Chapter 59: Older Brother / Bad Temper / Fever

Those were the words Horino Masa had spoken.

“…It’s just that I really, truly hate that brother of mine. Being cold to someone you dislike isn’t exactly rare, is it?”

What on earth had she meant by that?

Last week, at a stylish café Horino Masa-san had taken me to, she’d let that bit of venom slip. I’d tried to ask what she really meant, but she’d deftly changed the subject, and I never got my answer. Still… I suspect that was her honest feeling.

“That brother” almost certainly referred to Ayumu-san. But does Masa-san really dislike Ayumu-san? To be honest, I think there’s room to doubt that.

I turned my unusually mobile ears—so different from an ordinary person’s—and listened in on their conversation. While watching us run across the turf, the trainer and Masa-san were working through paperwork, exchanging words as they did.

“…You didn’t sleep last night, did you, big brother? Your focus has been off for a while now. Wandering around in that state is just a nuisance, so why don’t you go take a nap already?”

“No, I can’t do that. My trainee is running right now. I can’t be the only one taking a break.”

“Huh. So you really didn’t sleep, then.”

“W-Well, I mean… yeah, I didn’t.”

“Go to sleep, idiot.”

…Is that really how you treat someone you hate?

Even putting it mildly, it sounded like nothing more than a normal, close exchange between siblings. And if I don’t put it mildly—this was just an extremely close pair of siblings, plain and simple.

I’ve been socially awkward since my previous life, so I’m not exactly well-versed in human communication. If anything, I’m pretty clueless about it. So maybe I’m just misunderstanding things—maybe “dislike” doesn’t necessarily translate directly into “having a bad relationship,” and relationships like this do exist. But even so, it didn’t feel like Masa-san truly hated Ayumu-san.

When someone dislikes another person, their attitude usually grows distant. More precisely, they avoid interaction altogether, or their behavior turns openly hostile. From that perspective, Masa-san’s treatment of Ayumu-san does look cold and aggressive… at a glance.

But in reality, that coldness is only superficial.

Normally, you don’t worry about someone you dislike. “Dislike” is fundamentally a form of antagonism, and showing concern for an antagonist is biologically counterintuitive.

…And yet, Masa-san is clearly worried about Ayumu-san. Her earlier words were wrapped in a harsh texture, but at their core they meant, “You haven’t slept, right? Go take a nap.” That’s concern—a suggestion meant to help. Is that really something you’d say to someone you hate?

“I don’t get it…”

If my observations aren’t mistaken, Masa-san did say—honestly—that she hated her brother. But judging from her usual behavior, there’s no sign that she truly dislikes Ayumu-san. If anything… it feels like she’s forcing herself to act cold, while beneath it all there’s something like familial affection. Or at least, that’s how it looks to me.

…Then again, I’ve never really received affection from my parents, in either my past life or this one, so whether I can even judge that sort of thing properly is questionable.

Even so… yeah. For something labeled “dislike,” the distance between them feels way too close. It doesn’t seem sweet enough to be romantic—which is a relief—but for one side to call the other “someone I hate,” the closeness just feels excessive.

So then, is it that trope? The kind you see in romance manga—the one who’s unaware of their own feelings? No, Masa-san doesn’t really strike me as that type. She seems like someone with firm control over her emotions. Of course, we haven’t known each other that long, so there’s always the chance I’m just misreading things.

“…Hmm, but still, that would mean—”

“Senpai?”

“Huh—oh, Bourbon-chan.”

Her voice came from closer than I expected, startling me enough that my footing nearly wobbled. Instinctively, I activated my cheat and boosted my thinking speed, quickly adjusting my posture so I wouldn’t injure my legs.

That was close. Twisting something would’ve been bad news. I really need to be careful.

To restate things properly: the cheat that Hoshino Wilm—a reincarnated Uma Musume—gained in this life is the ability to deliberately boost her thinking speed while running at a certain velocity. It can be switched on and off much like “cold mode,” and it allows for light future prediction, improved form stability, prevention of unnecessary stamina loss, and various other effects. It’s a surprisingly versatile cheat.

