The day of Matikanefukukitaru's debut race arrived. In the stands, Fujiwara Chiya watched Matikanefukukitaru standing at the center of the stage, a confident look on her face.
That was a good sign. For an Uma Musume, mentality mattered a great deal. The better their mood, the more strength they could bring out. Judging from the way Matikanefukukitaru looked now, she was probably in peak condition.
A few minutes later, the race began. Bursting out of the gate in one swift motion, Matikanefukukitaru smoothly claimed a front-running position close to the inside rail. But that position would definitely be contested by someone else.
Sure enough, the moment Fujiwara Chiya had that thought, another runner started pressing in toward Matikanefukukitaru.
Should she yield, or should she fight for it?
That was something Matikanefukukitaru had to judge for herself. All Fujiwara Chiya had taught her was to avoid the brunt of the clash at the proper moment.
That was how vague tactics were. It was impossible to tell a runner exactly what to do every second of a race. The track changed from moment to moment. A trainer could only tell them what sort of decision should be made under certain conditions. He could never cover every possibility, which meant the Uma Musume's own judgment carried enormous weight.
Fujiwara Chiya watched Matikanefukukitaru's movements intently. Just as the two were about to make contact, the runner in front suddenly slowed down.
What was that?
Fujiwara Chiya's eyes widened, and his attention shifted to the runner ahead. It was only when he saw the deliberate reduction in pace that he realized what had happened: because of the fierce jostling right after the start, that runner's stamina had dropped, and she had made the decision to alter her strategy on the fly.
A very smart decision.
And because of that, the runner who had been about to take Matikanefukukitaru's position was forced to fall back instead, allowing Matikanefukukitaru to keep her place.
What astonishing luck.
Everyone in the field held their positions, and the race passed smoothly through the first two turns. Then, as the runners entered the final turn, a runner on the inside suddenly accelerated. The two runners just ahead of Matikanefukukitaru hesitated for a moment, because it was not yet the best timing to speed up. But in just those few seconds of hesitation, that runner opened a gap on the others.
A straight path opened in the middle.
The instant she saw it, Matikanefukukitaru charged forward without hesitation.
Saving stamina on the inside, no competition in the middle, no obstruction during acceleration. It was as though the goddess of luck herself had possessed Matikanefukukitaru. She ran a textbook-perfect race, unleashing all of her remaining strength, sweeping past the runners ahead and reaching the finish line first.
"The winner is Matikanefukukitaru!"
With the announcer's call, Matikanefukukitaru's debut race came to an end.
"Well, Trainer? I told you today was a day of great luck!"
Matikanefukukitaru puffed out her chest and spoke proudly.
This actually worked?
Fujiwara Chiya was speechless. The other runners had probably been eighty percent ability and twenty percent luck, but with Matikanefukukitaru, at least half of it had been luck. If even one person in that pack had acted impulsively, the race would never have gone so smoothly.
And yet that tiny probability had somehow become reality.
Looking at the starry-eyed girl swaying happily beside him, Fujiwara Chiya almost felt like putting together an offering and praying for a little of her fortune to rub off on him.
"To celebrate your win, is there anything you want to eat, Fukukitaru? My treat."
"Whoa, how generous, Trainer." Matikanefukukitaru's tail swished. "Then I'll gratefully accept. Come with me."
She led Fujiwara Chiya to an izakaya and said cheerfully, "Opera O told me the sea bass sashimi here is really good. What do you think, Trainer? Want to try it together?"
"Of course."
Fujiwara Chiya could not afford to celebrate with the whole team, so he could only take one person out at a time. Rice Shower had puffed out her cheeks and stared at him for ages because of that.
It could not be helped. Fujiwara Chiya had done the math carefully, and even cooking for the whole team himself would still cost far too much. Making something for only one person at home would feel too cheap, so after thinking it over, bringing them out like this was the most cost-effective option.
Even with Shirayuki bringing in income too, it still was not enough to cover the costs of so many debuts. Every yen he earned from Uma Musume ended up going right back into Uma Musume.
He really was just a walking wallet for them. After all that work, nothing remained in his hands. Well, that was not entirely true.
Looking at Matikanefukukitaru happily twitching her ears, the one thing Fujiwara Chiya had truly gained from becoming a trainer was the smiles and affection of his Uma Musume.
You girls had better race properly for me in the future. I'm not working this hard to make you happy just for fun.
Grumbling inwardly, Fujiwara Chiya stepped into the izakaya, and a giant potted plant came into view.
Was this not the same place his senior had brought him to before? Only now did Fujiwara Chiya realize it. No wonder the sign outside had looked familiar.
The moment he pushed aside the noren curtain, a red-haired server walked up to greet them. When he saw those green eyes and dusky skin, Fujiwara Chiya paused.
"Welcome. Table for two?"
"Yes."
"This way, please."
