“Sorry, but I’m not the reckless type.”
He merely behaved abstractly and caused minor disturbances as a streamer.
He was not some irredeemable scumbag.
Zhou Yu’ang turned back toward the game.
After one more turn, a story scene began.
White light filled his vision.
When it faded, he found himself standing inside Tracen’s library.
Silence Suzuka stood directly before him.
Zhou Yu’ang rubbed his eyes and looked around.
Horse girls stood or sat with books in their hands, immersed in an ocean of knowledge.
The Silence Suzuka before him looked indistinguishable from a real person.
Turning his head, Zhou Yu’ang noticed a floating user interface resembling something from Sword Art Online.
It explained how to speak separately with viewers and game characters.
The function seemed convenient.
The audience could see it as well.
Zhou Yu’ang curiously waved toward the Silence Suzuka standing opposite him.
“Trainer, is something wrong?”
She noticed the gesture and asked in confusion.
Zhou Yu’ang immediately lowered his hand.
Apparently, he could not roll across the floor or rapidly switch equipment during cutscenes.
“Nothing.
I was simply wondering how much information you planned to research.”
He manipulated the controls awkwardly, like someone using a chat application for the first time.
“Probably not very much.”
Silence Suzuka sounded uncertain.
She shook her head, then adopted an apologetic expression.
“I’m sorry.
Since I have a Trainer, should I ask you directly whenever I have questions?”
She already possessed a Trainer.
Coming to the library to research running techniques, then being discovered by that Trainer, felt somewhat embarrassing.
It was like a restaurant employee buying takeout from the neighboring establishment and bringing it back to work.
“It’s fine.
Taking initiative to investigate things yourself is good.”
Zhou Yu’ang conversed with her while monitoring the comments.
Then another horse girl suddenly approached.
She looked mature.
Her black hair was cut short, with only one strand of fringe falling over her forehead.
A trace of red eye shadow accented her beautiful blue eyes.
She was tall.
Her figure inspired envy in countless young women.
Height: 165 centimeters.
Measurements: B90, W57, H86.
One could describe her as perfectly curvaceous.
Then there was a certain other horse girl.
Height: 161 centimeters.
Measurements: B70, W53, H79.
Comparison was the source of all suffering.
Fortunately, the newcomer was not one of the truly heavyweight horse girls.
[White-Eyed H-Manga Sensei]: Streamer, why are your eyes moving back and forth between them?
Could it be…
It was exactly what she suspected.
Silence Suzuka’s figure was obviously less impressive than the mare standing before them.
Fortunately, Suzuka’s original horse had been male.
Otherwise, the situation would have been tragic.
Actually, gender did not matter.
It was still tragic.
Cygames’ character design often linked the severity of a real horse’s injuries with the body type of its horse-girl counterpart.
The horse who inspired Silence Suzuka had suffered a terrible fate.
During a race, he ran too hard and sustained a catastrophic fracture.
Many people believed horses could only sleep standing.
That was not entirely true.
Horses would lie down when they felt safe.
However, they spent far more time standing than humans and disliked remaining still.
Such a severe injury could not heal properly.
The horse would experience unbearable suffering.
Thus, Silence Suzuka had been euthanized.
His racing career had reached its brightest moment, only to end in tragedy.
That was why he was remembered as the Silent Shooting Star.
The horse’s fate was reflected in the horse girl’s reed-thin figure.
“Silence Suzuka, even though you already have a Trainer, you still came to the library to research these matters.
Are you planning to discuss racing theory with him?”
The approaching horse girl spoke familiarly with Suzuka.
A nameplate appeared beside her.
She was Air Groove.
Vice president of Tracen’s student council.
A horse girl called the Empress because of both her ability and conduct.
Despite the title, she maintained decent relationships with many other horse girls.
“Yes.
Good afternoon, Miss Air Groove.”
Silence Suzuka closed her book and greeted her.
She was among the students who knew Air Groove well.
In this world, they were classmates of the same age.
In the world where ordinary horses existed, however, Silence Suzuka and Air Groove possessed an unusually deep connection.
The male and female horses had been rivals during the same period.
As a side note, the terms male and female carried specialized racing meanings.
An intact adult male horse was a stallion.
An adult female was a mare.
A castrated male was a gelding.
