“Huff… huff…”
After crossing the finish line, Silence Suzuka gradually slowed to a stop.
Even the sweat covering her body could not conceal the smile on her face.
She raised her head and spread her arms, as though embracing the victory that belonged to her alone.
The wind swept past her ears.
The scenery only she could see and the joy of running with everything she had left her expression blissful.
“That version of me… looks extremely happy.”
The Silence Suzuka watching from outside the screen felt none of that same joy.
She had not personally entered the race.
How could she know whether it truly felt that wonderful?
Was running that way really so enjoyable?
She did not believe it.
Not unless someone let her try it herself!
Her beautiful eyes blinked as she studied the version of herself beyond the finish line and the results displayed on the board.
She had defeated second place by a full eight lengths.
That result, combined with that running style…
“So all I need to do is run as a Front Runner?”
She remembered what the shared instructor had told the students.
The Pace Chaser strategy was the safest.
Conserving energy before sprinting at the end was the conventional choice.
However, the instructor had also warned everyone that a horse girl needed to discover the running style that suited her best.
Combined with the streamer’s explanation, if Suzuka debuted as a Front Runner, perhaps she would no longer be buried helplessly among the field as she had been before.
During previous mock races, she would reach the final stage with no strength left to accelerate.
She could only watch the other horse girls pass her one by one.
They blocked the view ahead, leaving nothing but cold, distant backs for her to stare at.
That sensation had filled Silence Suzuka with an indescribable helplessness.
She did not want to remain trapped within that frustrating slump.
She only wanted to be happy.
She wanted to rediscover the joy she had once felt while running freely across grass.
[Horse Girl Enthusiast]: Woohoo!
What a powerful horse girl!
Her future medium-distance races are going to be spectacular!
[Tracen Pun Master]: Excellent running.
She left every opponent far behind and perfectly embodied Tracen’s motto: “One horse leads; ten thousand horses fade.”
[Invincible Seaside-sama]: Feels inferior to… doing the same thing in a Grade 1 race.
[Hates Flashbulbs and Lunatics]: Don’t assume it’ll be that easy.
A debut race isn’t even graded.
Grade 1 races are the highest level of graded competition.
You don’t win them so casually.
[Unbreakable Glass]: That’s true.
A friend of mine once said Grade 1 races are serious battlefields that no horse girl can underestimate.
[White-Eyed H-Manga Sensei]: Is that “friend” you?
The debut race was the beginner village.
Most horse girls could not even clear that.
But for a genius destined to define an era, winning the debut was highly probable.
It was not guaranteed.
Even a world-class champion like Secretariat could lose his first race because of a mistake and poor fortune.
Still, any horse girl capable of winning through raw ability was unlikely to be mediocre.
With proper training, she could undoubtedly claim a place for herself.
After the debut race, horse girls were separated into two groups.
Winners and maidens.
Many horse girls without sufficient talent were eliminated during that first stage.
Central Tracen generally had around eight thousand students.
Over twenty percent never reached a debut race.
More than twenty-five percent remained maidens without a single victory.
The number capable of winning a graded race was pitifully small.
The road ahead was long.
That was why every horse girl in the anime who possessed a Grade 1 title was a genius among geniuses.
“If the timeline continues normally, the next major obstacle should be Silent Sunday.
If she gets through that, she might start fighting frequently with the five-girl dinner-table group from the anime.”
Zhou Yu’ang muttered.
Several viewers immediately became curious.
The words “major obstacle” and “fighting with five girls” did not escape the sharper horse girls in the audience.
There were plenty of intelligent horses watching.
“Sorry.
I need to go find Silence Suzuka.”
Zhou Yu’ang used the most direct excuse available and hurried toward the edge of the track.
Silence Suzuka was already approaching him.
She had seen Zhou Yu’ang.
The joy of victory still flooded her mind, and she could hardly wait to describe how wonderful running had felt.
Zhou Yu’ang had taken only a few steps when Silence Suzuka bounded toward him like a cheerful young deer.
Her steps were light.
Her face shone with happiness.
She stopped before him.
“Trainer!
Did you see it?!
I won!”
Silence Suzuka folded both hands over her chest and stood delicately before Zhou Yu’ang.
