Chapter 81: The Blade of the Credit Card ～Infinite Tissues Arc～

Happy New Year.

…Come to think of it, I’ve only started saying that stock phrase on New Year’s Day for the past two years.

I have a pretty rough past. Heavy enough that, if you go full circle, it almost turns into a conversation piece. Well—no, it really is heavy, so you have to be careful about when you bring it up.

My mother developed a mental illness, with me being one of the contributing factors, and our family fell apart. She passed away from illness when I was still little, and not long after that, my father died in an accident. Until I entered the middle division and moved into the Tracen Academy dorms, I lived alone in a large, cold house.

…Yeah. Even if it’s a past I’ve already accepted, laying it all out like that is a lot. I really shouldn’t use this as a conversation topic after all. People would be seriously put off.

Because of that, ever since I lost my parents, I never once spent January 1st together with someone else. Naturally, that meant I never really had the opportunity to say “Happy New Year” on New Year’s Day itself. At most, I sent New Year’s cards or messages to relatives who looked after me… but those were just words on a page, not something spoken out loud.

That’s why—or maybe because of that—actually saying it… and saying it to two people, an older man and an older woman, felt strangely special.

"Ayumu-san, Masa-san, Happy New Year. I look forward to working with you again this year."

"Yeah. Likewise—let’s make this another good year."

"Happy New Year to you as well. I look forward to working with you this year, Hoshino Wilm-san."

On the morning of January 1st, New Year’s Day, I bowed to my two contract trainers.

The one who stopped his work and bowed back was Horino Ayumu-san. The man who saved me from a cold world—and whom I’ll be saving in return from here on out… the one I like… well, it’s unrequited love. Or maybe infatuation? Something like that. Yes. That kind of person.

Standing beside him, carefully returning my greeting, was Horino Masa-san. Ayumu-san’s younger sister—kind, serious, and deeply considerate of her brother. I’ve spoken with her several times, and while it’s different from the trust I have in Ayumu-san, I do trust her quite a bit.

They are the trainer and sub-trainer who supervise and protect the racehorse girl Hoshino Wilm. In that sense, you could even call the two of them my guardians… or, in a way, something close to adoptive parents.

…Hmm. Adoptive parents. Parents, huh. Thinking that myself, I don’t really like it.

Masa-san really does feel like family—she keeps just the right distance with Ayumu-san. They’re not so close that it feels flirtatious, but you can clearly tell how much they care about each other. A very family-like distance. Honestly, if you looked at them as a long-married couple, it wouldn’t feel that strange. Though I’m sure both of them—especially Masa-san—would immediately say, "No, absolutely not."

Masa-san may seem prickly on the surface, but she’s incredibly devoted to her family. Considering how absent-minded Ayumu-san can be outside of trainer work—borderline useless, honestly—maybe someone as strict as Masa-san really is the right partner for him.

…Still, compatibility aside, something about that bothers me.

Because if they’re my adoptive parents, that would mean they’re a married couple, right? And as a maiden, I simply cannot accept the idea that the person I have feelings for already has a partner.

Logically speaking, a sister shouldn’t even be competition. Being family guarantees that their relationship won’t deepen beyond that. That’s the destiny of the “little sister” attribute.

But I know better.

It’s those forbidden relationships that are dangerous, right? I played tons of gal games like that in my previous life.

So I can’t let my guard down.

Masa-san is a potential rival. If I told her that, she’d probably deny it with a thoroughly displeased expression—but still.

With that settled, I decided to once again reach toward my original goal, which had been blown away by the shock of the accident before the Arima Kinen.

Yes. Besides running as joyfully as possible, Hoshino Wilm has one more objective.

That objective is to win the heart of my beloved trainer, Horino Ayumu-san.

…Thinking about it again makes me want to clutch my head at how romance-brained I am.

But it can’t be helped. The fact that I fell for him won’t change. And once you do, of course you want them to look your way.

Ayumu-san should take responsibility for making me fall for him—and fall for me in return. My goal is mutual love, and then… well, dating, going out together, that sort of thing!

For that, I first need to secure time alone with Ayumu-san.

