Tap, tap, tap!
Rapid footsteps sliced through the bend.
Orfevre snapped her body back into alignment, lowered her stance, and surged forward.
Fujiwara Chiya clicked the stopwatch and checked the time.
"Well, Trainer?"
Orfevre came trotting over on the balls of her feet.
"Has my time improved?"
"You're zero point two seconds faster than your average over the last few days."
"Only zero point two? Tch." Orfevre clicked her tongue, visibly dissatisfied.
"That's already incredible," Chiya said. "Your movements are smoother than before, and your angles are more precise. This kind of growth speed is a first for me… Wait. Orfevre, have you been practicing by yourself at night?"
"And what if I have?"
"No, it's not that practicing is bad. I'd just rather you call me over too. We're close to the race now, so I don't want you doing solo runs alone. If anything happens, I can help right away."
"I have not reached the point where I need to cram in extra practice. You need not worry about that, Trainer. And if I wished to train, I would naturally summon you. Or did you think I would allow you to sit around idle?"
"That's a relief. But how exactly did you manage such precise control?"
Even Shirayuki couldn't perform two micro-adjustments in the instant her foot lifted and touched down.
When it came to overall body control, Shirayuki was overwhelmingly ahead of Orfevre. After all, she had gone through who knew how much body-control training. Back then, she had probably wanted to curl up and die more than once.
So in terms of total control, Shirayuki was far beyond her.
But when it came purely to foot control, Orfevre was clearly stronger.
Was it talent?
Or had Orfevre undergone some special training?
"Obviously, it is because of my exceptional talent." Orfevre folded her arms. "For me, this growth speed is on the slow side. Trainer, it seems your development of me is still far from reaching its limit."
"I'll go back and adjust the training plan a little. Haa…"
Seeing the slight gloom on her trainer's face, Orfevre felt a dark little thrill.
Yes.
This was exactly what she wanted to see, that look of disappointment after he underestimated her!
And then she could do this.
"However, this is also your first time encountering an uma musume as magnificent as I, so it is only natural you would struggle. There is no need to be disheartened. While you develop me, I shall develop you as well."
"I really do still have a lot to learn. Let's stop here for today. I'll go back and do some research."
"Mm. Rest early, Trainer."
Fujiwara Chiya waved and said goodbye to the other uma musume.
After the man left, Gold Ship sidled over.
"Wanna grab dinner tonight, Orfevre?"
"No. I have matters to attend to. I'm going back."
"What kind of matters? Don't tell me you're going to see Trainer?"
"Foolish. Why would I need to go see Trainer? Trainer is the one who comes to see me."
"Ohhh? Says the girl who runs to Trainer's office every single day, then leans against the door for a while after leaving? You're leaking your little feelings everywhere, Orfevre."
The second she heard the word "leaking," Orfevre's ears and tail shot straight up.
"I-I am not leaking anything!"
"Huh? Shouldn't you be denying the first part?"
"Hmph."
Orfevre turned her head away, refused to entertain Gold Ship any further, and marched back toward the dorm.
Aww, she ran away already?
Uma musume who bolted the moment you teased them were no fun.
Shirayuki was way better. She'd play along and turn it into a whole comedy routine.
"Gold Ship, did you make Orfevre mad?"
"I did not. I just said she was leaking and she got like that."
"What!? Don't spread weird rumors! Orfevre has never leaked before!"
"Huh?"
Back in her room, Orfevre took a bath and dried herself off. Then she filled a basin with warm water.
Opening the fridge, she took out a bottle of honey and poured a little into the water.
She dipped her toes into the surface twice to test the temperature. Once she confirmed it was right, she placed both feet inside and began gently stirring.
The warm, slightly sticky sensation wrapped around her soles.
This was a foot-care method Orfevre had learned from the guide her sister gave her.
Honey could improve blood circulation, promote skin metabolism, and make the skin smoother. Considering what she planned to do to Trainer in the near future, Orfevre felt it was necessary to make her feet as soft and tender as possible.
What she wanted to see was Trainer's embarrassed face.
Not his pained one.
Besides making them softer and smoother, Orfevre also hoped the scent of honey would seep into her skin. That way, when she sweated in the future, it wouldn't taste salty or sour, but sweet like honey.
Just like the Empress.
Orfevre had heard more than once that the Empress's sweat was sweet.
She had even seen someone wipe the Empress's sweat, then treasure that damp handkerchief like a sacred relic and secretly hold it up to their nose.
At the time, Orfevre thought those people were beyond saving.
She couldn't accept it at all.
And yet now, Orfevre wanted Trainer to taste her sweat.
She wanted to tempt him with it.
If her sweat was sweet too…
Orfevre lifted one foot.
Fragrant honey water slid down between her toes.
With a mocking little smile, Orfevre said, "Lick it clean for me, Trainer."
"…"
Orfevre silently put her foot back into the basin.
Oh no.
That felt way too good!
The moment she imagined Trainer half-kneeling on the floor, cradling her foot in both hands, kissing her toes and serving her with absolute devotion, Orfevre's heart felt like it had floated straight into the clouds.
No.
She couldn't rush.
Trainer was already hers anyway. There would be plenty of ways to play with him in the future.
What Orfevre needed to do right now was train herself properly.
An uma musume's leg strength was immense. They could kick through steel plates. If she failed to control her strength while playing with Trainer, it could become extremely dangerous.
Orfevre had no intention of ruining the happiness of the rest of her life just for the sake of teasing him once.
That was why she had been training herself so strictly.
After soaking her feet, Orfevre wiped her pink soles, now so soft they almost seemed capable of swallowing her fingers. Then she took out the cup she normally used and placed it on the bed.
Orfevre spread her toes.
Rhythm.
Force.
Speed.
She controlled every detail with perfect seriousness. Her day-and-night training over this period had brought her foot control close to perfection. Thanks to that, her cornering control had improved as well, making her even better at bends.
Trainer was still wondering what had happened.
Well, of course he was.
No normal person would ever imagine an uma musume training herself like this.
"Trainer, I have gone to such lengths for you. If you dare fail to show me an amusing expression, you had better prepare yourself!"
Her toes twisted against the lid.
The cup toppled onto the floor, spilling water everywhere.
Watching the liquid spread across the ground, Orfevre's lips curled into a grin.
"Already finished? How disgraceful, Trainer."
Imagining Trainer's expression, Orfevre ran through the scene once in her head, then went into the bathroom to wash her underwear.