She looked fragile enough to be blown away by the wind.
Yet this same girl had run at the very front of the field and won in a manner that delivered an overwhelming visual impact.
“Congratulations.”
Zhou Yu’ang raised both hands and applauded her.
Horse girls were emotional creatures.
They were especially sensitive to both their own feelings and those of others.
At a moment when Suzuka was filled with excitement, all he needed to do was offer sincere congratulations.
He could warn her about pacing and self-control after a later race.
The first experience of anything remained the deepest in one’s memory.
Even if the same thing happened again, the impression left by that first time would quietly influence future behavior.
For now, he would let Silence Suzuka enjoy the victory that belonged to her.
“Still, don’t become complacent just because you won once.”
“Right.
I understand.”
Silence Suzuka nodded obediently.
Her ears, wrapped in green covers, twitched adorably.
“We still have many things ahead of us.
Until you retire, you can’t relax for even a moment.”
Zhou Yu’ang’s large hand moved toward the top of her head.
Seeing her ears and that happy smile had made him instinctively want to pet her.
Then Silence Suzuka’s face reddened.
Zhou Yu’ang’s hand froze in midair.
He retracted it like lightning, smiled at her, and turned away.
Why had the story not returned to the main interface yet?
Silence Suzuka stared blankly at his departing back.
Then she hurried after him with nervous little steps.
She followed closely behind Zhou Yu’ang like a timid young wife, remaining silent as they left the racecourse.
[Horse Girl Enthusiast]: Adorable!
Sole favorite!
Why does such a quiet and obedient horse girl exist?!
[White-Eyed H-Manga Sensei]: He previously made a scumbag declaration, yet now he keeps treating Silence Suzuka so gently.
It must be an act.
He plans to lure this fragile girl into a trap step by step until she willingly becomes another victim of this playboy!
I’ve already storyboarded the doujin panels!
Why is your imagination so active?!
[Hates Flashbulbs and Lunatics]: You idiot!
Do you even understand what you’re saying?!
Indeed, first impressions could influence a relationship for a very long time.
They could slowly produce severe consequences.
My declaration about marrying thirty horse girls really damaged my image.
But that genuinely was his dream.
Given the choice, Zhou Yu’ang would rather train the real Silence Suzuka than raise her inside this game.
Wouldn’t training such an adorable horse girl in reality be infinitely better?
Forget it.
I’ll treat this as preparation.
Even if I never train Silence Suzuka, I can apply the experience to other horse girls.
He already had the powerful and adorable Oguri Cap.
They had only known each other for several days.
But what happened once he maximized her affection?
Sooner or later, he would genuinely be able to pet and inhale a horse girl.
After escorting Silence Suzuka out of the racecourse, Zhou Yu’ang watched her perform in the Winning Live.
The story still did not end.
He nearly opened a direct call with the Three Goddesses.
“That was a wonderful dance.
You worked hard today.”
Unlike the anime, the performance did not wait until evening.
The moment they left the track, event staff had ordered Silence Suzuka to change into a stage costume and dance.
When Zhou Yu’ang first encountered that setting, he had been astonished.
Only the top three finishers were allowed onstage?
Were idols truly this competitive?
Did one need excellent racing results merely to qualify for a dance performance?
After the Winning Live, Silence Suzuka changed back into her Tracen uniform and prepared to return to the academy.
“It was nothing.
Trainer… did you watch the entire performance?”
Silence Suzuka spoke softly, her voice as gentle as ever.
[Horse Girl Enthusiast]: Here it comes—the free-point question!
All he needs to do is charge forward with an A attack and everything will work out!
[White-Eyed H-Manga Sensei]: Fast-forward to Silence Suzuka’s bond event!
“What are those two talking about?”
The real Silence Suzuka stared at the comments with question marks practically floating above her head.
She could not understand the strange language these “internet users” kept using.
“You two, that’s enough.”
Zhou Yu’ang switched communication channels and addressed the unreliable commenters.
What kind of horse girl surrendered herself that easily?
He refused to believe it.
“Yes.
Your performance was excellent.”
“Was it…”
The in-game Silence Suzuka lowered her head and looked at her folded hands.
Then she raised her eyes toward Zhou Yu’ang.
She opened her mouth, preparing to say something.
