Chapter 55: Only people prepared to be NTR’d get to say NT is a good thing.

A full week had already passed since my Kikuka Sho ended. Today was Sunday, November 3rd. Unfortunately, the weather was rainy. This season—often referred to as the autumn G1 circuit—meant that G1 races were held almost every Sunday, and today was no exception.

The race being held was the Tenno Sho (Autumn). It was Mejiro McQueen-senpai’s target race, and apparently one of the long-held ambitions of the Mejiro family she belonged to. Seeking the honor of the Imperial Shield, McQueen-senpai had headed to Tokyo Racecourse.

Between McQueen-senpai and me, our relationship wasn’t exactly shallow. Or rather—no, that’s not quite right. It had only been about a month since we’d actually started talking properly. We competed for supremacy at the Takarazuka Kinen, she came to the Fan Appreciation Festival, and I went to watch the Kyoto Daishoten…

…Huh. Come to think of it, that’s all of it.

Maybe I only thought it was something special because I don’t have many friends. In reality, it might be a fairly shallow connection after all.

Still, McQueen-senpai seems to see me as a rival, and I feel the same way about her. At that point, calling it a “best-friends-level rivalry” doesn’t feel like much of an exaggeration.

So, since today’s race featured a rival I respected, I was naturally planning to watch the broadcast.

…Or so I thought.

"Hoshino Wilm, the Tenno Sho is today. Would you like to watch it together with Mihono Bourbon and Masa?"

"Yes, please."

"I would also very much appreciate it. I believe it would be educational for me as well."

As expected, Trainer, Bourbon-chan, and Masa-san joined in.

"Will, wanna watch the Tenno Sho together? As a stayer-type myself, I’d really like to hear your thoughts while we watch. …Huh, you already have plans? Ah, is that so. Guess I’ll give up then."

"Wait, wait, wait! Hold on—wait! In that case, would it be okay if we watched together too?"

"Eh—eh? Um, does that mean Rice too…? I’d be happy to watch it with Onee—senpai, but…"

Nature and Rice-chan, who happened to be nearby, ended up joining as well—dragged along by their trainer.

"I heard it, Wilm. You’re watching McQueen and Nature’s Tenno Sho, right? Why’re you trying to leave me out? Aren’t we, like, the ‘Three Stars’ or something?"

"Sorry, Hoshino Wilm. Ever since Teio caught wind of the rumor, she’s been like this nonstop. If it’s alright, could you ask Horino Trainer whether we can join too?"

Then Teio and her trainer showed up as well.

The result—

"So McQueen-senpai really is the most popular pick."

"Well, yeah, obviously. If she’s going to call herself a rival to me and Wilm, she’s gotta at least win the Tenno Sho."

"Says Teio, who hasn’t even won a graded race yet."

"Hmph. Just so you know, I can totally win a G1 anytime, okay? Right, Trainer?"

"Hmm… I don’t know. In mid-to-long-distance G1s, Hoshino Wilm will almost always be running too, right? That’s not an opponent you can beat so easily. I wouldn’t state it so confidently."

"Hey, not you too, Trainer!"

"Well, setting G1s aside, she should be able to win a G2 where Hoshino Wilm isn’t entered. Saying she ‘can’t win graded races’ is off the mark."

"Is that an analysis based on data?"

"Uuugh… everyone’s so confident… Rice’s place to belong is…"

"Rice, it’s fine. Let’s just sit in the corner together and make our ‘whoa’ faces."

"No, no, you two, this is where you’re supposed to say something like ‘I’m the one taking the G1!’"

"Hey, what are you all saying? I’m gonna beat Wilm too, you know!"

"Well, for that, you should probably start with your comeback training. Make sure you take it seriously, Teio."

"Geez, you don’t have to say it that much. I get it."

"…I can’t hear the TV at all."

Me, Trainer, Bourbon-chan, and Masa-san. Nature, Nature’s trainer, and Rice-chan. Teio and Teio’s trainer. A trainer room usually used by just four people somehow had nine acquaintances packed inside.

No matter how vast the Tracen facilities were, there were close to two hundred trainers. Naturally, individual trainer rooms weren’t that large, and the one assigned to Ayumu-san—a rookie trainer not affiliated with a team—was on the smaller side. With nine people inside, it felt undeniably cramped.

…Even so.

Lately, I’ve been thinking this kind of thing isn’t so bad.

"Hasn’t McQueen been losing a lot lately, without being able to secure a good position?"

