November 11th was the day of this year's Kikuka-shō (菊花赏) race.
Last night, unusually, heavy rain fell for a long time.
So much so that when morning came, the ground was still visibly damp.
The sky, covered by dark clouds, showed no sign of warm sunlight.
At 7:30 AM, Polaris Glacier got into the Old Butler's car and arrived at the agreed-upon park.
“Polaris, you’re finally here~!”
Before she even entered, a vibrant voice came over.
The owner of the voice was undoubtedly Tokai Teio, who seemed to have been waiting there for some time.
Upon seeing Polaris Glacier, she immediately ran closer.
“Good morning, Teio, have you been waiting long?”
Polaris Glacier smiled and greeted her, subtly observing her mental state.
“Good morning, Polaris, I haven’t waited long. I only arrived about five minutes ago.”
Tokai Teio also smiled and returned the greeting; her face showed no signs of tiredness, clearly indicating she had rested well last night.
“It’s great that she didn’t lose sleep due to excitement.”
“Hey, hey, Polaris, are we going to see Rudolph Symboli now?”
On the way to the train station, Tokai Teio suddenly spoke up, her face visibly filled with anticipation.
“Yes, but don’t get too excited then, or you won’t be able to speak clearly.”
Polaris Glacier chuckled, holding her phone and looking down at the message interface, which showed that Rudolf and the others had already arrived at the meeting point.
“I wouldn’t…”
Upon hearing this, Tokai Teio also reacted, slightly suppressing her inner excitement, and consciously looked at Polaris Glacier’s profile, saying:
“But still, thank you, Polaris, thank you for giving me this opportunity.”
“If it weren’t for you, I might have snuck into the interview room after the race again, just to say a few words to Rudolph Symboli, like last time.”
“Huh? Snuck into the interview room?”
Polaris Glacier immediately felt confused. When did that happen?
“Ah, nothing, nothing, forget what I just said.”
Realizing she had let something slip, Tokai Teio frantically waved her hands and quickly changed the subject:
“Oh… oh, Polaris, have you participated in any races recently? You should be participating in graded races after your debut, right? Did you win?”
Although she knew the other party was changing the subject, Polaris Glacier had no intention of digging deeper and responded accordingly:
“Of course I have. I’ve won six consecutive G3-Grade Races so far.”
“Is that so… huh? Six G3-Grade Races?”
Tokai Teio didn’t feel anything amiss at first and was about to nod in agreement to let the topic pass smoothly, but after realizing it, she instinctively showed a surprised expression.
“Polaris, it’s only been a few months since your debut, right? How did you do it?”
“How did I do it? Naturally, with my strength, with my strong legs.”
“Huh…”
Tokai Teio was momentarily at a loss for words. Of course, she knew it was with strength and legs!
What she really wanted to ask was, how could she participate in so many races in such a short time and still win them all!
Is her body really okay?
Normally, running one race should be very tiring and require at least one to two months of rest, right?
Polaris Glacier didn't specifically explain, and Tokai Teio also fell silent in thought, causing the atmosphere in the car to suddenly become quiet.
Fortunately, it didn't last too long. After arriving at the train station, the two Horse Girl, one big and one small, held hands and entered.
Inside the station, the five Horse Girl who had arrived earlier were all sitting on waiting chairs, conversing with each other.
From left to right, they were Katsuragi Ace, Chitose Meiji, Rudolph Symboli, Maruzensky, and Mejiro Takamine.
They had already briefly gotten to know each other well before, and the atmosphere seemed very harmonious.
“Rudolf, after this morning, I’m sure your name will be preserved in children’s textbooks and the history of Horse Girl.”
It was Mejiro Takamine who was speaking now, still in her formal tone, but with a hint of a smile.
“Thank you, Takamine. I will do my utmost to make your words come true.”
Rudolph Symboli closed her eyes briefly, feeling as if the expectations resting on her shoulders had grown heavier.
“Triple Crown Horse Girl… this day has finally arrived.”
Chitose Meiji seemed a bit emotional, also looking at Rudolph Symboli and saying:
“Rudolf, if it’s you, you can definitely do it, the first undefeated Triple Crown Horse Girl in Japan’s history.”
“Hmm, although it might be inappropriate to say this, Chitose, I will be the one to usher in the next era.”
Not as a friend, but as a rival.
Rudolph Symboli had already decided to seize people's attention from Chitose Meiji and create her own new era, her own brand-new dynasty.
“Are you already preparing to compete for the top, Rudolf? Your style is truly assertive, but I won’t withdraw so easily.”
