The next morning, Shirayuki woke up early.
Before the race, she planned to visit Trêve first and cheer her on as a friend.
Though, honestly, Trêve did not look like someone who needed anyone's encouragement to build confidence.
Clack.
Two doors opened at almost the exact same time.
Shirayuki had only just stepped out when she happened to run into Trêve, who had also come out of her room. Their eyes met.
"Shirayuki, I was just about to come find you."
"Me too…"
Shirayuki looked at Trêve's outfit.
Because today was a GⅠ race, Trêve had changed into her racing outfit. It was the first time Shirayuki had seen Trêve fully dressed for the stage. Her short orange hair had been carefully combed, looking healthy and glossy. The hair by her temples lay neatly against her head, while her short twin tails were tied behind her, giving her a clean yet fashionable impression. Even the red ribbon on her ear looked as if it had been changed, its colour bright and vivid.
"How is it?" Trêve spun around once, showing off her outfit.
It was a blue crop top with a distinctly French style. A semi-transparent black inner layer wrapped around her slender waist, faintly revealing the cute navel beneath.
Her skirt was a short blue one, decorated with golden patterns. As Trêve turned, the hem brushed against her fair thighs.
"It looks amazing."
Trêve laughed, showing not the slightest trace of nervousness before a GⅠ race.
"By the way, Trêve, are you missing one sock?"
Shirayuki looked at the three-quarter sock on her left leg, then at her bare right leg.
"Ah… that's the design!" Trêve's face reddened a little. "Even if I'm careless, there's no way I'd wear my racing outfit wrong."
She puffed out her cheeks and lightly tapped Shirayuki's body with her small fists.
Trêve had actually used a difficult word like "careless."
She really was getting better and better.
Being tapped by those little fists felt surprisingly comfortable. Shirayuki said, "Trêve, do your best in the race."
Hearing those words, Trêve stopped moving.
She nodded, then lightly patted her chest with her right hand, the one wearing a single white glove.
"Leave it to me."
At Longchamp Racecourse, there were even more spectators than yesterday.
It was not only because today featured the major GⅠ, the Prix Vermeille. It was also because Trêve, the genius uma musume who had left everyone far behind in the French Oaks, would be appearing.
Her current record was three starts and three wins.
Across all of Paris, Trêve's ability ranked among the very best.
If she could win this race, then she would enter the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe undefeated. Her name would be engraved forever into the history of French racing.
The spectators placed great importance on this race.
And her trainer placed even more importance on it.
In the waiting room, Nase Hideto asked Trêve about her condition.
"How are you feeling? Any discomfort anywhere?"
"None. I feel great!"
Trêve answered with bright, focused eyes. Before coming here, she had hugged Shirayuki and rubbed cheeks with her. Right now, she felt better than ever before.
"Good. Then go win, Trêve."
"Yes!"
"Welcome, everyone, to Longchamp Racecourse! Today's final race is the two-thousand-four-hundred-metre GⅠ, the Prix Vermeille! Now then, please welcome our number one favourite, Trêve!"
As the announcer's voice rang out, a wave of heated cheers surged through the racecourse. The spectators raised their support boards and called Trêve's name.
"Uwaaah, that's something else."
Even through a layer of glass, the roar of the crowd was enough to make one's ears tremble. Gold Ship looked toward the track, grinning.
"So this is what it means to fight on home ground, huh? She's way too popular!"
It was as if every single person in the stands was a fanatical supporter.
Soon, Trêve stepped onto the stage.
She held her head high and her chest forward. Her small body looked unbelievably upright and dignified.
Fujiwara Chiya stared at her without blinking.
Her aura was clearly different.
Once Trêve stepped onto the racecourse, the impression she gave was completely unlike her usual self. The liveliness and innocence she normally carried had been tucked away. Now, she gave off a powerful sense of majesty.
Her brows gradually relaxed, and her expression became calm.
Beneath that increasingly detached look was an overwhelming confidence.
Soon, the announcer finished the introductions, and the participating uma musume entered the gates.
For one instant, the entire racecourse fell silent.
Bang!
The gates opened.
The race began.
The uma musume rushed out one after another. Fujiwara Chiya stood up and pressed close to the observation room's glass, watching the race seriously.
Those girls knew exactly who the strongest opponent in this race was.
That was why, from the very beginning, they launched an attack on Trêve.
Two uma musume charged straight toward her.
Their goal was to take away Trêve's position and force her toward the back. If they succeeded, the rest of the race would become extremely difficult for her.
This was the "special treatment" given to the number one favourite.
Trêve's strength forced all of them to go all out.
Then what will you do?
Very quickly, in Fujiwara Chiya's eyes, Trêve performed a "magic trick."
The instant the first uma musume was about to make contact with her, Trêve suddenly kicked against the ground. Her body stopped sharply. The uma musume who had already moved to make contact caught nothing but air and nearly lost her balance.
Taking that chance, Trêve stepped left.
Then, immediately after, she lowered her body and slipped out, brushing past the shoulder of the second uma musume charging toward her.
The entire sequence flowed like water.
It was completed in a single breath.
By the time anyone came back to their senses, Trêve had already rushed ahead.
Fujiwara Chiya's eyes widened.
He had not missed even a single second, yet her movements were so fast that the images in his mind could not connect properly.
Extreme agility.
It really was like magic.
"Amazing…"
Shirayuki and Chiya's voices overlapped.
It was not only the admiration of an uma musume, but also the astonishment of a trainer.
Shirayuki had touched Trêve's body before. That soft, supple feeling was not something an ordinary uma musume could compare to. But seeing the strength Trêve displayed today, Shirayuki realised that she had still underestimated her.
Trêve was even stronger than she had imagined.
After avoiding the early confrontation, Trêve moved into fourth position at the front of the pack.
Her running style was stalking from the front.
Trêve's steps landed lightly on the racecourse.
Like a dance.
That was how Fujiwara Chiya felt.
Her rhythm was like someone dancing across the track, becoming lighter and faster with each step.
"Trêve! Trêve is starting to accelerate!"
Under the gaze of tens of thousands of spectators, Trêve continuously overtook the others from fourth position. Some uma musume still tried to chase after her, but every single one of them was cleanly shaken off.
Her eyes rapidly observed the state of the racecourse.
Calmly, she made her judgments.
Before long, Trêve entered the final straight.
At that moment, she was already in first place.
The uma musume behind her began to accelerate.
"The gap isn't closing! The gap isn't closing! Trêve is in the lead!"
They could only dance behind her.
That blue arrow representing France sped across the racecourse. Like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water, her feet tapped the ground again and again.
"She crosses the line!"
With a two-length lead over second place, Trêve easily crossed the finish line.