Chapter 185: I’ll get married if a Japanese Uma Musume wins the Japan Cup...

Things have gotten pretty crazy.

As for me—Hoshino Wilm, a racing Uma Musume—the rotation announced at the start of this year had me scheduled to run the Prix Foy, then the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and after returning to Japan, the Tenno Sho (Autumn), the Japan Cup, and finally the Arima Kinen.

In short, the plan was this: come back from the overseas expedition, rush through adjustments in a hectic scramble, and then aim straight for the Autumn Senior Triple Crown without any real rest.

Apparently, to the public, that rotation seemed extremely demanding. My roommate, senior Meek, and even Nature said things like, "...Are your legs really going to be okay?" and "Hey, are you trying to break a bone again?"

But since Ayumu-san ultimately allowed it—while emphasizing, "Of course we’ll keep an eye on the situation"—the calculated risk of a fracture must have been pretty low.

Even so, I can’t help thinking my legs are absurdly sturdy. Sometimes I wonder if I’m really related to my mom by blood. Maybe this is also part of my reincarnation cheat ability?

...However.

A problem arose.

My cheat ability—"Anime Reincarnation," which enhances my thinking capacity—ended up throwing off Ayumu-san’s calculations.

Cheat abilities are like that.

Just like in the games they originate from, they often behave in ways no one expects.

They defy logic. They ignore rules. They produce results that should be impossible—far beyond any prediction.

That’s right—because they cause phenomena that shouldn’t exist in this world, disrupting every calculation and expectation, reincarnation cheats truly earn the name "cheat."

My Anime Reincarnation ability falls into that category too, which is why it gives me such a huge advantage over my rivals.

But at the same time... it can even betray the expectations of someone on my side, like Ayumu-san.

The result was my withdrawal from the Tenno Sho and the Japan Cup.

And the consequences didn’t stop with just my own situation.

The problem spiraled into something absolutely massive.

"Now then, Divine Dragon Hoshino Wilm has announced she will withdraw from the Tenno Sho and the Japan Cup. What do you all think about that?"

"I believe the team’s decision to prioritize her legs is absolutely the correct one. Her existence has already become a source of national pride for Japan—she’s practically a symbol. We can’t risk an accident happening to her.

...However, speaking personally, I still can’t help feeling deeply disappointed.

She ran on the stage of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, experienced the world, and even stood at the very top of it. There are surely many fans who want to see her run on the Twinkle stage again.

At the very least, it’s fortunate that her team still intends for her to continue racing in the Twinkle Series."

"However, she’s already grown beyond the Twinkle stage. Naturally, there are also voices saying she should move on to the next level—the Dream Trophy.

Personally, I’d love to see the birth of a new champion there, so I can’t help thinking it might be better for Hoshino Wilm to run in the Dream Trophy instead."

"But wait a minute! Compared to the Twinkle Series, the Dream Trophy has far fewer races! If we move her there, we’ll get fewer chances to see Hoshino Wilm’s fierce running and those thrilling races! That would be a loss—a loss for all of Japan!"

"You call it a loss, but if anything, the true loss would be preventing a new generation from stepping into the spotlight.

There’s no doubt that Hoshino Wilm is a champion. But the race series doesn’t belong to her alone, you know."

"The conversation is drifting off-topic. We can discuss that later. Let’s return to the Japan Cup withdrawal.

If she’s Japan’s 'offensive commander,' then the question becomes—who will serve as Japan’s 'defensive commander' and repel the foreign Uma Musume in the Japan Cup?"

That was the TV program I happened to glance at when I entered the dorm.

"Eek..."

To be honest, it was a little scary.

I had only just announced my withdrawal from the race, and only a few hours later a TV program had already been assembled, inserted into the schedule, and broadcast live to discuss it.

When I checked UmaTube, tons of UmaTubers were livestreaming—analyzing the deeper meaning behind my withdrawal or rewriting their predictions for my upcoming race schedule.

If I turn on auto-translation, my name is even sitting at the very top of overseas racing news sites.

The only saving grace is that most media outlets say the decision is understandable, given the risk of injury.

Still...

Haven’t I somehow ended up in an unbelievable place?

Well, I suppose it makes sense. I am the strongest Uma Musume in the world.

But it’s still surprising... and just a little bit scary.

Just two years ago, I was an ordinary Uma Musume no one knew. But walking this path with Ayumu-san and the others, I somehow climbed all the way up here.

What scares me is that, unlike Ayumu-san or Masa-san, I never received any training on how to act when you stand in such an important position.

