"Speaking of which, who is the representative of the Gold Family?"
On the training field, the Trainer suddenly asked Gold Legend, who had just finished a round of training and was rehydrating.
"...Why ask this all of a sudden?"
Gold Legend flipped her hair, scattering beads of sweat, exuding the aura of youth.
"Didn't you mention that representative of the Mejiro Family to Gold Ship? I just got a bit curious; after all, your Gold Family is also a prestigious one."
No matter how many times he looked, he felt she was over-the-top beautiful. The Trainer thought to himself.
"It's Sister Journey, Dream Journey."
Gold Legend didn't care about the Trainer's little thoughts and spoke straightforwardly.
"Dream Journey? The one from the Akan-ko Special?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
"It's really surprising. I thought the representative would be you or someone else. Besides, she seems particularly short-tempered, right? I remember she was punished for attacking other Uma Musume just because one of them dared to run in front of her. Can a child like that really become the family representative?"
The Trainer was very surprised. One must know that the word 'representative' wasn't just a simple title. This title meant that, under certain circumstances, they represented the family's views with full authority. Theoretically, being the representative meant that, barring any accidents, they would be the next head of the family. A representative is to a prestigious family what a Crown Prince is to an empire.
"True. In terms of talent, Golshi and I are more suitable; in terms of strength, Orfevre and Festa are also among the best. But, as you know, the Gold Family is different after all." Gold Legend recalled with a complex expression, "From a practical standpoint, if Sister Journey didn't take the role, the Gold Family wouldn't have a representative at all."
"Oh? Do tell."
The Trainer became interested. It was no secret that the family representative was the predetermined next head. Except for anomalies like the Old Madam of the Mejiro Family, who outlived two generations of representatives, and Symboli Rudolf, who was technically a representative but whom even the family head had to flatter, all prestigious families in the japanese horse racing world followed this pattern. The Gold Family was no exception.
However, the Gold Family was special after all. If he could learn some gossip or something similar, it would be a gain.
"Trainer, you know about the 'themes' of the prestigious families, right?"
"Of course. It's how the Japanese Uma Musume evaluate the style of the Uma Musume families."
Since the birth of an Uma Musume is a random event, apart from the usual bloodline connections, these families originally had an implicit evaluation standard: the style of the Uma Musume, or the overall impression. For example, when you mention the Mejiro Family, you definitely think of a group of elegant young ladies. This is the 'family style' or 'theme.' However, since such things can be cultivated and every family has one or two exceptions, it wasn't officially adopted, only proposed as an evaluation.
Nevertheless, this was something officially produced by the Japan Race Horse Girl Association, so it was considered common knowledge.
"I remember the Gold Family's theme seems to be... 'Freedom'..."
"So, you understand now. If Sister Journey didn't do it, the Gold Family would probably dissolve in the next generation."
Gold Legend spread her hands helplessly.
"..." The Trainer was speechless.
The Gold Family's theme was 'Freedom.' This was the evaluation given by the Japan Race Horse Girl Association. But in fact, anyone who knew the Gold Family knew that this evaluation was far too conservative.
Unlike the dashing Symboli and the noble Mejiro, the Gold Family, to put it nicely, was unconventional; to put it bluntly, they were lawless. After all, this was a family that wrote 'having fun is most important' into their family rules. One could imagine how unorthodox this family was. Gold Ship's mother even went as far as kidnapping a direct Trainer from the Mejiro Family.
By the way, that Trainer is now Gold Ship's father.
In Chairman Akikawa's words, it's a miracle the Gold Family has survived until now.
"...But what does that have to do with Dream Journey being the Gold Family representative?"
The Trainer was almost made dizzy by the logic.
"To put it simply, in this generation, only Sister Journey has the sense of responsibility and is reliable enough."
A gambling addict (Festa), a delinquent (Legend), an alien (Golshi), and an unstable element (Orfevre)—there's no way any of them could be the representative.
In comparison, she's just a grumpy girl with scary eyes.
"I completely understand now."
The Trainer nodded with a stiff face and stopped bringing up the topic... After training, Gold Legend said goodbye to her teammates and wandered out of the school gate.
She planned to go out and have a good meal.
After yesterday's food tour with Oguri Cap, Gold Legend had decided to cultivate her skills in this area.
At least she couldn't be as pathetic as she was yesterday.
Anyway, she wasn't short on money and didn't need to stay at the school's buffet cafeteria every day. So, let's go!
Like most schools, there was a food street at the gate of Tracen.
It was just a bit far because of Tracen's size and location.
