Chapter 109: Off to the Yorkshire Cup!

My next race is the G2 Yorkshire Cup, held at York Racecourse in England. Since York Racecourse is in the UK, we boarded a plane from Chantilly, France, and crossed the sea to Britain.

“I was just starting to get used to the training center in Chantilly, too…”

Just when I thought I might grow even closer with Kaif Tara and the others, we’re off on a weeklong trip to the UK. Of course, racing is my primary focus, no doubt about that—but I really wanted to spend a little more time with everyone.

I took out my device and snapped a selfie with the trainer sleeping beside me, framing his dozing face in the inner camera. After taking a few shots I was satisfied with, I leaned against his shoulder and decided to catch a nap.

From Japan’s perspective, France and the UK are all lumped together under “Europe,” but in reality, each country is its own thing. Traveling between racecourses almost always requires a flight. Compared to Japan, the distances between racecourses are ridiculously long, and it’s rare to race multiple times at the same course.

York Racecourse is located in York, North Yorkshire, in northern England. It's about 300 kilometers north of London and was built on wetlands along the River Ouse. Because it's right by the river, there are rumors that it often floods and submerges both the racecourse and nearby towns.

After getting off the plane, we took a train for several hours and finally arrived in the city of York. It felt like a regional city in Japan—or maybe even smaller. Makes sense though; York’s population is around 200,000. Chantilly has about 10,000 people, so York is certainly larger, but… living in the Greater Tokyo Area has really skewed my sense of scale.

The city has historical value, which might explain why there aren’t many new high-rise buildings. I don’t know all the details, but it was a small, quaint, and peaceful place.

After spending a night at the hotel, we headed to the racecourse to check out the condition of the turf.

Even though it was a hotel abroad, there wasn’t anything particularly interesting about it. We just relaxed, held some meetings, and took it easy. But that very night, after arriving in York, I received a message from Lumos:

“Apollo! You’re in York now, right?! I just got plans to head over there too! Double Trigger’s coming as well, so let’s meet up tomorrow!”

Same high-energy Lumos as always. I replied, “Tomorrow we’ll be inspecting the York Racecourse, then I have a media interview followed by training.” After sending the message with a soft ping, the typing indicator appeared on their end, and I waited.

As I lay on the bed, swinging my legs idly, Tomio sat down beside me.

“What are you doing, Apollo?”

“Messaging Lumos-san~”

“Oh? You two are really close, huh?”

“Yup! I love Lumos-san and Double Trigger-san and everyone else too!”

Smiling up at him as I rolled around on the bed, Tomio scratched his cheek with a slightly awkward expression. He glanced a few times at my silvery-white mane as it spilled across the bedding, then cleared his throat like he was trying to cover something up.

“…It’s getting late. Enough messaging. Go sleep in your own room.”

“Nooo~! I wanna sleep in the same bed as you, Tomio!”

“Nope. Why do you think I booked two hotel rooms?”

“Boo-hoo~”

“Crying won’t change anything. Come on, bedtime.”

It was a lighthearted exchange, but I knew how firm he could be. Just like “I” had said before, Tomio was keeping a line between us. No matter how much I tried to act grown-up, I was still a kid, and he was an adult. As long as that didn’t change, he’d never cross that line with me. Sure, he’d blush at my playful flirting, but that was about it.

It’s so frustrating. I mean, did you see his reaction earlier? After I got out of the bath, he acted all weird. Wasn’t he staring at me? Isn’t that proof he likes me? And yet we can’t go any further than this. It’s practically emotional torture for a girl in love.

“I” tried to pull me back from my runaway thoughts, but I forced that voice down. I knew the reason for the restraint. Tomio was an adult—he had a responsibility as my guardian.

Even if I were more physically mature, he’d still treat me as someone to protect, and build a warm, respectful relationship around that. It’s because of how he treats me that I trust him so much—and even feel safe falling for him. If he were the kind of adult who’d take advantage of a minor, I probably wouldn’t have fallen for him at all.

