Smart Falcon, listening to their conversation, recalled the scene of Sakura Baimu patting her head.
She felt her cheeks involuntarily begin to burn.
After hesitating for a moment, she asked in a low voice.
"Um… what did Miss McQueen do to make Trainer-san so afraid of you?"
"No… I didn't do anything! It's normal to feel uncomfortable when a stranger pats my head, right?!" Mejiro McQueen exclaimed.
"Yeah, McQueen, you didn't do anything either—just a few over-the-shoulder throws and a few flying kicks at Trainer-san," Tokai Teio whispered.
Smart Falcon, Kitasan Black, and Satono Diamond: "???"
"I… I was just kidding! Look at Spica, their Trainer is like that too, isn't she?!"
Seeing the increasingly strange looks from her teammates, McQueen quickly explained, blushing.
"It's strange how you guys accept this so readily! It's supposed to be so embarrassing!"
"At least we won't make our Trainer too scared to pat our heads for comfort," Tokai Teio complained.
"Alright, alright, alright! Let's stop this topic!!"
Mejiro McQueen imagined the scene from that afternoon when Sakura Baimu wanted to pat her head to comfort her but hesitated for fear of upsetting her. Suddenly, she felt a pang of pity for Sakura Baimu.
With Tokai Teio and Satono Diamond teasing her, Mejiro McQueen felt increasingly guilty.
"By the way, I have a question."
Kitasan Black, who had been listening silently, suddenly spoke up.
"What is it, Kita-san?" Mejiro McQueen quickly asked.
"Trainer-san seems to customize the most suitable running style for each race or each track. For example, how to run uphill, how to maintain pace downhill, etc. How do you think she does that? She figured all that out in one night!"
"Our Trainer-san hasn't trained any other Umamusumes before Miss McQueen and Miss Teiō, so she probably doesn't have any prior experience. Besides, things like uphill and downhill running techniques can only be figured out by Umamusumes themselves, right? How did she, a human, figure it out so quickly?" Kitasan Black asked, puzzled.
"Uh, I don't know either. Trainer-san just always comes up with the plan, and then I practice with McQueen," Tokai Teio said.
"I suspect she got it from Rigil's trainer."
Mejiro McQueen couldn't help but speculate about Sakura Baimu again.
"Impossible. Why would Rigil's trainer share something like that with someone else? Besides, I've never seen the president use that uphill method," Tokai Teio denied.
"What else could have happened?" Mejiro McQueen asked. "She couldn't have just run off on her own, could she?"
"Of course not," Tokai Teio denied. "I suspect Trainer-san got help from another Umamusume."
"Indeed, she seems to be quite close to Oguri Cap and Berno Light."
--
Sakura Baimu arrived at the hospital where Rice Shower was. There, she found Mihono Bourbon sitting in a chair, looking half-asleep, and Rice Shower already fast asleep.
She gently patted Mihono Bourbon's shoulder, jolting her awake.
"Sensing danger... Bourbon is about to activate counterattack mode!"
Sakura Baimu: "???"
What the heck?
Mihono Bourbon relaxed after seeing Sakura Baimu.
"It was a calculation error, resulting in insufficient caffeine intake."
"Alright, caffeine only makes you feel less tired; it doesn't restore your energy."
Sakura Baimu spoke, handing Mihono Bourbon a small bottle of nutrient solution.
"Drink this and go back to sleep."
"I'm going to sleep anyway, so I don't need it…"
"Alright, drink it."
Mihono Bourbon nodded, downed the nutrient solution in one gulp, then blinked and suddenly turned to look at Sakura Baimu.
"I sense my energy has been restored!"
"Impressive, isn't it?" Sakura Baimu smiled.
Then she lowered her voice.
"Did you ask Rice Shower about Golden Crown Eagle?"
"No, I didn't. I was worried Rice would get agitated again, and if something happened, I wouldn't be able to ring the call bell for a doctor."
Mihono Bourbon has a "killer of appliances" trait; any appliance she touches will instantly malfunction.
"Alright, I understand. You can go back now."
"Okay." Mihono Bourbon nodded, and before leaving, turned back to Sakura Baimu and whispered:
"Thank you for helping Rice, Trainer Sakura."
Mihono Bourbon finished speaking, managing only a faint smile with all her might.
She looked exactly like a robot that had received a "smile" command.
"It's nothing. After all, everyone likes Rice Shower." Sakura Baimu smiled back and said goodbye to Mihono Bourbon.
After Mihono Bourbon left, Sakura Baimu turned her gaze back to the sleeping Rice Shower.
Then she gently placed her hand on Rice Shower's leg and began using the system's functions to heal her.
--
About two hours later, Sakura Baimu was suddenly awakened by the vibration of her phone.
She opened her eyes, took out her phone, and glanced at it. It was Akikawa Yayoi calling.
"Hello? Yayoi, what's up?"
"Sakura! Are you at the hospital right now?"
"Yes, I'm with Rice Shower."
Sakura Baimu quietly got up and left the room, replying softly.
"What's wrong?"
"The hospital called again. Another child was injured and brought in. I guessed you might be there, so I thought I'd ask you to go see her."
"What?! Again!!!"
Sakura Baimu's eyes sharpened, and her tone became more serious.
"Where is she? I'm coming right now."
--
About an hour later, Sakura Baimu emerged from the room with a grim face.
This time, the injured Umamusume was named Queen Beret, a rather violent, power-type Umamusume.
Sakura Baimu was familiar with this person's past; she had used underhanded tactics during Special Week's debut competition, attempting to eliminate Special Week by clashing with her performance.
Unexpectedly, Queen Beret, who favored such underhanded tactics, ended up falling victim to them herself.
Furthermore, she also exhibited symptoms of psychological trauma.
Until the doctor administered the sedative, she appeared to have witnessed something extremely horrific, her eyes trembling uncontrollably.
The doctor deduced that she had been traumatized.
The symptoms were the same as those of the Umamusumes from the night before.