[Finally finished today's business. Twin Turbo and I helped Hokko Tarumae finish her Tomakomai video.]
[Tarumae is a very cute girl— the gentle, bright type who is a great listener. When you speak, she listens seriously and offers kind suggestions. She thanked me and Twin Turbo by giving us a lot of blueberries.]
[I saw determination in her eyes. Restoring the glory of Tomakomai is a duty we must not shirk. Twin Turbo was completely won over by the blueberries, the tart, delicious flavor hooked her instantly. She even claimed she'd be willing to skip homework every day if she could just eat those.]
[I was dumbfounded. Turbo, little sis, you're already skipping homework every day, aren't you?]
[Later, Copano Rickey came by. She wanted to help think of a title for the video. Her suggestion was: "I'm in Tomakomai! Watch Me Popularize Feng Shui Knowledge!"]
[Hokko Tarumae was drinking tea and almost sprayed it everywhere. Rickey, your "suggestion" is hitting people in the face— you're still obsessed with your Feng Shui!]
[Tarumae was adorable, while Rickey was all apologetic, helping her wipe her clothes. But Rickey is truly warm-hearted, she called a bunch of people to help repost and like the video.]
[The "Grandma," Wonder Acute, also showed up. I saw her username, it's actually "Wonder Acute Loves Life." I expected something like "Wonder_Acute_2006."]
As Mizuki's diary entry appeared, the contents manifested before everyone's eyes. In the Student Council office:
Air Groove saw the bit about Copano Rickey and massaged her temples with a sigh. "That girl Rickey... her head is filled with nothing but Feng Shui. I've caught her so many times. If only that persistence helped her in her races."
Symboli Rudolf added, "Yes, she's a bit of a handful... on another note, I've already contacted Hokko Tarumae. I understand the situation in Tomakomai. If necessary, we can give her more screen time during her races to help with promotion. That is the purpose of Tracen's competitions."
Narita Brian snorted. "There's definitely a reason you were chosen as President."
Elsewhere:
Copano Rickey laughed. "Haha! Acute-san, your username is just your own name! You're really using your real identity online."
"And what on earth is 'Wonder_Acute_2006'? That'd be such a bad username!"
Wonder Acute blinked and smiled. "Is it? I think it sounds quite nice. I was actually thinking of using that name. The year feels... familiar somehow."
"Eh?!!! Really??" Rickey looked shocked. Shouldn't a normal username be something like "Tracen's Feng Shui Master"?
The diary continued:
[I finally made it back to Spica, but what is going on today? The moment I opened the door, I didn't see McQueen, Scarlet, or Special Week.]
[Instead, I saw Gold Ship... actually practicing her gate starts. She gave me a smile and a wave, then went back to sweating buckets like a diligent, hardworking student.]
[I thought I'd opened the door the wrong way, so I closed it and opened it again. What is up with this girl? Did she suddenly become ambitious? Is she making fun of me? Holy crap, is Spica actually going to take off?]
Reading this, a crowd of people couldn't help but collapse from laughter. They all knew why: Gold Ship had seen herself become the biggest joke of Hanshin Racecourse.
Because of that 12.1 billion yen high-leg lift, she was being mocked by everyone, so she started training to avoid a repeat of that disaster.
At Canopus:
Nice Nature was dying of laughter. "Honestly, Mizuki-san, is that reaction necessary? She must have been so confused the moment she saw Gold Ship training voluntarily."
"Haha, so there is something that can surprise you that much," Ikuno Dictus remarked. To be honest, if someone had told her before that Gold Ship would perform a high-leg lift in a G1 race like the Takarazuka Kinen— and do it twice— she wouldn't have believed it for the life of her.
But now, the proof was right there.
Meanwhile, the BNW trio were still in the classroom. Narita Taishin and Biwa Hayahide were tutoring Winning Ticket.
Winning Ticket cried, "You guys, even Gold Ship is training on her own now. When will I get to experience the feeling of passing all my exams? I'd even settle for a B!"
Taishin tapped Ticket on the head. "A B? You're an idiot— you're barely going to pass. Don't count on it."
Biwa Hayahide frowned, "That was harsh, Taishin. Don't be so blunt."
Taishin sighed. "You have to accept reality. When people are pushed, they can do anything— except math, in her case. If she can get a 60, we should thank the Goddesses."
Winning Ticket wailed, "Taishin, what do I do? If I fail the makeup exam again, I'm finished!"
