Chapter 40: An Uma Musume Caught Between the Lilies

I was just asked this by my Trainer a moment ago.

"Hoshino Wilm, if you have any thoughts about me taking on additional trainees, please don’t hesitate to say so. Are you really okay with that?"

Like hell I am.

…That was my honest thought, which I carefully kept hidden as I nodded once and replied.

"Trainer. Horino Ayumu. You possess genuine ability as a trainer. So please, guide not just me, but many other Uma Musume as well. I believe that will surely be good for you, too."

After that, a whole lot happened—Bourbon-chan trying to win the Trainer over in a voice filled with suppressed passion, Tazuna-san explaining how work duties change when you manage two or more trainees, the Chairwoman bowing her head and saying, “Please, think of the bright future of the Uma Musume!” while the Trainer panicked, and then the Trainer finally steeling himself and acknowledging Bourbon-chan with a slightly cool line of resolve.

Really, a lot happened.

In the end, the Trainer decided to increase the number of Uma Musume under his care and signed a trainer contract with Bourbon-chan as well.

Just when the Trainer had fallen for my running and we’d finally begun enjoying our sweet, exclusive honeymoon days together, along came an assassin named Mihono Bourbon-chan to threaten that happy daily life.

…How did things end up like this, I wonder.

It all started back in late June, the day Bourbon-chan came to visit me while I was recovering.

"I wish for Horino Trainer, who is in charge of Hoshino Wilm-senpai, to also contract with me. However, I haven’t received a favorable response… If possible, I would greatly appreciate your cooperation."

When Bourbon-chan said that, I was—unsurprisingly—confused.

First of all, the fact that Bourbon-chan had gone after my Trainer—er, pardon me, made a reverse scout offer—was completely unexpected.

…Though, thinking about it calmly, I suppose there’s nothing particularly strange about it either.

In this world, Bourbon-chan is expected to have a future as a sprinter. If she says she wants to aim for the Triple Crown, there probably aren’t many trainers who would truly believe in that.

But I had once told her this.

That “my Trainer said Bourbon-chan would get results in the Classic races.”

From her perspective, that means my Trainer is someone who believes in her dream, has proven ability as a trainer, is handsome, wealthy, kind, and yet somehow adorably incompetent at times—a man full of contrast who never gets boring to be around. If you score him by adding points instead of subtracting them, he’s outrageously high-scoring.

…Wait, did my personal opinion slip in there near the end? Well, it’s true, so whatever.

In any case, if she seriously wants to shine in the Twinkle Series, there’s probably no trainer better than Horino Ayumu. In fact, though the Trainer seems to be trying to hide it, lately he’s been receiving frequent reverse scout offers from others besides Bourbon-chan.

After all, he’s a trainer who, despite being a rookie, led his very first trainee to an undefeated double crown. His ability couldn’t be more firmly proven.

Especially for Bourbon-chan, who aims for the Classic Triple Crown, trying to reverse scout him is an extremely rational move.

The problem was… that her action ran directly counter to my own interests.

If the number of trainees increases, the time and feelings he can devote to me will inevitably decrease. Of course that wouldn’t be pleasant, and honestly, I really didn’t want to acknowledge it if I could help it.

…But still.

I can understand just how strong Bourbon-chan’s desire to aim for the Triple Crown is. When I first entered this academy myself, I was filled with nothing but the desire to win—to never lose.

She and I aren’t the same person. I know that, I know it well, but…

Expressionless. Desperate. Yearning to win.

That look—no matter how I see it—overlaps with who I was back then.

So…

"…Alright. I’ll help. The Trainer is stubborn, but he’s not someone who gets swept away by emotion. If we eliminate his reasons for ‘not wanting to take on another trainee’ one by one, I think he’ll eventually agree. Let’s move forward with that approach."

I ended up nodding and agreeing.

…Well, either way, it was only a matter of time.

Even accounting for the fact that he’s a rookie, the Trainer is probably among the highest-tier contract trainers at Tracen Academy. He clearly cares deeply about Uma Musume, and in a school that’s perpetually short on trainers, I can’t imagine he’d be allowed to keep his roster from growing forever.

Even if we’d dodged it this time, it would’ve happened eventually.

Thinking about it that way, maybe it was better that the second one was Bourbon-chan.

She’s a named Uma Musume from the anime. I know her personality and nature, at least to some extent. She may seem expressionless and short on words, but at her core she’s driven by kindness, grit, and a burning passion for running.

