"Sorry, but for the reasons stated, we must decline your interview request. Goodbye."
"W-Wait, please—!"
"How many times is that now?"
"Stopped counting after ten."
"Persistent bunch, huh?"
While Rampage scanned the newspaper for stock prices, Minamisaka handled a call from a publisher requesting an interview. She declined—it was the same outfit that trashed Rampage during the Japan Cup. Currently, only five outlets were granted interviews: two approved during the Japan Cup and three tied to the Mejiro family.
"Why even bother with interviews? I'm already spilling everything on my streams."
"Not everyone watches streams. Older folks still buy newspapers and magazines."
"Fair point—I'm reading one now. Oh, Minami-chan, got a QUO card from shareholder perks. Wanna use it?"
"Why not give it to Turbo? She'd love it."
"Good idea. That makes sense."
Rampage's February Stakes triumph sparked a surge in interview requests, but she stuck to those five outlets. She wanted to focus on training, not lose time to media.
"Next up, the Osaka Hai, right?"
"Who's confirmed so far?"
"Ryan-san, Ines-san, and Helios-san have entered."
"That's a lot of front-runners."
Including herself, three Uma Musume were using the front-running strategy. Normally, it's a risky gamble, but then again, Rampage herself was undefeated with her bold "great escape" tactic.
"So, it's finally time to face Ryan…"
She'd been itching to race her. A clash at year-end didn't happen, but waiting meant racing Ines and Helios too. She was genuinely thrilled.
"Anyway, enough about me. Has Turbo decided? Yayoi Sho's coming up."
March was near, and with it, the Yayoi Sho, a Satsuki Sho trial race. Nature was set to run, but what about Turbo? Minamisaka, unfazed, gave her stamp of approval.
"Turbo's running in the Tulip Sho."
"Tulip Sho? She's going for the Tiara route?"
"Yup, she said so herself."
"Trainer, Trainer! Turbo wants to run in the Oka Sho!"
"The Oka Sho? That's the Tiara route, separate from Teio-san. You okay with that?"
Turbo's consultation was about racing, which felt oddly heartwarming. She had a clear vision for her future.
"Yup, it's fine! Lan competed with Ryan on a different route, right? Turbo's gonna do the same! Then, we'll both win Triple Crowns and face off—Seh, Seh, Doo, Doh! A Triple Crown showdown sounds super cool!!"
Her romantic vision wasn't just inspired by Rampage and Ryan—it surpassed them. They aimed to win Triple Crowns; Turbo aimed to win one and challenge Teio afterward.
"If I'm gonna face her, I want to be the best Turbo to beat Teio!"
"Got it. Let's prep for the Tulip Sho then."
"Yay~!!!"
"That's what happened," Minamisaka said.
"Turbo, huh… Damn, I feel like a parent watching their kid grow up."
"I get it…"
What a beautiful goal—not just winning a Triple Crown but facing another champion at their peak. Those who aim for true battles are strong. Rampage knew that well.
"So, alongside your training, please run with Turbo."
"Easy peasy. Two years in a row with Canopus chasing Triple Tiaras? Ha, other teams must hate us."
"I'm starting to understand how Rigil feels."
"That team was busted even before I got to Tressen."
Canopus was now the team others schemed against, thanks to Rampage. Helping Turbo was just another thrill.
"Real talk, how's Turbo looking for the Tiara route?"
"The 2400m Oaks might be tough. We've got time, so we'll focus on stamina training. Run hard with her, Rampage-san."
"She loses confidence, not my problem."
"You think Turbo would crumble that easily?"
"No chance."
Turbo, the loud and energetic Uma Musume, had a rock-solid mentality—no, it had evolved. The Hopeful Stakes incident added resilience and flexibility to her already positive, strong core. Even a loss wouldn't faze her; she'd turn it into fuel for the next win.
"And Nature's going for the Classic route? Heard Teio's skipping Yayoi. That true?"
"Yes. Okino Trainer said she's doing the Wakaba Stakes after the Wakakoma Stakes."
"An open race? She's that confident without piling up experience?"
"Probably. I've seen Teio-san's potential—it's incredible."
Okino chose to build Teio's foundation through training, not race experience.
"She must be really confident. With her kind of running, it makes sense."
"Something's up, Minami-chan."
"Oh, there is. After all, I'm the trainer who turned an Uma Musume with more potential than Teio into an undefeated seven-crown champion."
"—That's not fair, Minami-chan."
Being used as the benchmark caught Rampage off guard, her cheeks flushing slightly. What a mess…
"Anyway, can you handle being Turbo's training partner?"
"As you wish, my dear trainer."
Note: Turbo's heading for the Tiara route! Distance-wise, it suits her better. Her record's solid up to 2200m, but beyond that's a bit shaky.
-----------------------------
I'm still fairly new to translating, but I genuinely love doing it. I've set up a Patreon as a small corner to share my work with everyone. There you'll find early access to chapters and some special content just for you.
I hope this Patreon can grow and become a place where I can connect with you all in the future. If you'd like to take a look or support me, you can visit:
[patreon.com/Greyhounds]