Deep Impact paused after hearing Tokai Teio's words.
"Kitasan Black, huh…"
She looked at Tokai Teio. "In the Student Council President's eyes, what kind of Uma Musume is she?"
Tokai Teio blinked in surprise, then smiled.
"Kita-chan… I'd say she's like a sun. Or a flame that will never go out."
Deep Impact thought it over. "That sounds like… an enthusiastic and cheerful personality?"
"And very kind. Very sensible," Tokai Teio added with a warm smile. A flicker of gratitude and fond remembrance passed through her eyes. She reached into the collar of her school uniform and pulled out an omamori.
The indigo-blue silk edges were frayed, loose threads hanging here and there. The stitching looked rough, clearly repaired more than once, yet it had been sewn with obvious care. Even the "O" on the front was embroidered in katakana, as if the maker still wasn't confident with kanji. Still, both that character and the "Mamoru" were stitched with surprisingly neat, steady strokes.
Deep Impact couldn't explain why, but she could tell the person who made this omamori wasn't good at crafts… yet had put everything they had into it.
She still didn't understand what Tokai Teio meant by showing it.
"This is…?"
"It was the day I first submitted my retirement application to the Student Council President. I remember it clearly."
Tokai Teio gazed out the window at Tracen Academy's training track, where figures were still running hard under the orange-red light of dusk.
"It was also the first time I stepped onto the track and felt I didn't need to run anymore.
"That day, we went to the park, played crane games, bought new clothes, sang karaoke, took purikura photos, rode the toy cars…
"For the first time, I realized a single day could feel so long."
She pulled her gaze back and looked down at her hand, gently rubbing the uneven surface of the omamori. A soft chuckle escaped her lips.
"It was around then, when we got back to the Tracen Academy gates, that I saw Kita-chan squatting there all by herself. Just like I had after a day of playing to my heart's content.
"Back then, I didn't accept this omamori.
"Later, when I found it among the anonymous bouquets sent to my dorm and the hospital, I tried to return it. But in the end… I accepted it. At my first retirement performance.
"See? She never gave up.
"So she's still the kind of person who will never give up… or maybe she just doesn't know how to write the words 'give up'."
A long silence filled the office, broken only by the faint, energetic sounds of running drifting in from outside.
"In that case, for the Training Race… I don't need to worry too much about whether I'll discourage her."
Deep Impact finally broke the silence, nodding as she walked back to her desk.
Tokai Teio, still half-lost in her memories, took a few seconds to catch up.
"So… you agreed?!" she exclaimed, eyes wide.
Deep Impact flipped through the documents on her desk, her answer a little evasive. "Actually, my elder sister also asked me to do this favor."
"Elder sister…" Tokai Teio's mind jumped straight to one Uma Musume. "Kuroshio?"
Deep Impact nodded. "After my elder sister retired, she became a training instructor at the elementary school Kitasan Black attended."
Similar to Trainers, the instructors at Tracen Academy handle foundational training, while Trainers focus on advanced and specialized work.
"I know that," Tokai Teio said with a nod, then tilted her head. "But from what you're saying, it sounds like Kita-chan and your elder sister are quite close. I hadn't realized."
"My elder sister took her to our house once," Deep Impact recounted. "But I was still young back then, and I didn't like meeting strangers, so I stayed in my room.
"My elder sister was very fond of her. She often brought her konpeito and lemon soda. Once, during a school field trip, she even secretly took her fishing. I remember we had fish soup for dinner that day."
"I see…"
Tokai Teio nodded in understanding, though a trace of hesitation crept into her voice. "But if your elder sister made the request…" She trailed off.
Deep Impact understood what she meant.
"The Student Council President must receive requests like this all the time?"
When Tokai Teio nodded, Deep Impact let out a quiet sigh. "For Uma Musume like us, these things are unavoidable.
"It's only natural to pass our experience on to our juniors. Our own seniors did the same for us."
A figure with a dignified bearing and gentle, affectionate eyes surfaced in Tokai Teio's mind, and she nodded without thinking.
"Indeed… I used to run alongside the Student Council President quite often…"
"It's just that with all the Student Council duties, there are many things we can't do as freely as we'd like."
Deep Impact's voice, usually calm to the point of coldness, now carried a faint trace of indifference.
"Besides… without any hope for the future, it all feels rather pointless."
"So," Tokai Teio said thoughtfully, "you agreed because you believe Kitasan Black has enough talent?"
This time Deep Impact stayed silent a little longer before answering, her tone carrying a note of hesitation.
"To be precise, I want to figure a few things out.
"Before Kitasan Black debuted, my elder sister was always worried about her future races. She even asked me about them.
"I've looked over her admission file, and honestly…"
Deep Impact shook her head. "It's hard to imagine she could reach her current level with the skills she had back then.
"Perhaps her talent simply hadn't blossomed yet. Many late bloomers are like that.
"But if I remember correctly… her Trainer seems a bit unusual?"
Tokai Teio immediately understood—and had her own suspicions.
"So what you want to figure out is how Trainer Yasui usually trains Kita-chan… and…" She glanced at the desk and picked up the Dubai race report. "Whether he might be interested in something like this?"
…
After bringing up Yasui and the overseas races, Tokai Teio and Deep Impact continued their discussion in the office for quite some time. They even arranged a short video conference to confirm the Training Race details with both Yasui and Orfevre.
Yasui had no objections.
Once he learned that two Triple Crown Uma Musume would be helping with the Training Race, he spent that very evening refining a training plan.
Over the past few days, while helping Kitasan Black with the basics of her new special training, he had already been fine-tuning the details.
However, during the video call, Orfevre made one request regarding the schedule.
"The Training Race… I'll participate, but give me a week first."
On the screen, the golden-haired Uma Musume pressed a hand to her forehead, looking thoroughly exasperated.
The background behind her resembled a mahjong parlor. Over her shoulder, two or three other Uma Musume could be seen gathered around a table. One of them, with long silver-gray hair and a tall frame, was unmistakably Gold Ship.
From the lively clatter of tiles and excited voices coming from the table, it was clear Gold Ship and her friends were in the middle of a heated game.
Orfevre's temple twitched visibly as the sounds continued.
"I know exactly what you're thinking. And the truth… is precisely what you see.
"A certain individual who has the Tenno Sho (Spring) coming up on the next race day—while her rivals are all training seriously—is currently…
"…relaxing by playing mahjong."
The moment Orfevre finished speaking, a triumphant shout erupted from the mahjong table.
"Ron! Four concealed triplets, single wait! Everyone pays up!"
Instantly, grumbles of protest followed.
"Hey! What do you mean 'relaxing'? Do you have any idea how profound this hand was?!"