Since every horse girl in this world was female, the distinction appeared through ear accessories.
Girls whose original horses were male wore ornaments on the right ear.
Those whose originals were female wore them on the left.
In the other world, the owners of Silence Suzuka and Air Groove had a good relationship.
Everyone knew that older generations enjoyed matchmaking and strengthening relationships through marriage.
The two owners privately agreed that the stallion and mare would eventually breed.
From their perspective, the horses’ opinions were irrelevant.
Thus, the two racehorses were sometimes jokingly described as engaged.
Unfortunately, Silence Suzuka died young.
Did that make Air Groove a widow?
Not exactly.
Human and horse-girl morality could be compared.
Human and horse morality could not.
The values were entirely different.
Racehorse breeding was not quite as chaotic as rodents, hamsters, or Greek mythology, but owners routinely paired an excellent mare with many different stallions.
Same-father and same-mother siblings were ordinary in racing pedigrees.
After Air Groove retired, her owner sent her into breeding.
One stallion selected for her was particularly notable.
Sunday Silence was an imported stallion who revolutionized Japanese bloodlines.
The original horses behind many horse girls descended from him.
Silence Suzuka’s original horse was one of his sons.
Air Groove’s owner had originally intended to pair her with Silence Suzuka.
Suzuka was a descendant of Sunday Silence, an exceptional imported stallion.
Many of his sons performed brilliantly, so the owner believed Silence Suzuka’s genetic potential would also be excellent.
But Silence Suzuka died.
The owner considered the matter.
Suzuka’s father, Sunday Silence, was still alive and perfectly capable of working.
Breeding required only the owner’s consent, not the horse’s. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Thus, the rival and supposed fiancée of Silence Suzuka became the mate of Silence Suzuka’s father.
To put it in human terms, Cao Pi died young.
Cao Cao tearfully attended the funeral feast, then went home to find Lady Zhen.
Of course, real horse relationships could not be imposed upon horse girls.
In this world, the two were merely high-school students of the same age who knew one another.
“Good afternoon.
And who is this?”
Zhou Yu’ang looked at Air Groove.
Although serious, she greeted him politely.
“Hello, Trainer.
My name is Air Groove.
I serve as vice president of the student council.”
“I’m Mysterious Trainer A.
Call me AT.”
He gave the ridiculous name without hesitation.
Air Groove appeared confused, but chose not to pursue the matter.
Zhou Yu’ang carefully examined her.
Then he addressed the audience.
“This horse girl looks extremely valiant.”
[Tracen Pun Master]: That is true.
She always carries herself with dignity and is exceptionally dependable.
Someone who had known Air Groove for a long time could naturally evaluate her.
Zhou Yu’ang, who knew far too much, could do the same.
During his previous prison sentence, he had often selected Air Groove as support.
From a gameplay perspective, Air Groove was excellent.
So excellent that Zhou Yu’ang wanted to tell Silence Suzuka exactly how excellent she was.
Silence Suzuka used the Front Runner strategy.
Air Groove frequently appeared as a support and granted skills specifically designed to weaken Front Runners like Suzuka.
“Still, she isn’t really my type.
I prefer long hair.”
Objectively, Air Groove was an exceptionally capable woman with an excellent personality.
One could call her nearly perfect.
She simply did not match Zhou Yu’ang’s preferences.
He liked long hair most.
Straight hair reaching the shoulders or waist was ideal.
Long, gently waving hair was also acceptable.
“Short hair can be attractive, but long hair carries a more elegant temperament.
Hair falling like silk or a waterfall moves with the wind when a horse girl runs, tracing perfect curves through the air.
It is striking and beautiful.”
Most importantly, when a long-haired girl tied it up, she gathered the strands in one hand and exposed the pale nape normally hidden beneath.
Had the audience consisted of gentlemen rather than horse girls, this would have become a full-scale fetish conference.
Unfortunately, the viewers were horse girls.
Worse, the subject of his commentary was among them.
[Hates Flashbulbs and Lunatics]: Who!
Asked!
You?!
First, he evaluated her.
Then he casually declared that he disliked short hair.
Finally, he began rambling about his preferences.
Who had asked him to discuss fetishes?
Stop acting deranged!
Who cared what he liked?
Air Groove restrained the urge to curse and typed each word as though gritting her teeth.
