"Belno!" Oguri smiled as she stepped onto the race track.
Belno Light snapped out of her haze as she heard Oguri's voice, and she smiled brightly as she waved back. "Oguri-san!" She quickly dove forward and gave the girl a hug, much to Oguri's surprise. "I won!" Belno said, tears building in her eyes as she smiled. "I won!"
Oguri's surprised look faded to a gentle smile as she patted Belno's head. "You did."
My lips twitched for a moment as I slowly approached, but I did my best to restrain the urge to tease Belno. This wasn't the time for that. Though I definitely wished I had a mobile phone by now; I could've taken a picture to tease Belno later on.
"H-Hey, isn't that…?"
"Oguri Cap and Blossom Star!?"
"No wonder…"
The other runners immediately began whispering as they noticed how close Belno seemed with Oguri and I, though it wasn't much of a surprise. Oguri and I were rising stars that'd just had our successful debuts—it was natural that anything involving us would draw some attention.
But what I hadn't considered was the Reward I just received before heading down here.
Hot Topic (6 Days, 23 Hours left)
Increases growth in Fame for the User and their Companions
The effect was entirely different than the one found in the game, nor could I have known just how dramatic the effect would be.
Unseen by most people, a few reporters could be found in the cheering crowd, more than excited to draw up stories regarding a team filled with rising stars. Most of them had been drawn here to Kasamatsu when they heard about my Great Escape and Oguri's dominant victory, but who could've known they would also catch a scoop as incredible as this!?
At that moment, the few reporters within the crowd all had a single thought:
"I need to go back and report this!"
Back on the race track, Belno finally separated from Oguri and wiped her eyes. Oguri's ears drooped for a moment as the warmth she felt faded, but the sadness was fleeting as she saw Belno's smile.
I chuckled. "So, how does it feel?" I finally asked as I gave her a playful slap on the back. "Got anyone special you wanna-?" Before I could finish, Belno reached out and hugged me as well. My expression froze for a moment, caught off-guard by the unfamiliar sensation. But I quickly recovered, and with a huff, I gently ruffled her hair. "Congrats on the win, Belno."
"Mm!"
I gently closed my eyes. It's strange to think that just two weeks ago we were pretty much strangers. That time, just after the test race, had I not held enough courage to try and introduce myself to Belno, who knows what could've happened. And yet now here we were, hugging each other as if we'd been friends for years.
Surely this kindness, too, was a blessing by the Three Goddesses.
"Alright, alright. Enough crying." I playfully poked Belno's forehead. "Let's prepare for your Winning Concert, and after that," I glanced at Oguri and smiled. "Why don't I get us some food from my parents' izakaya? My treat."
Immediately, Oguri's eyes sparkled. "Really!?"
I gave her a thumbs up. "Of course! My parents would definitely love to meet you two!"
"Yay!" Oguri cheered, far more than happy than even after winning her Debut Race. Belno giggled as she saw how happy Oguri was, though she seemed pretty excited herself.
Things progressed quickly after that. Belno successfully performed her Winning Concert, since she was the only one who actually practised for it. After that, as promised, I brought all of Team Kitahara back to my parents' izakaya for a free early dinner. My parents were more than delighted to meet my new team, and we enjoyed a decadent meal for the rest of the evening.
Thankfully my parents were more than happy to try and accommodate Oguri's appetite, though they eventually had to concede after Oguri cleared out nearly a fifth of our pantry in just one evening.
And after that, we got back to our usual schedule. The three of us dove back into training, all in preparation for our next races.
Oguri's next race was the [15th Junior Crown], a 1400m dirt race. A Semi-Major race, but it was incredibly important, since that would be the stage for March and Oguri's second battle. Or at least it would be in the future if things continued like in the manga.
My next race was the [7th Fujino Stakes], a 2200m dirt track. It wasn't as famous as the Junior Crown, but it was one of the few Medium-length races here in Kasamatsu. The only other Medium races would be graded SP races, and Kitahara felt that jumping straight into them would be a little too fast.
Belno's next race was the [9th Gamabutsu Sho], a 2000m dirt race. It was actually the race Kitahara recommended I enter, but since it was a little shorter than the Fujino Stakes, I decided to take that one instead. After all, Belno also had quite the Stamina, but hers wasn't as high as mine.
