Uma Musume Girl, I'll tell you about my Santa Hat special move too?

Stardust Illusion dried himself off with a towel before answering:

"It seems like it's just constantly accompanying Oguri-chan to practice sprints... Oh right, and there are also the two parallel running training sessions every day, does that count?"

"Run twice a day, is that all?"

Hikari Toyama looked somewhat surprised.

In her mind, the fact that she was able to imitate Oguri Hat so well yesterday, and even master the other's inherent skills, must mean that Rokuhei used unique footwork training to achieve that. But she said that only running side by side was possible?

Are modern horse girls able to learn the inherent skills of top riders with just a few close runs?

"Forget it, let's put this matter aside for now. Grandpa Liuping told me that your current training should focus on basic physical fitness. I watched yesterday's match and this morning's test, and my opinion is basically the same as his. What you urgently need right now is to improve your physical functions."

Hikari Toyama unconsciously tapped the tablet with her right index finger, seemingly pondering her next move.

After a moment, she spoke again:

"Personally, I think we should focus on strength and endurance first, but there's no rush. Come with me, we'll go to the school clinic, and we'll do some physical checks for you this morning."

With that, she turned and walked directly off the field.

Stardust Illusion was somewhat puzzled, but still jogged after him and casually asked:

"By the way, why didn't I see Miura Bourbon training? She should also be Toyama's racehorse girl."

"I have already explained the training plan for Bourbon to her in detail."

Hikari Toyama's expression was somewhat complicated as she continued to explain:

"This child has a somewhat eccentric personality. He will complete anything I instruct him to do well, so there is no need to keep an eye on him all the time. Just provide him with a detailed training plan every day. You can focus on your work for the next few days."

Training doesn't require a trainer's intervention—is this what a fully automated cyber horse girl is all about?

Stardust Illusion secretly marveled at the sight.

The two left the training area and walked through many exquisite buildings before arriving at a standalone building.

A huge, cursive-style sign hangs at the main entrance, which reads "Central Treisen Horse Racing Academy School Hospital Headquarters".

On the way here, Scarlet Toyama gave Stardust Illusion a brief introduction to the scale of the school hospital. It can be said that this hospital is no less than any top hospital in Tokyo, and there are even two branch hospitals in the southwest of the academy. It can be said that both the configuration and the medical team are quite luxurious. It could easily be used to film several seasons of The White Tower or Doctor-X.

The main task here is to treat various ailments that racehorse girls may encounter. It also serves as a place for researching related disciplines such as racehorse girl sports science and nutrition and health science. It can be said to be a place that solves all the worries of racehorse girls here.

"How was it? Feeling good?" Outside of training, Toyama's attitude was quite good. She led Stardust Illusion straight up to the third floor of the building on the left, arrived at the door of a room with the sign "[Uma Musume Girls Sports Science Research Laboratory]", and pushed the door open to enter.

"Who—ah, Toyama-nee is here." The chubby girl in the white coat in the room had just started to make a loud noise, but the moment she turned around and saw who it was, she quickly interrupted herself, put away her comic book, and put on a fawning smile. "Toyama-nee, what brings you to my place today? Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Stop giving me that nonsense, Ito." Toyama Scarlet pouted and pulled Stardust Illusion into the room. "While there's still time this morning, let's quickly give her a comprehensive physical fitness test."

"This must be your new role as a racehorse girl, Toyama-nee? Hello, I'm Ito. Let's get right to the test."

When it came to business, the female doctor named Ito also became serious. She first conducted a set of measurements on her body, including measuring height, weight, arm span, and leg length, as well as routine examinations such as electrocardiogram, lung capacity, and X-ray, with the help of the Stardust Illusion.

Then came a series of procedures, including dynamic electrocardiogram monitoring with patches attached to the hands, feet, and chest while running on a treadmill, a full-body MRI, and bone density testing. The whole process took almost two hours before the test was finally completed.

The two sat in the office with a large stack of test results, drinking tea brewed by Dr. Ito as they began examining the findings.

“Your body is fine, it’s all within the normal range, but that still doesn’t explain the training records that Grandpa Liuping provided to me…”

Hikari Toyama took several medical reports in each hand, then opened the tablet and examined them carefully in front of her.

"Based on these stats, your strength and endurance aren't particularly outstanding. It seems you need to work on those areas. Your speed is alright though... To be honest, judging by the stats alone, Stardust Illusion, you're still quite a distance from challenging the Classic Triple Crown."

"But the Emperor shouldn't be much stronger than me now, right?!" Star Illusion asked hastily after realizing that he wasn't qualified to challenge the Three Crowns.

"Are you talking about the Emperor of the East Sea?" Dr. Ito, who had just brewed two cups of tea, walked into the room carrying a plate of senbei and heard Stardust Illusion's question. "She's in room number 4 of the inpatient ward on the second floor. Shall we go see her?"

The Emperor of the East Sea is here, and he's even hospitalized?!

"What happened to the Emperor? Is he injured?!"

Upon hearing this news, Stardust Illusion's two white-tipped, red-based ears stood up immediately, and it quickly inquired about the situation.

She thought of the glass legs that the former emperor of the East Sea had. Although she knew there shouldn't be any major problems now, she couldn't help but worry.

"Yes, the Emperor strained a muscle during the competition, so he's been resting in the hospital for a few days," Dr. Ito explained.

Upon hearing this, Stardust Illusion's tail began to wag involuntarily from side to side. Forgetting about continuing the discussion about training, it quickly turned around and looked at its trainer, Toyama Scarlet, with expectant starry eyes.

