Chapter 20: An Original Protagonist Has to Be Strong

Just before the race begins.

On the turf, where a faint murmur ripples through the air, the Uma Musume—each carrying the confidence that she is the strongest—make their final preparations for the decisive battle ahead. Some stretch their bodies, some resort to sly tactics, some meditate, and some simply let their hearts dance with excitement.

I don’t really like this time.

Right before a race, it always feels a bit cold. I find myself wishing it would just start already. I want to get it over with and head home, curl up under the blankets in a room with the heater blasting.

Embarrassing as it is to admit, that’s the honest truth of Hoshino Wilm.

But slacking off and losing would defeat the entire purpose. So during this time, I make sure to stretch thoroughly and loosen my joints while there’s still time.

Now then—just before the gates open for the Satsuki Sho.

As I carefully stretch, Teio-chan calls out to me.

"Snake-chaaan, long time no see! How’ve you been?"

"...Teio-chan. It’s been a while."

The last time I saw Teio-chan was at that mock race. It’s been quite some time, yet she doesn’t seem bothered at all, speaking to me as naturally as ever. That’s communication skills for you—something I clearly lack. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little jealous.

That aside, there’s no way she’d strike up a conversation at such an important moment just for idle chatter. She flashes a provocative grin and opens her mouth.

"Sorry, but I’m taking the win this time! I’ve gotta surpass Kaicho, after all. I can’t afford to stall here!"

A declaration of war.

On the surface, her words blaze with fighting spirit.
...But in truth, they’re hollow.

I can tell. I really can.

Having been directly bathed in the heat of Uma Musume—having heard Nature-chan’s anguished cry with my own ears—I can tell there’s no true seriousness behind her words.

She isn’t looking at me. She isn’t even looking at the race right in front of her. Her gaze is fixed solely on a distant goal, which is why she can’t fully commit herself to this Satsuki Sho.

Just a little, I feel disappointed.

It seems I won’t be able to face a fully serious Teio-chan today.

So, I…

"No. I’m the one who’ll win. ...Nature aside, there’s no reason I should lose to you as you are now."

I state it plainly—a declaration of victory aimed straight at Teio-chan.

To be honest, there’s no hesitation left in me when it comes to her.

It’s true that I once assumed Teio-chan’s dream would never come true, took it upon myself to inherit it, and set my sights on becoming an undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume. It’s also true that I believed stopping her Triple Crown with my own hands would be completely backwards.

...But when I think about it calmly, that way of thinking was unbearably arrogant.

After all, it assumed I would beat Teio-chan in the first place. Acting as if I had to "let her win" was condescending—as if we weren’t even standing on the same track as fellow Uma Musume. Playing god, looking down on her from on high, saying things like, "I’ll make your dream come true."

I’m sick of my past self. Get over yourself, idiot—that’s how it feels.

Yes, I’m a reincarnator. An anomaly in this world, someone who possesses things she shouldn’t.
...But at the same time, I’m also an Uma Musume born into this world: Hoshino Wilm. One of the racers who runs side by side with her trainer.

For someone like me to truly face Teio-chan properly… there’s only one way.

I have to clash with her using everything I have. Fairly, on the racetrack, settling it head-on.

...Or so I say.

That’s really nothing more than a convenient justification.

Over the past year, I’ve become terribly selfish. The warmth of my trainer’s hand. Gentle words. A smile that brings relief. The heat I gain from racing. That deep, satisfying sensation I feel when competing neck and neck with Nature. I’ve come to want all of it—my heart craves it now.

That impulse has grown equal to, or perhaps even stronger than, my thirst for victory.

That’s why… Teio-chan.

I want you to be serious too. I want to feel the heat when I race against you. I want to be pushed to the brink, win anyway, and feel that heart-pounding fire again.

And so, I will.

To satisfy that selfish desire of mine, I’ll take the Satsuki Sho. To make you go all out, Teio-chan—or at the very least, to sear that burning heat into your chest.

