Commentator: "Three weeks have passed since the world's most prestigious racing weekend, and once again, the Longchamp Racecourse is set to ignite! We are moments away from another grueling test of endurance, just twenty-one days after the Prix de Royallieu. On that day, the Japanese stayer Rice Shower delivered a performance for the ages. Will she assert her dominance once more, or will the local European powerhouses reclaim their pride? The gates for the G1 Prix Royal-Oak are about to open!"
The conditions in Paris were flawless. The sun hung high in a clear sky, and the track was firm—a "Good" rating. While this matched the conditions of Rice's previous victory and favored her speed, it was equally advantageous for her rivals. For the local runners, it was the perfect stage to defend their home turf.
Rice: (Last time, we hit a corner almost immediately after the start. Today, it's three hundred meters longer, so we have a bit of a straight first... Just like Big Brother and I discussed: I need to secure the perfect position!)
Lepreux: "..."
Rice: "Ah! Um... is something wrong?"
Lepreux: "...Run a good race."
Rice: "Y-yes! Thank you!"
Lepreux: (So... this is the girl Krone—my little sister—allowed to finish ahead of her? I watched from the stands that day, and honestly, she doesn't radiate the aura of a champion. I don't understand it. Krone isn't the type to hold back, nor would she ever deplete her stamina before the final straight. What on earth happened in that race?)
Rice: "Um... hello?"
Lepreux: "...It is nothing. Pay me no mind."
♪～♪～♪～
Commentator: "The fanfare echoes across the stands as the girls move toward the gates! Rice Shower, coming off her brilliant victory, has been backed as the second favorite today. What kind of show will she put on? Meanwhile, the British contender Lepreux has taken the top spot in the odds—a formidable choice!"
Expert: "It's a logical choice. Lepreux has significant experience in races over three thousand meters. In this field, only she and Rice Shower have truly mastered the extreme distances. Between the 3,200-meter Tenno Sho (Spring) at Kyoto and the 3,200-meter Goodwood Cup in England, Lepreux has the edge in terms of frequency, but Rice Shower remains a terrifying wild card."
Commentator: "Indeed, both have a fighting chance. And let's not forget, Lepreux is the older sister of Krone, whom Rice Shower defeated last time. She'll surely be looking to settle the score for her family."
Hachiman: "Wait... you two are sisters?"
Krone: "Yes. Surprised?"
Apple: "They are both exceptional stayers. Choosing which races to enter them in is a constant headache for me."
Hachiman: "...You have my deepest sympathies."
Commentator: "Loading is proceeding smoothly. Only the girl in the outermost stall remains... and she's in! The stage is set! Here begins the final long-distance G1 of the year at Longchamp: the Prix Royal-Oak!!"
CLACK!!
Commentator: "The gates fly open, and they're off! We're in the early stages now, a battle for position and tempo. Who will take charge? Wait—it's Rice Shower! Rice Shower surges ahead of the pack of fifteen, claiming the lead for herself! A stunning development—she's opted for a front-running strategy!"
Lepreux: (Why the lead? I studied her replays; she's always a tactical stalker. Why choose this stage to run as an 'Escape' type? What could she—and that trainer of hers—possibly be thinking?)
Commentator: "They've entered the backstretch! Rice Shower holds the lead, maintaining a steady gap. Scabbit follows in second, with Abbey just behind. The field is beginning to string out, but the favorite, Lepreux, is biding her time in the penultimate position, watching the pace. Let's head back to the front!"
— Flashback: The Waiting Room —
"Wait, I'm running as the lead today?" Rice asked, surprised.
"Yeah," I replied. "Specifically, a 'controlled escape' tactic. Looking at today's field, there are no pure front-runners. No one is going to want to set the tempo. That's where you come in, Rice. You're going to dictate the pace—and you're going to drive them crazy with it."
"C-can I really do that? Me?"
"Of course you can. Why do you think I've spent the last two weeks drilling you on pace-setting and interval runs? In the latter half of our sessions, you were almost always at the front. Besides, you've spent the last few weeks training alongside a rival who runs like she has a stopwatch in her brain. You've got this."
— Present Day —
Rice: (I set the pace... I control the rhythm... Big Brother, I'm doing it!)
Commentator: "Passing the 2,000-meter mark! Is Rice Shower slowing down? The pack behind her seems content to conserve their energy! They're approaching the third corner, which leads into the downhill section. Careful footwork is required here!"
Rice: "Hah!"
Commentator: "Wait! Rice Shower is picking up the speed?! She's accelerating!"
Rival 1: "Now?! There's still over a kilometer to go!"
Rival 2: "She's lost her mind. Running in the lead has messed with her head."
Rival 3: "Fine by me! Let her burn herself out!"
Lepreux: "..."
Commentator: "Rice Shower is opening up the gap! She's two... no, three lengths ahead!!"
Fabre: "...Mr. Hikigaya, isn't this dangerous? Miss Rice Shower might collapse before she even sees the final straight."
O'Ryan: "I agree. Is she going to be alright?"
Hachiman: "She's fine. Honestly, you should stop worrying about Rice and start looking at the other fifteen girls. They've walked right into her trap."
Apple: "What?"
Krone: "A trap? What do you mean?"
Hachiman: "Just watch. They're hitting the False Straight now."
Commentator: "Under seven hundred meters to go! They're flying across the Fausse Ligne Droite—the False Straight! But Rice Shower is on a journey all her own! She rounds the bend and enters the final straight with a commanding lead!!"
Rival 1: (W-why?! My legs... they won't move the way I want them to!)
Rival 2: (I should have plenty of energy left! Why can't I catch her?!)
Lepreux: "Kuh...! (What did you do?! We were supposed to be the ones controlling the race around you! Why isn't the distance closing?! Why is it growing?!)"
Hachiman: (If anyone had realized the pace was a lie and tried to overtake her earlier, the result might have changed. But it's too late now. The race was over before the final turn.)
Commentator: "This is incredible!! The lead is still growing! It's Rice Shower! Japan's Blue Rose, Rice Shower! The rest of the field is a lifetime behind! Rice Shower... a total blowout victory!!!"
Hachiman: "Yes!"
Rice: "Haa... haa... haa... Phew."
Commentator: "What a girl! She didn't let a single shadow touch her today! From the crack of the gate to the finish line, the lead belonged to her and her alone!"
Lepreux: "Haa... haa... haa... (To think she was this capable... I couldn't even get close.)"
Rice: "Ehehe... M-Merci! ///"
Lepreux: "...Miss Rice Shower."
Rice: "Ah! G-good work out there!"
Lepreux: "...That was a magnificent run. I have been completely defeated. Truly, it was a fine race."
Rice: (Oh! She's talking to me more than before!) "U-um, thank you so much! I learned a lot from you!"
In her very first European campaign, Rice Shower had achieved more than anyone had dared to hope. Two starts. Two dominant victories.
Rice Shower's Current Stats:
Total Record: 12 Starts, 11 Wins (1 Draw)
Overseas Record: 2 Starts, 2 Wins
Major Titles:
G1: Hopeful Stakes, Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), Kikuka-sho, Tenno Sho (Spring), Prix de Royallieu, Prix Royal-Oak.
G2: Yayoi Sho, St. Lite Kinen, Nikkei-sho.
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