When Symboli Rudolf announced her assistance to the Eisei Team, there was still a week until the Japanese Derby. The time was not short, but it was just enough for her to participate in enough co-running sessions and understand the situation there.
With the assistance of a Horse Girl standing at the pinnacle of the era, trainers like Kitahara noticed a significant improvement in training effectiveness compared to before, and Oguri Cap and the others also felt a clear increase in their strength.
However, one week was not a very long time; at least, in the eyes of the Horse Girls focused on training, it seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.
"Tomorrow is the Japanese Derby. Oguri, how do you feel?"
The night before the Japanese Derby, Tamamo Cross, wearing pajamas, yawned, rubbed her loose long hair, and looked toward the bed opposite hers as she walked to her own bed.
Her bed was opposite Oguri Cap's; the two Horse Girls shared a dormitory room.
According to the academic system of Central Training Academy, students were divided into three sections: elementary, middle, and high.
The three sections were categorized by the racing year: those who had not yet debuted belonged to the elementary section, those in the Classic Year belonged to the middle section, and those in the Older Horse Year belonged to the high section.
Generally, students from the same section would be assigned to the same dormitory. However, the Classic Year for Horse Girls was relatively short, and it was common for students from the middle section to be mixed with the other two sections. For instance, Oguri Cap, who was currently in the middle section, lived with Tamamo Cross from the high section.
Oguri Cap was also wearing pajamas, a style called "Capszilla" from the "Cute Monsters" series.
Tamamo Cross was also wearing the same style. She owned a set of "Tamamo Ghidorah" pajamas, but she felt that the hands of that set—which were Ghidorah's heads—made movement inconvenient, so she also bought a set of "Capszilla" pajamas.
Oguri Cap was kneeling on her bed, holding an Omamori (amulet) in her hands. She was looking at the Omamori repeatedly with a gentle smile.
An Omamori is a Japanese "safe-keeping charm," often bought or replaced during school entrance, races, or festivals, tidying away the old Omamori and replacing them with new ones representing various blessings like success, victory, or safety.
The Omamori in Oguri Cap's hand had a very ordinary style: red brocade, with a knot on the front representing the character "口" (kuchi, mouth/opening), and a "十" (jū, ten/cross) on the back. When combined, the resulting character "叶" (kanau) means "Source Fulfilled" or "Wishes Come True" in Japanese.
Holding the Omamori happily and looking at it, Oguri Cap was startled when she heard Tamamo Cross's question. She turned her head and asked in surprise:
"Huh? Tamamo, did you just say something?"
Immediately, without waiting for an answer, she happily held the Omamori closer to the edge of the bed as if showing off a treasure. "Hey, Tamamo, look! Little Oguri made this for me with her own hands!"
"Ah, I knew it. When training finished tonight, I saw your sister run over and give you something. It really is an Omamori."
Having already seen what Oguri Cap was holding, Tamamo Cross took two steps closer and examined the Omamori for a while.
"She must have learned to make it in home economics class. The stitching isn't very even. Well, but it's done with enough care. Little Oguri is quite talented."
After giving a compliment, she smiled again. "There's a four-leaf clover inside, right?"
"Eh? Tamamo, how did you know?"
"That's pretty obvious, isn't it? I really don't know if you're truly slow-witted or just pretending."
Seeing the confused look on Oguri Cap's face, Tamamo Cross rubbed her forehead and smiled helplessly.
"You're going to participate in the Japanese Derby tomorrow, you know."
"The peak race that every Horse Girl gets only once in her life, you know."
"One of the 24 Horse Girls qualified to participate among the 6,251 Classic Year Horse Girls of this generation, you know."
"Only the luckiest Horse Girl can win the Japanese Derby. So, wouldn't it be natural for Little Oguri to give you a four-leaf clover, which represents luck?"
As she spoke, she became thoughtful again. "Speaking of which, I discussed with Inari (One) before about finding four-leaf clovers for you, Super Creek , and Ardan, but training has been quite intense lately, and we haven't gone yet."
"Oh, I see. Thank you, Tama. I'll thank Inari later, too."
The confusion on her face disappeared, replaced by a smile. Oguri Cap slowly clutched the Omamori and said happily, "It is a four-leaf clover."
"Little Oguri told me that she heard that the luckiest Horse Girl wins the Derby, so she spent a lot of time searching for four-leaf clovers for me at the shrine near the school."
"Later, her good friends, Narita Brian and Air Groove, found out and helped look, too."
"Special Week also helped."
"Opera O and Gold Ship also seemed to know, but they probably didn't go to the shrine to look. Little Oguri said they seemed to have gone somewhere else to look, but unfortunately, they couldn't find any."