Even though this is nothing less than a betrayal of my former favorite, my reckless heart is pounding.

After all, even if she isn’t being fully serious, I get to run with my favorite—no, with Tokai Teio herself. I get to compete against my favorite.

As a former otaku, there’s no way that doesn’t make me happy.

I’ll win.

Against Tokai Teio. Against that phoenix-like Uma Musume who burns so fiercely she seems like she’d scorch you just by touching her.

If I can do that, just how hot will it feel, I wonder?

And if, after it’s all over, my trainer pats me on the head, I’ll be even more satisfied. Nothing more needs to be said.

Ah—no, wait.

This race is the Satsuki Sho, one of our target races. Trainer, if I win, maybe you’ll praise me…? Maybe pat my head even more than usual? Say something like, "You did great"?

...Alright. Let’s do this. I’m absolutely taking first place.

As I steel myself internally, Teio-chan puffs out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

Well, yeah—that’s understandable. I basically just told her she wasn’t even worth worrying about.

"You’re saying Nature’s stronger than me!? Huh—so that’s what you’re saying? Huh…! Riiight!"

"Teio-chan."

I speak calmly as she stamps her feet in frustration.

"You right now aren’t as frightening as the you that might exist in the future."

"Huh? Wh-what does that even—"

"And I am Hoshino Wilm. Hoshino Wilm doesn’t lose."

Perfect timing—the moment arrives.

The announcer’s voice rings out, signaling the start of gate entry for the Uma Musume. Finishing my stretches, I begin walking toward the gate.

"Hey, wait, Snake-chan!"

Everything that needed to be said has been said.

Now… all that’s left is to prove it in the race.

Teio-chan.

In this world, the wall you’re going to crash into isn’t an injury.

It’s me—Hoshino Wilm.

---

"Let’s introduce the third favorite! From frame five, number eleven—Heart Blow Up!"

"She’s in excellent condition and boasts a magnificent finishing kick. Will she claim her second G1 victory today and take the first step toward the Triple Crown?"

"This ranking seems to leave her dissatisfied—the second favorite is still undefeated! From frame eight, number eighteen—Tokai Teio!"

"Can she overcome the misfortune of an outside draw with her proud legs? The challenge of the little emperor aiming for the Emperor’s back now begins!"

"The top favorite spot will not be relinquished! Still undefeated—the Junior King! From frame two, number three—Hoshino Wilm!"

"Will the late-blooming otherworldly talent be reborn in this year’s Classics? The mutant serpent’s eyes are fixed unblinkingly on the throne of the Triple Crown!"

Clunk—the gate shuts behind me.

"...It’s cold."

Cooling down. Chilling through. The emotions I held in my chest fade away. Right now, it’s only about winning. About not losing.

I’ll let the life I devoted to my trainer be used.

"...Gate entry complete. The field is ready to start!"

My vision narrows. The noise drifts away. My consciousness freezes over.

Everything that makes up Hoshino Wilm is poured solely into victory.

Ah, it’s cold. I hate the cold.
...So I have to win quickly and get back to my trainer.

"Start!"

At that instant, I remember the words my trainer once told me.

"Launching the moment the gate opens requires immense concentration. You could call it a skill. It’s essential for front-runners—getting out faster than anyone else and taking the lead without interference. ...And for you, I want you to master something one step beyond that concentration. Don’t worry—it suits you perfectly. A technique where you focus everything you have on the race in front of you and execute a start dash that’s nearly perfect… or even beyond that. I call this skill—"

"Concentration."

I burst forward faster than I can even register the clunk of the gate.

The start dash I’ve practiced endlessly succeeds better than it ever has in competition.

And with that momentum—

"Let’s go."

I pour every ounce of strength into my legs. I stomp down hard enough to gouge the turf and kick off with everything I’ve got.

The footsteps behind me fall away in an instant.
...Some of them grow uneven. Good—did I shake them up a little?

"Hoshino Wilm with a phenomenal start! Tokai Teio and Heart Blow Up follow!"