…However, if there’s one complaint I have about it, it’s that it’s a bit—no, very—plain.

When you hear the word “cheat,” you tend to imagine some outrageous power that flips the situation on its head in one shot, leaving everyone stunned. But mine isn’t that flashy.

The benefits of increased thinking speed mainly lie in situational awareness, predictive calculations, and optimizing my running form to push my specs right up to their limits while reducing strain on my legs and stamina. It also helps avoid danger in moments like that. In other words, even with this cheat, I can’t exceed my actual limits.

All it does is derive and execute the “optimal solution” for my current state and the conditions of the racetrack. That is my reincarnation cheat: “Anime Reincarnation.”

There’s a bit of disappointment mixed in there. I’m not saying I wanted some completely broken power that guarantees victory without lifting a finger, but… honestly, sometimes I wish it were just a little cooler. Or flashier.

I mean, increasing thinking speed is really, really plain. From the outside, nothing changes. No matter how perceptive someone is—even another Uma Musume—at most they’d think, “Huh? Did her running form change a bit?” It’s on the same level as “Did you get a haircut?” Incredibly subtle.

Of course, there’s no rule that a cheat has to be flashy. If anything, just having one at all is something to be grateful for. But since I went through the trouble of reincarnating, there’s this desire to show off more dramatically. I figure the trainer would be even more captivated by me if I did.

What’s more, there are very few situations where this cheat can really shine. Official Uma Musume races happen at most once a month, and since I’m aiming for G1 races, the pace will be even slower. On top of that, after various tests, I discovered that “Anime Reincarnation” can only be used for about thirty seconds at a time.

I tried it recently, and after using it continuously for around thirty seconds, I started feeling sick from the sheer volume of information—like I was about to throw up. Apparently, while my thinking speed increases, my brain’s capacity—or maybe its tolerance—doesn’t. The end result is that this reincarnation cheat only truly shows its power for thirty seconds a month. That’s… pretty underwhelming.

Honestly, I use it far more often for avoiding danger while running with Rice-chan than I do in actual races. At this point, it’s less a cheat and more just a convenient skill.

A cheat that’s plain, rarely gets its moment in the spotlight, but is reliable when it really matters. There’s a certain romance to that, and I don’t dislike it. In fact, back in my previous life, when I devoured reincarnation stories, I preferred that kind of ability over absurdly broken cheats.

…But when you’re the one actually reincarnated, the story changes a bit.

Since it’s a cheat I got through reincarnation, I can’t help wanting to use it in a cooler, more eye-catching way, instead of just as subtle support.

As I was thinking that, my massively boosted thought process led me to a sudden realization.

Wait… this feeling, could it be…?

Chuunibyou…?

Come to think of it, I’m in my second year of middle school right now. That’s exactly the age for catching it. If I were my college-age self from my previous life—well, technically I wasn’t attending college, but still—I feel like I would’ve said, “As long as it’s useful, who cares if it’s cool or not?”

…Oh wow. Now that I’m aware of it, this is incredibly embarrassing.

Even if it’s in front of someone I like, I can’t believe I’ve got this kind of try-hard side to me. Ugh, th-this is so embarrassing! Am I some kind of validation-seeking monster or what?!

Okay, stop, stop. Abort thinking. Switching off “Anime Reincarnation.”

Not thinking at all is obviously bad, but overthinking isn’t good either. If I keep staring into my own darkness, my heart won’t take it. Best to forget things like this as quickly as possible.

The runaway thoughts slowed back down to their usual pace as soon as I turned “Anime Reincarnation” off. Seriously, boosting my thinking speed outside of an absorbing race comes with side effects like this, which is a pain. Still, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, so I can’t exactly stop using it.

Thinking that, I brought my running to a halt. The footsteps I’d been hearing behind me stopped sharply in response.

When I turned around, there stood my junior, Mihono Bourbon-chan. Today, the two of us had been doing paired running training.

“What’s wrong, Bourbon-chan?”

