"Alright, everything looks fine for now," Doctor Takuya said without looking up, scribbling notes on the report. "If you notice anything unusual with your eyes, tell me immediately. Don't hide it, understand?"
"Yes, Doctor Takuya," Kousei replied obediently.
The results of the routine check-up were the same as always, yet Takuya, as the team doctor, remained uneasy. He knew Kousei's physical condition better than anyone, and the Tenno Sho had left her with this troublesome lingering issue. Despite countless examinations, Takuya couldn't find the root cause, and it felt like a thorn lodged in his heart.
"Doctor Takuya, if there's nothing else, I'll head to training."
"Alright, go ahead. Be careful."
"Yes, sir."
Kousei left Takuya's office and hurried straight to the training track. Yunlin was filled with shops selling horse figurines, yet ironically, the city had no Umamusume.
The training track was deserted. Kousei dropped her bag and immediately threw herself into her workout.
I wonder when the others will arrive.
For a rare moment, Kousei's focus wavered during training. Ivan had only said someone would come, but he hadn't specified when. The race date wouldn't change, and any significant delay on the road would undoubtedly affect their condition. The mere thought of such a possibility filled Kousei with frustration.
Some time passed.
"Hello! Is Miss Kousei here?"
Kousei stopped and turned to see a figure standing motionless at the entrance. Judging by their uniform, they appeared to be a delivery person.
"Yes, that's me."
As Kousei approached, she noticed the person's ears and tail—clearly, this delivery person was an Umamusume.
"Miss Kousei?"
"Ah?! Yes!" Kousei snapped back to attention and began to study the other girl.
She had long blue hair, a well-developed figure, and a perfectly proportioned build. Unfortunately, her head was bowed, and her hat was pulled low, obscuring her face from Kousei's view.
"This is your package. Please sign for it."
A package? Who would send me something? Kousei thought, but she signed for it without comment.
"Service complete. Thank you for choosing Little Pony Run. We hope to serve you again soon."
"Ah..."
"By the way, were you just running on the slope?" the girl asked, striking up a conversation as if they were old friends instead of leaving.
"Yes."
"Eh—do you run on the slope often?"
"Pretty much since my debut, I've been running it."
Kousei had indeed been running slopes since her debut, but after incorporating Toyama's "Slope Theory," she'd become even more proficient.
"Really? But doesn't everyone else overlook slope training? Why choose the slope?"
Kousei shot the other girl a strange look. For a delivery person, she was asking far too many questions.
"Is it some kind of secret you can't talk about? Like your secret weapon or something?" the girl joked lightly, seemingly oblivious to the atmosphere.
"Because it suits me," Kousei replied flatly.
"Hmm... Are you always this quiet?"
Though she'd heard that comment countless times, it still stung every time.
"What about you?" Kousei countered. "As far as I know, there aren't supposed to be any Umamusume in this city."
"Hehe~" The girl looked up and smiled, her eyes sparkling brightly. "I'm just a delivery person. Since I'm not on the racetrack, there's no information about me. You know how it is—all the talented ones leave Yunlin. They either go to the North American Alliance or the Far West Front.
"A nobody like me, with average talent, naturally stays in Yunlin for a peaceful life."
Kousei stared at her for a long moment, her mind already piecing things together.
"She's lying."
To lie so calmly, without a hint of a blush or a racing heart... The girl's thoughts were as deep and hidden as the ocean depths, much like her hair color. But unfortunately for her, deceiving Kousei, the "Master of Lies," required a bit more finesse.
Those skilled in deception can easily see through others' tricks.
"Even though she's trying hard to hide it, the signs of training in her breathing are still obvious. She's clearly had professional respiratory training. Her steps are light, and controlling her footfalls has become second nature. She's not a delivery person. She's here to fish for information."
The Umamusume posing as a delivery person, noticing Kousei's darkening expression, quickly found an excuse to flee.
"Well, that's all for today! I've still got deliveries to make. See you next time!"
In a flash, she was gone. Kousei looked down at the package in her hands. "I knew it. No company would call itself 'Little Pony Run.' This package must be fake too."
Kousei was about to toss it when she happened to glance at the sender's name: Yurei Belle.
"Sister Belle?"
Could it be a real package after all? Half-doubting, Kousei tore it open. Inside was only a single photograph.
"I see," Kousei murmured, a smile gracing her lips as she gazed at the photograph.
In the picture, Genbao was crying tears of joy. Yurei's face was filled with loving tenderness as she cradled a newborn with a pair of chubby, fleshy ears.
An attached note read: [Rukomachi has a new beginning, and so do I.]
Time had flown by in the blink of an eye. Kousei sighed inwardly; her first meeting with Yurei felt like it had happened just yesterday.
"Sister Yurei's child is an Umamusume too... I wonder if I'll hear her name years from now?"
The faint light that had illuminated Rukomachi was being passed down, generation after generation, never to fade.
"Alright, time to train."
Kousei carefully put the photograph away. Some were starting anew, while others were still on their journey.
-
"Whew! She's sharp. I can't believe she saw through me."
The Umamusume who had posed as a delivery person shed her disguise, revealing her true face. She looked slightly younger than Kousei.
"Kousei, huh? Interesting."
A meaningful smile flickered across her face before it returned to its usual expression.
"Oh no, I'm going to be late for the meetup!" She glanced at her watch and panicked. "I'm so screwed! I'm going to get an earful for this!"
Just then, a sedan pulled up in front of her.
The door swung open, and a brown-haired Umamusume snapped irritably, "What are you doing?! Can't you show a little discipline for once?!"
"Hyacinth!"
Though the girl's face lit up with joy, the Umamusume called Hyacinth remained just as annoyed.
"Get in the car!"
"Alright!"
The sedan started up again, leaving a trail of exhaust as it drove off into the distance.
Unbeknownst to them, Just a Way, who was wandering the streets, happened to witness the scene.
"Hmm... chew, chew. Isn't that the Central logo on the car?"
Just a Way watched the car drive toward Yunlin Tower while eating dango.
-
Inside Yunlin Tower.
A waiter leaned in and whispered something to Ivan. A flicker of confusion crossed Ivan's eyes, but before he could dwell on it, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Ivan said. Though the arrival was sudden, he didn't seem surprised—the waiter's whisper must have been related.
A man in a sharp suit strode in, a defiant smile on his face.
"I've heard so much about you, Mr. Ivan. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Katsumi Ebinuma, and I'm here to extend greetings on behalf of the Central Committee."
His words were humble, but his demeanor was arrogant. The so-called "greetings" were nothing more than a show of force.