Chapter 164: Two Likely Rivals

About a week had passed since we arrived in France.

Astonishingly, on the very first day Wilm ran on European turf, her suitability for foreign grass improved by what felt like two full ranks.

To avoid misunderstanding, though—this wasn’t an absolutely precise evaluation.

The track aptitude I can view through my App Reincarnation ability only distinguishes between dirt and turf… in other words, Japanese grass. That limitation hasn’t changed since before.

From past experience, it seems my App Reincarnation reflects specifications from a point further ahead than when I stopped playing the game in my previous life.

I don’t know whether overseas races or European turf were ever implemented later on, but even if they were, they were probably hidden parameters or event-only data.

Which means I can’t measure foreign turf aptitude with true accuracy.

Still, by referencing data from Japanese Uma Musume who had raced overseas, along with finishing times from authentic G1 races here, I could make reasonable estimates.

From my perspective, Wilm’s running form when she first started was honestly a mess—so unstable I nearly stopped her outright.

In simple terms: aptitude G.

The terrain clearly wasn’t suited to legs unfamiliar with it.

…And yet—

While under Increased Cognitive Processing, Wilm’s running looked, at minimum, like B-level aptitude.

Just imagine it.

By around her fourth stride, her running mechanics suddenly optimized themselves at an incomprehensible rate, her estimated aptitude skyrocketing by five ranks almost instantly.

As a trainer with even basic common sense, I was speechless.

No—“speechless” undersells it. It was downright unsettling.

Wilm, noticing my reaction, awkwardly reassured me.

"I-I’m fine, okay? It’s not scary~? So please don’t look at me like that, alright?"

But honestly, anyone would be a little freaked out seeing that.

Well, to be fair, this was exactly what I’d hoped her cognitive enhancement ability could achieve.

With her abnormal concentration, I’d wondered if she might adapt quickly to foreign turf.

Still… I hadn’t imagined it would go this far.

My original plan had been simple: use the first day purely for acclimation, then aim to raise aptitude by one rank within a week. Realistically, that would probably take two weeks per rank… and by race day, reaching C—B if we were lucky—would have been ideal.

That had been the plan.

Apparently, I was still underestimating the Uma Musume known as Hoshino Wilm.

In this world, aptitude becomes exponentially harder to raise over time, so I doubt she’ll continue gaining two ranks per day. That would be absurd—even for her.

More likely, these two ranks were the limit achievable through thought alone, and from here onward her body would need time to physically adapt, just as I had originally expected.

Even so, this didn’t invalidate my training schedule.

If anything, it meant everything needed to move forward ahead of schedule.

Once again, it became clear—

My trainee existed completely outside common sense.

Should I admire her as a provisional reincarnation cheat-type Uma Musume… or just be exasperated?

…Though honestly, I’m hardly one to talk. Quantifying everything is already cheating enough.

And so—

I decided to hold our strategy meeting earlier than planned instead of waiting longer for Wilm to grow accustomed to European turf.

"Alright. We’ll now begin our information briefing and strategy meeting for your next race—the Prix Foy."

"Yaaay, clap clap!"

In the living room of the house we were sharing, I spread documents across the table as I made the announcement.

Wilm responded with exaggerated applause.

Since Bourbon and Masa had been joining us since last summer, this was probably our first strategy meeting alone together in about a year.

Perhaps because it had been so long—or because her excitement still hadn’t settled—Wilm sat smiling, swinging her legs beneath the table.

Her tail swayed happily as well. She was clearly looking forward to this.

That struck me as slightly unusual.

She was the hands-on type rather than academically inclined. She didn’t dislike strategy meetings, but they rarely excited her this much.

"You seem unusually cheerful today. Something up?"

"Of course I’m excited! It’s my first overseas race—and my first race in a while!"

"Ah. That explains it."

So rather than enjoying the meeting itself, she was fired up for the coming battle.

For this girl, enjoyment and competitive spirit were practically inseparable.

Even I—self-proclaimed holder of the Hoshino Wilm Certification, Associate First Class—still couldn’t perfectly tell the difference.

There were no textbooks or academic papers on maiden hearts or the mysteries of Wilm, after all.

---

"Alright, let’s begin with an overview of the Prix Foy. Ask questions whenever something’s unclear."

The Prix Foy.

One of the official prep races for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Japanese Uma Musume tend to focus on domestic racing, but in Europe—where international travel distances are relatively short—it isn’t unusual for Uma Musume to compete across national borders.

As a result, stepping-stone races granting priority entry into G1 events are held frequently across multiple countries.

Even the world’s greatest race, the Arc, follows this structure, with nearly fifteen preparatory races spread across five nations.

Among them, the Prix Foy draws particular attention.