“You appeared to be lost in thought, so I spoke to you. I infer that thinking while running is dangerous.”

“Ah… yeah, you’re right. Thanks.”

She was absolutely correct. Even as a reincarnated Uma Musume, zoning out without using “Anime Reincarnation” could easily lead to a fall. I accepted the warning gratefully and resolved to focus properly while running.

“Alright then, let’s go again. Which set is this now?”

“The fifth.”

“I see. Hopefully it works this time.”

“Yes. I’ll be counting on you.”

Saying that, the two of us stopped once—and with a call of “Ready, go!” we launched forward again at the same time.

November had reached its midpoint, and this weekend would finally bring Bourbon-chan’s pre–open race, the Begonia Sho. According to the trainer, there didn’t seem to be any standout talents there who could truly become an obstacle for Bourbon-chan, so she should be able to win without much trouble. Even so, final workouts before a race are something you can never skip.

For an Uma Musume, pre-race sharpening is critically important. By piling on tough training and pushing yourself to your limits, you become sharper both mentally and physically, stoking your fighting instinct. If that instinct is lacking on race day, you’re more likely to give ground in pace battles or positioning fights with other girls—and when you hit that moment late in the race where you think, “Am I coming up short…?” you won’t have the grit to dig deep.

To avoid that kind of scenario, it’s essential to compress your condition with a final workout right before the race.

And so, today being today, we were once again piling on the training to push Bourbon-chan to her limits—body and mind alike.

“Hah…!”

“…Ngh.”

Today’s training was aimed at resolving one of Bourbon-chan’s three weaknesses: her difficult temperament.

Bourbon-chan has extremely high specs. Not just raw talent, either, but the kind of excellence forged through effort—a true prodigy of hard work. According to the trainer, “If Mihono Bourbon is in peak condition, at her optimal distance, and running one-on-one, there’s no one in her generation who can beat her.” That’s how overwhelming she is.

…But that assessment comes with a crucial condition: one-on-one.

The reason is simple.

Bourbon-chan is very prone to getting worked up.

For front-running Uma Musume, being prone to overexertion isn’t all that rare. Front-running itself isn’t exactly the orthodox strategy, and many choose it because they tend to get worked up easily or dislike being in the pack. Being surrounded by others—or even just sensing their presence—makes them anxious and causes them to overdo it. So they surge ahead far enough that they no longer feel anyone else. A simple, straightforward solution.

…But that only works when there aren’t two or more front-runners—when there’s no need to fight for the lead.

If there are two front-runners—both “strong as long as they don’t feel the others”—they end up dragging each other down by clashing.

According to the trainer, that’s currently the biggest threat to Bourbon-chan. First, she gets forced into overexertion by another front-runner. Second, she gets chased down by a girl with a powerful late kick. When those two conditions are met at the same time, Bourbon-chan’s defeat becomes unavoidable.

Of course, when a weakness is this clearly defined, there’s no reason not to work on overcoming it. That’s why we’ve been training like this—to rein in her tendency to get worked up, even if only a little.

“Bourbon-chan!”

“…Y-Yes.”

To put it bluntly, her fighting instinct was far stronger than I’d imagined.

The training we’re doing right now is very simple. Bourbon-chan runs at a low pace, while I maintain a position two lengths ahead of her and run at the same speed. She then finishes a full 1,000 meters without letting her pace increase.

From my perspective, it’s easy. I just need to gauge the distance of her footsteps behind me and keep my own pace steady. But…

For my junior running behind me—Bourbon-chan—maintaining that pace has proven surprisingly difficult.

We finished the 1,000 meters and came to a stop. Bourbon-chan’s footsteps, two lengths back, halted almost immediately as well, but…

…Hmm. Pointing it out feels kind of harsh.

“How was it, Bourbon-chan?”

“…………Referencing data. From the 342-meter mark onward, I gradually accelerated and increased my pace. I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m fine. …Temperament really is a tough one, huh.”

Perhaps because Uma Musume inherit the souls of horses, their instincts tend to be stronger than those of humans. It’s especially noticeable while running—emotions heat up, and instinct can overpower reason.

