The Takamatsunomiya Kinen ultimately concluded with Inari One's overwhelming victory.
The most lasting impressions for those watching live, aside from the fierce battle after the slope, were Inari One's highly exaggerated, wide-outside maneuver to overtake near the final bend.
This is extremely rare on a heavy track after rain. In such conditions, with poor inner track quality, most racing teams tend to stay in the middle of the track.
The power required to execute an overtake under these circumstances can only be described as astonishing.
Coincidentally, Inari One is a Horse Girl of that caliber.
Those in the know, like Kitahara and others, were even clearer: she activated her Domain at a perfectly timed chasing stage, which made that sustained overtake appear even more sensational.
But what delighted the team more than the championship was that Inari One exceptionally achieved the goal of her training camp during this race.
Of course, a complete change in personality is not an overnight matter, nor can it be fully judged by a single race.
However, the Eisei team members all knew that Inari One was not skilled at controlling her emotions.
It was truly commendable for her to be able to calm down when there were clearly opponents targeting her, and then wait for the optimal moment to unleash her full strength.
This situation, beyond analysis during the race, was mostly gathered by listening to her own complaints during the celebration party.
The celebration party was held at the resort estate where the training camp took place.
On one hand, the venue was readily available and had been exclusively booked by the team, making it convenient for hosting a party.
On the other hand, the training schedule for the foreseeable future remains tight.
When Inari One raced today, Oguri Cap and the others who went to watch were essentially resting. Tomorrow, they would continue with the next step of their training.
And in a relaxed atmosphere, no one felt that such arrangements were too pressing.
"Seriously, I'm telling you guys, those two were so annoying! One was inexplicably trying to cozy up to me, and the other stared at me from start to finish! I almost couldn't resist teaching them a lesson!"
Inari One had said things like this more than once since the party started, yet others still found it amusing to listen to.
"You must have really had a tough time. If I were in that situation, I might have lost my temper too."
Tamao Cross seconded the feeling, then smiled and added, "Alright, you've complained enough. Have something to eat before complaining more."
"Here, this takoyaki is for you. You'll have the strength to complain once you're full."
Saying this, she cheerfully picked up a piece of takoyaki from her own plate and placed it on Inari One's plate.
This celebration party was arranged as a resort manor banquet. The hall, capable of accommodating over a hundred people, felt a bit empty with only the Eisei team members present.
However, every table was piled high with seafood, fruit, and desserts. Surrounded by such delicacies, the Horse Girls, like Inari One and Tamao Cross, chatted and joked with each other, keeping the atmosphere quite lively.
The juniors, too, were laughing and having fun. Tokai Teio had been teasing Mejiro McQueen relentlessly since dinner began.
"I know I reminded you, but McQueen, you're eating too many sweets, aren't you?"
Looking at her friend with a teasing expression, her gaze lingered on McQueen's honey-smeared lips for a moment before Tokai Teio chuckled, "If you keep eating like this, you might get fat and affect your training, just like me."
Due to self-imposed extra training recently, Tokai Teio still couldn't sit or lie down comfortably. With her gluteal muscles aching, she was currently standing while eating.
The choice of a banquet for the celebration was partly related to her condition; otherwise, choosing the traditional Japanese style of sitting on one's knees to eat would likely have made her unable to endure past the halfway mark.
However, being cheerful by nature, she wasn't overly concerned about her condition and instead used it to joke with her friend.
"...Although I've responded already, I must remind you, Teio."
Having been teased many times in this mischievous way, Mejiro McQueen had developed some immunity to words like "sweets" and "getting fat."
"With Kyoko-san controlling the ingredients, Eisei's desserts absolutely won't make you fat, at most, they'll just fill you up."
Quite abruptly, Mejiro McQueen's eyes sparkled with pride. "Because the desserts here don't use truly high-sugar, high-calorie ingredients at all."
"Look, Teio."
"The lemon ice cream uses natural lemon juice and coconut sugar. Coconut sugar is actually brown sugar, and it has absolutely no coconut taste and doesn't affect blood sugar. Lemon juice goes without saying."
"The banana cake is the same. I already love bananas, but I never thought that combining ripe bananas and eggs could make such a delicious low-sugar cake."