"In any case, they made this Omamori together, put the four-leaf clover Little Oguri found inside, and had her give it to me."
Smiling happily, she examined the Omamori again for a while, hesitated, turned around, and reluctantly tucked it under her pillow.
"I'll wear it properly before the race tomorrow."
After carefully putting away the Omamori, she turned to Tamamo Cross and asked about her previous question.
"Oh, right, , you must have said something just now, right?"
"I did say something, ha—ah..."
Yawning, Tamamo Cross rubbed her eyes. "I wanted to ask you, since you're participating in the Japanese Derby tomorrow, how you feel."
"From the looks of it now, you're in great shape." She gave a thumbs up and smiled.
"Mm, I think my condition is very good too."
Returning two thumbs up, Oguri Cap showed a confident smile.
"I don't understand the data very well, but Kitahara and Rud...olf all say my fundamental abilities are fine."
"I've mastered the 'ultra-high-speed lane change' running style."
"I've also mastered the technique of using the 200-meter mark before the finish line to trigger the Domain."
"During co-running training with Rud...olf and Tensei (Sirius Symboli) these past few days, they all said the Japanese Derby places great importance on the final burst (sue-ashi), and my final burst is fine."
"So I think everything should be fine... Oh, especially since Little Oguri and the others specifically gave me a four-leaf clover. I think there won't be any problems."
She again smiled happily and patted the pillow covering the Omamori.
"...First of all, our Student Council President is called Symboli Rudolf, not Rud...olf Symboli. You've known her for almost half a year, but you still can't get her name right?"
Tamamo Cross rubbed her forehead and sighed. "Secondly, that's Sirius-senpai, not Tensei-senpai. Please put a little more effort into remembering names properly..."
"Hehe... I don't know why, but I try hard to remember names, but whenever I start to say a name, I always get it wrong for a while."
Hearing Tamamo Cross's lecture, Oguri Cap scratched her head sheepishly.
"Finally, ha—ah..."
Ignoring Oguri Cap's embarrassment, Tamamo Cross yawned again. "I actually don't think there are any big problems either, especially with the Domain part."
"After the Hanshin Daishoten and the Tenno Sho (Spring), and based on the situation with Inari (One) and me, the shortcomings of the 'introductory Domain' have been completely made up for."
"Just like you said, the few of us now have the ability to enter the Domain at will."
"So for the Japanese Derby tomorrow, it just depends on how well you, Super Creek, and Ardam perform."
"Therefore, ha—ah... I was actually worried about you, seeing that it's so late and you're not sleepy, afraid you might be anxious about tomorrow's race and unable to sleep."
"Tamamo..."
Finally understanding Tamamo Cross's concern, Oguri Cap couldn't help but be touched. Subconsciously, she got out of bed, ran over barefoot, and picked up Tamamo Cross in a hug.
"Thank you so much! To be so worried about me!"
"Hey, hey, hey! Thank you, but put me down!"
Tamamo Cross, who was slightly shorter than Oguri Cap, was lifted in the air. Subconsciously, her feet flailed, and her slippers were flung off, leaving her with bare, pale feet just like Oguri Cap.
The two Horse Girls in "Capszilla" pajamas tussled briefly, and soon, amidst Tamamo Cross's "I'm turning off the lights then" and Oguri Cap's "Mm-hmm, goodnight," they each lay down on their own beds.
However, Tamamo Cross, who fell asleep quickly, was soon awakened by a series of "grumble grumble" sounds from next door.
"...Seriously! How is anyone supposed to sleep!"
Sitting up in a huff, frantically rubbing her messy long hair, Tamamo Cross complained helplessly to the next bed.
"Uh... I'm sorry, Tamamo, I think I'm hungry..."
Oguri Cap also sat up, scratching her head, covering her stomach, and said sheepishly.
Tap.
Turning on the lamp on the bedside table, Tamamo Cross gave her a look of utter exasperation (like a dead-fish eye).
"...You ate dinner properly, didn't you? Kyoko-san is very particular about nutrition, so why is your stomach wailing right now as if you hadn't eaten at all...?"
"Maybe..."
Facing Tamamo Cross's question, Oguri Cap covered her stomach and pondered. "Maybe during dinner, I was so focused on the Omamori Little Oguri gave me that I unconsciously reduced the number of times I asked for refills..."
"Oh, I see... That's not surprising then. After all, it's such an important sentiment from your sister; it's normal to be especially mindful of it."
Showing an understanding expression, Tamamo Cross subconsciously asked, "By the way, do you remember how many times you reduced your refills tonight?"
"If you reduced it too much, it would be bad if you're hungry tomorrow and can't exert your full strength."