"No way, you only watched the Takarazuka Kinen, didn’t you? She won the Kyoto Daishoten beautifully."

"McQueen-senpai… the way she runs is so graceful. It’s amazing."

"I concur. Mejiro McQueen-senpai’s running is extremely stable and very close to ideal. If I had to point out one flaw, it would be her start dash."

Watching the Uma Musume I’m close to gather and talk about today’s race fills me with a warm, gentle happiness.

Up until two years ago—no, for over ten years, counting my previous life several times over—I didn’t have any friends at all. And now, I have so many people who casually talk to me, and whom I can casually talk to in return.

I’ve grown a bit distant from my 同期 peers, but many juniors adore me. I’ve built connections with McQueen-senpai, Ryan-senpai, and Sky-senpai as well. My senpai–kohai relationships keep getting richer.

And on top of that—

"So, did you ever get a sub-trainer assigned?"

"Ah, yeah. But she seems like a bit of a difficult person. I invited her today too, but she turned me down."

"Not that I have a sub myself, but building that relationship is part of a trainer’s job. Do your best, youngster."

"…Hm. Big brother, what’s with that look?"

It’s not just friends my own age. There are adults older than me who support me too.

I’ve talked a few times with Teio’s trainer and Nature’s trainer, and every time they’ve been considerate and worried about me. Naturally, Ayumu-san—my trainer—always helps me. And Masa-san, my sub-trainer… our relationship is still a bit awkward, but I can tell she isn’t a bad person.

I really am blessed with the people around me.

Lately, I’ve felt unlucky—especially when it comes to anything game-related—but maybe that’s only natural. After all, I’ve been incredibly lucky recently. Lucky with people. Lucky with my environment.

No matter how much of a reincarnation-cheat Uma Musume Hoshino Wilm might be, I probably wouldn’t have achieved good results without meeting Ayumu-san. And without meeting Nature and Teio, I wouldn’t have enjoyed racing nearly this much.

So many people, so many Uma Musume, have supported me and helped me… and now, here I am. Living here as Hoshino Wilm.

“…Really.”

Being able to race this joyfully, be with people I love, and be blessed with those who understand me… I’m probably the happiest Uma Musume in this world.

"What’re you grinning about, Will? Where’d your expressionless character go?"

"Lately, Wilm’s been all soft and floaty, hasn’t she? Is this the composure of an undefeated Triple Crown winner or something? So annoying!"

"No… I was just thinking how fun this is."

Nature and Teio looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Yeah. That’s exactly it.

When I say something strange, they laugh. When I say something wrong, they correct me. When I do something, there’s a reaction in return.

It makes me feel—strongly—that I’m really here. That I’m really alive.

And that makes me happier than anything.

…Yes. I’m alive. We Uma Musume are alive in this world.

And because of that, absurd clashes like this year’s Arima Kinen can happen.

I’d already steeled myself yesterday. As one Uma Musume living in this world, as a Triple Crown Uma Musume carrying many expectations… no matter how tactless it might be, I have to face that race head-on.

Special Week-chan, and Silence Suzuka-san.

The race those two promised each other, but never got to run.

If an outsider like me barges in—and on top of that actually wins—I know it could feel like trampling someone else’s dream.

Even so, Hoshino Wilm has to run.

That’s the part that’s regretful… and at the same time, even if I feel a bit sorry, I’m looking forward to it.

I’ve seen their gallant figures countless times in the anime. I know their strength as it’s passed down in this world.

Because I know both of them… I want to challenge them.

…And besides, it probably won’t just be those two and Seiun Sky-senpai running. If I might get to compete against that Uma Musume I’ve always wanted to race alongside too, then—

Yeah.

There really is something that stirs inside me after all.

---

As we chatted, the time came for the Tenno Sho (Autumn) entrants to appear in the paddock.

McQueen-senpai was drawn in gate 7, number 13.
Not exactly a favorable draw—starting from a relatively wide position.

"Horino Trainer, from your perspective, which Uma Musume besides Mejiro McQueen do you think is one to watch?"

At Teio’s trainer’s question, my trainer pulled a notebook from his chest pocket. Comparing its contents with the TV, he spoke slowly.

"Aside from Mejiro McQueen, I’d say the field is fairly even. Personally, I’m watching the third favorite, Faucheuse.

The second favorite, Innocent Grimoire, seems a bit too keyed up. I think it’ll be difficult for her to contend for first today. She may attempt an aggressive strategy as a countermeasure against McQueen.