The difference lies in its venue and conditions.

The G2 Prix Niel for Classic-class runners.

The G1 Prix Vermeille, another Classic-class showdown.

And Wilm’s upcoming race—the Senior-class G2 Prix Foy.

All three are run over 2400 meters at Longchamp Racecourse.

A track known for heavy turf conditions, a ten-meter elevation change, and the infamous false straight—features rarely seen at Japanese racecourses.

But setting that aside—

The Prix Foy is essentially run under almost identical conditions to the Arc itself.

It serves as the perfect final adjustment race, and historically, Uma Musume who perform well here often go on to demonstrate their strength in the Arc.

"But it’s still just a G2 race, right? Are there really strong opponents?"

I nodded seriously.

"There are. This is live race preparation before the Arc. Naturally, top contenders show up. …You should remember that not every Uma Musume can perform at full strength without a prep race like you can."

"I see."

Three years ago, another champion who raced in Paris—El Condor Pasa—also used this race as preparation, winning by a neck.

Incidentally, that victory marked the first Prix Foy win by a Japanese Uma Musume.

"What about this year’s standouts? How strong are they?"

Unable to hide her excitement, Wilm leaned forward.

Smiling wryly, I pulled two sheets from the stack and placed them side by side.

"There are two runners I’m paying close attention to."

The first was someone Wilm had already faced before.

"Remember Witch Evening?"

"Oh! The one McQueen and I beat up at last year’s Japan Cup."

"That’s the one. Good memory."

"Hehe…"

When I praised her, she tilted her head toward me, clearly asking to be petted—so I obliged thoroughly.

Her cheeks lifted into a smug grin, revealing the natural smile she’d recently begun showing more often.

Compared to last year—when she dismissed rivals with attitudes like I don’t bother remembering weaklings I beat by three lengths—she had softened considerably.

Now, at least when she had shared a race with someone, she could usually recognize them by name.

Taking interest in others was a healthy change—for both a person and an Uma Musume.

Naturally, I rewarded her with even more head pats.

…About ten minutes later, while we were still sitting together on one chair and I continued absentmindedly petting her, Wilm suddenly snapped back to attention.

"Wait—I like the head pats, but we’re talking about racing!"

"Oh? Can I continue later?"

"Yes! So what’s Witch Evening like right now?"

"Her record’s summarized there, but… in short, she’s extremely inconsistent."

Witch Evening’s achievements were undeniably impressive.

Before last year’s Japan Cup, she had won the G1 Prix Vermeille and then finished second in the Arc behind Noble Singer.

Second place in the Arc essentially meant second-best turf runner in the world.

A tremendous accomplishment.

…But consistency was another matter.

When she was in form, she almost always finished first or second.

When she lost momentum, however, she could drop to fifth or sixth—even struggling in open-class races.

That was Witch Evening: a runner of extreme highs and lows.

At peak condition, she was terrifyingly strong.

During last year’s Japan Cup interviews, she had confidently declared, "There’s no opponent my magic can’t catch!"

Only to be utterly crushed by Wilm and McQueen immediately afterward.

Perhaps because of that defeat, her form declined again until this summer.

But before the recent G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, she appeared cheerful again, declaring, "My magic has evolved to repay last year’s debt!"

She ultimately finished second behind the monster Barrel Rouge.

Clearly, she was regaining form.

Last year’s overwhelming Japan Cup victory owed much to her inability to adapt to Japan’s high-speed racing, where Wilm and McQueen’s absurd pace overwhelmed her.

But now—

On European turf, Wilm’s away ground and Witch Evening’s home field…

Which side would prevail?

Well, we’d win, obviously.

Lose? Not happening.

"So what about the other one?"

Wilm pressed closer, her tail curling around my leg in anticipation.

It was already August, and the proximity was a little warm—but after a week, I was used to it.

"The other one… is a girl named Nedirika."

"Nedirika…? I don’t think I’ve heard that name before. Did I just forget?"

"No. You probably don’t know her at all. In fact—you definitely don’t."

In France, she was actually quite famous… but considering Wilm barely remembered the names of Uma Musume she hadn’t personally raced against—even back home—it wasn’t surprising she didn’t know her.

That simply meant it was my responsibility to investigate properly.

Compensating for what an Uma Musume lacks is also part of a trainer’s job.

"Nedirika. She’s a local French Uma Musume.

She has a slight tendency to pull during races, but she’s an extremely strong closer. She’s won G1 races such as the Grand Prix de Paris and the Prix Ganay, with a top-two finish rate just under seventy percent.

She also has a large fanbase, so she’ll probably be the third favorite—right behind Witch Evening."

"I seeee."

Wilm listened absentmindedly, but for an Uma Musume challenging the Arc, those results were honestly extraordinary.