There’s variation from girl to girl. I’m the type who can run more or less as usual. It’s fun, sure, but I don’t forget my strategy just because of it. …Now that I think about it, that might be thanks to “Anime Reincarnation.” Even when it’s off, it feels like I still receive subtle benefits—better perception of footsteps, smoother judgment, things like that.

In contrast, Bourbon-chan is very much an instinct-driven type. When she runs alongside another Uma Musume for around 300 meters like this, her form becomes rough—not completely out of control, but definitely unsettled.

I mean, I do think she’s trying to rein it in. This time, too, she seemed to snap back to herself once and slow down… only to gradually accelerate again.

Still, I get it. I’m an Uma Musume too—I understand that feeling of getting fired up. The exhilaration near the end of a race, the desire to beat your opponent. I can channel those emotions into my running while staying relatively calm, but for someone as serious and instinct-driven as Bourbon-chan, managing that might simply be harder.

…Hmm. What should we do?

She’s my cute junior, so I really want to help. But since this is about her temperament—her inner self—there aren’t many realistic options I can take. I’m fairly confident in my way with words, but that’s all I am. I’m not a psychological counselor or her attending doctor—just a middle-school Uma Musume.

Honestly, I can’t see a clear path to solving this.

I hate to admit it, but I’m at a loss.

Yeah… this is probably something we need to leave to the trainer. He may be hopeless when it comes to a girl’s psyche, but as a trainer, he’s top-class. He’ll probably use all sorts of data—maybe even things from the Horino family—and figure out a way to address her tendency to get worked up… probably. Hopefully.

“What do you want to do, Bourbon-chan? Want to take a break for now?”

“…No. If it’s alright with you, senpai, could I ask you to do a few more runs with me?”

“Mm. The trainer did say, ‘Keep running until you get used to the pressure,’ so let’s try a bit more.”

Bourbon-chan looks… a little troubled, but still within acceptable limits. If things get bad, we can always consult the trainer. For now, I’ll keep running with her.

…Running with other girls like this gives me plenty of insights too, after all.

“Alright then, let’s go. …Ready, go!”

Once training time ended, we Uma Musume headed back to the dorms as usual. Bourbon-chan and I both belong to the Ritto Dorm, so we generally walk back together every day, but… today, there was one extra guest mixed in.

As I walked alongside Bourbon-chan on the way back, a familiar pink-haired junior caught my eye.

“Ah, Wilm-senpai!”

“Hm? Pink-chan?”

“Soury-san.”

The three of us all called out different names.

…The name Pink-chan used was mine, while the one I used was her nickname. Meanwhile, the name Bourbon-chan used was… Soury?

“Oh, Bourbon-san too. Right—you have the same trainer as Wilm-senpai, don’t you? Heading back now?”

“Yes. Soury-san, you as well?”

“Yeah. Our team’s sub-trainer hurt his lower back, so practice wrapped up early.”

“That’s… unfortunate.”

“Haha, thanks.”

…Judging from the conversation, “Soury-chan” seems to be Pink-chan’s actual name—or at least something close to it. As a senior, forgetting a junior’s name is pretty inexcusable. I’m honestly failing at being a senpai here. Still, “Pink-chan” is a cute nickname, so I hope she can forgive me.

Anyway, Pink—no, Soury-chan and Bourbon-chan are chatting normally. Maybe not exactly close, but comfortable enough. Come to think of it, they must be acquaintances. They’re both in the Junior class and the same year, after all, so it wouldn’t be strange.

“Are you two friends?”

“Friends… maybe not quite? More like classmates?”

“Yes. I recognize her as a classmate.”

Shocking. Pink-chan and Bourbon-chan are classmates.

Tracen Academy is a massive school, so during the Junior years there are close to twenty classes. That makes being classmates surprisingly rare. Bourbon-chan and Rice-chan aren’t even in the same class, after all.

In that case… yeah.

As her senior, maybe I should ask a favor—so Bourbon-chan doesn’t end up isolated.