Ever since Masa-san joined as a sub-trainer, the chances for the two of us to be alone have dropped dramatically. This is a serious problem. And so, I’ve been desperately trying to create opportunities for just the two of us.

"Ayumu-san, um… would you like to go to the shrine together for Hatsumode…?"

Just like the night before, I tried inviting him to spend time together.

"Oh, I was thinking we’d do Hatsumode after Bourbon returns, on the 4th. I’d love for you to come along as well—what do you think?"

…Unfortunately, reality isn’t that kind.

---

Well, yeah. I knew it.

Our group has grown compared to last year. Our junior escape-type horse girl, Bourbon-chan, and our sub-trainer, Masa-san. Including Ayumu-san and me, that makes four people.

There was no way we’d be able to do a just-the-two-of-us Hatsumode like last year, and waiting until Bourbon-chan got back was the sensible choice.

I knew that.

…but knowing it doesn’t stop the disappointment from sinking in.

"…Haa."

I’m… no, I’m really disappointed.

Moments like this are exactly when I wish I could spend time with Ayumu-san.

Ahh, I want to go back to last spring, when it was still just the two of us. If I’d realized my feelings for him back then, I could’ve spent so much more intense one-on-one time before Bourbon-chan and Masa-san joined us. Or maybe I could’ve pushed harder and made him flustered… though, yeah, probably impossible. He is Ayumu-san, after all.

Well, thinking about “what ifs” is pointless. This is the one and only reality.

Damn it, what a waste.

I didn’t understand the value of time alone with Ayumu-san. Calling it a honeymoon would be an exaggeration, but still—those moments mattered.

He’s a trainer, after all. He’s bound to take on more and more horse girls in the future. Honestly, if Tracen Academy doesn’t make full use of his management skills, it might not even have a future.

This year… he looks close to his limit, so maybe the number won’t increase. But next year? One more—no, probably two.

I’ll probably never again have days where it’s just the trainer and me.

The amount of time and attention he gives me will steadily decrease. Eventually, my only value will be how fast I can run. I’ll turn into some washed-up relic clinging to past glory, valued only as an undefeated Triple Crown—or even five-crown—horse girl.

Ah… this is depressing. There’s no hope for the future at all…

As I walked along, lost in those thoughts, a voice called out to me.

"Deterioration in facial expression confirmed. Did something interfere with your condition, Wilm-senpai?"

A distinctive, almost mechanical way of speaking.

The one who said it was a chestnut-haired junior who, much to my annoyance, clearly looked older than me. Walking beside me was the escape-type horse girl, Mihono Bourbon-chan.

She’s more than fifteen centimeters taller than me, built incredibly well, and on top of that, her chest is huge. A cruel world of bust-size disparity, huh? Too cruel.

Even counting my previous life, I’ve lived about three times as long as she has.

If that’s the case, shouldn’t my chest be three times bigger too? Well, okay, not three times—but at least about the same size would be nice, don’t you think? My mom was fairly well-endowed too, so why am I stuck this small? Overconfidence? Environmental differences…?

That said, of course she isn’t some flawless superhuman.

She has her emotionally immature sides, and her obsession with the Triple Crown path is intense—plenty of age-appropriate traits. But those gaps just make her even cuter. She’s exactly the kind of junior you want to help and protect.

"Ah, no, sorry. I was just thinking about something."

Faced with her expressionless yet faintly worried demeanor, I hurried to smooth things over.

…No good. I really need to pull myself together. I don’t think completely hiding my emotions like before is right anymore, but showing too much isn’t great either. It’s a delicate balance.

I gave my head a small shake, then smiled at her once more.

"It’s fine, really. Nothing’s wrong."

"Acknowledged."

Right now, I’m just one horse girl—but at the same time, I’m also the senior of a promising racehorse girl named Mihono Bourbon.

And a senior is a pioneer, someone who walks ahead.

Just like how Spe-senpai once was for me before the Arima Kinen, Hoshino Wilm must be someone who lights the path Mihono Bourbon will walk, and takes her by the hand.