"You remember, right?"
"Mm! I won't forget anything about food."
With a more confident smile than when she talked about racing, Oguri Cap covered her stomach with one hand and gave a thumbs up with the other. "I reduced it from 10 times to 9 times."
"That's not a reduction! That's just an error, isn't it?!"
Frustrated again, Tamamo Cross stood up, put on her slippers, and shuffled towards the door.
"Let's go," she said, waving her hand helplessly at Oguri Cap.
"Go?"
Oguri Cap was puzzled. "Go where?"
"To the kitchen to get you something to eat. Otherwise, if I let you, the Big Eater, continue to starve, your grumbling stomach might wake up the entire Ritto dorm."
Having already opened the door, Tamamo Cross turned her head and joked, "That would give Supervisor a huge headache, and it would also affect tomorrow's Japanese Derby."
Nihon Pillow Winner is the current supervisor of the Central Academy's Ritto dormitory. Dormitory regulations are usually set by the supervisor.
According to Nihon Pillow Winner's requirements, aside from school rules prohibiting going out between 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. and restricting unauthorized personnel, there were no other constraints.
So, it was perfectly fine for Horse Girls who were hungry at night to make something in the dormitory's self-service kitchen.
And making food for Oguri Cap at night was not the first time for Tamamo Cross.
So, when they arrived at the self-service kitchen, she familiar opened the huge three-door refrigerator, searched for a while, and took out several sealed bags of ingredients.
"We're in luck! We have shrimp, pork, and eggs, so we can make Okonomiyaki!"
Okonomiyaki can be considered a Japanese savory pancake and is a very representative local dish from Kansai.
Whenever she prepared a late-night snack for Oguri Cap, or when she was hungry herself, Tamamo Cross would deftly make this hometown delicacy.
"Thank you, Tamamo."
Covering her grumbling stomach, Oguri Cap was grateful but also a little embarrassed. "I always trouble you to make me a late-night snack. I've always wanted to learn to make Onigiri (rice balls), but the ones I make are always so-so..."
"Well, it's no big deal. Didn't I tell you? The little ones back home sometimes get hungry at night too, so I'm used to it."
Smilingly lifting the ingredients onto the cutting board, Tamamo Cross skillfully took an apron from the wall nearby and tied it over her "Capszilla" pajamas. She picked up a kitchen knife and directed Oguri Cap with her other hand.
"Oguri, go check the vegetable and fruit cabinet and look for corn, carrots, cabbage, and scallions."
"Then, get a small bottle of milk from the beverage machine."
"Finally, the flour. That's on the shelf next to the beverage machine."
"Oh, oh, okay."
It wasn't the first time she had cooperated with Tamamo Cross to make Okonomiyaki, so Oguri Cap quickly brought the ingredients Tamamo Cross needed next to the cutting board.
"Mm, all the ingredients are here!"
After counting the ingredients, she nodded contentedly, grabbed the frying pan, and looked at her side with a smile.
"Don't worry, with my skill, I can make it in a flash. Just wait to... eat... it..."
Her voice trailed off as she looked at Oguri Cap, who had, at some point, appeared with chopsticks and a plate in hand, a slight drool at the corner of her mouth. Tamamo Cross gave her the dead-fish eye look again.
"...Are you that impatient...?"
"Well, forget it," she muttered a complaint, but quickly smiled again, waved the frying pan, and pointed toward the dining table.
"Go wait by the dining table, Oguri. The 'Tamamo-brand Okonomiyaki' will be ready soon!"
The late-night snack took a little longer to prepare. Knowing Oguri Cap's appetite, Tamamo Cross made over 30 portions of Okonomiyaki in one go.
It sounded like a lot, but each portion was a little thicker than a pancake, or like a pizza with a layer horizontally shaved off. The 30-odd portions stacked together were about a palm's thickness, roughly the amount Oguri Cap would have in one refill of rice.
She didn't make them all at once, but served one portion to Oguri Cap as soon as it was ready. Later, Oguri Cap simply stood next to the frying pan with her chopsticks and plate, which made the process even more efficient.
"Phew—I'm full, I'm full. That felt great."
Happily rubbing her stomach, Oguri Cap again expressed her gratitude to Tamamo Cross. "I really owe it all to you, Tamamo. If it weren't for you, I don't know what I would do when I get hungry at night."
"Well, to be honest, making late-night snacks for Oguri is quite enjoyable too."
Tamamo Cross was eating a portion of the Okonomiyaki she had made. Pausing at Oguri Cap's words, she smiled. "Because every time I watch Oguri eat Okonomiyaki, it reminds me of the little ones at home."
"The expression on Oguri's face at this time looks just like my younger brothers and sisters."