"Hoshino Wilm is rapidly widening the gap—an otherworldly solo breakaway! She’s already more than four lengths ahead of the pack!"

"This is an unprecedentedly high pace—could this be her full power? Has the pressure of the big stage made her overdo it?"

Faster. Even faster.

I focus my thoughts entirely on the movement of my legs. Shorter strides, quicker turnover—a pitch-focused running style. With it, I relentlessly widen the distance between myself and the others.

...Honestly, the wind slamming into my body is incredibly annoying. If there were no air resistance, I could run even faster.

The first instruction I received from my trainer was to open a decisive gap before the first corner. But from the start to that corner is only about four hundred meters, and there’s an unavoidable uphill section where you’re forced to slow down. Running normally, it’d be impossible. That’s why I have no choice but to sprint at full throttle from the very start.

It’s a reckless order—but it’s also the sure path to victory my trainer laid out for me. So even if I burn through my stamina here, I’ll follow it.

"...!"

My stride falters for just a moment, and I force it back into rhythm. Even I can’t keep running at this speed forever. The longer it takes to create distance, the more I’ll wear myself down.

That’s why the deadline is the first corner.

"Autumn Mountain is desperately clinging on, but the gap keeps growing! The overall pace is being dragged faster by the leader—can the Uma Musume’s stamina hold out?"

"Tokai Teio and Holiday Hike are watching developments from mid-pack, while Cheer Rhythm and Heart Blow Up are saving their legs at the rear! Do they ride this blistering pace, or stick to their own? Judgment is key here!"

Generally speaking, the overall pace of a race is set by the front-runner.

Even though they’re Uma Musume, their sense of time isn’t much different from a human’s. While racing and processing multiple things at once, accurately counting seconds is difficult. That’s why runners using strategies other than leading estimate the pace based on their vague sense of speed and their relative distance to the Uma Musume ahead of them.

Just as my trainer said, I’ve run this course twice before—and one of those was a G1. No one has more data than I do when it comes to figuring out what pace and racing line will get you to the finish fastest.

...Which means every other runner is thinking the same thing.

Hoshino Wilm will bring out the optimal solution for this course.

And unless they overtake me, they can’t win this race.

That’s why none of them can ignore my existence. No matter how much they try to avert their gaze, they can’t take their eyes off Hoshino Wilm, charging straight ahead at the front.

The front-runners panic, desperate to catch up.
The stalkers hang on, afraid of letting the gap grow too large.
The closers get dragged along by the fast pace while watching for their opening.
The deep closers misjudge their distance to the front and lose their timing.

And I—the one controlling everyone’s pace—

Run faster than anyone else, driving all of them beyond the reach of my hearing.

"Hoshino Wilm is in a massive breakaway—already eight, nine lengths clear of the field! An unbelievable gap this early in the race! From front to back, it’s nearly twenty lengths—an extremely strung-out formation!"

"Chasing desperately are Aqua River, Autumn Mountain, and Aitanri! Holiday Hike is gradually closing the gap along the inside! The second favorite, Tokai Teio, is watching the race unfold carefully!"

After cresting the uphill and running a little farther…

At last, the footsteps of the Uma Musume who had stubbornly clung on fade away.

Good. Phase one—complete.

I gradually ease off my pace and begin envisioning how things will unfold from here.

The ideal outcome would be for no one to close in until the final stretch. But there’s no way Teio-chan wouldn’t notice something this obvious.

The only question is where she’ll realize it… but—

"The leader passes the 400-meter mark and enters the first corner! The time so far is—21.9 seconds!? A catastrophic high pace that even sprinters would envy!"

"Is Hoshino Wilm really planning to keep running like this? Conventional wisdom can no longer keep up with her racing!"

"Suu…"

As I round the first corner, I steady my ragged breathing and draw in a deep breath.

The stamina drain is worse than I expected—probably the price of pushing myself to near top speed for so long.