[Invincible Seaside-sama]: The streamer’s remarks make no sense, but I support the person above.
[Horse Girl Enthusiast]: Long hair flowing behind a running horse girl… Merely imagining it makes me feel like I’m going to die!
[White-Eyed H-Manga Sensei]: You’ll die from seeing hair flow while she runs?
What happens if you see a horse girl lying on a bed, her hair naturally spread across white sheets and shifting as her body moves?
Will you perform sit-ups in the underworld?
[Hates Flashbulbs and Lunatics]: What are you talking about?!
[Tracen Pun Master]: Calm down.
Would you like to hear a cold joke?
[Hates Flashbulbs and Lunatics]: No!
Tama-dammit!
Why were the horse girls in the comment section equally infuriating?
Air Groove stared at the feed and felt her blood pressure reach its limit.
She took several deep breaths and attempted to calm herself.
Her mother had once told her that an outstanding horse girl needed to control her emotions.
At least I don’t have an infuriating Trainer like this.
She did not currently possess a personal Trainer, but she had reliable colleagues and adorable juniors.
That Trainer had made vulgar remarks before so many horse girls.
How repulsive.
Fortunately, she would never encounter such a Trainer in her life.
Her eventual Trainer would absolutely not be this disgusting.
Air Groove remembered a dependable student council president and a timid, adorable junior.
Her blood pressure slowly stabilized.
Unlike certain people in the comments, those two did not constantly provoke her.
Rubbing her temples, she returned her attention to the screen.
The game’s Air Groove and Silence Suzuka discussed racing briefly.
Zhou Yu’ang exchanged several polite sentences with Air Groove.
He was merely establishing familiarity.
Air Groove was a remarkable horse girl.
In a racing world dominated by male horses, she carved out a path and became a pioneer for the great champion mares who followed.
Her game characterization reflected that legacy.
She was serious, disciplined, and nearly flawless.
She expressed hope that Zhou Yu’ang and his troublesome trainee would achieve good results, then departed.
She was not merely an NPC appearing for one scene.
She had once competed against Silence Suzuka.
There would be plenty of opportunities for her to appear again.
“Trainer…”
After watching her classmate leave, Silence Suzuka held her book and looked at Zhou Yu’ang.
She appeared uneasy.
Air Groove’s earlier words were not something she could dismiss with a smile.
“Should I listen to your instructions more carefully?”
“I think having your own ideas is a good thing.”
Zhou Yu’ang shook his head, rejecting Suzuka’s desire to obey every instruction without question.
“As your Trainer, I can determine the general strategy we use in a race.
But once you’re on the track, the small decisions must be made by you.”
In most games, players directly controlled every action.
Uma Musume was different.
Whether the horse girl cooperated mattered enormously.
If she made poor decisions, the player had failed to train enough Wit.
The recommended solution was better parents and stronger Support Cards.
“Is that so?
But I don’t really understand how to think during a race.”
Silence Suzuka hugged the book against her chest like a girl clutching a pillow.
She looked uncertain.
“I understand the basic idea that I should conserve energy during a race to improve my chances of winning.
But I don’t know when I’m supposed to apply it.”
Silence Suzuka was an idiot.
A running idiot.
When the subject involved running, she charged forward without thought.
She understood only one concept: sprint.
Whenever she tried thinking while running, her steps became heavy and she lost to everyone.
Watching her game counterpart confess these feelings, the real Silence Suzuka became quietly saddened.
She performed well in most areas.
She did not know where her future lay.
Perhaps the game version of herself could provide an answer.
“What should I do?”
Suzuka focused completely upon the pair inside the screen.
Her uncanny-valley discomfort became tolerable under the influence of hope.
The game’s Zhou Yu’ang struck his chest with one fist.
“It’s fine.
You have me.
I’ll read these books with you.
Whenever you don’t understand something, ask me.
I’ll explain it.
If you still don’t understand, I’ll continue explaining until you do.”
Zhou Yu’ang understood perfectly.
Silence Suzuka’s growth rates included no Wit.
Every horse girl possessed thirty percent total growth bonuses divided among Speed, Stamina, Power, Guts, and Wit.
Those bonuses increased gains during corresponding training.
Base Silence Suzuka possessed twenty percent Speed and ten percent Guts.