There was no time to waste.
Especially since I still had a library of issues I still needed to deal with.
I grit my teeth as I reached the finish line, sending a small cloud of dirt forward as I forced myself to a sudden stop. Kitahara was standing on the outer edge of the finish line, frowning slightly as he stared at the stopwatch he'd just stopped. My eyes closed in disappointment, already knowing what was to come.
So I took a deep breath, and I forced myself to laugh as I stood up. "No improvements, huh." I said casually, as if I didn't want to scream in frustration.
Kitahara's frown grew as he heard my words, but he couldn't quite refute my words. Despite all the tips and tricks he'd taught me, none had truly ever stuck. If anything, the more he tried, the more awkward my running seemed to become.
His gaze darkened. Early on, he'd jokingly assumed that the usual instincts an umamusume was born with had never manifested within me.
But now he truly wondered. He'd never trained a filly before, but could they truly be so different from a stallion? Or was I just that unique of a situation?
That wasn't to say I wasn't getting faster. Because I was! My Speed was going up, my Stamina was climbing just like usual, and my record-time continued to shorten. But that was an effect of pure numbers, nothing related to becoming better in running as a whole.
And so I couldn't help but wonder; was this why the Three Goddesses had given me a System in the first place? So that I could at least learn a Skill even though I was entirely unsuited to it?
Who knows.
Seeing Kitahara's continued silence, my fake enthusiasm quickly faded. "Sorry, Kitahara-san." I said, giving him a tired smile. "Trying to train me must be a hassle, huh?" I chuckled wryly. "No amount of training can cure being stupid, I guess-"
"Don't say that."
I flinched at the harsh tone Kitahara had suddenly taken, and I turned just in time to see him walk up to me with a determined frown. "Don't blame yourself." He said. He then sighed as he pulled his hat down. "Honestly, I should've done this a while back, but it's been so busy lately."
"Star, why do you run?"
I blinked. Why do I run? "Because I want to win?"
Kitahara's expression turned grave, seemingly having reached some realization. "I knew it…" He whispered to himself, though my enhanced hearing easily caught it.
I gave him a wry smile. "Know what? Come on, share with the class now."
"Oguri runs because she finds it fun." Kitahara said unbothered. "She runs because she knows what it feels like to not be able to." He glanced at the sky. "Belno as well. She runs because it gives her joy, and now she also runs to prove she can win."
Finally, he turned back to her. "Star." He smiled sadly. "You don't find running fun, do you?"
…
I turned away. "So what?" I said neutrally. Those words shouldn't mean anything, but my chest felt achingly hot when I heard that. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"S-Sorry, I should've worded that better." Kitahara quickly said. And normally I would tease him about the fearful expression he was making, but I didn't feel like it right now. "Damn it, me and my stupid mouth." He whispered, before he gave both his cheeks a slap. Kitahara's mouth opened and closed for a few more seconds, seemingly trying and failing to find words that didn't seem overly offensive.
In the end, he could only sigh as he held out his hand. I raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"
He grinned. "Come on. Let me show you something."
"Don't you need to supervise Oguri and Belno?" I asked back, but he just maintained that confident grin. So I just sighed in defeat as I took his hand, and he led me back to Kasamatsu Tracen, walking all the way back to the communal room Team Kitahara had been given after we first became a team.
Then, Kitahara brought out an old television that looked like it hadn't been used in years. He gave the screen a quick wipe to brush away the dust, and after some more rummaging, he found a VHS tape. I managed to glimpse at the label just as he was inserting it into the television.
[QE, 86] the label read. What did that even mean?
Kitahara pulled a pair of metal folding chairs in front of the television and gestured for me to sit down. I frowned for a moment but soon complied, sitting next to him just as the television finished booting up the VHS tape's recording.
Then-
"2200m. The turf remains in good condition. The skies are clear today."
"All runners have entered their gates."
"The Queen Elizabeth II Cup is about to begin!"
My eyes went wide. The Queen Elizabeth II Cup? I was shocked to suddenly hear such a familiar name, but my eyes sharpened as the recording continued. At this point of time the Shuko Sho had yet to be established, which meant that the race I was watching was still considered the third leg of the Triple Tiara.