Taishin comforted her, "Believe that fools have their own fortunes."
Ticket cried even harder. "You called me a fool again!"
She couldn't take it anymore and broke into a loud sob. Biwa Hayahide had a headache, shooting Taishin a look that said, 'She's already simple-minded, stop teasing her.'
Elsewhere:
Orfevre was laughing her head off.
"Hahaha! Gold Ship, so you finally know to train harder? It seems you realize you've become the biggest joke of Hanshin Racecourse. You'll never escape that history, I'll make sure to record it so it's passed down for generations!"
Orfevre's stomach hurt from laughing. She never thought this diary could be so entertaining. However, she had no idea what she was about to face.
As they say: Don't pop the champagne too early.
Gold Ship might be the "King of Late Starts", but you, Orfevre— you are the true "King" of Hanshin Racecourse. Gold Ship's 12.1 billion yen ticket was a legend, but the crimes of the Hanshin Comedy Show were even more severe.
Even Gold Ship had an excuse— she was provoked before the race and had a temper.
But you, Orfevre? You have no excuse.
Her jockey, Kenichi Ikezoe, must have been in despair. If he could have knelt during the race, he probably would have kowtowed to the ground just to get Orfevre to act normal.
Mizuki's diary continued:
[Speaking of Gold Ship, the next one I'm going to write about is another incredibly strong horse in the JRA.]
[He achieved the best result for a Japanese horse in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and was hailed as the "Golden Tyrant."]
[His life was legendary and great. He is one of Japan's leading racers, standing at the pinnacle of all horses.]
[He is the crystallization of the Gold family bloodline— Orfevre!]
At this point, everyone focused their attention. Many were surprised to learn that Orfevre was actually that strong.
Inside Tracen:
Orfevre saw this and wore a look of wild intensity. "Oho? One of the 'leading' racers, but not the 'strongest'?"
"I should surpass the likes of Deep Impact and Rudolf as well. They have 7 G1s? Then I will obtain even more victories."
"Let me see how my real-life counterpart fared. I'm sure it will be very interesting."
"I, Orfevre... will make every Uma of my era regret coming into this world!"
Orfevre bared her metaphorical fangs. She was very clear about her own strength and believed her real-world self would surely achieve great results with crushing dominance.
Moreover, she wasn't satisfied with just being a champion, she wanted to trample everything. She wanted to be the true Tyrant of the Racetrack.
"Yes, being called 'top-tier' alongside the likes of Deep Impact and Rudolf... that result is unnecessary. What I must do is surpass them all!"
"And I'll definitely be the champion of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, right?"
A smile played on Orfevre's lips. She declared that everyone— Gentildonna, Dream Journey, Gold Ship— should watch closely, for she was the true strongest.
In France, Montjeu remarked, "Oh? The Arc? If I remember correctly, Japan hasn't managed a single victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe yet, have they?"
Seeing this, Treve muttered silently, "But it says here that Orfevre achieved the best result in the Arc. Does that mean Japan's wish was fulfilled?"
Dancing Brave chimed in, "Hard to say. It just said 'best result,' which doesn't necessarily mean champion. But I imagine if Orfevre entered the Arc, she'd come with nothing but the championship in mind."
"As long as she wins, it counts as avenging her seniors and would be an unprecedented feat in URA history."
Treve nodded, "That's true. I don't know who Orfevre's opponents would be, but if I were there, I'm sorry— I wouldn't give her the chance to avenge anyone."
Montjeu noted, "Treve, you're quite terrifying in some ways. Once you're in race mode, you show an incredible fighting spirit."
Treve shook her head. "It's not fighting spirit, Montjeu... it's strength. I would make it so my challengers have no room to strike back."
Montjeu's pupils constricted. Honestly, she really wanted to see Treve and Orfevre face off.
'Treve, can you really make Orfevre helpless before you?'
Back at Tracen Academy:
"Best result in the Arc? Eh? Shouldn't that be me?" El Condor Pasa had a look of anxiety in her eyes.
She wanted to see her own real-life history, she wanted to know if she had become the world's strongest and if she had taken that final step.
Mizuki's diary continued shortly after.
[Orfevre: 21 starts, 12 wins in his career.]
[In August 2010, Orfevre made his debut in a Newcomers' race at Niigata Racecourse and secured an overwhelming victory.]
