Chapter 110: The Bud Still in the Garden’s Shade

The words I exchanged with Onee-sama that day—I still haven’t forgotten them. No, I don’t think I ever could.

"You can change yourself, if you want to stop being the person you don’t like. You have that strength. I guarantee it—as someone who’s been there."

On that dark road at night, those warm, bright words shone like stars. Hearing them truly—really, truly—saved Rice.

Until I spoke with Onee-sama that day… Rice was a blue rose in the garden. No—like a blue rose, I had already given up on myself.

Ever since I was little, the people beside me ended up unhappy. Bad things would happen, or something would break. The details varied, but one thing never changed: I always caused trouble for everyone around me.

I had resigned myself to it—convinced that this was simply who I was. The most useless Uma Musume in the world, someone who would never change.

But that day, Onee-sama taught me something.

There were Uma Musume even more unfortunate than I was. And yet, even they could change—could become someone who made others happy. Maybe… maybe I could change like that too, with my own strength.

It felt like a warm light pierced my heart, which had grown cold from giving up. There was an Uma Musume who believed that even someone like me could change. There was an Uma Musume who would wait for me—to grow stronger, to run together.

Onee-sama taught me something precious. To Rice, who had bloomed and withered in the garden after giving up, she showed the way to a sunlit window.

That’s why… I wanted her to be happy.

I wanted to hear her say it was good that she had taken notice of me. Good that she had waited. Good that she had believed. Good that we ran and had fun together.

I wanted her to smile as she said it.

That had to be the first condition for Rice to become the blue rose of happiness. The Uma Musume who saved Rice—this time, Rice would make her happy. If I couldn’t even do that, then there was no way I could make everyone I passed by happy.

…So, Rice’s greatest goal was to become Onee-sama’s rival.

That’s why I paid close attention to Bourbon-san.

"...Hehe. Well, if you want to clash with me, you’ll have to run in a senior mixed G1. Which means you’ll need to win a lot of races first," she said. "Work your way up, Rice Shower. And surpass Bourbon-chan while you’re at it."

"Bourbon… san?"

"That’s right—Mihono Bourbon-chan. If you’re aiming for the Classic Triple Crown, she’ll definitely be a wall for you. After all, she’s the second Uma Musume my trainer has ever taken on."

"The same trainer as Wilm-senpai’s…?"

"Bourbon-chan is strong. She’ll be a good rival for you. So first, aim for her back. I promise that race will lead you to a new you."

That day, the back Onee-sama pointed to—the back Rice Shower should aim for. An escape-type Uma Musume aiming for the Triple Crown, trained by the same trainer as Onee-sama.

The undefeated Junior-class champion: Mihono Bourbon.

To catch up to Onee-sama, to run together—to become a strong Uma Musume… I had to aim for the Classic races first. And according to Onee-sama, the wall waiting there would be Bourbon-san.

And yes, Bourbon-san was strong. From obscure bloodlines—what people called humble stock—and choosing the difficult escape style, she still proved her overflowing talent at her debut and at the G1 Asahi Hai.

Naturally, both Rice and my trainer were keenly aware of her. We never skipped our research on Bourbon-san, and during joint training sessions, I ran desperately so I wouldn’t lose to her.

So I thought—Rice had plenty of chances to win.

Believing that, I went into the race…

…But in the end.

Rice hadn’t truly understood what Onee-sama meant.

March 29. Rice’s first official race in half a year.
1800 meters. G2. The Spring Stakes.

My trainer and I poured everything we had into it. It had been a while since my last race, sure—but more than that, it was my first chance to compete directly with Bourbon-san.

Partly because of timing, but mostly because I’d injured my legs late last year, I hadn’t been able to enter any official races. So this—facing Bourbon-san on the official stage—was a first.

…Even so, I wasn’t particularly anxious then.

Up to that day, I’d been running steadily. I’d run alongside her during joint training, and I’d more or less grasped Bourbon-san’s rhythm. We even had a plan I’d worked out with my trainer: close in from the middle, tuck in behind Bourbon-san, then burst past her on the final straight for the finish.

On top of that, Onee-sama had taught me something else—a technique called "Concentration," a start that gets you as close as possible to the absolute fastest launch. According to Onee-sama, it suited me extremely well.

To master it, she’d shown it to me over and over, started together with me, talked me through how it felt—she really took care of me. In a way… it was a symbol of our bond. Rice’s secret weapon.

So I had no intention of losing. Even if my opponent was Bourbon-san, I wasn’t going to give an inch today.

…And yet.

"Already past the 200 mark! Mihono Bourbon in clear front-running position! Rice Shower is closing, but the distance just won’t shrink! This looks like a dominant win—she storms cleanly through the line with no sign of slowing!"

…I couldn’t win.

I lost.