"If you want to see the Emperor of the East Sea, then go ahead. I'll get the training plan ready for you as soon as possible."

Still engrossed in a mountain of reports, Hikari Toyama waved impatiently and chased Stardust Illusion out of the office without even looking up.

"Remember to come back in an hour. We have to continue training this afternoon."

This trainer is pretty good!

Stardust Illusion grinned as he watched the office door slam shut in front of him.

The next second, without turning her head, she rushed straight to the ward on the second floor!

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Any good deals? Let me, the Emperor, take a look!

Today I am here to visit the Empress as a challenger, and also to apologize for causing that controversy...

"In short, I must make the emperor understand that I only want to fight her fairly."

Stardust Illusion stood at the door of the ward, but did not push the door open immediately.

Although she rushed over in a moment of impulse, she only remembered when she got to the door that her previous actions probably involved another party: the Emperor of the East Sea.

Although her idea was merely to declare war, it would inevitably have an impact on the emperor. If she didn't apologize upon their reunion, people would feel that she was using the emperor's popularity to promote herself.

Having thought through what he was going to say, Stardust Illusion finally let out a long sigh of relief, pushed open the door, and went inside:

"Excuse me, I've come to visit..."

"Ah! It's a stardust illusion!!!"

A blur flashed before her eyes. Stardust Illusion felt a weight in her arms and instinctively wrapped her arms around the figure on her body before looking down.

He is the Emperor of the East Sea.

"Did the stardust illusion come to visit me!?"

The emperor, suspended in mid-air and held in her arms, tightly wrapped her arms around the back of the Stardust Illusion's neck, skillfully adjusting herself into a comfortable position. She blinked her big eyes and looked at the person in front of her with a bright smile.

"Listen to me! I watched both your and Oguri Hat's interviews! You're amazing! You're the next Oguri Hat!"

"..."

Seeing the emperor chattering excitedly like a machine gun, Stardust Illusion reluctantly placed her back on the sickbed before saying:

"This matter has been bothering you, hasn't it? I said those things in a moment of impulse, I'm sorry."

"Huh?" The Emperor of the East Sea tilted his head as he sat on the bed. "What happened to those words?"

"Well... well, as long as it doesn't affect you, that's the best outcome."

Looking into the emperor's innocent eyes, Stardust Illusion immediately realized that she had once again been overthinking things. She probably thought that kind of public challenge might even be cool in her eyes.

The two chatted about the recent matches for a while, starting with Stardust Illusion's second debut match. The East Sea Emperor listened carefully to her narration and was very interested in the giant racehorse girl named Daitai Tendou from that time.

She then went on to talk about the emperor's second match, in which she displayed extraordinary stamina.

For the first half of the race, they remained between second and third place. However, in the last 500 meters, the East Sea Emperor suddenly exerted his strength and once again used that special step - the Ultimate Emperor Dance.

In the end, they defeated all their opponents with an absolute advantage of 4 horse lengths over the second-place finisher.

"That running style is something I figured out when I raced with Stardust. It's the ultimate Emperor's Dance! Let me demonstrate it for you!"

When the Emperor of the East Sea got excited, he wanted to jump off the bed to demonstrate for the Stardust Illusion, but she quickly pressed him down.

"Your strain hasn't healed yet, so don't delay your recovery."

The two, who rarely had a chance to chat outside of the competition, became even more familiar with each other.

At Stardust Illusion's request, the Emperor began to address her as "Stardust," and Stardust Illusion no longer treated the Emperor with the same care and deference she had shown him at the beginning, as if he were a celebrity.

"Hmph, it'll be ready soon anyway. Then I'll have the trainer arrange a mock match with your Draco team!" The East Sea Emperor made a face and stuck out his tongue at the Stardust Illusion.

It belongs to the team name that Toyama Scarlet has changed.

The Emperor was also somewhat dissatisfied that Stardust Illusion hadn't joined their Spica team, which is why he suggested a practice match.

"I think we should skip the practice match," Stardust Illusion said with a smile.

"Hey, Stardust, don't you want to run with me?!"

"No, that's not it. I just want to keep our duel on the stage of the classic Triple Crown, so that Your Majesty can properly confirm how much stronger I have become by then."

Stardust Illusion explained that she indeed thought so too.

Losing to the Emperor of the East Sea had become an obsession for her, so Stardust Illusion did not want to confront the Emperor head-on too early.

As Grandpa Liuping once said, preserving the resentment born of defeat will further strengthen her will to become stronger.

"Yes! I understand! Stardust, you also said that [the encounter between two people can have a wonderful effect, and may even change the world], right? So you want to reunite with me, the Emperor, on a grander stage!"

The Emperor of the East Sea, looking like a precocious child, crossed his arms and nodded, as if to say, "Yes, I understand completely."

"That's roughly the idea." Stardust Illusion nodded in agreement, though she found her explanation a bit strange.

"Hehe, I even saw the news that it was you confessing your love to me. Does Stardust really like me?"

The Emperor of the East Sea seemed to have thought of something, and suddenly asked with a malicious smile.

"puff!!!"

Before the Stardust Illusion could react, the sound of water spraying suddenly came from another bed behind the Emperor, separated by a curtain, followed by a series of violent coughs...

Stardust Illusion and the Emperor exchanged a glance, their eyes asking if she knew who was in the next bed.

"Aili Digital, what's wrong?"