A gust of wind suddenly rushed toward them.
“Whoa!
A real live horse girl!”
The wind felt strangely familiar.
Zhou Yu’ang turned and saw a certain fool charging toward them.
She clenched both fists, stars shining in her eyes as she stared at Silence Suzuka.
Her entire body trembled with excitement.
The number-one Suzuka fanatic from the first anime season had reproduced herself.
Special Week completely ignored Zhou Yu’ang.
The foolish country girl gazed at Silence Suzuka with flushed cheeks.
“What?!
A real live—have you never looked in a mirror?”
Silence Suzuka was startled by Special Week’s sudden appearance and retreated several steps.
When she realized the newcomer was a horse girl roughly her own height, she blinked and examined the girl who had interrupted her conversation with Zhou Yu’ang.
Couldn’t this fool simply look down at herself?
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
Hearing Suzuka’s criticism, Special Week pressed her hands together apologetically.
Her slightly round face lowered immediately.
[Hates Flashbulbs and Lunatics]: This horse girl… is something missing from her brain?
She had actually looked at another horse girl and shouted, “A real live horse girl!”
Horse girls were uncommon, but not remotely rare enough to justify that reaction.
The entire area beside the track had been filled with them!
[Invincible Seaside-sama]: Yeah.
She seems like an idiot.
[Horse Girl Enthusiast]: Idiots can still be adorable.
[Invincible Seaside-sama]: But idiots make mistakes easily.
Horse girls can be seen almost anywhere.
Did her mother never take her to a race?
“I grew up on a ranch in Hokkaido, so I never met any other horse girls.”
Special Week raised her head.
The excitement in her expression faded slightly.
She slowly explained herself to Silence Suzuka.
“You grew up on a ranch?
Wouldn’t that make it even more likely for you to meet horse girls?”
In the world Zhou Yu’ang remembered, a ranch was a place where animals were raised, occasionally alongside crops.
Ranches in this world maintained that function.
However, the existence of horse-girl athletes also meant that some ranches operated like clubs that signed and developed competitors.
Their structure and management resembled ordinary sports clubs.
It would not have been strange for many horse girls to gather there.
“Um… I asked Mama, but she said the ranch was too remote.
No one else ever came.”
As she spoke, Special Week lowered her head again and touched her index fingers together.
Her ears drooped against the top of her head.
“I see.”
Silence Suzuka covered her mouth and considered the matter before replying gently.
“You’ll see many horse girls in Tokyo… Judging from your clothes, are you a new student enrolling at Tracen?”
“Yes!
I’m reporting to Tracen Academy today.”
Special Week nodded.
She clearly looked forward to life at Tracen.
That was understandable.
A girl who had grown up in the countryside without ever seeing another member of her own race had suddenly arrived at a school filled entirely with horse girls.
How could she not be excited?
It was also a specialized athletic school, and she had loved running since childhood.
“In that case, we can show you around Tracen later.”
Silence Suzuka looked at Zhou Yu’ang.
She appeared to be requesting his approval.
“That’s fine.”
Zhou Yu’ang nodded.
In both the anime and game, the two horse girls were roommates.
Regardless of the version, they also became teammates.
There was no harm in helping her.
“Huh?
Who is this gentleman?”
Only then did Special Week finally notice Zhou Yu’ang.
She tilted her head and stared at him. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
She had not even noticed the large Trainer insignia displayed across Mysterious Trainer A’s model.
Apparently, Zhou Yu’ang needed to present his credentials like a lawyer before Special Week would understand.
“I’m Silence Suzuka’s Trainer.
What’s your name?”
Zhou Yu’ang already knew, but he still had to ask.
The viewers were waiting for her introduction.
“My name is Special Week!
I’m from Hokkaido!
My goal is to become Japan’s number-one horse girl!”
[Tracen Pun Master]: Japan’s number one?
An excellent dream.
Countless horse girls entered Central Tracen.
Many came from rural areas.
Girls like Oguri Cap were exceptionally rare.
Because of Oguri’s existence and her own proper upbringing, a certain student council president was rather open-minded toward regional talent.
In the anime, however, when Special Week announced that dream, the surrounding horse girls laughed at her.
Anyone could declare an empty, grandiose ambition.
