Early the next morning, everything that had happened the previous night remained unknown to anyone except for a few individuals involved. Among the Uma Musume who started their morning training at dawn, several remarkably conspicuous figures arrived at a secluded corner of Tracen Academy.
"Hey, hey, hey, McQueen, what's gotten into you today? Why are you suddenly so fierce?"
Gold Ship, who had been dragged out by Mejiro McQueen just as the 6 AM morning training began, didn't even look like she had woken up properly. Accompanying Gold Ship was an Uma Musume named Ikuno Dictus, who was similar in build to McQueen but appeared taller, wore glasses, and possessed a rather intellectual aura, earning her the nickname "Iron Lady."
She was Mejiro McQueen's roommate and a very good friend, also one of the most trusted friends in Mejiro McQueen's current "plan."
"McQueen, while I don't know if it's due to your Debut Race being imminent, making you anxious, I must say that this approach is not worth it."
Ikuno Dictus adjusted her glasses and said very calmly and solemnly, "I wholeheartedly support your weight loss plan, McQueen, but I do not condone methods that harm your health for the sake of losing weight."
"Combining scientific body conditioning with exercise and controlled diet is the only way to achieve successful and healthy weight loss. However, McQueen, even if your current method yields quick results, it puts too much strain on your body."
"Your Debut Race isn't far off, McQueen. Using such a harmful weight loss method at this time, even if successful, you won't be able to compete at your peak performance."
However, faced with her good friend's earnest advice, Mejiro McQueen clearly hesitated, but she quickly made up her mind.
"Don't try to persuade me, Diduce, I've already decided."
"Although I'm reluctant, if I want to catch up for the Debut Race, my current speed isn't enough. I must manage my physique to a perfect level."
"Eating a little less is nothing to me. I am an Uma Musume of the Mejiro Family; I carry the pride of the prestigious Mejiro Family!"
"Alright, now, Gold Ship, please lie down. 100 repetitions begin!"
Mejiro McQueen, without another word, suppressed the intense hunger in her stomach, concentrating all her mind and body on the "honor of the Mejiro Family." She dragged her body and leaped over the lying Gold Ship.
This was a training method Mejiro McQueen specifically tailored for herself. It not only achieved training effects through jumping but also increased her foot speed training, enhanced her strength and endurance, and, more importantly, had good weight loss results!
This was a suggestion given to McQueen by a senior from the Mejiro Family, and McQueen had always regarded it as her savior method whenever she saw "signs of gaining weight."
And this time, McQueen also planned to add more burden to this training method. She had such determination: as long as she persevered, within ten days to half a month, she could control her weight to perfection.
"Thump! Thump!"
"Are you really okay…?" Gold Ship, uncharacteristically, closed her eyes in fear, feeling McQueen jump over her body repeatedly, and said nervously, "By the way, why do I have to be involved in this?! I clearly promised the old man I'd run 3000 meters for him to see!"
"…According to McQueen's description, if Gold Ship wasn't lying here, she would feel like there wasn't enough pressure, and thus couldn't jump." Ikuno Dictus, though a bit embarrassed, still explained professionally, "It's probably a psychological effect, but with the help of this psychological effect, McQueen can indeed perform better than before—therefore, Gold Ship, I'm very sorry, but please help McQueen."
"I only said I'd help McQueen lose weight and incidentally watch McQueen wanting to eat sweets but not daring to! I didn't hear anything about being a mat!"
However, Gold Ship felt that ever since she and McQueen met the old man yesterday, McQueen's attitude towards her had suddenly changed. In the past, McQueen usually didn't mind her pranks much, maintaining the demeanor of a Mejiro Family noble and not engaging in arguments, which allowed Gold Ship to do as she pleased.
But since yesterday's incident, Gold Ship sensed a change in McQueen. Faced with Gold Ship's pranks, McQueen even ignored them. Even when Gold Ship took all the dishes from McQueen's plate, there was no reaction.
Furthermore, Gold Ship even heard that McQueen had given some of her privately hoarded bread and sweets to other Uma Musume that very night.
