Carrying a large bag packed with bread and other sweets from the cafeteria, Special Week returned to the door of the Spica Room.
She had originally wanted to invite her friends to join her for lunch, but everyone had turned her down due to prior engagements.
Feeling a bit down about eating alone in the cafeteria, she simply packed up a portion of the desserts and brought them back to the Spica Room.
By now, everyone should have finished their training. Even if they had already eaten lunch, they could still share these sweets together.
She pushed the door open.
Inside the dorm, Gold Ship was fiddling with a Rubik's cube. Noticing the door opening, she glanced back.
"Hey, Spe-chan's back."
"Spe-chan, why'd you buy so much food?"
Tokai Teio, who had been repeatedly studying footage of the Japanese Derby, also noticed Special Week—and the treats in her hands.
To become an Undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume, Teio made sure to study each leg of the Classic Triple Crown thoroughly, preparing for her own run after debut.
Mejiro McQueen, who had only recently joined the team, couldn't tear her eyes away from the desserts.
As a young lady of the Mejiro family, McQueen had seen her share of luxuries, yet for some reason, she just couldn't resist the allure of sweets.
If Gold Ship hadn't kept pestering her to join Spica, and if it weren't for Tokai Teio's influence, she might have gone to Canopus instead—after all, their team benefits included perks like dessert vouchers.
But how could she refuse when Tokai Teio invited her to join Spica?
She, Mejiro McQueen, would absolutely never admit that she'd joined Spica just to escape Gold Ship's relentless badgering.
Over in another corner, Vodka and Daiwa Scarlet sat in silence, still looking like they'd just finished an argument and were refusing to speak to each other.
"Yeah, I got hungry so I picked up some things from the cafeteria. Come on, everyone, let's eat!"
Special Week invited them cheerfully.
Even though she hadn't managed to have lunch with Barbatos and the others today, after what happened with El Condor Pasa going abroad, the naturally resilient Special Week had already set aside her disappointment over losing the Japanese Derby.
'After eating, I've gotta ask Trainer if I can start preparing early for the Kikuka-shō.'
From what Seiun Sky had hinted, King Halo had turned down her lunch invitation to squeeze in extra training while Special Week was eating.
She wasn't sure what the others were busy with, but if she wanted to beat King Halo in the Kikuka-shō, she'd have to work hard too.
'Mm, and watch my weight.'
Thinking this, Special Week looked at the huge bag of sweets in her hands and resolved to control her portions after this meal.
Led by Gold Ship, who dove in first, even the slightly reserved Mejiro McQueen quickly gathered around and began helping Special Week unpack the treats.
Special Week had bought a lot—after all, her usual appetite matched several people's combined.
By the time everyone had taken their share, there were still plenty left in the bag. Taking a bite of her own pastry, Special Week asked a question that had struck her the moment she walked in:
"Where did Suzuka and the Trainer go?"
"Are they out training?"
"I'll bring some sweets to Suzuka!"
Hearing this, the Spica members munching on their desserts couldn't help but exchange knowing, amused smiles.
They were pretty sure the Trainer was just an excuse—Special Week really just wanted to bring sweets to Suzuka.
"Not training. Some old guy came looking for Suzuka earlier, so she and the Trainer went out with him," Gold Ship said around a mouthful of bread, not paying much attention as her fingers kept twisting the Rubik's cube.
"Old guy?!"
Special Week blinked. Could it be Suzuka's grandfather or something?
She'd met Seiun Sky's grandfather before. If Suzuka's grandfather had come to Spica, should she go meet him too?
"You! That person is no 'old guy'!"
Mejiro McQueen, momentarily distracted from her sweets by the term, spoke up in disapproval, shooting a disdainful look at Gold Ship.
Tokai Teio nodded in agreement. "Yeah, calling him an 'old guy' really isn't polite. He's practically a living legend to us Uma Musume."
"Huh? A living legend?"
Special Week looked utterly bewildered.
'Is Suzuka's grandfather really that impressive?'
Teio went on to explain, "That's Japan's greatest trainer—Yutaka Take! He came to Spica to see Suzuka."
"Yutaka Take?"
The name didn't ring strong bells for Special Week. She felt like it might have been mentioned in class before.
But she always got sleepy during lectures, so it hadn't stuck. Now her mind felt overloaded, as if stars and galaxies were swirling in her head.
"So Yutaka Take is Suzuka's grandpa?"
"?"
The moment Special Week uttered those words, everyone in the dorm stared at her in blank confusion, slowly forming question marks in their minds.
Even Gold Ship looked utterly stunned. She got up, leaned over the table, and pressed a hand to Special Week's forehead to check her temperature, then yanked it back in feigned shock.
"So high!!! It's gotta be over 42°C at least!"
"Huh?!"
Teio and the others panicked, crowding around and ready to rush the bewildered Special Week to the hospital. In the commotion, the newly joined McQueen also worriedly placed her hand on Special Week's forehead.
"…"
"Doesn't her temperature feel perfectly normal?"
She felt no unusual heat—just the normal body temperature of an Uma Musume.
The group then realized Special Week was perfectly fine. Gold Ship had just been pulling a prank.
As for Special Week's earlier comment, it was probably just her brain short-circuiting—after all, she was always a bit of a sweet airhead.
McQueen clenched her fist, feeling the urge to thump Gold Ship.
She glanced toward Gold Ship's spot and saw… that she'd eaten the special dessert McQueen had carefully saved from Special Week's haul—the one she'd been planning to enjoy last.
'The desire to murder someone can't be hidden!'
A battle of the century erupted in the Spica dorm, only to end swiftly when Gold Ship's retina "accidentally" met a sharp object, leaving her wailing on the floor.
"So, Yutaka Take isn't Suzuka's grandpa," Special Week finally processed.
"Then why did he come to see her?"
On this matter, Tokai Teio, who knew a bit more, offered her understanding. "I heard Senior Take met Suzuka when she was competing in Hong Kong. After returning to Japan, her running style changed."
"Maybe this time he's here to help train her?"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.