Ten-odd minutes later!
"Finally, everyone's gone..."
Lin Anran let out a deep sigh, feeling slightly irritated.
Damn it! Why did a bunch of foals who got crushed in the Derby come looking for him?
In just an hour or two, he'd already comforted nearly ten upset Uma Musume. Was the impact of that "Overtake Special Effect" really that huge?
The key point was, he wasn't a psychologist—he couldn't charge them like one. He'd basically given them free therapy and comfort for half the day.
But the moment he remembered the prize money for the Japan Derby, Lin Anran immediately regained his composure and calm.
"Alright, no point dwelling on these trivial matters."
"Now, it's time to claim the rewards..."
After muttering to himself, Lin Anran casually picked up the cup of tea on his desk.
The label on the cup read:
[Sticky Rice Scented Lemon Tea, Warm, No Sugar]
As Lin Anran sipped the deliciously fragrant lemon tea, he set it down again and prepared to open his system rewards.
Suddenly, his phone on the desk chimed with a notification.
The scheming young doctor's attention was instantly grabbed, and he glanced over.
He noticed that his social media app was showing several unread messages.
"Which small fry is it this time?"
Lin Anran quickly logged into the app and opened his account…
Soon, he saw that the messages were from [Dahlia] and [Secretariat].
Lin Anran clicked on Dahlia's message first.
[Dahlia: Dr. Lin, I won my debut race.]
[Dahlia: Right now, I'm preparing for a graded stakes race. I've taken a step toward becoming the "strongest."]
The message was brief, almost like a casual update.
[Dahlia: Oh, and remember Sea the Stars? The one who got injured while traveling in the U.S. and came to you for treatment? She just won her debut race too.]
[Dahlia: Even though her opponent was strong, I won't lose—for the sake of our promise!]
[Dahlia: Please be ready for me~]
After reading the message, which mentioned another horse girl's name, Lin Anran didn't pay it much mind.
It took him a second to recall.
"Sea the Stars… Oh, she's the daughter of Urban Sea, that Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner."
Urban Sea was a Chinese Uma Musume who went to Japan for training. Underestimated and unable to get into Japan's Tracen Academy, she ended up in an ordinary Uma Musume Academy.
Later, her school even shut down. Urban Sea eventually debuted in Europe, but her performance was lackluster for a long time.
Until, under pouring rain and on heavy ground, she won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe—the most prestigious turf race in the world, the number one! She stunned the world!
It's worth noting that a horse girl's "registered" nationality is usually determined by where they debut or train.
So Urban Sea and her daughter Sea the Stars, who debuted in Europe, are considered European horse girls, while Platinum counts as Japanese.
Countless Japanese fans lamented—why didn't Urban Sea debut in Japan? Why didn't she enter Tracen back then? If she had, a Japanese Uma Musume would've won the Arc, right?
When Lin Anran first met Sea the Stars, he was thrilled and treated her like some noble young lady.
To Sea the Stars, Lin Anran was a rare Chinese speaker during her trip from Europe to the U.S., and they'd had many conversations.
But then…
Lin Anran suddenly learned about Sea the Stars' recent debut result—
She lost! Fourth place!!
When he found out, he was utterly dumbfounded.
Because Secretariat's debut race had ended the exact same way—she lost too!
Not only that, but both Secretariat and Sea the Stars finished fourth!
Looking deeper into it, Lin Anran realized that Sea the Stars' mother had only won one Grade I race in her entire career—the Arc. Their family didn't have many outstanding Uma Musume.
So, Sea the Stars probably wasn't some noble young lady, and she couldn't even win her debut race!
At that point, Lin Anran instinctively labeled Sea the Stars as "small fry," but then it occurred to him…
Sea the Stars' mother started as a small fry too, yet she eventually changed her fate and won the Arc. Maybe Sea the Stars had that same potential?
So, Lin Anran decided to maintain a good relationship with Sea the Stars and later sent her back to Europe.
About a month ago, before leaving, when Lin Anran mass-sent his [Promise], he included Sea the Stars.
Her response at the time was just a bland, "Alright, I'll take it seriously then", and that was it.
It wasn't until now, when Dahlia—also in Europe—sent news of her successful debut and mentioned Sea the Stars, that Lin Anran remembered.
"So, like Secretariat, she lost her debut race finishing fourth but succeeded the second time."
"I wonder if Sea the Stars can follow in Secretariat's footsteps and win graded stakes races later?"
Without overthinking it, Lin Anran brushed the matter aside.
After all, in a competitive place like Europe, even many noble horse girls struggle to win, right?
Let alone mere small fries like Dahlia and Sea the Stars. Not worth his attention.
Better check out Secretariat next door!
Lin Anran then clicked on Secretariat's message.
[Big Red: Dr. Lin, I just won a G2 race.]
[BigRed: I'll be preparing for a G1 soon—planning to run the U.S. Triple Crown!]
[BigRed: I hope my opponents in the Triple Crown are strong though, or it'll be boring.]
Compared to Dahlia's, this was even shorter, but the information it contained made the scheming young doctor's eyes widen.
Winning a G2 race meant she now had the qualifications to run in G1s!
"Gwah! I leave, and you debut, then climb from G3 to G2, and now you're aiming for G1s?!"
"I don't want that!!"
Lin Anran clutched his chest with one hand, feeling his racing heartbeat, while the other hand repeatedly pounded the desk.
Regret—right now, he was filled with nothing but regret.
If only he'd signed that exclusive doctor contract with Big Red… he could've been mining her for gold.
Now it was too late. He'd already moved to Japan. No more gold to mine from Big Red.
But soon, Lin Anran regained his calm.
The U.S. Triple Crown's global fame far surpassed Japan's Triple Crown, even France's, to the point of overshadowing Britain's Triple Crown!