On top of that, I’m a reincarnated horse girl. Compared to most horse girls living in this world, I probably have a fair amount of life experience.

That’s exactly why I want to help the juniors I’m connected to as much as I can. The girls I once watched through a monitor in my previous life, and the girls who are now desperately running through their own lives—I want to be of help to them.

…Well, okay.

I’ll admit that even I have my doubts about myself, trying to help not just Bourbon-chan but even her rival, Rice-chan. That might be going a bit too far.

"Will? Bourbon? What’s wrong?"

"No—sorry. Let’s go, Bourbon-chan. Now."

At that, Bourbon-chan and I picked up the pace and headed toward Ayumu-san and the others.

Today is January 4th.

Just after the New Year holidays ended, we were on our way to Hatsumode.

---

It was just yesterday—on the 3rd.

Bourbon-chan returned to Tracen Academy around sunset.

She told us she’d talked about many things with her parents, and with a look more motivated than ever, she said, "Objective reset. Advancing toward the achievement of the ‘Classic Triple Crown.’" That left a strong impression on me.

…To be honest, I can’t say I wasn’t just a little jealous.

I no longer have parents I can talk things over with.

No father to share dreams with, no mother to worry about me.

But that’s okay.

It’s not like I have nothing.

In fact, you could say I already have everything I need.

My parents are gone.

But in their place, I was blessed with Ayumu-san, who dreams alongside me; Masa-san, who looks out for me; and friends who run together with me.

So Hoshino Wilm is fortunate.

Wanting more than that would just be wishing for what I don’t have.

Oh? What’s that? In ten years I’ll retire from racing, and my ties with Ayumu-san and Masa-san will end?

Well then—it just means I need to win him over before that happens.

I need Ayumu-san. As a racehorse girl, and as an individual horse girl.

I’ll make him turn around and look at me. Absolutely. No matter what… well, I want him to. Ideally. I’ll work hard for it. That’s my intention. Yes. Definitely…

And then, after that—

When the date changed and morning came, Bourbon-chan and I gathered in the trainer’s office, exchanged New Year’s greetings with everyone once again, disguised ourselves so as not to cause a scene, and—

The four of us headed out together for Hatsumode.

The shrine we visited for the first time in a while was just as lively as ever.

Rows of food stalls lined the area, and the shrine grounds were packed with a crowd so dense you could easily get swallowed up by it. Moving through that mass of people as a group of four takes a surprising amount of time and patience. People who go for Hatsumode on New Year’s Day itself are impressive—I genuinely respect them.

Even though living this life has softened me up a lot, I’m still a pessimist at heart, carrying that over from my previous life. To put it bluntly, I’m an introvert.

Crowds like this were never my strong suit, but—

"W-Whoa, so many people…! There are this many!? It’s already the 4th!"

"This area is close to Tracen, so there are many fans of horse girls. Naturally, a lot of ordinary visitors come here to support their favorites."

"Operation ‘Divine Assistance’ was described by my father as an effective tactic for increasing the probability of victory. If all fans pray, will the probability rise significantly?"

"Well… I guess it’s a matter of doing everything you can and leaving the rest to fate. I’d like to believe it’s not pointless."

As we chatted like that and let ourselves be carried along by the slow-moving crowd, it turned out to be… surprisingly nice.

Actually—yeah.

To be honest, it’s fun.

"By the way, did the three of you prepare coins for the offering?"

"I prepared a five-yen coin, at least."

"Throwing preparation complete."

"Bourbon-chan, your throwing prep might be just a little early."

"…Somehow, that’s unexpected. Knowing my brother, I was worried he might say ‘it’s for my trainees’ and throw in a huge amount."

"Putting large sums into the offering box is bad manners. I already paid the prayer fee to the shrine in advance."

"…………I was stupid for having weird expectations of my brother."

"Does Operation ‘Divine Assistance’ increase in effectiveness proportionally to the amount of money offered?"

"A god that straightforward about cash would be kind of questionable, wouldn’t it?"

