“Zenno, can I say that I completely didn't expect this?”
Mejiro McQueen looked a little depressed, turning her head slightly to look to her left and right:
“And why did it turn into everyone coming to watch the race just because I mentioned it?”
A few days ago, Mejiro McQueen, on a whim, checked the Jun Yu Circle and found that Polaris Glacier, with whom she had shared a wonderful memory, planned to participate in a race, and the racecourse happened to be in Tokyo.
With the idea of seeing her again and perhaps inviting her to the Mejiro residence as a guest, she asked her grandmother if she could attend the race.
After learning about Polaris Glacier from her, her grandmother immediately agreed.
Happy, she mentioned it at a tea party held at home.
Unexpectedly, Aldan, Ryan, Zenno, Bright, and Dobber, after hearing about it, all expressed their desire to go together.
Their reasons were generally:
“It’s Sunday that day, so watching a race would be nice. Besides, anyone who makes McQueen so happy, we want to meet too.”
Even Takamine, who was passing by, showed interest when she heard the keyword “race.”
Thus, it became a situation where all seven Mejiro sisters came to the racecourse together.
Facing the stands, from left to right sat—
Takamine and Aldan, Bright and Dobber, Ryan and McQueen, and Zenno.
At this moment, Ryan was smiling as she replied to McQueen:
“We’ve told you the reason before; we were curious because of your description, McQueen.”
Zenno also added:
“I just didn’t expect the person you mentioned to be Polaris Glare, so I was a bit surprised.”
“Hehe, although I’ve heard about her, this is my first time seeing Polaris Glare race.”
Aldan smiled, turning her head to her right:
“Are you also very interested, Elder Sister? In Polaris Glare’s race.”
Upon hearing this, Takamine, the only sister currently wearing a school uniform, pondered for a moment before slowly saying:
“There’s just one thing I want to confirm, regarding what’s contained within Polaris Glare’s running.”
Listening to her elder sisters’ conversation, Bright, who was in the middle, seemed to think of something, reaching out and grasping Dobber’s hand beside her, smiling as she said:
“Hey, hey, Dobber, sooner or later, we’ll also be running on a racecourse like this, I’m really looking forward to that day.”
“Although I’m also looking forward to it, isn’t it a bit too early for you to say that now, Bright?”
Dobber gently tried to pull her held hand away, but as expected, she couldn’t, her expression a little helpless.
“Hehehe, how could it be? It’s just a few more years, Dobber, you’ll wait with me, right?”
This isn't just a matter of a few years...
Dobber sighed softly, giving Bright a smile in return:
“Alright, alright, I’ll wait with you. Bright, really, you’re my elder sister, but you always like to cling to me.”
Watching the two youngest sisters interact, the other five elder sisters all showed knowing smiles, with Ryan’s being the most pronounced.
The situation in the stands temporarily concluded.
Meanwhile, in the athletes’ lounge.
“Young Miss, how do you feel?”
The Head Maid asked while fastening the bib number for her Young Miss.
“As usual.”
Polaris Glacier replied flatly, her expression showing no particular interest.
She had participated in G3-Grade Races many times, and she had a good understanding of the skill level of the other Horse Girl.
In simple terms—no threat at all.
For such a race, without any pressure or passion, it was truly difficult to muster any interest.
However, even without much interest, she would still give her all, mercilessly crushing the other Horse Girl in the race.
Then, she would stand at the center of the stage, enjoying the moment reserved for the victor.
Soon, as time passed, Polaris Glacier said goodbye to the Head Maid and Kumi Trainer, then left the lounge and walked along the athlete's passage towards the racecourse.
The latter two also followed her to the stands, intending to witness their Young Miss’s victory from there.
Both the commentary and live broadcast for this race were handled by females. At this moment, the Announcer (Female) was delivering the opening remarks:
“National entertainment sports event, Twinkle Series. I, Akasaka, will be the Announcer (Female), and the commentary will be handled by Ms. Hosoe.”
“Alright, please take care.”
After they greeted each other, the Announcer (Female)’s voice continued:
“The Tokyo Racecourse is also blessed with good weather today. Under the gaze of numerous spectators, the Horse Girl participating in today’s race are officially beginning their entrance.”