Compared to taking on some completely unknown Uma Musume, this should lead in a much better direction.

So I shared information with Bourbon-chan, had Nature and her Trainer help lay the groundwork, and even negotiated with the Chairwoman to prepare the stage…

We created a situation where the Trainer would have no choice but to sign the contract.

And in the end, that scheme succeeded.

…It really did succeed.

"Mmm…"

There was nothing wrong with having the Trainer contract with Bourbon-chan. I know that.

But the workload on the Trainer increased, and for me, well… it’s harder to be all lovey-dovey with him now, you know?

Even though I pushed this forward myself, I can’t suppress this lingering dissatisfaction—that feeling of “I don’t like this…”

…It’s not like I dislike Bourbon-chan.

I like hardworking kids. Regardless of the outcome, the fact that they give it their all earns them high marks in my book. I care so much about rewarding that earnest effort that I’d honestly do anything I could to help.

As for Horino Trainer, despite what I said, I’m not actually that worried about him. I don’t believe he’d ever allow himself the excuse of “because I have more trainees now.” I’m sure he’ll continue to devote just as much feeling to me as he always has.

If there’s any real concern, it’s that he already looked absurdly busy, and if he works any more than this, he might literally drop dead from overwork…

But on that front, I think it’s fine to trust the Chairwoman, who promised her full cooperation. She seemed like a very straightforward, earnest person.

In other words, there’s no truly major problem here.

If anything, for the sake of raising the Trainer’s self-esteem, he needs more successful training experiences with more Uma Musume. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

And in that regard, Bourbon-chan’s talent is outstanding—there’s really nothing to complain about.

All things considered, the Trainer contracting with Bourbon-chan isn’t a bad deal for me either.

But, you know… no matter what, emotions are still emotions…

This selfish little wish keeps bubbling up—I wanted just a bit more time where it was only the two of us.

…While I was lost in those thoughts, a voice called out to me from the side.

"What's wrong, senpai?"

"Hm? Ah… sorry. I was just thinking about something."

"You’ve just recovered, so if you don’t focus, it could be dangerous, you know?"

"Haha, it’s fine, it’s fine. I’m smart, after all."

"That’s true, but your grades were pretty average, weren’t they…?"

"Oh, you remember that well. Correct."

The words I spoke were carried away by the wind rushing past us from behind.

What reached my ears were the soft tap-tap-tap of light footsteps and the junior’s voice beside me.

What traveled up from my feet was the rustling texture of grass and the solid, satisfying feeling of my legs moving.

That’s right.

For the first time in a full two months, I was running on the turf again.

Man, if you’re going to run, grass really is the best.

This feeling, this comfort. Dirt tracks are fine too, but I’m definitely a turf girl.

I missed this sensation so much. I want to savor it for as long as I can—and I really don’t want another injury.

"…But senpai, you really can run again."

The one saying that was the junior running alongside me at an easy pace—a junior-class Uma Musume with semi-long pink hair fluttering in the wind.

She’s one of the underclassmen who talks to me a lot. I call her Pink-chan.

Sorry for the extremely straightforward nickname. I’m kind of terrible at remembering people’s names…

Pink-chan comes from a lineage that’s neither particularly prestigious nor especially humble—just a decent, middle-of-the-road bloodline.

Not something to look down on, but not something to boast about either. According to her, it’s “a perfectly normal mob lineage.”

Her goal is “to win a G2 and race in a G1.” From that alone, you can probably guess what tier she falls into as an Uma Musume.

Apparently, when someone like me—who came from a modest background—won the Hopeful Stakes, it made her realize that “bloodline isn’t everything,” and she became a fan.

That said, back then I was ice-cold and unfriendly, so it probably took a lot of courage for her to talk to me.

After some time passed, she finally spoke to me for the first time around the end of the Satsuki Sho.

She came up to me with her shoulders trembling, face bright red, and forced out her words. It was really cute.

Well, she’s still cute now too. That beaming smile is dazzling.

Since then, we’ve chatted more and more whenever we meet, and now she’s one of the juniors I’m closest to.

Even when she’s with her friends, if she spots me, she waves with sparkling eyes and runs over.

I can feel admiration, affection, and friendship in her gaze—and that honestly makes me really happy.

…Maybe I’m turning into some kind of approval-hungry monster. I should be careful.

Anyway, Pink-chan and I are senpai and kouhai, friends, and at the same time, a racing Uma Musume and her fan.

It’s a slightly complicated relationship.