Just inhaling makes my airways ache, and the sensation in my toes is slowly fading. I’m not at my limit yet… but I’ve likely already burned through about half of what I’ve got.

Even so, this distance was necessary.

The way I’ve raced until now doesn’t guarantee victory. I have to shake them, fluster them, make them hesitate. Only by throwing the other Uma Musume into confusion does Hoshino Wilm’s win become unshakable.

That’s what my trainer said.

So all I have to do is believe in him—and carry it out.

"The leader remains Hoshino Wilm, breezing through the second corner on a carefree solo journey! The race stretches out even further—no one can even tell how many lengths back the last runner is!"

"When will the trailing Uma Musume make their move? Unless they close this gap, the Satsuki crown will only slip farther away!"

There are two things I need to think about right now.

Managing my pace—and the sound of footsteps closing in from behind.

I’m gradually slowing down… but I can’t let the others notice that.

That’s one of the most crucial points of this strategy.

Up until now, in every official race I’ve run, I’ve often relied on my raw specs and powered through without much thought. Because of that, every camp probably has the same image of me: “Hoshino Wilm always brute-forces her way through.”

Then, right after the start, I dash at near-final-sprint intensity and instantly open a massive gap. When the Uma Musume marking me see that, they’re thrown into confusion and forced to raise their own pace just to keep up. First, I make them waste stamina.

Then comes the first corner.

“Hoshino Wilm took off at overwhelming speed. To close that gap, you’d have to run faster than her.”

By firmly planting that idea in their minds, the others naturally start thinking, “This huge gap between us and Hoshino Wilm must be the correct pace. There’s no need to forcefully close it yet.”

So even when I slow down, they don’t try to break that gap. Worse—they unconsciously drop from a high pace to a middle pace.

While their strides fall out of sync, I slow down as well and store up my legs.

Finally, the homestretch.

They’ll probably make their move—but because their pace has been disrupted up to this point, they’ll either fail to close the gap with legs left unused, or burn out and fade.

Meanwhile, I unleash the legs I’ve saved and sprint to the finish in a clean getaway.

…The Kikuka Sho from three years ago, which my trainer showed me on video. My own interpretation of the race-making of a certain gray-haired Uma Musume from that day.

That was the strategy my trainer prepared to win the Satsuki Sho.

Seriously. Taking a long-distance strategy and using it in a middle-distance race—at just 2000 meters, no less. Does my trainer think I’m some kind of do-everything super Uma Musume?

…Well, I’ll live up to those expectations.

Most Uma Musume probably wouldn’t see through this plan.

After all, a “huge gap” is called that because measuring it beyond that point becomes meaningless. No matter how long you stare at it, you can’t tell exactly how wide it is.

It’s so far removed from the distance sense they normally use that they can’t intuitively grasp it. A difference so vast there’s no need to measure it—that’s what a huge gap really is.

So once I open that kind of distance, the trailing Uma Musume lose their sense of how far away I am. All they can do is vaguely eyeball it—“I think it was about this far?”

As I gradually slow my pace, they unconsciously slow down too, thinking, “This is probably about the distance we were running at.”

Like a poison that seeps in slowly, they won’t even understand why they can’t run the way they want to. The moment they realize they were caught in my scheme will be after the race is over, when they watch the footage objectively.

…Or so it was supposed to go.

But just like my trainer, geniuses tend to arrive at the right answer through sheer intuition.

"Here comes Tokai Teio—Tokai Teio surges forward! She’s picked up the pace and is closing the gap on Hoshino Wilm! Are the three front-runners finished here?"

"Is Tokai Teio challenging the stamina-renowned Hoshino Wilm to a long-sprint showdown? How will that decision play out!?"

I knew it. I can hear them again—Teio-chan’s footsteps. Light, rhythmic… and just a little panicked.

I managed to keep it hidden until the downhill, but maybe she noticed when I eased off there. Running downhill while fatigued is dangerous, so I fully eased off… and that decision may have backfired.

Still, I deceived her for nearly a thousand meters. Teio-chan’s pace was definitely slower than usual.