The start was fast. The timing wasn’t all that different from mine, but her acceleration was on another level. Just as I tried to apply pressure, Bourbon-san slipped past me in an instant.

…I’d forgotten something. The "Concentration" Onee-sama taught me was something she herself had learned from that trainer. Since we shared the same trainer, it was only natural that Bourbon-san’s start would be exceptional too.

In the middle stretch, there was no opening. Bourbon-san didn’t fade—no, it was more than that. She neither sped up nor slowed down, maintaining perfect constant velocity. With such a large gap to Bakushin O-san in second, there was nothing anyone could do.

That back—so impossibly far ahead—somehow reminded me of Onee-sama.

And in the final stretch… I couldn’t reach her.

I tried to surge from the outside and close in on Bourbon-san, but the gap didn’t shrink at all. After several hundred meters, I’d only managed to claw back three or four lengths.

Twice that distance still separated us.

In other words, Bourbon-san’s back was far—farther than I’d imagined.

"Finishing second, Rice Shower comes in four lengths behind, but Mihono Bourbon displays her overwhelming strength! Astonishing speed, astonishing rate of growth! Having overcome the major wall of distance aptitude, will she be the one to claim the Satsuki Sho?!"

Four lengths—about ten meters.

Put into numbers, it doesn’t sound like much.

The race we ran that day was 1800 meters. For Uma Musume who cover that distance in just under two minutes, ten meters is a gap you can close in well under a second.

…And yet. That single second—that tiny distance—felt impossibly far to me.

Bourbon-san’s back was completely beyond my reach.

"Following last year’s Hoshino Wilm, will Mihono Bourbon once again transcend bloodlines with her victories? Expectations are high for the birth of a new legend!"

…Ah. I see. So that’s what it was.

At last, I understood what Onee-sama meant that day. "First, aim for Bourbon-san." "Whatever happens, surpass her first."

Which meant…

Onee-sama rated Bourbon-san higher than me.

Bourbon-san was stronger than Rice. That’s why she didn’t say "Beat Bourbon-san," but "Aim for her back."

Bourbon-san had a miler’s disposition, while Rice leaned more toward a stayer. At this race distance, Bourbon-san clearly had the advantage.

But even if the distance were longer—could I really surpass that run of hers? That run so precise and so free, it felt like it could go on forever…

Honestly, I wasn’t confident.

The overwhelming strength Bourbon-san displayed—crushing a Spring Stakes stacked with unusually strong competitors for a G2, winning by four lengths with frightening physical ability and razor-sharp calculation.

To break through both of those… the current Rice wasn’t strong enough.

So probably… I wasn’t even at the stage where "winning or losing against Bourbon-san" was the question yet.

…It only looked close because the ones running beside me were Onee-sama, Nature-senpai—who’s on the same level as Onee-sama—and Bourbon-san.

In truth, there’s a vast—an enormous—gap between Rice Shower and Mihono Bourbon.

The distance to Bourbon-san is far.
But the distance to Onee-sama is even farther—far, far beyond that.

…That’s why Rice has to work harder.

There’s only one month left until the Classic races. I have to push myself and close the gap with Bourbon-san, even if only a little.

Tracen Academy’s Spring Fan Appreciation Festival.
Rice ended up not attending the event I had been looking forward to for so long.

Originally, we’d talked about going around the festival together when Nature-senpai had free time between her appearances… but I just couldn’t forget the loss from a few days earlier.

After that crushing defeat at the Spring Stakes… the trainer, the sub-trainer, Nature-senpai, and Onee-sama all tried to comfort me.

"It’s a shame this time—next time for sure."

"Races are about timing."

"Let’s prepare thoroughly."

"Don’t worry about it."

"So close."

"You did really well."

I received so many—so very many—words of consolation.

…But to Rice, those words were what hurt the most.

I didn’t want to lose.
It was my first race running against Bourbon-san.
The first trial Onee-sama had set for me—the first step toward becoming the blue rose of happiness.

So I didn’t want to lose.

I wanted to prove Rice’s strength.
That I could catch up to Bourbon-san—catch up to Onee-sama, too.
That I was an Uma Musume who could win and make many people happy.

…But I couldn’t reach them.

Even with the trainer’s strategy, even with the techniques Onee-sama taught me, Rice was still weaker than Bourbon-san.

That frustration—those consoling words—were painful.

So Rice…

I just ran.

Along a straight, tree-lined path by the river near Tracen, where there were hardly any people.
Rice ran there, breath coming in ragged gasps.

"Ha… ha… hngh…!"

My lungs hurt.
The air I inhaled burned my throat, burned my insides.
Sensation faded from the tips of my body, and even my consciousness flickered and flashed.

"Ghh…!"

After running nonstop since morning, my stamina was finally nearing its limit.

