[Please someone make a decent Code Geass Fanfic. More specifically a pro Brittanian Lelouch or MC, which are more interesting than the canon route]
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The vehicles in Kitahara's group merely passed by the main road leading to the Tokyo Racecourse from afar. Even from a considerable distance, they could see the congested traffic and the mass of people swarming about. Their car then turned onto a path filled with staff members and entered the racecourse.
This was an exclusive passageway for competitors. Whether they were racehorse girls or staff, they obviously couldn't enter through the same gates as fans.
And if things were already clogged up just from a distance, the entrance must be even worse. Even if Kurokawa Masato multiplied his security force several times over, he still might not be able to ensure safe passage through that area.
These security teams were stationed to prevent overly-excited fans from sneaking into the restricted passage.
Once they entered the inner grounds of the racecourse, however, there was no longer any need to worry about rowdy fans startling the girls. The stadium wasn't open yet at this hour, and not a single spectator was inside.
The competitor area already had enough security to stop any unauthorized personnel from getting in, and with Kurokawa Masato's arrangements, Oguri Cap and the others could wander freely throughout the venue without trouble.
"...It's so quiet. The racecourse at this time."
When she heard that her older sister would take her on a special visit around the racecourse, Oguri Roman was thrilled. Although she didn't fully understand the reason, she happily held Oguri Cap's hand and curiously looked around.
"I came here a few days ago too, but it wasn't this quiet… and there were so many people."
"Hmm… This is my first time seeing the racecourse like this too. It kind of feels like…"
Hand-in-hand with her sister, Oguri Cap walked in the empty stands. When they reached the spot facing the track directly, her ears twitched and she suddenly stopped, staring blankly at the course.
"Like there's no one else left except us…"
Hearing her whisper, Kitahara, Super Creek, and Mejiro Ardan were all momentarily stunned.
"Yeah… it's a strange feeling. But…"
Super Creek also looked toward the track, her tone becoming calm and long. "When I think about how this afternoon we'll be running there, fighting for the title of the top racehorse girl of this generation… it feels like…"
"Makes me want to go run on it already," she said with a soft laugh.
"You'll have time to warm up later. Don't be so impatient, Super Creek."
Smiling, Mejiro Ardan's gaze turned to the track just like Oguri Cap's and Super Creek's.
"No need to rush…" she murmured quietly.
For a moment, the three girls stared silently toward the Tokyo Racecourse track, sharing the same unspoken mood.
Oguri Roman, meanwhile, grew curious.
"Big sis, if your race is in the afternoon, do you spend all morning, noon, and the time before the race waiting over there?"
As she spoke, she pointed toward the preparation room.
"Oh—no, no, not at all."
Oguri Cap quickly snapped out of her daze when she heard her sister's question. Turning with a smile, she explained, "Before our race starts, there are other races first. They usually start around ten in the morning."
"We only take our turn after those races finish, and there will be another race even after ours."
"As for the schedule…"
She thought for a bit, but couldn't recall exactly how many races there were today. She instinctively looked toward Kitahara for help.
"Twelve races. Tokyo Racecourse has twelve races today."
With a smile, Kitahara walked over, patting Oguri Roman's head. Just like the others earlier, he cast his gaze toward the track again.
"The gates open at 9 a.m. Once the spectators enter and everything—staff, competitors—are all ready, it's around 10 a.m., and that's when the first race usually begins."
"Each race lasts about two to three minutes. With the parade, introductions, gate-loading, the race itself, and winner's presentation, the entire process takes about twenty minutes."
"The important races have longer introductions and presentations—about an hour."
"In other words, a maximum of six races in the morning, and the same in the afternoon."
"And then at 8 p.m. sharp is the Winning Live performance. Every racehorse girl who raced today will participate."
He withdrew his gaze and looked at Oguri Roman again, patting her head.
"Usually, the day's most important race is scheduled as Race 11. It's almost always at 3:40 p.m."
"And today… that's your sister's Japanese Derby."
Hearing this, Oguri Roman blinked and nodded blankly. Then she suddenly asked:
"Then… what kind of races are the other ones?"
After hesitating for a moment, she added softly, "Are those races… not important?"
Kitahara froze for a second. He instinctively glanced at Oguri Cap, Super Creek, and Ardan, and saw that they were all slightly surprised.
