The atmosphere grew heavy, but Contrail, lost in her own joy, remained oblivious to the strange mood hanging over Kousei and the others.
Kousei forced a smile. "Contrail, is what you said really true? Could there be a mistake?"
"No, Mr. T told me himself."
Hearing that it was her own father who had said it, Kousei knew it was likely not a misunderstanding.
Why would they choose Contrail? The more Kousei thought about it, the more confused she became. She stole a glance at Leo, who stood beside her. Leo subtly shook her head, clearly just as clueless.
"Huh? Am I imagining things? Aren't you happy for me, Senpai?"
Kousei knew she should say something immediately, but her tongue-tied self froze. It was Black Bullet who reacted swiftly, slinging an arm around Contrail's shoulders.
"Contrail, you've really been making waves lately. You're stealing the spotlight from us veterans. Now you're set to become Central's new poster girl—that's incredible!"
Contrail flushed slightly. "I'm just doing my best. I'm not sure if I can live up to that title."
"No need to be so modest. McQueen was unbelievably arrogant at your age. You have no idea the kind of trash talk she used to throw at me and Kousei back then," Black Bullet said, shaking her head and clicking her tongue as if reliving the memory.
McQueen smiled but didn't argue. In her reckless youth, she had indeed spewed plenty of trash talk on the field.
"Kousei thinks so too, right?" Black Bullet smoothly tossed the conversation back to Kousei. Contrail gazed at her, her eyes filled with anticipation.
"Being the poster girl isn't easy, but I believe in you."
Kousei's single word of affirmation instantly swept away the gloom in Contrail's heart.
"Yes!!!" Contrail leaped to her feet. "Kousei-senpai carries the banner of NAU, and I'll work hard too... No! I will carry Central's banner! I'll perform even better, and I'll revitalize Sirius! Only then can I show everyone just how incredible you are, Kousei-senpai!"
Watching Contrail, Kousei felt a sense of déjà vu. Becoming Central's poster girl was a great honor. If it weren't for the Central Committee's iron grip on the Academy, Kousei would have been genuinely happy for her.
But having experienced too much, Kousei knew that under the Central Committee's control, Contrail would never find true joy.
A flicker of anger appeared in Kousei's eyes. She rarely lost her temper, but whenever the Central Committee was involved, she couldn't remain calm.
"Contrail."
"Here! What guidance do you have for me, Senpai?"
Contrail was brimming with excitement. Kousei hesitated, then, after careful consideration, spoke slowly. "When you carry the Academy's banner, your every word and deed represents us. You must be cautious and prudent, not rash.
"Your horseshoes are of utmost importance; you must be extremely careful with them. Tall trees attract the wind—you'll need to carefully sift through all sorts of rumors and never give in to despair..."
Kousei's earnest advice flowed on, and Contrail listened intently. The others remained silent by tacit agreement. Kousei rarely spoke at such length, and they could all hear the deep concern in her voice.
Kousei spoke for a long time, unsure how much Contrail truly absorbed. But seeing Contrail dash off so joyfully, she knew the girl hadn't taken much to heart—she was simply thrilled to have received guidance from her.
"With the Triple Crown title and the 'Commander-in-Chief' banner, she's riding high right now. Nothing will get through to her."
"I know," Kousei replied. "We were the same back then, let alone her now."
McQueen had achieved fame at a young age, and Contrail's current success surpassed even that. Kousei herself hadn't won a single Crown race in her youth but had been just as stubborn. Contrail's behavior was perfectly understandable.
"Looks like the Central Committee didn't choose Teio." Leo's bad premonition had come true, and the worry etched on her brow deepened.
"Contrail is riding a wave of momentum," Black Bullet said with a solemn expression. "She has the 'Triple Crown Winner' title, and the incident at the Japan Cup has put her squarely in the spotlight. In the New Generation, only Almond Eye is even qualified to be compared to her. She lacks nothing in popularity, buzz, or skill. Teio has been out of the public eye for too long; it's only logical that the Central Committee would choose Contrail."
"The current climate at Central is perfect for creating a new god," McQueen added from the side.
In their original plan, that position was meant for Teio. This "new god" would be nothing more than another puppet. The Central Committee intended to elevate Contrail, but not in the way she imagined. Faced with this junior who admired her so deeply, Kousei felt a strange surge of compassion.
"If anything happens to Contrail, it will be my responsibility."
This inexplicable sense of duty felt as natural as a mother's love.
"Let's leave it at that for now," Kousei said, abruptly ending the conversation. "If they don't make a move, we won't know how to react anyway."
She was tired of talking so much.
Leo stood up. "I'll go talk to Teio about this. For now, let's focus our attention on Rice Shower and the others."
Kousei nodded, silently agreeing.
After Leo Durban and Black Bullet had left, Kousei sat on the floor, lost in thought. Suddenly, she felt a gentle nudge against her shoulder—McQueen had leaned in close.
"Worrying all by yourself again?"
Kousei gave a weary smile. "I can't help it. I've only ever known how to charge straight ahead. Everyone has always taken care of me; I honestly don't know how to help others."
"Even after all this time apart, you're still as unexpressive as ever."
"Well, my life has been a constant cycle of racing and training."
"That part hasn't changed either."
"Because I truly love running. I love powerful rivals, and I love the thrill of surpassing my own limits."
McQueen's tone turned playful as she deliberately asked, "Have you surpassed me yet?"
"Ah, so that's what this is about." Kousei understood now and couldn't help but chuckle. "Just a little less than you."
McQueen looked slightly smug. "That's more like it."
A sly glint appeared in Kousei's eyes as she changed the subject. "Well, among all the Umamusume I've ever raced against, you are the strongest."
"Oh? So you're saying you just like whoever's the strongest?"
"Doesn't everyone like the strongest?" Kousei replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"I don't care about 'everyone.' I only care about you."
Facing McQueen's directness, Kousei remained completely unfazed.
"I like the strongest Mejiro McQueen."
The bluntness of her words made McQueen's cheeks flush.
"I won't rest until I beat you at least once."
Kousei stared steadily at McQueen, who couldn't suppress a smile as a thought crossed her mind. "Your persistence hasn't changed a bit, either."
Though their hearts had wandered down different paths, they had ultimately arrived at the same destination.
"Just don't run a pathetic race when the time comes."
"Who do you think you're talking to? I'm Mejiro McQueen. You've got some nerve, you defeated rival."
They looked at each other and smiled, the tension in their chests finally easing. Suddenly, a face squeezed between them. Twilight Cloud glared at Kousei with a judgmental gaze, making her feel slightly awkward. Then, she turned to glare at McQueen, who also fell silent.
"Did you two forget I'm still here?"
Strangely, a faint sense of guilt washed over them.