A rather unexpected person appeared before Kousei's glittering eyes, blending seamlessly into the darkness, so that at first glance only her facial features seemed to float.
The timing and location of their reunion couldn't have been worse, yet this person smiled, genuinely happy from the bottom of her heart.
"Don't you recognize me, Superstar?"
"Of course I do, Dicta Striker."
Hearing that Kousei still remembered her, Dicta Striker's smile brightened even further.
"How did you get here?" Kousei asked.
Kousei's security should have been airtight. No one should have been able to reach her before passing the so-called Emotional Test.
"I just slipped in quietly," Dicta Striker replied casually. "After all, my fur blends perfectly with the darkness."
To her, infiltrating this detention center had been child's play.
"Is that so? Stealth suits you perfectly," Kousei remarked, her thoughts drifting elsewhere.
"Thinking about the Derby?" Dicta Striker saw right through her.
Dicta Striker sat down beside Kousei, as relaxed as if they were anywhere but a place of confinement.
"Hmm, the sky was unusually dark that day. You burst through the rain and charged straight toward McQueen. No one even noticed you until the final stretch, where you unleashed your full power and won the Derby like a dark horse."
"The Derby... Actually, if McQueen hadn't lost focus at the end, she should have been the winner."
If McQueen had won the Derby and secured her second Triple Crown title, the Twins' legacy would undoubtedly be even greater than it is now.
"McQueen lost focus at the end?"
Kousei was completely unaware of this; her mind had been in such turmoil that she had no attention to spare for anything else.
"Yeah, I think some idiot suddenly slowed down near the end, and she probably worried something had happened to them."
"Was it because of me?"
Before Kousei could fully process the question, Dicta Striker continued, "The Spring Tenno Sho is about to begin."
At the mention of the Spring Tenno Sho, Kousei's eyes flickered briefly before fading.
"The Spring Tenno Sho... Is it already that time?"
According to their original plan, Kousei was supposed to compete in the Spring Tenno Sho after the Takarazuka Memorial, where she and McQueen would fulfill their long-held promise.
Kousei knew she probably wouldn't be able to keep her promise.
"Did they distort your sense of time in there? What did they do to you?"
"They asked questions, and I had to answer them. Day after day. If I showed any impatience or anxiety, I'd be deemed unfit."
Kousei had lost track of how long she'd been inside. The so-called test had no objective criteria; her release depended entirely on their whim.
Dicta Striker smiled faintly, as if this were exactly what she had expected. She pulled a smartphone and wireless earbuds from her pocket and tossed the earbuds through the crack in the door. She gestured for Kousei to put them on. After a moment of silence, Kousei complied.
Kousei wasn't tech-savvy and was about to ask Dicta Striker for help when the woman grinned and made a "shush" gesture.
A familiar voice echoed in her ear: "Kousei."
Kousei's eyes stung. "Dad, I..."
"No need to say more. I know you're a strong and kind-hearted child, Kousei."
Kousei had imagined she would have so much to say, but after her father's reply, she found herself speechless.
"There's someone here who wants to meet you."
Someone? Countless faces flashed through Kousei's mind: Rudolf, Teio, McQueen, Kashimoto Riko, Tachyon...
Kousei felt a flutter of apprehension.
"Long time no see, little one!"
The voice on the other end of the line was refreshingly cheerful, strangely clear despite having been heard only once before.
"CB Senpai!"
It was indeed Mr. CB on the other end of the line.
Why would CB Senpai be calling me? Kousei wondered, confused. She had never interacted with him before.
"Of course, it's for your sake."
"Mine?"
"Kousei, I need to tell you something."
"What is it?"
"I'm actually the 'Child of Sin,' as people call me. Mr. CB was born into this world bearing the curse of that name."
For a moment, Kousei thought she had misheard.
"Mr. CB is an Umamusume born from sin itself."
"How could that be...?"
Kousei couldn't believe what she was hearing. CB—the Triple Crown Winner, the beloved and captivating Mr. CB—had such a humble beginning.
"Why are you telling me this, CB Senpai? I don't understand."
"Why, you ask?" CB drew out the final syllable, capturing Kousei's attention. Just when Kousei thought she was about to explain, CB abruptly changed the subject. "McQueen has already decided to enter the Spring Tenno Sho. I met with her privately, and her eyes showed no hesitation."
"This Spring Tenno Sho carries profound significance—you understand that better than I do, Kousei. In your life so far, has there ever been a more perfect, more exhilarating stage?"
The Spring Tenno Sho—Kousei knew it well. She knew it well!
"But I—!"
"We are free, unbound. As long as we desire to run, nothing in this world can stop us."
"Perhaps... this is the once-in-a-lifetime stage you've been waiting for."
After hearing CB's words, Kousei remained silent. Time ticked by, yet she made no sound, suggesting the call had ended on the other end.
Kousei seemed to be processing CB's words. Dicta Striker smiled gently at her. "You're the smartest among us. You must understand by now."
Dicta Striker's form gradually faded away, leaving Kousei alone in the grid.
On the Other End of the Line
"Thank you," T said, his voice brief but sincere.
"No need to thank me."
T chuckled. "I can't decide if my daughter is fortunate or unfortunate."
"What's the difference?" CB replied. "But I truly adore the little one. She's so much like me." CB's lips curled into a smile as if recalling a fond memory.
"Seeing my past self always makes me want to help her."
History, like a film in endless loops, makes one occasionally remember—
That challenge to abandon everything.