The pace wasn’t especially fast, but I’d been running for hours without stopping. At my current level, I probably couldn’t keep going much longer.

…But Onee-sama would. Hoshino Wilm-senpai would still be running with a smile.

It would be easy to make excuses—like saying I’d had a whole year less since fully coming into my own… but even so.

Right now, Rice can’t catch up to Onee-sama.
That was the painful, unbearable truth.

"Rice-san, let’s take a break! You’re starting to wobble!"

From behind, a familiar voice—tinged with clear panic—called out to me.

It was the sub-trainer, who supports both Nature-senpai and Rice. While the trainer was attending the festival to watch Nature-senpai, she was overseeing my training.

Hearing her, I thought I should keep running… but—

If Rice were to get injured, there are people who would be sad.
The trainer, Nature-senpai, the sub-trainer—and Onee-sama too. Probably even Bourbon-san and Horino Trainer, and my other friends.

So pushing myself recklessly right now probably isn’t the right thing to do.

As I eased my pace, the bicycle the sub-trainer was pedaling quickly caught up. I accepted the towel she offered and instinctively put my hands on my knees.

"Hah… hoo… hoo…"

My head was pounding.
A strange sensation—like heat building up, spreading slowly, tightening around me.

…The moment I stopped, the exhaustion crashed over me all at once.
Maybe I’d pushed myself a bit too hard.

"Here, Rice-san—sports drink. It’s cold, so drink it slowly."

"Sorry… th-thank you…"

"Don’t apologize for something like that. It’s our job as trainers—well, I’m still just a sub-trainer, but still. Let me do at least this much."

As she spoke, the sub-trainer propped up her bike and peered into my face.

…I wonder what kind of face Rice has right now.
I’m probably drenched in sweat—nothing I’d want anyone to see.

But I didn’t have the energy to hide it.

"Yeah, you’re completely worn out. Let’s rest on that bench, Rice-san."

"...Okay."

Rice seems to be a stayer by nature.

That’s what everyone says—the trainer who picked me up, the sub-trainer who’s becoming our team’s analysis specialist, Onee-sama, and Horino Trainer, who trains Onee-sama.

In fact, back in my junior year, in the 1200-meter G3 Niigata Junior Stakes, I reached the finish with energy left and still lost by a large margin. By contrast, in the recent 1800-meter G2 Spring Stakes… it was still a heavy loss, but my time was much better. I still had energy left.

In any case, for Rice, it seems 1800 meters is still too short.

From those real experiences alone, it’s clear that Rice runs better the longer the distance is.

A “stayer” refers to an Uma Musume who mainly competes in long-distance races and prides herself on stamina. Going forward, Rice should probably be fighting with legs built to last.

But… there’s one question that’s been bothering me. And it isn’t a small one.

…Can Rice really call herself a “stamina ace”?

I close my eyes and picture it—the Kikuka Sho from last year, where Onee-sama and Nature-senpai ran.

Last year’s Kikuka Sho was incredible. Whether I watched it live or rewatched the footage later, it was the kind of race that made my heart race every single time.

Onee-sama blasting straight through as always, running as if she didn’t care about common sense. Nature-senpai, carefully conserving her strength while steadily closing the gap over the grueling 3000 meters. And then—charging down the Yodo slope, a place you’re never supposed to descend at top speed, with an acceleration that called to mind the Triple Crown Uma Musume from two generations ago…

From there, it became a pure finishing-kick battle between Onee-sama and Nature-senpai.

Nature-senpai closed the gap to within a single length—so close. And yet, riding that very pressure, Onee-sama accelerated again. Nature-senpai poured everything she had into staying with her, refusing to give up on victory for even a moment.

Both of them were dazzling—brilliant and fierce.

It was incredible. A breathtaking, legendary duel.

Faced with a race that extraordinary, all Rice could do was stare, mouth agape.

Right now, Rice is in the Classic class. In another half year, I’ll be able to enter mixed races with the Senior class. When that happens… I might end up running against Nature-senpai and Onee-sama.

If that happens… could Rice really say she’s a “stamina ace” compared to those two? Could I really compete on endurance alone?

Nature-senpai, a senior from the same stable as me, and Onee-sama, whom I admire—both of them are stayers. Well, Nature-senpai is apparently planning to focus more on middle-distance races going forward, but still—she fought Onee-sama to the very end in a 3000-meter Kikuka Sho. At the very least, there’s no doubt she takes pride in her stamina.

As for Onee-sama, she possesses an overwhelming reservoir of stamina, grinding down the endurance of others—a pure stayer. By her very nature, the longer the distance, the more advantageous it becomes for her.

Their backs are far away. Too far—unbearably far. With the Rice I am now, I can’t catch them. Even the versions of them from last year’s Kikuka Sho would leave me drained and faltering long before I ever reached them.