Not just impressive—these were performances belonging to the absolute pinnacle of world racing.

Though… standing next to Wilm tends to distort one’s sense of scale.

In fact, Nedirika’s consistency surpassed even Witch Evening’s. In other words, in terms of stability, she exceeded Europe’s world number two.

Even in Japan, there weren’t many G1 Uma Musume boasting results like that.

…Granted, part of the reason for that was a certain someone rampaging through G1 races and skewing expectations.

"As for personality—she’s not especially unusual for a French runner, but she’s fairly stoic and disciplined.

Regarding this year’s Prix Foy… loosely translated, she said something along the lines of: ‘The dragon that comes from the East shall be defeated by the pride of this nation’s Uma Musume.’"

"...A warrior type? Like Grass-chan?"

"A girl who takes pride in her country, pride in her comrades, pride in racing—and above all, pride in herself.

Yes. She might be fairly close to Grass Wonder’s type."

French Uma Musume generally tended to be… well, more easygoing.

High-energy, optimistic personalities were common.

Unlike many Japanese runners who approached racing with intense seriousness, more of them resembled Wilm—runners who genuinely enjoyed racing itself.

Of course, that was only a tendency.

There were plenty who differed from that mold.

Nedirika was one of them.

"Her greatest strength is definitely her finishing kick. Her standard strategy is overtaking in the final straight, but more than speed alone, she possesses exceptional race sense. Her timing when initiating a spurt feels almost instinctual.

Her weaknesses, however, are somewhat lacking self-control for a Senior-class runner—and her raw specs. She tends to overexert herself and lose composure, and in straightforward head-to-head contests, she often loses against opponents on Witch Evening’s level… though she does win sometimes."

…Strictly speaking, calling it a lack of specs wasn’t entirely accurate.

At elite athletic levels, unless someone possesses overwhelming talent, physical differences become increasingly negligible.

Both human—and Uma Musume—bodies approach their natural limits, and growth slows dramatically near that ceiling.

Among top-tier competitors, individuality becomes pronounced, but measurable stat differences rarely widen.

…Except—

A tiny handful of absurd geniuses simply ignored those limits altogether.

Typical examples included Hoshino Wilm, Tokai Teio, and Mejiro McQueen.

Wilm’s base status upon entering Tracen Academy had already defied common sense.

Teio’s explosive growth upon awakening—and her race-day burst—was abnormal.

And McQueen’s stamina development was so outrageous that others simply couldn’t keep up.

For monsters like them, having stats that merely placed them on equal footing with others—without guaranteeing victory—could paradoxically become a weakness.

A terrifying thought.

"Of course, there are other formidable runners as well… but ultimately, these two will likely be your greatest obstacles."

I began to conclude—

…then stopped.

"...No. Correction. That’s wrong. Your true obstacle isn’t them."

"Hm?"

She blinked in confusion.

I smiled confidently.

"In the end, your greatest enemy here is this land itself.

Foreign turf aptitude. Differences in air, food, and environment. Adapt to those… and whether in Japan or here, there will be no walls—or enemies—you cannot overcome."

"Hehe… when you put it like that, I really have to live up to expectations!"

---

"That said, the Arc itself does have enemies."

"Eh!? You just said there weren’t any!"

"Sorry—that was an exaggeration. Not exactly a lie, but… slightly embellished.

…Because this year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is shaping up to be pretty dangerous."

At that, Wilm’s brows knit tightly.

"...For you to call it dangerous, Ayumu-san… how bad are we talking? I heard recent years were relatively weak fields.

You’re not saying it’s on the level of last year’s Arima Kinen, right?"

"...Honestly, it might be about that level."

"Huh? Wait—what!? Seriously!?"

I nodded at Wilm, whose shock was more pronounced than I’d ever seen before, and handed her a compiled document containing data on several Uma Musume.

In France, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe holds a position comparable to Japan’s Arima Kinen.

In both prestige and popularity, it stands unrivaled—the ultimate annual festival of racing.

It is a stage where racers face the strongest opponents, perform before countless fans, and stand upon the highest dream any runner can pursue. Naturally, fighting spirits ignite there.

If an Uma Musume who competed in the Arc retained her strength and remained active in the local Twinkle Series, it was common for her to return the following year.

However, this year’s lineup was undergoing dramatic change.

Ever since a certain “dragon” announced her participation at the beginning of the year, runners who had never planned to enter began stirring one after another, formally declaring participation around May.

And every one of those entrants had experienced explosive growth since the start of the year.

Hoshino Wilm’s influence hadn’t been limited to just that promising newcomer.

…From a trainer’s perspective, that was honestly a massive headache.