That’s why it was a little surprising when someone who practically worships me said, “You really can run again.”

"I told you during the hospital visit that I’d be back by August, right? You didn’t believe me…?"

"N-no, that’s not it! But, um, Teio-senpai still isn’t fully healed either, right…?"

"Apparently. They say she’ll be fully recovered by September."

"Oh, I see… No, that’s not the point.

You fractured your bone two weeks after Teio-senpai, but you healed over a month faster…"

"Well, they said my fracture was a pretty clean break. It probably fused faster because of that.

And even then, it’s not like I can run at full strength yet."

"Even so, being able to run again in two months is insanely fast!"

"I worked hard, but more than anything, my Trainer put together a really solid rehab plan."

"Oh, the rumored suit-wearing Trainer… A dedicated contract sounds so nice. Boo-hoo…"

Pink-chan pretended to cry dramatically.

She did mention she belongs to a large team, didn’t she? That probably means less individual attention.

Maybe it’s not entirely a joke.

Well… I won’t be exclusively dedicated anymore either, though. Haha…

…Okay, change the subject.

"That said, your debut race was amazing. Congrats on first place."

"Th-thank you very much!

Ehehe, I used your escape strategy as a reference. How was it?"

"It was a good escape run. Not even close to mine, though."

"Oof, that’s harsh! But it’s undeniably true, so I can’t argue!"

For some reason, Pink-chan let out a high-pitched squeal. She seems happy, so that’s good.

A little while ago… no, around the Satsuki Sho, so about four or five months back.

That’s when Pink-chan really came into her own. In her late-June debut race, she won by a commanding two-and-a-half lengths.

She was the fourth favorite—people said there was a clear gap between her and the top three—but she exceeded expectations with her performance.

I watched the race from my hospital bed, and my honest impression was simply, “Yeah, she’s strong.”

Right-handed turf, 1400 meters. Running from the front, never losing steam, cleanly holding her lead all the way to the finish.

It seems the escape style really suits her. Good for her.

Now that I think about it, right after her debut race, she messaged me: “Thanks to you, senpai, I feel like I finally saw my own running style!”

She didn’t need to rush that, but… she’s just that earnest and sweet.

"I think your strengths came through clearly.

If you keep training properly, a G1 entry should definitely be within reach."

"—! Th-thank you! I’ll keep working hard!"

"Maybe someday we’ll even race together. When that happens, I won’t hold back."

"Wah… a race with you, senpai…!"

She really is such a good kid.

She saw me running alone earlier and immediately asked, “Senpai, may I run alongside you!?” And every time we meet, she brings me candy or juice.

Returning that kindness with advice and encouragement is the least I can do.

…Actually, now that I think about it, that’s really cheap.

She treats me to things all the time, and I only ever repay her with free advice. What kind of senpai does that make me?

Maybe I should spend a bit more money on social stuff. Way healthier than blowing it on gacha, at least.

Now then, daytime training has ended.

Which means what comes next?

That’s right—self-training time.

So I jumped out of my dorm room window and slipped off the grounds of Tracen Academy.

I ran comfortably along the nighttime streets at a light jogging pace.

Ahh… I can feel my self-training craving being satisfied.

It’s been a full two months since I last did this.

I did rehab during my injury, but that was Trainer-led. It just hits different when it’s not self-training.

I don’t know if this is relatable, but I love self-training.

I like training in general, but I love self-training even more.

Because I can run freely at my own pace, and I can really feel it—I’m strengthening my body right now.

The Trainer puts together optimal training menus, but when someone else designs it, there’s always this sense of “assigned tasks.”

And there’s something special about running extra—beyond what’s strictly required.

Thinking, This extra bit will make me faster. This will make my races even more fun, fills me with a satisfaction that’s honestly irresistible.

…Not to sound all high and mighty after saying that, but—

The truth is, I’ve only recently become able to enjoy self-training like this.

It’s because my Trainer pulled me out of that cold, obligation-driven state that I can enjoy myself now… and that I’m able to run like this today.

Being able to run with joy is a happy thing.

So today as well, I run as Hoshino Wilm, enjoying my self-training.

I run through this world with a life devoted to my Trainer, and a life given to me by my Trainer.

…Haha. That got a little poetic.

Maybe I’m feeling a bit sentimental now that I’m finally reclaiming my own running again.

Yeah, seriously—

The sensation of pressing my feet into this well-maintained lane… it’s been so long, and it feels amaz—

"…I’ll keep up… I’ll keep up…"

…W—what?