"This dark chocolate cake also uses coconut sugar instead of white sugar. The cocoa powder and dark chocolate are slightly higher in calories, but the ratio is controlled, so it's completely fine."
"And there's this strawberry cheesecake. Regular cheesecakes are often high in calories, right? But this one is made with low-fat cream cheese and yogurt, so it doesn't have nearly as many calories!"
"And, and, there are these oatmeal raisin cookies, maple syrup jelly... all of these are low-sugar desserts!"
Explaining the various desserts on the table with more familiarity than she discussed races, Mejiro McQueen gradually forgot she was talking to Tokai Teio, and her face became suffused with a look of happiness.
"Ah, I really should have asked my sister earlier, so I could have joined Eisei sooner."
Cupping her cheeks with her hands, the amber honey she hadn't wiped off her lips shimmered brightly, and her eyes glazed over.
"This place... is simply heaven..."
"...You're a lost cause, McQueen..."
Seeing that her friend had completely fallen into the bliss of "being able to eat unlimited sweets without worrying about gaining weight," Tokai Teio realized her teasing prank had utterly failed, and she let out a helpless sigh.
Interactions similar to those between the two of them, or between Tamao Cross and Inari One, were visible throughout the banquet hall.
This was even true among the trainers, with Komiyama, Yuzuhara, and others celebrating the great success of the race.
When it came to Kitahara, the topic of conversation had shifted to the upcoming training.
However, his behavior of still focusing on work during the celebration party drew a complaint from the person he was talking to.
"...Before, I heard Tamamo and the others say that Oguri Cap specifically warned you not to work overtime. I thought it was just a joke."
Maruzensky looked Kitahara up and down for a while, then rubbed her forehead. "I didn't expect it to be true. It seems my understanding of you really is inferior to your 담당 Horse Girls."
"But speaking of which, your work style is quite similar to Rudolf's."
"If you ever consider transitioning from a trainer to the Academy or the URA Association in the future, I think the two of you would get along very well."
Kitahara originally intended to ask Maruzensky about her schedule for tomorrow, as he had a training exercise that would benefit greatly from the assistance of a Horse Girl of her caliber.
Hearing the follow-up comments, he thought about it seriously and felt that she had a point.
At least, in his impression, Symboli Rudolf was very dedicated to her work.
And judging by how her colleagues slacked off on their burdensome paperwork, the entire Student Council seemed to be run solely by her.
Kitahara felt that this style was indeed very similar to his own, but only when Oguri Cap wasn't specifically "keeping an eye" on him.
For instance, at this moment, he took advantage of his Horse Girl running off to feast to quickly come over and discuss things with Maruzensky.
Feeling that the opportunity was precious, he gave a casual smile, pretended not to hear the recent complaint, and directly inquired:
"So, are you in a hurry to inspect the racecourse tomorrow? If your schedule doesn't permit it, then I'll trouble you at a more convenient time."
"The location for the assistance is by the seaside, so it could also be considered a mini-vacation."
From a responsibility standpoint, as the Student Council's Team Assistance Committee member, Maruzensky was obligated to agree to Kitahara's request for collaboration.
However, he had already troubled her for a considerable period, and since she currently had other commitments, it wasn't appropriate to make too many demands.
"Regarding the racecourse inspection, the timing is quite flexible."
Seeing that Kitahara was insistent on discussing the training, Maruzensky's expression gradually became more formal. She pinched her chin and pursed her lips slightly. "If it's just arranging a few days of co-running training for Oguri Cap and the others, that's fine."
"Considering their upcoming races, this arrangement is quite necessary."
"If I recall correctly, all three of Oguri Cap's races are in a few days, right?"
"Yes, they are next week, so time is a bit tight."
Nodding, Kitahara explained, "That's also the reason why I need your assistance."
"The goals to accomplish during this training camp are quite numerous. Long-term specialty training, like stamina training and strength training, can be done slowly."
"But the Domain is a bit more troublesome."
"Based on past situations, the easiest way to improve this ability is actually through real combat."
"So, I want to take advantage of this race to confirm the team's current speculation."
"Is it about the speculation regarding our opponents' performance during the Epsom Exchange Race?"
Maruzensky quickly realized what Kitahara was talking about.
She hadn't gone to Europe with Eisei like Rudolf, but through subsequent private exchanges, she had gained a sufficient understanding of the training and races during that period.