“I see. …Pink-chan, Bourbon-chan can be a bit airheaded sometimes, so as her senior, I’d really appreciate it if you could look out for her.”

“Ah, um… Bourbon-san is, well… kind of hard for someone like me to approach…”

I’d assumed she’d agree readily, but instead she hesitated, her expression tinged with apology.

…Ah. I see. That makes sense.

Tracen Academy includes both middle and high school divisions, so naturally, there’s the usual baggage—hierarchies, cliques, all that annoying stuff. And the biggest factor among them is… how to put it—something like “status.”

For example: She’s a G1-level Uma Musume, so girls who haven’t even won a graded race shouldn’t get close. That sort of vague but unpleasant atmosphere hangs in the air at Tracen.

Well, compared to my previous world, it’s much better. There’s no bullying, and almost no outright conflict between groups. Still, girls with similar ability levels are more likely to race together and train together, which naturally increases contact. Because of that, even though the boundaries between groups are loose, the wall separating them is still surprisingly high.

Personally, I don’t care about that kind of atmosphere at all… but unfortunately, my classmates don’t feel the same way.

In Hoshino Wilm’s class, aside from me, no one has won above G2. As a result, I—being a G1 Uma Musume—naturally stand out. And because of that, I’ve ended up isolated within my class.

…Well, to be fair, it’s also my fault for not actively trying to communicate, but still.

As for Pink-chan… by her own account, she’s an ordinary mob Uma Musume, somewhere between G3 and G2 level. Considering how many girls transfer out after failing to win even a maiden race, there’s room to question whether someone competitive at G2 is really “ordinary.” But at least in her own mind, that’s how she sees herself.

For a girl like that to get close to Bourbon-chan… yeah, that hurdle is probably pretty high.

For girls this age, the “atmosphere” is the strongest enemy of all—something you’re basically forced to obey. Going against it would be terrifying beyond measure… and I can’t ask something like that of a cute junior.

“Sorry, forget I said anything.”

“I’m sorry. I wish I could’ve been of more help…”

“No, this one’s on me for not reading the room. And since I’m the one asking for a favor, you really don’t need to worry about it.”

Pink-chan lowered her head apologetically, which only made me feel worse in turn. Situations like this are always awkward—when both sides feel sorry, there’s just this uncomfortable air. As I scratched my head, wondering what to do, Bourbon-chan—who’d been quietly observing—spoke up.

“…What does ‘airheaded’ mean? What exactly is missing?”

“Ah—haha, don’t worry about it. You’re fine just the way you are, Bourbon-chan.”

I answered lightly, but… did she already know what I meant and ask on purpose? Maybe she was trying to ease the awkward mood.

“If something is missing, perhaps a screw…? I did detect a slight anomaly since early this morning. There is a possibility that a screw came loose… hmm. There appears to be a screw in my pocket.”

“Bourbon-san, do you really hold your body together with screws?!”

“It was a mechanical joke.”

…Yeah, that figures.

Thanks to Bourbon-chan’s all-out joke, Pink-chan burst into laughter. Seeing that, I couldn’t help but smile too.

Bourbon-chan really is a bit airheaded, but she’s not bad at reading the room—and she’s got great timing. When conversations stall like this, she often steps in to help.

I really do have a wonderful junior.

Since she helped me like this, I’ll have to repay her by training together, listening to her worries, and supporting her however I can.

…By the way, Bourbon-chan.

Was she seriously carrying that screw around in her pocket the whole time just for that one gag?

After returning to the dormitory and parting ways with the other two, I head back to my room.

And waiting there is—

“…Welcome back, Wil-chan.”

“I’m home, Meek-senpai.”

There she is—my dearly beloved, absurdly cute senior Uma Musume.

Her rare white coat, paired with softly drooping pale pink eyes.

She has a gentle, unhurried presence about her, yet somehow gives off an air of vigilance, while also feeling like someone you could completely let your guard down around. A strange, indescribable atmosphere surrounds her.

Happy Meek-senpai.