As for the rest… there are those with superior physical specs but lacking technique, and others who trail slightly in both but seem to be in excellent condition today. It’ll depend on how the race unfolds."

"Oh, is that notebook the famous ‘Horino Notes’?"

"Notes…? What’s that?"

"It’s a rumor going around among trainers. There’s a trainer who scouts races, watches the Uma Musume closely, and records incredibly detailed data—meaning you.

They say the notebook that man carries contains precise information on every Uma Musume there is."

"That can’t possibly be true…"

Trainer shrugged, sounding faintly exasperated.

…For the record, while the rumor isn’t entirely false, it’s definitely exaggerated.

The notebook he was holding didn’t contain all his data. He replaced it roughly once a month. The current one was probably his eleventh or twelfth this year alone. All previous data had been digitized and backed up on his computer.

So the idea that “everything’s written in the notebook” was wrong.

In reality, it was all inside Ayumu-san’s computer.

And it wasn’t like he had data on every Uma Musume either—only a few hundred who might realistically race against me or Bourbon-chan. Of those, he’d said he tracked around a hundred particularly closely.

…Wait. That’s still a lot.

Maybe because I’ve spent so much time with Trainer, my sense of scale has been dragged in his direction.

Part of me is happy that the boundary between us feels like it’s slowly melting away… but I can’t let that go so far that I overlook how much effort he puts in.

We should influence each other gradually, while being careful not to be colored where we shouldn’t.

…Yeah. That’s hard.

In my previous life, I was always alone, so “being changed by someone else” never happened. Looking back, that made me rigid in its own way.

Ideally, you change through interacting with others while still keeping parts of yourself unchanged.

Easier said than done.

"Yeah, Horino Trainer’s predictions really are helpful."

"You flatter me."

"If you’d just reveal the secret behind that judgment at a presentation, there’d be nothing left to ask for."

"Haha, that would be difficult…"

While I was lost in thought, it seemed the trainers had finished evaluating the race. Their conclusion was that McQueen would win with high probability.

When I’d asked Trainer earlier, he’d said, "If McQueen can run calmly, she’ll definitely win."

I felt the same.

McQueen-senpai is truly strong.

…And besides.

I glanced at Trainer, watching the TV with a serious expression.

That look said, “I’ve done everything I can.”

Trainer had spoken with McQueen-senpai’s trainer several times. He’d mentioned that McQueen-senpai was dealing with some mental unease—and that he might be able to help.

Even if the gears in her heart weren’t meshing properly, and even if her trainer alone couldn’t fix it… I’m sure Ayumu-san helped loosen that knot.

…If he has that look, it’ll be fine.

Just like he guided me this far, he’ll surely help McQueen-senpai too.

"Do your best, McQueen-senpai."

I murmured it quietly.

---

Then, the fanfare rang out.

At last, it was moments before the start.

"It’s about to begin."

"Yeah… please, McQueen."

Trainer muttered under his breath—so quietly it wasn’t meant for anyone to hear.

…But I heard it.

Because I was close by.

And because I have the keen hearing of Uma Musume ears.

"Mc… Queen…?"

A nickname.

Trainer—who always calls Uma Musume by their full names—had shortened hers.

Why?

He’s never called me anything but "Hoshino Wilm."

"Trainer, um—"

『At last, it begins. For the honor of the Imperial Shield, the Uma Musume have gathered at Tokyo Racecourse for the Tenno Sho (Autumn).
Amid the pouring rain, eighteen Uma Musume await the opening of the gates.
Will the star performer deliver a magnificent second act?』

Just as I was about to ask Trainer, the live commentary began.

Ugh… I’m curious. It’s really bothering me.

…But right now, it’s McQueen-senpai’s Tenno Sho.

Alright. I’ll scribble a clear note into my mental memo pad and ask later.
Okay—focus. For now, focus on the race unfolding before my eyes.

『…All horses are in the gates. Preparations are complete.』

Just before the start, the racecourse fell into a tense silence. As if caught in that same wave, those of us gathered in front of the TV quieted down as well, one by one.

The moment of the start is equal for everyone—and more cruel than anything else.
That single instant when all eighteen can run side by side.

At the same time, a single mistake here creates a massive, irreversible gap. It isn’t rare to hear of an overwhelmingly strong Uma Musume suffering a crushing defeat due to a disastrous start.

