The room was an absolute disaster.
The broad tea table was a sticky mess. Who would have guessed that two girls had been lying on it last night?
Agnes Tachyon touched her stomach. A dull ache lingered there, along with a strange, heavy fullness.
To think the day would come when she, of all people, fell for someone. To think she would end up becoming such a girl through and through. Even Agnes Tachyon couldn't help sighing at herself.
No wonder Shirayuki liked this so much. Guinea pig-kun really was skilled. Gentle when he needed to be, forceful when the moment called for it. Even though it had been Agnes Tachyon's first time experiencing anything like that, she hadn't felt the slightest discomfort.
She ran a finger over the trace left on the table, brought it to her lips, and tasted it.
Honestly, maybe she should just make this her new relaxation method from now on.
After waking up in the morning, Agnes Tachyon had gone back to wash up. She cleaned her hair, wiped her face, and freshened herself properly before returning to tidy the room. She opened the window to air the place out for a while, then picked up a basin, intending to fetch some water and wipe down the table.
The moment she stepped out, she happened to run into a black-haired girl walking over.
Manhattan Cafe.
Their eyes met.
Cafe's pupils shrank sharply. Then she awkwardly looked away.
"Good morning, Cafe. You're here early."
"Mm…" Cafe clenched both hands, her fingers fidgeting uneasily. "I came back to pick up a few things. I won't be staying in the room for the next few days. I'll read somewhere outside."
"Uwaa, did something happen?"
Cafe glanced at Agnes Tachyon.
"…No."
She gave Agnes Tachyon a small bow, then hurried back into the room. A moment later, she came out hugging several books to her chest and fled as if staying even one more second would be fatal.
Watching her retreating figure, Agnes Tachyon scratched her head. A fresh sheen of sweat had appeared on her skin from the afterglow still simmering in her body, so she wiped it away before heading to the washroom.
By the time she returned with water, someone else had already arrived.
Shirayuki was wiping the table with a cloth.
Hearing the sound, Shirayuki turned around.
"T-Tachyon, you're here…"
"Mm. What are you doing here too?"
"I thought it'd be better to clean up a little." Shirayuki awkwardly looked away. Right now, she couldn't quite bring herself to meet Agnes Tachyon's eyes.
Yesterday… how should she even put it?
Had Agnes Tachyon tempted her? Had she simply been swept along by the atmosphere?
Either way, she had somehow gone through with it in a daze.
After things ended with Chiya, Agnes Tachyon had leaned in to clean him up, and then they had continued from there.
In the end, the three of them had taken turns the entire night.
Now that she thought back on it, Shirayuki wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out.
How did I fall this far…?
"Where's guinea pig-kun?"
"He's in the office organizing documents. We're leaving tomorrow, so he needs to tell Darley the training plan in advance."
"So he satisfies himself and then runs off? Guinea pig-kun really isn't responsible at all."
"Hey, I came over, didn't I?"
"I'm joking." Agnes Tachyon flashed a teasing smile. She wrung out the handkerchief and wiped the sticky floor. "By the way, Tachyon, um… how do I put this? Thank you for everything during this time."
"Doesn't saying that now feel a little distant?"
"No. Some things need to be said properly. Tachyon, you're a good girl."
"Why does that sound like you're about to dump me?"
"Don't overthink it. I mean exactly what I said."
"Oh?"
Agnes Tachyon's eyes flickered.
"I'll take it as a compliment then, guinea pig-kun…" Agnes Tachyon moved beside Shirayuki. "I'll be waiting at Tracen for the two of you to return in triumph."
That morning, Shirayuki was called to the student council office.
"How has your break been, Shirayuki?"
"It was wonderful."
"That is good to hear. Then it is time for you to resume your position. In the name of the student council president, I hereby appoint you as vice president of the student council. From this day forward, serve the student council once more."
"Yes, President."
Shirayuki bowed. Around her, the student council members burst into warm applause.
"Shirayuki-senpai, welcome back!"
