Double Bell Light wanted to know why they were practicing dance steps. They were Uma Musume, after all, not idols.
Faced with her confusion, Fujimaru Ritsuka wasn't annoyed in the least. He answered in a tone that suggested it was the most obvious thing in the world: "For the Winning Stage, of course."
Uma Musume were not just athletes; they were idols. After winning a race, they would ascend the Winning Stage to reciprocate the fans' support with song and dance.
Ritsuka looked at Double Bell Light with a bewildered expression, genuinely not understanding why she would even ask. Aside from someone like Oguri Cap, who truly knew nothing, any girl aspiring to be an Uma Musume should know this was an inevitable part of the process. Surely they weren't planning on standing there like a statue on stage, or worse, running away from it entirely?
Hearing Ritsuka's words, Double Bell Light truly did become like a statue. She had been so focused on becoming an elite runner that she had completely blocked out the existence of the Winning Stage.
The mere thought of having to stand on a stage, singing and dancing in front of a massive crowd, made her face turn several shades of pale.
Asking an introvert to do that?! Light just wanted to scream: Guh! Just kill me!
"Light, are you okay? Your face looks terrible," Oguri Cap said, placing a worried hand on her shoulder and shaking her gently. After a moment, she asked tentatively, "Are you... hungry?"
"Hunger is a great enemy." Oguri Cap was already preparing to apply for an early midnight snack.
"Not exactly..." Double Bell Light felt more like she had lost her way on the path of life. How could she have forgotten something so vital? "Thanks... Oguri. But wait, your face doesn't look so good either. Are you all right?!"
Oguri Cap: QxQ
She had thought they could eat early; she hadn't expected they'd have to practice for a while longer.
Before long, Fujimaru Ritsuka began clapping out a rhythm with his hands: "1, 2, 3, 4... good, now pirouette, and again..."
Ritsuka's hands were lightning-fast, repeatedly catching the back of Oguri's collar to prevent the girl from toppling over due to using too much force.
"Oguri, you can't explode into movement like you do when you're running. You need to exert force 'lightly,' like a feather."
Sensing that verbal descriptions weren't enough, Ritsuka set Oguri down and performed a demonstration himself.
"Like this movement—after the turn, slightly tense your foot, then twist your body, just like this."
Oguri Cap: (╹▽╹) Oguri Cap: "That's amazing, Trainer-san."
"...?" Seeing Ritsuka perform the moves with such effortless grace, Double Bell Light lost her composure again. She accidentally blurted out, "Trainer-san, what exactly was your job before this?"
How did he even know choreography? Was he going to say he handled the songwriting and composition too? Would he be getting on stage to play the instruments personally next? This wasn't just a lopsided skill tree; this was a man who had maxed out every single branch!
What kind of Trainer is this powerful?!
"Ehhh," Ritsuka rubbed his chin, thinking it over seriously before answering. "Before traveling the world, I mostly stayed at an observatory doing 'Emergency Public Relations.' I went wherever I was needed. I actually have worked as an Idol Producer before."
The man known as "Master-P" by a certain AI gave Double Bell Light a thumbs-up and a brilliant, refreshing smile.
Everything finally clicked for Light. I see. No wonder he's so practiced. He was an Idol Producer. That explains everything, haha.
Like hell it does!
Double Bell Light: (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
Why would an observatory have such a bizarre position as 'Emergency PR'?! And why would that lead to being an Idol Producer? That job has zero—not even half a cent's worth—of a connection to an observatory! That sounds more like a 'Jack-of-all-trades' Odd Jobs shop!
It wasn't that she didn't believe him—Ritsuka's smile was so warm and sincere that he had no reason to lie. But...
There were just too many points to nitpick; she felt an overwhelming urge to retort.
Light began to worry: Am I going to end up as the 'straight man' for a comedy duo, or get dragged out to perform Manzai? I don't even have any Kansai blood in me.
The thought caused her mental state to crumble further. Why am I already writing a solo comedy routine in my head?!
On the other side, Ritsuka continued instructing Oguri. After confirming the girl's flexibility once more, he squeezed her knee and asked, "Oguri, I think for both stage performances and track running, you can use ballet breathing techniques to adjust your power delivery. It can make your breath longer and allow you to exert force more efficiently."
Hearing that it would help her run, Oguri's eyes lit up: "I want to learn!"
She had no idea what "ballet" was, but it didn't matter! Her logic was simple: Trainer-san said so. I just need to believe. Belief requires no reason.
Double Bell Light, meanwhile, had no idea where to even begin her rebuttal. Most people learn ballet for competitions, for body shaping, or for art. You two... are doing it to 'exert force more efficiently'? You guys are truly invincible...
And so, the girls spent a busy but fulfilling night—the kind where you hit the pillow and instantly fall into a deep, baby-like sleep.
But Fujimaru Ritsuka's work wasn't finished. He needed to select the date for Oguri's debut based on her current condition and then map out her race route. It was already late May; time was growing tight.
To participate in the Twinkle Series held by Central, Oguri Cap, as a regional runner, had two choices:
The Transfer Route: Temper herself in regional races, accumulate experience, complete the "Classic Registration," then transfer to Central and compete as a Central Uma Musume.
The Representative Route: Focus entirely on regional races, complete the "Classic Registration," become the Regional Ace, and compete in Central as a Regional Representative.
Regardless of the path, the Classic Registration was mandatory. This meant:
One registration in September of the Newcomer Year.
One registration in January of the Classic Year.
One final registration before the Twinkle Series deadline.
She had to pay the registration fees three times—no exceptions. If she wanted to participate in other specific races, she'd have to keep registering. But if she missed even one... Hmph. Straight to the ban list. Go enjoy your suspension!
This was the "Ancestral Law" of the JRA (Japan Racing Association).
Fujimaru Ritsuka despised such rigid, inflexible rules. The Classic Registration was a massive shackle. It was far too easy for a girl who missed her Newcomer Year due to injury to then miss the most important races of her Classic Year, creating a vicious cycle where being one step behind meant staying behind forever.
Ritsuka wanted to change this situation, so he personally leaned toward the second route. However, the one actually running was Oguri Cap; he didn't want to pressure her too much and would respect whatever choice she made.
With a laptop in one hand to search for information and a smartphone in the other, Ritsuka tapped the screen.
"Lady Halo..."
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