Chapter 35: The Clumsy Three-Star Group

If there’s such a thing as a silver lining, then this might qualify.

Hoshino Wilm’s injury, while classified as a fracture, is apparently one that heals relatively quickly. From what I’ve been told, the time between the actual break and her medical examination was extremely short, and as far as post-fracture conditions for a racing Uma Musume go, her state is exceptionally good. At the latest, she should be able to return before the end of the year. Considering how many Uma Musume lose their entire careers to a single fracture, this can only be called a stroke of good fortune.

Now then, Hoshino Wilm is currently in the middle of her recovery period…but fracture treatment itself proceeds in stages.

This time, it wasn’t a complicated break and didn’t require surgery, so the initial approach is conservative treatment—immobilizing the injured area with a cast. That said, she hardly seems to be in any pain, so after two or three days, she’ll probably be able to walk around with crutches. During this phase, doing light exercise—just enough to stretch the surrounding muscles and joints without stressing the injury—is apparently effective for rehabilitation.

After a little over a month, the bone should have hardened enough that the cast can come off. That’s when full-scale rehab really begins. You have to carefully stretch out the stiffened joints and loosen the body. Of course, excessive exercise is strictly forbidden—otherwise, the weakened bone could break again.

After about three months, the bone is expected to be fully fused. At that point, movement is no longer a problem. Still, her body will be considerably weakened, so the load has to be increased gradually, over a long period of time, until she’s rebuilt herself back to her former condition…but.

She was hospitalized on June 11. Three months from then is September 11. And the Kikuka Sho she wants to race in is on October 27. That leaves roughly a month and a half in between. How much of her former performance she can recover in that time depends on her physical toughness, her luck…and, ultimately, on me.

“…For now, I should talk to my brother about rehab too.”

Having a family member in the medical field—especially someone knowledgeable about Uma Musume—really does change your peace of mind in situations like this. I need to support her recovery by using every resource available…even if that means leaning on family.

…Oh. Right. There’s that option.

It’d be too much right now, given how delicate things are, but…yeah. Toward the end of the month, I’ll take some paid leave, make a report, and head back to my parents’ place for a bit.

---

A full week has already passed since Hoshino Wilm was hospitalized.

So far, her progress has been good. …Honestly, almost too good.

I already knew her body was tougher than average. After all, she ran three straight races from the Yayoi Sho through the Derby without a slump, pulled off that completely inexplicable style of running in the Derby, and still didn’t get injured. As long as she avoids reckless scheduling or poor form, she’s the kind of Uma Musume who deserves the label of “durable”—a true iron horse.

Still…I never imagined her recovery speed would be this extraordinary.

Looking at the test results, the bone has already started to harden and is apparently transitioning into a cartilage-like state. Normally, it takes over a month before the cast can be removed, but at this rate, it might come off in as little as three weeks to a month.

“There are individual differences in healing speed,” the doctor said, “but it’s rare to see an Uma Musume recover this quickly.”

Once again, I’m reminded that Hoshino Wilm really is a “genius.”

A body that responds honestly to training. The ability to absorb instruction like a sponge. Exceptional toughness and recovery power. A mindset well-suited to effort and discipline. She’s an Uma Musume born under a star of victory. When it comes to running, there are probably very few—if any—with more talent than her. …Honestly, it’s almost enviable.

Still, what kind of legendary horse would you need as a base to produce a monster like her? Unfortunately, in my previous life I wasn’t well-versed in racing history, so I have no idea what kind of results “Hoshino Wilm” achieved back then. Maybe she was the undefeated two-crown winner who went on to claim the Takarazuka Kinen at the youngest age in history. Ah…well, if she really were that kind of absurdly dominant champion, then her overwhelming physical gifts would make sense.

Or perhaps she’s an original Uma Musume—someone else’s rival. But…if that were the case, she feels almost too heroic. “An undefeated two-crown Uma Musume who overcame a painful past and lives on”—that’s not a supporting rival. That’s a protagonist. Seen that way, the old “Hoshino Wilm is a rival character” theory loses its weight.

Which means…maybe there really was a horse named Hoshino Wilm in her past life—or rather, in the world that this Uma Musume world is based on?

