a colorful leaflet.
"This is the current draft for the Welcome Ceremony program. If you or your team have something you'd like to perform, let me or Maruzensky know, and we'll add it in."
After leaving the office, Kitahara actually started studying the leaflet carefully.
After all, Central Tracen Academy was, at its core, still a high school — and high school festivals were bound to be fun.
After all those races, maybe it was time to have a little fun too.
Oguri Cap leaned over curiously. "Kitahara, what's all that?"
"Oh, these are the performances your juniors will be putting on."
Smiling, Kitahara explained, "Your class has been so busy with races and training that there wasn't really time to prepare anything."
"But these programs… let's see… hmm, some of these are pretty interesting."
"For example, Mejiro McQueen is organizing a stage play — very fitting for her lady-like personality."
"Tokai Teio... dancing? Well, her dance skills are top-notch."
"Mejiro Ryan performing karate? Uh… yep, that sounds exactly like something that musclehead would do."
"Mejiro Dober, Daitaku Helios, and Agnes Digital... singing, dancing, and rapping? What, have they been training for two and a half years or something?"
"And this one… Matikanetannhauser, poetry reading... please don't tell me it's 'My Director Father.'"
His voice trailed off to a mutter, and Oguri Cap caught only part of it.
"Eh? What did you say, Kitahara?"
"Ah, nothing…" He shook his head, exasperated.
Oguri Cap's eyes lit up with excitement. "These all sound so fun!"
She leaned closer, almost bouncing. "Kitahara, should we do a performance too?"
"I mean, me, Tama, Inari, Mihono Bourbon, and Ardan — all together! What do you think?"
"The five of you? What kind of show would that even be? Don't tell me... a competitive eating contest?"
He blurted it out before he realized — then froze.
Wait. Actually… that's not a bad idea.
He had once considered naming the team "Team Ravenous."After all, those five girls — one could eat more than the next.
He laughed inwardly, glancing at Oguri Cap beside him. Her eyes sparkled like stars, full of expectation.
"…Alright then," he said with a wry smile. "I'll tell President Rudolf and see if we can add a competitive eating contest to the schedule."
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[Damn Exceed, (Full Sister to Equinox) is injured and like Kitasan Black's curse won't be able to recover enough to race in the classic series]