It’s because he never crosses the line that I can tease him. It’s because he gently turns me down that I can shamelessly seek his affection. He’s accepted my feelings and still treats me sincerely, which is why our relationship works.

…Thinking it through like this, maybe this love is one I’m destined to win. I mean, I love him—and I think he loves me too, which is why he’s treating me like this. Doesn’t that mean we both feel the same way? …Maybe not. Even if I’m right, I’m always so lovestruck, I probably couldn’t pull off any clever plan to win him over anyway.

“…Carry me.”

“You can walk on your own.”

“Mmm…”

I buried my nose in the pillow and shook my head with a little whine. Acting all spoiled like this is my go-to strategy to get his attention. As someone hopeless at love, I can't play hard-to-get or toy with someone’s heart from above.

Tomio shut his laptop, stood, and came over to where I was flailing on the bed. When I looked up at him with hopeful eyes, he just pointed at the door to the other room with a soft smile. Which, unspoken as it was, clearly meant: “You can walk yourself.”

“Nooo no no! You haven’t let me be spoiled at all lately! Meanie! Dummy! Mr. Gentle Nice Guy! Carry meee!”

If I were a real adult, I wouldn’t be acting like such a child. But that’s exactly why he sees me as a kid—and exactly why I get it now.

Still, maybe my whining worked, because he sat down on the bed and opened his arms.

“…Sheesh, you’re hopeless. Come on.”

“…!”

Being told “Come here” by the person you love—isn’t that totally unfair? It’s cheating. It makes me want to melt into him forever. Even though he’s just carrying me to the bed in the next room, my heart was pounding out of control.

The earlier boldness vanished. Playing with a lock of my hair, I looked down and muttered, “Um… thanks in advance…” in the smallest voice. Maybe it was the pajamas, but I felt like I was floating.

I wrapped my arms around his neck as he leaned forward, bringing us close. His hands slid under my thighs and back, and with a gentle lift, I was up in the air.

“W-Whoa!”

…A princess carry!!!! Had he done this before? I couldn’t remember. Either way—this is bad! Amazing! Embarrassing! Ah—I might actually get motion sick!

Squealing with joy and surprise, I basked in the few short meters of bliss in his arms. Just knowing that my whole body was being supported by his hands stirred up something almost sinful inside me.

“Apollo, open the door.”

“O-Okay!”

To him, I probably seem like someone small—just a girl light enough to pick up in both hands. …But, maybe it’s just my imagination, I think Apollo Rainbow the Uma Musume takes up a pretty big place in Tomio’s heart. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be going this far for just a trainee.

I clung to his neck with my left hand, and as he carried me to the next room’s bed, I used my right to gently pull his face closer, locking eyes with him. My feelings were boiling over.

Every time our eyes met, every time his irises shimmered when he blinked, every time those big hands caressed my skin as they held me close—my hopes for the Yorkshire Cup, and my feelings for him, both swelled bigger and bigger.

“…Hey, Tomio.”

"Hm?"

"Am I… hea-vy?"

"You're light, but, well, you're heavy too."

"…What’s that supposed to mean?"

"In all kinds of ways."

"Hey, what~?"

The short stretch of “princess carry distance” ended quickly. He gently laid me down on the bed, slid a pillow under my head while supporting it, and smoothed my bangs with his fingertips. Then, with a soft “Good night,” he reached for the remote to turn off the lights.

—It was just supposed to be a little prank. I grabbed his hand and pulled Tomio closer. But that slight tug must’ve caught him off guard—he lost his balance and ended up falling right on top of me.

Maybe I used more strength than I thought. His arms planted themselves beside my face, and our eyes met at point-blank range. Me on the bottom, him on top. His momentum didn’t quite stop in time, and through our thin pajamas, our body heat melted together. Heartbeats—whose, I couldn’t even tell—pounded like alarm bells.

"…………"

"…………"

Tomio’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His eyes flicked around—my ears, my lips, my neck, my collarbone—each glance brief, as if caught and quickly turned away.

…What is even happening? I can’t move. My heart won’t stop racing. All I could do was clasp my hands to my chest and look up at his face. This is bad in so many ways. No—Tomio will be fine. He’s got a will of steel. Someone like him would never let anything happen by mistake.

