Chapter 453: 565

The victory party lasted until two in the morning, and everyone seemed ready to keep going.

One horse girl even drank too much honey water, pretended she was drunk, and ran over to toss a thoroughly bewildered Sea the Stars onto the sofa.

Eventually, Kuroha couldn't take it anymore. He put an end to the whole "keep the music playing and the party going" routine and sent the still wildly excited horse girls back to their rooms, one by one.

He also arranged guest rooms for C.B., Ramonu, and the others who weren't members of Chasing Light.

Of course, horse girls had little to worry about even if they went home late. Nobody would dare mug a group that couldn't be knocked out by enough tranquilizer to drop an elephant.

Still, he was the host.

He had to be hospitable.

Once everyone had been settled in, the living room finally fell quiet.

Standing at the foot of the stairs, Kuroha glanced back at the mess left behind by the party.

Then he looked at Sea the Stars, already fast asleep on the sofa, and Urban Sea, who was holding her younger sister while her own head drooped sleepily. He sighed.

Bending down, he gently tapped Urban Sea's forehead.

"Sleepy, Sea-chan? Take Star-chan back to your room and get some rest."

"Mmm... What about you, Kuro-kun?"

Urban Sea rubbed her eyes.

"You're too young to worry about all that. Right now, your job is to go to bed."

He reached out with both hands and gently squished her soft cheeks, then smiled and ruffled her hair.

"All right. Off you go."

"Mm. Good night."

After glancing down at Sea the Stars in her arms, Urban Sea obediently nodded and carried her younger sister back to their room.

Only Kuroha remained in the living room.

Along with...

Three glowing orbs of red, yellow, and blue, each radiating a faint divine light.

"Why are you three hiding yourselves all of a sudden?"

Kuroha looked toward the Three Goddesses huddled together nearby, sounding thoroughly unimpressed.

"Hehe. Because we're secretly helping you with something."

Godolphin was the first to speak.

The blue-haired goddess stepped out and affectionately linked her arm through his.

"McQueen seems to have had so much fun that she forgot what tonight was supposed to be. Isn't this the perfect opportunity?"

What was tonight supposed to be?

Wasn't it just the victory party for the Arima Kinen?

Kuroha paused, then quickly caught on.

Aside from the party, Chasing Light had another tradition. McQueen was supposed to return to his room with him tonight to claim her trainer's reward.

But the celebration had gone on so late, and she had been surrounded by so many of her seniors, that it seemed to have slipped her mind.

Just a little while ago, Teio had pulled a yawning McQueen back to her room.

Kuroha raised an eyebrow.

"What ridiculous idea have you come up with this time?"

"What do you mean, ridiculous?"

Godolphin looked up at him indignantly.

"This one is definitely a good idea!"

So she knew the previous ones had been ridiculous.

Before Kuroha could ask anything else, the other two goddesses emerged from the light.

Darley was grinning as she nudged Byerley forward. As for the yellow goddess, she wore a shy, awkward expression he had never seen on her before.

Kuroha immediately understood.

He narrowed his eyes at the mastermind.

Godolphin blinked back at him with a sweet smile, looking as though she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.

That night, beneath the shining moon and stars, the world's only four deities truly became one family.

Over the next few days, with the New Year approaching, Chasing Light settled into a rare stretch of leisure.

There were no races and no training schedules.

The horse girls went shopping in small groups, played video games, and occasionally found other little diversions to keep themselves entertained.

Kuroha was frequently dragged along to join in.

Whenever he managed to steal a few quiet hours, he would sit on a bench beside the training grounds and watch them chase each other across the grass.

And so the days slipped by until the end of the year.

Late December arrived.

This would be Kuroha's third New Year in the Far East.

By now, Chasing Light was home to horse girls from all over the world.

Naturally, their New Year celebrations had developed a character of their own.

They took Donghuang's Lunar New Year traditions as their foundation, mixed in local Far Eastern customs, and created a holiday that belonged uniquely to Chasing Light.

That morning, Chasing Light Villa was bustling from the moment everyone woke up.

March, Super Creek, Ardan, and the other accomplished cooks commandeered the kitchen. Cap was mercilessly banished from the villa and sent off to visit elsewhere.

Inari One, Obey Your Master, and the others hung lanterns and shimenawa ropes in the courtyard.

Nearby, Rudolf and Teio put up paper window decorations and New Year couplets together.

Bourbon and Rice Shower had gathered the younger horse girls for a thorough cleaning.

The villa grounds rang with clattering, chatter, and laughter.

A short distance away, Kuroha sat beneath the eaves, quietly watching the heartwarming scene with a smile.

"Kuro-kun, say ahh."

A delicate hand reached over from his left, offering a bite of food.

Kuroha instinctively opened his mouth.

"Mmm... That's good."

He smiled and turned to Godolphin.

"Did you make it?"

Godolphin shook her head.

"Nope. Byerley made it. She's been putting in some serious practice lately!"

Beside them, the yellow goddess stiffened slightly and looked away.

Still, she couldn't resist sneaking a glance at Kuroha.

When she saw him give her a thumbs-up, she turned away again.

A small smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"Mmm."

A soft body leaned against his right side. Darley rested her head on his shoulder and joined him in watching the lively scene below.

"This is nice."

"Yeah," Kuroha said with a smile. "It really is."

"I want to see this every year from now on!"

"Is that one of the Three Goddesses indulging herself?"

Darley gave a lighthearted laugh.

"I'm making a wish to Chasing Light's great head trainer."

She nudged him.

"Now hurry up and grant it!"

"Shouldn't the great Three Goddesses be granting the wishes of a humble mortal like me?"

Just then, Godolphin wrapped her arms around his neck from behind.

Byerley came over to his left and sat beneath the eaves beside him.

Godolphin smiled.

"Then, Kuro-kun, would you like to make a wish to the Three Goddesses?"

"That's right. We can grant any wish!"

Kuroha paused.

He looked at the three goddesses beside him, then at his own adorable horse girls, brimming with youth and energy as they bustled about below.

"I wish..."

"That all of us can stay together, forever!"