Although Kuroha had agreed to deliver Folkqueen's things to her, he now faced an awkward problem.
He had no idea where Folkqueen was staying.
Right now, Folkqueen wasn't like she had been during the Japan Cup—one of the notable overseas contenders under nationwide attention, where you could ask around and immediately learn where she was lodged.
In today's Hong Kong, she was the same as Kuroha's group: just an ordinary visitor.
And the paparazzi on the Tōkō side clearly had no interest in either of these groups of outsiders.
Unless Kuroha flew to Ireland on the spot and signed the sister pair Urban Sea and Sea The Stars, there was no chance of attracting the attention of anyone with a sensitive nose for headlines.
So after waiting at the spot for a while and confirming that Folkqueen truly wasn't coming back, Kuroha could only sigh, lift the huge bag of daily necessities, and carry it back to the dorms.
…
Meanwhile, at a five-star hotel in Hong Kong.
A silver figure shot through the lobby at blinding speed, blasted into the elevator, and then stormed into her own room.
Bang—!
The door slammed shut.
The next second, the silver-haired girl threw herself onto the soft bed, grabbed the blanket, and—like an ostrich—wrapped herself up tight, head and all.
Inside the room, Ellerslie Pride—wearing only a bath towel—was blow-drying her hair.
Seeing her younger sister suddenly burst in like a gust of wind and then, in one smooth motion, bury herself under the blanket, Ellerslie couldn't help but blank for a moment.
"Queen?"
She called out tentatively.
No response—only the blanket trembling slightly.
Ellerslie didn't think much of it and continued focusing on her hair.
After setting the blow dryer down, she strolled over to the bed, then suddenly pounced on the raised lump of blanket.
"Ah!"
Folkqueen jolted in fright. She rolled around under the blanket a few times before poking out a small head of tousled silver hair.
"Ellerslie-nee-san…"
The two top-tier Uma Musume from New Zealand ended up hugging each other across the blanket.
Ellerslie reached out to smooth her sister's messy bangs and smiled.
"What's wrong, Queen? Weren't you going out to buy snacks? Why do you look like you got hit with some major shock outside?"
Those words instantly dragged Folkqueen back to that life-or-death moment just now.
Her pride had rushed to her head. Her ego had taken over. In front of so many people, she had confidently issued Chasing Light a formal challenge.
And they had casually replied with a single line: "Sorry, we're not entering."
Didn't that mean the self-satisfied way she'd acted just now was basically… basically like a clown?
"Mmgh…"
At the thought, Folkqueen's delicate face flushed again, heat blooming across her cheeks until it felt like steam might rise from the top of her head.
Pressed by her sister's questions, she finally stammered through what had happened.
"Chasing Light? They came to Hong Kong too?" Ellerslie looked surprised after hearing it.
"They're not preparing for Central's autumn season, and instead the whole team ran to Hong Kong. What are they doing here?"
As a former Atlantic powerhouse, Ellerslie was highly sensitive to scheduling.
By normal logic, a team like Chasing Light—one that wanted to dominate an era—should be training at full intensity back home right now, aiming to secure a two-year unbeaten run.
Special training in Hong Kong at a time like this?
Sure, the track conditions here resembled Central's, but there were still differences.
If it was tourism, that might barely make sense.
But if it was special training, why not stay at Central Tracen, with its more complete facilities, or some other training center back home?
Or was that head trainer, Kuroha, planning something else?
Ellerslie shook her head and pushed the questions she couldn't solve aside.
She wasn't a mind reader. How could she possibly guess what they were thinking?
"By the way, Queen."
Ellerslie glanced at her sister's empty hands.
"Didn't you say you went out to buy snacks and daily necessities? You came back, but where's the stuff?"
"…"
Folkqueen immediately fell silent.
She slowly turned her head and stared at Ellerslie, wide eyes meeting wide eyes.
"…I forgot."
"…," Ellerslie said, rubbing her forehead with a weary look. "Fine. We'll deal with it tomorrow. You're tired too. Go take a shower and rest."
She stood up to give space, but the silver-haired girl under the blanket didn't move at all.
