Mihono Bourbon had requested a private word with Rice Shower. Upon hearing this, I led the way from the crowded interview area to the infirmary—the same place where I had first met Rice.
Despite the earlier commotion, seeing Rice and Mihono Bourbon together would only fuel the media firestorm. Besides, looking at Bourbon's expression, I could tell that a gallery of onlookers would only get in the way of whatever she had to say.
"B-Bourbon-san… Um, about your… your leg…" Rice stammered.
"Status report: Condition is poor," Bourbon replied in her characteristic, measured tone. "I am currently following Master's instructions to focus on recuperation. However, the time required for a full recovery is currently unquantifiable."
She had a unique way of speaking, but the core of it was clear: there was no end in sight for her recovery. Though she wasn't wearing a cast, she sat on the infirmary bed with a stiff, guarded movement that protected her right leg.
The man Bourbon called 'Master' was a trainer famous for his Spartan methods. While controversial, he was undeniably effective, having earned a reputation for molding powerhouses like Mihono Bourbon herself.
"...I understand you want to speak with Rice one-on-one," I said, breaking the silence. "But Rice has the Arima Kinen in two days. I'm sorry, but Urara and I will be staying for this."
I didn't think Bourbon would intentionally hurt Rice, but I couldn't rule out a 'worst-case' scenario. Even if it wasn't intentional, the risk of Bourbon saying something that might break Rice's fragile heart was a risk I couldn't take.
I pulled up a chair and sat down, making it clear I wasn't budging. Urara looked a bit confused but mimicked me, dragging a chair over to sit right by my side.
"...Understood. I am the one who intruded upon your time," Bourbon said. After a moment of thought, she nodded in acceptance. She turned her gaze toward Rice, opened her mouth to speak—then hesitated, closing it again.
"...I am at a loss. I do not know how to approach a conversation in a situation such as this."
"Y-you can just say whatever you're feeling, Bourbon-san," Rice said softly. "Rice… Rice can wait as long as you need."
Rice was clearly flustered, yet she genuinely wanted to hear what Bourbon had to say. She stood before her, waiting patiently, making it clear she wouldn't rush her.
"Say whatever I am feeling… Understood. Please stand by."
Bourbon stared into space for nearly a minute, lost in thought. Beside me, Urara wore a curious expression, but she seemed to sense that this was an important moment. She remained uncharacteristically quiet, as if realizing I didn't need to tell her to stay still.
"Processing complete… First, Rice Shower-san. I must offer you an apology."
Bourbon bowed her head deeply. It was so unexpected that Rice could only tilt her head in confusion.
"F-for what? Rice doesn't have anything she needs an apology for… right?"
"No, I do. The behavior displayed by the audience during the Kikkasho Winning Live… I have since determined that I should have intervened. However, at the time, I could not comprehend why such an event was occurring. My internal systems were experiencing multiple errors."
At the mention of the Kikkasho Winning Live, Rice's expression stiffened. I almost stood up instinctively, but I stopped myself when I saw Bourbon's face.
Despite her mechanical speech, Bourbon's features were twisted in a look of bitter regret.
"I had a dream of achieving the Classic Triple Crown. Under Master's guidance, I held the pride of knowing I had trained sufficiently to achieve it. However… I lost to you, Rice Shower-san."
"..."
Rice didn't answer. She simply lowered her head at the blunt reminder of the fact—
"Don't look down, Rice."
I cut in, my voice firm. I wanted her to know she had nothing to be ashamed of. Her victory was something to be proud of.
"That's right, Rice-chan! You just worked super, super hard!" Urara added, chiming in to support my words.
Exactly. Rice had worked herself to the bone to beat Mihono Bourbon, and she had succeeded. That was the beginning and the end of it.
"My apologies. My phrasing was suboptimal," Bourbon said quickly. "I did not arrange this meeting to condemn you. Quite the opposite, in fact."
"...The opposite?" Rice looked up, meeting Bourbon's eyes. Bourbon looked back into the air, searching for the right words again.
"The primary cause of the errors I experienced was the question of why I lost. I won the Satsuki Sho. I won the Japan Derby. While the distance of the Kikkasho was… well, significantly beyond my optimal range, both Master and I analyzed that my training was sufficient to overcome that disadvantage."
Bourbon's face remained mostly stoic, yet I could see the ghost of raw frustration behind her eyes.
"And yet, I suffered defeat. I was aware you were behind me. I was aware of the immense effort you were exerting to surpass me. Yet, I ran with the conviction that I would win—that I must win… and I lost."
Bourbon's ears and tail drooped.
"Because I could not understand why—and because I could not understand why the Winning Live turned into what it did—I suffered a system-wide failure."
Attempting an undefeated Triple Crown is a feat of staggering difficulty. One only had to look at Bourbon's physique to see the superhuman effort she had poured into her goal.
And yet, she had lost. Failing to process that reality had been her torture.
"I could not understand my own emotions. In my struggle to process them, I was late to realize the position you had been put in… That is the reason for my apology."
(She was frustrated by the loss… No, was it that she'd never even felt frustration before?)
As I listened to her, a realization hit me, and I couldn't help but let out a dry, inward chuckle.
(I guess that makes sense… This girl was on the verge of an undefeated Triple Crown. I don't know why she talks like a robot, but if this was her first loss, she probably didn't even have a name for the bitterness she was feeling…)
In a way, she was the polar opposite of Urara, who could lose and still say she had fun. For Bourbon, her first taste of defeat was a sensation so massive it exceeded her capacity to process it.
She had worked for victory. That was an indisputable fact. To come that close to an undefeated Triple Crown, her obsession with winning must have been extraordinary.
But if you look purely at the result…
It came down to the difference between a Mihono Bourbon trying to win a race, and a Rice Shower trying to beat Mihono Bourbon. That was all there was to it.
It was precisely because Bourbon had the talent to be number one that Rice, who managed to overtake her, became the winner of the Kikkasho.
There are no certainties in racing. But Bourbon's running was so formidable it convinced everyone of her inevitable victory. Perhaps it was a cruel twist of fate that Rice chose that very summit as her goal and managed to transcend it.