[However, while he won his first battle, what happened next revealed the true nature of his 'Gold Bloodline.]
[He won the race, but once he left the track and reached the unsaddling area, his temperament shifted violently. He threw a tantrum in the saddling enclosure until he successfully bucked Ikezoe off the saddle. Only then did he stop.]
[And this was the beginning of Ikezoe's path of suffering.]
[Years later, when Ikezoe visited the retired Orfevre, he only dared to take a picture from ten meters away.]
Within Tracen:
"Off the saddle? I don't quite understand the mechanics, but this Ikezoe person really doesn't have it easy," Symboli Rudolf sighed.
She knew exactly how difficult Orfevre was to manage, and she didn't expect the girl to throw someone on her very first day.
"No wonder Trainer Mizuki called him 'Famous Jockey Ikezoe.' Wait, if he's the Trainer in the real world, does that mean he's the Trainer for Sweep Tosho, Orfevre, and Dream Journey?!"
Narita Brian felt a headache coming on.
"Just how heinous were Ikezoe's crimes in a past life to end up like this in this one?"
As the Vice President of the Student Council, she knew how hard these girls were to handle. What kind of grudge led to Ikezoe being saddled with all of them?
'Was the universe just targeting him specifically?'
Air Groove felt the same. When she saw the entry where Ikezoe, meeting the retired real-life Orfevre, only dared to take a photo from ten meters away, she couldn't help but shake her head.
She could already imagine Ikezoe facing Orfevre— timid, cautious, and utterly submissive.
Elsewhere, Orfevre saw the text.
"Tch, why is it Ikezoe again? It was him last time too. I'm getting sick of this name. What does he even look like? Can I even make it if I'm stuck with him?!"
She curled her lip in disdain, unaware that for the 2012 Arc, her rider would be changed to Christophe Soumillon...
"Orfevre, what are you doing here?" Sweep Tosho walked into the park. She practiced her magic here every day and didn't expect to see Orfevre.
"Oh? Sweep Tosho. It's curfew time, why are you out? Careful, or I'll tell Dorm Leader Fuji Kiseki to give you trouble. I don't care, but it'll be a pain for you," Orfevre laughed.
The two "Ikezoe horses" began their mutual harm.
"Hey, what do you mean! You're... you're slandering this Little Witch! The one standing here is just my magical clone. My real body is sleeping soundly in the dorm!"
Sweep Tosho panicked for a second before regaining her composure, waving her broom with forced seriousness.
Orfevre felt like punching her. 'Just who are you trying to fool?!'
"Besides, Orfevre, do you remember the 'Hanshin Comedy Show' mentioned earlier? Trainer Mizuki said she'd write about it after Gold Ship. My intuition tells me that it's about you," Sweep Tosho analyzed.
"Me? Impossible! What does that have to do with me? You think I'd embarrass myself like Gold Ship?" Orfevre didn't believe it for a second. She wouldn't pull any weird stunts.
"This is a witch's warning, don't speak too soon! Now, I'm going to practice my magic, so don't be noisy!" Sweep Tosho, as selfish as ever, began chanting.
"Beat it!" Orfevre was about to scrap with her on the spot.
At that moment, Blast Onepiece arrived. Seeing an incoming fight, she joined right in.
Good grief— the Ikezoe horses and the Gold bloodline were gathering one by one. It was about to be a bloodbath.
Meanwhile, Mizuki's diary continued.
[However, after his debut, the real Orfevre didn't keep winning. He suffered consecutive losses in the Fuyo Stakes and the Keio Hai Nisai Stakes. It wasn't until 2011 that he took his first graded victory in the G2 Spring Stakes.]
[And in 2011, the legend of Orfevre finally began to shine before everyone's eyes.]
[In 2011, one month before the Satsuki Sho, a massive, unprecedented earthquake struck Japan. This disaster caused severe damage, and even the venue for the Satsuki Sho was forced to move to Tokyo Racecourse.]
[One could say the entire nation was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere. Even Satsuki Sho tickets, usually impossible to get, went unsold.]
[But then, the horse named Orfevre appeared. He won the Satsuki Sho first, giving everyone a stunning performance. Then he took the Japanese Derby, giving people the dream and expectation of a Triple Crown.]
[Amidst the cheers of the Japanese audience, he set his sights on the Kikuka Sho for the Triple Crown. He crossed the finish line 2.5 horse-lengths ahead of the runner-up, Win Variation.]
