Chihaya Yui felt like Seiun Ryoka was being just a little sarcastic with her.
Still, it was precisely because of that teasing tone that Yui managed to forcefully change the subject, and Ryoka—seeming to trust her completely—didn't pursue the matter any further.
And so, that little incident came to an end.
Two days later, the two girls returned to Britain and reunited with the others who had gone back ahead of them.
While they'd been away, Green River had lived up to everyone's expectations and secured her first G1 victory. True, it had taken a photo finish to rule it a dead heat for first, but even so, that was still incredible. Among horse girls, merely winning a graded race already made you exceptional—let alone taking a G1. There was even one famous family back in Japan that still hadn't produced a single G1 winner, to the point where they'd started calling it a curse.
So yes, even if it was a shared first, it was still a genuine G1 title.
Green River could absolutely use that result to draw in a huge following and become a star.
After Ryoka returned to Britain, Daiwa Scarlet, the Lady, and Beauté du Temps praised Green River from every possible angle, practically talking her up as some once-in-a-generation genius descended from the heavens.
Even Agnes Tachyon, unusually enough, took the initiative to come find Ryoka, saying she wanted a proper talk with her.
Of course, it wasn't about Green River.
It was about the St Leger.
While British horse girls in general didn't seem to care all that much about the race—most of them already had their eyes on the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in early October—the members of Team Seiun Ryoka were different.
This would be Ryoka's first long-distance race, and the final leg of the British Triple Crown. Naturally, they took it extremely seriously. After all, as the saying went, the last ten miles of a hundred-mile journey were the hardest. Until the final result was in, anything could happen.
If they started popping champagne early and assuming victory was guaranteed, they might end up paying dearly for it.
Seeing how earnest Agnes Tachyon was being, the others all ended up reflecting on themselves a little. They'd been so dazzled by Ryoka's overwhelming strength that they hadn't given either the race or her opponents the respect they deserved. In doing so, they'd overlooked how hard Ryoka herself had worked all this time.
They felt genuinely ashamed.
Ryoka casually reassured them, telling them she'd carry everyone's blessings with her and bring home the title so they could all share in the glory together.
Still, there was one thing she couldn't quite understand.
Beauté du Temps was French, wasn't she?
So why had she come back to Britain too?
She wasn't like Aristocracy and Trouve, who had no suitable race to run for now and could only continue building experience step by step. Beauté du Temps could perfectly well be preparing for her own next race. Besides, her forte was the mile. She already had five G1 titles at that distance, plus two runner-up finishes.
So why was she here, watching a long-distance race?
Did she really think she could learn anything from this?
Ryoka couldn't make sense of it.
Still, she agreed when Agnes Tachyon asked to speak with her in private, deciding to have a proper conversation.
But the moment they turned the corner, Tachyon completely ignored the risk of being seen by the others and practically launched herself up, hooking both legs around Ryoka's waist.
She braced both hands on Ryoka's shoulders and did her best to straighten up, trying to strike a commanding, looking-down-on-her pose.
Her crimson eyes reflected only Seiun Ryoka as she asked:
"Ryoka, what was that song, 'White Album,' all about? Could you tell me? I'm very curious."
Her tone was mild enough, but there was something unmistakably off about the whole scene.
She looked very much like someone who cared a great deal, desperately wanted the answer right now, and was only barely restraining herself behind a veneer of calm.
Was it because she knew she couldn't overpower Ryoka?
If so, she was surprisingly sensible.
Perhaps for that very reason, Ryoka turned and backed Tachyon toward the wall, giving her a rather strange sort of kabedon.
Then, in a faintly pointed voice, she said,
"I thought Agnes was a horse girl unlike the others. But now…"
She shook her head lightly.
"I really did think you wanted to talk about the St Leger. Looks like I let myself expect too much."
If Daiwa Scarlet or the Lady had been on the receiving end of that line, they probably would have shriveled up in guilt on the spot.
But this was Agnes Tachyon.
There was no way she'd be defeated by that kind of rhetoric.
She immediately shot back, perfectly self-assured:
"Responding to your fans' expectations is one of a horse girl's primary jobs. And the winner's stage is an important part of racing too. Isn't it only natural to think about the song selection in advance?"
Then she elaborated further.
"It's a happy kind of trouble, really," Tachyon said with a sweet, excited smile. "There may not be any concrete case studies or reliable data to reference yet, but generally speaking, when people think about a song they truly like, they get excited. Motivated. It makes them want to do everything to the absolute limit. Ryoka's the same, right?"
As she spoke, she slowly wrapped her arms around Ryoka's neck and leaned closer, their faces drawing nearer and nearer in each other's vision.
Bringing her lips close to Ryoka's ear, she whispered:
"When you stand on that stage, you're very excited, aren't you?"
Was it that Ryoka loved basking in the gaze of countless admirers?
Or did she simply love glittering under the stage lights?
Tachyon didn't know.
She felt she had to understand Ryoka more deeply before she could reach any firm conclusion.
But for the moment, this much was enough.
"I thought you'd say—"
That's when Ryoka cut in.
"'This is a responsibility we simply have to bear,' or something like that? Though, really, Agnes doesn't exactly look like the type who'd obediently go up on stage and perform."
It was a small joke.
Then she unceremoniously smacked Tachyon on the rear.
Agnes Tachyon: "?"
The sensation was a little odd, perhaps, but if Ryoka only went that far, Tachyon wasn't going to react much to it.
She could just treat it as Ryoka trying to throw her off balance.
And Agnes Tachyon was not someone who would be swayed that easily.
She wasn't Daiwa Scarlet, after all.
Then Ryoka did it again.
And this time, she also buried her face right into Tachyon's chest.
Worse still, she immediately turned to walk off afterward.
Which, under the circumstances, was absurdly dangerous, given that her field of vision was now almost entirely blacked out.
Tachyon's headache intensified.
She had come here to gather information, not to let Ryoka drag her into some bizarre bit of physical horseplay.
So in the end, she had no choice but to say,
"Fine, I get it, I get it. The St Leger. That's what we're talking about."
From inside Tachyon's chest, Ryoka's muffled voice floated out:
"Talking about… mainly?"
Ah. So she wanted to nitpick wording and play clever little games, did she?
Then Ryoka would just have to let Daiwa Scarlet see Agnes Tachyon at her most undignified.
Tachyon understood perfectly well that wise people adapted to circumstances.
She surrendered cleanly:
"Understood. Not mainly. Completely. Our entire agenda this time is the St Leger. And that does not include the winner's stage song selection."
If Ryoka didn't want to discuss it, then fine—they wouldn't discuss it.
First priority: preserve her image in front of Daiwa Scarlet.
After all, while Ryoka had been away, Tachyon and Scarlet had only just managed to reach a certain understanding and settle part of their issues. The last thing Tachyon wanted now was to be mistaken for trying to steal a march on her.
That would lead to real trouble.
join here to read ahead.
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