Triple Tiara! It was considered the equivalent of the Triple Crown for fillies for most.
"The race has started! All runners are chasing the lead!"
"The most favored, Mejiro Ramonu, has secured 3rd in the pack!"
My pupils shrunk. Mejiro Ramonu! Having played the game, I was more than familiar with that name. One of the elder sisters of the Mejiro Family—she was the first filly to have earned the prestigious Triple Tiara, and was inducted into the JRA Hall of Fame alongside Symboli Rudolph.
So this was the race that would solidify a legend!
Unconsciously, my fingers dug into my knee as I watched the race progress. Nor did I notice the small smile Kitahara had as he saw my reaction.
"1000m left! All runners continue to run beautifully!"
"Mejiro Ramonu remains in 3rd place!"
"800m left! We're entering the third corner-"
"Mejiro Ramonu surges forward! She's taken 2nd-, no, 1st place! She's taken the lead!"
My eyes remained transfixed on the screen. I didn't dare to blink as the recording focused on Mejiro Ramonu; at the way she ran, the conviction on her face, the fire burning in her eyes. Down there at the track, her usually beautiful figure had morphed into that of a warrior—a lioness on the prowl.
Even knowing this race's ending, there was something captivating about it. An irresistible pull that drew all my attention.
And with it, a growing desire in my chest, a gnawing need to-
"It's the final straight! 200m left! Super Shot briefly overtakes her, but Mejro Ramonu quickly takes back her lead!"
"All runners are trying to catch up, but they can't! Mejiro Ramonu runs forward with no competition!"
"100m! 50m!"
"The race finishes! Mejiro Ramonu takes 1st place! She has claimed the Triple Tiara…!"
The crowd's cheer echoed loudly even through the recording, and I couldn't help but release the bated breath I'd been holding during that final homestretch.
The recording maintained its focus on Mejiro Ramonu. There, having just crossed the finish line, Mejiro Ramonu seemed dazed for a moment, before she abruptly turned to the scoreboard that'd just lit up. There it clearly showed her name as the 1st place winner.
The recording ended there, but my heart still thumped loudly for the next few seconds. It took me a while before I managed to pry my eyes away from the screen.
"It's exhilarating, isn't it?" Kitahara said with a bright grin.
I blinked when I heard his voice, and it was only then that I remembered that he was even sitting next to me. "It was, yeah." I easily admitted, before I frowned slightly. "But so what? That has nothing to do with-"
"Don't you want to run like that too?"
My words froze. Me, running in a prestigious race like that? I mean, of course I wanted to. And if I wanted to follow in the path my System already laid out before me, then it was inevitable that I would soon find myself on those tracks as well.
But--
…oh. So that's it.
"It's not your fault, you know." Kitahara continued, before giving me an embarrassed smile. "If anything, it's our fault. Kasamatsu just isn't all that special. You probably never even watched a race like that, did you?"
I nodded faintly. That was true. I'd always been too busy helping my parents with our izakaya's deliveries, and the few local races I watched here and there had never really sparked my interest. It was why I never really bothered with racing, and it was only when I ran into Oguri Cap that the idea even resurfaced.
The realization of what I'd been missing all this time made my chest feel…light. As if some weight had been lifted. And in its place was this growing warmth, an almost uncomfortable itch that made me want to return to the dirt track at this very moment.
Even if I couldn't quite voice it with words, a new dream had settled in my mind.
"I want to run." I said as I abruptly stood up, causing the metal folding chair to tumble back. Kitahara yelped at the sudden noise, but he laughed as he too stood up.
He pulled his cap down and grinned. "Ready for more training like usual?" I nodded excitedly, and he chuckled. "Alright then. You go down first; I'll turn the television off."
I smiled. "Then I'll trouble you a little more, Kitahara." And saying that, I quickly turned and ran back towards the dirt track.
.
.
.
[Secret Mission Completed!]
[Secret Mission: Call to Action
No Heroic Journey ever begins without a call to action; a flare that pulls the intrepid Hero towards their destiny. A new Dream now calls to you, and the flames of Glory shine far ahead, like the light of a distant star.
Task: Find a Dream the User truly wants to accomplish in their Career]
[Reward: 120 SP]