A few days later, by the riverside near an elementary school for Uma Musume in Hokkaido.
"Are you really not going?"
"…Maruzensky, don't you think you're being a little annoying?"
"Not at all. I'm just asking whether you're really not going to America, Rudolf?"
"I… Well, there's Ms. Kurokawa and Ms. Tazuna, and you'll be going too afterward, so I… ahem, I don't really need to."
"But Teio is your like your little sister, isn't she? If you count the time, she's already in elementary school. It won't be long before she has to start thinking about which Tracen Academy to choose, right?"
"Yes… and what about it?"
"What I mean is, as her big sister, shouldn't you at least offer some advice? And you'd much rather she study at Central Tracen Academy instead of staying in America forever, wouldn't you?"
"That's already arranged by the family. I actually… Alright, alright, I admit it. I just don't want to go to America. Happy now?"
Having successfully teased her, Maruzensky glanced sideways at the rare mix of helplessness, amusement, and irritation on Rudolf's face and stifled a laugh.
Maruzensky
Symboli Rudolf
Of course she knew her friend didn't really want to go to America. And she knew why.
No matter how you looked at it, the failed American expedition was an unpleasant memory. Returning to that place—no one could face it calmly.
But as a legendary Uma Musume, as an idol to countless juniors, and as the student council president of Central Tracen Academy, Rudolf hardly ever had the chance to reveal such small personal feelings.
Only among close friends could she "frankly" admit them.
Maruzensky wasn't teasing her just for fun. She knew that if you never talked about the things weighing on your mind with someone close, they would fester over time.
She herself understood that well—the regret of not being able to compete in the Classic races, the frustration toward rigid rules. Those were things she could only confide in someone like Rudolf.
And sometimes, that discomfort could affect serious matters.
For example, the two of them were here on official business.
The "Trip to America" had been decided just as quickly as the previous trip to Europe.
After speaking with the Kurokawa mother and son, Kitahara soon discussed matters with Tazuna Hayakawa and the rest of the Eisei team.
Tazuna Hayakawa
Maruzensky hadn't been involved in every detail, but she knew the result had gone smoothly.
So smoothly that most of the Eisei team members, along with the Kurokawas and Tazuna, were already on a plane to America.
Their flights were staggered—Kurokawa Miyu still wasn't mentally prepared to face Tazuna directly.
Arrangements had also been made with Ginjiro Mutsuhei in America, so reception wouldn't be an issue.
But the formal contact with the American Federal Tracen Academy and its chairman's office would have to wait until Maruzensky and Rudolf arrived.
It was a matter of etiquette. Hollywood and the Academy each had representatives of matching status to conduct official meetings, and the student council level required the same.
Especially since this trip was even more grand than the one to Europe—details like this mattered all the more.
Others might not have noticed, but Maruzensky could sense it clearly: Rudolf was subtly avoiding the matter.
So she volunteered to come to Hokkaido to scout promising newcomers for the soon-to-be-established club, dragging Rudolf along with her.
The "newcomers" were the ones Kitahara had mentioned: Seiun Sky and King Halo.
Seiun Sky
King Halo
She didn't quite understand how that trainer seemed to know everything, but having watched him step by step to where he was today, Maruzensky no longer felt the urge to pry.
While assisting Kitahara and the Eisei team, she also wanted to help Rudolf ease her feelings about going to America.
There was no way her friend could simply not go—that would break protocol. She just needed a little buffer time.
And compared to the past, Maruzensky felt that Rudolf might be carrying other complicated emotions as well.
Those emotions needed time to be talked through slowly.
"Alright, alright, fine, fine. No problem."
Pretending to respond perfunctorily to Rudolf's annoyed tone, Maruzensky deliberately lightened the mood.
"By the way, according to the teachers, we've already walked this far along the river. Why haven't we seen those two little ones yet?"
Knowing Maruzensky was changing the subject, Rudolf felt a subtle relief and looked around.
"Right. Didn't they say one dragged the other here to go fishing? Why can't we see any sign of them…"
If Kitahara had been here, he would definitely have facepalmed in exasperation.
Of course it's you, you fishing addict. You never forget about fishing, do you?
The one who dragged her companion here to fish—there was no need to think twice. It had to be Seiun Sky.
In the original design, the word "Thumbing" in Seiun Sky's outfit name is a fishing term.