What caught her attention the most was precisely the area the Eisei team was concerned about: that Horse Girls like Tony Bianca and Moonlight Lunacy could surprisingly use their Domain in segments.
This situation had never occurred in Japan.
The Domain is such a powerful ability that the Horse Girls who have mastered it take it extremely seriously. Maruzensky herself spent a considerable amount of time analyzing it both during and after her retirement, and she discussed it many times with her seniors and friends.
At least throughout these processes, she had never heard of anyone being able to enter the Domain twice.
It's almost like the philosophical concept that one cannot step into the same river twice; Horse Girls seemingly cannot enter the Domain twice in a single race.
Yet, Horse Girls in Europe could manage this, and, without a doubt, they would participate in the Japan Cup this year.
Furthermore, Eisei's Horse Girls would also be on overseas expeditions next year and would confront such opponents head-on on the racetrack.
As a Domain-level Horse Girl herself, Maruzensky was well aware of how troublesome such opponents were.
She was still a few years away from physical deterioration. In other words, having fully mastered the Domain after retirement, her current state was her true peak.
If she were to compete against opponents like Tony Bianca now, she was confident she wouldn't lose.
But if she shifted her state to how she was before retirement—the period when she had roughly grasped the Domain but couldn't apply it flawlessly—facing the now-dominant European opponents, she admitted she wasn't too sure.
Thus, she immediately understood that Kitahara wanted Oguri Cap and the others to quickly master the ability their future rivals already possessed.
"Yes, it's about the Domain."
Kitahara quickly nodded in affirmation, then, without hiding anything, stated the speculation he had mentioned: "Komiyama, the others, and I analyzed it and believe there are likely two possibilities for the segmented use of the Domain."
"Two?"
Maruzensky was stunned, then surprised and delighted. "Which two?"
She was astonished that Kitahara and his team had formulated specific ideas so quickly, and ideas in two areas no less.
She was not entirely slacking off in her daily life; driven by instinct as a Horse Girl, she naturally paid attention to matters concerning races.
After learning about the Domain's "new ability" from Rudolf, she spent a lot of time with her friends and trying things out privately, attempting to figure out what that ability was all about.
But she still had no leads.
Her joy stemmed from the same reason: she had retired, and even if she couldn't figure out the key to that ability, the most she would feel was discontent.
But Oguri Cap and the others were still competing on the track, and as a senior, she didn't want them to fail due to this gap.
In fact, one could say they had already failed because of it. While the exchange race was unofficial, a race is a race, a loss is a loss, and there is no room for argument when outmatched.
"Tell me, what exactly is going on? You never mentioned this to Rudolf, she never told us anything about it."
Driven by urgency, she couldn't help but press him.
"That's because we only gained some certainty in the last two days, after having the possibilities in mind and spending a lot of time analyzing data and simulating with computer programs."
After providing an explanation, Kitahara continued:
"Specifically, the first possibility is that Tony Bianca and the others have mastered more than one type of Domain."
This line of thinking was actually Kitahara's own.
The principle is simple: Horse Girls in the mobile game can inherit the Unique Skills of other Horse Girls, and they can inherit more than one.
After inheriting the Unique Skills of other Horse Girls, they can activate not only their own Unique Skill in a race but also the inherited ones when their respective conditions are met.
Although the inherited Unique Skill is numerically inferior to the "original" version, as long as the base stats are fine, the more important significance of inheriting Unique Skills is to compensate for weaknesses, thus presenting a comprehensively strong state on the racetrack.
This is also a crucial mechanism in the game's training system. Sometimes, a Horse Girl might have a shortcoming in a certain area, which can be compensated for by inheriting the Unique Skill of another Horse Girl.
For instance, for those lacking final acceleration speed, the Unique Skills of Oguri Cap and Symboli Rudolf are the best choices.
Even in their weakened inherited form, the speed boost they provide upon activation still ensures a strong competitive edge.
Especially since the activation conditions for these two Horse Girls' Unique Skills are relatively easy to meet: one requires being in position 200 meters out and near the front of the field, and the other requires overtaking 3 opponents late in the race.
Similarly, deficiencies in stamina and other areas can be compensated for in analogous ways.
