After a moment of quiet reflection, Kuroha put the documents away. Then he narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint glimmer flickering deep within his gaze—so subtle it was almost impossible to notice.
His eyes swept across the four girls in front of him as the power of [Body and Breath Perception] surged.
A few seconds later, the glimmer faded. Kuroha nodded in satisfaction.
"You've kept things in great shape. The fundamentals are solid. No slacking off, no messing around with random training just because I was gone."
He turned to the trainee trainer standing to the side, visibly tense, and didn't hold back his praise.
"Aoi, you've worked hard these past few months."
"Keeping them at this level means your coaching is already fully up to standard."
"Huh? Hehe…" Suddenly praised like that, Aoi Kiryuin scratched her head shyly, face going a little red. "I-I didn't really do anything… Everyone just worked hard on their own…"
"Hey, Trainer." Off to the side, Tokai Teio suddenly remembered something and asked with bright curiosity, "Weren't you overseas with Oguri on her expedition? Why'd you suddenly come back?"
She leaned in, grinning like she already knew the answer.
"Don't tell me you came back just to see Teio-sama?"
"Don't get full of yourself." Kuroha flicked her forehead with a laugh. Then he sobered, his gaze shifting to the purple-haired girl beside her.
"I came back mainly to take charge of your Kikuka Sho."
Kikuka Sho…
Hearing those three words, McQueen's graceful poise froze for a beat. Then she lifted her chin slightly, subtly straightening her posture—pushing out a proud little bud that was basically on par with Teio's.
It wasn't much, but the arrogance was very real.
Kuroha looked at the scene and barely managed to hold back a smile. His eyes softened as they swept over everyone in front of him.
"Of course, besides the race…"
"The biggest reason is still that it's been too long. I missed you, so I came back to see you."
"..."
That simple line sent ripples through the room. For an instant, the girls' breathing even seemed to lighten.
Once the brief catching-up was done, Kuroha gestured, and Aoi quickly brought over a laptop and set it on the coffee table.
Kuroha sat forward on the sofa, paper training data in one hand and the mouse in the other, pulling up footage from Teio and McQueen's training over the past three months.
He dragged the two of them along, pointing out every tiny flaw that had crept in while he was gone—correcting them one by one, filling the gaps cleanly.
…
Before they knew it, more than an hour had passed.
At the entrance of the Mejiro training grounds, three small figures with schoolbags came in together.
They walked and chatted as they went.
"Bourbon," Silent Suzuka asked, turning her head with curiosity, "have you… gotten faster lately?"
None of the three had reached True Blooming yet. Their bodies still weren't fully developed.
So before Kuroha left, the training he'd planned for them was mostly basic athletic development and technique work—nothing too intense.
But lately, during their morning practice together, Suzuka could clearly feel it: Mihono Bourbon's speed and power had improved in a way you could see with your own eyes.
A few months of steady accumulation would've been normal.
But this was a change that happened in less than a month.
The efficiency was almost like it had doubled.
"Mm." Bourbon blinked, tone flat as ever. "Growth efficiency has indeed accelerated beyond projections. Cause… unknown."
"This anomaly has been added to the memo log. I will inquire when Master returns."
As she spoke, Bourbon's pupils tightened slightly—so slight it was easy to miss.
Clearly, even she didn't really understand what was happening to her body.
"Um…" Beside them, Rice Shower clutched her bag strap and mumbled in a tiny voice, "R-Rice Shower also feels like…"
But she was too quiet—more like a mosquito's hum.
The two friends in front of her didn't hear a thing.
"..." Rice Shower opened her mouth, then finally lowered her head in disappointment, silently trailing behind Bourbon.
The moment they stepped into the inner grounds—
those sharp eyes of theirs instantly caught the familiar figure near the track.
In that instant, the calm atmosphere shattered.
"Master!"
"Trainer!"
"Trainer-nii…"
Three young voices rang out, each different, all filled with surprise and delight.
The three little ones, bags still on their backs, dashed over on short legs—pat pat pat.
"Hm?" Kuroha turned at the sound, the severity in his eyes melting into a smile.
He crouched down and caught all three as they ran into him.
"Long time no see, Bourbon, Rice Shower, and Suzuka."
Perfect timing—his guidance session had just hit a stopping point, and Teio and McQueen needed a moment to digest what he'd pointed out.