But it didn't matter; this distance wasn't even a warm-up for an Uma Musume!
Holding a food magazine provided by the friendship of Tamamo Cross, Gold Legend arrived at the food street.
"Oh oh, everything looks so delicious!"
With a box of takoyaki in her left hand and a candied apple on a stick in her right, Gold Legend thoroughly enjoyed the pleasure of good food.
Then, Gold Legend saw a lavender figure in front of the target cafe—it was Mejiro McQueen.
She had a shaken expression, her eyes like a pie chart with three parts hesitation, three parts determination, and four parts agony, staring intently at the notice board in front of the cafe.
Ah, tears are flowing from the corner of her mouth.
Gold Legend approached with a blank face and took a look. The sign said, "Today's Special—Jumbo Strawberry Sundae."
Okay, I fully understand the reason for McQueen being like this.
Gold Legend rolled her eyes, feeling a bit mischievous.
She walked up behind McQueen, gently rested her chin on McQueen's shoulder, and said in a tempting tone, "This is a rare opportunity. If you miss it, who knows when you'll encounter it again? Just order one."
"But, my weight..." Mejiro McQueen murmured to herself.
"It's fine. Just do a few extra laps during training tomorrow."
"...Yes, if I train tomorrow..." Mejiro McQueen was wavering.
"Pfft." Unable to hold it in, Gold Legend laughed.
"!!!" Mejiro McQueen finally snapped out of it. Her tail and ears stood up, and she spun around and jumped back in one fluid motion, striking a wary pose as she looked up at the newcomer.
Then she saw the gracefully smiling Gold Legend.
"...Gold-san?" McQueen relaxed, then remembered her behavior just now and her face immediately turned bright red.
"Why is Gold-san here?" She averted her eyes, trying to change the subject.
Legend saw McQueen's reaction and her smile grew even wider. She pointed to the cafe next to them. "Just call me Legend. I'm here in search of good food. But what about you, Mejiro-san? Why are you here?"
"Cough, I'm just passing by. Also, just call me McQueen." Mejiro McQueen tried to maintain her lady-like image in a final struggle.
"I see. A chance meeting is fate. McQueen-san, it would be a bit lonely to enjoy this food alone. Would I have the honor of inviting you to join me?" With a brilliant smile, Gold Legend launched a finishing move at McQueen.
"Eh! This..." Seeing Gold Legend, who looked like a noble young master, inviting her, McQueen felt her image was about to crumble.
"There's strawberry sundae." The follow-up blow came immediately.
"...It would be my pleasure." McQueen was done for... "My, I really didn't expect the elegant and noble McQueen to have such a cute side."
Inside the cafe, Gold Legend ignored the strawberry sundae in front of her. Instead, she propped up her head with one hand, teasing Mejiro McQueen across from her.
"...Even I have my own hobbies and private time."
With tears in the corners of her eyes, McQueen shoveled the strawberry sundae into her mouth spoonful by spoonful, completely giving up on herself.
"Eat slowly. If it's not enough, you can have mine. Also, everyone is starting to look over."
Gold Legend reminded her.
McQueen, finally realizing they were in a public place, hurriedly tidied her appearance and acted in a manner befitting her status.
"Thank you for the reminder, Legend-san."
"McQueen really does love sweets."
Looking at McQueen, who still hadn't let go of Mr. Sundae even after returning to her lady-like persona, Gold Legend said with a smile.
"...Since it's already been ordered, it shouldn't be wasted. This is the etiquette expected of an Uma Musume of the Mejiro Family."
McQueen said, while silently crying for her weight in her heart.
"By the way, why is McQueen here?"
Gold Legend asked curiously.
"Well, Ryan asked me to come. It seems the family prepared a training schedule for me."
McQueen didn't hide anything.
"A training schedule? Is McQueen not planning to find a Trainer?"
"That's not it. It's just that compared to finding a Trainer, my primary goal now is to debut as soon as possible."
McQueen explained.
"Why? We're still First-years, aren't we?"
"But I'm already 17 years old. If I don't debut soon, I won't make it in time for the Kikuka Sho."
McQueen said with a hint of distress.
"Huh?" Gold Legend was stunned.
"I had to rest at home for a year because of Periostitis," McQueen explained. "So I missed the best age for a debut, and... anyway, I can't miss the final crown!"
"I see. But since McQueen is older than me, should I call you Big Sister McQueen?"
"Honestly, don't tease me, Legend-san."
McQueen's face turned red, looking a bit flustered.
Then the two finished their dinner harmoniously and returned to Tracen chatting and laughing.
Today was another peaceful day.
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