That’s why everyone steels themselves and concentrates at this moment.

And then… that silence was abruptly shattered.

『They’re off!』

In the pouring rain, all eighteen runners surged forward.
…And then, breaking free from within the pack—

『The early lead battle is between Faucheuse and Innocent Grimoire! These two popular contenders have pushed to the front!
Meanwhile, the top favorite, Mejiro McQueen, carefully tucks in toward the inside, proceeding through the race with calm assurance.』

“…That’s a little unexpected. For Mejiro McQueen, this is a very cautious approach.”

“If she wanted to secure a good position, shouldn’t she have gone in more decisively?”

At the doubts raised by Nature’s trainer and Teio, Teio’s trainer shook his head.

“No. With this heavy track, the pack is likely to bunch up. And with McQueen in the race, everyone wants the inside line.

If a runner drawn wide forces her way inward under those conditions, it could be judged as interference at worst.

With her legs, covering a bit of extra ground outside won’t be much of a handicap. Considering the risks, this is the right call.”

“Oh, I see.”

Teio nodded.

Nature’s trainer, perhaps embarrassed at not having noticed, lowered his gaze.

Among the trainers—including Masa-san—the only one reacting that way was Nature’s trainer. That probably meant this was common knowledge among the adults. Setting Ayumu-san aside, even Masa-san seemed to understand it, likely the result of education passed down through a distinguished lineage.

Without taking his eyes off the race, my trainer continued.

“Mejiro McQueen is, frankly speaking, a head above the rest of this field.

Rather than forcing her way forward, running calmly will actually raise her chances of winning.

…I was worried she might rush things after her recent losses, but it seems she’s approaching this race with composure.”

That voice sounded… relieved.

Trainer, you care that much about McQueen-senpai…?

Ugh…
Ughhh, that’s unfair. That’s so unfair!

McQueen-senpai isn’t even his trainee, and yet he’s worrying about her race—and on top of that, he called her by a nickname!

Sure, I was the one who told him at the Kyoto Daishoten that he should take action, but I didn’t expect him to be this invested!

According to Trainer, this was supposed to be “a race McQueen-senpai can win.” And yet he’s still this concerned…

Trainer, could it be that you actually like McQueen-senpai…?

Maybe he likes Uma Musume with that kind of figure, that kind of voice, that kind of hair color.
The voice part is impossible, but body type is something I might manage, and hair color can be dyed, so there’s still hope there, but…

What if—secretly—he prefers McQueen-senpai’s running style over mine?

If that’s the case… I really don’t know what I’d do.

My running style is a full-on runaway lead—pretty wild, honestly.
McQueen-senpai’s, on the other hand, is the very definition of orthodoxy: holding a strong position, then surging through cleanly.

Trainer prefers stability. Compared to an extremely unstable Uma Musume like me, it wouldn’t be strange for him to favor McQueen-senpai’s consistently productive style.

B-but still! When it comes to results, I’m way more consistent!

I’m an undefeated Triple Crown winner. I’ve come this far without a single loss. In terms of sheer consistency, the only one who could surpass me is Chairman Symboli Rudolf—another undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume.

And besides, at the Takarazuka Kinen, Trainer seemed to fall in love with my running, didn’t he?

I’ve spent far more time with him—sharing hardships and joys alike. Compared to McQueen-senpai, whom he’s only met relatively recently, he should care more about me. He’s spent far more time preparing race strategies for me, too.

…But it’s also true that he called McQueen-senpai by a nickname and worried this much about her race.

I have to confront him. Once this race is over, I absolutely have to confront him!
NTR… no, not BSS but WSS? Whatever it is, you’ve got to nip those buds in the bud early!

『Now past the big zelkova tree, Faucheuse’s lead has shrunk to just one length!
In second, Mejiro McQueen and Innocent Grimoire—Innocent Grimoire perhaps a fraction ahead?
They enter the fourth corner nearly side by side!
The rest of the field is four lengths back as they pass the 600-meter mark, charging hard—but will they make it in time!?』

While jealousy blazed inside me—or perhaps I was just roasting some good old-fashioned envy—the race had already entered its final stages.

I hadn’t been watching properly at all. Sorry, McQueen-senpai.
Watching instead of running dulls the intensity and makes it harder to focus… okay, that’s a lie. I was just being consumed by worldly thoughts.

When I finally looked back at the screen, the race had unfolded exactly as the odds predicted. The first, second, and third favorites had broken away to battle it out.

