The press conference for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe had been tumultuous in more ways than one. While some Horse Girls had caused a stir with their sheer, airheaded oblivion, the event had ultimately provided something far more important: it made everyone desperate to see this year's Arc begin immediately.
"—It has been a long time, Speed Symboli-sama."
"I'd be happy if you didn't use such stiff language. It might be selfish of me, but I still consider myself your grandmother."
"...Grandmother. I never thought the day would come when I could see you again... Is Rudolph doing well?"
"She is. It's truly a shame she isn't here right now."
After the press conference, Rampage had introduced Alternative to Sue-chan, just as promised.
Seeing her, Alternative fought to suppress the heat rising in her chest, trying to act cool. But the moment she was embraced, her expression broke. Though she tried to smile through it, she faced Sue-chan with raw emotion.
"I'm really sorry... If only I had been stronger back then..."
"Please, don't worry about it. I am proud of who I am now. And we were able to meet again like this... that is enough for me."
"Thank you... Fe-chan."
"...That brings back memories. That name..."
Alternative Seven. That was the name she adopted after crossing to England. Her true name was Symboli Feathered. She had thought she would never call herself that again, but hearing it now, her cheeks relaxed involuntarily. For this moment alone, she felt as though she had returned to being a Symboli Horse Girl.
After enjoying the embrace, she bowed her head toward Rampage.
"Thank you... If you hadn't challenged the world, I probably never would have seen Grandmother again."
"Knock it off. I didn't do a damn thing. You're just holding onto what you seized with your own hands. Besides—it sounds like you were close with the President... with Rudolph."
"We played often when we were in Japan. Even though I came from a lesser branch of the Symboli line, she still took my hand."
It seemed very like the Student Council President, who aimed for a world where all Horse Girls could live happily. That must have been when they were young—back when she was called the "Lion."
"Lu-chan was quite the rascal as a child. To me, she was adorable, but she was always pestering people to play with her."
"I can't imagine the President being like that..."
"Come to think of it, she used to run around saying, 'I am the Luna-Lion!'"
Meanwhile, in Japan.
"Hek-choo!!"
"Oh my, that's rare. You, sneezing? I wonder if someone is badmouthing you?"
"Perhaps... Sorry, but could you pass me that medicine? And the stomach medicine, too."
Back in France.
"Actually, Lu-chan is coming to the Arc de Triomphe."
"Rudolph is...?"
"Not specifically to see you, though. It seems she's rushing over to support Ran-chan here."
Sue-chan dropped the news casually.
It made sense. Rampage was arguably the Japanese Horse Girl with the highest probability of conquering the Arc in modern history. Furthermore, the matriarch of the Symboli family—her own grandmother figure—was already there. In many ways, Rudolph likely couldn't sit still. Apparently, she was coming accompanied by the Tracen Academy Chairwoman.
"That's wild. The Chairwoman of the Japanese Training Center coming personally to offer encouragement?"
"Encouragement? Isn't it more like she's coming as a warden? I mean, you went to Europe and immediately ended up under the care of the Irish Royal Family. You're practically single-handedly bridging the distance between Japan and Ireland. She's probably here to surveil you because she can't handle another national-level incident. You do tend to crash the servers, after all."
"Ah, apparently that's part of it, too."
"Right? What's next? 'As expected, I'm doing a livestream with Her Majesty the Queen of England!' Hahaha—I'm joking."
"If necessary, I can introduce you."
"Please, I'm begging you, don't take that seriously."
Alternative had won the Prince of Wales's Stakes, hosted by the British Royal Family, two years in a row. Through that connection, she had met Her Majesty the Queen and even taken photos with her. If she really wanted to, she could contact the Royal Family through her trainer and mention that Rampage wanted to meet them... and there was a high probability it would actually happen.
However, realizing that would be dangerous in a multitude of ways, even Rampage decided to exercise some self-control.
"I see... I think Her Majesty would be pleased, but..."
"Ha, hahahaha... Well, i-if the opportunity arises."
"Understood. I'll convey that somehow."
"Ran-chan, I think you just triggered a massive flag, didn't you?"
"...I knoooow nothing..."
Deciding that Alternative and Sue-chan needed some private time, Rampage excused herself. Thinking it was important for them to have a proper heart-to-heart, she found a suitable spot nearby and placed a herb cigar in her mouth.
Just as she was about to exhale the smoke, the scent of a different cigar drifted from beside her. Turning her head, she saw El Gutts standing there, smoking in the same manner.
"Yo. What's the Champion doing in a place like this?"
"Nice boomerang. I don't want to hear that from an Arc Horse Girl."
"Well, look, my interview as the returning champion is over, so I'm having a closing smoke. You?"
"I just thought it would taste absolutely delicious if I smoked one right now, so I did."
In truth, the cigar tasted excellent. Following her lead, El Gutts exhaled a cloud of smoke.
"It's been long... The pride, the arrogance, the confidence that was crushed when I lost to your World Record at the Japan Cup. The days of polishing myself, howling and screaming in frustration, wishing only for a rematch... It's finally going to pay off."
"What kind of evil overlord are you? You said it back then, didn't you? That next time, we'd settle it over here. You figured you could beat me if you had the home-field advantage."
"Hearing it put like that stings..."
It was the phone call they exchanged before Nature's run in the Japanese Derby. A request: I want to race you no matter what, so come to the Arc this year. Just like the Japan Cup, which carried the weight of a nation's name, the Arc was a supreme stage that rivaled it. I want to compete with you again there—those were El Gutts' words back then.
"So, how about now? Do you intend to beat me?"
"Naturally. Otherwise, I wouldn't have conquered the Arc just to wait for you."
For El Gutts, even conquering the Arc de Triomphe had been nothing more than a stepping stone to build the version of herself capable of defeating Rampage. She could say it with confidence: the self standing here now was the strongest version of her in history.
"What about you? Did you come here intending to win?"
At that question, Rampage took a deep drag of her herb cigar, exhaled a massive plume of smoke, and replied.
"I've already decided that the souvenir for my Minami-chan back home is going to be the Arc trophy."
"Is that so? If you lose, shall I give you mine?"
"I don't need it."
And so—the Arc de Triomphe arrives!!
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