"Queen?"
"…Ellerslie-nee-san." A muffled voice came from inside the blanket.
"What is it?" Ellerslie blinked, then smiled and leaned back down, hugging her sister—blanket and all.
"Obey Your Master retired, and Chasing Light isn't even planning to send anyone…"
Folkqueen spoke in a muffled tone, her voice carrying a confusion she'd never sounded before.
"Then everything I've been doing with all my strength these days… does it still have any meaning?"
After her loss at last year's Japan Cup, she had returned home and trained like a madwoman, patching every weakness she had and then taking it beyond what it had been before.
She had even defeated a late-rising powerhouse of the same era—(bch)—Real Pulse, head-on.
She had done everything she possibly could, all for the sake of washing away her shame at the Japan Cup.
But this year, the opponent she wanted to take revenge on had vanished.
And she almost couldn't afford to wait another year.
As a world-class Uma Musume, she could clearly feel the changes in her body.
This year was, in all likelihood, the final year of her peak.
No matter how unwilling she was to accept it, the end of her career might well be sealed at that distant, unattainable Japan Cup.
Ellerslie listened quietly to the wronged, aching voice from the girl in her arms, not speaking right away.
She simply held her gently. Only after Folkqueen calmed down a little did she speak, softly but firmly.
"Even if Chasing Light isn't there, everything you've done still has meaning."
Her words carried clearly into Folkqueen's ears.
"The Japan Cup, and Chasing Light too—they aren't the entirety of your career."
"Queen, you're a Uma Musume with six G1 crowns in hand. You're my pride, New Zealand's pride, and everyone's pride."
Ellerslie looked into her sister's eyes as she spoke.
After defeating Real Pulse, Folkqueen had gone on to compete in two more G1 races in April, winning both with overwhelming dominance.
The current her had already surpassed the person she used to be.
"Don't belittle yourself, Queen."
"In your life, whether it's me, or Chasing Light, or even the Japan Cup—we're all just passing travelers on your brilliant road."
"There's no need to care too much about what other people think."
"Because the current you—even without any additional crowns—is already the greatest Uma Musume in New Zealand history."
Six G1 crowns.
Japan Cup runner-up.
A string of victories over the former strongest of the Atlantic—Ellerslie Pride—and the new generation's most promising contender—Real Pulse.
Folkqueen was already standing at the summit. No one had the right to question her glory.
"…"
After a long silence, Folkqueen suddenly lifted a corner of the blanket, revealing those vivid golden-red heterochromatic eyes.
"Ellerslie-nee-san isn't a passerby."
The sudden straight-ball statement made Ellerslie freeze—then a profoundly gentle smile bloomed across her face.
"If Queen thinks like that, it makes your nee-san very happy."
Saying so, the former strongest Uma Musume of the Atlantic naturally tried to slide into Folkqueen's blanket.
"W-wait… Nee-san! You're only wearing a towel!"
"What's the problem? We're both girls. Let me hug Queen a bit more."
"N-no! You can't! Get out and put clothes on!"
…
A short while later.
Ellerslie—obediently changed into pajamas—sat at the edge of the bed playing on her phone, occasionally lifting her gaze toward the bathroom.
From there came the steady sound of running water, along with a blurred, graceful silhouette.
"Chasing Light… not entering…"
She set her phone down. The smile on her face gradually faded, replaced by a complicated sort of relief.
"Maybe… this isn't just a 'win,' after all…"
She was only a loser—an Uma Musume who had already retired.
For her, there was no such thing as youthful pride or fiery bravado anymore.
All she wanted now was for Folkqueen's life to end on a perfect note—without getting hurt. That was enough.
Thinking that, Ellerslie lifted her head, stared at the snow-white ceiling, and let out a quiet sigh.
Her thoughts spun.
The loss of Tamamo Cross and Tony Bianca at the Japan Cup in those memories.
And the scene from last year, when Folkqueen had poured in nearly everything she had, yet could still only watch Obey Your Master's back.
All of it rose to the surface.
"Those people from Chasing Light…"
"Can they really be defeated?"
(End of Chapter)
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