It refers to using your thumb to control the spool speed when casting with a baitcasting reel in lure fishing, preventing backlash or short casts.
Her hobbies and specialties: sleeping in during the day, fishing.
Her favorite activity with family: when returning to her hometown, going fishing with her grandfather—her fishing partner.
In her character introduction and unique skill animation, she sits in the center of a wooden sail raft on the sea, fishing.
It's safe to say that in the Uma Musume project, whenever fishing is mentioned, it's almost certainly connected to Seiun Sky.
The reason for this subtle setting is that a friend of the original horse's owner loved fishing.
That friend was a manga artist whose representative work was Tsuribaka Nisshi ("Diary of a Fishing Maniac")—and also a devoted fan of Seiun Sky.
But Rudolf Symboli and Maruzensky knew none of this.
Although the teacher on duty had told them that Seiun Sky would usually come to this riverside to fish when she had nothing else to do—and often dragged King Halo along—
After walking for quite some distance without spotting any sign of a fisher, the two Uma Musume hesitated and decided to head back to the academy to ask again.
Just as they made that decision, a faint, unrestrained laugh drifted from afar.
"Ohohohoho——"
They exchanged surprised glances.
"…Was that my imagination?" Rudolf murmured, twitching her ears. "Why did that laugh sound a bit like Oguri Cap's?"
Oguri Cap
"Could it be her…?"
"Probably not."
Tilting her ear to listen, Maruzensky shook her head.
"It sounds similar, but if it were Oguri Cap…"
"Ha! Hahahahaha——!"
"She laughs more like that."
"Ohohohoho——"
"The one just now sounded like this."
"But… the rhythm was strangely similar. That's for sure."
"Ah, right."
Maruzensky's eyes lit up.
"I remember a teacher mentioning that King Halo has… a rather flamboyant personality."
"If Seiun Sky goes fishing, she often invites King Halo."
"So that laugh just now… was probably King Halo's, right?"
"Hmm… we'll know if we go look."
Rudolf nodded, and the two quickly jogged toward the sound.
Both were top-tier Uma Musume. Though the laughter had seemed distant, in the blink of an eye they could already make out two figures.
One sat cross-legged on the ground, with short white-green hair and a pale green ear cover on her right ear. She held a fishing rod steadily; neither rod nor line moved—her posture was practiced and calm.
The other stood nearby, long light-brown hair flowing, both ears covered in blue ear covers with a green ribbon at the base of the right one.
She also held a fishing rod—but hers was bent dramatically, the line stretched taut, as though she'd hooked something enormous.
The standing girl seemed equally tense, calling out hurriedly:
"P-Please come over here, Seiun Sky! I-I can't reel it in at all! I hope you can do something!"
Her tone was urgent, yet her speech remained impeccably polite—clearly the result of strict upbringing.
In contrast, the seated girl replied lazily.
"Hm…?"
"Ah… that…"
"You've hooked the Earth."
"King Halo, you're amazing…"
"Really?! Ohohohoho——!"
The standing girl let out the same distinctive laugh Rudolf and Maruzensky had just discussed, then declared triumphantly:
"As expected of me! King Halo can even fish up the Earth! Ohohohoho——!"
Amid her rhythmic laughter, the two observers faintly heard a lazy, amused mutter:
"…First time I've seen someone so happy about snagging a rock…"
The standing girl seemed to catch it.
"Ohohoho… hmm? Seiun Sky, did you just say something?"
"No…"
The seated girl shook her head, then nodded lightly.
"Ah… I was just saying, as expected of King Halo…"
"I've been fishing for years and never caught the Earth before…"
"You're truly amazing…"
"R-Really? Ohohohoho——! That's only natural!"
Watching the pair—one standing, one sitting—and listening to their exchange, Rudolf and Maruzensky instinctively looked at each other.
"It kind of feels like… King Halo's being teased, doesn't it?" ×2
They spoke in unison, then froze—before breaking into smiles.
"Well, they certainly… have personality," Rudolf adjusted her wording, smiling softly.
"But juniors with this much vitality… whether it's the Twinkle Series or club competitions…"
"They're worth looking forward to."
What Rudolf meant wasn't merely vitality.
As an experienced Uma Musume, she had an eye for talent. She could see that these two juniors recommended by Kitahara truly possessed exceptional potential.