Ayumu-san calling out to everyone, then someone saying something off the mark and Masa-san pinching the bridge of her nose, laughing quietly at Bourbon-chan’s earnest naïveté—

Those peaceful, everyday exchanges feel warm and fun.

This is Hoshino Wilm’s present-day life. The scenery that lies beyond the happy ending I managed to grasp.

Thinking that makes my cheeks relax naturally.

Ah… I’m happy.

I really feel it, deep down.

…Come to think of it, what did Ayumu-san and I talk about during Hatsumode last year?

Um… right… we couldn’t come up with a common topic, so we played shiritori, didn’t we?

"…………"

Thinking about it calmly now—what on earth were we doing? Surely there had to be something else to talk about.

Well, I guess it was my fault for being so sharply guarded back then. If only I’d tried to communicate with Ayumu-san from the start…

---

Listening to Masa-san—who knows far more about fashion than you’d expect from Ayumu-san’s sister—talk about recent trends, while Ayumu-san awkwardly failed to join the conversation.

While Bourbon-chan and I discussed how we sense stamina distribution when running as escape types, Ayumu-san and Masa-san were talking shop about future work.

As Ayumu-san and I talked about running form, Bourbon-chan nodded along with an "I see," only for Masa-san to stop her with, "No, no, that’s normally impossible."

As we chatted like that and waited, it finally became our turn.

"Offering, ring the bell, bow twice, clap twice, pray, then bow again."

Following Ayumu-san’s instructions, we tossed our five-yen coins into the offering box. Ayumu-san rang the bell as our representative, and after the bows and claps, we quietly brought our hands together.

Um… I think you start with gratitude, right?

A lot happened last year.

There were painful moments, sad moments. Times when I thought, What is this world, even?

…but even so, right now I can stand beside my trainer. That makes me happy.

So, thank you, Three Goddesses.

Thank you for letting me meet my trainer, and for guiding us this far.

…Alright, gratitude complete.

A lot happened, but overall, my gratitude outweighs everything else.

If there truly are goddesses who reincarnated me into this world, let me meet Ayumu-san, and guided me here, then I’m genuinely thankful.

And if you could also grant a little request while you’re at it… well, I’d be even more grateful.

…Huh. This is a problem.

What should I wish for?

I slowly opened my eyelids, which had been closed the whole time.

Bourbon-chan to my left is probably wishing for the Triple Crown. Ayumu-san on my right is almost certainly wishing for our health and safety. As for Masa-san… I’m not entirely sure, but I bet it’s something very earnest and very her.

So then—what about me?

Praying for the safety of my legs… Ayumu-san already has that covered, so I’m not worried. Victory in races… that’s something I’ll seize with Ayumu-san and Masa-san through our own efforts, not something to ask the gods for.

If I had to pick, maybe health for myself and everyone around me? But… using my precious once-a-year “wish to the gods” on something like that feels a little wasteful.

If I’m going to pray, it should be for something that’s hard to achieve through effort alone.

That said, when it comes to racing, I handle almost everything myself. And since this is a shrine dedicated to the Three Goddesses… hmm…

This shrine’s blessings mainly cover racing-related matters and health, and then—

…Oh, right.

It also includes matchmaking.

For racehorse girls, just as important as talent and ability is the luck of who you meet.

Just like lucking into the right homeroom teacher or university professor—no, even more so. Meeting a trainer who truly suits you is absolutely crucial. What happens when you sign with a trainer whose approach doesn’t match yours… well, I don’t really want to say it outright, but Bourbon-chan’s breakup with her previous trainer is a good example.

That’s why new students put so much effort into choosing a trainer, and why so many rumors—true or not—circulate. When I was a freshman, there were all sorts of rumors too. So many that even I, someone with no friends, heard them.

Ayumu-san was apparently labeled “a rich kid who got hired through family connections and doesn’t care about horse girls.” Looking back now, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Incidentally, according to the rumors Bourbon-chan heard when she was a freshman last year, Ayumu-san was said to be “highly capable, but a Spartan trainer who pushes trainees to their absolute limits.”

…Objectively speaking, that one might not be entirely wrong. His training really is pretty intense.

In any case, that’s why.