Mm…no, this is pointless. Without any hard evidence, there’s no meaning in thinking about it.

What’s certain is that Hoshino Wilm is a genuine prodigy. Anything beyond that doesn’t need to be forced.

What I need to be thinking about now isn’t “what kind of being she is,” but “how to support this outrageous genius named Hoshino Wilm.” This is an important time for her. I need to stay focused.

…Still, how many times have I thought, “I’ve ended up in charge of an unbelievable Uma Musume” by now?

Maybe I’m finally getting used to it. The complaints don’t come anymore. No—if anything…

I admired her for who she is. That’s exactly why I need to steel myself again. That determination burned strongly in my chest.

“Alright…yeah. Let’s do our best.”

If she’s going to soar high into the sky…then as the one who fell for her, I need to be someone who can support her from below. With that thought renewed, I headed toward her hospital room.

---

As usual, I walked down the hallway I’d grown used to from visiting every day and knocked on the door to her room, but—

“Trainer!”

“Whoa—hey, Will, calm down! A-and Horino Trainer, long time no see!”

“Hey, if you move too much, you’ll break it again, you know?”

The normally quiet hospital room already had visitors today, it seemed. Besides Hoshino Wilm smiling brightly at me from her bed, there were two other Uma Musume in the room.

One of them was an Uma Musume with rich chestnut hair styled in twin tails, wearing a red-and-green, Christmas-colored headpiece. Her name was Nice Nature. Placing a hand on Wilm’s shoulder to stop her from sitting up, Nature—Wilm’s closest friend—gave her a gentle warning. At the same time, she was also a dangerous rival in races, someone who would use every possible means to surpass her.

The other, with a neat face framed by chestnut hair marked by a beautiful white blaze, was Tokai Teio. She was sitting on the edge of the bed by the window, looking on at Wilm and Nature with an exasperated expression. Second only to Wilm in raw physical gifts, she was a formidable racer who had once pushed her to a nose-length finish. However, she’d been injured during the fiercely contested Japanese Derby and was currently recuperating herself. Her return was expected to be slightly later than Wilm’s—around the end of the year.

They’d been visiting Wilm frequently ever since hospital visits were allowed a few days ago, but it seemed today they’d come together.

…Still, Hoshino Wilm, Tokai Teio, and Nice Nature all in one place. Seeing so many standout Uma Musume gathered like this was quite a sight.

“Well, this is something—looks like the three stars of the Star Generation are all here.”

When I muttered that, the three of them tilted their heads in confusion. Oh? I guess even Nature didn’t know. It’s a nickname that’s been slowly spreading among the public, but…maybe she’s been too focused on training to hear it.

I pulled up an article from the monthly Twinkle magazine I subscribe to on my tablet and showed it to them. The byline belonged to that infamously unhinged—no, slightly dangerous—writer, Reporter Otonashi.

“Three Stars of the Star Generation! Third-Rate Trainer Declares One-Year Fast to Buy the Latest Training Equipment!”

…Setting aside the latter half, which is the usual grandiose delusion—pure, one-hundred-percent nonsense.

The first half, at least, talked about the name “Star Generation” and referred to the three of them as the top trio of that generation. The reactions of the three girls upon seeing it couldn’t have been more different.

“Star Generation…? You mean our generation?”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to be? Isn’t it the Emperor Generation?”

“H-hey, what!? That’s my trainer they’re talking about! What on earth is he doing!?”

…Oh, right. This must be Nice Nature’s first time seeing one of that reporter’s articles. Watching such a fresh reaction somehow made me feel oddly warm inside.

“Relax. The latter half is nothing but fabrication. But the first part—your generation being called the Star Generation, and you being labeled as First through Third Stars—is true.”

“I’m a First Star… That actually sounds kind of cool…”

“Second Star, huh. Whatever—I’ll just move up to First Star soon enough.”

“Three…again…three…”

Ah. Right. For Nice Nature, the number three is—

N-no, well, this nickname has been spreading pretty fast anyway. She was bound to learn about it sooner or later. I felt bad for dampening her mood a little, but this was something she’d have to overcome herself.