From about twenty meters behind me, I heard a faint muttering.

I couldn’t make out the exact words, but… this felt familiar. That thing from back then…!

Oh. Right. I remember now.

This place was a known spawn point for the “ghost of an Uma Musume who couldn’t make it to a race” (temporary designation)…!

A chill ran straight down my spine.

Am I going to get stalked again…?

And if I keep hearing that voice, will I eventually get dragged over to that side…?

"…!"

No—no, calm down, me.

There’s no such thing as ghosts. Once you know what it really is, even a withered reed looks harmless. There’s no way it’s actually a ghost!

Don’t underestimate me—I’m an undefeated two-crown Uma Musume! What’s some ghost knockoff supposed to do!?

Those days of fear are over. I’ll expose its true identity right here!

I slammed on the brakes and dashed backward in one burst.

"W—wah!?"

I faintly heard a startled cry from Ghost-chan (tentative).

Huh… this voice… I feel like I’ve heard it before.

I closed the distance in an instant—but just before I could confirm her appearance, she ducked behind a nearby tree.

…I mean, her big dark bay horse ears are sticking out from behind the trunk, though.

"U-uh… what should I do…? She’s going to be mad…?"

Even as I slowed my steps, my sharpened hearing caught those words.

That voice—clear like a ringing bell, cool yet somehow tinged with sadness, hesitant and lacking confidence…

If my ears aren’t broken, then this is—

"Rice Shower-chan?"

"H-hyai!"

Her ears snapped upright on the other side of the tree.

…Thought so.

Behold the ghost’s true identity: Rice Shower.

Rice Shower.

A named Uma Musume who appeared in Season 2 of my previous life’s anime—small, cute, strong, and terrifying.

The jet-black stayer who shattered Bourbon-chan’s undefeated Triple Crown and McQueen-senpai’s three-peat at the Spring Tenno Sho.

Usually timid and withdrawn, but in truth, an Uma Musume who desires victory and celebration more than anyone else.

Season 2 of the anime focused on so many different girls compared to Season 1 that it was almost impossible to pick a single favorite.

This one’s great, that one’s great—I kept wavering.

But if I had to rank them anyway…

First was Teio. Second was Master Turbo. Third was Nature.

…And fourth was Rice-chan.

In other words, she’s also one of my favorites.

Watching her train like a demon in the anime was so noble it nearly made me cry, and her fierce, godlike presence in certain openings gave me chills.

Then there was the Spring Tenno Sho against McQueen-senpai.

That murderous run, blue flames leaking from her eyes as she closed in.

The way she cried, yet still declared she would move forward.

All of it was—just so damn cool.

And now, by some strange twist of fate, that girl is my junior in this life.

Which means, of course—

If I can help it, I want to get along with her.

"Rice-chan, is water okay? Or would you prefer a sports drink?"

"N-no, that’s not okay! I’ll pay!"

"It’s fine. I’m your senpai. Come on, what do you want?"

"…Then, um… a sports drink, please."

That day, I’d just been reflecting on how little money I spend on my relationships.

So, for now, I treated her to a drink from a nearby vending machine.

Rice-chan accepted the sports drink while flustered in the cutest way imaginable.

…I take a moment to observe her properly.

She has a body type that feels familiar, unlike Bourbon-chan’s.

She’s about my height. Chest size is—w-well, within the margin of error?

Her most distinctive feature is probably her hair. The back is long, but her bangs are so long they completely cover her right eye. Isn’t that inconvenient?

Staring would be rude, so I avert my gaze and point to a nearby bench.

"Want to talk for a bit? I’m kind of interested in you, Rice-chan."

"…In Rice?"

"Is that no good?"

"N-no… I understand, Hoshino Wilm-senpai."

"Wilm is fine."

She nodded, awkwardly but clearly.

Thank goodness. If she’d run, I’d have had to attempt an escape chase even Teio couldn’t win—and in my current condition, that’d be too much.

I sit down on the edge of the bench, and Rice-chan sits beside me with a stiff, "E-excuse me!"

Man, she’s really tense. I’m not mad, you know?

Well, I’ll set that aside for now. She’ll relax naturally once we start talking.

I think about where to start, but… with her this stiff, casual conversation seems impossible.

For now, I’ll just ask what I wanted to know.

"So, why were you following me?"

"H-hyeh!"

"You were following me before the Takarazuka Kinen too, right?"

"I-I’m so sorry!"