For us racehorse girls, the luck of who we meet is incredibly important. And that’s precisely why the Three Goddesses we worship are also said to preside over matchmaking.

Now then.

This matchmaking blessing comes in several varieties.

Meeting a good trainer. Meeting good friends. Meeting good rivals… and meeting a good partner.

…Thinking about it, this might be something that’s hard to achieve through my own strength alone.

It feels a little bad to pray for something like this while the other three are praying about races and safety, but…

Yeah. This is it.

Three Goddesses, please grant me many good encounters from here on.

And above all—please let me win Ayumu-san’s heart! Please, please, I’m begging you!!

---

…Perhaps that prayer reached the heavens.

The opportunity came sooner than I expected.

On the way back from Hatsumode—

After Ayumu-san said he needed to go shopping and headed toward the shopping district, I tagged along, and we parted ways with Bourbon-chan and Masa-san.

By some stroke of luck, I ended up alone with Ayumu-san, walking along and feeling secretly pleased with myself, when—

"Hm? That is…"

"…Ah. They’re doing it, huh."

Something caught my eye.

Set up on a large table in one corner of the bustling shopping street was—

One of those lottery things you sometimes see. The one where you spin it and balls of different colors come out. I don’t know the proper name, but that thing.

"Come one, come all! The New Year Grand Lottery Festival is underway!"

Ooh… a lottery.

It seems to be a shopping district event where you receive lottery tickets by making purchases at local stores, and each ticket lets you draw once.

The shopping streets around Tracen are always lively, since horse girls go through consumables like shoes and towels at an incredible rate and eat massive amounts due to their training. Around this time of year, with replacements and extra purchases piling up, the crowds are even bigger.

An event designed to boost sales during peak season, in other words.

Now then, the prizes—

The consolation prize is tissues. Third prize is a single carrot. Second prize is a mountain of carrots. First prize is a premium carrot hamburger steak.

And then—the grand prize, gleaming in gold—

A pair hot spring travel voucher…!?

I mean, the consolation prize makes sense, but wouldn’t third and second prize feel awkward for non–horse girls? And sure, premium carrot hamburger steak sounds delicious, but is “a mountain of them” really appealing as a quantity-based reward? There are plenty of things to poke fun at here, but—

Right now, what matters most is the grand prize.

A pair hot spring trip!

This! This is a chance!!

"Ayumu-san, you said you had some shopping to do, right?"

"Yeah. …I guess I could draw a few times."

"Then let’s do it while we’re here! We might win a hot spring trip!"

"Well… yeah. I mean, as long as it’s not tissues, I’ll be happy. Motivation’s high, stamina’s good right now, too…"

For some reason, he didn’t seem all that enthusiastic—not opposed, exactly, but carrying a half-resigned air.

I grabbed him by the arm anyway and efficiently secured three lottery tickets. When we returned to the lottery booth—

Yes! The grand prize was still unclaimed!

"Alright…!"

Opportunities like this don’t come around often.

If we win the hot spring trip—if we just win it—then…!

I can invite him like this: “You’re always working so hard as my trainer—why don’t we go to a hot spring together and relax?”

This was the chance the Three Goddesses had given me, just as I was lamenting how my one-on-one time with Ayumu-san had been shrinking!

There couldn’t be a better opportunity to close the distance between us!!

I took one deep breath.

"…I’ll draw it here."

Aiming for victory, I spun the lottery wheel—

…Or so I thought.

"Tissues, one carrot, tissues…"

The results were a crushing defeat.

Consolation prize, third prize, consolation prize… Um, Three Goddesses? Did my prayers not reach you? This really would’ve been the perfect moment to just let me pull the grand prize, you know?

Well, thinking about it calmly, pulling the grand prize in just three tries would be stranger…

"Well, I guess winning a single carrot is better than nothing. Chin up, Wilm. If you’d like, I could make something to eat for you… Hey, Wilm? Are you listening?"

Ayumu-san was trying to cheer me up, but his words passed straight through my ears.

Because—

"…I can’t lose."

Because I was fired up for this lottery.

"Huh?"

