Uma Musume: To The Top!! Chapter 92 - 204

"Ah—A-Obey…"

"You scared to death. Obey, could you maybe not pop up like that next ti?"

"Haha, sorry, sorry."

Obey Your Master chuckled, then asked, "Isn't Oguri Cap sitting this one out? What are you doing here?"

A week ago, Oguri Cap had emptied the tank dueling Fujimasa March. No matter how much she wanted it, there was no way she had enough left for the Japan Cup.

Berno Light shook the little notebook in her hands with a slightly strained smile. "Pre-drill—pre-drill."

"When I've got downti I co collect intel on the horse girls. Even if it's useless this ti, once the race starts I can check whether what I gathered holds up."

"So I don't end up stockpiling bad data that misleads Oguri later."

"Oh."

Obey nodded, understanding. "You're really devoted, Light-chan."

"N-no, I'm not that great."

"Th-th-three…" Berno scratched the back of her head, embarrassed.

"By the way, how's Oguri lately?"

Obey posed it casually, but a faint gleam flashed in those blue eyes—habit tugging her to fish for information.

"Hope March didn't get to her. She's not… skipping the Arima Kinen, right?"

To her surprise, Berno shot her a curious look.

"After the Mile Championship, Oguri rested two days. She ca back to training today and we found a calf muscle strain…"

She paused, then continued as if it were only natural:

"So this afternoon she and March went to Trainer Kuroha, of course."

Obey: "…"

Afternoon? That's… right now.

Obey thought, frowning inwardly.

So in that Mile Championship pursuit with March… Oguri got hurt?

Looks like I'll need to deepen my read on March…

Her mind spun; from a short exchange, Obey had already drawn out quite a bit.

Just then, the silver-haired New Zealand girl down on the field seed to finish for the day, toweling sweat as she exited.

Seeing that, Obey lost interest in lingering. She lifted a bright smile and waved at Berno. "I'll head out, Light-chan. You keep gathering your notes."

"O-okay—see you."

Berno stared blankly after Obey's retreating figure.

"What a quick, decisive person…"

After a brief sigh, she fixed her gaze back on the overseas mares below, face turning serious.

Obey might be Oguri's rival, but she's also truly strong.

At least, the way she beat Oguri last year showed that intel can decide victory.

I've got to work harder—much harder—if I'm going to help Oguri!

Even with that vow, before long Berno drooped again.

"But aside from Pirate Crowhawk and Ibubinch, these foreign mares feel like they're just… going through the motions…"

The little detective sighed. "Even harder to scout than last ti…"

At that mont, a clear voice joined in from the side: "Right? And their past race records are all in foreign languages—such a pain."

"Eep—!"

Berno jumped again and turned—another mare had appeared at her side.

A breathtaking beauty with platinum-blonde hair and luminous blue-gray eyes.

A cute ribbon was tied at her right ear. She wore a stylish outfit, short boots clicking, posture soft and graceful.

"G-Gold City?!"

Gold City nodded. "Long ti no see. You're Light from Mr. Ginjirou Musaka's side… right?"

She still rembered: last year's Japan Cup, Ginjirou Musaka had asked her to accompany Oguri Cap for special training.

Fujimasa March—the one who was absurdly strong—had trained alongside them then, too.

Though even with that bootcamp, they lost badly at that Japan Cup…

"Y-yes," Berno answered.

Months ago, Gold City had announced her retirent after being steamrolled twice by Inari One in the Tenno Sho (Spring) and Takarazuka Kinen—technically, Berno's senior.

"So then… why are you here, Gold City?"

Berno was puzzled.

Retired racers interested in a et would normally just watch on race day.

Who cos to watch the training, too?

"…"

Gold City let out a long breath. "A friend asked to do sothing."

She recalled the phone call that had yanked her out of a "not oversleeping, just beauty sleep" nap at noon.

She pressed a hand to her forehead, resigned.

"She's got a countrywoman who's like a little sister. That girl's in the Japan Cup this ti, and my friend wants to check her condition."

"Her na is… People's Queen, I think? Do you know her?"

"People's Queen?"

Berno blinked, then looked down at her notes. "Ah—her fastest split today was 60.8 seconds."

"I see."

Gold City nodded and was about to look around for her when the words clicked.

"…Today? Fastest?"

Gold City stared at Berno to confirm.

Isn't it only four-thirty?

Berno, all wide-eyed innocence, t her gaze. "She just finished and left."

"…Why did I even co…"

"Telling that won't help anything…"

Having confird the People's Queen really had departed, Gold City sighed.

"Then I'll head off."

Berno shut her notebook and nodded. " too. No one's really showing their hand here—nothing useful to collect."

"Let's go together."

Gold City stretched with a lazy grin. "Back to the academy?"

She could already feel the soft embrace of her bed calling her.

"Ah—no."

Berno shook her head. "I'm going to Trainer Kuroha's. Oguri should be getting treatnt there now—I'll pick her up."

"Trainer Kuroha?"

Gold City blinked.

Team Chasing Light's head trainer?

The squad with absurd overall strength—and two core mbers who ca up from the provinces?

And he treats injuries, too?

Curiosity beat out drowsiness in an instant.

"Then I'll co along."

She pivoted naturally, interest brightening her face. "My driver's outside—we'll go straight there."

"Really? Then let's!"

Berno's eyes lit up.

…

anwhile, at the jiro training grounds.

Trainer's office.

Kuroha looked, a bit helpless, at the Oguri Cap in front of him, fists balled and eyes full of hopeful sparkles.

"With this leg, a normal hospital regin—ten days… half a month at most—and you'll be fine…"

You call this an injury? For a horse girl, it's basically "overworked."

It's normal for a racer to take a month off after a run. Why co to to fix it?

At that, Oguri shook her head like a rattle. "But I'm racing March again next month! Ten days is too long—I'll lose so much training ti!"

"…"

Kuroha glanced at the SOS text from Ginjirou Musaka on his phone, then at the treatnt fee that had hit his account right on schedule, and couldn't help grumbling inside:

I'm not a doctor…

(End of Chapter)

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