"Hmm… They should be important too," Oguri Cap said after thinking a bit. She looked toward the track. "I think every racehorse girl who stands on the track gives her all. There's no such thing as an unimportant race."
"...That's not true, Oguri."
Almost the moment Oguri Cap spoke, Super Creek shook her head with a complicated expression. "Different races are… not the same."
Mejiro Ardan didn't speak, but the way she turned to look—with the same conflicted eyes—showed she agreed.
"Eh? Then… what does that mean…?"
Confused, Oguri Roman looked at Oguri Cap, whose expression was also bewildered. So she turned to Kitahara instead.
"Uncle Kitahara… the other races…?"
"You'll learn about this properly in class later, but…"
Kitahara sighed quietly, then looked Oguri Roman directly in the eyes.
"Whether they're important or not… listen carefully. I'll tell you what the races besides the Derby are."
"All the other races today are called 'condition races.' As the name implies, you participate only if you meet the conditions."
"Unlike the Derby, these races don't require you to win anything beforehand."
"On the contrary—they exist because the participants haven't been winning. They must enter these races if they want to continue competing."
He spoke plainly, without avoiding the truth.
"For example, the first race is the 'Classic-Year Winless Race.' Meaning anyone in their second full year who hasn't won a single race can participate."
"The second is the 'Classic-Year One-Win Race,' meaning the participant has only won once this entire year."
"Then you have the Classic-Year Two-Win race, the Senior Year Winless race, Senior Year One-Win, Senior-Year Two-Win, and also races restricted by fan count—'below a certain amount.'"
"So Super Creek is right."
His tone shifted as he gently brushed the hair above Oguri Roman's forehead, his gaze drifting far across the vast racecourse.
"Not all races are the same."
"To put it more bluntly: in every race today except the Japanese Derby, the participants' abilities are not even close to your sister's."
"If fan count, attention, strength, and prestige define the weight of a race, then the other eleven races today simply aren't that important."
"Because the participants don't have many fans, little attention, and their abilities are objectively weaker."
"That's reality, little Oguri."
"Look at this Tokyo Racecourse."
Kitahara pointed ahead. Oguri Roman instinctively followed his finger.
"This racecourse hosts the February Stakes, NHK Mile Cup, Victoria Mile, Oaks, Japanese Derby, Yasuda Kinen, Tenno Sho Autumn, the Japan Cup—those are the G1s."
"And Aoba Sho, Mainichi Okan, Meguro Kinen, Kyodo News Hai, Tokyo Sports Hai Juvenile—those are G2 and G3."
"And then many Open-class and Pre-Open races."
"They all run here."
"But they are not the same."
"The Japanese Derby—every racehorse girl only gets one chance in their entire life."
"This year, there are 6,251 classic-year racehorse girls."
"But only 24 have earned the right to start at 3:40 this afternoon."
"The Oaks is restricted to fillies, so fewer can enter, but it's still one-in-thousands."
"Not to mention many racehorse girls don't even qualify to stand on this track."
"And of them all, the Derby champion—or the Oaks champion—each year, there is only one."
When he finished, Kitahara didn't look to the side, but he could clearly feel the pressure radiating from the three girls next to him—including the usually gentle Oguri Cap.
At that moment, he didn't dare meet their eyes.
But he still continued.
"Little Oguri, your sister wasn't wrong either."
He lowered his head slightly, looking into Roman's dazed eyes.
"If someone stands on a track and gives everything they have, then no race is unimportant."
"Whether a race is important isn't determined by fan count, attention, or even strength—it's determined by whether the racehorse girl running it poured her entire heart into it."
A faint memory surfaced in his eyes.
"I used to be just a local trainer."
"Your sister was just a local racehorse girl."
"We didn't have the right to stand here."
"At Kasamatsu, as you probably know, there are many racehorse girls. But to be honest, many of them—even when racing—weren't giving their full effort."
"I'm not blaming them. I believe they would have wanted to run with everything they had, to earn praise, to chase their dreams."
"But nobody ever looked at them. Nobody pays attention to such racehorse girls."
"That's reality. No matter how hard many of them tried, they received nothing in return."
"So they gave up—and I don't blame them."
"But your sister… Oguri Cap… even when nobody looked at her, she still ran with all she had."
"She once said she was happy just being able to stand and run, because that itself was a miracle."
