Fujiwara Chiya successfully turned Montjeu into his assistant.
For the time being, she would help him sniff out training intel on the other uma musume. In exchange, Chiya would chat with her about Treve and see what was really going on with that little foreign filly.
Shirayuki got dressed, pulled on her socks, and ran toward Longchamp Racecourse, where Treve was training. Compared to everyone else, Treve was practically a breath of fresh air. She trained quietly on the track, made no real effort to hide her movements, and showed herself openly.
Of course, that did not mean Treve was playing completely fair. Hideto Nase often had Treve warm down along the streets after training, testing her running style in the process. Chiya had never followed behind to watch, but he knew those later parts were what Nase truly wanted to teach her.
At first, Treve's training had been going smoothly.
But lately, her efficiency had nosedived. She often ran the wrong path, distracted and absentminded. Montjeu, who had been watching her from the side, found the source of the problem.
Shirayuki.
Today, Shirayuki had come to help her.
When she arrived at Longchamp Racecourse, Shirayuki saw Treve training with Hideto Nase. They were working on cornering.
"Pull inward, Treve! Inward!" Nase called out.
Treve shifted her body. Bit by bit, she drew closer to the rail.
It looked pretty good.
But as she rounded the bend, Treve caught a flash of white from the corner of her eye. The white disappeared in an instant, and her steps wavered with it.
By the time she finished the turn, she had drifted a full five meters away from the inside lane.
For an elite uma musume, that was a serious mistake. The other competitors who had come to watch narrowed their eyes.
Treve didn't seem to be in good shape.
Maybe there was a chance in the next race.
If she was acting, then Shirayuki could only say Treve was doing a fantastic job. She had fooled all these opponents who had come to gather intel.
But if she wasn't acting, then Treve's condition needed to be fixed as soon as possible.
When the first stage of training ended, Treve sat on the grass, panting hard. Heavy drops of sweat rolled down her forehead. She stared at her trembling legs and clenched her teeth.
Get it together! It isn't over yet!
She took a deep breath and was about to go look for water when a gentle voice came from behind her.
"Would you like something to drink?"
Treve turned around. The moment she saw who it was, her eyes flickered in panic.
"Shirayuki…"
"I made a drink. I don't know if it'll suit your taste, but why don't we rest over there for a bit?"
Shirayuki pointed toward the spectator seats. Treve stayed silent for a moment, then nodded.
"Miss Montjeu told me you seemed to have something on your mind lately."
Shirayuki looked at Treve, who was nibbling lightly at the mouth of the bottle like a small animal as she drank.
"Master went to find you?"
"She went to find Chiya."
"I see…"
"Is something bothering you, Treve? Tell me, okay? Maybe I can solve it."
Treve looked at Shirayuki's beautiful face. Her expression turned complicated. After hesitating for a long time, she finally said, "Shirayuki… have you ever hated me?"
"…Huh?"
"Last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. If you had won, you would have stood in the spotlight. You would have become the greatest uma musume in the world."
"Why bring that up all of a sudden? That was so long ago."
"Even if it was long ago, the impact didn't disappear. I stole your victory. You were only one step away from making your name known across the world, but because of me, your dream was destroyed."
Treve clenched her fists.
"So I thought… you must hate me."
"I have never thought that."
Shirayuki spoke firmly.
"Treve, do you know what went through my head when you passed me?"
"…What?"
"'There's really an uma musume this incredible in the world.'"
"…"
"That was what I thought."
Shirayuki smiled.
"And in the year after that, I kept using you as my goal. I kept improving myself. To me, you were my role model. Because you were there, I was able to keep breaking past my limits."
Treve's eyes trembled slightly.
She could not sense even the slightest lie in Shirayuki's words.
Shirayuki was not lying to her.
"If that's true, then why do you hate me?"
"Me? I don't hate you?"
Shirayuki looked genuinely confused.
"I saw it, Shirayuki. You said you had something to do and rejected me, but that night you went out and entered Trainer's room."
Hiss—!
Shirayuki sucked in a sharp breath.
So that was why Treve had been depressed!
She saw Shirayuki sneaking over to Chiya's room at night! Treve thought Shirayuki hated her because of the race, then threw herself into Chiya's arms afterward.
That was a misunderstanding.
Well, at least half of it was.
She had indeed gone to throw herself into Chiya's arms, but not because she hated Treve. She had simply been frustrated and gone to Chiya to vent.
Of course, if she said that out loud, Treve would definitely become even more depressed than she already was.
"Treve, listen to me…"
Sweat poured down Shirayuki's face.
"Chiya and I aren't what you're imagining. Our relationship is much, much more complicated than you think."
"What relationship? You stayed in Trainer's room the whole night and never came back. I was watching from outside the whole time."
Shirayuki swallowed under Treve's resentful stare.
You weren't standing outside watching for the entire night, were you?!
Shirayuki discovered the faint yandere streak leaking out of Treve.
"Treve, you're scared that something happened between me and Chiya, and that I'll ignore you, leave you behind, and abandon you, right?"
Treve said nothing.
"The matter between me and Chiya can't be explained in a few words, but there is one thing I can promise you. I have never hated you. You are my best friend in Paris. If me going to Trainer's room makes you feel awful, then I'll try not to go from now on. Or I'll bring you with me. You can watch from beside me. That'll make you feel better, right?"
"Then it's okay if I kiss you in front of Trainer? He won't get angry?"
"It's okay. Of course it's okay. Why would he get angry? If we get along well, he'll be happy too."
"Nothing really happened between you and Trainer?"
"Treve, do you know who Chiya is to me?"
"…Your cousin?"
Shirayuki shook her head.
"After the race ends, I'll tell you everything about me and Chiya. You definitely won't be able to guess it. It is absolutely not the kind of relationship you think it is."
Treve opened her mouth. After a long pause, she said, "In that case, I'll believe you, Shirayuki. But I still need one last boost."
"What?"
"If I win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, you have to stay in Paris and stay with me forever. You're not allowed to leave ever again."
Shirayuki's heart gave a hard thump.
After a long silence, she spoke.
"Fine. If you win, this body is yours. But in the same way, if I win, you have to come to Japan with me and stay with me forever."
"Pfft—!"
Treve burst out laughing.
"Good. Good! If I win, you're mine. If you win, I'm yours. It's a promise, Shirayuki."
"It's a promise."