Neither hoping nor not hoping, not even sure myself, I stared at Tomio for what felt like an eternity—ten seconds, maybe. Then he suddenly let out a breath and hurriedly pulled away, and the incident ended with nothing actually happening.

"…………"

"…………"

I couldn’t move for a while. My back was drenched in sweat, and heat surged across my cheeks and chest. Tomio scratched the back of his head awkwardly and muttered a quiet, “G-Good night, Apollo…” before returning to the room next door.

"Y-yeah… Good night, Tomio…"

His trainer’s body—it was huge. Solid. His arms were thick… and my heart was pounding like crazy. Sure, if we were just comparing raw strength, a Uma Musume like me would win—but being pressed against that strong, masculine body… I couldn’t stop trembling inside.

Just then, a stupid little pop noise came from the device in my pocket. Any trace of sleepiness was long gone, so I got up from the bed and sat at my desk. It was a message from Lumos-san.

"The Dante Festival's happening too, and there’s a ton I want to talk about—let’s meet up! I’ll be wandering around the venue from 7 AM, so message or call me when you get there!"

“Roger that~”

After replying, I closed the app and opened my camera. Flipping to the front camera, I caught a glimpse of myself—and saw one hopelessly melted Uma Musume staring back.

My mouth was slack, my eyes teary, and my cheeks were burning red… I couldn’t even look myself in the face. After saying things like “carry me” or “let’s sleep together” so casually, I turned into a nervous wreck the moment something actually happened.

I’m a chicken Uma Musume. Idiot. Moron. Coward. I keep acting like things don’t progress because Tomio’s too responsible or he’s too grown-up, but the truth is, I don’t even have the guts to kiss him.

When he carried me, when he almost fell on me—if I’d just puckered my lips a little, I could’ve kissed him. I really am all talk. …Damn it.

“…Haaah.”

Love and racing—I face them both with everything I’ve got. That’s what fuels Apollo Rainbow’s strength. But when it comes to love, I’m severely lacking a finishing move. Honestly, I might struggle with this forever… I sighed, as if it were someone else’s problem.

---

A few days later, after a surprisingly restful sleep, I headed to York Racecourse following my early morning run. The interview for the Yorkshire Cup wasn’t until noon, so I planned to check out the grounds and greet Lumos-san and the others beforehand.

"Ah—"

"Mornin’, Apollo. Sleep well last night?"

"Out like a light. That bed was way too comfy."

"Same here. Kinda makes me wanna get a huge bed when we go back to Japan."

Tomio had just woken up from a deep sleep by the time I returned from my run. Without mentioning that incident from the other night, we exchanged greetings and headed to York Racecourse at 8 AM.

Upon arrival, we were welcomed by an unbelievably vast green field and a distinctly European-style grandstand building. Japanese racecourses are plenty big, but European tracks—shaped by natural terrain—feel even more spacious. Maybe it’s because there are fewer oval tracks over here, but the difference really stands out.

We walked past the wide entrance and stands, greeted the staff, and stepped onto the turf. A massive, European-style stand loomed over part of the home stretch, but the track itself stretched endlessly toward the horizon.

No wonder—it turns out York’s final straight is about 1000 meters long. One full kilometer. Compared to Japanese racecourses, it’s ridiculously long, which probably makes the stand seem smaller than it is.

Also, with no mountains or skyscrapers around—and only monitors instead of electronic boards—it all felt oddly unfamiliar. 

All I could see were naturally growing trees, a few small buildings for merchandise and spectators, and some parasols. With no obstacles overhead, it felt like the sky was coming down to meet me.

The endless green of the grass and the brilliant blue of the sky blurred together at the horizon, stirring up memories of running through meadows as a kid.

“This place is awesome. York Racecourse, huh.”

The turf felt as heavy as—or maybe even heavier than—Dubai’s. The corners were oddly shaped, with sharp and soft turns of every kind. The inner rail didn’t look machine-made, either—probably hand-placed. From a distance, it was pretty uneven.