"Your mother wished for her to become a wonderful racehorse girl, so she ran even harder."
"Your sister Creek and sister Ardan are the same. They weren't born with ideal running traits, but they didn't give up—and their efforts brought them to the Derby."
"To fulfill their parents' hopes, to uphold their family's honor—they will always run with everything they have, no matter who's watching."
Kitahara's eyes glittered.
"Such racehorse girls can change the world."
"I think that's why I followed them—from Kasamatsu all the way to the Japanese Derby."
"And I'll keep walking forward, as long as they keep running."
With a long exhale, he smiled lightly.
"Whew… I may have said too much all of a sudden. It must be confusing."
"You may not understand now, but remember this: as long as you give everything in every race you run, then every race you run will be the most important one."
After this unexpected emotional talk, Kitahara continued touring the racecourse with the three girls and the still-dazed Oguri Roman.
As they wandered, he could clearly feel the three racehorse girls' aura shift again—similar to their earlier surge in the stands, but calmer, steadier, as if something had inspired them.
It was probably the effect of what he said. Kitahara was a bit surprised, but very satisfied—this mindset would help greatly in the afternoon's race.
Before the gates opened to the public, everyone headed to the competitor's preparation area, which included restaurants and lounges.
The restaurants here had top-class chefs and premium ingredients, capable of providing healthy meals tailored for the racehorse girls. Teams could also pre-order meals or bring their own chefs.
Since it was not yet lunchtime, Kitahara decided to rehearse the afternoon Derby plan with Oguri Cap and the others. That way, they'd have plenty of time to fine-tune details before the race.
Race plans were always prepared in advance, but racehorse girls were emotional beings. Their condition on race day had a huge impact. The "mood system" in the mobile game—perfect condition or terrible condition—was directly taken from reality.
There were many cases where a horse in perfect form the day before suddenly acted up on race day and lost a supposedly certain win. "The 12.1 billion high-leg lift" was the classic example.
So the race-day schedule was extremely important for a trainer. If anything felt off, they had to adjust immediately. Unlike jockeys and owners, trainer and Umamusume never had disagreements.
Since Oguri Roman's tour had clearly shifted the girls' emotional state a bit, Kitahara felt it was necessary to discuss things carefully.
After telling them his plan, he was about to explain things to Kurokawa Masato—only for the man to cheerfully say he wanted to wander around for a bit.
"Kitahara, you go do your thing. This is the first time I've come this early to the racecourse, and the first time I'll be able to watch so many races straight. I'm planning to watch all the way from the first race to the last!"
The wealthy conglomerate boss had completely lost his dignified demeanor. He looked like a giddy high schooler sneaking out while the parents weren't home.
"If possible, I want to take lots of pictures with the racehorse girls too!"
"Oh, right, Kitahara! Are you heading to the reserved seats or the front fence? I'm going to watch from the front fence up close. Want to join me?"
Kitahara froze.
"The front fence? There are no seats there. I plan to go, but… can you stand there for an entire day?"
The front-fence viewing area was closest to the track. No seats—only standing—but you could see the start and finish clearly.
Seats farther back had screens to watch the race, but lacked detail.
As a trainer, Kitahara always picked the front fence. One of the reasons he trained daily was to stand for long periods. But he didn't expect someone like Kurokawa Masato to have that stamina.
"Don't underestimate me! I was on the high school baseball team. My stamina's fine!"
He clearly noticed Kitahara's skepticism and protested like a real teenage boy. Then he waved dismissively.
"Alright, I'll wait for you in the front area. If I see your colleagues, I'll go say hi."
Before Kitahara could respond, he hurried off.
"…Colleagues? Come on, the ones coming to watch Oguri Cap today aren't just members of Eisei…"
When he thought of Symboli Rudolf and the others who would also be watching up close, Kitahara sighed and shook his head, then led the three girls into the lounge.
As in the preparation room, a large tactical sand table was set up here, only even bigger. Normally, this sand table was shared. But since the early-race competitors were all in their own prep rooms and the later racers hadn't arrived yet, Kitahara's group had it all to themselves.
Unlike usual rehearsals, Oguri Roman was included this time too.
She might not fully understand future races yet, but if she truly aimed for the Fillies Triple Crown, listening to the Derby strategy—held on the same course as the Oaks—could only help.