"I can’t lose here! If you can’t win a lottery, how can you expect to win a race?! Ayumu-san, more tickets! I’m pulling again—no, I’m pulling a lot more!"

"Hey, Wilm?"

There’s no way I’m giving up here!

I… I’m absolutely going on a hot spring trip with Ayumu-san!!

I’m a five-crown Uma Musume, you know!? The only one I’ve ever lost to is Spe-senpai, got it!?

There’s no way I’m losing to some lottery here!! What are you going to do if my strongest-tier SS ranking ends up being just Spe-senpai and lottery draws!?

"I have money! Ayumu-san, go get more lottery tickets! I’ll finish this decisively right here!!"

"No, uh, Wilm? If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be simpler to just go on a hot spring trip normally…?"

No, that won’t work. If we go normally, Masa-san and Bourbon-chan will definitely come along!

It’s only because this is a pair travel voucher—and even more importantly, because it was obtained by chance—that this can become an opportunity for just Ayumu-san and me to be alone together…!

"Just do it! Go buy them! Towels, shoes, horseshoes—there’s plenty of stuff that’s fine to stock up on, right?!"

"Ah, yes…"

The Goddess of Fortune has short hair at the back of her head. You can’t grab it if you reach out too late.

You have to leap at her the instant she passes by, seize her bangs, and swing her around with all your might—only then can you capture good fortune.

That’s why—

I can’t lose this battle!

Absolutely, positively, no-matter-what, absolutely not!

I’ll draw that hot spring travel voucher right here and seize my alone time with Ayumu-san!!!

---

That battle lasted nearly two full hours.

It was truly a fierce struggle.

There were many times when my heart nearly broke along the way.

Also, the sheer volume of stuff—tissues, carrots, and the like—grew to the point where even I couldn’t carry it all, so we ended up mailing everything back to Tracen.

And in the end, after exactly 162 attempts—after spending an amount of money I’d really rather not think about—

"F-finally! It’s out at last!! The grand prize, ‘Hot Spring Travel Voucher’!! Congratulations!!"

Beneath the cheerful clatter of the celebratory bell, I finally grasped victory.

A pair hot spring travel voucher, shining gold—no, it probably only looked that way because my eyes were blurred with tears; in reality it was just yellow—but still!

I got it!! I really got it!!!

"Huff, huff… I finally, finally won…!!"

Breathing as hard as I do right after a race, I threw a fist pump for my hard-earned victory.

With this… with this! A hot spring trip with Ayumu-san!!!

"…You really did obtain it through an outrageous power play. Still, congratulations, Hoshino Wilm. Including the money you earned from races, this is the result of your efforts."

Alongside Ayumu-san, I was applauded by the people from the shopping district and the other Uma Musume who’d somehow gathered to watch. Being stared at so much was a little embarrassing.

But I won… I really won…!!

Wow, this seriously cranks up the thrill factor. This is basically a gacha pull from a mobile game. Everyone should try it—brand-new smartphone app game: Lottery Draw.

Alright, now all that’s left is… inviting Ayumu-san on the trip for a flawless Victory Rank S!

Brimming with momentum, I turned to face him—but Ayumu-san, who was checking the ticket—

"Hmm… the expiration date is April next year. In that case, there’s no need to rush."

"Eh?"

"You’re in the middle of your peak right now, and things are hectic. It’d be better to wait until things settle down… You should use it around the time you finish running next year’s URA Finals."

"…Eehhh…………"

After all that… it’s being put on hold?

As I visibly deflated, Ayumu-san chuckled softly.

"It’s fine. You’ll get there soon—without fail. Let’s keep working hard together until then."

Saying that, he gently took the hand holding the hot spring voucher and wrapped his fingers around it.

…Sigh.

Just those words—and the warmth of his hand—were enough to make my bad mood vanish, replaced instead by a swelling happiness. I’m really way too easy, aren’t I?

"Geez… but, okay. Yes, I’ll be counting on you!"

When I answered that, I’m pretty sure I was smiling from ear to ear.

…Though for some reason, the onlookers around us were all wearing stunned expressions.