T bustled around the training room, his work as a Trainer seemingly even more demanding than his former role as head chef at Kasuga House. Kousei wasn't entirely sure of the specifics, after all, she was just an Umamusume.
Seeing Kousei approach, T smiled. "How's training going?"
She could hear a hint of fatigue in his voice.
"Great, no discomfort at all. But I still can't quite figure out Narita Brian."
T chuckled lightly. "It's not easy, after all. Keeping up with Brian's pace is already a feat."
"If losing ten races out of ten counts as 'keeping up,' then I have nothing more to say."
T raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, Brian really shows no mercy.
"Have you noticed anything in particular?"
"There's a vague feeling I can't quite articulate. But I do have a theory, and I wanted to get your opinion before acting on it."
"My opinion?"
"Yes. Since you're my Trainer, you should guide me down the right path."
T pondered for a moment. "I'm not trying to be cryptic, but Sirius must have explained this already: discoveries only hold meaning when you make them yourself. Stamina and technique are merely weapons. What truly defines you as an Umamusume lies elsewhere."
"I can give you a hint: the key lies with your mother and Narita Brian."
Kousei recalled the videotape. "Wasn't the star of the tape that perfect Umamusume?"
T seemed slightly surprised. "The perfect Umamusume... you were drawn to her?"
For some reason, T appeared slightly nervous.
"No, not at all. My attention was entirely on Mother. It was McQueen who noticed her."
T tapped his fingers lightly on the table, muttering to himself, "Just as I suspected."
A corner of his mouth curved into a smile without speaking, leaving Kousei slightly puzzled. Kousei glanced casually at the documents on the desk, but before she could make out their contents, T's arm moved to block her view—whether intentionally or not, she couldn't tell.
"So mysterious."
"It's getting late. You should head to training now. If you're feeling good today, do a couple of extra sets of strength training," T urged Kousei to leave.
Since she had to train anyway, Kousei didn't linger.
After Kousei left, T stared thoughtfully at the documents on the desk.
"Excellent. Her condition is good. Records keep breaking—it seems even defeats have their benefits."
-
"Have you always been so blunt?"
After spending some time together, Kousei realized Sirius wasn't as difficult to get along with as she'd initially thought. To Kousei, Sirius felt like a stern older sister. Though she appeared fierce, her heart was soft, and she often helped other weaker Umamusume.
In short, she had a cold exterior but a warm heart—something Kousei found rather cool.
As long as Rudolf wasn't mentioned, Sirius was actually a pretty good older sister.
Looks like even royalty has its own troubles, Kousei mused.
"Don't get too complacent. Do you really think this slight improvement is enough to surpass a genius?"
"I know," Kousei replied, "'You're not the only one constantly moving forward.' Trust me, I understand that better than you. After all, I was utterly crushed at the Derby."
Sirius had been present at that race and witnessed the scene firsthand. After Kousei said this, Sirius fell silent.
"I'm sorry."
"No, don't apologize. It's the truth, after all."
"No!" Sirius suddenly refused fiercely.
Kousei was stunned for a long moment. Sirius, realizing her reaction, quickly explained, "T said you're very sensitive and tend to keep things bottled up, never easily showing your feelings. I didn't want to hurt you, so I'm sorry."
Sirius's sudden formality left Kousei feeling flustered. "Wait, why would she say that?"
Just then, Narita Brian arrived, stumbling upon the scene. Sensing the awkward tension and recalling Rudolf and Air Groove in the VIP seats, she narrowed her eyes and muttered to herself, "Seriously? Why do I keep stumbling into these situations?"
Feeling a bit awkward and unnoticed, she cleared her throat.
"Ahem!"
No response.
"Ahem, ahem, ahem!"
Huh? Why is no one paying attention to me?
Completely bewildered, Narita Brian's eyes filled with confusion.
Suddenly, she caught a faint smile playing on Kousei's lips and instantly understood.
"Damn it! I've been played!"
Though Brian was initially angry, after spending so much time with Kousei, the latter had long since learned to manipulate Brian's personality. Presenting Brian with a hundred portions of Tracen's secret-recipe grilled meat—a daily offering—was all it took. The moment Brian saw the meat, she forgot everything else, her worries vanishing into thin air.
"Brian! Don't just eat the meat—you need to eat your vegetables too!"
Brian startled, nervously glancing around.
"Was that a hallucination? Good thing Onee-san didn't hear, or she'd lecture me endlessly."
Kousei had brought the barbecue specifically as a thank-you for Brian's daily care. Teasing Brian was just a spur-of-the-moment impulse.
"What did T tell you about that?" Sirius asked, seemingly uninterested in anything beyond helping Kousei run.
"The key lies with my mother and Narita Brian, but I still can't figure out what connects them."
Sirius's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly at the mention of "my mother," her eyes flickering.
"Indeed. Then allow me to add one more thing. Do you remember the day Teio claimed the Undefeated Triple Crown?"
"I remember."
"Teio's declaration of war against Emperor ushered in a new era. The two kings resonated with each other, and you and McQueen even leaped into the racetrack that day, didn't you?"
"Yes," Brian replied, though at the time it had been almost instinctive.
Kousei couldn't understand why Sirius was bringing this up now. Sirius turned her gaze toward Narita Brian.
"The resonance between Umamusume stems from the similarity of their inherent qualities. Back at the Hopeful Stakes, you dragged the other Umamusume into your forced resonance field. That day, you were both guided by Teio, and the one who resonated with you was Narita Brian."
The Monster of the Shadow Belt... To think I would resonate with someone like that.
"That's why I said the part of Narita Brian that resonated with you was closest to your own," Sirius said, tapping her head with her index finger. "The Gate Technique is a treasure for mediocre talents. Think about what it requires most."
Kousei immediately recalled Rudolf's words to her and replied without hesitation, "Willpower."
"Exactly. McQueen possesses strength and endurance, while Teio boasts speed and technique. They are unparalleled geniuses, but your mastery of the Gate Technique makes you equally special.
"At the Japanese Derby, you suffered a crushing defeat. Yet even when all your other techniques failed, you still unleashed 'Guidance.' Haven't you realized your own weapon yet? What is the essence of the Gate Technique?
"It's the fusion of intellect, willpower, and reaction. Master that, and the Gate Technique's gate will swing wide open for you."
"That's what I'm lacking..."
"No!" Sirius exclaimed, her voice rising with emotion. "Don't forget! These are merely weapons! As you race toward distant horizons, remember to pause and examine yourself."
Merely weapons. Both T and Sirius had said the same thing.