[Invincible Seaside-sama]: Impossible!
Japan’s number-one horse girl is President Rudolf!
After her, someone else will seize the title!
[Tracen’s Madoka Higuchi]: Another hot-blooded idiot?
[Festival Girl]: What?
Isn’t that a wonderful dream?
[Horse Girl Enthusiast]: A simple and adorable country girl enters Central, only to be beaten down until she gradually loses hope and leaves in despair!
I’ve seen too many horse girls fail to find happiness and depart in misery… Stop!
Don’t continue!
[Crying] [Crying] [Crying]
“Japan’s number one…”
That sounded like a wonderful dream.
The Silence Suzuka watching outside the screen also began imagining it.
Then she remembered a problem.
Her optimal range was eighteen hundred to twenty-two hundred meters.
If the Trainer’s explanation was entirely accurate and could not be changed, she would struggle across many major Japanese courses.
“Would training extend my effective range?
He mentioned something about modifying Oguri Cap’s aptitude earlier.”
Could it be done?
Before Zhou Yu’ang could answer that question, he first needed to hear it.
Unfortunately, he could only see the comments posted on-screen.
Watching message after message scroll past, Zhou Yu’ang switched his voice channel.
“Hey, horse-girl lo—whoever you are, stop spiraling into depression.
Special Week isn’t the sort of horse girl who will disappear without achieving anything.
Didn’t you see her among the initial exchange options?”
She was nearly useless in the game.
But she was adorable.
No—she had tremendous narrative presence.
Her real-world inspiration had been an exceptionally powerful racehorse.
She was also one of the relatively few horse girls to receive three alternate versions.
Unlike a certain roommate of hers, who had to wait nearly two and a half years after launch for a single alternate outfit.
“Special Week is incredibly strong.
She won the Japanese Derby, completed the Spring and Autumn Tenno Sho double, and won the Japan Cup.”
All four were Grade 1 races.
Winning even one would be enough to boast about for an entire lifetime.
Some horse girls included in the Uma Musume franchise had never won a Grade 1 race at all.
[Invincible Seaside-sama]: Huh?
[Tracen’s Madoka Higuchi]: Huh?
[White-Eyed H-Manga Sensei]: Huh?
[Horse Girl Enthusiast]: Excellent!
I love inspirational stories about country horse girls!
Since this girl possesses the beauty of overwhelming strength, she is now my sole favorite!
[White-Eyed H-Manga Sensei]: Another sole favorite?
[Horse Girl Enthusiast]: Matters concerning sole favorites cannot be called “another.”
The pink-haired girl’s hands flew across the keyboard as she defended her indiscriminate support.
She repeatedly posted statements such as:
“Supporting horse girls can’t be called multi-oshi behavior.”
“Horse girls are treasures of the world.”
“Every horse girl possesses her own unique brilliance.”
Anyone reading those comments would begin questioning her species.
Could she truly be a horse girl herself?
There were no equally deranged horse girls among the current audience.
Soon, the screen filled with cheerful conversation.
Silence Suzuka smiled while reading it.
The sense of depression that had weighed upon her earlier seemed to disappear.
This atmosphere is nice.
She hoped it could continue forever.
“Is that so?
You can call me Mysterious Trainer A.”
Zhou Yu’ang introduced the random name with a perfectly serious expression.
Special Week did not react at all.
He wondered whether anyone in the story would criticize him if he chose an even more ridiculous name.
The horse girls watching certainly would.
“Um… what is a Trainer?”
Special Week scratched the back of her head and looked at Zhou Yu’ang in confusion.
She genuinely did not understand what a Trainer was.
“Mama never told me.”
“A Trainer is a coach responsible for teaching horse girls how to run.
We discover their potential, guide their racing, and help them improve.
Horse girls who haven’t signed with a Trainer cannot enter official races.”
Zhou Yu’ang answered honestly.
He felt no irritation toward such an innocent child.
An adorable fool was relaxing merely to look at.
An ugly fool raised one’s blood pressure.
“I see… Um, can I have the same Trainer as Shizuka-san?”
Special Week’s ears flattened against her head.
She looked pitifully at Zhou Yu’ang while pressing her hands together and rubbing her pale fingers nervously.
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