Chapter 31: Interview and Next Race

Several days had passed since the GⅠ race, the Oka Sho.

Now officially a GⅠ-winning Uma Musume, I found myself glaring at a mountain of paperwork on my desk.

"Hmm… this one’s a contract for PakaPuchi? Wait—my own PakaPuchi is coming out? That’s… kind of emotional."

"Well, you’ve been in constant rivalry with Mihono Bourbon, and your races have been flashy and spectacular. With that level of recognition, it’s only natural, I’d say."

Becoming a GⅠ Uma Musume also meant one thing—more exposure. Not just PakaPuchi. There were TV interviews, magazine features, corporate deals, merchandise expansions… seriously, wasn’t this too much?

"I wonder what kind of PakaPuchi they’ll make… My race outfit, maybe?"

"Let’s see… there should be a sample around here somewhere. Give me a second."

"Eh—hold on, I haven’t even signed the contract yet!"

The trainer pulled out a plush doll about 25 centimeters tall. Dressed in my knight-themed racing outfit, with a sharp, confident look, it was unmistakably me. Wow… that’s actually really well made. Even though my race outfit seems tough to recreate as a plush, they pulled it off nicely.

"They always make a sample before mass production. See? It looks great. Honestly, I kind of want one myself."

Ugh… Watching my trainer play with that plush so happily stirred something indescribable inside me.

I was being praised, so I shouldn’t have felt bad, yet somehow it made me restless. Unable to contain myself, I tugged at the hem of the trainer’s jacket.

"Lux? What’s wrong?"

"Nn… let me see that too. It’s unfair if only you get to enjoy it."

"Ah, sorry, here you go."

I fiddled with the PakaPuchi in my hands.

In this world, the Uma Musume shops were packed wall to wall with these kinds of goods. The more popular an Uma Musume was, the more merchandise she had. The “Emperor” herself probably didn’t even know how many versions of her own merch existed.

"So this’ll be sold all over the country, huh? Guess I’ve really become famous. Can’t believe there was a time when I couldn’t even win a mock race back when I first met you, Trainer."

"You’ve worked hard, Lux. Without your effort, we wouldn’t have made it this far."

"I couldn’t have done it alone. Really—thank you, Trainer."

I leaned against the trainer, brushing my body lightly against theirs to show my affection—then suddenly snapped back and pulled away.

Crap. I almost did something crazy on instinct again. Lately, this kind of thing’s been happening way too often! Damn it, it must be my Uma Musume instincts kicking in… Ever since I started overcoming my weakness in head-to-head races, these “instinct-driven” urges have been cropping up more.

"Next on the list… Hmm, an interview request. Looks like they also want to ask about your next race."

"My next race, huh… What do you think, Trainer? I guess this should be up to how I feel, right? Let’s see… which race would I want to try next?"

The next race—that was a tough decision.

I could handle short and mile distances. And now that I’d won a GⅠ, I could enter most races without restrictions.

If we’re talking about GⅠ events, the nearest one would be the NHK Mile Cup. Later down the line, there’s also the Yasuda Kinen…

"Hmm… I already ran the Fillies’ Review and the Oka Sho back-to-back. The NHK Mile Cup might be a bit much. But the Yasuda Kinen does sound tempting…"

"Right. I’d prefer if you took some time to rest, though. There’s also that concern we talked about. The Yasuda Kinen is a race that mixes Classic and Senior divisions, so as long as you’re ready to face Senior-class Uma Musume, I think it’s a solid choice."

That “concern” he mentioned referred to my Unique Skill. That technique put a huge strain on my body—we were still waiting for the medical results.

As for the Yasuda Kinen—it was a mixed-class race, meaning veterans from the upper generation would be participating.

That would definitely be a major hurdle. Competing against upper-class legends like Taiki Shuttle or Grass Wonder was almost guaranteed.

What to do…

"Still, I really want to see how those upper-generation elites run—just once. Not that I plan on losing, of course!"

"That’s true. Lux, you’re the kind of Uma Musume who grows stronger by observing others’ racing styles. Entering the Yasuda Kinen could be a great learning opportunity. I think you’d gain a lot from it."

The trainer’s logic was sound. Most of the techniques I’d developed were born from analyzing other top Uma Musume’s races. Facing upper-generation champions would definitely be valuable experience.

All right, I’ve made up my mind!

"Okay, then it’s decided—the next race is the Yasuda Kinen! Since that’s settled, I’m counting on you for the training menu, Trainer!"

"Got it. To take on Senior-class competitors, it’ll have to be a pretty tough regimen, though…"

"No problem! If it’s too easy, I’ll be mad! I’m trying to keep up with the best of the best here, so go all out!"

And so, our next race was set. We circled the Yasuda Kinen date on the calendar in bright red, fired up and ready.

With about two months left, how far could my running hold up? How much could I refine myself before the real thing? I didn’t know—but there was no turning back now.

With our next goal locked in, the next thing on our list was…

"Hello, I’m Soegi from Monthly Uma Musume. Thank you for having me today."

"Ah, nice to meet you. Thank you for coming."

That’s right—a magazine interview. Not training, surprisingly, but this was still an important part of the job.

Information about Uma Musume typically came through three main channels:
First, official releases from Tracen Academy and the URA.
Second, direct announcements from each team.
And third, through various media outlets like this.

Interestingly, gossip and fake news were extremely rare in the Uma Musume industry. Maybe the press here just had high standards?

Either way, it was crucial to give proper interviews like this—to show the world who you really were.

"Let’s start by asking how you first met your trainer."

"Ah, well… it’s a bit embarrassing, but when I first entered the academy, I went through a long stretch where I couldn’t win any mock races. That’s when Trainer approached me—and that’s how it all began."

