"...This is all my story. So, can you understand now why I am so dissatisfied with your current performance?"
Under the night sky, Oguri had told everything she could remember before losing him to the dazed Nakayama Festa. And in the process, recalling this incredibly beautiful, but also witnessing this beauty gradually leave her and finally fall into the abyss, her expression couldn't help but show a hint of loneliness.
Although she couldn't remember her memory after losing him at all... but she could probably guess that the reason why she couldn't remember that memory was because after his death, a crucial piece of the puzzle in her heart was missing. The following days were completely muddle-headed, like a walking corpse.
And even in this world, the memory-lost her still retained his influence. From the time she could remember, she had appeared colder and more lacking in common sense than in her previous life, and she didn't care about others' corrections. If not for her mother's persistent love that had moved her, whether she could have persisted until the day she met him again might have been a question.
After all, she herself knew very well that during the period when she had not recovered her memory, if not for her mother and Tamamo, and so many good friends supervising her, she would very likely have repeated the same mistake and died from a sudden stomachache like in her previous life...
She knew too well how difficult it had been for her to walk this path, and she especially cherished the opportunity to be able to live to this day and to be able to really recall all of this again. She also did not want him to leave her again.
"So I want to eliminate this possibility, Nakayama Festa. In the past, I was powerless to save him when he was in critical condition... but now, you, you all still have a chance."
"I have already retired and can no longer win races for him, nor can I see the smile he showed for me with my own eyes. But at least, you can let him live. This is my only request."
And in front of her, the long-dazed Nakayama Festa finally came back to her senses. And under her gaze, she noticed her lowering her head to hide her emotions, and the action of wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes with her fingers.
She didn't know that after she had finished telling her story with him, the Nakayama Festa, who had also dreamed of herself and another him, named "Nobuko," actually had a strong empathy with her—when she had heard the news of "Nobuko's" death, the feeling of loss and heartache was still fresh in her mind.
But... as expected, the touch in my heart is probably not as painful as hers.
Just as a listener, even under the dark night, she could clearly see her change in expression. She could capture that when she talked about every matter concerning him, her emotions, along with the beauty and badness of the memory, became cheerful or low...
She, as a self-proclaimed person, could not do this... she had not yet reached the point where her emotions were so in tune with his. She could only cry for him, but to smile for him, she had not yet reached this realm.
And this also made her heart feel a little sour... she had indeed guessed this point before, but when she heard it from her own mouth, this memory that was by no means a fabrication, it made this "tail-ender" of the Gold Family, who had been constantly questioning herself, lose her last bit of confident "advantage"...
So, I wasn't his "first" charge after all... so he had already had so many charges before me...
She would not be naive enough to think that Oguri was the only horse girl before her. From the current situation, all the horse girls who had inexplicably gathered around him were all suspects—except for Gold Ship and her big sister, Stay Gold, who might just be out of interest.
After all, these two sisters of hers would not be strange no matter what they did. Especially Gold Ship, now besides her unexpected closeness to him, she didn't seem to have done anything out of line to him... although she was not sure how Gold Ship's "out of line" standard should be defined.
"So that is to say, this time, it's my turn? This guy's infinite cycle of death has been running until now?"
"But... can I... really do it?"
Now that she had completely understood all of this, a bitter smile appeared on her face. Unlike Gold Ship's fearlessness and Oguri's soaring fighting spirit, her expression now was as if she had suddenly returned to the first time she had heard Suzuka talk about his lifespan, filled with sorrow. "Even you couldn't do it... and even before that, like Mr. C.B., Suzuka... every one of them was stronger than me. They couldn't stop his cycle. And me... what can I do?"
After listening to Oguri's story, she could naturally feel her deep sense of powerlessness, of only being able to watch his life slip away bit by bit, and the despair of being powerless. This was what she was most empathetic to now.
And even, after hearing her words, she felt even more that his death... was perhaps more like an unavoidable "fate." Even if her seniors had done their best and still couldn't save him, what could she do?
"Now only you and Gold Ship can save him. Unless you are really willing to give up your position as the first charge, I have no objection," however, the goal-oriented Oguri, faced with her hesitation and cowardice, had not a trace of pity, but just said coldly, "At that time, I can go and explain everything to him. It doesn't matter if I'm scolded by him. As long as he can live, even if he hates me for the rest of his life, I can accept it."
"My only goal is to let him live, no matter who he likes, who he falls in love with, even if that person is not me... I don't care."
Her words made the long-depressed Nakayama Festa look at her with great surprise. However, under the moonlight, in her restored azure blue eyes, there was not a trace of hesitation.
She really thought so and would do so.
Perhaps it was out of the unwillingness that was slowly rising in her heart, or perhaps it was because his and her relationship had been getting closer and closer recently, that she felt a hint of jealousy towards the Oguri who was acting as if "no one understands him better than I do." Under a slight gritting of her teeth, she finally squeezed out the words from between her teeth, "—What do you want me to do?"
"Very good. This is more like a horse girl he would choose."
And her unwillingness also made a smile appear on the originally serious Oguri's face. Faced with this "younger sister" who had a similar state of mind as her but was slightly inferior and unstable in ability, she turned her little head, which would spin particularly fast when it came to him, and quickly thought of her own idea.
"Only if you and Gold Ship win a race can he have a hope of living. And now you and she have both lost two races in the Classic Triple Crown. The last race now is the Kikuka Sho."
"So, I ask you, are you confident of winning against Tokai Teio in the Kikuka Sho?"
