Hishi Miracle scratched her head. She hadn't expected to run into Symboli Kris S at Longchamp Racecourse today, much less be cornered with a question like that.
In terms of raw ability, Symboli Kris S—having already awakened her Zone—was undeniably a G1-caliber Uma Musume.
Under any other circumstances, she'd likely have earned a moniker as prestigious as the "Jet Black Monarch" by now.
But as fate would have it, she had the sheer misfortune of constantly running into Equinox.
This stroke of luck left Hishi Miracle at a loss for words, so she simply pointed at herself and asked tentatively, "Are you sure you want to ask me? There have to be people way better suited for this conversation than I am, right?"
"At least in this place, you are the most appropriate choice," Symboli Kris S replied, glancing toward Liberty Island and Equinox standing nearby. "After all, between the rival herself and the rival's friend, the 'senior schoolmate of the rival's friend' is a much more manageable connection."
"That's way too convoluted! Do you really need to map out the entire relationship chain like that?"
"It's precisely because you are her friend's senior that it works. Besides, you're the same age, and you two shared a moment back during the Kikuka-sho."
"Actually, those last two points were the real reason, weren't they..." Hishi Miracle gave a dry laugh.
She feigned deafness toward Liberty Island's grumbling about "who's friends with that girl anyway" and looked back at Symboli Kris S. "But honestly, I don't have a solution for you. Maybe... talk to your trainer and just stop signing up for races where Equinox is on the roster?"
Hishi Miracle couldn't help it; she genuinely couldn't envision a way to topple Equinox.
For the Uma Musume of their generation, Equinox was what Dream Weaver had been to those before her—a mountain so high it felt impossible to climb.
After thinking it over, the only "best" advice she could offer was to avoid the collision altogether. Even as strong as Equinox was, she couldn't possibly sign up for every single race at once, right?
Symboli Kris S remained expressionless, her sharp gaze suggesting she wasn't exactly thrilled with that answer.
It made sense; as an Uma Musume with an incredibly fierce competitive spirit, how could she ever allow herself to admit defeat before the starting gates even opened? Hishi Miracle swallowed hard under that intense stare.
Losing a race was one thing, but fleeing to avoid a loss was another matter entirely.
"I only sign up for races I have confidence in," Symboli Kris S said coolly. "Whether or not Equinox is on the entry list is not a factor I consider."
How cool, Hishi Miracle thought. If Equinox wasn't standing right there watching the whole scene play out like a show, she might have actually applauded such spirit. But after catching a glimpse of Equinox's silent, knowing smile out of the corner of her eye, she could only offer a weak consolation.
"Well then, do your best... But even if you can't win, it's not the end of the world. There have been girls like that in every era dominated by a single titan. Like Meisho Doto, the 'Vice-Tyrant' at the end of the century; or Nice Nature, who proved there's no eternal number one, only an eternal number two; or Win Variation, who walked alongside the Golden Triple Crown winner. They were all incredibly charming Uma Musume!"
Hishi Miracle's voice trailed off into a whisper as she noticed Symboli Kris S's brow furrowing.
It was understandable—the girl had just made a cool declaration, and Hishi Miracle had immediately followed it up by listing a bunch of professional runners-up.
Getting angry would be the natural reaction.
Feeling she had put her foot in her mouth, Hishi Miracle awkwardly looked away. But when she expected a sharp rebuttal, Symboli Kris S's response took her completely by surprise.
"That kind of deep-bond role belongs to Liberty Island, doesn't it?"
"What deep bond?! It's a cursed fate at best!" Liberty Island barked back.
Because she struggled with facial expressions, Symboli Kris S was often misunderstood as being cold and aloof.
In reality, she had only frowned because she felt she shouldn't be wedging herself between Liberty Island and Equinox. The legend of the "Star-Crossed Lovers" wasn't a story known only to Vela Azul.
Equinox actually quite enjoyed being linked to Liberty Island; it made her feel like she was part of the group in a way.
She slung an arm around Liberty Island's shoulder, grinning. "If you don't want to settle for that role, then hurry up and catch me. That feeling during the Japan Cup was pretty great—it actually gave me a little shock."
"...I'm going to beat you eventually, you jerk!" Liberty Island replied, teeth gritted.
In truth, after truly facing Equinox on the turf during the Japan Cup, much of her obsession had faded, but she still couldn't stand it when Equinox pulled that face in front of her.
Especially since this girl had finished the Arima Kinen a few days ago and immediately flown to Paris to cling to Dream Weaver.
Equinox had been hugging Dream Weaver's arm, claiming she'd make a much better training partner than Liberty Island ever could.
"Hehe, now I'm a Triple Crown winner just like Dream Weaver-senpai. If you don't work harder, I might just steal her away for real."
Having confirmed that Liberty Island no longer felt inferior just by looking at her, Equinox had grown bolder. After achieving the Autumn Triple Crown by winning the Arima Kinen, her antics had become even more shameless.
"You! Get back to your seat! The race is about to start and there's no room for you here!" Flustered and annoyed, Liberty Island began shooing them away, driving Equinox and the Tag-along Symboli Kris S out of the spectator section.
It was true that the race was about to begin, and there really wasn't space for the two of them. They couldn't exactly have Symboli Kris S and Equinox standing right in front of them blocking the view.
Understanding this, Equinox didn't linger. She waved to the group and followed Symboli Kris S toward the VIP box that Iresine had reserved earlier.
"Ah, how nice. Is this what it feels like to be young?"
"You sound like an old lady, and you're making me feel ancient by association..." Sugar Lights sighed at Agnes Tachyon's comment.
But as the race was imminent, she quickly pulled the conversation back to the point. "How much confidence do you have?"
"Shouldn't you be asking Dream Weaver out there on the turf? She's the one actually racing."
"Don't dodge the question. You know what I'm talking about." Sugar Lights glanced at Hishi Miracle and Liberty Island.
Once she was sure they weren't paying attention, she whispered into Agnes Tachyon's ear, "Even the most incredible potion can't turn back time. I have a right to know where its limit lies, don't I?"
"Lights... do you believe in the possibilities of an Uma Musume?"
Agnes Tachyon didn't give a straight answer. She simply tilted her head and let out a soft, knowing chuckle.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 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.