"Another New Record broken! Following Mejiro McQueen's previous New Record, a year later, the New Record was once again broken by Mejiro McQueen and Mihono Bourbon."
"This year's Spring Tenno Sho was the first race for both of these Uma Musumes after their injuries. What courage and strength..."
Announcer Akasaka Misato excitedly held the microphone and commentated, and the surrounding audience was also stirred up by her words.
Mihono Bourbon stared blankly at the scoreboard displaying the New Record. Although there wasn't much expression on her face, her slightly trembling eyes already conveyed that her heart was not calm at the moment.
"Miss Bourbon, you broke Rice Shower's New Record, and Rice Shower will continue to work hard!"
Rice Shower still shouted at Mihono Bourbon with her small, delicate body. Although in terms of time, she lost to Mihono Bourbon this time, there was no trace of regret on her face; instead, it was full of tears of joy.
"I broke Rice Shower's New Record..."
Mihono Bourbon repeated this sentence in a low voice, then slowly turned her head towards Rice Shower, a captivating smile appearing on her rarely expressive face.
After the Winning Live, which featured Mejiro McQueen, Mihono Bourbon, and Nice Nature as the center trio, Mejiro McQueen finally met Sakura Bakushin O and the others.
"That was amazing, Miss McQueen!" Satono Diamond exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she spoke to Mejiro McQueen.
"Miss McQueen is truly incredible! Four consecutive wins, a record that no one will likely ever surpass," Kitasan Black said with genuine admiration.
Mejiro McQueen listened to the praises of her two juniors and gave them a gentle smile, but she didn't say anything.
She looked at Sakura Bakushin O, and after a slight hesitation, she said with a somewhat solemn tone:
"I almost lost to Bourbon just now. In fact, until the results were announced, I wasn't entirely confident that I could beat Bourbon."
"Trainer-san, what was that? Why was Bourbon able to rush back to first place after dropping to fifth?"
Sakura Bakushin O listened to Mejiro McQueen's words, placed her hand on her shoulder, and gently explained:
"Mihono Bourbon's strength is not superior to yours, but she stepped into that 'realm' a step before you and Teio—a realm that only a few Horse Girl who have forged legends can enter. This is what you and Teio lack."
Upon hearing this, Tokai Teio also fell into contemplation. "Come to think of it, the Student Council President also told me that if I haven't mastered the 'realm,' then I'm not truly one of their Horse Girl yet."
"Exactly. But you've also noticed that the conditions for activating a realm are extremely strict, and using it is not without cost. A realm can indeed rapidly improve an Horse Girl's strength, but it's not absolute," Sakura Bakushin O said with a smile. "A realm was originally unbreakable, but McQueen, you've already twice defeated Horse Girl who used a realm with your pure strength. That's quite an incredible feat."
"But I'm finding it increasingly difficult. Last time, Rice Shower, and this time, Bourbon... If there's a next time, I'm not sure if I can still beat them..." Mejiro McQueen said softly, lowering her head.
Hearing this, Tokai Teio reached out and patted Mejiro McQueen's back firmly. Seeing Mejiro McQueen startled and then annoyed by her action, she then spoke with a laugh.
"This isn't the McQueen I know! The McQueen I know is very confident, believing she's the strongest Horse Girl!"
"Th-that's obvious!" Mejiro McQueen's cheeks flushed at her words, and she quickly shed her unconfident expression.
"Hehe, it seems you're a bit lacking in confidence after I beat you before, McQueen. Looks like I, the undefeated Triple Crown winner, will have to run alongside you when we go back. No need to thank me, you know." Tokai Teio bared her teeth at Mejiro McQueen.
"Wh-what are you talking about? I don't need your help at all." Mejiro McQueen turned her head away, her cheeks flushing even deeper.
"Oh my, are you shy, McQueen?" Tokai Teio leaned in to tease her.
"N-no! How could I be! Besides, Teio, you're not a Triple Crown winner at all." Mejiro McQueen's face was red as she raised her voice slightly. "If we're talking about a Triple Crown winner, Soshitsu is the Triple Crown winner!"
There's a saying: no one remembers second or third place, unless you consistently stay in third.
"Alright, alright, you two." Sakura Bakushin O almost couldn't maintain her composure listening to their conversation. To preserve her Trainer's dignity, which was actually non-existent, she didn't laugh out loud.
She pushed the two Horse Girl, who started bickering as soon as they were together, and urged them:
"Hurry back to Tokyo. You two still have the Takarazuka Kinen coming up, and Kita and Diamond's debut race is also approaching. We don't have time to delay. Tomorrow, I'll draw up your training plan for the Takarazuka Kinen, so there's no time to waste."
...Meanwhile, Nice Nature, who had just reunited with her Canopus teammates and was preparing to head back, suddenly sneezed.
She rubbed her nose, feeling inexplicably offended.
TCB's five members returned to Tokyo by shinkansen that evening. As soon as Mejiro McQueen got off the shinkansen, a car from the Mejiro Family was waiting at the station to pick her up.
After the old butler bowed deeply and courteously to Sakura Bakushin O and the others, he drove Mejiro McQueen towards the Mejiro Residence.
In the car, the old butler hesitated for a moment before suddenly speaking:
"Miss."
"What is it?" Mejiro McQueen sat there, resting with her eyes closed.
"Your Trainer, she looks a bit familiar to me."
"It's probably your imagination. She's been on TV quite a few times." Mejiro McQueen didn't pay much attention.
"Imagination, huh..." The old butler murmured, unable to pinpoint the source of that familiarity in his memory for a moment.
After dropping off Teio, Satono Diamond, and Kitasan Black at the Ritto Dormitory, Mejiro McQueen also began walking towards her own home.
After returning home, she quickly changed into her running clothes, grabbed a notebook, a stopwatch, and other Trainer equipment, and began walking towards Tracen Academy.
Tonight, Sakura Bakushin O wasn't going for a run; instead, she planned to devise the Takarazuka Kinen strategy for Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen.
"Neither Teio nor McQueen has participated in the Takarazuka Kinen before. The challenge of this race is the two steep uphill climbs before the finish line. Although the height is only half that of Kyoto Racecourse, the gradient is twice as steep as Kyoto Racecourse. This will be a new challenge for both of them..."
Sakura Bakushin O murmured softly, having already entered Tracen Academy and arrived at the track.
"How is it best to run on this kind of slope? I'll have to experiment myself..."