Tomio said he was going to scout the course and set off on the 3200-meter loop. The staff offered him a car, but he insisted on walking—said there’s no point unless he checks everything with his own eyes up close.

He planned to walk the inner track, the ideal racing line, even the far outer path—every last bit on foot. Human walking speed is nothing compared to a Uma Musume’s, and since he was checking every detail, I figured it’d take him hours.

While he was off on his inspection journey, I began rehearsal runs for the Yorkshire Cup. I jogged around the course at a light pace, getting a feel for the place.

The real race would be 2800 meters, left-turning. It started from a dead-end stretch on the far side, looped through a few sharp and gentle corners, then ended at the goal. For Europe, it was relatively close to Japan’s oval shape—but still had unfamiliar quirks. This on-site preparation period could definitely affect the outcome.

“Huff… huff…”

I ran the course multiple times to adjust to the terrain. With the flat surroundings, the grandstand was especially visible from the opposite straight. It felt weird without an electronic board, and being able to see the goal directly from the other side was unexpectedly novel.

After a few rounds, I took a break. Since Tomio still wasn’t back, I plopped down on the turf near the stands to rest. As I gulped down a sports drink, my vision was suddenly plunged into darkness. “Wah!” I cried out and jerked back—my head bumped into someone’s legs. At the same time, a cheerful voice rang out: “Guess who~?” So, without missing a beat, I called her name.

"Geez—Lumos-san, right? Don’t sneak up like that! You really startled me!"

"Sorry, sorry. I just can’t help wanting to tease you a little, Apollo."

As expected, it was Lumos-san who had covered my eyes. In Europe, the only one who would pull something like this was El-chan—

"Sorry about this, Apollo. I know it’s a busy time, and now Lumos is—"

"No, no, it’s absolutely no trouble!"

It seemed Lumos had something she wanted to talk to me about, and for me, having a quick chat during a break was hardly a problem. When her eyes started sparkling like she was ready to get to the point, Double Trigger gently nudged the conversation in that direction. Lumos immediately jumped in, almost cutting him off.

"You might not be too worried about it, Apollo, but... that whole popularity boost campaign? It's starting to show results! Your merch is beginning to sell like crazy!"

"Wait, my merch is already on sale…?"

"If we're going to do it, we have to go all in! We’ve already prepared about a hundred thousand of your Paka-Puchi figures."

"A hundred thou...!?"

"What’s the problem? Your Paka-Puchi sold that much in Japan, didn’t it? It’s not that surprising."

"Y-Yeah, but... I’m a Japanese Uma Musume, you know? Even if it’s for a long overseas tour, I wasn’t expecting this..."

"Fufufu. Thanks to you, Kaif Tara, and Angely, we’ve managed to capture a strong niche fanbase. Now we just need that one thing, that spark, to break into the mainstream... but I’m sure you already know that."

That “spark” she referred to was the race itself. What Lumos and her team were aiming for was to set the stage for a clash between powerful Uma Musume and ignite a surge in popularity.

Whenever the strong rise and then clash among themselves, it’s not just the Twinkle Series—almost any sport becomes more exciting. If that excitement breaks past the usual fans and reaches the general public, it can be called a true success.

To put it plainly, Kaif Tara, Angely, and I were all pieces in Lumos’s grand strategy. That said, the three of us were fully on board with her plans, so it never felt like we were being used.

In any case, especially for someone like Kaif Tara, the heat of the race directly feeds into her motivation and performance. And for me to reconnect with the core of my dream, 

Kaif Tara and Angely absolutely have to be strong. Even from a pure competitor’s standpoint, having the Twinkle Series generate this much buzz is something to be glad about. We use Lumos’s plan, and we’re also part of it.

"The fleeting nature of witnessing a race only in that one moment. The cruelty of there being only one winner. Who will win, who will lose, who will claim the title of strongest? No one knows until the race begins. That blend of anxiety and anticipation—it stirs the primal admiration for strength that all living beings carry. Whether they like it or not, people will come to the racecourse."