She didn't understand fishing—but she understood how force worked.
The standing one—clearly Saintly Halo from the conversation—
Though she was being playfully misled and seemed inexperienced at fishing, the way her arms pulled the rod, the way her legs and torso braced themselves—her strength was applied with remarkable precision.
The rod bent into nearly a semicircle, yet it hadn't snapped. The line hadn't broken either. That meant her control of force was just right.
As for Seiun Sky, even if it wasn't obvious earlier, it was now.
She had clearly been sitting cross-legged for a long time, yet when she rose to cast, there wasn't the slightest stiffness.
Her casting, reeling, and line-handling were smooth and efficient. Experience was part of it—but so were physical fitness, balance, strength, and technique.
Especially given her young age—no matter how much fishing experience she had, it couldn't compare to a decades-long fishing veteran's. That only proved her innate physical talent.
"Ultimately, we'll have to see their real ability on the track. But you can see it too, right? Their coordination and strength are excellent."
Rudolf asked casually. When Maruzensky nodded, Rudolf exhaled softly.
"If that's the case, then perhaps my worries… are unnecessary."
So you really have been worrying about all sorts of things, Rudolf…
Her ears twitched; her heart stirred. But on the surface, Maruzensky pretended not to notice.
"Hm? What did you say?" she feigned confusion.
Rudolf studied her for a moment, then smiled.
"Don't you think you're a lot like Seiun Sky over there?"
"Teasing people now and then, making little jokes?"
"Even if you're the student council president, I still have the right to file a complaint with the URA Association and the board for defamation, Rudolf."
Putting on a serious face, Maruzensky said solemnly:
"I've never tricked you into thinking you fished up the Earth or anything… Pfft—alright, fine. I admit it. I was worried about you."
She couldn't hold it in any longer and laughed.
"Mm. I know. Thank you."
Rudolf didn't overdo the gratitude. She simply nodded.
"It's not really a big deal."
"Just some pointless worries."
"Worries…" Maruzensky repeated thoughtfully.
"I know very clearly… how far we are from the world."
Rudolf turned her gaze to the distance and exhaled again.
"I understand why Kitahara wants to take Oguri Cap and the others to see the world again."
"It's just… after racing against Tony Bianca and the others, when they came back with such a change in mindset…"
She shook her head.
"I worry that after witnessing the chairman's strength over there…"
She paused, then continued:
"And that made me think—how far all of us Japanese Uma Musume, and our juniors, still are from the world stage. How long it will take to catch up."
"I worry that many of them won't be able to run until that day."
"But seeing these two children…"
She raised a hand and pointed ahead, smiling.
"Look. They're quite distinctive, aren't they?"
"And they're very talented as well."
"I should believe in them—whether as a senior, or as a fellow Uma Musume. I should believe in them."
"All I need to do is pave the road for them with everything I have. Worrying serves no purpose."
"Well then, those were the things that have been bothering me these past few days. You don't have any more concerns now, right?"
She smiled at Maruzensky.
"…Of course. As expected of you, Rudolf. If you hadn't said that… I really would've thought you were being hesitant because of that defeat back then."
Seeing Rudolf once again look half exasperated, half amused, Maruzensky hurriedly changed the subject.
"Alright, enough of this messy stuff."
"Let's go ask those two little ones whether they'd like to take a trip to America."
"Speaking of which…"
As they walked forward, Maruzensky suddenly remembered something that felt rather strange and asked her friend more seriously:
"I don't know why, but I feel like some of Kitahara's arrangements this time are a little odd."
"What do you think…"
"Why is he bringing Special Week to America, and also telling us to bring Seiun Sky and King Halo along if possible?"
"Rudolf, do you have any idea?"
Maruzensky and Rudolf Symboli's confusion was something Kitahara—already far away at Kentucky Tracen Academy in America—naturally knew nothing about.
With the help of his uncle and academy staff, he was busy arranging accommodations for their group's stay.
In another world, Lexington, Kentucky was one of the most famous racecourses in America, known as the "Horse Racing Capital of the World."
In this world, Kentucky Tracen Academy was the American Federal Tracen Academy, holding the same status as Japan's Central Tracen Academy, its reputation known worldwide.
Central Tracen Academy
The academy was located in Lexington, Kentucky, in the northwestern suburbs, not far from the Airport.