What’s okay to do, what should be avoided—I’m not entirely sure how someone in the spotlight is supposed to behave.

It’s not like I’ve never been warned, though.

Around the time I ran in the Satsuki Sho, Ayumu-san told me:

"From here on, you’ll attract attention at an accelerating rate. Be careful about words and actions that could be interpreted ambiguously. And have confidence in yourself."

Besides, I used to be an otaku.

So I do have some idea of how people in positions like this are supposed to conduct themselves.

But that’s just a fictional understanding—a theory on paper.

Whether human or Uma Musume, whether in racing or anything else, skills are something you acquire through practice. You get used to them by actually doing them, letting them gradually sink in.

If you could master everything perfectly just by watching or being told, G1-level racers would be everywhere.

In other words...

Even someone like me, who prides herself on having pretty strong nerves, is bound to feel a little anxious after becoming a world-famous figure in such a short time.

I thought I’d gotten used to this kind of attention, but after winning the Arc, the scale jumped up another level...

...Suddenly, I wondered what would happen if I made some outrageous post on UmaTter right now.

It would probably get reposted hundreds of thousands—maybe millions—of times. Then Ayumu-san would confiscate my account with a pale face, and the next thing I’d write would be an apology.

...Yeah, the thought of seeing disappointment in his eyes is terrifying.

Of course, I’d never actually do that.

It’s like standing on the tenth floor of a building and looking down, thinking, "If I jumped from here, I’d probably die."

That kind of feeling.

Anyway.

With those thoughts lingering, I adjusted the sports bag slung over my shoulder and my school backpack, then headed toward my room.

"Wilm-senpai!"

I’d been spotted.

A little side note.

Tracen Academy is actually extremely strict about the press.

There are plenty of human and Uma Musume security guards, and access to the campus is tightly controlled.

Apparently several generations of chairpersons have upheld the same policy:

"Before they are athletes, these girls are young students. If we can’t even protect their privacy, what kind of school are we?"

Thanks to that, we racing Uma Musume can train and plan strategies within our teams without leaking information to the outside world.

But that doesn’t mean we can hide everything.

A fortress that’s strong against external attacks often ends up weak against internal ones.

In other words, even if they can keep out people trying to gather information for money, they can’t stop enthusiastic girls charging in with curiosity and admiration for their favorite racers.

And so...

Right after I entered the dorm’s common room—the one with the TV—I was quietly heading for my room when a group of underclassmen who had been chatting suddenly spotted me.

And surrounded me.

"Senpai, senpai, senpai! We finally found you! Congratulations again on winning the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe!! We watched it on TV—it was amazing! The way you just cut past Understandable like that!"

"Welcome back, Wilm-senpai! Oh—did you just finish training? What kind of training did you do today? Of course it’s okay if you can’t say!"

"Senpai, you’re still so tiny and cute! Oh, do you want some gum? It’s mint!"

Internally, I screamed, "Gyaaah."

Former otaku.

Not good with crowds.

Well, if I were maybe twenty centimeters taller, things might be different.

But in reality, my height hasn’t changed since I reached peak condition—about 145 cm.

Among fully developed Uma Musume, 160 cm isn’t unusual.

Which means I’m definitely on the short side.

In other words, when about five underclassmen surround me...

I get completely buried.

My line of sight gets blocked by a wall of juniors, and I can barely see anything around me.

And they’re all moving around excitedly, full of energy and enthusiasm—it’s honestly a little dizzying.

I can’t appeal to people I like, it puts me at a disadvantage in races, and getting surrounded like this is tough.

Being small really has its downsides.

I wish I were ten centimeters taller...

...That said.

As I was just thinking earlier, I’m already an Uma Musume who draws attention from all over the world.

I can’t afford to show an unsightly side of myself just because a few juniors surrounded me.

So.

On goes the mask of a cool, composed senpai.

"Ahaha, thank you. I was able to win thanks to everyone’s support."

"I can’t reveal the details of my training—it wasn’t a public session. Please check the results in my next planned race, the Arima Kinen."

"And... I’m glad you think I’m cute, but I’ll pass on the gum. Chewing stimulates the satiety center, and it’s not great before dinner."

I added a slightly alluring, wry smile.

The juniors squealed in delight.

Well... if they liked it, that’s what matters.

Lately I’ve been showing my real self more often around my team and close friends. But if I may say so myself, I’m pretty good at acting behind a mask.

Showing a polished face to younger fans like this isn’t particularly difficult anymore.

I’ve been doing it for a whole year now.