[With this, Orfevre established his great legacy and began leading an era as the 7th Triple Crown winner in modern Japanese racing history!]
[Orfevre was also the first Triple Crown winner since Mr. C.B. whose sire was a domestic Japanese horse.]
[His miraculous Triple Crown won the cheers of the entire nation. He was hailed as the Triple Crown King who brought dreams to everyone during the year of earthquakes.]
[Amidst the roaring stands, Ikezoe and Orfevre paraded the field together, basking in the glory of the Triple Crown.]
[Then, something no one expected happened. Orfevre suddenly became irritable— perhaps the cheering was too loud. He accelerated again with Ikezoe on his back, attempting to buck him off.]
[Before Ikezoe could react, Orfevre charged toward the railing, accelerating fiercely until Ikezoe's abdomen slammed directly into the rail. This impact seemed to cause significant injury.]
[After the race, during the interview, Ikezoe clutched his stomach while talking about the joy of victory. He would occasionally frown and mutter to himself, "It hurts..."]
[At the time, everyone said that Orfevre was a super horse with top-tier specs in everything— except his head.]
[I want to say, Ikezoe, you don't have to be so spineless. Why don't you dare pick a fight with Orfevre?]
[I believe it's a 7-to-3 split. In 7 minutes, Ikezoe dies 3 times.]
At Tracen:
Mejiro Palmer was dying of laughter. "OMG, Orfevre! What kind of grudge do you have against Ikezoe?"
Daitaku Helios also laughed, "First time I've heard of a 7-3 split like that! Trainer Mizuki is a freaking genius!"
Palmer added, "But the description is perfect. Everything below the neck is top-tier, her head just doesn't work sometimes. She just pulls these weird stunts for no reason."
Helios suggested, "Based on this, we could write a mystery thread on the URA forums: 'Orfevre, the Triple Crown of Dreams, Suddenly Begins Hunting Her Rider Ikezoe: Is this a Collapse of Morality or...?'"
Palmer was dying but added, "Good, but it's too long..."
Helios tried again: "'Smash Him, Orfevre!' Simple and clear."
In the UK, Frankel had a headache. When she first saw Mizuki's diary, she thought this "Ikezoe" guy was a beast for going 7-3 against an Uma Musume— no wonder he could take a hit.
Then she realized what it actually meant. When she did, she offered a silent prayer for Ikezoe.
'I don't know you, but I hope you're okay.'
She also wondered: 'Does a person like Orfevre really exist?'
Honestly, if anyone had told her the Gold family was this ridiculous before she saw the diary, she wouldn't have believed a word. Now, she could only say she hadn't seen enough of the world.
"Maybe this is a special Japanese training method? Should I take my Trainer for a flight next time?"
Frankel rubbed her head. If she accelerated like that, her Trainer would be in real danger.
She was a World-Class Uma Musume, after all.
In the US, Flightline's reaction was completely different. She clutched her stomach, tears of laughter streaming down her face.
"So this is the Gold family? 7 minutes, 3 kills! I love it! Top-tier everything except the brain."
"I think 3 times in 7 minutes is an understatement. It should be 7 kills in 3 minutes! Hahaha!"
She felt the essence of the diary when Ikezoe was clutching his stomach during a victory interview. What a scene!
She couldn't stop laughing.
"It's settled. I know Orfevre is going to have more entertainment value." Flightline grabbed a cola, ready to see how many hardcore stunts the Gold family had. She didn't want to miss a single word.
At Tracen, Orfevre was actually starting to feel a bit panicked. She remembered Sweep Tosho's words.
'The Hanshin Comedy Show... it couldn't really be me, could it?'
'Impossible! Absolutely impossible!'
However, she didn't know she was about to present the world with her most classic battle— a Hanshin Daishoten that would, to some extent, change the landscape of the Japanese racing world.
A group of owners were so angry they stopped running on turf and switched to steeplechases.
You can kill a man, but you can't humiliate him, it was all pure comedy.
Mizuki's diary continued.
[At this point, by the end of 2011, Orfevre had 3 G1s. At the end-of-year Arima Kinen, he defeated Eishin Flash, Buena Vista, and the first Japanese horse to win the Dubai World Cup, Victoire Pisa, taking first place.]
[Orfevre completed the generational shift and achieved the feat of 4 G1s in a single year.]
[However, next we enter the most classic segment.]