Fujiwara Chiya was led into an inner room.
"What would you like to order?"
"Fukukitaru, pick whatever you want."
"Then I won't hold back, Trainer." Matikanefukukitaru flipped through the menu.
"Are you here celebrating your Uma Musume's victory?" the server asked.
"Yeah. She won her debut race today, so I brought her out to celebrate."
"Then would you like to try our celebration barbecue set? It's filling, and the taste is excellent."
"Fukukitaru, what do you think?"
"Hmm…" Matikanefukukitaru looked at the server, and suddenly her brows drew together.
"Fukukitaru?"
"Ah? Oh, sure, let's go with what the server recommended. One celebration barbecue set, then some sea bass sashimi too. Oh, and a plate of chili sauce."
"Certainly. Please wait a moment."
The server left the room.
Matikanefukukitaru's eyes followed her the whole way out.
"What is it, Fukukitaru? Is that person strange or something?"
Come to think of it, back then it had been this same server who had reminded him to make a wish, and that had led to everything. How had she known that making a wish to the Three Goddesses would actually work? Or had she simply guessed and gotten lucky?
"So much luck, Trainer."
Matikanefukukitaru looked up. "I could feel an incredibly strong 'fortune' from her just now. So strong it couldn't be ignored, even without any divine message."
"Fortune?"
"Luck, fate, destiny. That kind of 'fortune,' the same one you're always complaining about not having, Trainer."
Fujiwara Chiya thought for a moment. "You mean that person has very strong luck?"
"Super strong, Trainer. I've never seen anything like it in my life. But it was only for that brief instant. It vanished almost immediately." Matikanefukukitaru pressed a finger to her chin, looking puzzled.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Your celebration barbecue set, and the sea bass sashimi."
A few minutes later, the red-haired server returned with the dishes.
As she set the plates down, she added, "By the way, if I remember correctly, you came to this izakaya last time too, didn't you? The gentleman who almost tried to leave without paying."
Fujiwara Chiya instantly choked.
"Tried to leave without paying?" Matikanefukukitaru turned to look at him.
"No, I paid properly! Miss Server!"
"I'm joking. You did pay properly." She covered her mouth lightly. "So then, Trainer, have you solved your problem?"
By "problem," she likely meant the whole issue of being released by his Uma Musume, and his desire to truly understand them.
Fujiwara Chiya steadied himself.
"Not yet. I'm still working on it." After all, he had only been living as an Uma Musume for a short time. There was not much profound realization he could claim yet.
"Then did the Three Goddesses help you?"
That question struck him as strange.
It sounded as though she really knew the Three Goddesses had done something. Or rather, as though she believed praying to them had actual power.
Fujiwara Chiya looked at her. Her green eyes were utterly clear.
"They did help me," he said slowly. "The Three Goddesses really did help me. It's incredible. I never imagined they'd extend a hand to someone as insignificant as me."
"Haha, the Three Goddesses do listen to mortal voices. But they only act when they happen to be in the mood. They don't grant every wish mortals make."
"That sounds extremely arbitrary, Miss Server. Do you know the Three Goddesses well? Could it be that you've witnessed miracles too?"
"Me? I suppose you could say that…"
"I see." Fujiwara Chiya nodded. "Then how should I thank the Three Goddesses? Things only improved for me because of them."
"There's no need to thank them, Trainer." The red-haired server smiled. "The moment you offered up what you treasured most to the goddesses, you ceased to owe them anything."
What he treasured most…
Fujiwara Chiya blinked.
Had he really offered up something like that?
Oh, right, he had tossed in a coin. But that was not worth much at all.
Before Fujiwara Chiya could ask anything else, the server had already left the room.
"Trainer, what were you two just doing?"
Matikanefukukitaru asked blankly.
"Hm?"
"I mean just now, you and that server were staring at each other without moving. Do you know each other or something?"
"We met once before."
Matikanefukukitaru scratched her head.
The moment Trainer said, "I'm still working on it," he had suddenly frozen. He had looked almost like a machine that had stopped functioning. Then a few minutes later, once the server left with the cart, he had turned back as though nothing had happened.
Were those two playing some kind of game where you were not allowed to move?
Matikanefukukitaru did not understand. Maybe it was one of those adult games. She stopped thinking about it and started eating the sea bass sashimi instead.
Meanwhile, after placing the cart away, the red-haired server returned to the front counter.
Thinking of the puzzled look on the man's face, she lightly flicked her fingers, and a coin appeared between them. It was a coin engraved with a horseshoe, and it spun on her fingertip as though held there by some invisible force.
The things one treasures cannot be measured by mere price.
He had already shown his resolve, and the Three Goddesses were not stingy.
Besides, his wish was quite interesting. He wanted to truly understand Uma Musume. Trainers like that were very rare now.
A smile appeared on the dusky woman's face. She turned her hand over, and the coin rolled into her palm and vanished.
