Chapter 18: Showdown! Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes!

The excitement was so intense, you could feel it even from outside the venue.
Hanshin Racecourse—the stage of the GⅠ race, the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes—was overflowing with people.
If we hadn’t snuck in through the staff entrance, I can’t even imagine what would’ve happened. Just thinking about it is terrifying.

"Trainer, where’s my racing outfit?"

"Here. Want me to call a staff member to help you put it on?"

"Ugh… I-I’ll manage. I’m finally running in a GⅠ now—might as well get used to doing it myself."

My racing outfit.
The attire reserved exclusively for GⅠ races—it’s something countless horse girls dream of wearing.
Thinking back to when I used to get crushed in the selection races… I’ve really come a long way.
I never imagined I’d actually get to wear one.

"All right, let’s get changed then!"

"H-Hey, Lux!?"

"Hmm? What’s up, Trainer?"

Just as I was about to start changing, the Trainer stopped me.
I hadn’t even taken off my tracksuit yet—what was the problem?

"Lux, I’m still in here."

"So what?"

"What do you mean, ‘so what’? I’m going out, all right? Honestly, Lux, you’re a girl—you should be a little more mindful about that."

Once I confirmed he’d left, I finally took off my tracksuit.
Yeah, that was careless of me. I got so caught up in the excitement of wearing a racing outfit that I dropped my guard.
If King or Comp found out about that, they’d definitely chew me out again… I’ll have to be more careful next time.

"Okay, little hiccup aside—time to get dressed!"

I picked up the outfit and started sliding my arms into the sleeves—
But for some reason, it wasn’t going well.
Wait, wasn’t this the way they helped me into it last time?

"Huh? Maybe it went like this…? No, that can’t be right…"

The structure of a racing outfit is anything but simple.
Most of them have some pretty wild designs—and mine’s no exception.
I fumbled with it for a while, trying to make sense of how everything connected.

"Ah, maybe this part first? No, wait—that can’t be right either! Ugh, this design makes zero sense!"

Guess that’s what I get for never wearing proper women’s clothes.
It’s tricky enough as it is, and I’ve got no experience to fall back on.
Ugh… maybe this goes here? Or through that loop—

"Yes! Got it! Whew, that was close… Trainer would’ve sighed at me again."

I finally managed to get it on.
Maybe I really do need to get used to this.

"Trainer, I’m done changing!"

"Oh? All finished? I’m coming in."

"Behold, my elegant racing form!"

I spun around in place, showing off the full outfit.
The red cape draped over my shoulders fluttered lightly through the air.
It wasn’t a skirt design, so there was nothing frilly around my waist—and with my short hair, the cape was the only thing that danced behind me.

"Feels nice not having to wear a skirt. Actually, this has kind of a knightly vibe, don’t you think?"

"Yeah, the cape, the gauntlets, and those thigh-high boots all give off that impression. If you’re going for a bold, cool style, this outfit fits perfectly."

"Right? Most of the other designs they showed me were all frilly and fluffy. Seriously, why were they all like that? Pants are just way easier to move in."

After my victory at the Keio Junior Stakes, my entry into the GⅠ was confirmed—and soon after, several outfit designs arrived for review.
Apparently, I could’ve requested a custom design, but with my total lack of fashion sense, that was out of the question.
So I had to choose from the proposals they sent.

"Well, Lux, your appearance leans more toward the cute side, so it’s only natural they sent mostly cute designs. But yeah, the cool one suits you too."

"Still, why were they all obsessed with showing my midriff? I had to wear a black undershirt just to cover it up."

"Every single design had the stomach exposed. The others were doll-like, princess-style ones, if I remember right?"

"Why do they all have to go for some kind of fantasy theme…?"

That said, being able to wear a racing outfit at all is incredible.
With a swirl of my cape, I strode out of the waiting room and made my way briskly toward the paddock.
Even from the underground passage, I could feel the intensity in the air.
So this is what a GⅠ atmosphere feels like.

The paddock stage and the area around it were completely packed with people—so many that I was left speechless.

"Bourbon! We’re cheering for you!"

"Bitter Parfait! Look over here!"

Cheers rang nonstop from the grandstands, proof of just how big this race was.
Up until now, the only major races I’d run in were GⅡs, and even then I thought the crowd was huge—but this was on a whole different level.
There must’ve been plenty of people who couldn’t even get inside due to capacity limits.

"Bourbon’s outfit is wild. Didn’t think she’d go for a mechanical look."

"Yeah, but it really fits Mihono Bourbon perfectly. The way she keeps running at a constant pace, never slowing down—she’s like a real cyborg out there."

"You think she’ll win again with that same runaway strategy today?"

"Hard to say. Whether she can stick to that pace on a GⅠ stage… that’ll decide how far Bourbon can go from here."

The crowd’s opinion of Bourbon was as high as ever.
Up on the stage, she struck a sharp pose—snap!—earning thunderous cheers from the stands.

After a few more turns, it was finally my time to step up.
I took a firm step—tap!—onto center stage, spun gracefully, and let my silver gauntlets trace bright arcs through the air as my red cape fluttered behind me.

"Ohhh, I was expecting a cute style, but this is actually pretty great…"

"Right? There’s just something special about a cute-looking girl pulling off a cool outfit like that—it’s… energizing."

"The black undershirt showing just a glimpse of her abs—brilliant! You see that? That right there is art. I knew supporting Lux-chan was the right call!"

Apparently, even though my outfit wasn’t the “cute” kind, it was still well received.
To finish my showcase, I struck a crisp pose, thrusting my arm triumphantly toward the sky as a little bonus for the audience.

