Chapter 133.
When Trainer Shuta Ann stepped before the flashing cameras of the media zone, the press corps resembled a frenzy of sharks that had just smelled blood in the water.
Everyone had seen Mejiro Dober's Twitter bombshell. Everyone wanted to know exactly how her Trainer was going to justify it.
In the history of the Twinkle Series, a star Uma Musume achieving this level of fame and success and not debuting in the Dream Trophy Series was completely unheard of. Even the legendary Tamamo Cross—who was currently living a carefree life in Hokkaido—had endured two or three grueling years of high-intensity racing in the Dream Cup to build up her savings before returning to her hometown to open a guesthouse. Mejiro Dober's absolute, immediate withdrawal from public racing was unprecedented.
If he had the choice, Shuta Ann wouldn't have entertained the topic at all. But he knew the reporters would tear him apart if he dodged it. Resigned, the young man gave a subtle nod to the Tokyo Racecourse PR staff, signaling them to open the floor.
The first question naturally went to an old acquaintance: Reporter Otonashi from Twinkle magazine.
"Congratulations to Miss Mejiro Dober on a beautiful, historic conclusion to her career. Official calculations put her victory at a staggering seventeen lengths over the runner-up. Did you foresee a blowout of this magnitude before the race, Trainer Shuta?"
Shuta Ann spread his hands, answering honestly.
"I was always confident Dober would win today, but I truly didn't expect the margin to be that massive. However, the moment I saw her break away smoothly in the final corner, I had a premonition it was going to be a landslide. The pace was incredibly slow today; perhaps her opponents lacked the experience to handle a crawling start. Everyone assumed Dober would dutifully wait for the final straight to unleash her kick. I had anticipated that mindset, and I reminded her before the race that if the pace dragged, she had the green light to launch early. I'm incredibly proud she executed it so flawlessly."
The tactical talk was over. The next reporter wasn't about to stick to conventional racing questions.
"Trainer Shuta! Did Miss Mejiro Dober's retirement declaration just now have your consent? Or was this a unilateral, personal stunt?"
I knew it.
Shuta Ann sighed inwardly. Still, he couldn't fault a reporter for chasing the biggest scoop of the year through legitimate questions.
The young man lifted his chin, meeting the aggressive reporter's gaze with quiet, unshakable conviction.
"Dober brought this up to me at the very beginning of the year." he stated, his voice ringing clearly through the speakers. "And after listening to her thoughts, I decided to fully respect and support her decision. We all understand the prestige and significance of the Dream Trophy Series. But for Mejiro Dober, there is a different calling in life that she wishes to pursue. Over her nearly four-year Twinkle Series career, she has bled and given her absolute all for her fans and for her family. For the next chapter of her life, she simply wants to live for herself."
Shuta Ann paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the flashing cameras.
"As her Trainer—when faced with a reason like that, how could I ever bear to stop her?"
As he spoke, the memories of their grueling journey surfaced, and a genuine sheen of tears welled up in the young man's eyes.
"Dober wasn't born with heaven-defying talent." he continued, his voice thick with emotion. "When I first took over her training, I honestly felt she wasn't even considered the top tier among her peers in the Mejiro family. But she stubbornly insisted that I guide her. Over these past few years, we have overcome countless physical and mental hurdles that were never disclosed to the public. We faced grueling problems that were never brought to light. Through it all, Mejiro Dober never complained. She never grumbled. She simply gritted her teeth and silently endured the pain."
The room fell completely silent, captivated by the raw emotion of the normally composed trainer.
"Since her debut, she sacrificed basically all of her personal hobbies, only finding brief moments to revisit them during the holidays. After today, she no longer wishes to live under the crushing weight of an Uma Musume's spotlight. I understand that this might seem cruel to the fans who were eagerly awaiting her Dream Cup debut. But for her—it is finally time to let go."
He took a deep breath, steadying himself.
"I will not ask her fans for their understanding or forgiveness on her behalf. After today's race, Miss Mejiro Dober is the master of her own life. Perhaps she will remain active on social media, or perhaps she will fade from the public eye entirely. Those will be choices made from her own heart. But no matter which path she walks, as her very first fan, I will always send her my deepest blessings."
With that, Shuta Ann set the microphone on the podium and delivered a long, deep bow.
Despite the profound emotional defense, the media machine was relentless. The very next reporter stood up and demanded.
"Trainer Shuta, can you reveal anything about Miss Mejiro Dober's future plans?"
"No. I cannot."
Shuta Ann replied flatly, refusing to budge an inch. Dober was going to university; if he leaked that, he couldn't guarantee that radical fans wouldn't swarm her campus and ruin her peaceful student life.
The subsequent questions all aggressively orbited Dober's decision, and Shuta Ann carefully deflected each one with practiced PR maneuvering.
Just as he answered the final question, a familiar figure strutted into the media zone.
Maruzensky practically glided up to the podium, smoothly swiping the microphone from Shuta Ann's hand.
"Pardon the interruption, everyone! I'm here to relay a special message from Dober-chan." the veteran racer announced with a dazzling smile. "In the upcoming Winning Live, she will convey her true feelings to all of you through her song. I hope you will all listen closely!"
"Eh?"
Shuta Ann blinked, completely blindsided.
He had suspected Dober might perform a new track for her final center-stage performance, but he had absolutely no idea it was going to be a direct response to her retirement controversy.
Maruzensky lowered the mic and looked at the bewildered young man, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
"This was Dober's little secret. She's been hiding it from you recently. She is very, very confident in this song, Trainer."
"I... certainly hope so."
Shuta Ann muttered, feeling a fresh wave of anxiety wash over him. He had no clue what genre or tone she had chosen. If she went with a melancholic ballad meant to elicit sympathy, he feared it might backfire against the currently volatile crowd.
Meanwhile, Tokai Teio, Kurofune, and Admire Vega were following Taiki Shuttle down the aisles toward the VIP viewing area below the concert stage.
"Dober-senpai's statement really caught everyone with their guard down."
Kurofune muttered, glancing at the buzzing crowds around them.
"Trainer is probably dealing with a massive headache right now."
Tokai Teio, who possessed a remarkably sharp intuition, secretly mused to herself.
There's no way Ann didn't know about her decision. But he definitely didn't expect her to drop the bomb this quickly. Looking at him on the jumbotron earlier—he actually looked a bit flustered. You rarely see that expression on him.
But unlike Mejiro Dober, Tokai Teio had every intention of conquering the Dream Trophy Series in her own future plans.
Well, since Dober-senpai won't be running in the Dream Cup—I'll just have to make up for her absence!
The Undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume practically vibrated with ambition, her competitive spirit burning brighter than ever.
Shuta Ann eventually escaped the press and followed Maruzensky down to the audience seats, quickly reuniting with Taiki Shuttle and his team.
"Trainer!"
Kurofune leaned in immediately, keeping her voice low over the roar of the stadium transitioning into concert mode.
"Do you have any idea what song Dober-senpai is going to sing tonight?"
"I have absolutely no idea what she's added to the setlist." Shuta Ann sighed helplessly, rubbing his temples. "She just confidently told Maruzensky that 'this song will help.' But with just that one cryptic sentence—I'm not feeling very reassured."