"The Japanese Derby is 2,400 meters on turf. The weather today is good and it hasn't rained recently. The ground condition is very good."
After giving the basic overview, Kitahara took out several small colored flags and many racehorse girl pieces from the cabinet under the sand table.
Selecting 24 pieces and adjusting the number wheels on them, he spoke solemnly:
"The race runs on the outer course. Based on its layout, it's a little more than one full lap."
"The starting point is in front of the stands, 350 meters from the first corner, and from the fourth corner to the finish line is 526 meters."
"With a sharp first turn and long homestretch, the Derby is usually run with a slow early pace and fast late pace—emphasizing the finishing kick."
"But for a race like the Derby, 'usually' isn't enough."
He placed a red flag at the starting point, then swept his gaze across Oguri Cap, Super Creek, and Mejiro Ardan.
"Some racehorse girls will gamble everything in the first half."
"When I say gamble, I mean it literally."
"They will spare no stamina—not their legs, not their reserves—to force themselves to the front and seize control of the pace."
"In such cases, running the first 1,000 meters in under 60 seconds is normal."
"But like I said earlier—you don't need to worry about them."
He could see the shock on Oguri Roman's face. Meanwhile, the other three girls only exchanged a small glance before nodding firmly. Clearly, they had fully digested the warnings he had hinted at for weeks.
He continued:
"Your base abilities far exceed the average of this generation. It may sound harsh, but the truth is—even if your opponents gamble everything—they can't escape far enough to secure a decisive lead."
He placed another red flag at the fourth corner.
"And very few will use extreme tactics. Most will give everything here—at the fourth corner—to unleash everything they have and sprint all the way to the finish."
"In other words—no matter what happens earlier, the final 526 meters is guaranteed to be an all-out sprint."
Kitahara turned to Super Creek.
"I told you before: this sprint is not like your gradual mid-race buildup. This is pure finishing speed—one breath, one push, all the way to the end."
Super Creek pressed a hand to her chest, inhaled deeply, her chest slightly lifting, then said:
"I understand. I won't confuse them."
Satisfied, Kitahara placed the 24 race pieces at the fourth corner.
Normally, the pieces would form a spindle shape—narrow at both ends, wide in the middle. But for the Derby, he arranged them horizontally, forming three straight lines from inner track to outer track.
"Because the Derby is too important, nearly everyone will instinctively stretch into a horizontal line at the fourth corner to seize position."
"This formation is extremely rare—almost never seen outside the Derby and the Oaks."
"Now it's clear."
"The extreme tactics early, the horizontal fight in the fourth corner, the long homestretch sprint, plus Tokyo's unique layout…"
"There are five key points to handle in this race."
Taking five white flags, he placed the first at the start.
"The starting point is on a subtle downhill slope lasting a few dozen meters."
"This affects the footing right after leaving the gate. If you don't control your force well, you'll feel unsteady for a few seconds."
"The solution is to start with heavier steps than usual—like you're crushing the ground—and combine it with the skills you've trained."
"Gate start, heavy footing, short acceleration, wind-resistance sprint—these are your fundamentals. At this point, none of you should be making start-line mistakes."
Seeing them nod, he smiled and placed the second flag between the first and second turns.
"This is the flattest stretch—1,100 meters."
"This is why some will gamble early."
"Like I said—ignore them."
"With your abilities, they can't escape. Just run normally."
"Super Creek—your sustained acceleration can begin warming up near the end of this section."
"From here to the finish is over 1,200 meters. After warming up for 400–500 meters, you can begin rising into top speed early."
Hearing her name emphasized, Super Small Bay nodded with deep seriousness.
"I understand."
Kitahara placed the third white flag at the section transitioning from the second straight to the third corner.
"This part is a relatively gentle slope."
"At this point, because your strength differs from that of your opponents, the up-and-down gradients will cause noticeable speed differences. Positions will shift in a clear and complicated way."
"My requirement for you here is: stabilize your position, don't lose sight of your target, and don't get surrounded."
"If your speed is sufficient, don't worry about being categorized as escape, front-runner, stalker, or closer. These categories fluctuate depending on the race, especially in complex situations like this."
"The fundamental goal is to maintain a stable cruising speed, stay within a safe distance front and back, and wait until the final turn to release everything you have."