To be honest, Ikuno Dictus, who shared a room with McQueen, was well aware of McQueen secretly eating snacks when she was ravenous in the middle of the night, but she turned a blind eye out of pity for McQueen.
But McQueen's current determination surprised both girls. They didn't know what had spurred McQueen to train and diet so fiercely, but at least for now, McQueen was overexerting herself… "I really wish someone would stop McQueen… Otherwise, we'll just have to wait a week until McQueen can't take it anymore and gives up…" Ikuno Dictus was also worried. It had only been 20 repetitions, and she already noticed McQueen was panting… "Oh? Mr. Imanami, it seems someone is already here?"
"Ah… Really? I, I thought no one would be here so early… I'm sorry…"
Not long after, a young man's voice was heard, along with a timid-sounding Uma Musume. When the young man said the word "Imanami," Gold Ship immediately reacted, losing her fear and looking up in surprise, asking,
"Old man?"
"Hmm?"
Gold Ship's reaction caused a chain reaction. Upon hearing that address, McQueen's attention also wavered for a moment, and she subconsciously looked up towards the distance.
And in that glance, McQueen's attention was distracted, and her jumping motion became much lighter.
"Thump!"
"Waaahhh—!!!"
What followed was a horrific scream from Gold Ship, the pained cry after her spine was stepped on by a heavy Racehorse shoe… "Are you okay, Gold Ship? Does it hurt?"
"Doesn't hurt, doesn't hurt, old man, it doesn't hurt with you here, no need to look~"
After some time, and after McQueen frantically apologized to Gold Ship and Imanami, everything returned to calm. Imanami watched Gold Ship's back with some concern, seemingly wanting to lift her shirt to check her injuries, but Gold Ship smiled and subtly brushed him off.
And seeing Gold Ship smiling so brightly, as if the scream from a few minutes ago wasn't hers, it was hard to imagine she was truly hurt, which also relieved the tension in everyone's hearts.
"By the way, old man, why are you here? I thought you'd be waiting for me on the track, and with Wada, and… Doto?"
Gold Ship also looked curiously at Wada and Doto beside Imanami. She knew Doto and Wada currently had a in charge agreement, but what were they doing here?
"The reason, actually, is also training, just that the content of the training is a bit different."
Imanami also found it quite amusing. Just yesterday, Wada had grandly declared he would train Meisho Doto by himself, but he unexpectedly faltered at the first problem and had to humble himself to ask Imanami for help.
"Doto's weight is over the limit; she's gained some weight compared to her Debut Race. With this physique, let alone participating in the Mainichi Hai, she won't even be able to perform at her full strength in an OP race. So, we have to focus on weight loss first before considering training and racing."
"…Huh?"
However, as soon as Imanami said this, not only Gold Ship, but McQueen and Diduce all looked at Doto in surprise. And at this moment, the side of Meisho Doto that she didn't want others to know was exposed on the spot, causing her face to flush red as she hid behind Wada, letting out a small animal-like whimper.
And at this moment, Gold Ship said without thinking:
"Isn't it just weight loss? I'm also helping McQueen lose weight! Her weight is way over the limit now, even though her Debut Race is almost here—Pwah!"
Before Gold Ship could finish her sentence, a shoe embedded with a heavy Racehorse shoe came flying directly at her! It hit Gold Ship square in the cheek, making her completely shut up.
"…Cough, cough cough!" McQueen, having done all this, forced herself to remain calm and let out a dry cough, saying indifferently, "It's, it's just a little bit overweight, it's easy for me."
"—If you need help, I can help you both create a plan."
After Imanami helped Gold Ship up, he saw that Gold Ship still had a cheerful, mischievous expression, so he shook his head with relief and said to McQueen:
"Helping one is helping, I can help both of you lose weight. The effect should be good, and catching up for the Debut Race shouldn't be a problem."
"…Please."
However, after a moment of hesitation, McQueen realized that her image in front of Imanami had already been exposed, and under Ikuno Dictus's suggestive gaze from the side, Mejiro McQueen finally lowered her proud, noble head…