In this world, Kitahara has completely confirmed that these Unique Skills manifest as a Domain for the Horse Girls.
Compared to the straightforward numerical boost in the game, the Domain's manifestation is much more complex, being less of a skill and more of a special state.
In this state, the Horse Girls improve not just in speed, but in overall ability.
So, by comparison, since repeated activation is possible in the parallel world through Unique Skill inheritance, perhaps "inheriting a Domain" is truly possible in this world, allowing multiple entries into the Domain.
Kitahara also found some evidence.
The most obvious examples are Super Creek and Mejiro Ardan.
This situation involves matters from another world, and some details cannot be fully explained, but Kitahara found an explanation suitable for this world.
"Actually, the Domains mastered by Creek and Ardan are not inherent to their talent, but are yours and Ramonu's, Maruzensky."
Looking at the thoughtful Maruzensky, Kitahara said solemnly, "Thanks to the help of you two, they have been training separately with you two for a long time."
"During this process, they have partially adopted your habits when running."
"Komiyama and I are still researching the exact mechanism, but we can confirm that the way they enter the Domain in recent races is closer to your and Ramonu's running styles, rather than what they were originally accustomed to."
"In other words, they have unknowingly, slightly, mastered both of your Domains."
This situation is actually a slight headache for Kitahara: the Domain, which involves the Three Goddesses, is still too metaphysical, and he has no way to explain it entirely using scientific theory.
If we had to push for an explanation, we could only say that Creek and Ardan were inherently extremely outstanding Horse Girls, possessing the ability to enter a Domain themselves.
However, during a crucial opportunity for growth, they were influenced by Maruzensky and Mejiro Ramonu, and instead of developing their own Domains based on their unique characteristics, they coincidentally "inherited" those of their senpais.
This is the goal they must achieve in the upcoming Chukyo Kinen and the Chukyo Hai: with their internal preparations complete, they must experience their true Domain firsthand through real combat.
Kitahara explained this line of thought to Maruzensky. After listening, she pondered for a long time, then displayed a complex expression.
"This... is something I've never even thought about."
She bit her lip, frowning slightly. "Initially, as a senpai, I felt that my mastery of the Domain was far superior to Oguri Cap's and the others'."
"But with a unique trainer like you, your understanding of the Domain has exceeded my imagination."
"I believe Rudolf and Ramonu probably aren't fully aware of this yet, and even if they were, their perspective would likely be the same as mine."
"So, if you can't fully explain this 'Domain Inheritance,' I have even fewer clues."
"However..."
After a moment of internal struggle, she suddenly changed the subject. "I think I understand how you want me to help."
"You want me to run alongside Oguri Cap for a while and see if she can 'inherit' my Domain."
"If the previous speculation is correct—that 'Domain Inheritance' is truly possible—then activating two distinctly different Domains in one race seems to be a natural consequence."
"Thinking about it this way, Tony Bianca and Moonlight Lunacy might actually be able to enter the Domain multiple times because of this."
Her gaze drifted slightly westward, and she sighed. "After all, when it comes to the number of Domain-level Horse Girls, Europe has far more than Japan."
"They have plenty of senpais to provide guidance."
"Alright, I agree. Since the next race is only a week away, I'll treat this week as a little relaxation here."
What Maruzensky said was precisely Kitahara's plan.
Although the exact mechanism is not yet clear, the results show that Creek and Ardan did "inherit" a Domain by running alongside their seniors.
In subsequent races, they are expected to also master their own inherent Domains.
This is essentially a comparative experiment: they first inherited and then mastered, while the plan for Oguri Cap is the opposite. If everything goes as planned, Eisei's Horse Girls will possess an extremely powerful ability.
This ability will not only give them a huge advantage in all races in the latter half of the year but will also give them enough confidence to compete against world-class opponents.
After she agreed and Kitahara nodded, Maruzensky grew curious.
"So, what about the other possibility? You mentioned earlier that there were two hypotheses for using the Domain multiple times, right?"
The second hypothesis was not entirely Kitahara's idea but was derived by the team through analyzing the footage of the Epsom Exchange Race.
Of course, Kitahara still referenced the situation in the parallel world and made a silent comparison.
In the Arima Kinen in the other world, Tamao Cross demonstrates the ability to actively control when she enters the Domain, and the corresponding time for that race is at the end of this year.