"Ardan—finding the path most advantageous to yourself in chaotic conditions like these is your specialty. Your greatest advantage in this entire race will come from this section."
Mejiro Ardan didn't reply out loud, but as she stared at the point Kitahara indicated, she nodded heavily, just like Small Bay.
The fourth white flag was placed just before the final turn, corresponding with the row of race pieces arranged there and the red flag he'd initially set down.
Seeing that arrangement, Kitahara suddenly chuckled.
"It's funny—at first, I thought being called some 'tactician' or whatever was a pointless title."
"But looking back… a lot of my strategies really do have some flavor to them..."
He murmured lowly, then swept his gaze once more across the solemn faces of Oguri Cap, Super Creek, and Ardan, speaking softly:
"In the unique post–final-turn chaos of the Japanese Derby, the battle for position will be fiercer than in any other race. You could call it the biggest mess of the year."
"Of course, I hope you're already in the lead before reaching this point."
"But the worst-case scenario is… even if you handle the earlier sections perfectly, you might still be unlucky and get dragged into the chaos."
"In that case, the 'Ultra-High-Speed Lane Change' skill is what you'll rely on."
"And the phenomenon where the left and right side of your body display different reactions—confusing the opponent... hah, the commentators will probably call it one of my tricks again."
He sighed lightly, then looked toward Oguri Cap.
"Oguri Cap, this will be your greatest advantage."
"Among your opponents, there will definitely be some who have studied your past racing habits."
"Your outside-lane overtakes, your triple acceleration, your domain activation… they know all of it."
"Many of them will likely try to counter you in this race. And even if they don't target you specifically, each one fighting for their best sprint lane will still disrupt your usual path."
"Meaning—based on your past races—they will never expect you to switch lanes from the inside and overtake without losing speed."
"And with the disguise effect from 'Ultra-High-Speed Lane Change,' if someone gets confused…"
He paused and exhaled quietly.
"I can only apologize in advance."
After that sigh, he placed the final white flag at the last up-down slope before the homestretch.
"The slope on the final straight is nicknamed the 'Heart-breaker.' But the slope itself won't be an issue for you. We've trained for this for a long time."
He paused.
"Your Domains should reach their activation conditions right around this point. You can open them."
"Hold nothing back."
"Don't worry about the other runners."
"Bring out every advantage you've accumulated—everything you still have left—and win this once-in-a-lifetime Japanese Derby."
"Let the world see that you gave everything, in your best form."
"Understood?"
Lifting his head from the sand table, he looked over his three racehorse girls again, took a deep breath, and softly said:
"I mean everything I just said."
But unlike previous races, the three girls didn't reply immediately. Instead, they stared at the sand table in silence for a moment, then suddenly answered him with things that had nothing to do with the question.
"Umm… I want to take Little Oguri around the track again…"
"Um… Mr. Kitahara, I want to make a phone call…"
"Chief Trainer Kitahara, the clan leader values this Derby greatly. He's already waiting for me in the VIP box, so I…"
After speaking simultaneously, the three exchanged glances—and laughed softly.
…Nervous? Or simply wanting to talk to someone?
Guessing their intentions, Kitahara thought for a moment, then smiled.
He suddenly felt that he had already done everything he possibly could—everything that could be prepared was prepared.
Even if he had another month, he would only be repeating the same things. There was nothing more to add.
So now, the remaining time and space should belong to them.
"Do whatever you want. Just remember to eat a good lunch, warm up properly before the race, and don't run around too wildly."
Smiling, he left the lounge.
Kitahara had no idea what the three girls did after he left.
He wondered—after training and living together for so long, now competing on the grand Derby stage, maybe they were saying something to each other.
Encouraging each other? Making declarations? Or perhaps quietly exchanging looks?
He didn't know.
Only that when he finally snapped out of his thoughts, he found himself standing in the front-fence viewing area—and unexpectedly, Kurokawa Masato was right in front of him.
"Kitahara, were you thinking about something funny?"
Patting Kitahara's shoulder, he laughed. "You kept smiling as you walked over, and you didn't even look where you were going. You bumped into several people."
"What's so funny? Want to share?"
Kitahara blinked, then recalled bumping into people and apologizing unconsciously.
"…Ah, it's not exactly funny."
Thinking a moment, he rubbed his forehead. "I don't know how to describe it."