Sorry…stay strong, Nature.

“In short, the three of you being together is basically the strongest lineup of your generation in one place. Be careful not to gather carelessly and end up getting scooped by a reporter, causing some strange misunderstandings. And Tokai Teio, Nice Nature—thank you for coming to visit her. As her trainer, I appreciate it.”

“Uh…were we just scolded? Or thanked?”

“It’s kind of hard to tell because he switches gears so fast, but it felt like he warned us as a trainer first, then thanked us personally. Sounded angry, but really it was just a ‘be careful,’ I think.”

“Nature, you’re oddly perceptive.”

“Well, I was under his supervision during joint training for about half a year…”

“That super-strict trainer? Yikes…”

“Well…he is pretty strict. Even if you’re at your limit, he’ll say things like, ‘You can still go. You’ve got this.’”

“So he really is brutal. Is it true he wakes people up with a slap if they pass out?”

“No, no, that’s definitely a rumor. He may lack a bit of common sense, but he’s got basic decency.”

Teio and Nature kept whispering to each other, but I couldn’t see any future where getting involved would end well, so I chose to ignore it. Just overhearing was enough…yeah.

So this is the kind of reputation I have, huh. Is it okay if I cry?

…Anyway, back to basics. Let’s start with greetings.

“Good afternoon, Hoshino Wilm. How are you feeling today?”

“Good afternoon, Trainer. Today, the two of them came to play…to visit me, so I haven’t had time to get bored.”

That’s good. Really, truly good.

The past week, she’d been so bored that she’d gotten into a mobile game and started melting away the prize money she’d earned from races like water. I’m not saying that’s inherently bad, and if it helps her relieve stress, I wouldn’t even mind paying for it myself—but honestly, once she returns, she’ll be so busy running she won’t have time for games at all. Moderation is key.

…Still, it’s a little surprising.

Hoshino Wilm, apparently, is the type to get really into games. She’s more competitive than she looks and tends to focus intensely on a single thing, so she’s probably especially vulnerable to gacha-style games that prey on that urge.

Somehow, picturing her absorbed in a game feels…unexpected.

Or maybe that’s just because I’ve only ever seen her stoic side. If she’d been in an environment that allowed it when she was younger, she probably played games and read manga like any kid her age.

If anything, maybe she’s diving in so deeply now to make up for what she couldn’t do back then. If that’s the case, then indulging her a little might just be part of an adult’s job.

Hmm…alright. I’ll quietly keep an eye on things until this month’s bill hits seven figures.

…Though in just the past few days, she’s already burned through about forty percent of that limit.

From what I hear, the game has separate gachas for character cards and support cards, so making your favorite character strong requires a truly obscene amount of money.

…That game feels strangely familiar somehow, but it’s probably just my imagination.

“Any pain? Around this time, inflammation wouldn’t be unusual.”

“I don’t feel anything in particular. They say there’s no sign of inflammation yet.”

“I see. That’s a relief. …Sorry, was I interrupting? Should I step out?”

There are conversations only girls of the same age—and the same kind—can have. I thought I’d excuse myself and come back later, but Nature waved her hands hurriedly to stop me.

“It’s fine. We’re not talking about anything embarrassing.”

“Yeah. I mean, if anything, Wilm was—”

“W-wait! Hey, we agreed that was a secret, didn’t we, Teio!?”

Hoshino Wilm hurriedly tried to cut Teio off, but Teio just let out a mischievous snicker and grinned. She probably never intended to say it in the first place—just teasing her.

Wilm and Nature had always been close, but it seemed that over the past few weeks of hospitalization, Wilm had also grown quite close to Teio. Life in the hospital is apparently very unstimulating, and even just chatting with someone of the same generation helps pass the time considerably. That was why Teio would occasionally hobble over on her crutches to talk with Wilm.

On top of that, Nature had apparently already been on friendly terms with Teio beforehand. As a result, friendships formed between Wilm and Nature, Nature and Teio, and Wilm and Teio. And once that happened, naturally—almost inevitably—the three of them started hanging out together.

…There’s something about how the three strongest of the generation naturally gathered together that makes it feel almost like fate.