Its difficulty was also arguably the highest among all Triple Crowns worldwide, requiring victory in three G1 races in just over a month!
Every U.S. Triple Crown winner earned a place in history, shocking the entire horse girl racing world.
Winning a G2 didn't guarantee winning a G1, let alone achieving the incredibly difficult U.S. Triple Crown!
But in other words—
If Secretariat really could win the U.S. Triple Crown, then she'd be frighteningly close to fulfilling their promised [Strongest]!
"I-it… probably won't happen, right?"
Lin Anran thought back to all the small fries he'd been on good terms with and decisively concluded they weren't worth his attention.
But this time, he felt a hint of hesitation and doubt.
She… probably can't win, right?
Just as Lin Anran was lost in thought—
Bang bang bang!
The clinic door was knocked from outside.
Lin Anran promptly stood up and went to answer it.
--+--
"Miss Tokai Teio?"
Lin Anran quickly recognized the smiling Tokai Teio outside the door.
The scheming young doctor's first thought was… another fracture?
But Tokai Teio's posture seemed perfectly normal, with no signs of injury.
It was worth noting that Tokai Teio held a piece of paper covered in lines of text, almost like a speech script.
Once inside the clinic, Tokai Teio immediately spoke up.
"Dr. Lin, thank you for treating me earlier. It kept my injury from affecting my condition for too long."
"I've recovered well, training's going smoothly, and I've adjusted my condition back on track. I'm planning to enter either the Takarazuka Kinen or the Autumn Tenno Sho now! I came to share the good news!"
Tokai Teio's vibrant, infectious smile made even Lin Anran grin.
Good, good!
That meant he'd soon get his share of the prize money from her next G1 race!
'Gwah, for the sake of my prize money, you can't lose, Teio!'
That's what he thought, but what he actually said after a moment of deliberation was:
"Miss Teio, I hope you take good care of yourself during training and races!"
"Races are important, but as your doctor and friend, I want you to stay healthy."
Sure enough…
The pure-hearted foal Tokai Teio looked deeply moved!
"Mm, I'll be careful."
After chatting a bit more with his valuable golden goose Tokai Teio, Lin Anran glanced at the paper she still held tightly and asked:
"Miss Teio, are you… preparing for a speech somewhere?"
Tokai Teio immediately shook her head.
"No, this is what Platinum said about the president after studying the Japan Derby yesterday!"
"It's already spreading around and people are calling it the Platinum Bible! I saw it trending too!"
Hearing this, Lin Anran's expression shifted subtly.
Tokai Teio lowered her head and added:
"I saw the Prez getting so excited and happy her face turned all red."
"As her number one fan, I'm going to memorize this passage, and after my next race…"
"I'm going to recite this whole thing during the live broadcast too!!"
After Tokai Teio declared this with determination and unwavering eyes, Lin Anran was deeply impressed.
This foal's head is really that hard? What a genius!
A case of "father and son bonding"? A rebellion against my elegant father?!
Miss Teio, so you're Mordred, here to slay King Arthur?
Wait no, "mother and daughter bonding"?
Ahem…
"Well, I wish you the best of luck, Miss Teio!"
After saying that, Lin Anran picked up his phone, planning to send his replies to Secretariat and Dahlia.
"Oh, Miss Teio, what do you think… if a horse girl I know wants to become the strongest and pull me back to the U.S…"
"How should I reply to that?"
Lin Anran's question immediately caught Tokai Teio's attention.
The petite Miss Teio set aside her Whiteley Bible script, her eyes turning serious.
"Huh? Become the strongest and take you to the U.S.?!"
"Gwah, no way!"
An almost protective, possessive look flashed across Tokai Teio's face.
In her eyes, this witty, kind, and handsome young doctor was the best she'd ever met!
When she'd fractured before, she'd even gone to the prestigious Mejiro family for rehab, but it wasn't very effective, and they used huge needles!
In comparison, Lin Anran's treatments were so comfortable and effective, he was practically a miracle doctor! And he was such a nice person too!
What's so great about America? He should stay in Japan.
"Dr. Lin, what are the names of the horse girls you know?"
Tokai Teio pressed.
"Secretariat, Dahlia."
"Never heard of them…"
Hearing this, Tokai Teio breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Both were unfamiliar names. Even though top-tier horse girls could emerge from Europe or America, these two names didn't sound like GI winners.
So, there was absolutely no chance of Dr. Lin being snatched away by some foreign horse girl from across the seas!
Confirming they were small fries, Tokai Teio looked up and said to Lin Anran with a voice filled with cold confidence:
"If that Secretariat really has the guts to try anything, I'll handle it!!"
As Japan's Undefeated Dual-Crown winner, the heir to the strongest emperor!
Tokai Teio felt she had the right to measure herself against non-G1-winning horse girls from Europe and America. That wasn't overconfidence, was it?
Hearing this, Lin Anran smiled and nodded.
"Mm, I hope so~"
--+--
A short while later, Lin Anran saw Tokai Teio out.
After closing the door, he casually finished replying to Dahlia and Secretariat.
The scheming young doctor's attention finally returned to the post-race system rewards.
"System, oh great one, open your eyes! It is I, Lin Anran!"
The next moment, the system panel opened.
[Race Won: Japan Derby (14 lengths)]
[Calculating Rewards…]
A few seconds later, the brief text changed.
[Rewards: (Inheritance Factor), (Three-Month Paid Leave · One-time Use)]
[(Inheritance Factor): Greatly increases the probability of offspring inheriting the host's superior talents]
[(Three-Month Paid Leave · One-time Use): Originates from Młynar Nearl's accumulated ten years of leave. Can directly activate three months of paid leave.]
??
Lin Anran slowly typed out a question mark.
"Seriously, what use do I have for this?"
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.