Facing Symboli Rudolf's goodwill, Shuta Ann did not accept it.
"For now, it's not needed. If I need anything later, I'll ask Miss Rudolf."
"Alright." Symboli Rudolf didn't press him, though she was undeniably curious about how he intended to overcome this hurdle.
"I'm going to rest now. Miss Rudolf, please finish work early as well." After sending that message, Shuta Ann plugged in his phone to charge, picked up his bathing supplies, and headed out.
With Oguri Cap scheduled to rest completely for the next two weeks, he at least had a small window to untangle the dilemma ahead.
"First, let's see what Dr. Grace comes up with" His current strategy was simple: after two weeks of rest, Oguri Cap would resume low-intensity training, just enough to regain her feel for running—while preventing further fatigue.
"Hopefully she gives me something unexpected," he muttered on his way to the bathroom. "As long as it isn't doping—but she knows me. She'd never suggest something against my principles."
The detached house had three bathrooms—two on the second floor, one on the third. Since he lived on the third floor, he naturally chose the largest bathroom there. After rinsing off, Shuta Ann eased himself into the bathtub, a folded towel placed atop his head. He had chosen a strongly carbonated moisturizing bath additive for the night—perfect for relieving fatigue. He leaned back against the edge, eyes drifting to the LCD screen displaying the current time.
"If only I had three more days—" He exhaled in frustration.
The moment the thought left him, the bathroom door cracked open.
"I'm taking a bath!" He quickly warned—he had no intention of inviting strange developments.
"That's why I came!!" Oguri Cap's voice rang clearly from behind the door.
Shuta Ann removed the towel and covered his face with it. "Oguri…alright."
A few minutes later, Oguri Cap sat quietly in his arms, the bathroom falling into stillness.
The Gray Uma Musume finally broke the silence.
"My choice is making Ann suffer, isn't it? You haven't said anything…but I can feel it."
"It's very difficult," he admitted without hesitation. "Ever since I learned to train Uma Musume, everyone—my father, my teachers—told me it takes at least ten days to shift from rest to peak condition. But this time, I might only have seven."
"But I must go." Oguri Cap leaned back, resting her head beneath his chin. "This is Tama's retirement race. If I give up, I'll never have another chance to race her in the Twinkle Series."
"But Oguri and Tama are one win and one draw. You have the advantage." Shuta Ann murmured softly.
"Tama wants to beat me at least once—otherwise she'll never feel confident when she receives her award as the URA Association's Uma Musume of the Year."
"That kind of confidence." His lips twitched. "No one receiving that award would feel confident. Oguri has four G1 wins this year, plus the title French Two Crowns. At this rate, getting into the Twinkle Series Hall of Fame next year would be easy."
"It's unbelievable when I think about it." Oguri Cap let out a long breath. "A few years ago, I never imagined reaching this point. Back then, being allowed to run at all was the limit of my dreams."
"And now Oguri stands so high that her imagination has expanded with her," Shuta Ann whispered, taking in her warmth and scent as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "This is just your classic year. We still have your older years—plenty of honors left to chase. In my opinion, surpassing the Emperor isn't impossible."
(I hope this kind of expectation didn't crush her like the manga. Since she has a new anchor of her emotional distress later)
"Seven G1 crowns or something—"
She stopped mid-sentence. She had intended to say "is still far away," but quickly realized—she already had four G1 victories. Among active Japanese Uma Musume, she now held the record.
"Three more to go," she corrected herself.
Shuta Ann began laying out his plan.
"If I were conservative, next year I'd have you start with a G2 to warm up, then follow the path: Takarazuka Kinen → Autumn Tenno Sho → Japan Cup or Arima Kinen. That way we can aim for seven G1s reliably."
"Then the year after, with Berno, we'd go global—Europe, North America, Australia—and return to Japan for the final Arima Kinen."
"The intervals sound long," Oguri assessed thoughtfully.
"That's how I keep you in peak condition for every race," he explained, lightly stroking her lower abdomen—still pleasantly round from her large dinner.
Oguri Cap caught his hand with both of hers, cheeks flushing as she whispered, "So that's why Ann didn't want me to race this time, right? Even if it disappoints the fans? I heard many voted for me in the Arima Kinen poll."
"Their disappointment doesn't matter." His hand slid upward before she stopped it. "I'm not responsible for them. Neither of us campaigned for votes. If we had, then criticism would be expected. But we didn't—so there's nothing to worry about."
Oguri Cap turned in his arms, shifting her posture so she faced him directly.
"But all of this depends on me winning the Arima Kinen, doesn't it?"
Shuta Ann didn't answer immediately.
"If it weren't Oguri—if it were Teio, or any other Uma Musume, I would've refused. Absolutely. The risk is obvious. Honestly, I should've stopped you from trying for the Arima Kinen. I don't want you to carry this danger."
Oguri Cap shook her head.