From here on, to burn off the legs she misallocated—and above all, to close in on me—Teio-chan has no choice but to commit to a gentle long sprint.

Of course, she shouldn’t be used to that. And more than that, she’s flustered after falling into my trap.

That’s precisely why mistakes happen.

She won’t be able to manage her stamina properly, and she’ll fade in the final stretch… or so it should go.

"...Calm down. Me."

I murmur it out loud.

It’s fine. Up to this point… everything is going exactly as the trainer planned. If I carry out the strategy properly from here on… there’s no chance of defeat.

"Tokai Teio is fast! She’s rapidly closing the gap on Hoshino Wilm, who was thought to be the quickest! Is this the true form of the Emperor who has appeared in the Classics!?"

"It looks like Hoshino Wilm is catching her breath after expending herself early on. What kind of race plan is taking shape in her mind?"

I pass the furlong marker marked with an “8,” and from here it’s the third corner. I hold my pace steady, listening to the sound of Teio-chan’s footsteps drawing closer. Nine lengths back… eight… no, six already.

Just as expected, Teio-chan’s pace is fairly gentle. A relatively slow high pace—something like a high-speed low tempo. Even so, it’s still faster than my current speed. The gap keeps shrinking.

Six hundred meters left in the race. She’s closed four lengths in two hundred meters. If Teio-chan accelerates from here…

I won’t be able to hold the lead all the way to the final straight, the spurt point. Teio-chan will definitely move to within two lengths behind me. But that doesn’t mean I can launch my spurt early either… doing so would break the surefire winning pattern the trainer put together.

"Tokai Teio surges! Tokai Teio—yes, this is Tokai Teio! The others are hanging on, but they can’t close the gap anymore! It’s a match race between just the two of them now! The true battle between the Emperor and the Serpent begins!"

"Is this as far as Hoshino Wilm goes? Has the blistering early pace come back to haunt her!? Tokai Teio’s stride is steady—she looks ready to overtake before the final straight!"

Five… four… three.

The gap keeps shrinking. The huge distance that once separated me and Teio-chan is now less than ten meters. Even so, I empty my mind and simply maintain my pace.

This is how it goes. To win. Trust the trainer. I’ve entrusted my life to him.

And just like that, the gap between Teio-chan and me slips under two lengths.

"Teio-chan."

The distance closes even further. Two lengths become one and a half. One and a half becomes one and a quarter… and finally, just one length.

Still, I keep running, maintaining my pace.

Hesitant footsteps. By now, I should be panicking—yet I’m running without losing my composure. That must be what surprises Teio-chan.

Sorry, but…

"I don’t have any weaknesses anymore."

The reason I used to lose control was fear of defeat. But if I place absolute trust in the trainer, and carve it deep into my heart that no matter how much I’m pressed, I won’t lose…

Hoshino Wilm won’t spiral out of control ever again.

The corner ends. My field of vision opens up. The goal I must run toward fills my sight.

"Goodbye."

Spurt—start.

"Wha—Hoshino Wilm accelerates!! Did this Uma Musume still have power in reserve!? The gap with Tokai Teio, which had been closing, won’t stop—won’t stop at all! It’s opening, opening, opening! Three lengths, four lengths—just how far will this gap grow!?"

"She runs away and then outkicks them! No—this is beyond that, a wild display that can only be described as breaking away and then finishing from nowhere!! Is this a new otherworldly dimension!? A new fastest speed!?"

"Tokai Teio is chasing desperately! She’s chasing—but this is no longer something anyone can stop! The rest are giving it everything they have, but it won’t waver—there’s no way it could!"

"She slams overwhelming ‘speed’ into reality, and now…!"

"Hoshino Wilm crosses the line first! A commanding victory by eight lengths!"

"The time is… wh—three!? I-it’s a record! She’s shattered Emperor Symboli Rudolf’s 2:01.1 by nearly three seconds—1:58.2!!"