Horse Girl in their gym outfits were seen walking out of the athlete's passage one after another, heading towards the starting gates.
Among them, Polaris Glacier was the last to emerge. After stepping onto the grass, she didn’t rush, first looking towards the stands.
The spectators immediately cheered for her, their emotions running high:
“Polaris Glare! Go! Let the other Horse Girl experience your powerful strength once again!”
A slight smile appeared on her lips. She raised her hand and waved gently, her ears twitching as she consciously distinguished a special voice mixed in with the others:
“Polaris Glare sister~！Go~！”
This was Matikane, just as the message she sent earlier said, she came to the venue.
“Polaris~! I came to watch your race~!”
This is... Yuzao Cross? Did that child come too?
“Young Miss~!”
There was no doubt about this one; it was the voices of the Head Maid and Kumi Trainer, as well as Yukishiro and Katsuhogi.
“Thank you, everyone.”
Whispering to herself, Polaris Glacier also walked towards the starting gates.
Her mood had unknowingly become much more pleasant; this race didn’t seem so uninteresting after all.
Soon, accompanied by the opening music, all participating Horse Girl orderly entered their respective gate lanes.
Since the previous few races, Polaris Glacier had stopped releasing Polaris Glare's chilling aura before the race.
Mainly because affecting other Horse Girl' entry into the gates would only slow down the race progress, and making the audience wait was not something worth continuing to do.
“All Horse Girl have entered the gates.”
Desert Royal Cup, G3-Grade Races.
Tokyo Racecourse, turf, 1600 meters, counter-clockwise, track condition good.
The weather was clear, with a total of eight Horse Girl participating.
Polaris Glacier drew gate number three, with overwhelming popularity as the first favorite.
The course only had one complete large curve, formed by the third and fourth turns.
An initial straight, a final straight, it was a very standard pattern.
“Desert Royal Cup…”
As the Announcer (Female)’s voice continued, all participating Horse Girl assumed their pre-race stances, and ice gradually condensed in Polaris Glacier’s eyes.
“Now…”
“Clang!”
The gates suddenly opened, and a large-scale, deep Polaris Glare's chilling aura burst forth.
A familiar scene, familiar delayed starts for most Horse Girl, familiar only the blue-haired figure charging out first, effortlessly taking the lead, and beginning a high-speed, leading gallop along the inside track.
“The race has begun! Is it really like this?!”
“All other competitors are delayed, Polaris Glacier is taking the lead, and the distance from the rear is rapidly widening!”
It seemed everyone had a common understanding: running behind Polaris Glare would continuously deplete their stamina, and the closer they were, the greater the depletion.
The seven Horse Girl in the same race quickly adjusted after their delayed starts. They didn't rush to accelerate and catch up, but instead uniformly maintained a suitable distance.
With the thought that even if they couldn't beat Polaris Glare, they couldn't lose to others, they certainly wouldn't let their stamina be consumed too quickly.
(I'll just mention here that in real-life horse racing, if the completion time is too long, there will be penalties, such as suspensions.)
(But this is the Horse Girl' world, and everyone is a good kid, so we won't do that. If they want to run, they can still run.)
“Tsk… Although it’s not the first time I’ve raced against that girl, facing this constantly assailing cold wind is still tricky.”
A Horse Girl in the middle of the trailing pack murmured to herself, feeling her stamina visibly draining faster than usual and the cold wind brushing against her skin, she couldn't help but frown deeply.
“How can there be such a monster, and she races so frequently, isn’t she afraid her body won’t hold up…”
Her whisper also reached the ears of the accompanying Horse Girl, who all nodded in agreement.
Complaining aside, the race had to continue.
Soon, Polaris Glacier was the first to enter the third turn. She lowered her center of gravity, hugging the inside track, resisting the complex centripetal force, showing no intention of slowing down even a bit.
Her long blue hair fluttered behind her, her mind maintained a state of high concentration, and the Polaris Glare's chilling aura around her continuously assailed the rear.
“Wow, Polaris runs so fast, those Horse Girl behind her can’t catch up at all.”
