"Ah—A-Obey…"
"You scared me to death. Obey, could you maybe not pop up like that next time?"
"Haha, sorry, sorry."
Obey Your Master chuckled, then asked, "Isn't Oguri Cap sitting this one out? What are you doing here?"
A week ago, Oguri Cap had emptied the tank dueling Fujimasa March. No matter how much she wanted it, there was no way she had enough left for the Japan Cup.
Berno Light shook the little notebook in her hands with a slightly strained smile. "Pre-drill—pre-drill."
"When I've got downtime I come collect intel on the horse girls. Even if it's useless this time, once the race starts I can check whether what I gathered holds up."
"So I don't end up stockpiling bad data that misleads Oguri later."
"Oh."
Obey nodded, understanding. "You're really devoted, Light-chan."
"N-no, I'm not that great."
"Th-th-three…" Berno scratched the back of her head, embarrassed.
"By the way, how's Oguri lately?"
Obey posed it casually, but a faint gleam flashed in those blue eyes—habit tugging her to fish for information.
"Hope March didn't get to her. She's not… skipping the Arima Kinen, right?"
To her surprise, Berno shot her a curious look.
"After the Mile Championship, Oguri rested two days. She came back to training today and we found a calf muscle strain…"
She paused, then continued as if it were only natural:
"So this afternoon she and March went to Trainer Kuroha, of course."
Obey: "…"
Afternoon? That's… right now.
Obey thought, frowning inwardly.
So in that Mile Championship pursuit with March… Oguri got hurt?
Looks like I'll need to deepen my read on March…
Her mind spun; from a short exchange, Obey had already drawn out quite a bit.
Just then, the silver-haired New Zealand girl down on the field seemed to finish for the day, toweling sweat as she exited.
Seeing that, Obey lost interest in lingering. She lifted a bright smile and waved at Berno. "I'll head out, Light-chan. You keep gathering your notes."
"O-okay—see you."
Berno stared blankly after Obey's retreating figure.
"What a quick, decisive person…"
After a brief sigh, she fixed her gaze back on the overseas mares below, face turning serious.
Obey might be Oguri's rival, but she's also truly strong.
At least, the way she beat Oguri last year showed me that intel can decide victory.
I've got to work harder—much harder—if I'm going to help Oguri!
Even with that vow, before long Berno drooped again.
"But aside from Pirate Crowhawk and Ibubinch, these foreign mares feel like they're just… going through the motions…"
The little detective sighed. "Even harder to scout than last time…"
At that moment, a clear voice joined in from the side: "Right? And their past race records are all in foreign languages—such a pain."
"Eep—!"
Berno jumped again and turned—another mare had appeared at her side.
A breathtaking beauty with platinum-blonde hair and luminous blue-gray eyes.
A cute ribbon was tied at her right ear. She wore a stylish outfit, short boots clicking, posture soft and graceful.
"G-Gold City?!"
Gold City nodded. "Long time no see. You're Light from Mr. Ginjirou Musaka's side… right?"
She still remembered: last year's Japan Cup, Ginjirou Musaka had asked her to accompany Oguri Cap for special training.
Fujimasa March—the one who was absurdly strong—had trained alongside them then, too.
Though even with that bootcamp, they lost badly at that Japan Cup…
"Y-yes," Berno answered.
Months ago, Gold City had announced her retirement after being steamrolled twice by Inari One in the Tenno Sho (Spring) and Takarazuka Kinen—technically, Berno's senior.
"So then… why are you here, Gold City?"
Berno was puzzled.
Retired racers interested in a meet would normally just watch on race day.
Who comes to watch the training, too?
"…"
Gold City let out a long breath. "A friend asked me to do something."
She recalled the phone call that had yanked her out of a "not oversleeping, just beauty sleep" nap at noon.
She pressed a hand to her forehead, resigned.
"She's got a countrywoman who's like a little sister. That girl's in the Japan Cup this time, and my friend wants me to check her condition."
"Her name is… People's Queen, I think? Do you know her?"
"People's Queen?"
Berno blinked, then looked down at her notes. "Ah—her fastest split today was 60.8 seconds."
"I see."
Gold City nodded and was about to look around for her when the words clicked.
"…Today? Fastest?"
Gold City stared at Berno to confirm.
Isn't it only four-thirty?
Berno, all wide-eyed innocence, met her gaze. "She just finished and left."
"…Why did I even come…"
"Telling me that won't help anything…"
Having confirmed the People's Queen really had departed, Gold City sighed.
"Then I'll head off."
Berno shut her notebook and nodded. "Me too. No one's really showing their hand here—nothing useful to collect."
"Let's go together."
Gold City stretched with a lazy grin. "Back to the academy?"
She could already feel the soft embrace of her bed calling her.
"Ah—no."
Berno shook her head. "I'm going to Trainer Kuroha's. Oguri should be getting treatment there now—I'll pick her up."
"Trainer Kuroha?"
Gold City blinked.
Team Chasing Light's head trainer?
The squad with absurd overall strength—and two core members who came up from the provinces?
And he treats injuries, too?
Curiosity beat out drowsiness in an instant.
"Then I'll come along."
She pivoted naturally, interest brightening her face. "My driver's outside—we'll go straight there."
"Really? Then let's!"
Berno's eyes lit up.
…
Meanwhile, at the Mejiro training grounds.
Trainer's office.
Kuroha looked, a bit helpless, at the Oguri Cap in front of him, fists balled and eyes full of hopeful sparkles.
"With this leg, a normal hospital regimen—ten days… half a month at most—and you'll be fine…"
You call this an injury? For a horse girl, it's basically "overworked."
It's normal for a racer to take a month off after a run. Why come to me to fix it?
At that, Oguri shook her head like a rattle. "But I'm racing March again next month! Ten days is too long—I'll lose so much training time!"
"…"
Kuroha glanced at the SOS text from Ginjirou Musaka on his phone, then at the treatment fee that had hit his account right on schedule, and couldn't help grumbling inside:
I'm not a doctor…
(End of Chapter)
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