"Ah—no, no, calm down. I’m not angry.

I just want to know why you went out of your way to follow me."

Yes. That was the big question.

Rice-chan’s original stalking—er, tracking—target should have been Bourbon-chan.

Sometime after the Satsuki Sho, wasn’t it? She started tailing her relentlessly to find a way to surpass that overwhelming strength. Probably.

On the other hand, I’m an irregular existence—an Uma Musume who didn’t exist in my previous life’s anime.

And, if I may toot my own horn, I’m also strong enough to catch Rice-chan’s attention.

If I’m just a convenient intermediate goal before Bourbon-chan fully rises, that’s fine.

But if she sees me as something more than that…

Then—

…No. There’s no way.

There’s absolutely no way I could be committing one of the greatest taboos possible for a former otaku like me…

"R-Rice, um… I really, really admire you, Wilm-senpai! At first, everyone saw you as Tokai Teio-senpai’s rival—the villain heel—but now you make everyone smile! I think that’s amazing, and Rice wants to become an Uma Musume like you someday! And then I just… I couldn’t help thinking I wanted to catch up to you…! Ah—um—I'm cheering for you! Please do your best with your rehabilitation!"

Rice-chan finished her confession with her face bright red, clutching the plastic bottle I’d bought her tightly against her chest.

…Hey. No way. You’re kidding me.

This—this is…!

NTR! This is straight-up NTR!!

No—wait. In this case, am I the one doing the stealing…? Well, I didn’t actually sleep with anyone, so maybe it’s more like taking than stealing? Then technically it’s NTL? Is that the correct genre classification?

That doesn’t matter!!

What matters is that I—this foreign object called me—am tearing apart the Bourbon-chan × Rice-chan pairing!!

This has to be a joke. What is even happening!?

Why am I unconsciously destroying my favorite ship!? Is that acceptable behavior for a former otaku!?

W-w-w-what do I do!? Rice—Rice-chan—what am I supposed to do!?

This is bad, right!? It’s common sense that a reincarnator shouldn’t monopolize Rice-chan’s gaze, right!? That’s basically a capital offense, isn’t it!? I don’t want to die, though! If I went to my parents over something like this, they’d be disappointed enough to disown me!

I need a plan. At this rate, I’ll be executed for the crime of intruding between yuri. How do I properly establish the Rice-chan × Bourbon-chan couple!? How do I redirect Rice-chan’s eyes back toward Bourbon-chan!?

…No, wait—was my very existence already a fundamental mistake?

Wow. I kind of want to die now… I haven’t felt this depressed since I blew about 200,000 yen on a failed gacha… which was, uh… actually pretty recent…

"U-Um, Wilm-senpai? Are you… okay?"

"I’m okay… no, sorry, that’s a lie. Give me ten seconds to calm down."

"Y-Yes…"

Rice-chan had a big question mark floating over her head, but I didn’t have the mental capacity to worry about that.

"Hhh… haaah…"

Let’s calm down.

Yeah. Let’s calm down for now and think this through coolly.

…Nope, impossible! I can’t mentally withstand the destruction of the Rice × Bourbon weak-top/tempting-bottom dynamic!

But wait—setting that aside, in this world, Rice-chan and Bourbon-chan are both real people. Isn’t this way of thinking itself incredibly rude?

But if that’s the case, what am I supposed to do with all the feelings I carried over from my past life!?

Gah—this is bad, my head’s a mess! What am I even supposed to do with myself!?

"Wilm-senpai… it’s been about two minutes now…"

"Alright!"

"Hyaa!?"

I stood up.

No good. In my current mental state, proper thinking is impossible. In that case, I should switch modes.

I’ve got a convenient “cold” mode for that exact purpose—might as well use it.

"Rice-chan, want to run together?"

"T-Together!? B-but, um, Wilm-senpai is…"

"Yeah, I’m not in top form. At best I can do a low pace—mid pace is pushing it. So no racing. Just running side by side, okay?"

"You’ll… run alongside me!?"

"Huh? Yeah. Let’s do it."

Why are you so surprised?

It’s just a side-by-side run, you know? It’s not like I won the lottery or anything.

"B-But if Rice stays with you, um… senpai might end up… having more bad things happen…"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Rice is a bad child… when people stay with Rice, unhappy things happen…"

…?

Huh. Was Rice-chan always like this?

Maybe anime Rice-chan wasn’t the whole picture. Even Bourbon-chan talks more mechanically in this world, after all.