No—actually, it’s even worse than that.

It’s not just that I can’t catch up to last year’s Onee-sama and Nature-senpai. This year’s Kikuka Sho… I might not even be able to beat Bourbon-san.

In terms of distance aptitude, if you compare Rice and Bourbon-san, the Kikuka Sho should favor Rice. Bourbon-san’s bloodline suggests she’s more suited to short distances or miles.

In fact, it’s well known that Bourbon-san isn’t suited for long distances. It was a rumor back then, and I even heard it directly from Bourbon-san recently.

When she was in the Junior class, Bourbon-san struggled greatly to find a trainer who would support her goals.

Apparently, even with the trainer she first contracted with, they couldn’t agree on the gap between her aptitude and her dream. It wasn’t out of malice—the former trainer genuinely cared about her future and strongly recommended switching to a miler path.

Even so, no matter how correct that advice might have been, there was a line Bourbon-san couldn’t cross. In the end, they mutually agreed to terminate the contract. Bourbon-san said, looking a little apologetic, "When I see them again, I’ll formally carry out Operation ‘Apology.’"

After that, she searched for a trainer who would accept her goals… and she told me that Wilm-senpai introduced her to her current trainer.

Onee-sama would never suggest a contract with her own trainer without reason. She must have seen Bourbon-san’s potential from the very beginning. Under a trainer she trusted… perhaps Bourbon-san could become someone who, like herself, could achieve an undefeated Triple Crown.

…Yes.
The one Onee-sama discovered wasn’t Rice.
It was Bourbon-san.

Of course, Rice isn’t dissatisfied with her own trainer. If anything, I’m incredibly grateful, and I truly believe I’m glad that he’s my trainer.

Even though people around Rice naturally end up unlucky, he still smiles and says, "I don’t mind. If it’s for Rice, I’ll give it my all." I’m sure there’s no other trainer who would look at an Uma Musume like Rice the way he does.

Sure, as he often jokes self-deprecatingly, he might be inferior to Horino Trainer in terms of sheer ability. But being an Uma Musume trainer isn’t decided by ability alone.

That’s why Rice truly believes she was lucky to contract with her current trainer.

…Still, sometimes I can’t help imagining.

If Onee-sama had contracted not with Horino Trainer, but with Rice’s trainer instead.
If both Nature-senpai and Onee-sama had been my seniors from the same stable.

I think that would have been… very, very happy.

Sometimes, I find myself dreaming of something so impossible.

But reality isn’t like a dream.

The trainer Onee-sama contracted with was Horino Trainer.
And the one she discovered was Mihono Bourbon.

From here on, Rice and my trainer will be facing those two.

Horino Trainer—granted an exceptional early exclusive contract with an Uma Musume thanks to his astounding results and rare observational insight—discovered Onee-sama and raised her into an undefeated Triple Crown champion.

Mihono Bourbon—whose talent Onee-sama recognized when everyone else dismissed her goal as impossible—grew at a terrifying pace and answered those expectations by crushing an 1800-meter race with a four-length victory.

These two can rightly be called the dark horses—the storm center—for this year’s Classic class.

…Can Rice really beat opponents like that?

Bourbon-san has a miler disposition, and Rice has a stayer disposition. So the longer the distance gets, the more advantageous it should be for Rice.

…But.

The 2000-meter Satsuki Sho.
The 2400-meter Japan Derby.
…And the 3000-meter Kikuka Sho.

Just how far does the distance have to extend before Rice can win?

…No. Actually.

If it’s Horino Trainer—someone who raised a Triple Crown Uma Musume said to “overturn the impossible”…

Then maybe he’ll even solve Bourbon-san’s distance aptitude issues.

If that happens, Bourbon-san’s disadvantage disappears. And Rice will have to beat her using only the strengths she herself possesses.

To resist Bourbon-san…

All Rice can do is work harder.

I don’t have overwhelming talent like Onee-sama.
I’m not brilliantly intelligent like Nature-senpai.

Rice is just—

"No, that’s amazing. I taught you myself, but I never expected you to reach a level that could truly be called ‘Concentration’ this quickly. You really might have the same talent as me—cutting away unnecessary thoughts and focusing completely."

…That one thing Onee-sama said back then—that’s my only point of pride.

Cut away everything unnecessary, and just run.
Run and run and run—surpass Bourbon-san’s back with my own strength, and reach Onee-sama.

For that, I won’t think about pointless things. I’ll just keep pushing forward. So I won’t lose to Bourbon-san… and someday, I’ll catch up to Onee-sama, make her happy…

And become a blue rose blooming by the window—by my own power.

"Sub-trainer, Rice is going."

"Hm… yeah, got it. But if it starts looking dangerous, I’m stopping you."

"...Yes."