"Anyway, sorry about this. I need to drop off my things and eat dinner, then head out for some self-training."

"S-So stoic..."

"S-Sorry! Have a good training session!"

The juniors weren’t bad kids.

They were simply swept up in the excitement of Japan’s first-ever Arc victory—and by the existence of Hoshino Wilm.

Like most Uma Musume, they were straightforward and kind.

After I apologized briefly, they naturally stepped aside.

I do feel a little guilty, but Ayumu-san has already warned me not to overdo fan service.

So I can’t spend too much time chatting with junior fans.

...And just as that thought crossed my mind—

I suddenly remembered one junior who wasn’t exactly a "fan."

Not Bourbon-chan. She’s definitely not a fan, but I saw her just a few hours ago.

Not Rice-chan either. If Ayumu-san is right, we probably won’t meet again until the Kikuka Sho, though we do talk often on LANE.

The one who came to mind was an Uma Musume I haven’t interacted with much recently.

"...Come to think of it, how’s Souri-chan doing lately? You two were close, right?"

Pink-chan—Souri Cross.

A front-running Uma Musume who once admired me, and now a racer aiming to challenge Bourbon.

We haven’t completely stopped interacting, but lately our contact has been sparse.

Even on LANE...

Yeah, I think she hasn’t messaged me for about five days.

So I asked about her, just out of curiosity...

The juniors all reacted differently. Some looked proud, while others exchanged worried glances.

"Souri’s been working really hard! She’s actually entering the Kikuka Sho, after all. As her friend, it kind of feels like she’s gone somewhere far away... half that feeling, and half pride!"

"Honestly, maybe she’s working too hard? Remember how intense she got during training camp? There were nights she didn’t come back even after lights-out."

"Well, if you’re entering a G1 race, that’s kind of expected. And this year’s Kikuka Sho has a runner from the same team as you, Wilm-senpai—a front-running Uma Musume. She was a huge fan of you, and she’s a front-runner like Bourbon-chan, so she’s probably got a lot on her mind."

"Oh, but it’s not like she’s acting unpleasant or anything! It’s more like she’s fired up in a good way. That’s why we decided we shouldn’t bother her until after the race."

"Hmm... I see. Thanks."

If I put it bluntly—

I want every Uma Musume to become as strong as possible.

The reason is simple: races become more fun that way. I get to enjoy their running—and the feeling of being pushed to the brink—even more.

Neither Ayumu-san nor I crave victory the way fans or other Uma Musume do.

The greatest goal for Hoshino Wilm and Ayumu Horino is to enjoy the race in front of us as much as possible. That’s already an unspoken understanding between us.

That’s why the appearance of Uma Musume who can push us harder and make races more exciting is something we welcome. If anything, we’ll even teach them techniques or share our racing instincts without holding back.

Of course, that doesn’t mean we’re fine with losing races.

Victory is still the premise.

After all, the more intense a competition becomes, the more fun it is.

If our opponents grow stronger, then it would be disrespectful if I didn’t become stronger too.

If I teach someone one technique, then I’ll go and master two new ones.

If I train alongside someone, I’ll train twice as long on my own afterward.

That’s how everyone keeps getting stronger.

And I grow even stronger still.

That is the ideal I—Hoshino Wilm—pursue.

And in that sense...

Hearing that a new rival of the next generation is sharpening her fangs in earnest—

"...Hehe. This is getting interesting."

It was more than enough to make a smile naturally appear on my face.

...Once, Ayumu-san said something.

He said that the champion Understandable didn’t understand the strength of an ordinary person who keeps striving.

And those words proved true.

In that Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, she was overtaken by an assassin who came leaping in from outside her field of vision—Nedirika—and completely lost her momentum.

Well, whether someone capable of running like that could really be called ordinary is another question.

An unexpected performance from a horse girl no one had been watching.

Just a single small piece added to the puzzle can collapse every carefully planned strategy and repaint the entire color of a race.

That’s not rare at all.

If anything, it’s a common, everyday occurrence.

...So then, what about Souri Cross?

She’s a front-running Uma Musume, just like Mihono Bourbon, who will probably be the race favorite.

Right now her popularity is far from impressive, and among the G1-level runners in Japan, she’s probably closer to the bottom in terms of perceived talent.

So what kind of color will she leave behind in the Kikuka Sho?

Will the plan she shatters be Bourbon’s running style—where even acknowledging the presence of other racers is considered taboo?

Or perhaps...

Heh heh heh.

I can’t wait to find out.

---

Now then—about three hours later.