As a result, even excluding Wilm, the projected field for this year’s Arc was shaping up to be a once-in-twenty—or even thirty—years gathering of elites.

Include Wilm herself, and it might become a legendary lineup unseen for the next fifty years… perhaps.

"I didn’t tell you all this before because I wanted you focused on what was directly ahead of you… but in the end, my predictions have missed the mark again.

For that, I’m truly sorry. I can’t express how ashamed I feel."

"No, predicting races a whole year in advance is amazing in itself, you know? From my side, I’m just always grateful."

My kind trainee hurriedly waved both hands in reassurance.

As I gently patted her head, I began once more to explain this year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe contenders.

---

This year’s Arc was gathering an absurdly powerful field.

First were the two previously mentioned from the Prix Foy: Witch Evening and Nedirika.

There was a near—no, practically one hundred percent—chance that both would also appear in the Arc.

They were late-charging, closing-type Uma Musume possessing immense power suited to European turf. Even these two alone were opponents no one could afford to underestimate.

And yet, beyond them—

Several more exceptional racers had joined the fray.

The first to stand out was the pace-running Uma Musume, Mam Christie.

She had recently won the Irish Derby by twelve lengths—the largest margin in that race’s history—while also shattering the previous record by three full seconds.

A natural-born monster.

A star Uma Musume whose ability had skyrocketed this spring, she was currently the talk of the racing world.

She was scheduled to run in another G1 race in just a few days, and from my perspective, victory seemed highly likely.

If she won, she would enter the Arc boasting an astonishing 67% win rate.

That said, her Irish Derby victory had been supported by a team rabbit setting the pace. In the Arc—where Wilm’s runaway front-running would violently disrupt race tempo—she might not be able to display her full strengths.

Even so, in pure explosive power, she might surpass even Witch Evening.

Winning more than half her races alone proved she possessed extraordinary ability.

Next was Emeline, likely to race from either the front or mid-pack.

A rising Classic-class Uma Musume.

Aside from her debut race, both of her starts had been G1 events. She narrowly finished second in the Prix Saint-Alary before claiming victory in the French Oaks.

Though data on her remained limited, winning a G1 within just three months of debut—and maintaining a 67% win rate—was a terrifying statistic.

Such rapid ascent was rarely seen in Japan.

I had always believed Western Classic-class Uma Musume carried greater competitive momentum than their Japanese counterparts, but witnessing it firsthand was still intimidating.

Her overall parameters were extremely high, and at this rate, she possessed more than enough ability to challenge the Arc despite still being Classic-class.

Her patience before launching her move—and the explosive acceleration once she committed—were particularly remarkable.

She had entered a short summer break but was scheduled to return in September at the Prix Vermeille.

How dominant her comeback would be—and how well prepared she appeared—would deserve close attention.

And there were still more.

The next notable contender was the pace-runner, Mrs. Estelle.

Naturally a G1-level Uma Musume, she held an exact 50% win rate alongside an astonishing 80% top-two finish rate.

Why were so many racers with ridiculous records appearing?

Well… because it was the Arc. That explained everything.

Her ability was unquestionable, and after being defeated by twelve lengths by Mam Christie, she had reportedly entered an intensive finishing-speed improvement phase. By the time of the Arc, she was expected to become an extremely tenacious opponent.

Incidentally, due to family circumstances, she had transferred between multiple training centers—a rather unusual background. Her dedicated trainer reportedly relocated each time to follow her.

That sounded exhausting.

Every single one of them was an undeniable powerhouse.

This year’s Arc would truly be a decisive battle.

…And yet.

The frightening part was that among all these extraordinary contenders, none of them were the true favorite.

Of course, the overall favorite to win the Arc was unquestionably Hoshino Wilm.

But as her greatest rival—

There was someone else.

And so, I saved her for last.

"And one more.

A young heroine of the Classic class who has risen from near-total obscurity while keeping her sights fixed solely on Hoshino Wilm—surpassing even Emeline’s ascent.

She declared, ‘I will win a G1 race every month without ever losing.’

So far, she has fulfilled that promise by winning two Oaks races consecutively.

Less than three months since debut. Four races run.
Top-two rate: 100%.
Win rate: 100%.
Two G1 victories.

The Uma Musume most expected, here in Europe, to halt your flight."

Wilm grinned.

Yes—the opponent I had mentioned several times before.

The new dragonslayer destined to defeat the dragon. After calling herself such in interviews, she had begun earning the nickname Heroic Princess.

The one who could become Hoshino Wilm’s greatest wall.

Her name—

"Understandable.

A racing Uma Musume who crushes her opponents through overwhelming stamina and dominant speed… just as her name suggests, she possesses a straightforward kind of strength.

Her racing style is close to yours—and to Mejiro McQueen’s."