"I went through all the arrangements again with Oguri Cap and the others. One said she wanted to walk with her sister; one said she wanted to make a phone call—probably to her parents; another went to meet her clan leader."
"I think I've done everything I can. Maybe the rest should be left to them."
"I guess it isn't something funny… If I really had to describe it…"
He thought hard, but couldn't find a word. With a wry smile, he shook his head.
"Fine—I don't know what to call it."
"Take it easy… maybe that's the closest feeling."
A cheerful voice came from behind, along with startled murmurs from the crowd—so many voices that it was hard to tell who spoke.
Both men instinctively turned.
They saw the surrounding spectators wearing expressions of shock, delight, and disbelief.
And immediately understood whom they were staring at.
"Rudolf…?"
"President Rudolf, why are you here…?"
Kitahara and Kurokawa Masato spoke simultaneously.
The legendary racehorse girl reached into her pocket and tossed something toward each of them.
Two red shapes arced through the air. They caught them reflexively, and Rudolf Symbol laughed:
"Fuji Apples. But not ordinary ones—these were gifted to me by my junior, Fuji Kiseki, hahaha."
Ignoring the growing tremble in Kurokawa's expression, she laughed to herself.
"I thought they were meaningful, so I'm sharing them."
"T-thanks…"
Kitahara thanked her in confusion, then thought for a moment.
"Fuji Kiseki… she's a year younger than Oguri Roman, right? Still in the elementary division? You met her at the academy?"
"That's not it."
She raised her hand and gestured toward the far back of the stands—toward the private viewing box.
"I arranged special seats so that every student of Central Tracen Academy could watch the race."
"But they're still children, and watching outside is dangerous. So I used a little authority to reserve a small viewing room."
"Oh, and Kitahara—your acquaintances Tokai Teio, Mejiro McQueen, Mihono Bourbon, Narita Brian—they're all here."
"Special Week, Opera O's group too, even though they aren't from Central. I arranged for them as well."
"My intuition says this will be an extraordinary Derby. Missing it live would be a regret."
…That's… incredibly grand. Is this how seriously the Emperor views today's Derby?
Kitahara was stunned, then realized her words sounded familiar.
Ah—that was something jockey Okabe once heard in America… then in the original story, Rudolf heard it from an American trainer… and later shared it with Oguri Cap…
"Take it easy… you mean…"
Gripping the apple, he glanced toward the lounge.
"Let them 'enjoy the race'… or rather… 'relax'?"
"Something like that. Anyway—"
She stepped closer, folding her arms, as though she intended to watch with the two of them.
"Kitahara, you're right. You've already done everything humanly possible. Even if you wanted to go further—even you can't."
"That's not a criticism. It means you've done extremely well."
"What comes next is no longer your battlefield. It belongs to Oguri Cap and the others—"
Her smile faded, replaced by a heavy, overwhelming aura.
"No—this is our battlefield."
"Which is why," she softened again, "you just need to relax and enjoy the race."
"And the same goes for Oguri Cap."
"Especially her. Before the Satsuki Sho, she asked me about the 'undefeated Triple Crown.' I already shared this phrase with her."
"I believe she—and they—will be able to relax and enjoy this race."
"Ah, and I'll relax too. Since I've captured Maruzensky, CB, and Ramonu today, I left them to watch over the students. As for me…"
Stretching lazily, she looked toward the paddock where staff were bustling.
"I'll just watch the races like any normal person. Last time I did this was… before my debut."
"Oh, right. It was the Derby Maruzensky couldn't join."
"Haha, if she were here, she'd accuse me of poking her trauma. But I think she'll be happy today."
"Because after today… maybe regrets like hers will never happen again. And maybe her dream will come true too…"
…Regrets? Dreams…?
Kitahara froze, wanting to ask.
But as racehorse girls appeared in the paddock, Rudolf Symbol cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone and began cheering loudly.
Kitahara quietly smiled.
I'll ask later, he thought.
And so he stood with Rudolf and Kurokawa Masato like ordinary spectators, watching from the very front of the ground-viewing area.
All three were talkative and knowledgeable about racing. Between races, during breaks, even over a simple meal, they chatted about strategies, racing anecdotes, and industry stories. The atmosphere was warm and lively.
But by afternoon, Kitahara noticed something strange—this legendary racehorse girl, who kept saying "take it easy," was… oddly tense.