[The Hanshin Daishoten.]
[When talking about Orfevre, this is an essential Legendary Scene.]
[As a four-year-old in the new year, his first race was the G2 Hanshin Daishoten, a precursor to the Tenno Sho Spring.]
[Orfevre entered this race as an unprecedented heavy favorite with odds of 1.1.]
At Tracen, Orfevre stood up the moment she saw "Hanshin Daishoten."
But she felt there was no need to worry, everyone running the Spring Tenno Sho basically runs the Hanshin Daishoten. It was normal.
However, a crowd had gathered around her now. Gold Ship was there, along with Nakayama Festa, Dream Journey, Gentildonna, Sweep Tosho, Blast Onepiece, and Curren Chan (who had come late to tell everyone to go back).
The ones guided here were all Ikezoe horses and the Gold bloodline.
Orfevre's scalp felt numb. If she really made a fool of herself, she'd never hear the end of it.
"Trainer Mizuki, why did you post a 'coming soon' notice just for the Hanshin Comedy Show?! You're targeting me!"
At this moment, the diary continued.
[This race started smoothly for Orfevre. After clearing the gate, he maintained his position in the middle of the pack. During the struggle at the third corner, Orfevre came out on top thanks to his superior leg strength, and as he exited the fourth corner, he rose to 2nd place.]
[Soon after, at the next bend, Orfevre easily caught up to the front-runner, Cosmo Helenos, and began leading the race.]
[However, this pace was too fast. Ikezoe didn't want him to push too hard to avoid stalling in the final stretch. Yet Orfevre— perhaps reacting to Ikezoe constantly trying to control his speed, or perhaps thinking he had already reached the finish line, or maybe because he just didn't want to run anymore...]
[After exiting the third corner, he stopped and began contemplating the meaning of life.]
[His speed plummeted instantly. He was overtaken by the pack behind him in a flash, falling back by at least a dozen horse-lengths. Gasps of shock erupted from the stands.]
[In that moment, Ikezoe must have been completely stunned. I bet he only had one thought in his head:]
['Orfevre, don't stop running halfway through! Not like this! Please, I beg you, start running again! Don't do this to me!']
[And in that instant, Orfevre finally seemed to respond to Ikezoe, or perhaps he realized— 'Crap, there's actually one lap left!']
[Then, a scene that shocked everyone took place.]
[Orfevre, trailing by over a dozen lengths, saw his power and explosiveness reach an unprecedented peak. Like a tyrant born to run, he charged forward with a velocity that crushed everything in its path, once again reigning supreme over the turf.]
[When jockey Katsumi Ando looked back at the final corner, he was horrified to find that Orfevre— whom he thought had stalled out— was already right behind him. He yelled out, "Orfevre is catching up!"]
[That shout scared the living daylights out of the other jockeys, who immediately injected their "fighting spirits" and began whipping their horses frantically.]
[Entering the final straight, Orfevre finished the last three furlongs (600m) with an incredible time of 36.7 seconds.]
[He actually managed to close a gap of over ten horse-lengths and reach 2nd place, trailing by only half a length.]
[After the race, the winner, Yuichi Fukunaga, looked back at the footage and saw Orfevre chasing him down again, he couldn't help but burst out laughing. His expression was one where he tried to keep a straight face, but failed.]
[Even with such a massive accident, Orfevre still secured second place. No wonder Ikezoe called him a monster.]
[However, the incident in this race led the JRA to require Orfevre to undergo a re-examination for flat racing. It was the first time in history a Triple Crown winner was subjected to such a test.]
[And that is how Orfevre ended up running his first-ever dirt race.]
At this moment, a group of people at Tracen were dying of laughter.
Curren Chan was wheezing:
"Hahaha! Orfevre, I get it now! You really are the most entertaining part of the Hanshin Daishoten. In this regard, I'm willing to call you the strongest!"
Sweep Tosho couldn't hold it back either: "Loser, loser! This Orfevre is so silly!"
Gold Ship raised her hands with a fierce look to quell the crowd, then spoke with a doting tone:
"Alright, don't talk about Orfevre-chan like that. I know she's hurting. How about this— to comfort her, let's pay out of our own pockets to make a 'Hanshin Comedy Show' trophy for her."
"I'll put in 500 yen first. Who's going to cover the rest? Charge it to McQueen's tab."