The leading front-runner was clearly showing signs of fatigue. Even the Uma Musume running alongside McQueen-senpai looked worn.

Meanwhile—

“As expected, McQueen-senpai shows almost no sign of fatigue.”

“Ugh, she’s bottomless. Running everyone ragged at a high pace while she cruises along—what is she, Hoshino Wilm-brained?”

“Hey, Nature, what exactly do you mean by that?”

“Wilm-senpai, I believe that was praise for your exceptional endurance.”

“No, Bourbon-chan, that was definitely sarcasm—or teasing. And Nature, timeline-wise I came later, so if anything, I’m the one who’s McQueen-brained.”

“That’s the part you care about?”

Yeah.

She isn’t tired at all.

Well, that’s only natural. McQueen-senpai is a stayer with tremendous stamina. She can run all the way to 3,200 meters in the Tenno Sho (Spring). There’s no way she’d be spent at around 2,000 meters.

…If there’s a concern, it isn’t her stamina, but a weakness unique to stayers.

There’s a term called jiri-ashi.

Simply put, it refers to difficulty with sudden acceleration—an Uma Musume who struggles to kick into explosive speed.

You can maintain an even pace, but you can’t produce a sharp burst. It’s a troublesome trait.

Uma Musume with jiri-ashi can’t become sprinters. Shorter distances demand instantaneous acceleration, so if they have the stamina and aptitude, such runners tend to aim for mid-to-long distances instead.

In other words, the shorter the distance, the greater the disadvantage—precisely the opposite of short-distance specialists.

…All of that was secondhand knowledge from Trainer.

Which is to say—
for McQueen-senpai, whose focus lies beyond 3,000 meters, the Tenno Sho (Autumn)’s 2,000 meters could have been too short.

…But that worry proved completely unnecessary.

『Mejiro McQueen—Mejiro McQueen draws level with Faucheuse on the outside!
Innocent Grimoire fights back bravely along the rail but drops to third!
The battle continues—but now Mejiro McQueen takes the lead!
Mejiro McQueen breaks free!』

I felt like I could hear the sound of McQueen-senpai powerfully kicking off the ground all the way from here.

It’s true that she can be a bit jiri-ashi at times.
In both the Tenno Sho (Spring) and the Takarazuka Kinen, she lost while still holding something in reserve, unable to fully unleash it.

…But even so.

She was stronger than anyone there.

"Mejiro McQueen is pulling away! The rest are desperately giving chase, but the gap just keeps widening!
Less than 100 meters to go—this is an easy win for Mejiro McQueen! Three lengths, four lengths clear as she hits the finish line now!!"

"The results are official! Avenging her spring defeat, Mejiro McQueen has finally claimed the long-sought Shield of glory!!"

“…Phew.”

When the race ended, the first thought that surfaced was simple.

That was something good to watch.

Calm and composed, every gear meshing perfectly at the peak of her condition. A ruthless victory that minimized risk to the extreme.
A run so thoroughly refined that it left no opening at all.

All of it was strength.

"Heh… hehehe."

I could feel heat welling up from deep inside my chest.

Nice.
Nice, nice, nice! I’m getting ridiculously excited for the Japan Cup now!

McQueen-senpai is strong right now.
She was strong back at the Kyoto Daishoten too, but compared to then, she feels a full step bigger—like her very presence has expanded.

After achieving her long-cherished goal of winning the Tenno Sho, McQueen-senpai feels more polished than any senior I’ve seen before.

And I’ll be racing against that perfectly tuned senpai soon.
There’s no way I wouldn’t be happy about that.

Three weeks until the Japan Cup. I can’t afford to lose—I need to get stronger. Much stronger!

"Onee—ah… Wilm-senpai."

As I was grinning to myself over the upcoming race, Rice-chan timidly spoke up.

"Rice-chan? What’s wrong?"

"...Do you really like McQueen-senpai?"

…Like her?

Well, sure, I like her normally. I wouldn’t say I’ve gone full-on oshi, but even so, I admired her back in my previous life.

I liked McQueen-chan as a character back then, too—but…

McQueen-senpai in this life, as a rival, I like even more.

So if I had to answer—

"Yeah, I do. McQueen-senpai is strong, after all. I’m really looking forward to the Japan Cup."

"...I knew it."

"Huh?"

I don’t really get it, but Rice-chan—wait, why do her eyes suddenly look so fired up?

"Rice-chan?"