"Younger brothers and sisters, huh... I am one year younger than you, Tamamo, so I guess I count as a younger sister."
Oguri Cap smiled, and suddenly her expression changed.
"Speaking of which, Tamamo, you once said that you wanted to participate in the Twinkle Series races for the sake of your younger brothers and sisters, right?"
"Eh? Why the sudden mention of that?"
Just as she was about to put a piece of Okonomiyaki into her mouth, Tamamo Cross paused, then ate the Okonomiyaki and laughed.
"Yes, didn't I tell you? Our family was very poor when I was little. If it weren't for the old man, I probably wouldn't have the achievements I have now."
"There are still many little ones at the old man's place. I want them to have excellent opportunities like me."
"So, at first, I thought very simply: since winning races brings a lot of money, I'll just participate in as many races as possible."
"Well, that's a very vulgar idea."
"Vulgar... I don't think so."
Oguri Cap showed a gentle expression. "I think being able to run for your sister... or your younger brothers and sisters, is a very admirable thing."
"Are you thinking of Little Oguri, Oguri?"
Tamamo Cross understood what Oguri Cap meant.
"Mm, I'm like you now, Tamamo. I hope to run for my sister."
Oguri Cap nodded. "Mom hoped I would become an amazing Horse Girl. I think, having come all the way here from Kasamatsu, I should be a little amazing already."
"Many classmates say I'm amazing. Mom, my sister, Kitahara, and Rud...olf all say I'm amazing, so I must be a little amazing."
"In the future, I will win more races and become even more amazing."
She said confidently, then looked ahead longingly.
"If I can reach that step, I think I can do more things for my sister, just like you, Tamamo."
"Like me?"
Startled, Tamamo Cross smiled instead. "I should be similar to you, Oguri; I just try my best to win races. Why would you need to be like me for that?"
"There is a reason."
Nodding seriously, Oguri Cap said, "You, Tamamo, can make delicious food for your younger brothers and sisters, but I can't. You're also very meticulous usually and know a lot of things..."
At this point, her eyes suddenly lit up.
"Right, Tamamo, you don't have anything scheduled for tomorrow morning, do you?"
"...Why are you suddenly asking that?"
Not understanding why Oguri Cap had changed the subject, Tamamo Cross hesitated, then nodded. "I don't have anything specific, no. Aside from routine training, I'll be going to the Tokyo Racecourse with the old man and Komiyama-san later."
"Tomorrow is the Japanese Derby, you know. I heard that online pre-booked seats have already exceeded a million, and the reserved spots are long full. The remaining areas where you can buy tickets on-site will probably also be packed with people."
"In that case, if we want to go cheer for you, Oguri, it's better to go a little earlier."
"Mm-hmm! Exactly!"
Oguri Cap suddenly became excited. "In previous races, I always stayed in the lounge to prepare."
"This time, I want to go to the racecourse early, give my sister a good tour, and also get a good look at the Tokyo Racecourse myself."
"Speaking of which, I've raced at many courses, but aside from the lounge and the track, I don't know much about anything else."
"I think it's important for me to learn more about these things so that when my sister debuts later, I can help her more."
Thinking for a moment, she added, "If I have time later, I want to learn how to make Okonomiyaki from you, Tamamo, and then make it for my sister to eat."
"Oh, and for Mom, and for Kitahara, and for you, Tamamo."
"So that's what you're thinking..."
Nodding with realization, Tamamo Cross suddenly smiled, then patted her chest. "Alright, I'll handle all that!"
"Besides, since you're concerned about these things rather than the Japanese Derby, you really are in great condition."
After promising with a pat on her chest, she also smiled and changed the subject.
"Well, I've agreed to your request, and you've eaten your fill. Isn't it time to sleep now, Oguri?"
"If you want to take Little Oguri on a good tour of the racecourse, oversleeping would be terrible."
At Tamamo Cross's reminder, Oguri Cap realized that it was indeed late. She quickly helped the other girl tidy up the kitchen and rushed back to the dorm.
Oguri Cap's daily training time had been adjusted this month, no longer waking up at 4-something in the morning, but being postponed to around 7 a.m., like most Horse Girls.
With more rest time, going to bed slightly after having a late-night snack didn't cause her any discomfort the next day. She woke up feeling unprecedentedly refreshed.
The usual morning exercises were mandatory, something Horse Girls wouldn't skip regardless of the weather, and today, the Japanese Derby day, was no exception.
However, after morning exercises, she waited for Kitahara to announce some free time, then proactively approached him and brought up what she had discussed with Tamamo Cross last night.
"You want to take Little Oguri to visit the Tokyo Racecourse?"