"...As much as Lumos-san is trying to sound cool, all she really wants to say is that our plan is going smoothly."

"Hey! I was finally trying to act cool for once!"

"The reason everything’s gone so smoothly is because Apollo's popularity exceeded expectations. That’s a good thing."

Uma Musume, like humans, are living beings. That means they instinctively yearn for ‘strength.’ Even in a world ruled by intellect, sports exist to satisfy that primal desire.

And for Uma Musume, ‘strength’ means ‘speed.’ Watching an Uma Musume push the limits of biological velocity—it’s impossible not to be excited. As long as the Twinkle Series and sports themselves exist, a resurgence in popularity for stayers isn’t out of reach.

...Still, while Lumos and the others might not say it outright, it’s clear that if I don’t win the Yorkshire Cup, we’re in trouble. Harsh as it sounds, there’s no one on Kaif Tara’s level in this G2 race.

If I lose here, fans might dismiss me as just an average Uma Musume. But the real races ahead are the G1 Gold Cup and G1 Goodwood Cup. Unless I win this prep race in overwhelming fashion, European fans won’t so much as bat an eye.

I have to dominate this race and make the local fans take notice. Without establishing the dynamic of Kaif Tara, the Dubai Gold Cup winner—Apollo Rainbow, who’s sworn revenge—and the third competitor, Angely, the narrative won’t form.

Unless the big players clash, we can’t hope for a surge in popularity. If powerful Uma Musume captivate people, then we three have to be powerful to the core.

"Changing the topic a bit—are there plans to sell merchandise besides Paka-Puchi?"

"At the moment, the plan is to bring over the kinds of items that were sold in Japan. Isn’t that right, Lumos?"

"Yep. I want you to stay focused on racing, so I don’t want to burden you with unnecessary extra work."

"I see… Oh, by the way. I get that Angely-chan would be okay with it, but did Kaif Tara-san really agree to the merchandise stuff? Like the photos and promo materials… She doesn’t seem like the type to go along with that. And, well, you know..."

"Ahh—"

Apparently, Kaif Tara-san had been rude to Lumos before. I heard it from Double Trigger—last year, her behavior was especially out of line. Lumos even said at the URA Award Ceremony, “Kaif Tara treats me like dirt and is disrespectful to Double Trigger, too…” She’s gotten better now... right?

To my question, Lumos gave a mysterious, almost seductive smile.

"I had a little talk with her, and she came around. She even apologized to both me and Double Trigger!"

"...What kind of talk?"

"I just said, ‘Don’t be unnecessarily rude.’ That’s all. But she agreed to the plan, and once we talked properly, she turned out to be a good girl. Right, Double Trigger?"

"Huuuuhhh... yes, that’s right."

No, seriously, that’s terrifying. Even Kaif Tara couldn’t stand up to Lumos? As expected from Britain’s Triple Crown long-distance Uma Musume... And Double Trigger is trembling like she just remembered something awful. Yeah, better not ask.

After that, we chatted a bit more casually. Feeling encouraged by the hopeful outlook, I headed off to the interview. With Lumos and Double Trigger watching on, my trainer and I faced the assembled reporters and answered all kinds of questions.

—What are your thoughts going into your first race in Europe? If you win here, a full sweep of the Stayers Million is in sight. Do you feel confident about the Yorkshire Cup? Veteran Chief’s Glider, winner of last year’s Prix du Cadran, is also racing. Are you keeping her in mind?—and so on.

To every question, I answered with a blend of respect, humility, and the confidence that comes from real ability. I made sure to stay true to myself, and conveyed who Apollo Rainbow is, within the limited time.

At the end of the interview, the final question came. A cliché one, but perfect as a statement of determination.

"Finally, do you have a message for your fans?"

"Yes! Nice to meet you—I’m Apollo Rainbow, here from Japan! I hope to put on a performance in this race that’ll absolutely blow you all away!! Your support is what powers us Uma Musume, so please come to the racecourse and cheer as loud as you can!! Thank you so much!!"

—And so begins the G2 Yorkshire Cup!