I finished my personal training for the day.

Well, "personal training" in name only. Since Ayumu-san had told me, "Don’t accumulate fatigue right now. And don’t even produce a pace like you would in a race," it was really just a light jog.

Without running into anyone or having anything noteworthy happen, I returned to the Ritto Dorm.

Naturally, since it was already quite late at night, the entrance to the dorm was locked.

Uma Musume are much stronger than humans, but we’re still young girls at the end of the day. It’s only reasonable to take precautions against anything unpleasant happening.

...However, for certain training or running addicts like me—and Suzuka-san—that can be a bit troublesome.

After all, when you come back late, the door won’t open. It’s basically like getting locked out of your apartment after stepping outside.

Back in the day, I used to deal with that by climbing the rain gutter behind the dorm and jumping onto the balcony of my room.

But obviously, I don’t do that anymore.

Actually, around the time I won the Kikuka Sho last year, Fuji—the dorm head—told me:

"A undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume climbing gutters isn’t exactly a good look."

And she lent me a spare key that only works for the front entrance.

The Ritto Dorm sits near the edge of Tracen Academy’s grounds. If you’re unlucky, paparazzi outside the campus might catch a photo of me. I think she was worried about something like that.

I do feel a bit guilty about receiving special treatment, but it’s made things a lot easier for me.

Before, I had to ask a senior to open a window for me.

Now I don’t have to trouble anyone like that.

So with a click, I unlocked the front door, stepped inside, then turned around to lock it again behind me.

The interior of the Ritto Dorm was already dark, the lights turned off for the night.

The empty entrance hall felt a little eerie.

But after walking this path hundreds of times already, it didn’t stir any strong emotions in me anymore.

Uma Musume athletes tend to go to bed early and wake up early.

Some girls were probably already asleep, so I quietly made my way toward my room so I wouldn’t wake anyone.

At this hour the baths were already closed, so my plan was to wipe off the sweat with a towel and get a good night’s sleep.

I’m not sure how it is in the Miho Dorm, but in the Ritto Dorm you can take a bath in the morning.

Actually... apparently that became possible because some Uma Musume—like Suzuka-san—petitioned for it.

So properly washing off sweat happens after the morning jog.

Right now, the important thing is simply making sure I don’t catch a cold.

Well... our bodies are pretty strong anyway.

It’s not like we catch colds that easily.

And so, I arrived at the door of the room with my nameplate and my senior’s hanging on it, then twisted the doorknob.

"’m home..."

I said it quietly, assuming my senior had already gone to sleep.

"...Wilm-chan. You’re back. Welcome home."

From inside the room came a voice that sounded a little drowsy, yet carried unmistakable warmth and affection.

Apparently my cute yet dependable senior was still awake.

Feeling happy to hear that, I spoke toward the figure sitting in the corner of the room.

"Meek-senpai, I’m back. ...Are you studying?"

Meek-senpai—Happy Meek.

She’s one of the great veterans of the Golden Generation and the only one of them still competing in the Twinkle Series. Her sweet, milk-like white hair and her gentle, sleepy-looking eyes are her trademarks.

The first Uma Musume I became friends with when I arrived at this academy was currently sitting at her desk, several printed worksheets spread out in front of her.

"Oh, is it race-related? Should I not look?"

"...It’s for midterm exam prep, so it’s fine."

"Ugh... exams..."

I clutched my head in dismay.

Right. We might be athletes, but we’re also students.

In mid-October, a little over a week before the Kikuka Sho, we have our second-semester midterms.

...To be precise, they start in four days. Haha.

"...Wilm-chan, are you fully prepared?"

"My value as an Uma Musume isn’t determined by my test scores..."

"...Running is good, but you should study too."

"Yes ma’am..."

Unable to resist her calm, gently admonishing tone, I wiped the sweat from my body with a towel, changed into my pajamas, and sat down at my own desk beside Meek-senpai.

...Well, yeah.

Even if I’ve gone on overseas expeditions or become the best in the world, that doesn’t mean everything else in daily life suddenly disappears.

Getting a failing grade would definitely be bad.

Very bad.

Technically we’re still in middle school—within the scope of compulsory education—so it’s not like we’d get expelled or prevented from advancing to the next grade.

But the "airheaded kid" image that already tends to follow me would only get worse.

I plan to keep staying close with Ayumu-san—and with his younger sister Masa-san as well. Those two come from a prestigious family and are ridiculously smart.

Being thought of as an idiot by them could affect my future.

And besides—I know, okay?!