The racecourse and academy were built together, covering a total of 1,000 acres.
Looking across the campus, rows of teaching buildings stood neatly aligned, green lawns flourished, and spacious spectator stands stretched wide. All kinds of facilities were fully equipped.
Kitahara's group was staying in one of the dormitory buildings. There was nothing particularly special about their treatment, but that suited everyone's habits—and it was what Kitahara had specifically requested from Coni Academy after asking around.
"Phew—that should about do it. Thank you all for your hard work. God bless you all."
After finishing the lodging arrangements, Kitahara gratefully thanked the staff and watched them leave with a smile before turning to the person beside him.
"And thanks to you too, Uncle. May Amaterasu bless—"
"Cut it out with that nonsense!!"
After their routine uncle–nephew bickering, Ginjiro didn't roar as usual. Instead, he tilted his head and looked at his nephew with a strange expression.
"You brat… I understand you less and less."
"Huh? Uncle… why do you say that?"
Having settled the accommodations, Kitahara had planned to leave Kentucky Academy for a while to check on the Kurokawa mother and son at a nearby "farm estate."
Lexington was a famous town. The American War of Independence began in a Lexington in Massachusetts, and this Lexington in Kentucky had been renamed in commemoration.
With a population of over 320,000, tourism in the area was well developed.
To attract visitors, some hotels had been built in the style of old-fashioned "farm estates."
From the outside, they looked like American rural farms from one or two centuries ago, but inside they were decorated and serviced like luxury hotels.
Such "farm estate hotels" were extremely expensive—but that wasn't a problem for the Kurokawa family.
They had directly booked an entire estate as their base for traveling between Hollywood and Tracen Academy.
The reason, naturally, was to avoid facing Tazuna Hayakawa.
As the secretary to the chairman of Japan's Central Tracen Academy, Tazuna was here officially as a representative of the academy—at least on the surface—and was staying at Coni Academy.
Still carrying guilt in her heart, Kurokawa Miyu couldn't come here yet.
But judging from his uncle's tone, it seemed he had more to say. Kitahara paused, realizing he hadn't seen his uncle in quite some time, and decided to postpone his outing to take a walk with him first.
"How can I not say that? You tell me why I'd say that."
Ginjiro seemed inclined to walk as well. He tapped his cane against the ground with a sharp tok and pointed forward.
"The trainers' cafeteria serves alcohol. Have a drink with me. Otherwise I won't feel settled."
Kitahara didn't refuse and followed him.
"Tazuna's past… no matter how I think about it, I can't figure out how you managed to uncover it."
Mutsuhei sighed as they walked.
"That kind of old secret—even among old men like me, not many knew. Among the younger generation, even fewer."
"The Kurokawa family acted back then. Those in the know were paid hush money. Things like that were never meant to see the light of day."
"So how did you find out?"
Kitahara didn't think he knew everything about Tazuna's past.
In the original work, that setting had many blanks. Details were hinted at but never directly confirmed.
The full truth had been pieced together bit by bit after meeting Tazuna and the Kurokawas.
Explaining the process wasn't complicated—but something else caught his attention.
"Hush money…? That actually happened?" he asked in surprise.
"Don't change the subject… Tch. Fine. That hush money actually had something to do with you, you brat."
Ginjiro swung his cane and lightly smacked Kitahara's thigh.
"Hmph… Back then you were such a good-for-nothing. I wanted to recommend you to Kasamatsu Tracen Academy, but I had no connections."
Kasamatsu Tracen Academy
"At that time, my own performance at Central Academy was average. I was worried every day about getting kicked out."
"The Kurokawa family approached me then."
"I happened to know about Tazuna's past. They told me to forget everything and never tell a soul."
"In return, they'd make Kasamatsu Academy loosen up and admit you."
"That was the so-called hush money… Hmph! Just thinking about it annoys me. If it weren't for you, would I have bothered dealing with them?"
Kitahara felt a lump in his throat.
Judging by the timeline, that hush money incident happened very early. Back then, his uncle must not have been doing well in Tokyo—perhaps even struggling.
All he had to do was keep silent about a former Uma Musume's experience. It wasn't illegal or immoral. And in exchange, his nephew would gain a future.
With the Kurokawa family's wealth, if not for him, his uncle could have secured far more training resources for himself.