"That's impossible. As Uma Musume, aren't we always taking risks every time we step onto the track?"
"Yes, troublesome instinct." He sighed. "For a Uma Musume, the racetrack is the stage where we prove your worth."
"Not always." Oguri Cap released his hand, straightened up slightly, and met his eyes. "I've heard stories of mothers and daughters winning the same G1 race."
Lying on the bed, Shuta An gently held the right hand of the Gray Uma Musume beside him. After the effort they had put in earlier, sleep claimed him faster than it had in a long time. Tonight's Dream World brought him once again to Nagahama Ranch, where Teio was being raised. Just like his previous visits, the staff escorted him straight to the young foal.
But unlike before, Teio had already been weaned. The separation from her mother was pitiful, yes—but for Shuta An, it was a blessing. A protective mare's instincts were no joke; during past visits, the staff's nervous tension had always been because of her.
Now, he could communicate with Teio, re-familiarize himself, rub her head, and spend time with her without worrying about a sudden flying kick from an anxious mother. After walking Teio back to her current stable, one of the staff spoke up.
"By next spring, Teio will be going to the breeding ranch. The owner hopes that when riding training starts, Shuta-kun can be the one to help her."
Normally, riding training during the breeding stage was handled entirely by the ranch's professionals.
Requests like this weren't something ordinary jockeys accepted lightly. But Shuta An gazed at Teio's gifted physique and talent, and answered without hesitation.
"No problem. As long as my races take priority."
"It'll be around summer anyway," the staff replied with a grin. "You can stay in Hokkaido around that time."
"That sounds great." Shuta An smiled back. "I'm really looking forward to seeing how Teio grows."
"Good luck in the Arima Kinen! Everyone at the ranch is rooting for Oguri Cap and Shuta-kun. Your Japan Cup win was incredible—we hope Teio can one day run a race like that with you too!"
"There'll definitely be a chance," Shuta An replied firmly. "Teio has the top-level talent of her generation."
But the staff only chuckled politely. For Nagahama Ranch, which had never produced even a minor stakes winner—not even an open race or a listed race—Shuta's words sounded like nothing more than encouragement. If Teio could simply enter the Japan Cup one day, that alone would be enough for them to throw a celebration.
Shuta An understood the gap in perspective, so he let the matter rest.
When morning came, Oguri Cap was already gone. Judging from the coolness of her side of the bed, she must have left quite a while earlier.
"So I actually slept later than Oguri today—" Shuta muttered, rubbing his hair before checking his phone—only to find multiple Line messages from Dr. Grace.
"She figured something out in one day?" He raised his eyebrows.
Opening the chat, he read through the messages. Dr. Grace proposed a recovery plan—compliant nutritional supplements paired with low-intensity training to gradually restore condition and heal accumulated damage. But she noted at the end that this was purely theoretical; there was no experimental data. If Shuta hadn't been so desperate, she would absolutely have found some unlucky volunteers to test this on first.
"Guess Oguri and I are the mormot, huh," he sighed.
But as long as Oguri Cap didn't change her mind, there was no avoiding it.
"If only I could get answers from the Dream World too." A strange thought, one he had never had before, flickered through him.
He shook it off. "I'll tell Oguri about Dr. Grace's suggestion over breakfast."
Since he woke up late, breakfast had been made by Berno Light. With a sandwich in hand, Shuta didn't bite into it. Instead, he turned to the girl beside him, who was quietly devouring hot spring eggs one after another.
"Oguri, about your training plan—I heard something from a friend on the West Coast. She said the method is still theoretical and untested. She can guarantee there won't be short/long-termnegative effects, but she can't promise how effective it'll be."
If Dr. Grace had not guaranteed that much, or if the supplements weren't fully compliant with URA regulations, Shuta would have never brought the idea up. He would've scolded Dr. Grace instead. Even now, knowing it was safe, he still felt uneasy. Asking Oguri to undertake a regimen no Uma Musume had ever tried before—if it didn't deliver, the Arima Kinen could end in bitter disappointment.
But Oguri Cap didn't hesitate even for a heartbeat.
"I want to do it! I need to be in the best condition to say farewell to Tama at the Arima Kinen. I'll do it seriously!"
Her unwavering tone made Shuta exhale softly.
"Alright. Then we'll start the day after tomorrow. I need today and tomorrow to prepare everything you'll need."
"Materials?" Berno Light finally cut in. "Ann, want me to help?"
"I have to do this myself," he replied. "Berno, you and Oguri should go out. Relax a bit. She'll start training again soon."
"Then I'll take her to the Port District malls! Last time we met Teio's group and just followed their route—there are still so many shops we haven't explored." Berno rubbed her palms together. "And Oguri needs winter clothes anyway. She keeps wearing sports outfits, but it's getting colder. We can't have her catching a cold."
At that moment, Oguri Cap finished her breakfast, put her hands together, and said with perfect manners: "Thank you for the meal!"
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