In other words, the current Tamao Cross does not yet have this ability; her performance in the Takarazuka Kinen was a normal Domain activation, which also proves this point.
However, this comparison still holds reference value, suggesting that the Domain itself might have a "time limit."
A simple hypothesis: if a Horse Girl in a perfect state has a maximum Domain duration of "10 seconds" in a single race, it might be possible to divide this time into two or even more segments, using them at different opportune moments.
The total duration remains the same—still "10 seconds"—but it is divided into several "few-second" segments used in different situations.
This idea is easier to come up with than the "Domain Inheritance" theory. Not only Kitahara, with his memories of the parallel world, but Komiyama and Suhara also thought of this possibility.
Analysis of the Epsom Exchange Race footage showed no significant difference in data before and after Tony Bianca and Moonlight Frenzy's two separate entries into the Domain.
In other words, the greater likelihood is that their two Domain activations were the result of "segmentation" rather than "inheritance."
If they explore this line of thinking, they might master more new abilities besides "inheritance."
After explaining the second possibility in detail to Maruzensky, Kitahara continued:
"Compared to the 'Domain Inheritance' theory, 'Segmented Activation' is theoretically easier to understand, and we have data to support it."
"Furthermore, the arrangements for Tamamo's Takarazuka Kinen and Inari's Takamatsunomiya cup were, in fact, meant to test this idea."
"When we trained for the Domain in the past, we always tried to figure out the conditions for them to enter it, then used those conditions as a trigger to enter the Domain more smoothly."
"Judging by the Exchange Race, the European Horse Girls seem to have more triggers, or perhaps, they have a more effortless way of entering the Domain."
"It's as if they can enter the Domain autonomously without any specific conditions."
"This is something Tamao and Inari have also verified in their races; their recent Domain activations were not bound by as many conditions as before."
"To achieve this, it's actually quite simple: compete more often with high-level Horse Girls and adapt to that state."
"Tamamo and Inari did this in their pre-race preparations, especially Inari."
Thinking of the training Inari One underwent before the Takamatsunomiya Cup, and the various running style changes Oguri Cap and the others made to fit the race environment, Kitahara couldn't help but smile.
"So, whether Oguri Cap can inherit the Domain is one thing, but asking a high-caliber Horse Girl like you again to apply pressure will certainly speed up the process."
"I see... Alright, I've made my decision then."
Nodding, Maruzensky suddenly gave a mischievous smile and looked towards a position slightly further away. "Since I need to put pressure on Oguri Cap and the others, I have a good reason to drag CB along to be my fellow laborer."
"Drag CB? You mean..." Kitahara was stunned.
"Yes. Our main mission from the Student Council is inspection, so if I'm helping you here, this week's inspection task naturally falls to CB."
Spreading her hands, Maruzensky winked at Kitahara. "But you know, the inspection task is quite easy."
"After all, as members of the Central Academy Student Council, our treatment at any racecourse is quite good, and there really isn't much to do."
"Specifically, it involves eating, drinking, and watching races... Don't look at me like that, making me seem like some dead weight department head."
"This is talent, alright? The task is to investigate the situation at various racecourses and discover talented Horse Girls. Is that difficult for us?"
"We can generally figure it out just by watching. The rest is just inquiring about the details while we eat and drink."
"So, since she's so free, it would be more meaningful for CB to come and help out, making more of a contribution to the future of her juniors."
"Oh, I'm not saying the inspection work is meaningless, but surely doing two meaningful things together is better than one, right?"
"Besides, once she helps me finish here, I can go help her with the other task over there."
You absolutely can't stand that your colleague gets to eat, drink, and have fun easily, so you want to drag her over to work with you, right?
Kitahara really wanted to complain this way, but instinct told him that this was friendly banter between girlfriends, and he'd best keep his mouth shut.
And so, during a break in the celebration party, the training arrangements for the next day were settled.
The next day, Inari One, having just finished her race, entered her routine rest period.
She could conveniently stay at the resort estate to look after the juniors like Oguri Roman, explaining training content to them while also solidifying her own not-so-solid theoretical knowledge.
Suhara naturally stayed with Inari One, also responsible for guidance during training.
The remaining Horse Girls, led by Kitahara and Komiyama, underwent beach running special training, followed by swimming special training.
