"Winning every battle in a row?"
Oguri Cap was stunned for a moment. Then she smiled slightly.
"That's impressive, Opera O."
"…Huh?"
Opera O looked puzzled.
"Why would you say that, Oguri-senpai?"
"Because actually, many horse girls don't think that way… Let's talk while running. I think Super Creek and the others have already started."
After replying, Oguri Cap glanced into the distance.
The location for morning training wasn't inside the academy; instead, it was arranged in a nearby park.
Naturally, the park's roads were not as suitable for horse girls as turf tracks. However, if they stayed inside the academy all the time, seeing the same environment for too long would unconsciously cause mental fatigue.
Their adaptability would also become somewhat sluggish.
Across Japan, there are many racecourses, spread across different regions, and their environments vary widely.
Various races aren't held at the same track, either, so horse girls must be able to quickly adapt when switching racecourses.
And that kind of ability needs to be trained gradually in everyday practice.
Places like parks make such adaptation easier and also provide enough space.
The place where Oguri Cap and Opera O were was beside a small forest within the park.
A little farther away was a large grassy field.
The roads along the edge of the forest and around the grass field roughly formed a sideways "8," like the symbol for infinity.
From where Oguri Cap and the others were standing, looking toward the grass field, they could just see Super Creek and Mejiro Ardan running toward them with Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen.
This kind of crisscross running route had been specially arranged.
The race Oguri Cap was preparing for—the Mainichi Okan—used a counterclockwise course, while the races for Creek and Ardan were clockwise.
To better adapt to racecourse conditions, they now had to make adjustments in various details.
Once they started running, the two horse girls didn't immediately continue their earlier conversation.
More accurately, Oguri Cap deliberately waited until after they crossed paths with their companions before slowly speaking again.
"For example, Teio or McQueen."
After crossing paths with the others, Oguri Cap glanced slightly back at their departing figures while running, then turned toward Opera O.
"I heard them chatting during meals."
"Teio's dream is to achieve an undefeated Triple Crown like Rudolf."
"And McQueen wants to fulfill her family's long-held wish—three consecutive generations winning the Tenno Sho (Spring)."
"Special Week and the others are about the same. Each of them has their own dream."
"But those dreams… I think they're very different in difficulty from winning every race without ever losing."
She paused, looking forward. Her gaze drifted blankly for a moment, and she continued almost like she was murmuring to herself.
"Winning every race… is actually extremely difficult. It might even be impossible."
"Huh? Why would you say that?"
Opera O looked surprised.
"But Oguri-senpai… your current record is a continuous string of victories."
"I've lost before. Of course, in other people's eyes, maybe I've never lost."
Oguri Cap nodded.
"But in the Epsom Exchange Race, the Connie Training Race, and many practice races with Super Creek and the others…"
"I've lost."
"I see… Oguri-senpai really has high standards for herself."
Opera O sighed in admiration, but Oguri Cap shook her head.
"I'm not sure what my standards for myself are, because my dream isn't to win every race without losing."
"Mm, I know. Oguri-senpai wants to become an amazing horse girl, and also run more and more exciting races."
Opera O nodded firmly.
She was one of the earliest "unofficial horse girls" who followed Kitahara's training.
As early as half a year ago, after the Satsuki Sho, she had come to Tokyo with her father who was there on a business trip. Afterwards, she transferred into a horse-girl elementary school in Tokyo, and during her spare time she trained together with Oguri Cap and the others.
What she didn't know was that when she arrived in Tokyo, Oguri Cap had coincidentally traveled to her hometown in Hokkaido with Kitahara.
At the time, Oguri Cap and Kitahara had gone there specifically to look for Special Week and Opera O, hoping to arrange for them to develop at Central Tracen Academy.
They did find Special Week—but they just missed Opera O.
After spending a long time together, Opera O had come to clearly understand Oguri Cap's dream and the path she had taken to reach where she was today.
After nodding, Opera O fell into thought.
"Maybe it's exactly because of that way of thinking that Oguri-senpai keeps winning?"
"Is that so? I'm actually not sure."
Shaking her head, Oguri Cap smiled.
"I was just thinking that something like winning every race probably isn't something anyone would set as their dream from the start."
"If someone could think that way, then Opera O would really be… really…"
Oguri Cap repeated a few words as if getting stuck, showing a slightly troubled expression.
"Too arrogant? Overestimating myself?"
Without hesitation, Opera O gave herself those two evaluations, then smiled.
"Ha, actually, I understand."