In fact, she’s a senior Uma Musume I’ve shared a room with for far longer than even Nature—someone I’ve known for a very long time.

Meek-senpai once told me she liked gazing at the sky, and today is no different. Sitting in her chair, she quietly watches the view beyond the window.

Feeling inexplicably reassured by the familiar sight, I set my things down and speak to her.

“It looks like you got back earlier than me today. I thought I came back pretty quickly myself.”

“…My trainer went out with Sky-san’s trainer. …So today is a rest day.”

“Uh—wait, your trainer did? Went out… with another trainer?”

“…My trainer gets along well with other trainers from the same intake.”

Still absentmindedly staring at the sky as it slowly turns red, Meek-senpai answers.

So that kind of thing happens too. It’s hard to imagine with my trainer.

…Well, thinking about it, that makes sense.

Not every trainer is a hardcore training addict like ours. If anything, someone who casually throws away their daily life for training is probably the strange one.

And as for Meek-senpai, who’s been lightly left to her own devices because of that…

She doesn’t seem lonely. Probably.

It’s hard to tell since she always wears the same neutral expression, but I know this look. This is the face she makes when she’s thinking about something.

“Meek-senpai, what are you thinking about?”

“…………This year’s Arima Kinen.”

“Ah, I see. You were planning to run in it as well, right?”

As I change out of my uniform into casual clothes, Meek-senpai turns to face me properly.

Her usually unfocused eyes now reflect the sunset, glittering red.

“…This year was supposed to focus on sprint and mile races… but the plan changed.”

“Because of the Golden Generation—and Suzuka-san?”

“…Yes. My rivals. I couldn’t surpass them within three years, but now… I’m sure I can.”

That’s right.

Meek-senpai’s record during the so-called “first three years” wasn’t particularly outstanding.

But at some point, she gradually began to grow stronger—like shifting into a higher gear—eventually winning the long-distance finals at the URA Finals, or so I was told.

My trainer mentioned it to me not long ago.

After those three years passed, Meek-senpai bloomed late. Maybe this is what trainers call an “awakening.”

She went from running mainly G2 and G3 races to becoming an Uma Musume capable of winning at the G1 level.

…But by then, many Uma Musume of her generation had already transferred to the Dream Trophy League or entered recovery.

After her awakening, she rarely had the chance to race against her former rivals.

But finally—

A race featuring Silence Suzuka-san, Special Week-chan, and Seiun Sky-senpai…

At this year’s Arima Kinen, Meek-senpai will finally get the long-awaited rematch she’s surely been hoping for.

“…And Wil-chan. …You too.”

“Huh?”

“…You are also my rival. …The undefeated four-crown Uma Musume, Hoshino Wilm-san.”

Meek-senpai stands up and extends her hand toward me.

Behind the gentle light in her eyes—always so soft—I feel a faint, yet unmistakable heat.

“…Please take care of me at the Arima Kinen. …I absolutely won’t lose. Hmph.”

Those words—those feelings—shake my heart.

At first, I couldn’t grasp just how incredible she was, and only knew her as a senior.

As we spent time together, we grew closer—and at the same time, I came to understand her strength.

…And now, at last.

Have I finally become a rival to Meek-senpai, one of the strongest active Uma Musume?

“Heh… hehe. Yes, I look forward to it, Meek-senpai.

It’s still a little ways off, but let’s make it a great race.”

An uncontrollable heat wells up from deep within my chest.

Ah… this is the best.

This moment—when you can sense a race against a truly strong Uma Musume on the horizon.

The boiling heat in my chest, the excitement and anticipation so intense it feels like my head might burst, the pure fighting spirit—

There’s no feeling that surpasses this. Nothing satisfies my instincts more completely.

Ah, truly…

I’m so glad I was reborn as an Uma Musume.

At the end of the year, the Arima Kinen awaits.

…And before that, the looming wall of overseas Uma Musume—and Mejiro McQueen-senpai.

Lately, I’ve had plenty to worry about when it comes to relationships, but right now, I need to focus on what’s directly ahead.

Alright… let’s give it everything I’ve got!