Curren Chan chimed in: "I'll sponsor too. Put it on McQueen's tab."
"Put it on McQueen for me as well!" Blast Onepiece said with a grin.
McQueen, who was taking a bath at home, suddenly sneezed. She turned the water temperature up a bit higher and submerged her face in the tub, blowing bubbles.
She wondered what was wrong— another sneeze? It was winter, she had to be on guard. She couldn't afford to catch a cold.
Back at the scene:
Orfevre's mental state crumbled again. This was the equivalent of running a race, stopping halfway to get a drink of water and prepare for the trophy ceremony, only to realize there was still a lap left to run.
She had just been mocking Gold Ship, and now she was the clown. She became instantly withdrawn, not wanting to say a word.
On the UK subway:
Frankel sat in her seat, squinting at the diary. She was completely numb. This was truly "entering the history books"— a high-definition record of a shameful past.
Beside her, Enable asked: "Frankel, 36.7 seconds for the final three furlongs... can you do that?"
Frankel just smiled. "I don't know. I don't have the habit of timing myself."
However, Enable knew. With Frankel's leg strength, 36.7 seconds— a speed almost unreachable for other Uma Musume— was something she could achieve or even potentially surpass the moment she accelerated.
Frankel's strength was on a different level from ordinary, or even top-tier, Umas.
And Enable's goal was to surpass Frankel.
Back at Tracen:
Orfevre was still acting stubborn:
"It's fine. We have to look on the bright side. The good news is, the next dirt race is surely going to be an easy race. I've got this. I just need to find my footing again and recover from this disgrace."
Nakayama Festa scoffed: "Don't talk about easy races. You'll probably start contemplating life halfway through the dirt race too."
Orfevre shook her head: "No, you're wrong, Nakayama Festa. From today on, I, Orfevre, will change your fixed perception of me. From today on, I will be a true tyrant, on and off the track!"
"I will achieve all-around development in intelligence, physique, and aesthetics! Overshadowing all other Uma Musume!"
Nakayama Festa pointed a finger at Orfevre with a mocking smile.
"Are you sure you can even spell the word 'aesthetics'?"
"What— of course I can!"
Gold Ship chimed in: "You believe that? I don't."
Curren Chan: "I don't."
Blast Onepiece: "I don't."
Sweep Tosho: "I don't."
For a moment, Orfevre was targeted by a collective roast. She was fuming and determined to prove herself, but not a single soul believed her. Just then, the diary updated again.
[Afterward, Orfevre passed the flat racing test and participated in the Tenno Sho Spring, but the final result was a dismal 11th place.]
[In the Takarazuka Kinen, Orfevre staged a comeback, winning by two horse-lengths. Not only did he secure his fifth G1, but he also became the second horse in history to win a G1 at all four Central tracks (Tokyo, Nakayama, Kyoto, and Hanshin).]
[And right then, the gears of fate began to turn.]
[The long-held wish of the JRA was placed into Orfevre's hands.]
[After the Takarazuka Kinen, Orfevre's camp released an announcement that shocked Japan.]
[Orfevre would challenge France's highest-level horse race— the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.]
[Meanwhile, the shock didn't end there. Another piece of news surfaced that surprised everyone.]
[The camp requested the Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon to ride Orfevre in the Arc, instead of his primary jockey, Kenichi Ikezoe.]
At Tracen, Orfevre had assumed she would compete with that "Ikezoe" guy to conquer the Arc. When she saw Soumillon's name, she thought she had misread it.
"Heh... so, in the end, you still couldn't keep up with my footsteps, Ikezoe?!"
For whatever reason, she felt quite angry when she read this. A Trainer is supposed to be there to support their Trainees, yet this Ikezoe guy was let behind?!?!
"This is the consequence of your lack of effort, that's why you were replaced! How pitiful— like a discarded tool. When I step onto the world stage and win the Arc, don't you dare regret being unable to keep up!"
Orfevre maintained a contemptuous attitude, but she felt a hint of doubt about the team.
Replacing the Trainer at the last minute? She truly looked down on Ikezoe, thinking he was a total weakling, but to replace him with a complete stranger?
Orfevre's displeasure was evident. She'd rather work with him than a stranger, even if she does talk big.
'Hmph. Seems like an useless guy after all. I wanted to carry you to victory, but you couldn't seize the opportunity. Who else is there to blame?'
Curren Chan, however, looked incredibly sad.
