Trainers, teachers, and uma musume stood together, staring at the once-in-a-century scene before them.
A trainer was running alongside his own uma musume on the training ground.
His speed did not fall behind theirs at all. While running, he was even loudly giving instructions.
The sight inevitably made the experienced teachers fall into self-doubt.
Had they missed something?
Were trainers supposed to run alongside uma musume now?
Some, however, showed expressions of sudden understanding.
Maybe he had hidden his ears under a headband and tucked his tail into his trousers.
Yes. That trainer was actually an uma musume!
He was just pretending to be human.
One only had to look at his face to understand. If he was a man, he was far too pretty. If he was a woman, then everything made sense.
With that, everything became reasonable.
Though his voice leaned toward masculine, that detail was hardly important compared with his physical ability.
Once the parallel run ended, Fujiwara Chiya stopped and instructed his uma musume to move on to specialized training. Then he looked toward the crowd gathered in the distance and could not help frowning.
These people kept looking at him as if he were some alien life-form, and it made him extremely uncomfortable.
What made him even more uncomfortable was Satake Mei standing in the middle of that crowd, giving him a thumbs-up, as if he had done something incredible.
If you told a newborn baby, "Wow, you're so good at walking," that would be praise.
But if you said the same thing to an adult in his twenties, it would only sound like you were asking for a beating.
I thought you were on the same level as Silence Suzuka. I always treated you like a bro, and this is how you tease me?
Mei, I'm disappointed in you.
Chiya glanced at her, then noticed Mei was talking to several bearded middle-aged men. Those men kept looking in his direction.
Enough already.
Do you hear me?
If you people are planning to start researching me, I don't mind hanging you from the top of the Eiffel Tower.
Agnes Tachyon alone is more than enough when it comes to researching me.
Speaking of Agnes Tachyon, she had been messaging Chiya frequently lately, asking about his body, whether anything abnormal had appeared, and what he should do if he had trouble adapting to the local environment.
Agnes Tachyon did not like phone calls. Everything was done through messages.
Chiya had once asked her why, and Agnes Tachyon said written records were more accurate and effective than calls. They were also harder to forget.
That was why Agnes Tachyon always carried a small notebook with her, often writing something down in it.
Chiya had copied that habit and now kept paper and a pen on him as well.
Sometimes, when he took them out to write something down, Agnes Tachyon would show a faint smile that was almost impossible to notice.
During this period, Chiya had trained all of his uma musume.
Aside from Shirayuki, the one who performed best was actually Gold Ship. Next came Meisho Doto. Rice Shower and Matikane Fukukitaru were not very suited to the heavy turf here.
Chiya had asked Gold Ship and Doto if they wanted to take part in any races while they were here. It was a rare opportunity, and they could bring a result back home.
However, neither of them showed much interest.
Gold Ship said bluntly that she had come here to play and had no intention of joining any races.
Meisho Doto looked as though she had been scared out of her wits.
"If I can beat Opera O-san… maybe then I'll have the courage to take that step…"
In other words, she would only race here once she had the strength to beat T.M. Opera O.
Chiya felt that was a long road. At the very least, there would be no chance during this trip.
"Trainer."
After training ended, Gold Ship came to find him.
"We've been here for about a week now, right, Trainer?"
"Eight days."
"Let's call it a week. And during this time, we've been stuck at school the whole time. We haven't gone out at all."
"You don't know the roads around here. If you get lost, I'll have to go to the police station to pick you up."
"So!"
Gold Ship raised her voice.
"Trainer, take us out to play! We've been cooped up in school for so long. What happened to eating and playing as much as we wanted over here? Don't tell me you were just making empty promises!"
"No… I've just had a lot to deal with recently. Once I find some free time, I'll take you all out…"
"There it is! Classic PUA line. Just keep dragging things out. Today, little Golshi will transform into an anti-PUA warrior and blow you up!"
With that, Gold Ship leapt onto Chiya's back.
Her legs clamped around him, and she used both hands to cover his eyes, locking herself firmly around his head.
"Mmph… Ship…"
Chiya felt two soft masses wrap around his head, bouncing slightly with every movement he made.
How had he never noticed before that Gold Ship's body was so impressive?
"You think you can offend Gold Ship-sama and walk away? Today, I'm going to demand justice for all of us. Hora! Hora hora!"
Gold Ship hugged Chiya and rocked her body back and forth.
If this had been before, Chiya would have struggled a little. But after his evolution, he barely felt Gold Ship's weight at all.
Rather than her weight, what Chiya cared about more was the feeling of Gold Ship's body.
Those two soft, springy masses kept rubbing against his neck, and a faint fragrance drifted into his nose.
Slowly, Chiya bent forward.
"Uya?"
Seeing Chiya's reaction, Gold Ship flashed a wicked grin.
"What's wrong, Trainer? Bad kidneys? You're already panting just from carrying me for a bit? That won't do, Trainer. Everyone's happiness depends on your body, you know. If you can't hold up, what are all us uma musume supposed to do?"
"Gold Ship, you…"
Chiya's muffled voice came from inside her palms.
"Want little Gold Ship to help train you? I can train your stamina and endurance. You're already done after carrying me for a little while, you weakling trainer~"
Gold Ship breathed by his ear, drawing out each word in a teasing voice.
What a rare sight.
Chiya never thought he would encounter Gold Ship in bratty little devil mode.
Annoyed, he reached back to grab Gold Ship, who was clinging to him like a bound spirit.
But unexpectedly, his hand landed directly on Gold Ship's backside.
In that instant, Gold Ship's body froze.
That state lasted for about half a second.
Then she jumped down from Chiya's body.
And for one of the rarest moments in Chiya's life, he saw Gold Ship with pink cheeks.
Her expression shifted several times before she finally curled the corner of her mouth into an exaggerated smile, as though she were desperately suppressing something.
"Okay, Trainer. So you sneak-attacked Gold Ship-sama, huh… Just you wait! I'll repay this grudge tenfold!"
With that, Gold Ship ran away.
Tenfold repayment?
Did that mean Gold Ship was planning to grab his butt ten times?