"…Thank you, Uncle…"
"Hm? What are you muttering?"
"Ah, nothing…"
He quietly expressed his thanks, then quickly smiled and shifted the topic.
"Actually, I discovered Miss Tazuna's past because of a chance encounter when I first brought Oguri Cap and Belno Light to Tokyo…"
He recounted noticing Tazuna's speed outside campus at night, the collaboration script with the Kurokawas, the adaptation of The Phantom Horse, his instincts as a trainer, confirming with Kurokawa Miyu…
And finally, his recent face-to-face conversation with Tazuna.
By the time he finished explaining how he had "unearthed" the truth, they had arrived at the trainers' cafeteria at the Academy.
The place had bar-style seating. They ordered two cocktails and sat down.
"…So that's how you found out. I suppose only you could have."
Leaning on his cane while waiting for their drinks, Ginjiro muttered thoughtfully.
"Without exceptional trainer insight, it'd be hard to detect how terrifying Miss Tazuna's speed really is."
"Even if someone noticed… others at the academy did notice, in fact. But they couldn't get close to the chairman or Tazuna the way you could."
"Tch. Lucky brat. Getting that much attention from top to bottom."
"But attention alone isn't enough—you also had to have a good relationship with the Kurokawas."
"So… I guess that period when you were drifting aimlessly wasn't entirely wasted."
"Mrs. Kurokawa praising your talent in scripts, anime, and games—that must've been from back then."
"Hmph. Even if there were unexpected gains, you can't indulge in distractions. You're carrying a lot of expectations now. Don't you dare go back to that!"
Suddenly stern, he lectured him.
Kitahara responded helplessly, earning another snort.
"In any case, it took so many coincidences to uncover the truth… so I guess you didn't just suddenly change into someone else."
"That means I can still understand you."
Only then did Kitahara realize—his uncle had been confused about him.
Given how long ago those events were and how secretive they'd been, it was only natural to question how a young man could know them so clearly.
He had thought his uncle invited him for drinks just to clarify that matter.
But once their drinks arrived and they clinked glasses, his uncle abruptly changed the topic.
"Miss Tazuna's physical condition… can she really compete at the level of an Uma Musume?"
Behind his old-fashioned sunglasses, which usually hid most of his upper face, Mutsuhei rarely revealed his eyes.
But when he asked about Tazuna, Kitahara felt as though he could see straight through the lenses.
The light in those eyes didn't belong to an old man.
It was like that of a young rookie seeing Uma Musume and thrilling races for the first time—shock, admiration, longing.
Kitahara froze for a moment, then understood.
Unlike him, who reconstructed Tazuna's past from memory, history, and testimonies—
His uncle had been there.
He might have seen her race in her prime—Tokino Minoru blazing across the track.
Debut race: 800 meters ahead by eight lengths, breaking the Japanese record.
Multiple crushing victories.
After transferring to Kanto, every race won with a record time.
Two undefeated titles despite injuries.
And then—tragically, she vanished from the track.
Such overwhelming strength might even surpass Rudolf in its mythic aura.
In Japan's cultural fondness for tragedy, her ending added a dreamlike sheen.
In this world, that history had been hidden, and Tokino Minoru never received her rightful Hall of Fame title.
In a parallel world, her title was exactly that—"The Phantom Horse."
If such an Uma Musume returned to the track, almost no trainer or fan could resist.
Ginjiro's question wasn't skepticism.
It was hope.
He wanted confirmation that even after all these years, even if it sounded impossible, Tazuna could step onto the track again and display that dreamlike speed.
"She can."
Kitahara's answer was simple and firm.
He had confirmed it with Tazuna herself.
"…Really? That… that's unbelievable…"
Though he had longed for affirmation, upon hearing it, Ginjiro hesitated.
"It's not that I don't trust you, Kitahara. It's just… no matter how you look at her, Miss Tazuna is human, isn't she? At least she appears that way."
"She's fast—I've seen her catch tardy Uma Musume—but…"
"What on earth is going on?"
Kitahara had expected this question.
Before confirming her condition with Tazuna, he himself had wondered the same.
She looked human—so why did she possess speed rivaling, even surpassing, most Uma Musume?
"Well…"
He glanced around. No one else was nearby.
"Uncle, do you know the concept of 'Schrödinger's Cat'?"
