"T-Trainer..."
Doto-san wasn't sure how to respond to Wada's enthusiasm, but when she saw Wada open his arms, clearly intending to embrace her, her cheeks, still flushed from finishing her run, visibly reddened even further.
W-What should she do? In this situation, with so many people watching, if she hugged her Trainer... it would be so embarrassing!
But with so many people watching, wouldn't it be bad not to respond to her Trainer? It would make others think she disliked her Trainer... Perhaps... it's better to respond. After all, she did win the Mainichi Hai, and she even beat Opera O. Her Trainer is so excited, in this atmosphere, a small hug... wouldn't be a big deal, right?
Anyway, they had hugged before, hadn't they?
Thinking this, Doto-san slowly raised her arms and took a few small steps forward. Her movements were so careful, so subtle that they were almost imperceptible—and Wada had already run up to them.
Just then, a hint of joy appeared on Doto-san's face, and she was about to open her arms to embrace Wada—
But Wada brushed past her.
"Whoa!" Opera O was also directly picked up by Wada without warning. Not only was she picked up, but she was also spun around several times in the air. Wada's excited emotions finally eased a little, but he still held Opera O tightly.
"Opera O..."
"...No need to say more, Wada." However, Opera O was initially a bit surprised, but when she felt the slight sobs of the big boy embracing her, she suddenly calmed down. She gently patted Wada's back with her palm and said softly:
"You won. You won against me, the Overlord. I understood everything at that moment—I didn't lose to Doto-san, but to you."
"Losing to someone who understands me better than I understand myself, even as the Overlord, I don't feel ashamed... This is a test of fate."
"Of course, perhaps it's also an opportunity," Opera O said, a smile appearing on her face. She tightened her arms around Wada a bit more and said faintly:
"So, do you think you are my opportunity, Wada?"
"...Heaven gave me this chance to prove all of this, Opera O."
Wada and Opera O slowly stood up from their embrace. Wada's face was quite a mess now, snot and tears streaming down, looking utterly dishevelled. But his face, filled with tears of joy, made Opera O feel a pang of heartache, yet at the same time, a hint of joy and comfort welled up in her heart.
As if by a strange impulse, Opera O wiped away Wada's tears with one hand, then stood on tiptoe and ruffled Wada's slightly lowered head, smiling gently:
"...You've grown, Ryuji."
"?!"
However, Opera O's words made Wada Ryuji subconsciously look up, his eyes gazing at Opera O in disbelief, and he instinctively asked:
"Opera O, you..."
"...I'm sorry, forget it. I don't know what I'm saying." But in the next second, Opera O's face showed a strange expression. She covered her head, a bit of a headache, not knowing why she suddenly said that.
It was just that the strange sense of comfort in her heart, and an impulse, made her say those words involuntarily. But now that the words were out, Opera O felt much better.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
And just then, an extremely deliberate coughing sound suddenly rang out, interrupting the intimate scene between Opera O and Wada Ryuji, making them quickly snap back to reality and instinctively separate.
Ikezoe also helplessly lowered the hand he used to cover his cough, while Tojo Hana on the side already had a face full of black lines. As for Curren Chan... she was currently comforting the pitiful Meisho Doto.
"It's okay, Doto-san, you also won this race, that's great. Don't look so pathetic as if you lost..."
"...Wada, I think you should do something now to make amends to your Uma Musume." At this moment, even Ikezoe, whose emotional intelligence was often criticized as being like wood, couldn't stand it anymore. Although he was often criticized for his lack of emotional intelligence, even he felt that what Wada did just now was a bit too much.
Your Uma Musume worked so hard to win the race for you, and you turn around and hug your "trophy"? What kind of behaviour is that? Although Ikezoe knew the bond and feelings between Wada and Opera O, and that Meisho Doto could never compare, Wada shouldn't have done such a thing in this situation.
Reminded by Ikezoe, Wada immediately realized that he indeed should give Doto-san some encouragement. He was an excellent Trainer and couldn't show favouritism.
Moreover, Doto-san did help him win this victory. If not for Doto-san, he would still be at a loss, not knowing how to beat Opera O.
And just as Wada was about to do something, Tojo Hana on the side suddenly spoke up:
"...Congratulations, Wada Ryuji. You and your Uma Musume truly opened my eyes in this race."
"Then, as we agreed, starting today, Opera O is your Uma Musume."
Saying this, Tojo Hana looked at Wada and Opera O, who were standing together, and was furious. The businesswoman's chest was heaving, as if she was trying to control her emotions... "—Ahhh! I still can't hold it in! Wada Ryuji! I have to beat you up today!"
The enraged Tojo Hana revealed her violent side for the first time, grabbing Wada's sleeve with extreme reluctance and shouting angrily:
"You stole my Opera O! You intended to steal my Opera O from the very beginning! Your time alone with Opera O a week ago was also preparation for today, wasn't it?! If Opera O had run Sashi, she wouldn't have been outmanoeuvred by you today!"
"What is this?! What is this?! I painstakingly trained Opera O, and she ran the Debut Race three times! I even took care of her for half a year when she had a fractured bone! How could I lose to you like this?!"
"Do you know how much effort I put into Opera O?! From everyone not thinking highly of her to her winning the Yukinayanagi Sho, just as I saw her potential and talent, you bastard took her away! I can't stand it! Why?!"
The more Tojo Hana thought about it, the angrier she got, and the more she wanted to give Wada a good beating. However, at this moment, Meisho Doto, who had been secretly grieving under Curren Chan's comfort, suddenly looked up, took a few steps forward, and once again pushed away Tojo Hana, who was holding Wada's sleeve.
"No, you're not allowed to hurt my Trainer!"
Even though she was initially "abandoned" by Wada, Doto-san still stood up to defend her Trainer the moment Wada was about to get hit, staring at Tojo Hana without any fear.
"...Trainer Tojo, I will not forget the effort you put into training me."
And now, Opera O also stepped forward, saying very gently to Tojo Hana: "You and Ryuji, both of you want me to go to a bigger stage, but I... I think, if I follow Ryuji, perhaps I can go even further."
"He is the most suitable Trainer for me. I can swear, there is no better choice for me than him."
"Opera O..."
However, even with Opera O saying so, Tojo Hana couldn't even get angry anymore. Suddenly, Tojo Hana felt like a failure. Opera O, whom she had trained for so long, was now not even on her side, but chose a newcomer who had only been at the school for two months... But perhaps, this was the most suitable choice for Opera O. At least, Tojo Hana was relieved to entrust Opera O to him.
There's no need to train an Uma Musume whose full potential you can't unleash; that would only delay the Uma Musume's potential.
"...Wada Ryuji, I remember your bold words that day." Tojo Hana calmed her emotions, pushed up her glasses, and said to Wada:
"Since you think Opera O can surpass the 'Emperor', then show me. By then, I will be waiting with Symboli Rudolf on the throne of the Seven Crowns for you to challenge us."
"This is our second bet. Try to surpass the achievements of the strongest member of my Team."
"—We'll be watching." Wada showed no fear. He held Opera O's hand, and the two almost instinctively intertwined their fingers, as if by doing so, they could feel each other's determination.