Let's observe him a little longer.
Jingle, jingle.
Just as the woman made up her mind, the izakaya door opened with a pleasant sound, and a blue figure walked in. Long blue hair like the sky swayed without wind. The moment the red-haired woman saw who it was, she raised a brow.
"How did you find this place?"
"Obviously because I sensed your presence." The blue-haired woman curled her lips into a soft, gentle smile.
"What are you doing here?"
"Working as a server."
"That doesn't suit you at all."
"I just felt like trying it."
"And now?"
"I've had enough fun." The red-haired woman removed her headscarf, revealing the ears hidden beneath.
She was an Uma Musume.
"Godolphin, I found an interesting trainer. Keep an eye on him."
"A trainer? Who?"
"You'll know once we go back."
She grasped the collar of her uniform and gave it a casual flick, shedding the fitted server outfit in one motion. Beneath it, she was wearing what she had originally had on:
a red off-shoulder top and blue trousers.
"Do you think he has what it takes to become one of our 'little lambs'?"
"If he really can come to truly understand Uma Musume, then he'll be one of our little lambs."
"In that case, I'll look forward to it, Darley."
Folding the uniform neatly and leaving it on the counter, the two women walked out of the shop.
Half an hour later, after finishing their meal, Fujiwara Chiya and Matikanefukukitaru walked to the counter. Seeing an unfamiliar middle-aged man there, Fujiwara Chiya said, "Sir, could you settle the bill? Also, if that server comes back, please thank her for me. Tell her, 'Your advice really helped me a lot.'"
"The server?"
The middle-aged man with a small mustache looked confused. "Sir, our shop doesn't employ any servers."
"Hm? The server who brought us to our seats. The red-haired one."
"Sorry, sir, but you may have mistaken some customer for a server. We don't have anyone like that working here."
"That can't be right. She was here when we came in. You saw her too, didn't you, Fukukitaru? The one who took our order."
Matikanefukukitaru blinked.
"Trainer, wasn't it him who took our order just now?"
"What?"
"Yes, sir. I took your order myself. This young lady also specifically asked for a plate of chili sauce."
"Hah??"
Fujiwara Chiya was completely lost.
What in the world was going on? Was this some kind of prank show? Where was the hidden camera? At what point had he walked straight into a setup?
"Fukukitaru, didn't you just say that person had incredible fortune?"
"Exactly, the owner has incredible fortune. Owner, it's really remarkable."
"Me? Well, yes, I've always been particularly lucky since I was young."
Watching the two of them interact, Fujiwara Chiya had the sudden bizarre sensation that he had somehow slipped into another world.
Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?
Everything around him still looked so familiar, yet he could not shake the feeling that something had vanished.
"Trainer, are you alright, Trainer?" Seeing him standing there in a daze, Matikanefukukitaru tugged lightly at his hand.
"I… I don't think I'm very alright."
At this point Fujiwara Chiya no longer knew whether he was the one with the problem, or whether it was everyone else.
Just then, while lost in confusion, his eyes landed on the neatly folded uniform lying on the counter.
"Sir!" Fujiwara Chiya shouted suddenly, startling the owner.
"This uniform… whose uniform is this?"
The owner looked it over a few times.
"That's strange. Do we even have a uniform like this?"
Fujiwara Chiya caught that mutter clearly.
"This isn't yours?"
"No. Maybe some customer left it behind."
The moment he heard that, Fujiwara Chiya pulled out a card.
"I know the owner of this uniform. If possible, please let me keep it for now. If that person comes to claim it, then tell her to come find me at Tracen."
The owner accepted the card.
"You're a trainer from Tracen?"
"That's right."
After hesitating for a moment, the owner nodded. "Alright then. I'll let you hold on to it. If that guest comes back, I'll tell her to go to Tracen and find you."
"Thank you. Then it's settled."
Fujiwara Chiya carefully gathered up the uniform. After paying, the two of them left the izakaya.
"Trainer, whose clothes are those?" Matikanefukukitaru could not help asking.
"Whose clothes… I don't know either."
"Even Trainer doesn't know?"
"Yeah. But I have a feeling… I owe her a favor."
"I have absolutely no idea what Trainer is talking about."
"To be honest, neither do I. But there's an old saying, isn't there? Things will sort themselves out when the boat reaches the bridge."
"Trainer, why don't you just start believing in Shiraoki-sama with me? I guarantee clarity of thought and prosperous luck."
"No thanks. Believing in you is enough."
"Me? I can't do that, Trainer. I could never compare to Shiraoki-sama!"
"It's fine even if you can't. Just share a little of your good luck with me every now and then."
"S-Since Trainer put it that way, I guess there's no helping it. Leave it to Fukukitaru to turn your luck around!"
She thumped her chest proudly.
And like that, the two of them chatted all the way back toward Tracen.