"On your marks——"
"Go!"
...
At the command,
The kicked-up dust hadn't even begun to settle when the four horse girls bolted far ahead.
As always, Silence Suzuka took the lead, steadfast in her resolve of "never letting go of the scenery before her eyes."
Her running form was the most unique among them all, like a fish darting through fierce winds.
Seiun Sky and Special Week followed closely behind, using Silence Suzuka to cut through the wind.
However, this running style wasn't very comfortable for them, but they feared letting Silence Suzuka build too large of a gap, which would only add mental pressure in the final stretch.
To Seiun Sky's surprise, this time she could see Special Week's figure in her peripheral vision.
The other girl was sticking close, unlike her usual half-hearted approach in previous simulation races.
"Finally taking it seriously, huh, Spe-chan?" Seiun Sky thought to herself.
Bringing up the rear was Haru Urara.
Her eyes were nearly squinted shut, and even her expression strained with effort as she ran.
Yet, the distance between her and Silence Suzuka's group continued to widen bit by bit.
Lucian wasn't particularly surprised. To him, Haru Urara simply finishing the race would count as a victory.
He raised a megaphone and shouted, "Hang in there, Urara! Control your rhythm, watch your arm swing!"
...
The simulation race was quite lively, drawing the attention of many other horse girls training nearby.
The members of "Spica" stood behind Nishizaki Ryo, watching as Silence Suzuka and the others sped past.
"Quite the fiery display," he remarked casually, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of intensity.
To Nishizaki Ryo, these were all promising talents.
"So fast!" Daiwa Scarlet's eyes widened slightly, her small fangs peeking out as if curiously observing.
The current "Spica" team only consisted of Gold Ship, Daiwa Scarlet, and Vodka. Aside from Gold Ship, neither Daiwa Scarlet nor Vodka had made their debut yet.
So, witnessing this scene, both Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka couldn't hide their astonishment—while also feeling a surge of fiery passion in their chests.
"Damn it, I wanna debut soon too and race against them!" Vodka clenched her fists.
"Tch, you'd have to beat me first," Daiwa Scarlet retorted, hands on her hips and chin held high.
In the anime, Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka were rivals who pushed each other to improve, but in reality, they also shared a deep connection.
"Can't be bothered arguing with you." Vodka turned to Nishizaki Ryo. "Trainer! When can I debut?"
Not to be outdone, Daiwa Scarlet chimed in, "Trainer, me too!"
Only the easygoing Gold Ship remained unfazed beside them. "Why the rush~?"
"Alright, alright, your debut races will be here soon enough," Nishizaki Ryo said, pulling his gaze back and smiling at the two.
...
"Huff—huff—"
Heavy breaths came in rapid succession.
After two kilometers, the leading trio had slowed considerably compared to the start.
Seiun Sky's legs burned with fatigue, each step feeling like she was wrenching herself free from deep mud.
She couldn't stop. She couldn't let Silence Suzuka widen the gap.
Yet, those mere three horse-lengths felt like an insurmountable chasm.
Silence Suzuka wasn't faring much better. The pressure from both Seiun Sky and Special Week behind her was immense.
"I can't lose... I can't let Lucian-kun down!"
But Silence Suzuka's will to run was unshakable. No matter the obstacles ahead, she would tear through them with sheer force.
Eight hundred meters...
Six hundred meters...
The final four hundred meters.
In silence, one either erupts—or perishes.
Seiun Sky was the first to strike, launching her final sprint to close the gap with Silence Suzuka. This was her last chance!
But Silence Suzuka and Special Week were equally outstanding horse girls.
The moment Seiun Sky pushed forward, Silence Suzuka and Special Week also burned through their remaining stamina, charging toward the finish line with their own convictions.
"This... this is..."
Lucian, watching from the finish line, suddenly froze in shock, blinking hard.
But everything before him remained unchanged.
No way... That couldn't have been an illusion.
For a brief moment, he had seen an inexplicable glow erupt from the three of them—blue, green, and pale pink... like streaks of meteors.
Yet it had been fleeting, like a bolt of lightning splitting the sky before vanishing without a trace.
Before Lucian could process it, the three horse girls were already rushing toward him.
A fierce, invisible gust whipped past his face, tossing his baskward as the race concluded.
"First place—Suzuka."
"Second place—Spe-chan."
Lucian recorded their finishing times, his voice slightly delayed.
"Third place... Seiun."
...
Silence Suzuka paced slowly across the grass, a faint smile tugging at her lips upon hearing the results.
Special Week exhaled deeply.
Only Seiun Sky remained bent over, hands on her knees, gasping for air.
Her hanging hair formed a curtain, isolating her from the outside world. No one could see her expression—nor tell whether the droplets falling were sweat or tears.
"Seiun..."
Just as Lucian stepped forward, he was interrupted by Haru Urara, who had just crossed the line.
"Trainer! I finished!"
"I'm exhausted!"
With a smooth motion, Haru Urara flopped onto the grass, breathing heavily with dramatic flair.
"Don't lie down right away. Get up and walk it off slowly."
Lucian had kept an eye on Haru Urara too.
But no glow had appeared around her.
Was it a matter of innate talent? Or perhaps the influence of competing rivals?
Either way, this discovery warranted further investigation.
After recording Haru Urara's time, Lucian glanced back at Seiun Sky.
By now, she had caught her breath and was chatting with Special Week and Silence Suzuka.
Her relaxed expression showed no signs of dejection over the loss.
If she could adjust on her own, that was for the best.
If not, Lucian wouldn't comfort her now—not when she had buried her disappointment deep. Digging it back up wouldn't help.
"Everyone, take a moment to recover. I'll grab towels and water for you."
Lucian placed the training data in the rest area before returning to sit beside his team, who were now lined up together.