"...Good morning, Trainer."
Carrying a tray piled high with food, Bamboo Elegance walked over to where Saito Asuka and Nakayama Megumi were eating in the cafeteria and sat down opposite them: "Good morning to you too, Miss Megumi."
"Good morning."
Nakayama Megumi nodded at Bamboo Elegance, then her gaze drifted down, finally settling on the tray of food.
"Even though I know Horse Girls can eat a lot, it's still surprising to actually see it."
She said this, then looked at Bamboo Elegance's stomach: "...Are you sure you won't gain weight eating like that?"
"...A Horse Girl's physique is different from a human's, you know?"
Struck where it hurt, Bamboo Elegance was momentarily at a loss for words.
After staring wide-eyed at Nakayama Megumi for a few seconds, the black-haired Horse Girl finally heard herself say this.
"That's true."
Nakayama Megumi nodded.
"How's today's portion?"
Sitting nearby and listening to their conversation, Saito Asuka swallowed the food in his mouth before asking, "...Can you eat it all?"
"Mm."
Bamboo Elegance nodded: "Thank you, Trainer."
"Ah, there's no need to thank me for this."
Saito Asuka waved his hand: "After all, I am your trainer."
"...Huh?"
Bamboo Elegance was momentarily stunned upon hearing Saito Asuka say this.
"Trainer, you passed the exam?"
"Huh? Yes."
The man nodded confidently: "Although the results won't be out until noon, I believe with how I performed yesterday, there shouldn't be any problems at all!"
"I think it might be better if you don't get too confident before the results come out, Trainer?"
Seeing the man's completely assured expression, Bamboo Elegance said: "Shouldn't we wait until the noon results are announced?"
"I actually think he probably did fine on this exam."
After Bamboo Elegance finished speaking, Nakayama Megumi leisurely continued: "After all, this is the first time I've seen him look so confident after taking an exam."
"..."
Hearing his lover beside him say this, Saito Asuka showed a wry, helpless smile on his face.
While I'm happy you're speaking up for me... could you phrase it in a way that actually makes me feel good hearing it?
"Is that so..."
Hearing both of them say this, Bamboo Elegance didn't press further.
Driven by hunger, the black-haired Horse Girl lowered her head and began eating.
For a while, the only sounds in the cafeteria were the conversation between Saito Asuka and Nakayama Megumi sitting across from her.
"Speaking of which, Trainer, have you considered my race schedule after winning my Debut Race?"
After clearing all the food from her plate, Bamboo Elegance looked up and asked the man who was about to stand up.
"...Race schedule after that?"
Saito Asuka was taken aback.
"Huh? What's wrong?"
Seeing the man just staring blankly at her after her question, Bamboo Elegance asked curiously: "Since you said you want to save this academy, you must have already planned out my upcoming race schedule, right?"
"...You haven't made any preparations for such an important matter, Chairman?"
"..."
Hearing Bamboo Elegance say this, Saito Asuka guiltily averted his eyes.
...He really hadn't prepared anything at all.
After all, before Bamboo Elegance arrived, there hadn't been a single Horse Girl left in this academy.
Plus, aside from handling documents in the chairman's office, he had been overwhelmed with matters related to the Race Horse Girl Trainer Qualification Certificate, leaving him with little time to properly plan this matter.
"Trainer, you really haven't..."
"Ahem, ahem... Since there's nobody else here anyway, let's discuss this matter right here."
Saito Asuka coughed awkwardly a few times, pulling Nakayama Megumi to sit down again.
"But... before we discuss this, I'd like to ask Elegance first."
The man clasped his hands on the table, his eyes fixed intently on the only Horse Girl in Himeji Tracen Academy: "Are there any particular races you especially want to run?"
"Races I especially want to run?"
Hearing the man's question, Bamboo Elegance tilted her head in confusion and asked in return: "...Since you want to save this academy, the races you'd want me to participate in should all be those that can quickly build my popularity, right? Why are you specifically asking me this question?"
"Because I don't want my request to make you miss the races you want to participate in."
Saito Asuka answered without hesitation.
...He didn't want the Horse Girl before him to miss the races she wanted to join or miss realizing that dream she wanted to achieve because of his earlier words, "Please save this academy with me!"
When people cheer for Horse Girls striving on the racetrack, perhaps they're projecting their own desires to achieve dreams onto them.
So when people see the Horse Girl they support win, they feel satisfied.
Saito Asuka... He's actually quite a greedy person.
He not only wants to pull this academy back from the brink of closure but also wants to restore it to its peak era through his own efforts.
However... He doesn't think this is reason enough to force her to give up chasing her dreams.
In that case, he might as well be even greedier.
He not only wants to restore this academy to its former peak period, but he also wants to witness this child before him step by step climb the ladder and complete the dream she's been longing for.
Revitalizing the academy and fulfilling her dreams - he wants it all!
"...As your trainer, I want to personally witness you achieve your dreams."
The man expressed his thoughts to Bamboo Elegance.
"Trainer, do you think that counts as being greedy?"
However, after hearing Saito Asuka's words, Bamboo Elegance asked after a brief silence: "Don't you want this academy to become more lively than ever before through your efforts?"
"Of course I've thought about that, but..."
The man looked at the black-haired Horse Girl who was even greedier than him and answered with a bitter smile: "...I don't have the confidence to make it more successful than during my father's time."
"But you still have me!"
Bamboo Elegance stood up.
She looked at the two people who had no choice but to lift their heads to look at her face because of her action.
"Besides... Isn't it amazing how long you've persisted as chairman? Why would you say something like lacking confidence?"
Bamboo Elegance pointed a finger at Saito Asuka.
"You can definitely do it!"
...He was being affirmed.
Savoring Bamboo Elegance's earlier words, the man silently murmured as joy welled up in his heart.
All the efforts he made to prevent this academy from being abolished were being affirmed by Megumi and this child before him.
He watched Bamboo Elegance, who was still saying something in front of him, and listened quietly.
Listening to this child's speech, Saito Asuka felt as if he had recovered something he had once lost.
"...So, since we've already decided to save this academy, why don't we be even greedier~?"
The black-haired Horse Girl said this, then playfully winked at Saito Asuka.
"And, since we're doing this, of course we should aim for the best, shouldn't we?"
"...You're absolutely right."
Then, just as Bamboo Elegance was about to continue speaking, Saito Asuka placed both hands on the desk and slowly stood up.
"...We are destined to be the 'saviors' of this academy! Given that, what's wrong with being a little more ambitious?"
Under the astonished gazes of the two, the man said with a laugh.
"—I will make this academy better than it has ever been at any time before!"
He raised a finger, declaring with full vigor as if swearing an oath to something.
Then, he shifted his aim, pointing it toward the black-haired Horse Girl before him.
"And I will help you step onto the racetrack and achieve your dream!"
"I also want to watch you climb step by step to the top and become the strongest Racing Umamusume!"
Saito Asuka stared intently at Bamboo Elegance, voicing his vow to her.
"I will strive to catch up to your shadow."
"I want to help you accomplish all your goals; I want to see you become a hall-of-fame Umamusume!!"
The man pointed at the black-haired Horse Girl in front of him, speaking with the fiery passion of a shonen manga protagonist.
"So... charge ahead without hesitation."
"Show everyone your strength, announce your arrival to the world."
"If you ever feel tired, just stop and rest where you are."
The man said gently, "...I'll always be right behind you."