In other words, her bonuses applied only to Speed and Guts.
No Stamina.
No Wit.
What could anyone do with a horse girl who possessed neither stamina nor intelligence?
Was it Silence Suzuka’s fault that she had no Stamina or Wit?
Even without either, Silence Suzuka remained an excellent horse girl!
“I’m sorry to trouble you, Trainer.”
“It’s no trouble.
Helping my own horse girl is never a burden.
When we signed our contract, I promised to support you with everything I had, regardless of circumstances.”
Supporting one’s horse girl was a Trainer’s natural duty.
Why approach her and promise to spend three years together otherwise?
Zhou Yu’ang understood that strength possessed a beauty of its own.
Yet as a Trainer who entered prison every day, he also possessed extraordinary affection for the characters.
After hearing his words, Silence Suzuka’s face immediately reddened.
She lowered her head, opened the book, and rapidly moved her eyes across the page as though attempting to read ten lines at once.
Despite her quick reaction, the blush did not disappear.
After a moment, she began asking questions seriously.
Zhou Yu’ang was a real Trainer in this world, so he answered naturally.
The horse girls watching could listen as review.
Silence Suzuka’s Wit increased by 10!
Silence Suzuka’s mood improved!
After displaying those messages, the game returned to the main interface.
Silence Suzuka stood quietly and looked toward Zhou Yu’ang.
A smile remained on her face.
She seemed filled with anticipation for the future.
That’s it?
Why had a scene granting only ten Wit and one mood level required full player immersion?
Zhou Yu’ang looked at the comments.
[Horse Girl Enthusiast]: An innocent horse girl and the Trainer who made a promise to her… Damn it.
I know this Trainer is trash, but I still want to support this pairing.
[White-Eyed H-Manga Sensei]: Support it!
Support every pairing!
As long as he keeps his promise, it’s good!
Two viewers with suspiciously compatible interests began speaking.
Several other horse girls did not understand what they meant.
The horse-girl enthusiast immediately began explaining.
After only a few messages, Hates Flashbulbs and Lunatics attempted to investigate her identity.
Zhou Yu’ang had to warn everyone against doxing one another.
That was better for all involved.
“By the way, what I said sounded like empty promises.
Did none of the horse girls watching doubt me?”
Zhou Yu’ang rubbed his chin and muttered.
Byerley answered honestly.
“Horse girls are generally innocent and kind.
Unlike humans constrained primarily by rationality, they are emotional creatures easily bound by promises and affection.”
Not every horse girl was a saint.
But most were strongly attracted to pure emotions.
They would not consider such a story boring.
Instead, they found themes filled with youth and dreams nearly impossible to resist.
“I know horse girls are innocent, but that makes me worry they’ll be deceived by Trainers for all sorts of reasons.”
Zhou Yu’ang watched the comments yearning for a passionate journey shared by Trainer and horse girl.
Oguri Cap had also signed with him extremely easily.
He was harmless.
But what if someone less honest approached her?
If Trainers constantly made false promises to manipulate horse girls, the consequences would be terrible.
“When we discover a Trainer deceiving horse girls, we impose a small punishment.”
Godolphin delivered the sentence in a sing-song tone.
Zhou Yu’ang found it deeply disturbing.
Could the Trainers locked in basements have been…
“Well, any Trainer punished for deceiving others probably deserved it.”
If someone constantly made promises they never intended to fulfill, the victim would eventually explode upon discovering the truth.
A horse girl’s time and a Trainer’s time were not equal.
A horse girl possessed only one competitive youth.
Racing was a career for the young.
If a Trainer failed to develop one horse girl, they could find another and begin again.
Choosing a Trainer was a gamble for the horse girl.
That could not be avoided.
Zhou Yu’ang scratched his head.
Since he was a Trainer himself, teaching horse girls to remain cautious would not be a bad thing.
Later, he could explain how to identify dangerous people.
A Trainer who approaches with malicious intentions from the start deserves rejection.
Driving out bad actors benefited everyone.
“All right.
Next, we continue raising her stats and prepare for the debut.”
Zhou Yu’ang resumed training Silence Suzuka.
After several rounds of stat gains, dialogue, and Support Card events, the debut race arrived.
He opened the race-selection screen.
A two-thousand-meter turf race awaited them.
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