Chapter 30: A Special Song

Chapter 30: A Special Song

“Yep, that’s exactly what Trainer said from the start,”

Kitasan Black nodded, a little embarrassed.

“My training stats aren’t that great… so even though I won my debut race, my fan count didn’t increase that much.”

“I was secretly worrying about it—I even told Dia-chan once, but I didn’t want to bother Trainer. He’s always so busy.”

She let out a sheepish chuckle.

“But he had already thought it through and even wrote me a song.”

“With a song this good, once we finish the full version and upload it to the official race account, my fan count for the upcoming event will be just fine!”

The Satono sisters nodded in agreement. Diamond tilted her head thoughtfully.

“Still, the song needs proper background music, right? And you and Trainer Yasui still have daily training… won’t the time be tight?”

“Mhm, that’s why I’m thinking of asking Grandpa and the others for help,” Kitasan Black replied with a nod.

“Oh?”

Satono Diamond blinked in surprise. “But didn’t you say before that your family wouldn’t interfere with anything at the academy?”

“That’s true, and it’s something Teio-senpai specifically warned me about too.”

Kitasan Black scratched her cheek awkwardly.

“My family’s different from yours, Dia-chan, Crow-chan.”

“We’ve never really been involved in the racing scene. We’re better known in the music world, but the two fields are completely separate, you know?”

“If Grandpa and the others came out to support me, then all his disciples, students, friends, and fans would follow—even people who don’t care about racing would suddenly be watching me.”

“And when that happens… is it really my victory? Or just the weight of Grandpa’s name carrying me?”

“That’s why only a few of my relatives know I’ve debuted. The rest probably don’t have a clue yet.”

“But I’ll make sure they find out—through my races!”

The Satono sisters glanced at each other. In that look, a mixture of amusement and admiration shimmered between them.

They had long noticed that Kitasan Black had only a vague understanding of her family's position in the music world.

To put it mildly, her grandfather’s standing in the industry was not just “pretty good.”

To be blunt: if he ever defined what “Japanese music” meant, the whole industry would rewrite its textbooks to match.

Yet to Kitasan Black, he was just “really good at singing” and someone with “a lot of students, friends, and fans.”

Not once had she tried to rely on that influence.

If she had, her fan count would already be among the highest—if not the highest—of all active Umamusume.

But she insisted on forging her own path.

That kind of determination… was genuinely admirable.

“But this song is different.”

Just as the sisters exchanged another look, Kitasan Black continued.

“This song—Trainer wrote it for me. Specifically so I can gather enough fans to enter the next race.”

“He told me this kind of method only works up to a point. If we pass that limit, the association won’t recognize it.”

“But that’s fine. As long as I can enter next month’s qualifier, that’s all that matters.”

“This time, I think it’s okay to accept help.”

“Grandpa and the others have wanted to help for a long time, but I kept turning them down. I think they’ll be happy to do this.”

As Kitasan Black spoke of the upcoming race, Satono Diamond looked on with bright-eyed excitement and a hint of envy, while Satono Crown offered a confident grin.

“With that song backing you up, I don’t think the entry into your next race will be a problem at all.”

“I checked your racing schedule—after next month’s qualifier comes the Spring Stakes, then the Satsuki Sho.”

“Looks like we’ll be meeting on the field in the first leg of the Classic Triple Crown, Miracle Kita-chan.”

Diamond blinked, a little flustered. She hesitated, thinking she should say something to soften her sister’s challenge-like tone.

But Kitasan Black also paused—then walked back up to the karaoke stage.

She picked up two microphones—one she held herself, and the other she extended toward Satono Crown.

“Kita-chan… what’s this?” Satono Crown blinked.

Even Diamond looked confused by what she was doing.

“Winning the Soul. You’ve practiced it too, haven’t you, Crow-chan?”

“Winning the Soul…”

Diamond was still lost, but Crown’s lips curled into a confident smile.

Crown stepped up and took the microphone from Kitasan Black.

“Of course I’ve practiced it! When I stand on that winners’ stage in one of the Triple Crown races this year, I will be singing this song!”

Kitasan Black refused to back down.

“Me too! And I’ll be the one standing in the center!”

“Don’t be so sure, Kita-chan. That center spot belongs to me!”

“We’ll see about that, Crow-chan!”

“Looking forward to it!”

As they traded words, neither girl looked away. Their gazes locked, intense and unwavering.

Then, as if on cue, they both turned toward Diamond.

“I’ll leave it to you, Dia-chan / little sis—mind cueing up the song for us?”

Without a word, Satono Diamond gave a tiny nod and started tapping on the karaoke machine.

Winning the Soul is a very special song.

There were ten URA-managed Central racetracks, each holding races across 104 days a year. About 12 races were held per day, each with a winners' stage performance later that evening.

Factor in regional races, and the number of performances easily doubled.

But among the tens of thousands of performances held each year, Winning the Soul would only ever be heard three times.

This song was reserved exclusively for the Satsuki Sho, the Japanese Derby, and the Kikuka Sho—the three races that made up the Classic Triple Crown. It was the anthem of the champions, the ones who stood at the very peak of their generation.

The center position on that stage—the C position—was without exception reserved for the Umamusume who had conquered all three.

Satono Diamond had practiced the song as well. So when its rousing intro began to play, she found herself quietly humming along with her sister and Kitasan, who now stood side by side on the karaoke stage.

At that moment, she felt a flutter of envy in her heart.

How wonderful… Crown, Kita…

But it’s okay.

Next year… next year, I’ll be standing there with them too—

—challenging the Classic Triple Crown.

. . . . . . . . . . . . 

Over an hour later…

“Haah~ That was amazing! Singing really clears the head!”

As they stepped out of the KTV building, Kitasan Black was practically glowing with energy.

“Thanks so much for coming with me, Crow-chan, Dia-chan! I had so much fun!”

“What’s there to thank us for? We had fun too,” Satono Crown waved a hand casually.

“Well, Diamond and I will head back now. See you on Monday—huh?”

Her tone shifted mid-sentence. She’d spotted someone behind Kitasan Black.

“That silhouette… isn’t that Air Groove-senpai?”

Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond turned around.

They saw the back of an Umamusume with short black hair. Satono Diamond squinted for a moment, then nodded.

“Yeah, I think that is her… Maybe she was just out shopping today?”

“Probably has a day off from the university division,” Satono Crown guessed, then glanced back at Kitasan Black.

“Kita, do you—wait, do you have something to talk to Air Groove-senpai about?”

“Ah… huh? No, it’s not like that…”

Kitasan Black pulled her gaze away—but then her eyes drifted back again, as if drawn to something.

There was someone else walking beside Air Groove-senpai.

Another Umamusume. But this one didn’t have black hair.

Instead, her long hair shimmered in shades of soft, fading brown.

“…It’s nothing.”

She looked away again, smiling, and waved to the Satono sisters.

“Well then, I’ll head back to the dorms. See you Monday, Crow-chan, Dia-chan!”

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