Several newly joined young uma musume couldn't hold back their excitement and ran over to hug her.
"Thank you."
"Although you have only just returned, the time for another parting is almost upon us," Symboli Rudolf said. "Shirayuki, though we may be in different places, the student council will always stand with you."
"Mm. Hearing those words from you fills me with confidence, President. During the race, I'll pray for your blessing."
"I am not quite that impressive."
The students around them laughed.
"However, I can bless you in another way."
Symboli Rudolf rose from her seat, walked up to Shirayuki, and gave her a deep, heartfelt hug.
"The Emperor and the Empress… that pairing's pretty good too…"
No one knew who said it, but Air Groove immediately shot them a glare.
"That's a hug-blessing, not a divine blessing, President."
"Ahaha, true enough."
Symboli Rudolf laughed heartily.
"The Emperor and the Empress. It does have a fine ring to it."
That student was expelled from the student council.
After spending her final day at Tracen without regrets, the day of Fujiwara Chiya's departure arrived.
Dozens of trainers and hundreds of students had gathered at Tracen's front gate. It was the first time Fujiwara Chiya had ever seen such a huge send-off.
"Yo, Chiya."
Katsumura Youta, Nishizaki Ryu, and the others crowded around him, one of them thumping him lightly in the chest.
"You little punk. You stole the whole show."
"I'm telling you, don't get cocky. The higher you float, the harder you crash."
They bantered and jabbed at each other for a while before their playful expressions slowly settled.
"No more sappy stuff, Chiya. Even though you're the youngest among us, you're also the most this." Nishizaki Ryu raised a thumb and patted his shoulder.
"Next year, I'm going to Europe for a bit too." Katsumura Youta rubbed his chin, already looking forward to it.
"You? You think you're qualified?"
"Why can Chiya go but I can't?"
"Because Chiya has ability. What do you have?"
"I have ability too! Tell me, how am I worse than Chiya?"
"Your face alone disqualifies you."
"Damn, personal attack!"
Watching his colleagues start bickering again, Fujiwara Chiya burst out laughing.
"Youta's right. I don't have any special talent. I got here one step at a time. If I can do it, all of you can too."
As an uma musume, Fujiwara Chiya couldn't stand above everyone else.
As a trainer, plenty of people had more experience than him.
But as someone who was both an uma musume and a trainer, he was the only one in the world.
He would use that one unique trait of his and push it as far as he possibly could.
After saying goodbye to Nishizaki Ryu and the others, Fujiwara Chiya came to Akikawa Yayoi. This time, even the Director had come to see him off.
Looking at the petite figure who only reached his chest, Fujiwara Chiya bent down and hugged her.
"Chiya!?"
Akikawa Yayoi was startled. She had originally planned to speak in her official Director tone and say a few formal words.
"I'm leaving, Yayoi-nee."
Thump.
Akikawa Yayoi's heart gave a violent beat.
The words she had waited more than twenty years to hear had finally come from Chiya's mouth once again.
Her eyes shimmered. Akikawa Yayoi bit her lip, then reached out and hugged him tightly.
"Mm. Go on, my dear little brother."
"Trainer, the car's here!" Gold Ship waved.
"It is merely a farewell, not an eternal parting. Maintain your dignity," Orfevre muttered under her breath, then turned her gaze toward the sky.
"Yuki-chan…"
Grass Wonder walked up beside Shirayuki and opened her mouth.
"Grass, once I come back, there are so many things I want to tell you."
"I'll wait for Yuki-chan to come back. I'll keep waiting. Always."
After saying goodbye to everyone, Fujiwara Chiya raised a hand.
"Farewell, everyone. The next time we meet, it will be half a year from now."
"See you, Chiya."
"Empress-sama, have a safe trip!"
Carrying Fujiwara Chiya and the others, the black car drove off toward Kyoto.
Three days later, news arrived from the Takarazuka Kinen.
The Empress had won by a landslide.