Kitahara was a little surprised. "I took you all to the track for acclimatization a few days ago. Why the sudden need to...?"
"Besides, if you go now, the people outside will probably..." he trailed off, looking somewhat troubled.
Japanese races are usually held on Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays. Watching the races requires a ticket, but entry to the racecourse is free from Monday to Friday.
Central-level racecourse facilities are very comprehensive, with restaurants, rest areas, medical rooms, and so on, all fully equipped within the venue.
In addition to the dedicated racing facilities, the racecourse also has amusement areas, used to provide entertainment for people with children during races or opened separately for entertainment at other times.
In this situation, it was very convenient for Horse Girls to acclimatize to the track beforehand, and many fans would try to wait at the racecourses frequently visited by their favorite Horse Girls for autographs and photos.
And to acclimatize to the Tokyo Racecourse, where the Japanese Derby would be held, Kitahara had already taken Oguri Cap and the others there many times.
Besides the fact that they had already been there, Kitahara was worried that there were too many spectators outside the Tokyo Racecourse at this moment.
The Kanto region has two Central-level racecourses: Tokyo and Nakayama. To facilitate the maintenance of the turf, only one course in the same region is used at the same time.
Since the race was being held at the Tokyo Racecourse today, all the fans in Japan who wanted to attend and could attend would be concentrated there.
It was entirely imaginable that even though it was not yet 9 a.m., the opening time of the racecourse, many enthusiastic fans had definitely set up camp outside the racecourse last night, waiting to enter immediately and grab the best viewing spots.
If they went to the racecourse now, getting caught in the crowd would be a minor issue; if they were discovered by some fanatical fans, it could be quite troublesome...
As Kitahara thought this, he was about to explain to Oguri Cap, but he saw her long ears droop.
A Horse Girl's ears, which grow on the top of her head, reflect her mood. They twitch involuntarily when she is happy, stand up straight when she is startled or concentrating, and flatten backward like a cat's "airplane ears" when she is angry.
For Oguri Cap's ears to droop like they were now, it meant she was very disappointed.
"Ugh... I'm sorry, Kitahara. I put you in a difficult position, I..."
Seeing the hesitation on Kitahara's face, Oguri Cap didn't understand why, but instinctively not wanting to make him feel awkward, she quickly intended to withdraw her request.
"Ah, I suddenly feel like we should go early."
Kitahara had already put away his look of difficulty and was smiling.
"After all, today is an important race like the Japanese Derby. If you, Creek, and Ardan just go through the athlete's passage as usual, you might never have the chance to know just how many people have specially come for you."
"Why don't you go tell Super Creek and Ardan, and also Little Oguri, that the few of us will go to the racecourse first to prepare."
The reason for this change of heart was naturally that he didn't want to see Oguri Cap disappointed, and he also had the thought that "there's no harm in getting more accustomed to the venue."
Kitahara knew very well that this Japanese Derby could be said to be the most highly anticipated race since the establishment of the Japanese URA Association.
Through Symboli Rudolf, he already knew that the number of people who would attend the Japanese Derby would be no less than 170,000.
The audience seating at the racecourse is divided into two types: reserved seats and unreserved seats.
Reserved seats require advance ticket purchase, either at the racecourse or online, and those seats were completely sold out half a month ago.
According to Symboli Rudolf, many people were using the opportunity to speculate on ticket prices, inflating the cost from the original several thousand to ten thousand yen to over a hundred thousand yen. Her recent busyness was partly due to her efforts to severely crack down on this illegal activity.
Unreserved seats can also be purchased online or in person.
However, the entire racecourse can only accommodate a maximum of about 220,000 spectators. Reserved seats cannot be occupied casually, but unreserved seats are yours as long as you occupy a spot.
This means that if you arrive late, there will be no place to watch.
Again, according to Symboli Rudolf, over the past week or so, trains heading to Tokyo from various regions have been gradually fully booked, and hotels in Fuchu City, where the Tokyo Racecourse is located, are completely reserved. This is naturally due to the fans coming to watch the live race.
And those fans who couldn't book a hotel have been "camping" in groups outside the racecourse.
Yes, Symboli Rudolf, who had undergone military training for a period in her childhood, used the term "camping" and showed Kitahara photos of the tents pitched outside the Tokyo Racecourse these past few days.
Roughly speaking, those tents could easily sleep a few thousand people, and if squeezed, perhaps tens of thousands.
It was precisely because of the fans' enthusiasm that he initially didn't want Oguri Cap and the others to go early.
It was also because of this enthusiasm that he considered, "it might be necessary for them to catch an early glimpse, so as not to be surprised by such a level of excitement during the race." It was with this consideration that he agreed to Oguri Cap's request.