Her question, which was not at all roundabout, also made her pause for a moment. However, just recalling her three clashes with Teio, the gap in talent and strength that was almost desperate, that foul-like propulsion, even if she was not convinced, she could only shake her head and answer with disappointment, "I can't win. I'm not much stronger than her in the long distance... in the Kikuka Sho, that Gold Ship girl probably has a greater chance of winning."
"The problem is here." Oguri nodded in acknowledgment of her admitting her weakness, and then quickly, in his tone, calmly analyzed, "Your best distance is the middle distance. And coincidentally, Tokai Teio's dominance in the middle distance, in this era, at least in Japan, is unmatched."
"Even in the long distance, it is extremely difficult for you to win against her. You also feel that Gold Ship has a greater chance of winning, so why still go and fight in the Kikuka Sho?"
"Since your probability of winning against her is very small, and you are not confident of winning in the long distance, and now, his life is still passing away, why don't you go and participate in other races that you can win, and do something for him?"
"A race I can win..." Her words also made her fall into a deep thought. She had thought about this before, but because she had not said "I'm not participating in the Classic Triple Crown," he had not arranged it for her. But now, faced with the Kikuka Sho, which she had no confidence in, she had to think about avoiding the battle.
Although she was a little unwilling... but compared to his life, and her obvious weakness in the long distance, she also felt that there was no need for her to go to the Kikuka Sho and be cannon fodder. She had no dream of having to win the Classic Triple Crown. For her, she only pursued winning in an exciting chase.
She was a gambler, but not a fool. If she had a choice, who would want to bet on a game that was obviously impossible to win? Therefore, without hesitating for too long, she made a decision—she had to switch to another G1 as her goal.
And she quickly thought about the G1 races that would be held in the next period of time in her mind. After quickly skipping a group of short-distance and mile races, she set her sights on another G1 race she could participate in, which was very close to the time of the Kikuka Sho!
"—The Tennō Shō (Autumn)."
"I think so too." And Oguri, upon hearing her judgment, also nodded in agreement with a smile. "Unlike the Tennō Shō (Spring), which is only open to senior year horse girls, even classic year horse girls can participate in the Tennō Shō (Autumn)."
"It's just that in that race, there will be senior year horse girls with more experience and a more solid foundation than you competing on the same stage..."
"Let them come!" And Nakayama Festa was full of fighting spirit. After being clear that Tokai Teio would definitely not appear on the track of the Tennō Shō (Autumn), the fearless her once again showed her fighting spirit and said with a firm smile, "Besides Teio, I don't believe anyone can beat me in the middle distance."
She was so confident, naturally, it was directly related to her second place in the Japanese Derby, only losing to Tokai Teio. And Oguri, on the other hand, mercilessly poured a basin of cold water on her and said, word by word, "Don't be careless. Tokai Teio will definitely not appear in the Tennō Shō (Autumn), but you will have to face a strong opponent who is no less than her—Mejiro McQueen."
"!"
And the originally confident Nakayama Festa, when she heard the name "Mejiro McQueen," immediately felt a feeling of a big mountain just disappearing from her shoulders, and before she could even catch her breath, another big mountain immediately pressed down on her, and it might even be heavier than the previous one!
Mejiro McQueen, the strongest horse girl of the Mejiro family so far. In the Tennō Shō (Spring) a month ago, she, who had just achieved an absolute victory, with a record of six wins in ten races, and two consecutive G1 wins in the Kikuka Sho and the Tennō Shō (Spring), was now aiming for the Tennō Shō (Autumn), determined to become the second horse girl after Tamamo Cross to dominate the Spring and Autumn Tennō Shō.
More importantly, she was not the kind of person who only specialized in long-distance races. Her middle-distance strength was by no means inferior. Although she might not be as good as Tokai Teio, she was also recognized as a very stable horse girl, no matter the distance or race. So far, her results have never fallen below fourth place.
This was in stark contrast to her, whose performance was always unstable and whether she could win a race depended on her condition. And when she heard that her opponent was McQueen, her face immediately fell.
And at this time, Oguri, who had never known how to read the atmosphere, once again proposed a soul-searching question to her, "Do you think you can win against her?"
This time, she did not answer, but just cast a resentful but particularly solemn gaze at her, as if she was complaining about her "humiliating rhetorical question" of knowing the answer but still asking, and also as if she was asking her for help.
After all, she wanted to save him so much. This time she had come to find her, she must have come with the intention of helping. And now, besides him, the only one who could help her win against McQueen was probably this "ash-haired monster."
As expected, as if having understood her meaning, Oguri, after nodding, also said calmly, "If you want to win, then every night from now on, I will wait for you here. I still remember the training method he once used on me. I think it might also be very applicable to you."
"I don't know for what purpose he indulges you and Gold Ship in slacking off in training, but I am not as gentle as him. Since you want to win, I will definitely use the strictest method to train you. Otherwise, you have no possibility of winning against her."
"So, I will not, like him, spoil your temper. I will do anything for him—even things he would never do."
As long as he can live, I can act as the "evil" side to let these horse girls, who have gotten used to his gentleness, re-taste the cruelty of the racetrack.
These children, who have been spoiled in the honeypot of his constant care... it is necessary for them to properly experience the feeling of cruelty. If they stay by his side all the time, they will not be able to grow. As someone who had grown up in his "honeypot" before, Oguri was very clear about this.
And after her silent nod and approval of her method, a deeply hidden "jealous" smile also appeared on her face. She said, word by word, calmly, but even more terrifyingly, "Then, be prepared. I will let you understand that my title of a monster was fought for openly and honorably in that cruel era."
"I will make you return to your beastly side, until you can win a victory for him, until you can win against McQueen."
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