No—thinking about it, Teio probably only ever takes an interest in fighters above a certain level to begin with. And as for Hoshino Wilm, I get the sense that it was only because Nature pushed so aggressively closer that they suddenly grew so close.

In that sense, you could say this relationship was built through Nature’s efforts.

Which makes it a little surprising, but maybe the center of this trio is actually Nature.

"It’s nice to see you all getting along so well. …Ah, right, I almost forgot. Here you go, Hoshino Wilm—the smartphone stand you asked for."

"Thank you very much. I wanted to watch videos without using my hands while lying down… this really helps."

Hoshino Wilm bows her head politely. Somehow, she really does feel like she’s rapidly adapting to modern civilization.

Well, it’s not like she was living some primitive lifestyle before… but compared to the days when she trained relentlessly from morning to night, she’s definitely picked up hobbies more fitting of a middle-school girl.

Lying on her bed scrolling through video sites, endlessly grinding mobile games—she wastes no time consuming content.

…Well, as long as she’s enjoying herself, that’s what matters.

I think she’ll be fine, but still—don’t get too hooked, okay?

You finally get back to running, only to fall into that instead and develop a bad habit of slacking off… ugh, that sounds way too plausible, and I hate it.

That kind of “slacking-off event” in my past-life app was exactly like that…

Though, seeing how she immediately puts her phone to sleep mode the moment I arrive and happily chats about races, I probably don’t need to worry that much.

…

Alright, now that things have settled down.

What should I bring up today?

Just listening to their conversation feels a bit off—I want to contribute something myself.

I’ve been visiting Hoshino Wilm every day for the past week to check on her, but…

What’s surprisingly difficult is coming up with topics.

Lately, Hoshino Wilm has become more emotionally expressive—she’s started letting her feelings show just a little.

It feels kind of wrong to play shiritori with her in this state.

…Well, she accepts it with a “can’t-be-helped” attitude and even seems to enjoy it, but still.

If possible, I want to bring up topics she can enjoy more—anything to help ease her anxiety, even a little.

So lately, part of my daily routine has become “finding topics to bring to Hoshino Wilm.”

For example, the mock race that was held at Tracen the other day, or which Uma Musume performed particularly well there.

Those kinds of topics are a big hit.

Apparently, after completely throwing herself into the Takarazuka Kinen, Hoshino Wilm developed a deep affection for races and Uma Musume in general—she looks happy just listening to the stories.

At first, I thought it was a bad idea to talk about races to an Uma Musume who couldn’t run due to injury, but after she started asking for it herself, it became a daily staple.

For instance, talking about next year’s races.

Of course, you won’t know what next year holds until next year arrives.

There could be renovations at the racecourses… or—something I don’t even want to think about—the possibility that she could get injured again and be unable to run.

So none of this can really be called a plan yet—it’s just idle chatter.

Even so, she puffed up proudly, declaring,

"The Osaka Hai and Tenno Sho (Spring) for the Spring Senior Triple Crown! And a second straight Takarazuka victory!"

…By then, her stats should be even higher than they are now. There might hardly be any Uma Musume left who can stop her.

It’s a contradictory thing to say as the trainer who’s supposed to support her victories, but that would actually be a little troubling.

For her to truly enjoy racing, she needs someone who can push her to the brink.

I’ll have to place my hopes in the efforts of her rivals—Nature and Teio, as well as the slightly older McQueen and Ryan.

Another option is talking about myself.

Honestly, that started as a stopgap whenever I ran out of ideas, but surprisingly, it went over well.

When I talked about my past or my family, she listened with sparkling interest.

I don’t have much to talk about myself—I mostly just read books or stayed physically active—but stories about my older brother, who was so superhuman he kept getting dragged into bizarre incidents, or my younger sister, who used to adore her big brother but somehow ended up going delinquent… those are oddly popular.

I kind of get it.

Especially my brother—he’s such an extraordinary person that he makes for a good story.

…Living around him, though, was often stressful in its own way.

He once failed to notice a girl who was blatantly fawning over him, and it nearly escalated into a knife incident.

He was so unbelievably dense that it made me sigh back then. Dense protagonists really make the audience nervous…

And then there are topics like… the recent developments of Twin Turbo, who she seems interested in.

