Actually, it was not only Rice Shower. Shirayuki would also be participating in a race next month. Rice Shower's race was at the beginning of the month, while Shirayuki's was in the middle. It was also a Grade 3 graded race, a two-thousand-metre event limited to fillies: the Shion Stakes.
She had not expected to welcome her first graded race so quickly. A Grade 3 race was still a race only one in a thousand Uma Musume could win. One had to know that even winning a single graded race was a considerable honour for an Uma Musume. Some Uma Musume might run their whole lives simply hoping for one victory in a race with an official grade.
Therefore, every victory was hard-won. She was not some heaven-blessed prodigy who could casually take an undefeated record. That was unrealistic. In short-distance races, she was not as good as Sakura Bakushin O. In long-distance races, she was not as good as Rice Shower and Mihono Bourbon.
What Shirayuki needed to do was become a steady hard worker and find the track most suited to her.
After finishing the day's training, Shirayuki collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion. Today, she had followed Kurosawa's training plan. Once she completed the entire set, she felt completely drained. The number of running laps was twice as many as usual, the single-leg jump sets were doubled as well, and there were horse-stance squats and other exercises. The whole thing could be summed up in one sentence: if it did not kill you, train as if it would.
So uncomfortable. My body is soaked.
Fujiwara Shirayuki lay on the grass, not wanting to move at all.
Mihono Bourbon, who had trained with her the whole time, walked over and handed her a bottle of water.
"Detection: body temperature too high. Shirayuki-san should return and take a bath to relieve fatigue."
"I think so too. Thank you for today, Bourbon-senpai. Training beside you taught me a lot."
"So far, Shirayuki-san is the only one who has completed the entire training process."
Normally, other Uma Musume had also trained with her, but they had all failed halfway because the intensity was too high. Mihono Bourbon could tell that Shirayuki also struggled to endure this high-intensity training. Even so, she persisted alongside her. Shirayuki's willpower was worthy of praise.
Mihono Bourbon opened a bottle of water and sat beside Shirayuki.
"Bourbon-senpai... you shouldn't sit too close to me."
"Unclear. Why?"
"After training, my body has a strange smell. If you get too close, it might affect you."
"All Uma Musume have strange smells after training. It is not something shameful. No need to worry."
Sweat was a warrior's medal. Mihono Bourbon believed this.
"That isn't the kind of smell I mean..."
Mihono Bourbon sniffed lightly. Indeed, she could smell something special from Shirayuki, but it was not the smell of sweat. It was a certain sweet fragrance, a little like the scent drifting from the cake shop she often visited.
Faintly, Mihono Bourbon's mouth watered, and her stomach seemed about to rumble.
"How is it, Bourbon-senpai? Isn't there a strange scent?"
"Yes. But it is not unpleasant. Rather, it makes one feel emotionally pleasant. Even fatigue seems slightly reduced."
Looking at Bourbon's poker face, Shirayuki felt that she did not seem to be greatly affected by the scent.
"If there is another chance, would you like to train together again?" Mihono Bourbon rarely issued an invitation.
Fujiwara Shirayuki thought about it.
Senior Kurosawa's training intensity was high, but his compact training plan really could help her improve training efficiency. Especially when she trained together with Mihono Bourbon, the other girl could supervise her from the side. That cold, precise voice accurately stating her physical condition was also very useful. Before the graded race, Fujiwara Shirayuki wanted to train with Mihono Bourbon more often to improve her ability.
"All right. Then I'll trouble you for the next few days, Bourbon-senpai."
"I will wait here at this time tomorrow."
After saying that, Mihono Bourbon left.
Before leaving, she held her chest, where her heart was beating strangely fast.
Fujiwara Shirayuki watched her leave.
Agnes Tachyon had said that her bodily fluids could stimulate Uma Musume, but it seemed that it did not work on everyone. At least Mihono Bourbon had not been affected much.
Perhaps it depended on the person. Shirayuki felt there was no need to avoid everyone she met, as if she disliked them.
Later, Fujiwara Shirayuki planned to bring a few pieces of cake to thank Mihono Bourbon. As the saying went, having one more friend meant having one more path. If she built good relationships with strong Uma Musume like this, she could learn more experience from them. Whether as an Uma Musume or as a trainer, that would be greatly beneficial.
"Shirayuki, why are you sitting here?"