In Rice-chan’s case… this feels like some deeply rooted negativity outside of racing.

Well, whatever. Let’s just run. If we run, I’ll probably see what’s at the bottom of her, and my chaotic thoughts should sort themselves out too.

Running really is the answer! Running solves everything!

"It’s fine. I won’t lose to something like bad luck. Come on, let’s go."

"Eeeh!? B-but, Rice…!"

And so, rather abruptly, the side-by-side run between Rice-chan and me began.

That run went on for quite a while.

Almost without taking breaks—about an hour, maybe?

"Wilm… senpai… huff, huff… ngh—cough!"

"Rice-chan, are you okay? Think you can keep going?"

"I… can…!"

My leg strength has declined, so I can’t do explosive acceleration anymore, but…

According to my Trainer, I’m essentially a stayer by nature, and long-distance running is my specialty.

On top of that, I’d been doing proper aerobic exercise in the hospital, so my lungs and basic stamina haven’t deteriorated that badly.

…That said, my right leg feels heavy no matter what, and my stamina drain is intense.

Honestly, I probably wouldn’t even last half as long as I did during the Takarazuka Kinen.

Even so, Rice-chan was the one who wore out first.

No matter how promising a stayer she is, there’s a limit to what she can do in June of her junior year.

In other words, my slightly weakened stamina still surpasses her current endurance.

I glance back at Rice-chan, thinking it might be time to stop.

Her tracksuit is soaked with sweat, and her steps are clearly starting to falter.

Training while excessively fatigued invites accidents. It might be better to take a break.

…But she squeezed out the words, “I can keep going.”

I don’t want to trample on that determination.

I’ve already switched into “cold” mode, and I’ve mostly put together the words I should say to her…

So then, let’s go all the way—wait!?

"—!"

"Senpai!?"

I stepped on something slick.

My foot slid, my body pitching backward.

This is bad—I’m going down… twisting—

Instinctively, I used “that.”

For a moment, it felt as though time itself had slowed to a crawl.

In reality, it was my thinking speed that had skyrocketed.

Man… that seriously startled me.

I didn’t have the luxury to sigh in relief, but I did manage to quickly organize my thoughts and regain my composure.

From the corner of my vision, I could tell what I’d stepped on was… something like black oil.

With the sun fully set, it must have blended into the darkness and escaped notice. Ahh, that was careless. If I’d been truly focused, I never would’ve missed something like that.

I curled my body as it pitched forward, pulled my arms in front of my face, planted my hands on the ground, and sharply redirected the force backward.

Then I put strength into my arms and pushed off.

"Hyah—up we go!"

"E-eh!? Eeeh!?"

I sprang about two meters into the air, rotated half a turn vertically, and landed with my left leg as the pivot.

Mm. Clean landing. If I had to score it myself—ten, ten, ten, ten. …Wait, wrong sport.

Still, I’m really glad I trained my arms properly while I was in the hospital.

When you think about emergencies, there’s never any downside to keeping your body strong.

"Phew… I thought I was going to fall."

"Y-you just… jumped with your arms…?"

"Haha, yeah. An arm jump. It was instinctive, but I’m glad it worked."

Truth is, I knew it would work before I did it.

My reincarnation perk: “Anime Reincarnation.”

Aside from boosting my physical abilities, it’s a ridiculous cheat that massively amplifies my thinking speed while running.

Using that, I analyzed countermeasures before my posture completely collapsed, then chose the safest option—one that would still look like a harmless joke to anyone watching.

If I hadn’t used it, I definitely would’ve gone down. Pretty sure I’d have twisted my leg too.

Man… that was really close. Getting injured here would’ve been bad.

If I got hurt during voluntary training, my Trainer would probably ban me from solo training for three months.

And more than that—if I, the senpai Rice-chan admires, got injured right in front of her, I might’ve given her some kind of weird trauma.

I did consider just rolling with the fall, but I went out of my way to do something borderline acrobatic because…

I wanted to look totally fine and clearly signal, “I’m okay.”

…Alright, sorry. That’s half a lie.

I was in front of a junior who respects me, so I kind of wanted to look cool.

But that’s fine, right? Just a little. At least in front of my juniors, I want to be the cool version of myself.

Now then—back on my feet.

"Rice-chan, be careful there. Looks like there’s oil or something."

"Huh? …Ah, you’re right! Senpai, you slipped on this…!"

"Seems like it. Haha, sorry for showing you such a silly blunder."