This was a pre-arranged training activity. With seawater providing a buffer, many exercises could be intensified.
Whether it was Oguri Cap, who needed to improve her stamina, Creek and Ardan, who needed to enhance their strength, or Tamamo Cross, who needed physical improvement, all could achieve significant gains.
However, when it came to swimming, Oguri Cap was having some trouble.
"...Oguri Cap, you've been warming up for about 10 minutes now. Still can't overcome the hurdle of swimming without a kickboard?"
Looking at Oguri Cap in her one-piece athletic swimsuit, Kitahara rubbed his forehead, exasperated. "Creek and the others have swum quite far already. At this rate, you won't catch up to them."
Saying this, he pointed towards the ocean.
Further out to sea from this stretch of beach, numerous islands, big and small, could be clearly seen. Today's training was centered around these islands.
Oguri Cap and the others needed to swim long distances along a fixed route between these islands. These routes had been measured in advance to have the calmest currents and wave fluctuations, making them ideal for a training venue.
As Kitahara mentioned, after the beach training, and after a period of rest and re-warming up, Creek, Ardan, and Tamamo Cross had entered the water under Komiyama's guidance and were now just small dots on the surface.
Komiyama, of course, did not swim alongside them. As a normal and ordinary human, keeping up with a Horse Girl physically was not possible in sports, so she followed on a jetski.
Kitahara's transportation for following the training was also a jetski, a larger model with a spacious back seat capable of carrying one or two Horse Girls, intended for bringing the exhausted Horse Girls back after training.
However, after leaning against the jetski and analyzing the previous training data for a while, and waiting a long time without hearing Oguri Cap say she was ready, he looked up and realized that Oguri Cap, who had started warming up before he looked down, was still warming up.
However, through their long-term association, Kitahara immediately realized that his Horse Girl had finished warming up long ago and was now just dawdling because she didn't want to get into the water.
After all, in previous swimming sessions, she had always used a kickboard. Since this session was planned without such aids for better training results, she was clearly uncomfortable.
After some thought, Kitahara decided to encourage Oguri Cap, but before he could speak, a voice full of interest chimed in from the side.
"Looks like Oguri Cap really doesn't want to get in the water. Are you getting a little headache, Kitahara?"
The slightly teasing voice naturally belonged to Maruzensky. She had said she would drag her friend Symboli Rudolf along to be a "laborer," but for some reason, only she herself came to assist with the training today.
However, failing to achieve her plan didn't seem to dampen her spirits, which was evident from her current outfit.
Compared to Oguri Cap's standard, plain, middle-school one-piece athletic swimsuit, Maruzensky's current attire looked entirely like she was there to enjoy a seaside vacation, showing no intention of assisting with training.
Her two-piece swimsuit showed off her beautiful, graceful figure completely. The top, adorned with fringe-like embellishments on the chest, seemed to have only decorative effects, and conversely had a peculiar counter-effect regarding coverage.
In short, the more it seemed to cover, the more it seemed to reveal.
The bikini bottom tied with slender strings was the same. Even with tropical floral decorations that made the brief appear slightly larger, her clearly well-exercised, full, and powerful buttocks seemed to be exposed more.
Coupled with her naturally voluptuous figure and extremely fair skin, the black color of the swimsuit, which seemingly provided a lot of coverage, created a contrast that gave her a different kind of alluring, almost enchanting charm that seemed about to burst forth.
Kitahara merely looked in her direction following her voice and was suddenly and inexplicably stunned.
Maruzensky was not displeased by his scrutiny. After all, in her impression, this trainer seemed to only have training and racing on his mind, with none of the normal reactions to charm that a man should have.
If she knew what Kitahara was thinking right now, she would definitely be even more certain of this observation.
...I was so focused on training Oguri Cap and the others earlier that I didn't realize it immediately.
Now that I think about it carefully, isn't this Maruzensky in her "Swimsuit Skin" from the game...?
If I recall correctly, "Swimsuit Maruzenk's" Unique Skill is stronger than the original version, isn't it?
So, if the current Maruzensky runs alongside Oguri Cap and the others, will the inherited Domain be the original version or the "Swimsuit Maruzensky" Domain?
Staring intently at Maruzensky, Kitahara pondered the matter seriously.