Having given instructions to Oguri Cap and the others, and seeing his Horse Girl run quickly toward her sister and companions, her ears twitching with excitement, Kitahara smiled silently. After pondering for a moment, he pulled out his phone.
He first called Symboli Rudolf.
"Rudolf President, I'm going to take Oguri Cap and the others to the racecourse first in a bit... Yes, to acclimatize early. The crowd this time is too large; early acclimatization will make the race smoother... Good, I understand..."
"Ah, I know you're short-staffed. I've already considered the security arrangements; there won't be a problem... Yes, please trouble President Kurokawa Masato. He certainly has plenty of well-trained security personnel."
"Mm, Komiyama, Tamamo, and the others will follow the original plan and go to the racecourse with you later."
On the phone, Symboli Rudolf's background noise was very loud, indicating she was dealing with reporters and various staff members. There were many sounds of interviewing, camera shutters, and requests for inquiries.
As he mentioned on the phone, a Rudolf Symboli this busy, and even the entire Central Training Academy, probably couldn't spare any staff. Only at the pre-arranged time would they bring people to pick up the Eisei Team and all the other participants.
The academy was short-staffed, but fortunately, after such a long period of cooperation, the team was quite familiar with the Seishin Company. As Japan's largest film and television group, they wouldn't be unable to spare any personnel.
After hanging up, Kitahara explained the situation to Komiyama and others nearby. Although the latter was surprised at first, he quickly agreed with the arrangement.
Not long after, Kitahara took Oguri Cap, Super Creek, Ardan, and Oguri Roman, and boarded the motorcade sent by the Seishin Company.
There were ten luxury cars, like armed escort vehicles. The first four and the last four were filled with fully equipped security Horse Girls, while the two in the middle were provided for Oguri Cap and the others, and Kitahara, respectively.
Before even getting into the car, Kitahara knew that Kurokawa Masato must be sitting in the car door he opened. Once he got in, he indeed saw the head of the conglomerate looking at him with a smile.
"This is a first for me."
As soon as the car started, Kurokawa Masato exclaimed impatiently, "This is the first time I've met a Horse Girl about to win the Japanese Derby, rather than one who has already won the Japanese Derby."
"This is an experience I've never had... no, I should say one that very few people have."
Listening to his sentiments, Kitahara suddenly had a thought.
"Why is Brother Kurokawa so certain that the Horse Girl who will win the Japanese Derby is among Oguri Cap and the others?" He paused and asked.
"Well... how should I put it? The whereabouts of that Emperor are usually quite secret. After all, her status in the Horse Girl industry is quite special; even the President of the URA Association cannot forcibly demand her to disclose her schedule or anything else."
Kurokawa Masato spoke with real conviction. "However, the Seishin Company has been operating for so many years; we always have some sources of information."
"During this time, while you, Kitahara, have been busy preparing for the Japanese Derby, I haven't disturbed you, but that doesn't stop me from knowing that Symboli Rudolf has practically been staying at Eisei."
"I imagine this fact is known by very few people or Horse Girls, even within the Central Training Academy, right?"
Kitahara did not deny this, nodding slightly.
Although Symboli Rudolf said she didn't care about the outside world's opinion of her decision to assist Eisei, she was aware that such an action by someone of her status would attract attention. So, she used some unknown method, and there was indeed very little discussion about this within the academy.
And for Kurokawa Masato to know about this, he must also understand Symboli Rudolf's attitude, which is that this legendary Horse Girl is more supportive of these three Horse Girls from Eisei.
So, even without knowing the reason, Kurokawa Masato would believe this represented the strength of Oguri Cap and the others.
However, Kitahara felt there was no need to explain too much about this, so he pondered for a moment and slightly changed the subject.
"I see. Brother Kurokawa deliberately arranged for Oguri Cap and the others to ride in a separate car, presumably because you didn't want the matter you just mentioned to affect their performance, right?"
Kurokawa Masato laughed. "That's right. It's one thing for Oguri Cap and the others to see Symboli Rudolf's support themselves, but it's another thing to hear it from others."
"I believe in their strength, but I don't want them to be affected by anything outside of the race."
Kitahara nodded, then said, "Besides expressing these feelings, does Brother Kurokawa have other matters to discuss?"
He felt his guess was correct. With Kurokawa Masato's status, even if he wanted to meet Oguri Cap and the others and experience something special, he could simply wait at the racecourse. There was no need for him to come in person.
Since the other party came in person, given his identity as a businessman, there must be an important matter.
"You guessed correctly, Kitahara."
Admitting it directly, Kurokawa Masato nodded and said bluntly, "I want to enter Europe through the strength of Eisei."