The crowd erupted again in cheers at my performance.
Heh, not bad, right? Pretty solid showmanship, if I do say so myself.

"Looks like she’s feeling confident," one of the commentators said. "Her finishing kick is exceptional—but that kind of confidence can’t come from that alone. We might be in for a wild race."

"What makes you say that?"

"Back in the Keio Junior Stakes, she disrupted the lead pack’s rhythm and forced them to burn through their stamina. We could see something similar today."

"But would Bourbon really fall for a tactic like that?"

"Hard to tell. But even if it doesn’t work on Bourbon, it’ll definitely affect the others. If she’s aiming for a one-on-one showdown, she’s bound to try it."

"So, in other words, she’s one to keep an eye on."

From the paddock, I looked over at Mihono Bourbon, who had already stepped off the stage and returned to the waiting area.
Her racing outfit was revealing, hugging the contours of her body—making it easy to see just how much she’d trained.

"…She’s in much better shape than I expected. Can I really catch up to that?"

Her entire frame was tightly honed, yet she hadn’t lost any muscle mass.
Just how much training did she go through to reach that form?
That sheer power—that propulsion—was the engine behind her terrifying runaway speed.

A chill ran through me.
Fear? No. This was a fighter’s tremor.
The thrill of going head-to-head with someone that strong—it made my blood sing.

"I’ll just have to do it. Wait for me, Bourbon."

I passed through the underground tunnel, heading toward the racetrack.
This was the last moment before stepping out into the open world.

And there, at the end of the passage, was a familiar face.

"Lux."

"Ah, you came, Trainer."

"Of course I did. You stopped me from coming last time, but if not for that, I’d have been here right away."

"Well… I’m glad you did."

To be honest, even if I gave this race everything I had, my chances of winning were slim.
Not because I wasn’t suited for mile races.
Not because Mihono Bourbon was my opponent.

It’s simply that, in racing, no matter how much strength you pour in, victory is never guaranteed.
But that truth applies to Bourbon too.

"I’ll be looking forward to your performance out there—the way you sing and dance on that stage."

"Haah… you’re jumping ahead again, Trainer. But fine—just you wait. I’ll show you the best stage you’ve ever seen."

Everyone has a chance to win, and everyone has a chance to lose. That’s the world of racing.
And that’s exactly why we give it everything—run until every ounce of strength is spent.

I steady my breathing and tense every muscle in my body.

"Trainer, I’m heading out."

"Go on—and enjoy yourself out there."

I squeeze his hand once, feeling energy surge through me before I let go.

Then I start down the long corridor.
And when I finally emerge from the underground passage—it’s there.
The battlefield: Hanshin Racecourse.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the moment is finally upon us! The first GⅠ race open to junior-class horse girls—the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes!"

Hanshin Racecourse. Turf, 1600 meters.
This track has two defining features: a nearly 500-meter-long straightaway, and a steep slope second only to Nakayama’s in difficulty.
In short, it’s a course that favors closers—those who come charging from behind.

Even knowing that, my focus is entirely on one opponent: Mihono Bourbon.
That’s how formidable she is.

"Now then, what kind of race will we see today? Let’s introduce our horse girls of interest!"

"First in popularity, Mihono Bourbon! A horse girl who continues her escape at a perfectly constant pace—no matter the slope. Truly worthy of being called a cyborg!"

"Her previous race was the Ivy Stakes, an open-class event. Her commanding run left no one else a chance to keep up!"

Bourbon’s warm-up is steady—exceptionally so.
Her pace almost seems slow for a warm-up, as if she’s carefully gauging the track conditions.

"She specializes in leading from the front, but Hanshin’s slope could prove challenging. How she handles it will be key."

"Indeed. If she can take that hill without slowing down, this race might end in a decisive Bourbon victory."

Like her, I test the ground beneath my hooves with a return trot.
The track feels firm—good condition, stable footing. The turf isn’t too worn, either.

With ground this solid, the pace will likely be fast right from the start.

"And second in popularity, we have this horse girl—Mithialx! Her previous race was the Keio Junior Stakes, where she finished first!"

"A rare closer in short-distance races, she dazzled us last time with a finishing kick like a shooting star!"

"To pour everything into that single instant on the final stretch—it’s no wonder she’s captured so many hearts!"

Looks like I’m being rated pretty highly.
While checking the turf, I listen to the announcers’ voices echo across the stadium.

Second in popularity, right behind Bourbon.
I hadn’t expected that.
I thought a late-charging style in a short race was too unorthodox to draw much support… but maybe that’s exactly why it did.

"The warm-ups are over, and it’s almost time for the gate-in! The excitement in the stands is reaching a fever pitch!"

The moment of entry approaches.
As I walk across the turf toward the gates, my eyes meet Mihono Bourbon’s for an instant.

Just for a second—but her gaze burns with unmistakable resolve.
No words are needed.
We’ll speak through the race itself.
That’s what her eyes say.

"Each horse girl is entering the gate now. First favorite Mihono Bourbon will be starting from Gate 13 in the seventh bracket!"

"This will be a full field of eighteen! Expect an intense, hard-fought battle!"

"With several front-runners in the mix, the opening phase is bound to be explosive!"

This is my fourth time entering the gate.
There’s always that familiar tightness—that sense of confinement—but I don’t mind it.

If anything, it awakens something primal inside me.
My whole body screams: Let me run already!

Then comes the fanfare that signals the start.
My emotions hit their peak.

"Under clear skies at Hanshin Racecourse—it’s the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, turf 1600 meters!"

I inhale softly—then exhale.

The battle with Mihono Bourbon has begun.
Which of us will the goddess of victory smile upon?
The moment of truth is already drawing near—