Gazing into those magnificent golden eyes and facing the now-renowned senior, what choice did the young Uma Musume have?
'Of course, I'd be overjoyed to accept! This is an invitation from a living legend in her prime. In terms of rarity, it's like a nine-star SSR. Who knows how many people would envy me if word got out.'
Seiun Sky drifted off into her silly thoughts, though deep down she felt a little thrill. Nearl was undeniably the star of the moment, yet interviews with her were surprisingly scarce.
It was really strange, wasn't it? Back then, Symboli Rudolf and Mr. C.B. were all over the news.
Now, Nearl's fame had even surpassed theirs, yet aside from post-race interviews, there was practically no news about her personal life.
"The abode of The Radiant Knight... truly a sacred land shrouded in mystery. How fortunate we are," King Halo declared, her excitement causing subtle shifts in her usual character tone (?).
Every hair on her tail seemed to quiver with delight.
"I'm not too bothered about that," Seiun Sky chimed in, patting her stomach, which was being relatively well-behaved for now, though the hollow feeling foretold the inevitable future "grumbling."
"Compared to the senior's private life, I'm actually more excited about this dinner. I really hope it's a feast..."
--+--
"No more... I can't eat another bite..."
Seiun Sky put down her spoon and slumped back in her chair, boneless as a liquid about to slide right off.
"Seiun, is that enough for you? Would you like some more carrot soup?"
Grass Wonder, sitting beside her, returned to her seat with a freshly filled plate. This was already her third helping, a sight that made cold sweat break out on Seiun Sky's forehead.
"No, no, I'll pass, really. I'm stuffed."
As she spoke, she gently rubbed her slightly rounded belly, a testament to her stomach's complete lack of space.
"Besides, you're the weird one here, Grass! Three servings is way too much, no matter how you look at it!"
"Heehee, is that so?"
Hearing this, Grass Wonder lowered her ears sheepishly.
This point actually troubled her. She wanted to be a proper lady, but her appetite thoroughly shattered that fantasy. A big eater and a refined lady just didn't go together, did they?
'But if I only eat a normal Uma Musume's portion, I get so hungry I can't even build up speed while running.'
Troubled, she swirled her spoon, staring at the exceptionally rich and fragrant radish soup before her.
Appetite and shame were locked in a fierce battle within her, and without outside intervention, it looked set to continue for a while.
If there was no outside intervention, that is.
Thunk.
The sound of a bowl meeting the tabletop, deep and resonant, indicated its considerable weight.
Even with that mental preparation, when Seiun Sky and Grass Wonder turned their heads, they were still startled by the size of the... basin Special Week had brought over.
"That thing's way too big! That's clearly a basin, no matter how you look at it!"
Seiun Sky instinctively leaned forward, and upon seeing the heaping pile of food, she had a hallucination: her own stomach was about to burst.
"That is indeed a bit..." Grass Wonder wore a complicated smile, but at the same time, she felt an inexplicable sense of relief.
It was like feeling embarrassed but then finding someone even more embarrassing—suddenly she felt a lot better.
Special Week completely ignored their whispering.
Openly and with perfect composure, she picked up her spoon. But before she started, her eyes swept over Grass Wonder's plate nearby, and a flicker of appreciation appeared in them.
"You. Eat a lot."
Facing Grass Wonder's confused expression, Special Week suddenly dropped this verbal bomb, effectively stopping the other's heart and lungs on the spot.
"…"
Grass Wonder couldn't speak. Her brain couldn't muster even a shred of processing power.
The three words "eat a lot" seemed to occupy her entire mental capacity, to the point where she couldn't even manage her expression. Her normally gentle face now looked somewhat stiff and rigid.
"Hey, Special Week, that's not a nice thing to say, is it?"
Seiun Sky waved her hands frantically beside them, trying to patch up the awkward atmosphere. She desperately shot meaningful looks at Special Week.
'Quick, say something, anything! She's about to cry at this rate!'
"?"
Special Week noticed Seiun Sky's looks. She tilted her head.
'She's hopeless! This girl is a black hole for emotional intelligence!'
Seiun Sky covered her face in agony.
"So... Special Week, do you also think my appetite is strange?"
Grass Wonder feigned calm, though internally she was shriveling up. She was asking this question with a mindset of 'let the final blow come harder!'
'My appetite is just big. She just said it out loud bluntly. I can only blame myself.'
Her ears drooped weakly as Grass Wonder tightly clenched the chopsticks between her fingers.
"Strange? No. Isn't it a good thing?"
Special Week put down her spoon, puzzled.
"Huh?"
"Obviously, right? How can you run without eating your fill? My teacher used to force-feed me back then, because the energy is right there. If you store more, you definitely have an advantage."
'A plump filly knows no hardships,' she mentally added.
"Special Week!"
Grass Wonder was deeply moved. She was just one word of encouragement away from accepting her own appetite, and Special Week's words had scored a perfect ten in her heart.
So when Nearl returned with King Halo, this was the scene that greeted them: a sweat-drenched Seiun Sky busy trying to take care of two 'plump fillies' slumped on the sofa, their bellies swollen to the size of their heads.
"Really, do these two not know the meaning of moderation?" King Halo wrinkled her brow in distaste.
Nearl simply smiled, unbothered.
"It's fine. After all, they are Uma Musume. We can't judge them by human standards. A big appetite is a good thing. It just means their training will need to be increased afterward."
"Training... Could it be you'll be instructing us, Senior?"
"I'd like to, but honestly, time is rather tight." Recalling the words Symboli Rudolf had left her with earlier, Nearl looked at little King Halo with a hint of apology.
"Tracen Academy is about to hold a training camp soon. The Student Council President said they're short-handed and asked me to lend a hand."
"Whaaat? Does that mean you'll be away from the academy for quite a while?" King Halo dragged out her words, sounding utterly disappointed.
Training camps like this had nothing to do with them, the newbies.
While the debuted Uma Musumes were off at camp, they still had to attend classes at the academy. It was the height of envy.
"Don't be like that. Next year, King, you'll be able to join the camp, won't you? I'll still be here then. Just be patient a little longer."
As she spoke, Nearl also cast a concerned glance at Special Week.
"There's one more thing I'd like to ask of you: could you keep a bit of an eye on Spe-chan? Her thoughts are a bit too direct right now, and her words can easily sting."
After all, whether the current Special Week could make friends as easily as she remembered was still a big question mark.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.