Vela Azul had intended to retire following the Japan Cup, but the chaos that erupted in the medical ward after Liberty Island's collapse had ground the proceedings to a halt.
In truth, it wasn't a major issue. A retirement ceremony could be held at any time; it was simply a matter of finding an auspicious date.
But on the day after the Japan Cup, Vela Azul—along with the rest of the world—received news that shook her to the core.
Dream Weaver, the world-class Uma Musume who had spent the last two years as a trainer, had decided to make her comeback at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in one month's time.
Why?
That was the first thought that flashed through Vela Azul's mind when she saw the headline. She couldn't begin to fathom why Dream Weaver would return. Didn't she realize her peak had long since passed?
She was no longer the "Scarlet Calamity" who had once ruled the world. Why return to the Arc now?
Was she unaware that she was inviting humiliation?
What could possibly drive her to sign up for the Arc, even if it meant gambling with her lifelong reputation and future?
Vela Azul didn't know, and the news left her heart in a tangled mess.
She was a realistic Uma Musume. She understood the importance of seizing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and she was capable of accepting her own decline once the magic had faded.
Vela Azul had accepted her retirement long before the Japan Cup even began; she had even spent the pre-race period contemplating what she would do with her life afterward.
In that Japan Cup, she had been the first among the G1 class of Uma Musume to give up.
Even before Equinox had revealed the true nature of her monstrous talent, Vela Azul had already retreated to the very back of the pack, simply waiting for the race to end.
She had worked hard on the turf. She had amassed a fortune in prize money.
Finally, she could enjoy the future she had earned with so much pain and sweat.
First, she'd travel. Then, she'd buy all those manga volumes she never had time to read. Finally, she'd curl up in her room and binge-watch all the TV dramas she'd missed.
It was a heaven-like future just thinking about it, wasn't it?
Vela Azul thought she was ready—ready to retire, and ready to enjoy that future.
Yet, upon seeing the news of Dream Weaver's comeback, she found herself hesitating for reasons she couldn't explain.
On the day of the Japan Cup, while the likes of Iresine and the others were at each other's throats in the tunnel, vying for the championship, Vela Azul had followed silently behind them. In those moments, thinking of her own retirement, she had naturally associated herself with Dream Weaver.
No Uma Musume can sustain a miracle forever. Not even someone like Dream Weaver.
At that time, Vela Azul—like everyone else—viewed Dream Weaver as a retired Uma Musume.
Though she had never held a formal ceremony, she was a trainer who had already produced two G1 champions. How could she possibly return to the race track?
But this news told her that the Uma Musume she thought was finished was not, in fact, retired. She was even signing up for this year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
This left Vela Azul, who had compared her own retirement to Dream Weaver's, feeling utterly conflicted.
Her trainer had asked many times when she wanted to schedule the ceremony, but Vela Azul never gave a straight answer.
Instead, she subconsciously avoided the trainer with various excuses—one moment she was too busy, the next she had to spend Christmas elsewhere. Before she knew it, she had dragged things out until now.
By the time Vela Azul snapped back to reality, she was in a foreign land, standing before the Longchamp Racecourse in Paris.
Driven by an inexplicable force, she had come to the site of the Arc.
Seeing that the G1 Uma Musume from the Japan Cup were also present, she tried to convince herself that she understood her motivation.
After all, this was the comeback of the legendary Dream Weaver; it was only natural that everyone would be drawn here, including herself.
But now, Vela Azul realized something: she was different from any other Uma Musume in this VIP suite.
In this room, she was the only one who had seriously planned out her post-retirement life, the only one who had discussed the ceremony venue with her trainer multiple times.
She was the only one here who had stood on the very brink of retirement.
And that was why she was so deeply moved.
Because Vela Azul was watching a scarlet streak of light—a girl who should have been retired, but chose to return this year, returning to the Arc after two years to bring hope and passion back to everyone through a daring Great Escape.
An unspeakable tide of emotion surged in her heart. Vela Azul could hardly form a coherent sentence. She could only watch that red blur on the track, murmuring in a voice only she could hear.
"Go for it."
Vela Azul's complex inner world belonged to her alone.
At this moment, Liberty Island and Hishi Miracle, sitting in the stands, were far more straightforward.
They were Dream Weaver's students. Now that their teacher was once again challenging the "Curse of the Arc" that she carried, how could they not support her?
Aside from acting as her training partners, Liberty Island and Hishi Miracle had used their free time to craft a red flag.
Now, seeing the scarlet streak representing Dream Weaver overtaking everyone and galloping across the turf, they pulled the flag from their backpacks and waved it with all their might.
"Master!"
"Invincible!"
"Master!"
"Certain victory!"
Chanting in unison, Hishi Miracle and Liberty Island waved their flag in the stands.
They were incredibly conspicuous amidst the surging waves of cheers, but they didn't show a hint of the shyness typical of teenage girls in public. Instead, they shouted with bold, unrestrained energy.
To Liberty Island, Dream Weaver was not only the Uma Musume she had admired since childhood, but the one who had personally helped her shatter the inner demons of inferiority she felt toward Equinox.
It was even more profound for Hishi Miracle. In her own eyes, she was a mediocre girl; if not for Dream Weaver's guidance, she might never have stood on a G1 stage in her life.
Now, as the teacher who had guided them finally made one last attempt at her dream, how could Hishi Miracle or Liberty Island let a little shyness stop them from cheering for her?
While the Uma Musume were either deeply moved or cheering loudly, Shotaro Akutsu, who had just been boasting in his livestream, was not looking particularly well.
Akutsu never imagined that Dream Weaver could still explode with such staggering power after two years away from the track. He was momentarily speechless, stifled by the sight.
But he had just finished mocking her; turning tail now would be truly dangerous for his reputation. So, Akutsu gritted his teeth and forced out another comment.
"Hah, she's only leading at the start. She's been retired for two years—where would she get the stamina? This Great Escape is nothing more than a tribute to her past self."
"Just wait. She won't be able to keep this up for long before her speed drops."
The more he spoke, the more fluent and confident he became, and the engagement in the livestream chat began to spike.
That's right. Dream Weaver hasn't raced in two years.
After being a trainer for all that time, she definitely doesn't have the stamina left!
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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.