"Come to think of it, the Japanese Derby's almost here..."
"I wonder who's going to win it this year?"
As the Japanese Derby approached, talk of it began spreading throughout Tracen Academy.
Conversations like those could be heard in every corner of the school.
Which was only natural. The Japanese Derby was exactly the kind of race that inspired this much discussion.
After all, the race carried the dreams of countless Umamusume, so it was hardly surprising that it drew so much attention.
And at that very moment, in Tracen Academy's cafeteria, a group of students had gathered together and were discussing that exact topic.
"By the way, who do you all think is going to win this year's Japanese Derby?"
An Umamusume wearing glasses posed the question.
Beside her, an Umamusume with a high ponytail answered without hesitation.
"It has to be Yaeno Muteki! She just won the first leg of the Triple Crown not that long ago!"
"True," the bespectacled Umamusume said with a nod. "Yaeno Muteki really does look like the real deal."
"What about Mejiro Ardan from the Mejiro family?"
An Umamusume in a short skirt raised her hand as she asked.
"If you ask me, Mejiro Ardan is an incredibly strong racer too!"
"Yeah, yeah—her form on the track really leaves an impression."
"And she's a young lady from the Mejiro family too... I heard there's even an academy in Hokkaido connected to them..."
The moment the subject turned to Mejiro Ardan, the discussion grew even livelier.
Clearly, quite a few people saw Mejiro Ardan of the Mejiro family as one of the favorites to win the Japanese Derby.
"But still..."
"When it comes to the biggest favorite, it has to be her..."
"""Oguri Cap!"""
The group of Umamusume all nodded knowingly as they spoke that name.
Ever since coming to Central, she had maintained an astonishing winning streak.
She still had not tasted defeat since her debut...
And especially her final spurt—anyone who had seen her race had been stunned by that monstrously powerful closing burst.
"This year's Derby is seriously terrifying..."
All of the major favorites looked incredibly strong. No matter which one of them won, nobody would find it surprising.
And those drifting bits of conversation reached the ears of several girls quietly eating on the other side of the cafeteria.
"My, Muteki—they're saying you're one of the favorites to win~"
A graceful Umamusume with long blue hair as clear as a lakeside and delicate features teased the chestnut-haired girl quietly eating beside her.
"Ardan, they mentioned you as a favorite too."
Yaeno Muteki replied without even looking up.
"Hehe~"
Mejiro Ardan covered her mouth and laughed softly.
"Must be nice... both of you are being talked about..."
Beside them, a girl with medium length hair and a sakura hair ornament slumped across the table like a little dumpling, her voice full of envy.
"As long as Chiyono O is cute, that's enough~"
Smiling, Mejiro Ardan gently rubbed the girl's head as she lay there on the table like a dumpling. They were all classmates, but Sakura Chiyono O somehow gave her the feeling of one of her younger sisters back home.
"Mmph, Ardan-san, I want to win the Japanese Derby too!"
Sakura Chiyono O waved her little fist at Mejiro Ardan.
Speaking of Sakura Chiyono O, she had won the G1 Asahi Hai in her Junior Year.
For all how harmless she looked, she was actually an unexpectedly formidable rival.
But since she simply could not manage to look serious, even her fist-waving came off more like a little hamster trying to threaten someone.
It was just plain cute.
As Sakura Chiyono O had said, all three girls at this table were planning to enter the upcoming Derby that had captured everyone's attention.
"But I never thought Oguri Cap would be drawing even more attention than you, Muteki..."
"..."
At those words, Yaeno Muteki's hand gave the slightest tremor as she continued eating in silence.
"...It can't be helped. I lost to Oguri Cap in the Mainichi Hai. That's just how it is."
That was right—this would not be the first time Yaeno Muteki and Oguri Cap faced each other in the Japanese Derby.
Before she won the Satsuki Sho, she had already raced against Oguri Cap in a G3 race.
At the time, she had been overflowing with confidence, convinced she could make her mark at Central too.
The result was that this gray-haired Umamusume who had appeared out of nowhere crushed her completely.
She had thought Oguri Cap, someone who had come up from the Regional Academies to Tracen Academy, would be nothing to worry about, but reality had obviously been nothing like she imagined.
This transfer student clearly possessed strength that could not be underestimated.
"I'm telling you—if you look down on Oguri Cap, you're going to pay for it."
Yaeno Muteki silently finished the miso soup in her bowl, then said that in an even tone.
"You really rate Oguri highly, Muteki~"
"Of course."
Yaeno Muteki did not hesitate in the slightest when she answered.
"She's someone who beat me. Why would I think little of her?"
"If anything, Ardan, do you really think the younger girls from your home region are weak?"
"Of course not~" Mejiro Ardan said with a smile. "Those girls all have remarkably promising talent. Once they come to Tracen Academy and receive proper training, they'll absolutely become stars of the future too~"
"And besides... isn't the Umamusume with the biggest momentum right now also someone who came from the Regional Academies?"
"You mean Tamamo Cross-senpai?"
The moment she heard that, Sakura Chiyono O's eyes lit right up.
"I've seen her race! Tamamo-senpai was super cool in the Tenno Sho Spring! She was basically the strongest!"
"She's so tiny, but when she runs, there's nothing half-hearted about it at all!"
"But I heard her hometown is Hokkaido too, just like yours, Ardan-san!"
"Hokkaido is amazing!"
Once Sakura Chiyono O started talking about Tamamo Cross, she just could not stop, looking every bit like a little fangirl.
Clearly, she had already been completely won over by Tamamo Cross's strength.
But hearing all that left Mejiro Ardan feeling a bit conflicted...
Huh? Tamamo Cross is from Hokkaido too?
I wonder which academy in Hokkaido she came from.
It probably wasn't Hokko Academy, the one connected to the Mejiro family...
Versailles Academy, the one with ties to the student council president?
That doesn't seem right either.
Could she have come from Daikō Academy?
Mm... I haven't been back to Hokkaido in so long. I had no idea they could produce an Umamusume like Tamamo Cross there now.
I really wonder what kind of Trainer is standing behind her.
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T/N: woahhhh 3 new uma's.............