"I-I’m so sorry!!"

The moment Rice-chan grasped the situation, she bowed deeply with incredible force.

Huh? Why?

Is there anything Rice-chan needs to apologize for? I was the one who nearly fell on my own.

…Wait. Before we started, she did say—

"Rice is… Rice is a bad child, so even senpai ends up suffering misfortune…!"

Her voice, and her lowered head, were trembling as if she’d been cast into a freezing place.

…I see. I think I get it now.

If I had to guess, Rice-chan believes she’s unlucky.

Just like how Hoshino Wilm’s LUC stat swings wildly between extremely good and extremely bad.

Rice Shower’s LUC probably only ever rolls badly—and even affects the people around her.

It’s not exactly scientific, but things like luck do exist.

And since I’m cut from a similar cloth, I can’t outright dismiss Rice-chan’s bad luck as mere superstition.

…Though, honestly, so what?

"There’s no need to apologize, Rice-chan. I told you, didn’t I? I don’t lose to misfortune. And see? I’m not injured at all."

"B-but…!"

Yeah, no. She’s completely crushed.

Rice-chan’s mentality is probably similar to a Trainer’s at its core.

She overinterprets everything negatively—and keeps it all locked inside herself.

…Alright.

Kids like that might need a slightly stronger dose of medicine.

"Then let me put it this way.

Don’t get ahead of yourself, Rice Shower. There’s no way misfortune at your level could bring down Hoshino Wilm."

"…Huh?"

"No matter how long I stay with you, I won’t break. Because I’m strong. Really strong. So—come on. Lift your head."

I gently but firmly cupped Rice-chan’s cheeks in both hands and made her look up.

Pale, soft cheeks. Clear, stunned eyes.

As expected of an Uma Musume—appearance score: one million points.

But I’m sure a cheerful you would be even cuter.

"You might be a bad child. …But if that’s the case, then so was I.

My mother died of illness after years of neglect. My father never paid attention to me—and then died in an accident.

When I entered Tracen Academy, I was carrying debts totaling tens of millions of yen.

Honestly, when it comes to misfortune power, I don’t plan on losing to anyone. Not even you."

I could see the light in her eyes waver—she was shaken.

Well, yeah. Anyone would be after hearing something that heavy out of nowhere.

But that’s fine.

To pull someone out of their shell, you need to hit them with something unexpected and shake them up.

The classic “Amano-Iwato” strategy. …Though, maybe that metaphor’s a bit off.

"Still, I used my own strength to claim the happiness I have now.

If you want to change the part of yourself you hate, then do it.

You have the power to do that. I guarantee it—as someone who’s been there."

"Rice… Rice can change too…?"

For the first time, I thought I saw something in Rice-chan’s eyes—a color reaching out for salvation.

I’d finally caught sight of her true feelings at the core.

She wants to change.

She hates who she is now. She wants to become better.

…Good enough.

You’re already moving further forward than someone who couldn’t even imagine wanting to change for the longest time.

"It’s not ‘can change.’ It’s ‘will change.’"

"Can I… become an Uma Musume who makes everyone happy?"

"That’s not ‘can,’ either."

Rice-chan closed her eyes at that, placing a hand over her chest.

"I will. …Rice will become an Uma Musume who makes everyone happy.

I will… become the blue rose of happiness!"

I don’t know what she meant by “blue rose,” but…

The darkness hanging over Rice-chan had completely dissipated, and there was no need to say anything unnecessary.

This is fine. Rather than clouding over for no reason, a smiling face—or even a determined one—shines far brighter.

As a happy-ending enthusiast, I’m grinning too.

"Yeah. Do your best, Rice-chan. I’ll be waiting to run with you up there."

To be specific—something like the Tenno Sho (Spring) the year after next.

According to my Trainer, Rice-chan is a born stayer, the kind who gets stronger the longer the distance becomes.

Someday, I’d love to run together over 3,200 meters.

Well… officially, the longest I’ve ever raced so far is 2,400 meters, but still.

…Lost in thoughts of such a bright future, I was smiling to myself when I noticed her change a beat too late.

"Hnn… sniff… th-thank you… very much…!"

"Huh?"

Wait—Rice-chan… is she crying?

And not just a little—big tears are streaming down her face. She’s really crying!?

H-hold on!? That’s not what I meant to do at all!?

Did I… make her cry? Was I trying to encourage her and ended up rubbing salt in the wound?

But she’s saying thank you, so was this actually the right call…?!

