As the next morning came...
The classroom was once again bustling with students.
Then, one particular group gathered around the same desk once more.
Sei's desk.
Except this time, one familiar face had returned to the group.
Haru Urara stood among them, wearing the same bright smile she always did.
El immediately turned toward Urara.
"Urara, mi amiga! Where were you yesterday?!"
"We were worried sick!"
Grass nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, Urara. Where did you go?"
"We even went looking for you."
"We thought you'd wandered off campus and gotten lost."
"Hm-hm-hm!"
Urara puffed out her chest proudly.
"Don't worry, don't worry!"
"Urara simply went on an important expedition outside the campus!"
"And I even got the chance to acquire a treasure that promised to make me stronger!"
For a moment, Sei remained lethargic, her head still resting on her desk.
But the moment she heard the word treasure, she stirred.
"A treasure...?"
She finally lifted her head.
Her sleepy eyes settled on Urara.
"...Interesting."
Urara nodded enthusiastically.
"Right?!"
"It said that anyone who completes this treasure hunt can gain the power to become the greatest Umamusume ever!"
"And since King wasn't thrilled with my current level..."
"I thought maybe, through this treasure hunt, I could become strong enough to run alongside her!"
"So I wouldn't be a burden to her or anyone anymore!"
"Urara..." Grass muttered worriedly.
She couldn't help but wonder if King's words had nearly pushed Urara toward something dangerous.
But before the silence could linger for long...
El leaned closer.
"So, so!"
"Did you find the treasure, Urara?! What was it like?!"
"Was it another mask that grants invincibility, like mine?!"
"Actually!"
Urara suddenly threw both hands into the air.
"I did find a treasure! Though it may not be as cool as your mask, El-chan!"
Then she lowered her arms, her bright smile softening.
"Because of this treasure..."
"...I got a hug from King yesterday!"
The three stared at her in stunned silence.
But Urara continued.
"You see..."
"I might not have gotten any stronger after all."
"But!"
"I got half of the dream I was chasing!"
"And I'm really happy I did!"
W
With that, El and Grass exchanged a look before faintly smiling.
"Urara..." they muttered.
For once...
They had nothing to say.
Then, Sei stirred again.
"So...?"
"Did you actually get something before venturing off on the treasure hunt?"
"Like a hint?"
"Or maybe a map?"
"Oh!"
Urara immediately nodded.
"Yeah! I did get a map!"
"Whoa! Really?!" El exclaimed, leaning closer.
"Let me see, let me see!"
"Sure!"
Urara eagerly reached into her bag and quickly pulled out a piece of paper.
A piece of paper that somehow caused the trio to freeze rather than become excited.
It was a hand-drawn map.
A very...
Very...
Poorly drawn map.
The trio stared at it.
Their expressions slowly twisted.
And it became painfully obvious that...
This was a scam.
Grass carefully read the title.
"Follow the paths to reach your dream with... Gold Ship?"
"Urara..."
"I'm not sure this is actually a—"
Before Grass could finish, Urara enthusiastically nodded.
"Right?!"
"At first, I thought it probably wasn't a treasure map either!"
"But then I thought about it!"
"In the manga I read, sometimes real treasure is hidden behind something cryptic and deceptive!"
"That's why I believe it's actually a treasure map, despite how funny it looks!"
She proudly raised the paper.
"And I even paid ¥5,000 for it!"
"¥5..."
"...¥5,000?!"
The three exclaimed in unison.
"That's a lot of money for something that's obviously a scam—!" El started.
But before she could finish, Grass quickly interrupted.
"So..."
"Did you get what you wanted from the treasure map?"
Urara nodded happily.
"I did!"
"And it was worth every penny!"
"Even though it used up half of my weekly allowance..."
"But I don't mind!"
"At least..."
"I got King to talk to me again!"
"That's worth more than anything in the world!"
Once again, the trio exchanged looks before chuckling.
Sei then reached out her hand.
"Can I take a look at the map?"
"Sure!" Urara replied, handing it over.
"Maybe you'll get your own treasure too!"
Sei took the map and carefully examined the messy drawings.
She studied the markings.
The paths.
The crude illustrations.
"Hmm..."
She narrowed her eyes as she traced a finger along the markings.
"I see..."
"So the shrine was the..."
She tilted the map slightly.
"I guess..."
"Making a treasure map lead to a place where someone can make a wish sounds..."
"...logical."
Meanwhile, El turned toward Urara.
"By the way..."
"Where's King?"
"I thought you two made up and came to school together?"
"Oh!" Urara smiled.
"King said she had some business to take care of somewhere else."
"So, she'll only join us later!"
Then Urara suddenly turned toward Grass.
"And by the way, Grass-chan!"
"I heard you already had your debut race!"
"Congratulations! That's amazing!"
Grass chuckled.
"Well... It's nothing too big."
"Well! I surely can't wait for mine!" Urara said excitedly.
"I wonder what it'll be like!"
Meanwhile, Sei turned toward El.
"What about you, El?"
"I heard you were on the same team as Grass."
"Same team?"
El tilted her head.
"What do you mean?"
Sei blinked.
"Wait..."
"You two aren't...?"
"No, amiga!"
"We aren't actually on the same team!"
Grass chuckled.
"I understand why you'd think that, though."
"We've spent quite a lot of time together."
"But we actually met during orientation and mostly stayed acquainted afterward."
"At the time, I was simply the one who got recruited."
"So..."
"El, you're technically trainerless like us?" Sei asked.
She then shrugged.
"How disheartening."
"No pasa nada! (No worries!)" El said, giving them a thumbs-up.
"I'm sure we'll find ourselves a team or trainer eventually!"
"Well... hope so."
Sei shrugged again before slowly lowering herself back onto her desk.
Grass then turned toward Urara.
"And Urara, I heard King's debut is also coming up soon."
"Are you going to watch her debut race?"
"Oh, really?! Of course!" Urara nodded enthusiastically.
"I can't wait!"
"Maybe all four of us should go together!"
And so, the four continued their lighthearted conversation.
One topic led to another, their conversation spinning like an endless carousel.
Slowly, the minutes passed...
Until the first period began...
...
...
...
Meanwhile...
Somewhere behind the student building...
Far from the others...
A figure walked beneath the morning sun.
It was King Halo, heading toward the last place she and Ishida had met.
The last place they ended up... somewhat of a complicated way to put it.
There, the moment she arrived, King sighed and crossed her arms.
"Couldn't you have picked somewhere more obscure?"
"Meeting here makes it look like we're conducting something illicit."
"Mr. Ishida."
Nearby, Ishida sat on a bench, casually sipping from a canned coffee as he smiled.
"Well..."
"Like I said, it's the best place to keep us away from the ears in the walls."
He then glanced toward her.
"Took you long enough."
"King Halo."