Just as Shirayuki was replenishing her water, a bluish-green figure leisurely walked over. Seiun Sky had her hands behind her head as usual. Her hair was a little messy, making her look as though she had just finished training.
"Resting."
"What a coincidence. Me too. Want to come somewhere with me?"
"What for?"
"You'll know when you come."
Seiun Sky led her to the woods on the east side of the training ground. After walking through a grassy path, the two arrived at a relatively flat spot deep in the trees. The setting sun passed through the forest and shone onto the grass. Around them grew a circle of wildflowers that no one had tended.
"How is it? It's a place perfectly suited for sleeping, right?" Seiun Sky said with a smile.
"It's quiet, no one disturbs you, and the grass is soft and gentle. It's perfect as a cushion. There are even such nice wildflowers as decoration. It would be a waste not to use it for sleeping."
Fujiwara Shirayuki silently looked at this place, a spot normal students would probably never discover before graduation. Seiun Sky always displayed astonishing talent when it came to sleeping.
"Today's temperature is also perfect. Come lie down with me for a while, Shirayuki. Right now, I'm even offering Seiun's soft arm as a pillow."
As she spoke, Seiun Sky stroked her own pale, slender arm.
At some point, Seiun Sky had started liking inviting her to nap together. It might have been a habit formed during summer training camp. The two of them would fish together, then lie down and nap for a while. Sometimes Seiun Sky would use her arm or thigh as a pillow for Shirayuki. Sometimes Shirayuki slept so deeply that when she woke up, she found herself already back in the dorm.
It was Seiun Sky who had brought her back. Her body seemed to have a kind of magic that made people relax, and Seiun Sky seemed to like sleeping beside her too, treating her as a sleeping companion. The two of them would lie on the grass, do nothing, and quietly relax.
Seiun Sky had also said a profound truth: "There is one thing in the world that makes you feel especially happy without needing to do anything, and that is sleeping."
Every morning when Fujiwara Shirayuki woke up, she would discover just how correct those words were.
Since she did not want to move anyway, and Seiun Sky was beside her, even if she fell asleep, the other girl could send her back. Thinking this, Fujiwara Shirayuki lay down on the grass. Seiun Sky stretched out her arm and placed it under Shirayuki's head. The soft feeling made Shirayuki's body relax.
At that moment, the distance between the two of them was less than ten centimetres. Fujiwara Shirayuki could clearly see Seiun Sky's delicate face and her clear, sky-like blue eyes.
"How is it? Isn't it great?"
"It really is great."
She smelled the faint scent of sweat and soap on Seiun Sky's body. She felt that their posture might be a little too intimate, but compared to what Grass Wonder and Special Week had done to her, Seiun Sky's side was still fine.
The girl's soft, lazy smile always made people want to pinch her cheeks.
"By the way, Sky-chan, do you smell anything strange from me?"
"Smell? What smell?"
"No, if you can't smell it, then it's fine."
It seemed Seiun Sky was also the type who could not really smell her scent.
Fujiwara Shirayuki yawned and closed her eyes. Before long, she fell asleep beside Seiun Sky.
Looking at Fujiwara Shirayuki's breathing gradually become even, Seiun Sky smiled.
She carefully adjusted her arm and let Shirayuki rest more comfortably against her.
Speaking of smell, there really was a very, very nice scent. Seiun Sky could smell that tempting sweetness even from far away.
After all, a cat's nose was very sharp.
Normally, she could endure it if she tried. But today, perhaps because Shirayuki had sweated too much, her scent was especially strong.
For Seiun Sky, the standard for liking someone was very simple. Someone who could fish with her, sleep with her, and make her happy just by staying beside her. That was enough.
As for Shirayuki, the way she slept was so deep that just looking at her gave Seiun Sky a sense of relaxation. Watching Shirayuki's sleeping face made the whole world feel quiet.
She liked this feeling. There was no need to think about anything. She could empty her mind and leave everything to instinct.
Seiun Sky gently brushed a few stray strands of hair away from Shirayuki's cheek and quietly enjoyed the warmth of the moment.
There was a secret joy in finding a peaceful place that no one else knew, then quietly keeping this little happiness to herself.
Sneaking a taste of a peaceful afternoon like this was truly wonderful.
After experiencing it once, Seiun Sky could no longer go back.