Young Uma Musume these days are complicated!

No—calm down. Don’t panic, me.

There’s a junior crying right in front of you.

As a reliable senpai, I need to handle this calmly!

"Oh dear… here, take a handkerchief. Wipe your tears."

"I-I’m sorry…"

"I’d rather hear ‘thank you’ than ‘sorry.’"

"Thank you very much!"

…Honestly, I don’t really know what moved her so deeply.

But still.

I was just relieved that, even through tears, she managed to smile again.

That was all that mattered to me.

After resting for a while on a nearby bench, Rice-chan’s emotions seemed to settle down.

Alright… time to gently steer things back on course.

"Hehe. Well, to actually race against me, you’d have to enter senior mixed G1 races—and that means winning a lot of races first.

Climb your way up, Rice Shower. Surpass Bourbon-chan."

"Bourbon… san?"

"Yeah. Mihono Bourbon. If you’re aiming for the Classic Triple Crown, she’ll definitely be a wall in your way.

After all, she’s the second Uma Musume my Trainer ever took charge of."

"The same Trainer as Wilm-senpai…"

"Bourbon-chan is strong. She’ll be a great rival for you.

So first, aim for her back. That race will guide you toward a new version of yourself."

"U-um… o-okay! Rice will do her best!"

Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Now Rice-chan should be strongly conscious of Bourbon-chan.

And while chasing after her, they’ll naturally grow closer…

…Wait. Hold on?

At least in my previous life’s anime, the reason Rice-chan became close to Bourbon-chan was… right, when Bourbon-chan and Teio stopped her after she ran away from racing MacQueen-senpai.

If Bourbon-chan wins the Kikuka Sho… does that flag with Rice-chan break? Or does it never even get raised?

Bourbon-chan is under the care of Horino Ayumu—an absurdly gifted, almost cheat-level Trainer.

That man could easily derail the “original story”… well, not that it was truly an original canon, but still.

I mean, it already got derailed. Who stole Teio’s two crowns? Me. That was me.

…Ah.

Well, if that happens, I guess it can’t be helped.

If Bourbon-chan and Rice-chan both gave it their all and that was the result, then that’s fate too.

But then—Bourbon-chan has me and our Trainer.

Who would support Rice-chan?

If she has a dedicated Trainer, that’s fine, but most Uma Musume belong to large teams, and in that case, proper mental care might be lacking.

And with how negative she is—how she pushes others away—it doesn’t seem like she has many friends either…

If something like that Kikuka Sho incident happens again, who will be there for Rice-chan?

I watch her from the corner of my eye as she sips her sports drink little by little.

The Uma Musume I loved.

Even in this world, she’ll surely pass through much sorrow… and, in her own words, someday become that “blue rose”—the jet-black stayer she’s meant to be.

The way she tends to shoulder everything herself… somehow reminds me of someone I love.

I can’t just ignore her.

If possible, I want her to someday receive that thunderous blessing too.

If she feels that overwhelming heat, I’m sure she’ll be able to think, “I made someone happy. I really did change.”

So until that day comes, I want her to keep running—without giving up.

…Alright. I’ve decided.

I’ll be the one to look after Rice-chan.

Close relationships don’t come in only one form.

What I should aim to be isn’t the sinful Uma Musume who wedges herself between Bourbon-chan and Rice-chan—but a position that supports her.

Yes—the best-friend character in a dating sim!

I’ll support her when things are hard, and lend a hand when it’s time to pursue Bourbon-chan.

I’ll become that convenient friend!

"If anything happens from now on, you can talk to me about it. Here—let’s exchange LINE."

"W-wah, yes…!"

"And, you know… feel free to reach out anytime.

Also, if you’re going to run anyway, let’s do night runs together. It’s more fun than silently following me, right?"

"I-is it really okay to run alongside Rice!?"

"Of course. I usually run at night unless it’s right before a race, so just call out whenever you want."

"Y-yes!

Amazing… you really are like an older sister…!"

"Hm? Older sister?"

"N-no! It’s nothing!

Um… from now on… please take care of me!"

Happy at having gained a friend, Rice-chan smiled brightly.

Yeah. She seems a little more positive now. Good, very good.

Do your best, Rice-chan.

Your senpai is cheering for you, so you can overcome even a harsh fate!

…Wait. Hold on?

Thinking about it calmly—Bourbon-chan is basically my stablemate now…

Does favoring Rice-chan count as helping the enemy?

………Did I mess this up?