Gray hair, blue-gray eyes. The one who approached was none other than one of the most prominent figures at Tracen, the so-called "Ashen Monster," Oguri Cap.
She glanced at Shirayuki, hesitated for a moment, then asked, "May I sit here?"
"Go ahead."
The moment Oguri set down her tray, a heavy shadow fell over Shirayuki's face.
Is there some kind of event today? Why do these monsters keep showing up one after another like they're free?
Shirayuki had watched Oguri's races before. Her flexibility and raw strength were exceptional, and her balance was on an entirely different level. Shirayuki had even bought her merchandise and posters.
If this had been a year ago, she would have rushed over excitedly just to shake her hand. But after a year of experience, she had learned how unpredictable Uma Musume could be. If she wanted to maintain good relationships, she needed to understand their personalities.
Some could be reasoned with. Others required… different approaches.
"What's your name?"
"Shirayuki. Fujiwara Shirayuki."
She swallowed her food before answering.
"I see."
"And yours, senpai?"
"Oguri Cap."
With introductions over, Shirayuki stood up again. Even after finishing two large plates, she still felt hungry.
Why does this body burn through energy so fast?
She returned with yet another piled-up tray. This time, Oguri's gaze toward her carried a hint of curiosity.
"Do you always eat this much?"
"…Yeah."
Though her "usual" only consisted of a single day. After all, today was only the second day of her existence.
"Impressive… Don't you feel embarrassed?"
"Why would I?"
"Well… eating this much in front of everyone. Most people would feel at least a little self-conscious."
Shirayuki set her chopsticks down.
"I've never really thought about it. Do you think eating a lot is a bad thing, senpai?"
"No, not at all." Oguri shook her head quickly. "When I first came to Tracen, people used to tease me about how much I ate. I just wondered if you might have the same problem."
"I don't."
At least not until you said it.
Now I do.
Didn't Amazon say Uma Musume don't care about stuff like this? I was trying to build a perfect image too…
Looks like I'll have to start eating in my dorm from now on.
Well, not today. Training was exhausting. I'm not dealing with that right now.
Under Oguri's slightly admiring gaze, Shirayuki finished what looked like enough food for ten people, then stood up in satisfaction.
"I'll head off first. See you around, Oguri-senpai."
She still needed to reflect on today's training. Even though it was technically a success, watching Rudolf and Brian pass her and head for the finish line had left a bitter feeling in her chest. A restless frustration she had never experienced before lingered inside her.
She needed to calm down and revise tomorrow's training plan.
She was going to push this body harder.
"Oh, Fujiwara."
Oguri suddenly raised her hand as if remembering something.
"If you don't mind… can we eat together again sometime?"
"Sure. You want to be my eating buddy?"
"Eating buddy?"
"It just means friends who eat together."
Oguri blinked, then nodded firmly.
"Of course."
After Shirayuki left, Oguri quietly continued eating.
"Oguri, so this is where you were."
"Tamamo…" Oguri spoke between bites. "I made a new eating buddy."
"An eating buddy?"
"Yeah. She eats in a really satisfying way. Just watching her makes me hungry. Food tastes better when she's around."
"…What kind of seasoning is that? Are you eating your classmate along with your food?"
"I didn't eat her."
"That's not what I meant. If she's your friend, treat her properly. Don't say things that make it sound like she's food."
"I'm not saying she's food. I'm just saying she's nice to watch while eating."
"…Oguri, you didn't bite her or anything, right?"
"No."
Meanwhile, Shirayuki had already returned to her room.
She shut the door, opened her computer, and started browsing online stores.
To strengthen her legs, she needed heavier horseshoes for training. She also needed sturdier shoes. And maybe a balance ball for core and stability training in her room.
After selecting everything, she entered her payment password.
Then she waited for the loading circle to finish.
[Notice: Insufficient balance]
Her heart dropped.
She rubbed her eyes and stared at the screen.
No way… how can such terrifying words exist in this world?
As if trying to escape reality, she quietly closed the page, collapsed onto her bed for a moment, then pulled out her phone to check her account.
"Balance… thirty thousand yen…"
"…Ahhh!"
She clutched her head.
What did I even spend money on?! How am I already broke?!
Scrolling through her transaction history, she found a six-digit charge.
"Tracen payment record… tuition, 150,000 yen… uniform, 30,000 yen… textbooks…"
Looking at the detailed list, she felt like crying.
Two days. Just two days, and she was completely broke.
She had told the chairman to deduct tuition from Chiya's salary account, but she never expected it to happen so quietly. By the time she noticed, she was already financially ruined.
There were still over two weeks until the next paycheck.
How was she supposed to survive until then?
Shirayuki dropped to her knees.
Life had already crushed her.
I just want to be a carefree student…
Only after stepping into the real world did she realize how harsh it was.
"Shirayuki… what are you doing?"
Before she noticed, Mejiro Dober had returned. A towel hung around her neck, and sweat covered her face. She had clearly just finished training.
"Dober-senpai…"
Shirayuki covered her face.
She wouldn't understand.
As a member of the Mejiro family, Dober had been born into privilege. The Mejiro family was wealthy, well-connected, and deeply rooted among elite circles. They hosted banquets with influential figures and lived in a completely different world.
Worrying about tuition? That was something they would never even think about.
"What's wrong… Shirayuki?"
Seeing her mood, Dober couldn't help but ask.
Is this about what I said earlier…?
Thinking about it, she had been a bit too harsh. No matter what, he was Shirayuki's trainer.
Still, Dober had seen things before. She knew those problems existed in Tracen. Shirayuki was simply too trusting.
"…Sorry."
"Dober-senpai?"
"I may have gone too far. But I really do hope that, as a girl, you'll learn to protect yourself out there…"
"…Huh?"
"You're not upset about what I said about your trainer?"
"Oh… that." Shirayuki smiled faintly. "I'm not that immature. I wouldn't get angry over something like that. It's enough that you understand it was a misunderstanding. I'm worried about something else."
"Something else?"
"…Something you'll probably never have to deal with, Dober-senpai."
If I were part of the Mejiro family… would I even have to worry about this?
For a brief moment, it felt like Dober heard that thought.
"…It's nothing. Good night, Dober-senpai."
Without even changing clothes, Shirayuki flopped onto her bed and pulled the blanket over herself.
"Good night…"
Dober could only respond blankly, watching Shirayuki hide under the covers like someone trying to escape reality.