"Maybe you already know this, but Twin Turbo is going to be racing soon."

"Master Accelerator?"

Who the hell is Master Accelerator? Did we just get a new character?

"She’s scheduled to run in the Radio NIKKEI Sho on June 30. It’s an 1800-meter G3 race."

"Oh… so Master is finally making her graded-stakes debut."

"Her late maturation had people worried about her win rate, but so far her record stands at two races, two wins. She won her debut by three lengths in one go. In the last two races, she faded due to longer distances and poor condition, but this time… she might be promising."

"That is Master, after all… I can’t predict whether she’ll win beautifully or lose spectacularly. No—I believe she’ll win."

Hoshino Wilm nods along, clearly convinced.

Watching her, I shift my gaze toward Teio and Nature.

Yeah… as expected, both of them look a little confused too.

Twin Turbo.

An Uma Musume with beautiful blue hair tied into twin tails and striking odd eyes—one red, one blue.

She’s bright and cheerful, a little childish, but always straightforward, giving everything she has to what’s right in front of her.

Like Hoshino Wilm, she’s one of the generation’s foremost front-running escape specialists.

…That said.

At present, she doesn’t really seem like an Uma Musume noteworthy enough to leave a lasting impression on Hoshino Wilm.

It’s true—her talent is high.

Especially her speed and racing intuition; those are worth noting.

If she had matured at the fastest possible pace, she might have stood alongside Nature and the others as one of Hoshino Wilm’s rivals.

But her maturation lagged by over half a year.

As a result, she’s half a year behind her peers in terms of stats and skills.

Her lack of stamina, in particular, is fatal for an escape-type runner.

Without recovery-type skills, she’ll fade unless she shows exceptional tactical judgment mid-race.

…Even if she does manage to conserve her legs cleverly, her distance limit is probably around 2000 meters—2200 at most, in my estimation.

Still, two races, two wins is undeniably impressive…

But to be blunt, the common opinion is that the current Turbo is about as good as a graded-stakes winner—and no more. She won’t become a G1 Uma Musume.

She livens up races, and sometimes she wins big, pulling off dramatic turnarounds.

…But she’s not someone who can reach the level of the three stars here.

From my perspective as well… regrettably, I can’t say that assessment is wrong.

Which makes Hoshino Wilm’s fixation on her all the more puzzling.

What criteria does she use? What kind of Uma Musume catches her eye?

That’s been a major question for me for a long time—and it still is.

Lately, she’s been communicating with other Uma Musume more often, but her interest in Twin Turbo is on a completely different level.

After all, back when she wasn’t interested in any others at all, just hearing Turbo’s name made her react so strongly that she knocked her chair over.

I remember her reacting pretty intensely to Nature and Teio as well.

…Seriously—what is her standard?

Is she reacting to an Uma Musume’s raw talent or innate potential?
…No—if that were the case, I can’t explain why she wouldn’t react to strong runners like Heart Blow Up or Rionatal.

Even when I look at distance, running style, or track aptitude, the Uma Musume she reacts to seem scattered, with no clear pattern or consistency.

…Is she reacting to “named” runners?

But even then, it’s strange—there were named runners she didn’t react to at all.

I just can’t figure out her criteria.

Could it have something to do with the original racehorse, “Hoshino Wilm”…?

And then there’s one more question, separate from her reaction criteria…

"Hey, this has been bothering me for a while—why do you call Twin Turbo ‘Master,’ Wilm?"

Teio voiced the exact question that had been on my mind.

Yeah. That’s it.

Hoshino Wilm calls Twin Turbo “Master.”

Or sometimes “Double Turbo Master,” “Double Jet Master,” “Twin Drive Master,” “Two-Engine Master,” and a whole assortment of other variations.

When she’s being serious, she properly says “Twin Turbo Master,” so it’s not that she can’t remember—she’s deliberately messing around with the names. I’ll set that aside for now.

But still… why “Master”?

If this were a case of Hoshino Wilm admiring Turbo’s runaway style and then adopting it herself, that would make sense.