"I often tell Special Week and the others that I think I'm the strongest, fastest, and most beautiful genius horse girl in the world."
"And I truly believe that I am that kind of horse girl."
"If it's a race, then I should win."
"And I should win it as gorgeously and beautifully as if singing an opera."
"I've always thought that way. That's why I wanted to ask Oguri-senpai how you keep winning."
"In my eyes, Oguri-senpai is also that kind of horse girl."
Hearing that, Oguri Cap chuckled softly.
"Shouldn't there only be one 'most something'?"
She said it with a hint of amusement, then pondered for a moment before shaking her head.
"I don't think Opera O's thoughts are arrogant at all."
"…Huh?"
Opera O looked shocked.
"Maybe it's strange, but…"
Oguri Cap thought again, then smiled lightly.
"It feels like from the very first time I saw you, I had a very special feeling."
"How should I say it… It's kind of like fate."
"Fate…?" Opera O murmured.
"Yeah. I don't know if that's really it, but…"
Oguri Cap considered her words.
"Just like what you said yourself—fastest, strongest, most beautiful, winning races with the magnificence and beauty of a song."
"If it's you, I think you can do it."
"I think I felt that from the very first time I saw you."
"So it was like that…"
Opera O's eyes widened in surprise. For a moment, her steps slowed, but after regaining herself and catching up with Oguri Cap again, she smiled.
"I didn't expect Oguri-senpai to acknowledge me so early."
"So, to truly become the strong and beautiful horse girl of my dreams…"
"I will definitely achieve it."
"Mm, I believe you."
Oguri Cap smiled and nodded. Then she suddenly slowed her pace a little and became serious.
"But if you really want to become that kind of horse girl, then the training you've been doing before… don't push yourself like that anymore."
"Huh? The training before… You mean the ones I do after school?"
Opera O looked surprised.
"How did Oguri-senpai know about that…?"
"It's not just me. Kitahara actually knows too," Oguri Cap said, shaking her head.
"Even that old man Kitahara…?" Opera O became even more astonished.
"Mm, whether it's wanting to win every race without losing, or wanting to become a strong and beautiful horse girl, the effort required is something ordinary people can hardly imagine."
At this moment, even though Oguri Cap was still only in her Classic year and in the early stages of her racing career, she somehow carried the bearing of a veteran who had weathered many storms.
"So I can understand the standards you set for yourself."
"Because a long time ago—when I was still in Kasamatsu—I also trained extra quite often."
"At that time, if I remember correctly, I would wake up a little after four in the morning to train."
Hearing this, Opera O nodded, revealing an expression of admiration.
"Mm, I've heard Tamamo-senpai and the others talk about it. Oguri-senpai really works very hard—it's not just talent that lets you keep winning."
Hearing the praise, Oguri Cap smiled slightly but did not respond. Instead, she continued the topic from earlier.
"If I remember correctly, before you started training with me and with Super Creek and the others, you often got injured, right?"
"I noticed that when you first came to train at the Central Academy, many times your arms and thighs were covered with muscle tape."
"That was probably to prevent strains—or because you had already strained something."
As she said this, Oguri Cap gradually slowed down, and eventually stopped.
Seeing this, Opera O was puzzled but slowed down as well.
After glancing around, Oguri Cap pointed toward the side of the road.
"Come over to that flower bed with me."
Bringing along a somewhat confused Opera O, Oguri Cap led her to a small flower bed by the roadside. She gestured for the junior to sit down, while she herself crouched down in front of her.
"Mm… right now, you've probably followed our training habits and aren't doing so much extra self-training anymore, but…"
As she spoke, Oguri Cap reached out toward Opera O's thigh.
Although the season had gradually entered autumn, the weather was not particularly cool yet. Noon and afternoon were still rather hot.
The temperature during this morning training session was mild, but to prevent overheating after running, both Oguri Cap and Opera O were wearing short-sleeved shirts and shorts.
As Oguri Cap reached over, she directly held Opera O's smooth knee, while her other hand tugged slightly upward on the edge of her athletic shorts.
"Eh—eh—eh? O-Oguri-senpai, wh-what is this…?"
Not expecting such a development, the normally straightforward and cool Opera O suddenly became a little embarrassed. Her face flushed slightly, and the pale skin of her thigh took on a faint pink hue.
Oguri Cap, however, seemed completely unaware. She examined Opera O's firm, powerful thigh for a moment and pressed it lightly with a finger.
"If I do this… does it hurt?"
Opera O was momentarily confused, and the strange feeling in her heart faded.
She moved her leg slightly and shook her head.