"Hoshino Wilm has shown overwhelming growth and otherworldly speed here today! The gray serpent aiming for an undefeated Triple Crown carries the dreams of countless fans onward to the Derby!"

"Hah… hah… hah… haaah."

I slow down, bleeding off my momentum without pushing myself, and come to a stop on the turf.

…It’s over. This race is over. As the sense of completion slowly fills me, warmth returns to my heart.

"I won… I really did win."

Haha… it’s a strange mix of relief and disappointment. A complicated feeling.

I thought that if I showed her a clear difference in the race, she’d finally get serious… but in the end, Teio-chan never did. …Maybe that means I’m still not enough to make her go all out.

As I think that, I suddenly realize something.

Before I know it, I’m standing in the middle of a roaring ovation.

From the stands, an unbelievable number of voices pour down on me. Awe. Congratulations. Ecstasy. Excitement. Expectation. Affection. Every single one of them is a word brimming with intense emotion, all directed at me. My still-sharp hearing catches each and every shout.

"Uoooooh!" "For real!? She cut three seconds off the record!?" "Hoshino Wilm, you were amazing!" "The Serpent!" "Eight lengths—when was the last time we saw that!?" "Satsuki Sho champion!" "Good luck at the Derby!" "Win the next one too!" "Can’t wait for the winning live!" "Hoshino Wilmmmmm!" "That’s basically a guaranteed Triple Crown!" "This is insane!" "Go make a legend!" "Prove it’s effort, not bloodlines!"

…Haha.

No, seriously—this energy is incredible. What is this feeling… this is bad. If I don’t watch myself, the corners of my mouth are going to lift on their own.

When you’re cheered on this much, you start wanting to give something back, but… there’s no way my words would reach them through all this noise. So, just to convey even a little gratitude, I lightly wave back.

Once again, an overwhelming cheer rains down on me.

An eight-length victory. A record-breaking win. That was how my Satsuki Sho came to an end.

---

By the time I’d caught my breath and finished stretching on the spot, the results were already official.

"Eight lengths… for the first time in about forty years, huh…"

I’m confident I executed the strategy the trainer gave me as perfectly as possible. And yet, the margin was eight lengths—not some absurd blowout. …Teio-chan really is amazing. I ran with everything I had, and still couldn’t leave her completely behind.

Even with my “anime reincarnation” cheat, the only ones I can’t utterly gap right now are Nature and Teio-chan.

…And yet.

Despite beating her, I felt… no heat.

No, that’s not it. That’s not right.

Tokai Teio isn’t supposed to be like this.

The Tokai Teio I know… the Tokai Teio who showed the world a miracle at the Arima Kinen… this isn’t all she has.

No matter how strong I am, it doesn’t matter. Tokai Teio is “absolute.” There’s no wall she can’t overcome, no Uma Musume she can’t pass. She doesn’t wait for miracles—she creates them with her own strength. That’s the greatest kind of Uma Musume.

A Teio-chan who lets someone like me put eight lengths on her so easily… isn’t the Tokai Teio I admired.

"Teio-chan."

Even now, some time after the race has ended, she’s still collapsed on the turf. I hesitate for a moment, but decide to speak to her before heading back to the waiting room.

"Ugh… whaddya want… did you come to laugh at me?"

Her reply trembles, unsteady.

Teio-chan… I see. She wasn’t just slumped there—she was crying. She was keeping her head down so no one would see her face.

…Well, yeah. Of course she would be. She admired the Emperor, aimed for an undefeated Triple Crown… and then stumbled on the very first step. No, calling it a stumble would be generous—she fell flat on her face.

You only get one chance in your life to challenge the Classic races. No matter what she does from here on out, she can never win the Triple Crown now.

Honestly, she probably never imagined losing to a nobody like me. Hoshino Wilm was just “maybe the second-fastest Uma Musume” in her eyes. In that three-way mock race, she’d only had her pace disrupted by Nature. She must have believed that if she ran seriously, there was no way she’d lose.