"Ikezoe wasn't chosen? How pitiful..."
She truly felt for him. He had survived so many life-and-death ordeals with Orfevre, only to be denied the chance to challenge the ultimate stage.
If she had the chance to compete against the best in the world, she'd want to go even if she were to finish last.
One could only say Ikezoe was abandoned by the team.
Curren Chan told herself to look at the bright side: At least Ikezoe would suffer less persecution at the hands of Orfevre.
Thinking of it that way, Ikezoe's luck was actually quite high. Gold Ship agreed— this "Ikezoe" was just too hard to kill.
Nevertheless, they were all eager to see how Orfevre would perform at the Arc. Had their long-held dream finally come true?
Even though Gold Ship teased Orfevre, she would be genuinely happy if she won the Arc.
And at Tracen, Speed Symboli— the grandfather of the real-life Rudolf— watched intently.
She had walked on thin ice her whole life, waiting to see if Tracen could finally win the Arc. She was the first one to represent Japan in the Arc.
The Emperor's bloodline was truly powerful.
However, what followed would teach them the meaning of the "unreachable gap" in the Arc.
[The decision to change jockeys was a massive gamble, and they paid a heavy price for it.]
[October 7, 2012. The 91st Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was finally about to begin.]
[The expectations of Japanese fans for the first Japanese horse to achieve this feat reached an unprecedented height.]
[Orfevre's strength had peaked this year, and since several other strong contenders were unable to participate due to injury, Orfevre was listed as the favorite to win.]
[Everything seemed to be going Orfevre's way.]
[Finally, the race began. Orfevre followed at the back of the pack, rounded the outside of the track to enter the straight, and began to accelerate. He entered his familiar Golden Tyrant sprint mode, looking unstoppable.]
[At that moment, the Japanese commentators were already cheering:]
["Fly! Orfevre is flying forward, carrying the dreams of Japan!"]
["Only 500 meters left! Who will be first?"]
["They're still fighting! Still fighting!"]
["And then, a chestnut coat bursts through!!!!"]
["It's Japan's Orfevre!']
["Orfevre has surged from the outside to take 1st place!"]
["Last 300 meters! Orfevre is in first!"]
["Last 200 meters! Orfevre is in first!"]
["Only 200 meters left until glory!"]
["The leader is Orfevre!"]
["However, another terrifying horse is surging from the outside!"]
["Solemia is catching up!"]
["But Orfevre is still in first!"]
['I don't know if he's won yet!"]
["Solemia is closing in from the outside!"]
["Is the winner Orfevre or Solemia?!"]
["They've crossed the line! Can we adjust the rankings at the finish slightly?"]
["He was overtaken by a hair..."]
[Wait... was first place really snatched away by such a tiny margin?]
[Did Japan's dream shatter right before the finish line!?]
[At the very last moment, victory slipped away due to Solemia's overtake!]
[Actually, in this Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Orfevre had already taken the lead on the final straight and had pulled significantly ahead of the other runners. Countless people in Japan already believed Orfevre was going to win— that the long-cherished wish for the Arc was finally about to be fulfilled.]
[But at that exact moment, Orfevre's habit of veering, inherited from Stay Gold, resurfaced. He began to veer sharply on the final straight and even bumped into the rails. This was what gave the Irish horse, Solemia, the chance to pull off an upset victory.]
[The Japanese audience watching at the time suffered an emotional breakdown. Even today, many people blame Orfevre's team. If Kenichi Ikezoe, who knew Orfevre's personality best, had been riding him, he surely would have won that race. One can only say it was an incredible pity.]
[Regardless, 2012 was the year Orfevre had the best hope of taking the Arc, because his strength was undeniably the best among all the horses competing that year. By 2013, Orfevre participated in the Arc again, but by then, it wasn't just a matter of changing jockeys. In fact, it wouldn't have mattered which jockey in the world you chose.]
[The reason was simple: His opponent was Treve.]
[The European racing authorities gave Treve a massive rating of 130 that year. Her power had already surpassed everyone's imagination.]
At this moment, seeing this, Orfevre froze. She had thought she would be able to win the Arc championship, but she never expected to lose so regretfully due to veering, allowing Solemia to overtake her.
And that wasn't even what bothered Orfevre the most. It actually said she couldn't defeat Treve the following year?
Orfevre's eyes instantly became sharp, this was a result she would absolutely never accept.
However, such was the cold, hard reality.