Even if she might fall from the top, even if the cheers of the audience might no longer be directed at her...
Listening to their conversation, Katsuragi Ace lowered her brows slightly and did not intervene.
The thoughts in her eyes lingered, and the flame in her heart had not only never extinguished but had grown even hotter.
Vaguely, she seemed to have grasped something—the key to breaking through limits and stepping into a higher realm.
“Japan Cup… I must win…!”
Her whispered self-talk did not attract the attention of the other Horse Girl, as Maruzensky was now taking over the conversation, saying:
“Huhu, CB-chan and Rudolf, don’t forget Polaris. That child’s current popularity is no less than yours.”
As she spoke, she seemed to notice something and changed her words:
“Ah, speaking of her, she’s here.”
Hearing this, the other four Horse Girl also followed Maruzensky’s gaze and indeed saw a blue-haired figure in their sight, holding a small Horse Girl’s hand.
“Hmm? So it’s that child.”
After Rudolph Symboli noticed Tokai Teio, her gaze inexplicably became fixed.
“Good morning, everyone, I apologize for being a bit late.”
Polaris Glacier smiled, first greeting everyone, then looked at Rudolph Symboli, simultaneously letting go of the hand she was holding and lightly patting Tokai Teio’s shoulder instead.
“Rudolf, this is the child…”
“Rudolph Symboli! It’s really Rudolph Symboli!”
Before the blue-haired Horse Girl’s words had fully fallen, Tokai Teio suddenly rushed closer to Rudolph Symboli, looking up with sparkling eyes and saying:
“Miss Rudolph Symboli, do you still remember me? I was the one who, after the Derby…”
“Ah, yes, I certainly remember you.”
Looking at the small Horse Girl in front of her, a smile unconsciously appeared on Rudolph Symboli’s lips. She bent her knees slightly, raised her hand to place it on the other’s head, and gently ruffled it:
“Tokai Teio, the child who bravely spoke her goal back then, with eyes full of longing, how could I forget her?”
Feeling valued and cherished, Tokai Teio was momentarily elated, her pupils reflecting Rudolph Symboli’s face, not wanting to look away at all.
Seeing this scene, the five Horse Girl around them had various expressions, roughly—
Maruzensky, as if remembering something; Chitose Meiji, curious; Katsuragi Ace, bewildered; Mejiro Takamine, pensive; and Polaris Glacier, with an expression of understanding.
“That child remembered sneaking into the interview room after the Derby and saying she greatly admired Rudolf. So Polaris’s call earlier was for this matter?”
“Is this… Rudolf’s little fan? It’s nice to see such a lively child.”
“What happened? Why did Polaris suddenly bring a child? And they seem to be on good terms with Rudolf?”
“Their appearances… if it’s not a coincidence, then it’s probably destiny.”
“Hmm, so this is how Rudolf looks in front of her little fan. Hasn’t she completely dropped her Emperor persona?”
“And why do her eyes inexplicably feel so loving? Is she so fond of Teio that she wants to spoil her?”
“Um… Rudolf…?”
Finally, it was Maruzensky who, seeing that it was almost time for the train to depart, tried to interrupt:
“We should probably get going now. If you want to chat, let’s do it once we’re on the train.”
“You’re right.”
Rudolph Symboli also reacted upon hearing this. She gave Teio’s head one last ruffle and looked at the other Horse Girl, saying:
“Sorry, everyone, let’s leave now.”
A little while later, on the train.
Due to the addition of a small Horse Girl, and someone visibly wanting to be close to her, everyone specially left space for them.
Currently, Rudolph Symboli and Tokai Teio sat in one row, while Polaris Glacier and the others sat in another.
The former were softly chatting about something, while the latter were also conversing in low voices.
“Is that so? You’ve been consistently running in the park every rest day. You’re truly hardworking.”
“Hehe, I’ve also been diligently studying my lessons so that I can get into Central Tracen Academy and see Miss Rudolph Symboli every day.”
Unlike the conversation here, which was entirely like a parent and child, the other side was currently whispering:
“Hey, have you ever seen Rudolf like that before?”
“Never, she seems like a completely different person, quite surprising.”
“I actually find Rudolf like this quite interesting. At least she doesn’t seem so overbearing, right?”
“Exactly! If Rudolf’s personality could soften a bit, she would definitely be loved by more juniors.”
“However, a being in a high position should also have an imposing side to command respect from others. Rudolf’s personal charm cannot be described in a few words.”
The five Horse Girl occasionally glanced over, their expressions full of curiosity and amusement.