"No, it doesn't hurt. What's wrong…?"
"Then it seems the recovery is pretty good, but…"
Murmuring to herself, Oguri Cap suddenly straightened her hand. The edge of her palm became like a small blade without a sharpened edge. She pressed it against Opera O's thigh with a bit of force and slid it along a line of muscle fibers.
"What about this…"
"Ah—owowowowow—!"
Before Oguri Cap even finished speaking, Opera O instantly screamed. Her whole body twitched, and she reflexively jumped backward—landing directly on the flower bed.
"O-Oguri-senpai! What are you doing?!"
Faced with Opera O's shocked cry, Oguri Cap instead smiled.
"Very nice flexibility and jumping ability."
She praised her with a smile, then stood up and dusted off her training clothes.
"This is the injury you accumulated before."
Opera O looked even more stunned.
"…Injury?"
"Mm, how should I put it…"
Oguri Cap showed a thoughtful expression, pinching her chin and slightly tilting her head upward.
"Ah, right. Kitahara once used an analogy."
As she spoke, she raised her hand and shaped her fingers as if she were holding a cup.
"You can imagine that I'm holding a ceramic cup."
"Then, if I flick it like this…"
Her other hand came over, fingers curled, and flicked the "imaginary porcelain cup."
"With this amount of force, the cup definitely wouldn't break…"
"No, I feel like with Oguri-senpai's monster-like strength, even a stainless steel cup would get dented by that flick…"
Before Oguri Cap could finish speaking, Opera O suddenly pouted and covered the thigh that had just been "tormented," interrupting her with a slightly resentful complaint.
"…Huh?"
Her train of thought interrupted, Oguri Cap froze for a moment.
But Opera O had already understood.
"I'm joking. I think I more or less understand what senpai means."
Under Oguri Cap's surprised gaze, Opera O also made a gesture as if holding a cup and flicked it with her finger.
"You mean that our bodies are like this porcelain cup, right?"
"If you flick it once, there might not even be a crack visible to the naked eye."
"But the damage still exists—it's just invisible, not nonexistent."
"If you keep flicking it, meaning it keeps receiving tiny bits of damage, then eventually…"
She suddenly clenched the hand that was "holding the cup."
"Maybe you wouldn't even need to squeeze it this hard. Just a small touch could make the whole cup shatter."
"Ah…"
Oguri Cap stared at Opera O for a moment, then smiled and nodded.
"You really do understand."
"Just like I said—you want to win, and you want to become the kind of horse girl in your dreams."
"That requires effort, of course."
"But our bodies ultimately have limits."
"The extra training you did before gave you an excellent foundation compared to other horse girls your age. I don't really understand data and statistics, but from what Kitahara and the others said, your abilities are outstanding."
"But that same extra training…"
"Even though you don't need to wear muscle tape anymore, the damage is still there."
"Otherwise, when I just imitated the 'fascia knife' technique earlier, you wouldn't have felt so much pain."
"You've now officially joined the Eisei Club, so from now on you should follow the training methods here."
"Train when it's time to train. Rest when it's time to rest. Eat properly when it's time to eat. And when it's time to go out and have fun with everyone, enjoy it properly."
"I think that kind of training—or rather, that kind of career—is what can truly realize the dream of becoming the strongest, fastest, and most beautiful."
After saying what was on her mind with a smile, Oguri Cap looked at Opera O's slightly stunned, thoughtful expression and extended her hand.
This time she didn't touch her thigh or anything like that. Instead, like she would with her younger sister Oguri Roman, she gently patted Opera O's head and then pinched her cheek.
"I don't really understand opera very well, but I felt that your performance during the summer festival was excellent."
"I'm looking forward to you becoming the kind of horse girl in your dreams—and then performing your grand opera on the Winning Live stage."
"O-Oguri Cap-senpai…"
Her eyes flickering, Opera O stared blankly at Oguri Cap who was pinching her cheeks. She instinctively stepped forward, about to speak about the warm feeling in her heart—
But suddenly she saw Oguri Cap thinking again and speaking.
"Oh right. If just that simple scrape earlier hurt you that much…"
Pinching her chin, Oguri Cap looked over thoughtfully.
"Then once we start the official Club training, that kind of pain will be all over your body."
"It's the full-body conditioning using the fascia knife."
"I feel like you should mentally prepare for that."
The flower bed area suddenly fell silent.
A moment later—
"Naa—NIIIII—?!!!"
As if sensing something terrible about to happen, a miserable scream echoed into the distance.
(End of Chapter)