After her explanation, Duramente waited a few seconds, noting that Kitasan Black and the others were still stunned. She nodded and turned to leave.
"Please excuse me. Keep up the hard work, you two—Kita-chan, Satono Crown."
Once Duramente's footsteps had faded into the distance, Satono Crown let out a long breath at the dining table.
"Duramente… she really does work hard. Alright!"
She picked up her tray and stood up.
"Then I'm heading to the psychological counseling room too!"
When Satono Crown rose, Kitasan Black was slightly startled. She had assumed her friend was going for training as well, but the mention of the counseling room caught her off guard.
"Psychological counseling room… Does Crown-chan have some worries?"
Kitasan Black stood up without thinking, looking at Satono Crown with concern.
"Me? It's not me."
Satono Crown smiled and waved her hand dismissively. "It's Cheval Grand."
"Cheval Grand?"
Kitasan Black blinked, then asked worriedly, "What happened to her?"
Knowing her friend's helpful nature, Satono Crown didn't hold anything back and began to explain.
She and Kitasan Black were in the same class, and Satono Crown served as the class monitor. Cheval Grand was their classmate as well.
Tracen Academy divides classes based on performance, so the Uma Musume placed in the same class generally have strong records from the very beginning.
Cheval Grand's debut race and the three races that followed had been quite impressive. However, she suffered an injury during training before her fifth race—the Wakakoma Stakes—and had to withdraw.
By her sixth race, the previous Daily Cup, the lingering effects of that injury seemed to have taken their toll. Cheval Grand only managed fifth place.
From around the time of the Wakakoma Stakes onward, she had often seemed distracted in class, and her training condition hadn't been the best either.
After discussing it with the teacher, it became clear that her mindset had likely been affected by the injury and the setbacks that followed.
As class monitor, Satono Crown felt it was her duty to help mediate the situation.
"So that's how it is…"
Kitasan Black nodded in understanding and fell silent for a moment. She hadn't experienced anything quite like Cheval Grand's situation, but she could sense the pressure her classmate must be under.
Before her own debut, she had faced similar pressures.
After every Uma Musume enrolls, the Student Council President, Tokai Teio, holds a private talk with them. Having known that idol for a long time, Kitasan Black had already heard those words even before she enrolled.
One horse leads, all others fade.
This is the motto of Tracen Academy, and it represents the standard expected of every Uma Musume here.
Roughly ten thousand Uma Musume possess the talent to compete each year, yet only twenty percent are selected for Tracen Academy.
Of those more than two thousand students, not all will successfully debut. Some cannot withstand the pressure of racing, others suffer injuries, and still others face different obstacles.
In short, students drop out almost every day. No matter what dreams or expectations they once held, they will have no further connection to the track in the future.
Even making a successful debut doesn't guarantee they can meet that standard.
There are barely five hundred major stakes races each year, meaning only a little over five hundred major stakes champions annually. G1 races are even rarer—barely more than twenty.
And winning one or two G1 races still doesn't mean you've become "the one horse that leads while all others fade."
Even consistent victories don't always convince everyone. A single failure, however, can spark unexpected questions.
"Sounds cruel, doesn't it, Kita-chan?"
At that time, the senpai with an expression Kitasan Black couldn't quite read—playful with a hint of childishness, yet unusually calm and mature—had said those words.
"But that's just how reality is.
"Perhaps you can't fully understand it yet, but I wanted you to know these things now.
"Know that losing races and leaving the track behind is normal for us.
"Winning races, winning major stakes, winning G1s… those are just extremely rare strokes of luck.
"What you have to do from now on is run along that lucky path again and again.
"I hope you can do it. And I believe you can."
Kitasan Black shook off the memory and looked at Satono Crown earnestly.
"Then I'll go help too. Even if I can't fully understand how Cheval Grand feels… if someone shows they care, I'm sure it'll make her happy.
"My Trainer has a meeting today, and I don't have any training scheduled for Friday evening either."
Satono Crown smiled and nodded, about to agree—then she paused, her brow furrowing slightly as she slowly shook her head.
"No… this time, maybe it's better if you don't come along, Kita-chan?"
"…Why?"
Kitasan Black leaned forward eagerly.
"Because…"
Satono Crown pressed her lips together, a complicated look in her eyes, and sighed.
"You won the Satsuki Sho.
"I didn't mention it before, but Cheval Grand had also registered for the Classic Triple Crown. However, after withdrawing from the Wakakoma Stakes and finishing fifth in the Daily Cup, she didn't have enough support from fans, so she had to cancel her registration.
"Her next race is the G3 Kyoto News Cup.
"It might not sound nice to say, but consoling someone who's already faced setbacks before even getting to race—while you're holding a laurel wreath from a big win—it's a bit like showing up to a funeral in an evening gown."
A heavy silence settled over the dining table.
Then Kitasan Black's small face tensed for a moment before breaking into a smile, her eyes filled with the same unwavering confidence she had shown at the Satsuki Sho starting line.
"Even if it might be like you say, Crown-chan… I've still decided to go see Cheval Grand."
"…Kita-chan?"
Satono Crown looked surprised for a second, then frowned in confusion.
"Because even though I'm not that close with Cheval Grand, I think…"
Kitasan Black picked up her plate, speaking with conviction.
"She's not a fragile Uma Musume.
"Or rather… none of us are that fragile."
===
When Satono Crown finally agreed, Kitasan Black made her way to the Student Council office.
Sitting behind the desk, Tokai Teio held a piece of apple pie. Spread across the desk in front of her were stacks of open documents, one of them titled "Dubai Turf."
At the longer desk diagonally opposite—where Mejiro McQueen usually sat—another Uma Musume was reviewing papers. Her downward gaze gave her the air of a famous sword still sheathed in ice.
The setting sun streaming through the window caught on her smooth, dark golden hair, casting it in a cold glaze. Yet the "Deep Impact" nameplate on her desk gleamed brilliantly in the light.
Crunch, crunch. The sound of apple pie being bitten into echoed softly. The steel nib of Deep Impact's pen, precise as a falling blade, trembled ever so slightly. Her lips parted, and the icy expression on her face softened just a fraction.
"…The Student Council President should have already eaten dinner, no? Snacking at this hour doesn't seem ideal for weight management."
Tokai Teio sucked the jam from her fingertips, her gaze drifting as she grinned.
"Weight? That kind of thing doesn't matter. I'm not McQueen—I don't put on weight easily."
"…Tomorrow, McQueen and I will be inspecting the drainage system at Tokyo Racecourse."
Deep Impact sighed quietly once more, her tone pointed. She stood up, gathering the documents she had just finished reviewing, and walked over to Tokai Teio.
"This is the preliminary review of the second-quarter overseas agreements. I hope the Student Council President can complete her review before 7:30 PM."
"Okay. Thanks for the hard work."
Tokai Teio's playful expression vanished in an instant. She finished the apple pie in a few quick bites, pulled a tissue from the desk, and wiped her hands thoroughly.
"Oh, don't rush off just yet. What do you think about that Training Race I mentioned to you the day before yesterday?"