After a bit of catching up with the three little ones, Kuroha stood up, casual and relaxed.
"Alright. Let's go to the side track. I want to see if you've been slacking."
He'd come back this time to get everything handled. These three's training was obviously part of it.
…
On a smaller side track at the Mejiro training grounds, the three changed into light athletic wear and started basic jump-rope and shuttle-run drills.
Kuroha stood nearby, chatting easily with them.
"So you feel like your progress sped up?"
As Bourbon explained, a glimmer flashed in Kuroha's eyes.
In his vision—whether it was Bourbon right in front of him, or Rice Shower doing shuttle runs not far away—
there was a faint, almost imperceptible thread of light coiling around their small bodies.
Thin as mist, yet dazzling—prismatic, like seven colors layered together.
Kuroha's heart gave a small jump.
He knew that glow.
Back then, right before McQueen and Teio underwent that transformation, the same sign had appeared on them.
It was the prelude to—[True Blooming].
The light was still weak right now, like a candle flame in the wind. Clearly, it would be a while before the real change arrived.
Of course, Suzuka didn't have it at all. It was still far too early for that interdimensional runaway's era.
"This is a good thing. Don't worry too much." Kuroha patted the cyber pony's head.
"Understood! Then I will continue training." Bourbon didn't question her trainer's judgment. She simply nodded, turned, and started running again.
"True Blooming, huh…" Kuroha watched her back, rubbing his chin, then shifted his gaze toward the figure jump-roping earnestly a little farther away.
…
After spending over a month living day and night with Haito Star—who'd already fully grown into a "big sis" type—back in Ireland…
Kuroha had long since mastered how to interact with Umamusume of that temperament.
In just a few minutes, he managed to tease the black-haired, violet-eyed little girl in the blue rose hat until her cheeks flushed bright red.
"So you're saying there's a new restaurant shop near the academy that's really good?" Kuroha asked with a smile.
"Mm…" Rice Shower's jump-rope rhythm faltered a little. Nervous, she answered, "R-Rice Shower went a few days ago… It was really tasty!"
Like she was afraid he wouldn't believe her, she hurriedly added—still lacking confidence.
"B-But… I-I don't know if it'll suit your taste, Trainer-nii…"
"If Rice Shower says it's good, then it's probably good." Kuroha smiled, his tone full of trust.
"Huh? R-really?" Because of that unreserved trust, Rice Shower lowered her head shyly.
Even her rope work got a little sloppy from excitement, and she nearly tripped herself.
"Of course." Kuroha spoke softly, then pointed out her mistake in training. "Slow down. Don't chase speed with jump rope."
"Mix fast and slow. Find the feeling of power transfer. This drill is mainly for your explosiveness and cardio. It's not just about jumping faster, okay?"
"Y-yes…"
Watching the black-haired little girl struggle to adjust, Kuroha finally nodded with satisfaction.
Rice Shower's personality had issues—timid, weak-voiced.
But her talent, grit, and hunger to win were the real thing.
As long as she was guided properly, she would become an excellent Umamusume.
And more importantly, now that she was in Chasing Light—no matter how many wins she earned in the future—
she would be met with cheers and admiration, not the malice she'd faced in that other world.
"One more thing," Kuroha said.
"Hm?" Rice Shower looked up, eyes fixed on him.
Kuroha smiled lightly. "From now on, if you feel like something's off with your body, you need to say it yourself."
"Like… the way your improvement speed has been, same as Bourbon's."
"Otherwise, everyone's going to worry."
Rice Shower froze.
Then—boom—her whole face flushed crimson, her ears practically steaming.
He… he saw through it…
Rice Shower felt like her entire body was on fire. She wanted to dig a hole and disappear into the ground.
And yet, at the same time, warmth spread slowly from her chest through her whole body.
Trainer-nii wasn't only paying attention to Bourbon…
He was paying attention to how Rice Shower felt, too…
It took her a few seconds to come back to herself. Her voice was thin as a whisper.
"R-Rice Shower… understands."
Seeing her like that, Kuroha couldn't help laughing. He reached out and gently ruffled her soft black hair.
"No need to be so nervous. I'm just worried you'll bottle things up until you make yourself miserable."
"…Mm." Rice Shower stared at the gentle trainer in front of her for a long moment, then finally nodded quietly, lost in her own thoughts.
(End of Chapter)
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