And the closer it got to Derby time, the more noticeable that tension became.
By the time the broadcast boomed with a voice many times more excited than before—and the roaring cheers of over a hundred thousand people—her tension practically overflowed.
"Ladies and gentlemen who love the Twinkle Series!"
"The moment… has finally come!"
"Today's main event!"
"The festival of all racehorse girls!"
"THE JAPANESE DERBY!"
"The competitors are entering!"
"A once-in-a-lifetime stage—let us introduce the racehorse girls taking the field!!!"
In this electrifying voice, Kitahara subconsciously glanced to his side.
He clearly saw Rudolf's arms tightly folded—so tightly that the sleeves of her Tracen uniform were wrinkled beyond recognition.
What on earth could make someone like Rudolf Symbol…
Just as he wondered, Rudolf suddenly spoke softly.
"The Japanese Derby… with six or seven thousand classic-year racehorse girls, and only a few dozen who can participate… the race called Japan's greatest…"
As if speaking to him, or to herself, she gripped her elbows and stared at the paddock.
"In my career as well, it was one of the most difficult races."
"But winning it granted me honors I could never have imagined before… and everything that came afterward."
"I used to think losing the Derby would have been my greatest regret…"
"But somehow—not even Maruzensky's experience made me feel this way—but…"
She slowly turned toward Kitahara, her eyes dazed.
"After spending time with Oguri Cap lately… I've started to feel that the real regret is not even having the chance to participate in the Japanese Derby."
…Huh?
Kitahara was dumbfounded.
These past few days… you only ran alongside her a few times, right?
It's not like you two went skating or something—I was there, I saw everything.
How did you… get this kind of feeling…?
As Kitahara stared in confusion, Rudolf's eyes only grew more unfocused.
"I don't know why—but something keeps telling me that Oguri Cap… might not actually be able to participate in this Japanese Derby."
"Logic and reality say that's impossible—she's right there, preparing to enter the gate…"
"But I can't suppress the feeling."
Her gaze drifted to the paddock, where familiar figures appeared one after another.
"The cherry blossoms that bloomed in the Asahi Cup—can they bloom again today?! Sakura Chiyono O!!"
"Let the name of Invincible echo through the ages! Yaeno Muteki!!"
"A shocking finishing kick, a straight-line sprint like a fired bullet that pierces all rivals!! Dicta Striker!!"
"Show the world the honor and spirit of the noble Mejiro family! Mejiro Ardan!!"
"From a small creek to a grand bay—can she drown all opponents like her name suggests?! Super Creek!!"
Staring at those figures, hearing the thunderous announcer's voice echo through Tokyo Racecourse, Rudolf spoke—not loudly, but clearly enough for Kitahara to hear every word.
"Kitahara, what do you think is essential for a first-class racehorse girl?"
She asked, but didn't wait for an answer.
"A charming personality that draws everyone in?"
"Overwhelming power that wins again and again?"
"Or perhaps…"
"A hope that lets people see their dreams?"
In her purple eyes was reflected a silver-gray figure emerging from the paddock.
"I don't know why… but I believe Oguri Cap is the kind of racehorse girl who lets people see dreams."
"I also don't know why… even though she's right there, on the paddock, about to step onto the Derby stage… I still feel she might not be able to participate."
"And I don't know whether acting on such a feeling is appropriate for the president of Central Tracen Academy—given my identity, responsibilities, and fate."
"But…"
She suddenly turned to Kitahara and smiled.
"I already told URA officials: if Oguri Cap wins the Derby, they should amend certain stupid, rigid rules."
"If not… ah, it doesn't matter."
Shaking her head, she laughed softly.
"Maybe I'm still too immature as a student council president—going to the URA over a vague, indescribable feeling."
"Maybe more than reality… I value the 'dreams' that lie ahead."
"So if it's for a dream—believing in her, believing in a racehorse girl who lets people see dreams—should be fine."
As she said this, the trembling in her long ears grew, and then—
"And finally! Entering the field—"
"Group 8! Number 24!!"
"The overwhelming fan favorite!!"
"Undefeated at 15 wins from 15 starts!!"
"The unbeaten Satsuki Sho champion!!"
"The Cinderella from Kasamatsu—the gray-haired monster!!"
"OGURI CAP!!"