"Nearl."
That familiar voice called out from behind. Even before turning around, Nearl already knew exactly who it was.
"President Rudolf, are you here to support Oguri Cap too?"
At this moment, Symboli Rudolf had consciously toned down her distinctive presence, appearing just like any ordinary spectator.
"I wouldn't say 'support' exactly... It's just that Oguri Cap has given me so many surprises."
Walking over to stand beside Nearl, Rudolf's eyes followed the Uma Musume one by one as they entered the starting gates.
"From the moment I saw Oguri Cap's first race, I knew she would set foot on this stage someday. But I never imagined she'd achieve it in her very first year at the center. My vision was too narrow."
"You shouldn't say that."
Nearl rejected Rudolf's self-deprecation.
"Back during the Chukyo Cup, Oguri Cap was still an unknown country Uma Musume, yet you placed the hopes of a new era on her shoulders, didn't you?"
"A new era... Indeed, ever since I retired, Japan's racing world hasn't seen an Uma Musume who could stir up large-scale excitement. But I saw that potential in Oguri Cap, so I took a gamble on her back then. And history has proven it was the wisest decision."
"This race will be the trumpet blast heralding that new era."
Rudolf's gaze was fixed intently on the track, yet what she saw stretched far beyond it.
"And this wave will keep coming. After all, Nearl, you're hardly unknown these days. I heard that in your last race, even with only a few participants, the stands were still packed."
She glanced at Nearl, recalling the reports she'd seen.
"I was actually prepared to use my own methods to help you, but I never expected your fans to be so steadfast. It seems my concern was unnecessary."
"I'm deeply grateful for the audience's affection. All I can do is strive not to disappoint them."
"You're underestimating yourself. As long as you maintain your competitive condition, they will never be disappointed."
Amused, Rudolf patted Nearl's shoulder before turning to leave, her words lingering in the air.
"Nearl, I've decided to invest in a newspaper dedicated to promoting local Uma Musume. It's already in the works. So when you're on the cover of the first issue, don't come asking me for appearance fees."
Hearing this, a look of surprise and joy mixed on Nearl's typically calm face. She quickly turned and bowed towards that resolute retreating figure.
"President Rudolf, on behalf of all local Uma Musume, I thank you for your assistance."
--+--
"Oguri Cap has entered the gate!"
"Tamamo Cross has entered the gate too!"
The two figures stood inside their gates, their overwhelming presence even causing unease among the surrounding Uma Musume.
'What kind of aura is this? Are they monsters?'
Road Royal stamped her foot in irritation, gritting her teeth.
"All thirteen are ready! The G1 at Nakayama, the Arima Kinen, begins!!"
"Shiver~~"
Oguri Cap couldn't suppress a full-body tremble, yet her gaze remained steady and singularly focused on the path ahead.
"Clang!" "Thud!"
"And they're off! No one is left in the gates! Wait? An accident! Dicta Striker has had a bad start!"
"!"
"You've got to be kidding..."
"..."
The full scene of the incident was displayed clearly on the central big screen, and the audience naturally noticed that moment.
"Dicta Striker hit the gate?! She jumped out too fast!"
"Tch!"
Dicta Striker's left hand instinctively went to her left eye, where intense pain was even affecting her running form.
'Got too excited. This is trouble. My head is ringing. I can't read the race like this.'
With no other choice, she slowed down, falling to the back of the pack, avoiding the fight for position.
"The entire field clears the first corner! The battle for position is settled, and leading, as expected, is Road Royal!"
"Is she seeking revenge for her defeat in the Autumn Tenno Sho?!"
The commentator excitedly summarized the general situation.
"Oguri's position... it's different from her usual style?"
In the stands, Berno Light voiced her confusion.
"That's perfectly normal. There's no rule that says an Uma Musume must stick to a single running style."
A woman with a gentle voice answered her question almost immediately.
Seeing this, Trainer Musaka Ginjirou, who had been about to speak, silently sat back down, leaving the explanation to the newcomer.
"Nearl?"
Berno Light exclaimed happily.
She took Nearl's hand and pulled her over, the two of them squeezing onto a single seat.
"What you just said, could you explain it in more detail?"
"It's really quite simple."
Nearl spoke like a teacher explaining a concept to a curious student.
"So-called running styles are chosen to fit one's own racing habits. There's no need to be rigid. People grow. As physical conditioning improves in all aspects and race experience accumulates, choosing a different strategy than before is completely normal."
"In the end, it's all about better utilizing one's own strengths."
"So, Oguri has chosen the running style that feels easiest for her right now?"
Berno Light pondered this.
"The answer to that is perfectly clear just by looking at Oguri's current condition." Nearl pointed towards the track with an amused smile.
There, Oguri Cap was diligently maintaining a steady speed, holding a position in the middle of the pack.
And following closely behind her was Super Creek, her expression composed.
"The situation has stabilized a bit for now."
Super Creek glanced back occasionally, assessing the field.
'Dicta Striker made a bad start, stuck at the very back. Tamamo Cross is a closer by nature, still waiting for her chance in last place.'
Her gaze returned to the front.
'Oguri Cap shows no unusual signs either, her stride still so steady. I can tell she's conserving stamina. Are all three of them planning to decide this with a final sprint?'
'Should I take this chance to open up a bit of a lead?'
Just as this thought crossed her mind, the situation ahead snapped her back to attention.
"Nakayama's steep slope!"
All the runners tightened their focus, concentrating on the "insurmountable barrier" before them.
"Everyone's speed has slowed down..."
"That's because you can't accelerate on an uphill. Even though the slope might not look impressive, for an Uma Musume's speed, any incline is magnified several times over. Accelerating uphill puts incredible pressure on the legs."
Nearl explained these not-so-common knowledge points to Berno Light.
--+--
Meanwhile, in another part of the stands, Mr. C.B. was whooping and hollering.
"So now you see how amazing I was back then! I won that race by accelerating on the uphill!"
"Please don't bring up such dangerous examples, Senpai."
Beside her, Rudolf was struggling to keep this 'eccentric' (in the sense of defying common sense) figure under control.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.