The enticing aroma of food already wafted through the cafeteria as the early-rising Uma Musume began enjoying their breakfast for the new day.
Fujimaru Ritsuka had donned an apron and was busy at the stove. As a former guest chef at Enma-tei, preparing a menu tailored for Oguri Cap—one that replenished her energy while catering to her specific tastes—was child's play for him.
If Tamamo Cat were to see this, she would likely burst into tears of excitement and shout, "Master, leave it to me-wan!" before pouncing on him, wouldn't she?
Today's main course was Teriyaki chicken breast, served with brown rice, miso soup, and a vegetable salad.
The chicken was marinated in a special sauce before being meticulously seared until the skin was crisp and the meat tender. The brown rice was mixed with whole grains to provide sufficient carbohydrates and dietary fiber. The salad used the freshest seasonal ingredients, paired with a homemade low-fat dressing to ensure balanced nutrition.
For dessert, there was the Uma Musume favorite: carrot cake.
Faced with such a spread, Oguri Cap was nearly moved to tears. Her nose twitched incessantly, trying to capture every scent drifting through the air, as if she could fill her stomach through smell alone.
The moment the food arrived, she began to feast with gusto, her tail sweeping back and forth against the chair. The sharp, ambitious edge she displayed on the training track was nowhere to be seen.
Sitting across from her, Fujimaru Ritsuka couldn't help but smile at the sight of the girl devouring her meal. In this moment, she was genuinely adorable—just an ordinary girl purely enjoying a good meal.
"Slow down, no one's going to take it from you," Ritsuka reminded her softly, refilling her bowl with miso soup.
Oguri Cap nodded, but her pace didn't slacken in the slightest. To her, dining with Fujimaru Ritsuka was the happiest moment of her day; she didn't want to waste a single second of it.
After all, what was the correct way to show gratitude to the food and the chef? To finish everything as quickly as possible with a blissful smile, of course!
Listening to the sound of Oguri Cap gulping down her food, even the "gal" Uma Musume at the next table felt her own appetite stirred. Suddenly, her own cafeteria meal seemed bland.
The pink-haired girl stabbed a potato cake with her fork and bit down viciously. Must be nice—free trips, special meals, and a handsome Trainer to boot. Dammit, I want a Trainer like that! How did that mud-caked rabbit get so lucky?!
Because of their ears and tails, an Uma Musume's mood shifts were almost entirely transparent. Ears up meant excitement; drooping ears meant sadness or low spirits; ears pinned back meant annoyance or even anger.
At this moment, Norn Ace's ears were pinned flat against her head.
A blonde Uma Musume with shark-like pointed teeth looked at the petite girl beside her and whispered, "Hey, Mini, what's up with Norn?"
"Jealousy, obviously," the small girl with a black eyepatch, Mini Lady, said with a giggle. "Probably thinking things like: 'Ah, why didn't he pick me instead of that mud-rabbit?' or 'Stupid mud-rabbit, showing off her lovey-dovey breakfast this early, I'll bite you to death, bite you to death!'"
She mimicked Norn Ace's voice, her tone highlighting her love for chaos. She practically had the words "Fight! Fight! I love watching women scrap!" written across her face.
However, while Norn Ace and Mini Lady were acting out, their hearts held more than just anger; they were filled with confusion, jealousy, and a sense of dissatisfaction.
Compared to Central, the talent, logistics, facilities, and training resources of regional circuits—even the aptitude of the girls and the quality of the tracks—were lagging far behind.
Was it really worth it to run a race, earn a pittance of prize money, and end up covered in dust and grime? The top five all got paid anyway; wasn't it enough to just put in a decent effort? After all... there was no hope for the regionals, was there?
What? Since the regionals have no future, you'll just transfer to Central and aim for the summit of Japan?
Wow, how very impressive~
Countless regional "geniuses" had thought the same and acted on it, but what were the results? What happened to those who won time and again in the regionals once they went to Central?
They struggled to win even a single race.
According to reliable statistics, the win rate for regional geniuses after transferring to Central was a mere 9%. And if you excluded low-stakes races and only counted the major graded stakes, that percentage took an even bigger hit.
So-called "genius" was merely a stepping stone to enter Central.
Since you wouldn't make much money in Central anyway, you might as well stay in the regionals. At least the competition was lighter, and with a bit of effort, you had a real chance at a championship. It beat giving your all just to scrape into fifth place while being looked down upon and mocked.
So, seeing Oguri Cap "putting on an act," the Kasamatsu girls felt particularly bewildered, resentful, and jealous.
They thought: Why does that "mud-rabbit" get this kind of treatment? Does she really think hard work yields results?
The far more likely reality was: you work hard, only to find out what true despair looks like.
Norn Ace thought: If hard work actually mattered, who wouldn't work hard?
"Hey, Nor... Norn." The voices of the two girls beside her suddenly became tense, as if they had seen something terrifying.
But these two were fearless types who would openly slack off in class. Even if the Dean or the Chairwoman showed up, they wouldn't act this timid, would they?
"What?" Norn Ace snapped, her mood foul. Since the three of them were childhood friends who had insulted and joked with each other countless times, this level of grumpiness was nothing new.
Clack. The sound of a plate being set on the table was sharp and clear, catching Norn Ace's attention. She instinctively looked up.
What met her eyes was a warm, clean, youthful face. In an instant, she froze.
Fujimaru Ritsuka was standing by the table, leaning in slightly as he looked at her.
The cafeteria lights spilled over him from behind, crowning him with a halo of pale gold. He was quite close—close enough that Norn Ace could see the motes of light dancing in his short black hair.
But that wasn't important. Norn Ace had never cared about hair; she cared about faces.
In the girl's eyes, his face was handsome and refined, his features perfectly defined. The slight upward curve of his lips traced a perfect arc. More importantly, those cerulean eyes were so gentle they reminded her of clear seawater under a summer sky.
Norn Ace felt her breath hitch.
She had never observed the new Trainer this closely or this boldly. She had thought he was "handsome" at first, but now... she thought this face was unfairly good-looking, possessing a sort of magic that made her face heat up.
In the blink of an eye, she forgot her previous irritation, confusion, and jealousy—but she also forgot how to respond.
Watching the flustered Norn Ace, Fujimaru Ritsuka felt a secret sense of amusement. He asked:
"Good morning, Miss Norn Ace. May I ask a favor of you?"
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Uma Musume: Oguri Cap Grand Order (22 Chapters – Ongoing)
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