"Someday… someday Rice will surpass Bourbon-san, surpass McQueen-san too, and give you a race you can truly enjoy, Wilm-senpai!"

"Uh—yeah, sure."

I mean, that does sound fun, but…
why is she suddenly this motivated?

…Hm?

Wait a second.

Am I unconsciously raising some weird rival flags here?

Rice-chan started paying attention to Bourbon-chan because I advised her, “Try aiming for Bourbon-chan’s back first.” As a result, the two of them seem to have grown closer—apparently they even chat during breaks now—so all’s well that ends well.

But now Rice-chan is starting to focus on McQueen-senpai too… could that be because of me?

Even so, why McQueen-senpai specifically?

I rummaged through fragments of memory, piecing things together.

Come to think of it, Rice-chan once said something like, “I’ll run a race you can enjoy someday.”

And according to rumors drifting around—Nature’s investigations—people say things like, “Hoshino Wilm doesn’t remember names unless she likes someone.” Which—okay, I am bad with names because I’m an introvert, so that’s half true by accident.

And just now, I basically said, “I like McQueen-senpai because she’s strong and makes races fun to watch.”

Could it be that Rice-chan is trying to get stronger so I’ll like her?

No, no, that can’t be right. I’m not such an amazing existence that a named character like Rice-chan would go that far for me.

…Wait.

I am an undefeated Triple Crown winner with reincarnation cheat powers. Liking me is one thing, but admiring me might actually make sense.

On top of that, I do feel like I’ve been fairly understanding toward Rice-chan, talking with her in a way that stays close to her feelings. If this were a game, our affection meter would probably have gone up quite a bit.

Putting all that together…

…I really hope this is just me being self-conscious, but—

Is it possible that Rice-chan likes me more than I thought?

I joked before about it being yuri, but is there actually a serious chance she’s taken a liking to me?

Not necessarily full-on yuri, but unexpectedly… instead of heading down the Rice × Bourbon route, there’s a nonzero chance—microscopic, but still—that she’s drifting into the Hoshino Wilm route…?

Ahh… no, this is… ugh.

How am I supposed to act toward Rice-chan from now on?

I still want Rice-chan and Bourbon-chan to get closer. That hasn’t changed.
But honestly, that’s just my own ego.

She’s an Uma Musume living her own life in this world. Who she grows close to, who she ends up with—that’s something she should choose for herself.

Thinking that pairing her with Bourbon-chan is the “correct” path and pushing her toward it might actually be unnatural in its own way.

That’s why I only played cupid up to the point where they became friends.

Setting Bourbon-chan aside, to me… Rice-chan is one of the Uma Musume I genuinely admire. I mean, I even seriously fell for her around episode eight or nine just because of how good she looked in the opening.

But that was affection for an anime character. There was no possessiveness there—no sense of “I want her to be mine.”

I just want to be a normal friend. Friend A—or maybe Friend H, name-wise. Either way, I’d be happy just getting along normally.

So if Rice-chan wants to be friends, or wants to get closer, I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

The problem is… whatever feelings Rice-chan has toward me seem heavier than I expected.

At this point, her affection level might actually be higher than Bourbon-chan’s or even McQueen-senpai’s. Did I mess up the affection balance somewhere?

Ugh, what do I do? What should I do? I’m not about to say, “Only Rice × Bourbon is allowed,” but this still feels way too heavy.

Do I deliberately act cold toward Rice-chan to lower her affection?

…No. I don’t want to do that. I already know, from the anime, how devastating her cloudy, downcast expression can be.

But then again, is it really okay to just leave things as they are? Wouldn’t it be better for Rice-chan if she broadened her view and looked at more Uma Musume?

As her senpai, I should do the right thing…

"Senpai…?"

…Nope. Impossible. I really can’t handle seeing Rice-chan look gloomy.

Those big, sparkling eyes—I can’t betray her.

"Ah… yeah. Do your best, Rice-chan. I’m rooting for you."

"Yes!"

Such an energetic reply. Such a bright, cute smile.
Yeah—there’s no way I can say anything weird after that.

As relationships slowly took root, various problems began surfacing alongside them.

McQueen-senpai and the Trainer.
Rice-chan and me.

…Honestly, when it comes to Rice-chan, I’m kind of out of moves. I don’t know what the right answer is, so I’ll set that aside for now.

But the relationship between Trainer and McQueen-senpai—

That’s something I need to properly get to the bottom of.