"Time, 2 minutes 18.2 seconds!! Winning the Japan Cup with an unbelievable record-breaking time, the victor of this race is, Snow Dancer!!"
The cheers tore straight into the sky.
The roar made everyone's eardrums itch from the vibration alone, but no one cared about something that small. They were drunk on the sheer, overflowing joy of it all.
"Trainer Chiya…"
Inside the room, Symboli Rudolf stared at the screen.
"What was Japan's previous record?"
"2 minutes 22 seconds."
Symboli Rudolf clenched her fist.
"So Shirayuki shaved nearly four seconds off the record?"
Fujiwara Chiya gave a small laugh.
"This can't even be called a race anymore. It's a turning point in history. From now on, the Empress will have to carry the weight of this nation's uma musume on her shoulders."
"You're overestimating Shirayuki, President Rudolf."
Fujiwara Chiya turned his head.
"Shirayuki is just an ordinary uma musume. I'm just an ordinary trainer too. Changing the world is still way above our pay grade."
He gave a casual wave.
"I'm going to celebrate with Shirayuki. We'll talk later, President Rudolf."
Symboli Rudolf watched him leave, then turned her gaze back toward the roaring racecourse.
This world was held up by those tall enough to bear it.
At first, it had been Saint Lite.
Then Shinzan.
Then Mr. C.B.
And finally, her.
But now, Shirayuki had become the tallest of them all.
Congratulations, Shirayuki.
Welcome to the Hall of Fame.
Symboli Rudolf offered her blessing to the white girl she had watched grow up.
Down on the track, Mejiro Dober and the others leapt down from the spectator stands and wrapped Shirayuki in a tight hug.
This year's Japan Cup came to an end with Snow Dancer's overwhelming victory.
…
"Miss Pilsudski, yesterday's race was truly spectacular. Could you tell us in detail how it felt to run in it?"
The day after the race, the post-race interview program invited Pilsudski to talk about the Japan Cup.
Sitting in her chair, Pilsudski crossed her arms and fell silent for a long while.
Then she spoke.
"It was nice."
"By nice, you mean…?"
"Racing against her felt like red wine blended with honey and syrup, rich enough to linger forever. Even in my dreams last night, all I could see was the Empress. Whether in strength or bearing, she is more than worthy of the title 'Empress.' Ah, how troublesome. To think two Empresses now live in my heart at the same time. If I were to distinguish them, should I call them Lady Air Groove and Lady Empress? Or Lady Empress and Lady Shirayuki?"
"Miss Pilsudski?"
"Or maybe I should just take both of them home! My family is rich anyway! Ha ha!"
"Miss Pilsudski??"
This girl really never learns, does she…?
Inside the student council room, Air Groove watched Pilsudski on the television, one eyebrow twitching hard enough to cramp.
Could you please stop dragging me into it whenever you decide to embarrass yourself?
"Good morning, Air Groove."
"Morning, President Rudolf."
Air Groove nodded, then placed a large bundle of letters on Symboli Rudolf's desk.
"These are…?"
"Interview invitations for Shirayuki, requests for speeches from regional Tracen Academies, and some cooperation applications from overseas academies."
As an international GⅠ race, Shirayuki's performance in the Japan Cup had drawn attention from all over the world. Many academies had submitted proposals for cooperation, requesting exchange programs for trainers to promote communication and development between their institutions.
And of course, it was not only trainers.
Uma musume were included as well.
Paris Tracen had already proposed an exchange student program. The two academies would each be able to send up to thirty percent of their students for exchange study, with trainers following the same ratio.
They had only just finished dealing with the Japan Cup itself, yet the aftermath was even more troublesome. Just looking at the mountain of letters and documents made Symboli Rudolf's head throb.
"Where's Shirayuki?"
"The Director said Shirayuki should take a few days off and rest during this period."
"Huh? A vacation?"
"President Rudolf."
Narita Brian walked in with a twig in her mouth and a stack of documents tucked under one arm.
"Miss Hayakawa told me to bring these to you."
"What are they?"
"No idea. Didn't ask."
Air Groove took them and flipped through a few pages.
"They're documents from the Central Committee."
"About what?"
"Project proposals. Merchandise. Games. Manga. Collaborations with convenience stores and restaurants… It seems Central wants to use this opportunity to expand the scale of the Twinkle Series."
Oh, heavens above…
Symboli Rudolf pressed a hand to her tingling scalp.
Japanese uma musume had won the Japan Cup only a handful of times. The entire Japan Cup had practically become the backyard of overseas uma musume. Against such a bitter backdrop, Snow Dancer had single-handedly defeated a host of opponents and left world-class uma musume far behind her.
She had not only won.
She had won beautifully.
That gave the spectators an enormous surge of confidence and once again set the public's passion for the Twinkle Series ablaze.
Now the streets and alleys were plastered with uma musume posters. Central was even pouring in huge amounts of funding to expand the scale further. At this rate, it probably would not be long before even remote countryside towns could buy uma musume merchandise.
This was definitely a good thing.
The reason Symboli Rudolf had become student council president in the first place was to make uma musume famous and broaden the path for those who came after her.
But…
Why?
Why did every single proposal have to be sent to the student council?!
Even if the student council managed all uma musume, there was no need to ask them for approval on absolutely everything, right?
At this rate, even if they worked twenty-four hours a day without sleeping, it would take at least over a week to finish everything. Even an iron woman like Symboli Rudolf could not endure that.
And at this critical moment, Shirayuki was absent too.
Symboli Rudolf had basically lost one of her arms.
"When will Shirayuki come back?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe one day. Maybe a week."
"I see…"
"What's wrong, President?"
"I'm starting to miss her a little."
"Didn't you just see her yesterday?"
Symboli Rudolf smiled. She turned her chair and looked out the window.
"Well, I suppose being busy is part of the job. Speaking of which, that race is almost here, isn't it?"
"By that race, do you mean the Arima Kinen?"
"Yes."
The GⅠ race at the very summit, where the uma musume who had shone brightest throughout the year gathered in one place.
"The voting is still ongoing, but some uma musume are already one hundred percent confirmed to participate."
"Who?"
"El Condor Pasa, Grass Wonder, Special Week, Seiun Sky, Rice Shower, Mejiro Dober, Gold Ship, Meisho Doto, T.M. Opera O, and… me."
Air Groove coughed a few times.
Her result in the Japan Cup had not looked good. To be honest, her body was already starting to decline and approaching the end of her prime. Yet despite that, her fans had still voted her into a very high position in the rankings.
She felt deeply moved.
At the same time, she also felt unworthy of everyone's expectations.
As for Shirayuki, the current top vote-getter, there was no need to even mention her. Her vote count was equal to the next two combined.
"It seems this year's race will be one of the most spectacular in history."
"Yes. It truly will."
Just thinking about it was enough to make one's heart race.
"President, if there's nothing else, I'll be going."
Completely blind to the mood in the room, Narita Brian waved at Symboli Rudolf and left.
"…By the way, where did Shirayuki go for her vacation?"
"A hot spring inn. That's what I heard from Trainer Chiya."
"She went with Trainer Chiya?"
"Yes. Just the two of them."