"…Quantum uncertainty?"
Ginjiro frowned.
Since coming to America to improve his training level, he had discovered that the gap between Japan and the U.S. ran deeper than appearances suggested.
Japan still relied heavily on experience-based training.
In America, many repetitive drills had already been simulated through data modeling.
Supporting such massive data research required mathematics and physics. Quantum theory had even been explored conceptually within the Uma Musume field.
Though practical breakthroughs were lacking, basic theories were common knowledge here.
Like Schrödinger's Cat.
If you don't observe it, it exists in two states at once. Once observed, it collapses into one.
"That's right," Kitahara nodded.
"So you're saying Miss Tazuna is like that cat… simultaneously human and Uma Musume?"
Though unsure, Mutsuhei ventured the thought.
"As expected of you, Uncle. That's exactly it."
Kitahara explained:
"Schrödinger's Cat is just a metaphor. Our actual hypothesis stems from the Three Goddesses."
"The Three Goddesses…? Not physics? Theology?"
"Yes. There's no other way to explain it."
"Simply put, Miss Tazuna is like that cat. She is both human and Uma Musume."
"Most of the time, she appears completely human—and she believes herself to be human."
"In that state, she doesn't require her Uma Musume form."
"But she is also an Uma Musume. She possesses the full biological structure, capabilities, and speed—greater than most Uma Musume."
"When she 'believes' she is an Uma Musume, then she is one."
"Her ears and tail… you could say they grow back. Personally, I think they're always there—but when she 'doesn't perceive' herself as an Uma Musume, they simply can't be observed."
"This extremely unique case—I've only encountered it with her. Perhaps because she's the only one who 'died and returned to life.'"
"That resurrection likely involved the Three Goddesses. So I believe this state originates from them."
"In human research, the closest analogy is Schrödinger's Cat."
"Does that make sense?"
He watched his uncle carefully.
After a long silence—
"…If I simply treat Miss Tazuna as the Tokino Minoru of old, is that a problem?"
He didn't comment on whether he fully accepted the explanation.
He just asked directly.
"…You can. But…"
Kitahara nodded, then paused.
"But we still need to see her run a few times to determine specific metrics."
"Human physiology and Uma Musume physiology differ."
"Uma Musume peak in their teens and before twenty."
"Humans peak between twenty and thirty—sometimes up to forty."
"We only have a rough sense of her speed. We know she's faster than most academy students—otherwise she couldn't catch them."
"But her condition is special. So we need proper tests…"
"Then what are we waiting for?!"
Ginjiro abruptly downed his drink.
"Oguri Cap and the others are settled. Let's take them and Miss Tazuna to the track and try it now!"
"Uncle, don't get so worked up."
Kitahara drained his own glass with equal resolve.
"But you're right—it's time to move."
"I was planning to visit the farm estate hotel to check with Mrs. Kurokawa anyway."
"As for the chairman's office—that's not someone we can just meet whenever we want. We need someone with influence to arrange that."
"Mrs. Kurokawa said she could visit once she's settled."
"So I intended to ask her."
"But you dragged me here for drinks."
He added lightly:
"And you know about Mrs. Kurokawa and Miss Tazuna's unresolved history."
"If we go now, we definitely can't test Miss Tazuna on the side."
"…Tch. I got ahead of myself."
After a second's thought, Mutsuhei slammed his cane again.
"Then it's settled!"
"Uncle, stop startling me!"
"Enough. Listen."
He lowered his sunglasses slightly, revealing sharp eyes.
"Mrs. Kurokawa needs to meet the chairman's office, right?"
"You don't need to go. You're not familiar with American politics. That kind of person flies around constantly—you might not meet them today."
"Leave those matters to Mrs. Kurokawa—and to me."
"You focus on training and testing."
He straightened his collar and fishing cap.
"Don't tell me without your fancy equipment, you can't even conduct basic evaluations."
"Stop slacking. Start with foundational training."
"It's vacation season. Plenty of facilities are empty. Just grab one."
"If anyone objects, tell them you're my nephew."
"I still have that much face."
Confidently declaring so, he turned to leave—then paused.
"Oh, right. You might not know the layout well."
"I'll have that kid guide you."
"Sunday Silence—you've seen her over video call."
"I'll give you her contact. I'll explain things to her. Just go find her."
(End of Chapter)