"...Do you mean industries like 'Cute Monsters' and 'Horse Girl The Movie'?"
Having been a businessman himself and being aware of the cooperation between the team and the Seishin Company, Kitahara immediately grasped Kurokawa Masato's plan.
"It really saves effort to converse with someone like you, Kitahara."
Kurokawa Masato laughed. "It goes back to what I said before: if you weren't a trainer and became a businessman like me, you would also achieve outstanding success."
"That's right. You might not be fully aware while busy with training, but the profits in this area are astonishing."
His expression turned serious, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes. He said solemnly, "The Horse Girl works and peripheral extensions you proposed have brought Seishin and Kawan unimaginable profits."
"I know you plan to embark on an overseas expedition next year. I believe this is an opportunity, not just for Seishin, but also for Eisei and for Japanese Horse Girls."
"We have too few industries in Europe. For instance, in Sirius Symboli's previous expedition and earlier expeditions, the trainers went alone with only a few people and their assigned Horse Girls. How is it possible to achieve excellent results like that?"
"The Horse Girl industry in Europe and America developed much earlier than in Japan. I admit there are business considerations, but from your perspective, Kitahara, and from the perspective of trainers and Horse Girls, don't you agree that without sufficient resources, overseas training and races will also lag behind?"
Kitahara nodded in response to Kurokawa Masato's two consecutive rhetorical questions.
He fully agreed with the other party's philosophy. In fact, it was his own philosophy as well.
The talents of the Horse Girls determined their ceiling, while resources determined their floor and whether they could reach that ceiling.
Oguri Cap, Super Creek, and Ardan are indeed top Horse Girls of this generation, but in the parallel world, they had so many regrets precisely because resources couldn't keep up.
The same is true in this world. Dicta Striker, Sakura Chiyono O, and Yaeno Muteki are also powerful existences. Dicta Striker even put tremendous pressure on Oguri Cap in the Yayoi Sho and Satsuki Sho.
However, with the deployment of Eisei's resources—specifically, with the conclusion of this Japanese Derby—Kitahara believed that the gap created by resources would be fully exposed to the world.
However, such a philosophy and the efforts behind it could not be fully explained in a short time, and Kitahara did not intend to discuss them on the day of the Japanese Derby.
He simply agreed with Kurokawa Masato's idea of entering Europe and thought of a previous plan.
"If Brother Kurokawa attempts to seize the European market, merely relying on 'Cute Monsters' and 'Horse Girl The Movie' might not be enough, right?"
Kitahara pondered and said.
Kurokawa Masato showed a slight look of distress.
"That's right, Kitahara. You are indeed adept at business management."
He sighed silently. "This is also what has been worrying me lately. The foundation of the Seishin Company is film and television works, and while the Japanese film and television style has unique aspects globally, the market share is still limited."
"To further cooperate with Eisei, one aspect is that after discussion by the board of directors, an international industry like Horse Girls might serve as a leverage point to help us realize our plan."
"On the other hand..."
Looking at Kitahara, a smile gradually appeared on his face. "You can consider it my private preference."
"Having known you for so long, I always feel that when it comes to Horse Girls, you have a very unique... talent? Vision? In short, you always seem to be one step ahead in this area."
"Perhaps it's a bit of a pipe dream, haha," his smile was self-deprecating. "I can't think of a suitable method right now, so I'm somewhat hoping that you, Kitahara, might come up with a good project."
"Of course, there's no rush for this matter. I just wanted to mention it to you on the road. We can discuss it slowly after the Japanese Derby when you have time. Right now, it's..."
He suddenly stopped because he saw a strange smile slowly appearing on Kitahara's face.
"Kitahara, why... are you smiling?"
"...I was thinking, if the Seishin Company has a game company under its wing, or a good partner, perhaps... I really do have a project."
In Kurokawa Masato's eyes, which shifted from surprise to shock, Kitahara pondered for a moment and slowly said:
"Mobile games, has Brother Kurokawa considered them?"
"Currently, the total global mobile game market is 72.6 billion USD, and the Japanese market share is 12.1 billion. That's not a small market."
"So, has Brother Kurokawa considered having the Seishin Company or its partner companies develop a 'Horse Girl Mobile Game'?"
"I think this should be quite profitable, and mobile games are a globally accessible field that can effectively break into the European market."
"For the specific content... I have the training methods, data, running styles, and tactics of Horse Girls. Perhaps these can be gamified, which would make a good product... Not necessarily good, but definitely quite profitable."