But Hoshino Wilm only learned runaway tactics when I taught her how to escape and entered her in the selection race.

Most likely, she was desperately running when the other Uma Musume started closing in, and that desperation turned into a full runaway.

The fact that she learned the “Great Escape” skill in one go really shows how sharp she is—but that’s beside the point.

At that time, Turbo hadn’t even fully matured yet, and her stats… were above average, sure, but nowhere near as outstanding as Hoshino Wilm’s.

I can’t imagine she was capable of a runaway worthy of being called a master back then.

The timeline doesn’t add up.

Even setting aside that old rumor—“Twin Turbo copied Hoshino Wilm’s running style”—which is clearly nonsense, the fact remains that Hoshino Wilm started running away first.

If anything, Hoshino Wilm should have been the one called Master.

On top of that, Hoshino Wilm and Turbo didn’t even know each other back then.

Well, Hoshino Wilm seemed to know of Turbo, but that awareness was completely one-sided.

They only actually met during the mock race held this February.

So why does Hoshino Wilm call Turbo “Master”?

That was a secret even I, her trainer, couldn’t know.

"Oh, yeah—I’d like to know too. Do you know why, Trainer Horino?"

"No, I don’t. I’ve got no idea either. Hoshino Wilm—does it mean something?"

I shake my head at Nature’s question and look over at Hoshino Wilm.

With me, Teio, and Nature all staring intently at her, Hoshino Wilm…

…Huh?

Just now—did she give off a brief “oh crap” kind of vibe?

"W-well, Teio bringing that up… I-I mean, there’s no particularly deep reason… um…"

"What, is it something embarrassing? Come on, tell Nature~?"

"Yeah, yeah—tell Teio-sama~!"

Seeing Hoshino Wilm flustered like this—a rare sight—her two friends seize the opportunity to tease her.

…But my attention was drawn to the expression she’d shown just moments earlier.

In her eyes, I had unmistakably seen something—fear, danger, or tension.

Why…? Why would being asked about a nickname make her feel such a sense of crisis?

I don’t yet know everything about her.

But even so… that reaction felt off. It didn’t feel like “Hoshino Wilm.”

…Now that I think about it, hadn’t she shown that same expression a few times in the past?

"Th-that is… it’s not an embarrassing story or anything.

Before my debut, seeing Master run so boldly gave me strength, and ever since then, I’ve just called her Master on my own."

"Oh—come on, that’s not embarrassing at all."

Teio is the only one who accepts that explanation without hesitation—probably because she didn’t know the old Hoshino Wilm very well.

"…Back then… Wilm…?"

Nature mutters suspiciously, and while I keep my expression neutral, I feel the same discomfort.

The Hoshino Wilm who was obsessed solely with winning doesn’t strike me as someone who’d be “encouraged” by watching someone else run.

Even Nature—whom she liked enough to want joint training with—was nothing more than an enemy once the race began.

Hoshino Wilm once viewed running not as a purpose, but merely as a means.

Could someone like her really be uplifted by another runner’s performance…?

"Hm… what is it, Trainer, Nature?

I’m an Uma Musume too, you know. Things like that can happen."

Something about the look on her face as she said that…

Felt like she was saying, Don’t dig any deeper.

…Right. I still don’t fully understand her.

I know her greatest trauma, and I was able to ease it—but that doesn’t mean she has to tell me everything.

And that’s fine.

We still have time… and even if she never tells me, that’s okay.

Everyone has parts of themselves they don’t want others to know—things they bury deep down and try not to think about.

Those things probably shouldn’t be forced into the open.

Just like when I visited the grave in Hokkaido earlier this spring… you should only speak about those things when you want to, and only to the people you choose.

Besides, I won’t ask outright, but…

She’s still my Uma Musume.

There’s still plenty of time left to get to know Hoshino Wilm—and to rebuild trust.

If I can earn enough of her trust that she feels she doesn’t need to hide the things that truly matter…

Then someday, I’m sure she’ll tell me.

So I seal those thoughts away.

Trusting that one day, we’ll laugh together and say, “Oh—so that was the reason.”

And as I listened to the girls return to their conversation about Turbo’s G3 race, I spent a while longer in peaceful calm.