"Shirayuki, you came from Sakura Municipal Middle School? That's a really well-known school, isn't it!"
The girls around the table immediately reacted.
"I've heard most students there go on to top high schools."
"And that means top universities too!"
"Shirayuki, your future sounds amazing."
You're all getting way ahead of yourselves.
Shirayuki kept smiling on the outside, but internally, she couldn't stop herself from complaining.
She had gone to a top high school and a top university, but the effort it took wasn't something most people could imagine. Especially university. To qualify early for the central trainer license, she had basically been studying nonstop since her first year. Four full years of it.
If not for that grind, she would just be an ordinary office worker right now.
Well… she still kind of is.
So no, getting into a good school doesn't mean everything will be smooth. If anything, it just gets harder.
Of course, saying that to a group of middle-division students would be a bit too harsh.
So instead, she smiled.
"If you work hard, I guess things can turn out well."
"Then why did you transfer to Tracen?" one of the girls with curled hair asked.
Shirayuki placed a hand over her chest.
"I transferred here because I've always admired the way Uma Musume runs. Their races are so beautiful, so thrilling. To me, they're like shining stars."
"Wow, Shirayuki, that's such a bold thing to say!"
"If you like Uma Musume that much… does that mean you like me too?"
"Yes."
Another round of squeals broke out.
Not far away, Fujiwara Chiya sat with a bowl of rice, staring blankly at Shirayuki surrounded by the group.
So tired… I want to escape…
Five or six girls talking at once left him no room to breathe. He couldn't even taste the food he was eating.
They had practically interrogated Shirayuki about her entire life. At this rate, if they pushed hard enough, they'd probably ask what color her underwear was too.
To keep up, Chiya had been glued to his phone, constantly searching things like how to have fun conversations with girls.
The answer was simple: say what they want to hear and keep them happy.
And it was working.
Judging by their smiles, they were completely satisfied with Shirayuki's responses.
Looks like my standing in the class might go up a bit.
"Trainer Chiya."
A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
A tanned figure approached, carrying a tray.
Hishi Amazon had just arrived at the cafeteria.
"Eating alone?"
"Yeah."
She sat down beside him, her gaze naturally drifting toward Shirayuki.
"That's your sister, right? Why aren't you sitting with her?"
"They're all students. It'd be awkward for me to join them."
"You care about that?" Amazon laughed. "Relax. Nobody's treating you like a trainer anyway."
"…Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?"
"A compliment, obviously." She took a sip of miso soup. "There aren't many trainers who actually mingle with students like you do. Most of the ones I've met keep their distance. They're stiff, serious, and honestly kind of boring to talk to. Compared to them, you're way more fun."
"…The more I think about that, the weirder it sounds."
What did she mean, "fun"? Was she talking about a person or a pet?
"Don't overthink it." Amazon casually placed a piece of omelet onto his tray. "It's a new dish. You haven't tried it yet, right?"
"Thanks."
"No problem."
By the time their conversation tapered off, things on Shirayuki's side had finally quieted down. Everyone started eating.
Come to think of it, she hadn't eaten anything since last night.
And strangely enough… she hadn't even felt hungry until now.
Did this body not need food?
That couldn't be right. It didn't make any sense. Energy had to come from somewhere.
Eat more, run faster.
Just looking at Special Week's plate, piled high like a mountain, was enough to prove that.
If I get the chance, I definitely need to recruit her.
But first—
Shirayuki picked up her chopsticks and took a big bite of rice.
"…!"
Delicious.
An entirely new sensation filled her mouth.
How could the same food, from the same pot, taste so different?
Each grain of fried rice was packed with flavor, bursting on her tongue the moment she bit down.
Before she knew it, she had finished the entire bowl.
…Not enough.
"I'm going to get another serving."
"…Already?" someone blinked in surprise. "Shirayuki, you finished that in under two minutes."
"I didn't take enough."
With that simple explanation, she carried her tray back to the serving area.
Her stomach felt like a bottomless pit.
The moment hunger hit, it hit hard.
Without overthinking it, she started piling food onto her tray.
When she returned, the mountain of food in front of her was so tall it nearly blocked her face.
"Sh-Shirayuki… you eat that much?"
"I don't know why, but I'm really hungry today."
"Oh! I get that too!" Special Week nodded enthusiastically. "Sometimes I just can't stop eating. I once finished half a month's worth of food at home and got scolded for it."
"…That actually happens?"
No wonder people said that if you had an Uma Musume at home, your food expenses would skyrocket.
Who could afford this?
In just a few minutes, the entire mountain of food disappeared into Shirayuki's stomach.
Even then, she only felt about half full.
"…I think I'll get a bit more."
Even though it was a little embarrassing, hunger won out.
"Wait, you eat more than me?!" Special Week stared in shock.
"Maybe the swan stores food in a second stomach," someone joked.
Shirayuki smiled awkwardly and stood up again.
…This isn't going to hurt my image, right?
At another table, Chiya glanced at Amazon.
"Hey, Amazon. What do you think about girls who eat a lot?"
"Huh?"
She blinked, caught off guard.
Looking down at her own plate, which had noticeably more food than Chiya's, she hesitated.
Then her eyes flicked toward his phone.
How to talk to girls.
Something clicked.
A faint blush crept across her face.
"…Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"
"Well, normally, girls try to watch how much they eat, right? They worry about how others see them. But for Uma Musume, I figured it might be different."
"You mean Uma Musume aren't the same as normal girls?"
"No, I mean, they probably prioritize health over appearance. So they wouldn't hold back on eating as much. What do you think?"
"…I think you're right," Amazon said. "For Uma Musume, staying healthy matters more. But wait… are you trying to say I eat too much?"
"No?" Chiya looked at her. "I think your physique is great. Honestly, it's model-level."
"…Huh?"
"…Huh?!"
"Thanks, Amazon. That's exactly what I needed to know."
So, Uma Musume doesn't dislike people who eat a lot.
With that conclusion, Chiya finished the rest of his food, satisfied, and stood up to leave.
Behind him, Amazon sat frozen, her face flushed red, completely confused.
…So why did he even ask me that?