In the spectator stands, Yuzao Cross slightly opened her mouth, voicing her surprise.
“And what’s that stuff constantly drifting off her? Snowflakes?”
“Hmm? What are you saying, Little Tama? What snowflakes?”
Komiya-san, standing beside her, heard her words and looked over with a puzzled expression.
“Komiya-san, can’t you see? Those white, snowflake-like things around Polaris.”
“Huh? Is there? It’s a bit far, so I can’t see very clearly, and there’s nothing on the big screen showing the race status.”
Upon hearing this, Yuzao Cross first paused, then quickly turned her head to look at the large screen.
It was currently showing Polaris Glacier running alone at the very front, and just as Komiya-san said, there was nothing unusual around her; snowflakes were nonexistent.
But when she turned her head back to the racecourse, that blue-haired figure surrounded by snowflakes was still so clear.
“It’s not an illusion.”
Nor were her eyes at fault.
A drop of cold sweat gradually ran down Yuzao Cross’s cheek. As if trying to grasp something, she didn't take her eyes off the race until it ended.
Meanwhile, at the other side of the stands.
“Shori Homare, has the Young Miss’s aura changed?”
Oguri Cap tilted her head slightly, a bit unsure.
“It should be said that it is changing.”
Kita no Shori Homare corrected, her gaze fixed on the situation on the track:
“Perhaps she encountered some trigger. The Young Miss’s aura is undoubtedly becoming more assertive, more aggressive.”
Such an on-the-spot breakthrough opportunity should, in theory, be very rare.
How come, when it comes to the Young Miss, it feels so ordinary and unsurprising?
It must be because the strength the Young Miss displayed on a daily basis was simply too shocking, to the point where they had become somewhat immune.
“Regardless, this is a good thing, it’s just that the Horse Girl running behind the Young Miss probably won’t think so.”
The moment Kita no Shori Homare’s words fell, the Horse Girl’ group running in the rear suddenly underwent a strange change on the track.
“What is this?! The Horse Girl in the back suddenly started slowing down collectively, their expressions are very wrong!”
They all had wide eyes, as if they had seen something unbelievable, gasping for breath, their spirits scattered, already in a state of deceleration.
But this was only just past the corner of the third bend, not even half of the race was over yet.
“What is this… It’s as if all the blood and energy in my body have been drained… My legs… I can’t use any strength…”
It was still the Horse Girl running in the middle of the pack. At this moment, tears welled up in her eyes, completely unaware of what had happened.
Only the continuously drifting pure white hexagonal crystalline flakes from the front revealed the eerie strangeness.
The leading Polaris Glacier had now completely navigated the large curve, stepping onto the final straight. Approximately 500 meters from the finish line, she released her limits and began her final sprint.
As her hooves heavily stomped down, all the grass within her vision transformed into a Polaris-covered landscape of ice and snow. The light before her dimmed, the cheers from the spectators vanished, and the entire world seemed to be left with only herself.
Only the dazzling finish line ahead! It was the deepest desire of her soul!
Enveloped in chilling snow, the blue-haired Horse Girl galloped across the track in an unmatched display of speed, and under the gaze of everyone present, she once again achieved victory with an overwhelming performance.
“Polaris Glacier! She crosses the finish line with an enormous lead! This makes it seven wins out of seven, plus five consecutive graded race victories!”
“Polaris Glare’s strength no longer needs further proof; it’s no exaggeration to say she’s the strongest of the new generation!”
“Oh oh oh oh oh oh!!!”
The cheers that had been coming since the sprint officially erupted at this moment, echoing throughout the entire Tokyo Racecourse.
“Amazing~! Polaris Glare sister is really amazing~!”
Matikane at the stands happily jumped in place, looking at the blue-haired figure, her eyes shining with obvious brilliance.
“Elder Sister?”
In the spectator stands, Mejiro Takamine’s sudden Get up caught Mejiro Aldan’s attention. Seeing her attempt to leave, the latter quickly asked in confusion:
“Elder Sister, where are you going?”
“You all go back first.”
Mejiro Takamine didn’t stop, briefly turning her head to say, then headed towards a specific direction.