"For example, you could design some friendship training, with data categorized into tiers like C, B, A, S, UR, etc., and further divided into commonly known attributes like speed, power, and stamina. The running styles could be based on the conventional Nige (escape), Senkō (leader), Sashi (tracker), and Oikomi (chaser), and the tactics could be designed as skills."
"As for the gameplay, you could consider an 'nurturing' system; it's quite casual."
"Since it's casual, I suggest the data could be designed to be a bit random, and it would be best if the races were also full of randomness to align with reality."
"For the structure, you could build it from the generation of Senior Fujidai, designing the nurturing scenarios according to the development history of Japanese URA. The first scenario could be called 'URA Scenario' or something, and later you could call them... 'Youth Cup,' 'Apex Cup'? The general idea is what matters."
"The nurturing characters would be the seniors I just mentioned, Fujidai. Dozens to hundreds of Horse Girls from that time until now should be enough. Image copyrights can be discussed with the URA Association, Chairwoman Akikawa, and President Rudolf."
"Copyright issues can also be discussed with Europe and America, including seniors like Seabiscuit, Northern Dancer,Secretariat. More recent seniors like El Condor Pasa, Triplicate, Tony Bin, Elsworth Glory, and Moonlight Mad King can also be discussed."
Kurokawa Masato remained in a state of shock for a long time. Kitahara didn't notice this immediately and started talking enthusiastically about the "Horse Girl Mobile Game Project he thought of," speaking eloquently.
After all, in another world, he had experienced an extraordinary anti-low blood pressure effect because of this game, and he should let the people of this world share in the benefits, considering it an act of charity.
However, just as Kitahara was about to continue, Kurokawa Masato finally reacted.
"Wait, just a moment, Kitahara. You... you need to let me catch my breath..."
Putting out a hand in a stopping gesture, he placed his other hand on his chest and took several deep breaths before his expression gradually calmed down.
However, his eyes were still filled with shock.
"I absolutely cannot imagine that you... could actually present such a project proposal... Wait, don't rush to say anything more. I think we should discuss this matter after the Japanese Derby!"
Seeing Kitahara slightly open his mouth, he reached out to stop him again and couldn't help but smile wryly. "Otherwise, I won't be able to resist having my subordinates take you directly to Seishin to design this project overnight."
"I can fully imagine how much profit this project could bring once it takes shape... Phew—Hold on, let me calm down again..."
He took a few more deep breaths while rubbing his chest, and his eyes eventually cleared.
"It's settled. We'll discuss this in detail after the Japanese Derby."
"Once this project is realized, the Seishin Company will cover all expenses for the Eisei Team's overseas expedition. I will write this into the contract."
After saying this, a thoughtful look appeared in his eyes. Moments later, he said solemnly:
"Also, we'll discuss the detailed proposal after the Japanese Derby, but there's one thing I can let you know beforehand, Kitahara."
"Seishin has a good relationship with Satomi Corporation. They commission Seishin to handle a lot of the graphics and rendering for their games."
"I also have a good relationship with the Satomi heir. I met him many times with my parents at various social events when we were children, and we consider ourselves friends now."
"His interest in Horse Girls gradually developed after meeting me."
"So, you don't have to worry at all about not having a company to execute this project. You really don't need to worry about the name and strength of Sega."
As he spoke, he smiled with some delight, unintentionally missing the fleeting look of surprise and oddity in Kitahara's eyes.
He then continued with a smile:
"It's also a coincidence that this friend of mine has a daughter who happens to be a Horse Girl. The last time I saw him, he heard that I knew you and really hoped that you could take a look at his daughter's talent when you had the time."
"Oh, right, perhaps you've heard of his daughter's name. Her name is Satono Diamond."
Kitahara had only intended to discuss the "Horse Girl Mobile Game" with Kurokawa Masato, but he was instantly stunned when he heard the name "Satono Diamond."
From her historical performance, as a Horse Girl who peaked early, Satono Diamond finished 3rd, 2nd, and 1st in the three Classic races she participated in during her Classic Year, and she won the Arima Kinen that year. She later achieved one G2 victory in her Older Horse Year, making her overall record excellent.
However, more notable than her record were her worth and background.
230 million yen—an astonishing figure in the entire history of horse racing.
In the other world, the owner was the head of the Satomi family, and this head was the president of the Sega Corporation.
The company names in this world had changed, but Kitahara was clear about the corresponding relationship and had even looked up this game company when considering the "Horse Girl Mobile Game." He even knew that Satono Diamond was the daughter of this behemoth.
He just hadn't expected that before he even considered finding an opportunity to meet this genuine young lady of immense wealth, he would coincidentally establish a connection through Kurokawa Masato.
However, after this shock, he quickly regained his composure.
Because, as Kurokawa Masato said, the focus today was the Japanese Derby.