By the afternoon, Fujiwara Chiya's team had gained a new member, a brown-haired girl standing off to the side. It was Mejiro Dober, here to observe the training.
"You can sit in on training? That's a thing?" Gold Ship looked genuinely surprised.
"Anyway, just treat her as part of the team. She'll be training alongside you from now on. Got it?"
After everyone nodded in agreement, Chiya looked toward Dober. She gave a small, cautious nod in return.
"Alright, we'll follow the training plan as written. After the mock race, I summarized everyone's issues and marked them on your sheets. The red sections are what you need to focus on improving."
He handed out the training sheets again, giving Dober's copy to Shirayuki to pass along.
"Here you go, Dober senpai."
"I have one too?"
"Of course. You're part of the trainer's team now."
"I see…"
Dober carefully read through the sheet. The plan was incredibly detailed. Not just the exercises, but also what to watch out for during training. It even listed her personal weaknesses and specific ways to fix them.
If the instructor's plan was like a simple question, then a trainer's plan was a full process diagram, covering everything from timing to execution. It wasn't even comparable.
As she read, Dober felt a sudden clarity. Every issue in her running had been clearly identified and explained.
"Thank you so much…" she said, clutching the paper and bowing to Shirayuki.
"For now, you'll train with us."
After warming up, Chiya began individual training.
First up was Gold Ship.
He walked over and found her sitting on the ground.
"What are you doing? It's not break time yet."
"I'm training."
"Your training is stair jumps."
"No, Trainer," Gold Ship said without even opening her eyes. "Haven't you realized what I'm actually lacking?"
"…Isn't it stamina?"
"That's why you ordinary people only see the surface." She huffed. "What I lack is enlightenment."
"…What?"
"A transcendent state. Right now, I'm absorbing the energy of heaven and earth, bathing in the essence of the world. I should break through soon. Don't disturb me."
"…Are you training or not?"
"I am training."
Communication had completely broken down. Chiya gave up and moved on to Meisho Doto.
"Trainer, what is Gold Ship doing?"
"Meditation."
Spreading out Doto's training sheet, he said, "Doto, your main issue is your start. Your motion is too heavy, which hurts your acceleration."
"Y-yes! I'll go practice right now!"
"Wait."
He stopped her before she could run off.
"Check your shoes first. Make sure there's nothing wrong."
"Okay."
Doto sat down and inspected her horseshoes.
"Trainer, everything looks fine."
"Not enough. Check the laces too."
She tugged at them lightly.
"That's too weak. You need to pull harder. The force during a race is much stronger."
Chiya demonstrated, grabbing the middle section and pulling firmly to both sides.
"Trainer, that tickles…"
"Endure it."
At this point, he had decided to throw embarrassment out the window.
Doto was a special case. Normal checks weren't enough. With her luck, even something physically impossible could go wrong. He wouldn't be surprised if her shoes suddenly exploded mid-run.
After confirming her feet were fine, his gaze moved to her outfit.
"How does the front feel? Too tight?"
"It's fine."
"Did you actually check?"
"N-not yet…" Doto hesitated, then carefully lifted her chest slightly.
"Should the trainer check it…?"
Chiya immediately turned his head and glanced around. Noticing Rice Shower watching nearby, he cleared his throat.
"No. You check it yourself."
Doto tugged at the front of her uniform, testing the fabric. It held firm. She nodded.
"No problems."
"Alright. You're good to go."
Doto headed to the track and began practicing her starts. For once, everything went smoothly.
Finally, Chiya walked over to Rice Shower.
"Onii-sama!" she called happily.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said. Before training, there was something he needed to ask her.
"Rice, come here a second."
"Yes, Onii-sama?"
She stepped closer, rising onto her toes, ears perked.
"So… how did I get back last night?"
He needed answers. His coat was still missing.
"I carried you back, Onii-sama."
"…You?"
He looked at her small frame.
"Yes. You're really well-built, Onii-sama. It felt reassuring carrying you," she said with a smile.
Even knowing Uma Musume were incredibly strong, the image of such a small girl carrying a grown man made his vision go dark.
"…Sorry for the trouble."
"I was happy to help Onii-sama."
"I see… then why was I naked when I woke up?"
"Gold Ship said you would catch a cold if you stayed like that, so I took your clothes off."
"…You did?"
"Mm!" Rice nodded.
"Onii-sama's muscles are very firm. They're shaped nicely, too. They feel hard when you touch them."
Her small hands moved slightly, as if recalling the sensation.
"…Also, you were sweating, so I wiped you down. You said you were hot and asked me to change the towel."
As she spoke, Chiya felt his consciousness drifting away.
"Oh, and I think Gold Ship hid your clothes under the bed. She said you'd find them eventually when you start hiding books down there, but I thought I should tell you now—"
But her words no longer reached him.
A peaceful expression appeared on his face as he slowly fell backward.
On the other side, Shirayuki, who had been helping Dober with her training, looked at Chiya lying on the ground with a completely cold gaze.
"…Do you even have a reason to keep living?"