"I didn't know either—who knew only first place gets prize money in a debut? I saw in other races it was enough just to place… Don't worry, Sis. I'll just enter another maiden."
Another sunny day.
Stardust Mirage sat in a restaurant called Saizeriya, with a plate of almost-finished spaghetti bolognese before her.
She was on an old phone, her white-tipped red ears twitching on her head—evidently in a good mood.
Today was the day she'd meet Oguri Cap. To avoid being late, she'd come early and, while at it, called her elder sister—still hospitalized—to say she was fine.
On the other end was a slightly weak but gentle woman's voice.
"Stardust, as long as you're doing it seriously, I'm happy. But don't send prize money home—I heard from the uncles in town that horse-girl racing needs a lot of money…"
"It's fine—it's fine on my end!"
Stardust cut in. Though they weren't face to face, she subconsciously smiled to reassure her.
"We're not at a point where you need to support the house." The voice suddenly turned stern.
"Stardust, when you told me a month ago you wanted to enter horse-girl races, I was truly happy—because it was the first time you seriously told me you wanted to do something. I believe you can succeed."
"But if I become your burden at this time—what does that make me?"
"I've never thought of you as a burden. If anything, this is my motivation."
Stardust immediately denied it.
She was someone who'd crossed into this world; but since arriving, she'd seen everything her sister had done for her.
Even now, her sister was thinking of her…
"Standing on that course, I really felt the joy of running. But just running for joy can't win first."
She recalled the last race and confided her feelings.
"The weight in Tokai Teio's steps far exceeded mine—that's decided by how much she bears. So… bearing responsibility for my sister and family will only make me run faster, not weigh me down!"
"Stardust…"
"Well said. Only a horse girl whose steps strike with enough weight deserves the highest honor!"
A white-bearded old man in sunglasses and sharp clothes suddenly came over and sat opposite, picking up her words.
At the counter, she also noticed a white-haired horse girl who'd arrived at some point, carrying a dozen bowls in both hands as she came toward them.
Stardust quickly apologized to her sister, hung up, rose, and bowed to the newcomers.
"You must be Oguri Cap and Trainer Rokuhira Ginjirou."
She might not recognize the old man, but Oguri Cap's looks and carriage were the most familiar thing in the world to her; never mind that, in her previous life, the Hat God was her most-used character.
Even after crossing over, the horse girl who'd shown Stardust the "Holy Night's Runner" was also Oguri Cap—Christmas version.
Not to mention the horse girl before her was carrying food ten times her own typical intake—who else could it be but the big eater, Oguri Cap?
Rokuhira was very courteous. He helped her up and laughed heartily:
"Hahaha, didn't expect such a little lady."
He took one of Oguri's laden trays and set it on the table. Despite his age, his grip was steady—holding a platter piled high without a tremor.
"Come, Oguri, say hello to Stardust Mirage."
—!
At the moment Oguri looked at her, Stardust felt her heart clench as if grasped by something.
But before fear could take root, the feeling vanished. Oguri turned her head with a dopey look; both cheeks were puffed high with food, and she mumbled, "Hewwo, I'm Oguri Cap."
So this… is the monster of the track?
The three sat. Oguri, without a word, raised a bowl and began pouring food into her mouth, while the old man smiled kindly.
"Let's get right to it—hope you don't mind. Our time is tight, so we can only talk while we eat."
He spoke.
"About the footage from your debut, Stardust—Oguri, another trainer, and I all reviewed it repeatedly. That running form suits Oguri extremely well. Even my useless nephew thought you were Oguri's disciple."
"As for that form…"
Stardust didn't know how to explain. The system's "Holy Night's Runner" clearly shared lineage with Oguri's own finisher. She couldn't very well claim she'd comprehended it herself, could she?
"You misunderstand."
Seeing her awkwardness, Ginjirou waved. "I'm not inquiring into its origin—just expressing admiration."
In his eyes, such a close echo of Oguri's form meant Stardust must have studied Oguri's races in secret—a source of embarrassment for her. But the racing world never prohibited horse girls from studying one another; in fact, it encouraged it.
Only that way could horse girls keep getting faster and make the sport more exciting.
"In short, we'd like you to teach that form to Oguri. As for what you need on your side, we'll do our utmost to meet it. If we can't, we'll find someone who can."
For this, Ginjirou was determined.
After nearly sweeping the Central in her first two years, Oguri had been plagued by injuries in her third; they decided that this year's Arima Kinen would be her last.
This retirement race—Oguri's third Arima—was her own decision. She felt she needed to force herself to have any chance of breaking through to another level.
As her trainer, Ginjirou wanted no regrets. Any chance for Oguri to grow stronger, he would seize.
"My condition is simple. Since you want me to pass that special running to Oguri, I'd like you two to guide my race training—anything."
Stardust laid out her plan.
From studying the system, she knew it didn't make her godlike, but as long as she kept training, basic stats would rise.
Depending on training intensity and suitability, gains differed for the same time investment—something she'd proven by comparing the local academy's curriculum to her own improvisation.
So if she wanted the Classic Triple Crown stage and to beat Tokai Teio, she needed the best training and sparring partners—
The two before her: the "Heisei Monster" Oguri Cap, and the trainer who had molded her, Rokuhira Ginjirou.
"Oh?" Ginjirou's eyes flashed, and he chuckled. "Didn't expect you to be looking at this old man—and for Oguri as a sparring partner."
"No problem. But before Oguri's race, she can't split her focus, so only I can carve out time for your plan."
"As for sparring, after her final Arima, we won't refuse—right, Oguri?"
Oguri wrenched herself from the sea of food and nodded furiously.
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