An absolute confidence backed by overwhelming talent. And today, that confidence was crushed—fairly and squarely. Maybe it was too heavy an experience for a middle school girl to bear.

Should I comfort her? What would I even say, and how?

…No.

Comfort would be nothing more than the winner’s arrogance. Tiptoeing around her feelings would probably just make things worse. Kicking someone who gave it their all goes against my principles.

More than anything, my heart isn’t telling me that I want to comfort her.

"I’m not laughing. I just…"

"Just what?"

Just… I—

I walk through the underground passage. With a big G1 today, I’ve got to do a winner’s interview on top of the winning live. …Ugh, how depressing.

I already didn’t get to run against a serious Tokai Teio, I went all-out like always so I’m exhausted, and from my perspective, this race was a total loss—so what exactly am I supposed to say?

They’re probably going to ask about Teio-chan again, right? Kicking someone when they’re down isn’t my hobby. As for the other Uma Musume, they were within ten lengths of me for, what, a dozen seconds at most? What am I even supposed to say about them?

They’ll ask about my next race too, but I’ve already said I’m aiming for an undefeated Triple Crown, so obviously it’s the Japan Derby. If anything, maybe I’ll mention the Takarazuka Kinen after that?

If they ask about my goals… I don’t really have any besides an undefeated Triple Crown. If I had to add something, it’d be experiencing the heat of racing, but I’ve got no idea how to put that into words.

…Isn’t there some way to dodge the interview?

"Haa…"

Moments like this really drive home how bad I am with people. Talking to others—unless it’s the trainer—isn’t something I enjoy much to begin with.

And having that conversation broadcast to an unspecified number of people? That’s hell. Absolute hell. Seriously brutal.

Ah, what do I do… If I say something weird, they’ll just bash me again for being disrespectful. Every now and then, strange people even come charging into my Umatter replies—it’s such a pain.

What do you mean, “respect for the other racers”? I showed respect by running at full strength, didn’t I? What more do you want from me?

"Hoshino Wilm."

I hear a familiar voice call my name and look up. Far ahead, Trainer Horino is waiting for me.

"Trainer!"
"Hey—no running."
"Okay."

With our now-familiar exchange, I slow down and walk back to him.

…Back to him?

At some point, I started thinking of Trainer Horino as home or something.

Well, maybe that’s not entirely wrong. A trainee Uma Musume always returns to her trainer. In a way, it’s like home—and honestly, you could even say we’re closer than family.

…That’s okay to say, right?

"Welcome back, Hoshino Wilm."
"I’m back, Trainer."

A hand rests on my head, gently combing through my hair. After asking so many times, head-patting has become something he just does naturally now.

…Ah, it’s warm. It’s comforting. At least in this moment… I feel like it’s okay for me to be here.

"I won. How was it, Trainer?"
"One hundred and twenty out of a hundred. A magnificent run—far beyond what I expected. …Yeah. You won, and you came back safely. Good job."

He ruffles my head a little more roughly.

…Hehe. I’m glad. Just being praised like this makes the race feel worth it.

It’s a shame I couldn’t run against Tokai Teio, but thinking calmly, it’s not like this was my only chance to race her. And the winner’s interview is just answering questions—if I think of it like a school class, it’s not that burdensome.

Yeah. Today feels like it turned out to be a good day. No, more than that—a really good day. Maybe even the best day.

…Huh? Am I being a little too easy here?

"So then, how was today’s race, Hoshino Wilm?"
"Today… well. I couldn’t really get fired up like usual. It’s a shame."
"I see. Well, days like that happen. …Don’t worry. There’s a very good chance you’ll feel that heat at the Derby."
"Is that so? Then I’m looking forward to it—"

…Huh?

What did I just say?

"What’s wrong?"
"No—no, it’s nothing."

…Looking forward to it?

Wait, uh—what?

Looking forward to the next race. Looking forward to the heat. In other words, looking forward to a race where I can feel that heat…?

…Don’t tell me.

Am I… already enjoying racing?