"And did you already have your current running style back then?"

"Back then… hmm, I tried everything—leading, front-running… It wasn’t until Trainer became my manager that I switched to a closing style."

That moment was definitely my turning point. Without meeting my trainer, I wouldn’t be who I am now. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have even debuted yet, let alone won anything.

Come to think of it, wasn’t my original goal something like—find a random trainer, take it easy, and just jog through three years? …Wait, what happened to that plan again?

"A true fateful encounter, then! Wonderful!"

"Yes… though I did end up losing to Mihono Bourbon in my debut race."

"Ah yes, I saw that one. An incredibly powerful performance for a debut. So your rivalry with Mihono Bourbon began there, didn’t it?"

"That’s right. Wanting to beat her—that feeling is what drove me to grow stronger. So in a way, I’m grateful to Bourbon for that."

Well, anyway, there’s no way I won’t make it through these three years. And that other “condition”—a serious romance? No worries there. I might look like a girl, but inside, I’m still a guy, so romance with men? Yeah, not happening.

If anything, I need to be careful around other Uma Musume—Bourbon, King, Cafe… they’re all way too beautiful for their own good. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous sometimes.

"And recently, you’ve managed two consecutive wins against Mihono Bourbon, bringing your record to two wins and two losses. How do you feel about that?"

"Mihono Bourbon is a strong Uma Musume. She’s not the type to end things here. I’m certain she’ll grow even stronger and stand before me again someday. That’s exactly why I have to become stronger myself…"

There was one thing I realized after analyzing Mihono Bourbon’s running style. Bourbon sometimes accelerates in the final stretch—right at the very end—but that’s not what they call a “Signature” move. She’s just forcing that acceleration through sheer willpower.

When I noticed that, I almost screamed out loud. She can still get stronger!?

"Impressive as always. Your training, Lux-san, is said to be as tough as Mihono Bourbon’s, after all."

"Huh? Wait a sec, where did you hear that!?"

"It’s common knowledge. The data from your summer camp is pretty widely circulated, you know."

Many reporters come to cover the summer training camp. Only certain days are open for interviews, but on those days, the media practically have free rein. I remember a ton of them showing up back then—but I never thought anyone would actually pay attention to a junior-class Uma Musume like me.

Still, in a way, that reporter must’ve had a good eye. After all, I did end up winning a GⅠ.

"So then, your next race will be the NHK Mile Cup, right? It’s the closest GⅠ mile race coming up."

"About that… I’ve decided to skip the NHK Mile Cup and aim for the Yasuda Kinen instead."

"The Yasuda Kinen, huh?"

Yeah, that reaction’s only natural. It’s a mixed race between Classic and Senior classes, and it’s rare for a Classic Uma Musume to win. From that perspective, it’s no wonder they didn’t expect me to even enter.

"I just want to race against Senior-class Uma Musume at least once. I think there’s a lot I can gain from facing them at this stage."

"So, you’re not aiming to win, then…?"

"No, I’m giving it everything I’ve got. My trainer even adjusted my regimen specifically for that goal."

I could see the reporter in front of me draw in a sharp breath.

Uh… what?

"Ah, sorry about that. I was just a little overwhelmed by your intensity. You really are a GⅠ Uma Musume, Lux-san."

"Eh? Oh, s-sorry! I didn’t mean to intimidate you or anything!"

"It’s fine, don’t worry. If anything, I’m glad I got to witness that side of you. Did you get the photo?"

When the reporter turned to the cameraman behind him, the man responded with a circle made by his fingers. Ugh, oh no… this is so embarrassing…

I couldn’t help but cover my face with my hands.

"Now then, would it be alright if we moved on to some personal questions?"

"Sure… um, what kind of questions?"

"Things like your hobbies, or how you spend your days off—something along those lines."

Hobbies…? Days off…?

"Uh, well, my hobby is watching races, and I usually spend my days off either watching race replays or training."

"…I see. Anything else you enjoy?"

"Recently, I’ve been drinking coffee here and there, but it’s not something I’d say takes up my whole day."

I could tell the reporter was struggling. Yeah, my trainer said the same thing—I really don’t have any hobbies. I get it.

But the thing is, Uma Musume races were one of the things I admired most in my old world. Back then, I could easily spend an entire day just playing the app and digging through related info.

"Then maybe… somewhere you’ve gone out to recently? Anything like that is fine."

"Somewhere I’ve gone out to… Oh! I bought some new clothes not long ago."

That reminded me of White Day. I really liked that outfit—so much that I still wear it sometimes even when there’s no occasion. Every time I do, Comp gives me that gentle smile of hers. I still don’t get what that’s about.

"Ah, as expected of a GⅠ Uma Musume—you even pay attention to that sort of thing. If it’s not too much to ask, could we maybe see a photo of the outfit?"

"Um, a photo… Trainer, do you have one?"

"Yeah, I took one before. I’ll send you the data later, thank you."

"Much appreciated."

Maybe I should find a hobby just for interviews like this. I’ll have to talk to my trainer about it later.

After a few minor hiccups, the interview wrapped up smoothly. Every time I do one of these, it really hits me just how much attention a GⅠ Uma Musume gets from the public.

"Nice work, Lux. That went pretty well. Have you done this kind of thing before? You seemed oddly comfortable with it."

"Hmm? Nah, this was my first real interview. But you know, I’ve already done a few post-race Q&As, right? It’s basically the same thing."

I used to be a working adult, so I’ve built up a decent amount of tolerance and composure for situations like this. Maybe that’s why I tend to look good on camera too. I guess that helps with my popularity.

Alright then—after sitting for so long, my body’s all stiff. Time for a quick stretch before I jump back into training.

Two months left until the Yasuda Kinen. On the spring track, my footsteps echoed proudly.