Recently on UmaTter, whenever I make a slightly misinformed comment due to lack of knowledge, people respond with things like:

"Oh... (I see)."

"Well, I mean, that side of Wilm is part of her charm too..."

I absolutely cannot let the image of "cool and badass Hoshino Wilm" collapse any further!

Especially not from a promotional strategy standpoint!

So even if I’ve become the strongest in the world, it doesn’t mean everyday life changes completely.

I still have to maintain at least the minimum level of studying.

In that sense, getting caught by Meek-senpai wasn’t a bad opportunity after all.

For a while after that, the room was filled with the soft scratching of mechanical pencils against paper, and the occasional flip of pages turning.

When people study together, it often turns into chatting instead.

But I’m actually pretty good at switching into focus mode.

And Meek-senpai isn’t particularly talkative to begin with.

We’d practically lived together for three years now, sharing meals and daily life. Silence between us wasn’t awkward in the slightest.

So we studied quietly, each absorbed in our own work.

The only exception was when I got stuck on something I didn’t understand.

Meek-senpai would notice and explain it to me.

I didn’t think I was being that obvious about it...

But Meek-senpai really does observe people carefully.

That’s probably why she awakened to that blue-and-white domain—the ability to perfectly grasp the movements of others and corner them completely.

...Oh right, speaking of domains.

"Meek-senpai, by the way, what race are you entering next?"

According to Ayumu-san, Meek-senpai is the "ultimate all-rounder."

Turf or dirt.

Long distance, middle distance, mile, or sprint.

No matter the condition, she possesses top-tier aptitude and always performs brilliantly. A prodigy of a completely different type from me.

With that exceptional versatility, she achieved the extraordinary feat of winning G1 races across every distance.

It’s something that almost no one but her could accomplish.

...But that also means it’s nearly impossible to predict which race she’ll run next.

Even I didn’t cross paths with her in a single race until the Takarazuka Kinen during our senior year.

That’s why I’m curious about her next race.

Her unpredictable tactics.

Her race predictions that feel almost like seeing the future.

The terrifying realization that you’ve already fallen into her trap.

And that overwhelming domain.

Racing Meek-senpai—well, racing any Uma Musume, really—is something irreplaceable.

And that’s exactly why I want it.

If I remember right, the rotation she announced in spring said she’d target races between 1800 and 2200 meters this year.

If that’s still the plan, she’d likely aim for the 2000-meter Tenno Sho (Autumn)...

"...Well, this is a secret from everyone else, but I plan to run in the Japan Cup."

"Wait, not the Tenno Sho?"

"...My trainer said Nature-chan will be running there."

"Ah."

My lifelong honorary best friend—Nice Nature.

She’s an incredibly crafty schemer.

The type who wins by making use of everything: the other runners, the racecourse layout, the expectations of fans, even public perception.

Her strategies involve reading everyone else’s plans and manipulating the race around them.

And that makes her a terrible matchup for Meek-senpai, whose full strength only appears when she can completely read every opponent’s strategy.

"But wouldn’t dealing with the overseas runners be difficult too?"

"...Hehe. My trainer comes from a prestigious family too—just like your trainer."

Meek-senpai’s usually calm expression softened slightly as she made a smug little face.

Adorable.

Thinking about it, Ayumu-san stands out even among them, but trainers from famous families really do tend to have incredible research skills and planning abilities.

Masa-san is impressive too. Ayumu-san overshadows her so much that it’s easy to forget, but she’s pretty amazing in her own right.

After all, Ayumu-san himself said, "She’ll be more than capable of supporting an Uma Musume."

She’s probably leagues beyond the average rookie trainer.

Looking at it that way, the Happy Meek team really is strong.

Meek-senpai is already terrifying when everything lines up for her, and she’s paired with a highly analytical trainer from a prestigious background.

No wonder she’s won four G1 races.

Hmm. That makes her a serious contender for the Japan Cup.

She might end up being Japan’s champion representative this year.

Well, even if it wasn’t in her rotation, there’s always the possibility that Nature might suddenly decide to enter the Japan Cup too...

...And more importantly, there’s another one of my rivals who might start making moves around now.

Still.

This is good. Really good.

With Meek-senpai there—and probably her too—there’s almost no chance that ordinary overseas runners could win.

This year’s Japan Cup should be a safe victory for Japan’s Uma Musume!

Right!

Unless someone like that girl suddenly decides to charge in out of nowhere!

"...Wilm-chan, you didn’t just think of something weird, did you?"

"Huh? No, not at all."