Trainer, You'll Have to Pay the Price

I... I misunderstood Literacy-kaa-san!

Digital nearly cried, thinking she had misjudged Silence Suzuka. What she didn't know was that Silence Suzuka really did intend to do just that.

Good. Next, I'll find Rice Shower... A little sister, huh? That's a nice trait.

That seemed to clash with the other Little Uma Musume's traits, though.

Uma Musume with the same traits were bound to compete with one another.

If two Uma Musume could both tell fortunes, for instance, they would fight over customers until one of them kept losing out.

More likely, though, neither would gain the upper hand. People would tire of watching Uma Musume with the same trait compete year after year, which made Uma Musume with different traits all the more valuable.

Silence Suzuka still felt a little hostility toward the Uma Musume who had already claimed the first Ring.

She might be obedient around Zhou Yuang, but she wasn't about to act that way around other Uma Musume.

As for Rice Shower?

There was no need to worry. Zhou Yuang hadn't been afraid even of the hostility he had faced during McQueen's Training. Rice Shower would be fine with their trainer!

If she already has a trainer, I won't bother her.

Silence Suzuka thought quietly as she sat with the other Uma Musume and listened to the story.

"Rice... Rice Shower?"

The Little Uma Musume blinked through her tears and looked timidly at Zhou Yuang.

She didn't seem to know who Rice Shower was.

"Ahem. Sorry, I mistook you for someone else."

Seeing how shy and insecure she was, Zhou Yuang cleared his throat.

The Little Uma Musume before him had rather small ears, though that didn't mean they wouldn't grow bigger later.

Rice Shower's big ears, on the other hand, were a feature people mentioned again