"In fourteenth, Snow Dancer!"
Hearing that voice, Trêve's ears flicked.
Shirayuki?
…
On the other side of the world, at Japan's Tracen Academy, the students of the Miho dormitory had gathered in the hall.
They stared fixedly at the television. Even though it was already late at night outside, the entire dormitory remained brightly lit. Even Hishi Amazon, the dorm leader who should have been managing the students, was sitting right at the front and watching more seriously than anyone else.
At the centre of the television screen, a white figure dressed like a formal gown ran near the back of the group.
Everyone showed tense expressions at the same time.
"Shirayuki-senpai…"
"This is bad. Really bad. Her Majesty is being targeted by those uma musume."
The students spoke in anger.
They had seen it.
In this race, Shirayuki had adopted a running style she had never used before.
A closer's style.
From the start of the race, Shirayuki had drawn an outside gate and could not enter the inside lane, forcing her to fall back. Immediately afterward, because she was blocked by two uma musume in front of her, Shirayuki ultimately dropped to the rear of the group.
As supporters of Her Majesty, those juniors who loved clinging to Shirayuki and acting spoiled around her were furious that she was being targeted.
It was obvious.
It had to be because Her Majesty's proud performance in the Prix Niel had made those uma musume wary of her. That was why they had deliberately tripped her up on the racecourse. They clearly could have moved into the inside lane earlier, but they insisted on blocking Shirayuki's path forward, forcing Shirayuki, who was already far back, to give up her position.
"A powerful uma musume must have the instinct to understand that she will be targeted."
Hishi Amazon spoke.
"The racecourse is fair. The more outstanding someone becomes, the more difficult situations she will encounter. And precisely because of that, when they break through those difficulties, they can truly become towering powerhouses."
Hearing the dorm leader's words, the little foals who had been complaining on Shirayuki's behalf quieted down.
"Besides, there's nothing wrong with running as a closer. Rather than being squeezed back there by others, I feel like Shirayuki deliberately chose that position."
"Deliberately?"
The new little foals asked in confusion.
"Mm."
As a professional closer, Hishi Amazon was very familiar with that position.
That place near the rear of the race, close to the outside, restless and ready to move.
There, it was both a helpless compromise and an opportunity.
As long as Shirayuki could seize it.
"The race has entered the first turn. Currently in the lead is Moonlight Madness!"
The first position had not changed.
However, the opponent's exaggerated acceleration in front gradually caused a break in the formation. The three uma musume in the lead grew farther and farther ahead. Fourth place did not follow them, continuing to maintain her own rhythm. The middle-pack uma musume deliberately lowered their speed, easing their stamina consumption.
As for the rear—
Shirayuki's eyes suddenly widened.
It's here!
Just as she had expected, this race would not be so easily led by someone else's rhythm. The intention of the front runners was too obvious. They had deliberately increased the pace to affect the uma musume behind them.
It should be said that the runner in front was very strong.
But her acting was not good enough.
The uma musume behind her saw through the trick and did not fall for it.
Once a gap formed at the front, the other uma musume also realised the problem and began entering their own rhythms. That would disrupt the positions that had already been fixed.
In other words, this was the second chance to fight for position!
She had stayed in the slightly more strenuous outer lane at the rear precisely for this moment, because it made acceleration easier.
The instant the gap formed, Shirayuki bent her body down sharply.
As expected of top-level uma musume.
When turning, every single one of them hugged the rail tightly, leaving no room at all!
In that case, I'll gladly take the outside!
Shirayuki stepped forward with all her strength.
Her speed climbed rapidly.
The uma musume were pressed close to the rail, while she would stick close to those uma musume and reduce her stamina consumption to the minimum.
Feeling the fierce wind scraping past the side of her neck, Shirayuki gritted her teeth.
With even the slightest mistake, she would be hit by those uma musume. If that happened, her stamina would drop sharply. If she collided with other uma musume just to save a dozen metres of distance on the turn, the loss would completely outweigh the gain.
"It's Snow Dancer! She seized the timing and has moved from fourteenth to eleventh!"
Clearly, the group had not expected Shirayuki to come forward at this timing.
Those uma musume froze for a moment.
By the time they noticed, Shirayuki had already slipped through.
"Beautiful…"
From the VIP observation deck, Nase Hideto could not help but praise her.
To remain calm and think clearly in such a disadvantageous situation, that child Shirayuki's mentality had already surpassed the vast majority of uma musume. Even those with extraordinary talent might not necessarily be able to accomplish something like this.
Cheers erupted from the Paris Tracen dormitory.
Eleventh place.
Although she was still quite far back, compared to being near last just now, Shirayuki had successfully reached the middle of the group.
In other words, the middle position.
This was the position Shirayuki was best at!
Constantly shifting her centre of gravity, Shirayuki stepped onto the muddy, uneven surface.
The instant the front of her foot landed, Shirayuki's centre of gravity leaned backward. Then, after her whole foot came down, her centre of gravity instantly shifted to the centre of her sole.
Thud!
Her foot sank into the mud and firmly found its footing.
On a curve, where strong centrifugal force was produced, her foot carved a deep groove into the ground.
Even so, Shirayuki's steps remained steady.
This was the turning technique for the Arc that Trêve had taught her.
After a month of training day and night, Shirayuki had completely mastered it.
Her azure eyes rapidly observed her surroundings.
At the same time, on the observation deck, Fujiwara Chiya felt warmth in his nose.
Blood dripped down.
"Onii-sama!?"
Rice Shower was startled and hurriedly took out a handkerchief to wipe Fujiwara Chiya's nose.
However, the man's mind was not on that at all.
His blood vessels throbbed. His brain was operating at high speed. His thinking speed had to far surpass the race speed, or else he would not be able to make a decision before the next decisive point arrived.
Right now, Shirayuki was in the middle group.
But she was still on the outside of the formation.
If she could not enter the inside lane, then the next two major turns would drag her down. The elevation changes at Longchamp Racecourse could be managed by changing her running posture and easing her stamina consumption, but compared with the stamina wasted on the curves, that was only a drop in the bucket.
She had to enter the inside lane.
But right now, the inside was completely occupied.
Was there any method…?
Fujiwara Chiya's gaze landed on the point where two sections of the track crossed.
In his mind, a very classic race instantly surfaced.
Found it…
"All runners have passed the turn smoothly!"
The announcer's voice echoed across the racecourse.
Trêve maintained fifth position.
Her gaze constantly shifted between the three runners in front of her. The three of them were very close together, and two of the uma musume among them had a tendency to move outward.
Trêve narrowed her eyes.
In an instant, she understood their intention.
Then she snorted lightly.
A clumsy method.
Before the others could react, Trêve had already completed her movement.
Her reflexes had reached zero point one seconds, infinitely close to the human limit.