For Uma Musume, the desire to race is an instinct they're born with.
But the modern racing system as we know it wasn't truly established until the 17th and 18th centuries in England.
The Uma Musume Association, stewards and rules, the classic quintet of the St. Leger, the Oaks, the Derby, and the 1000 and 2000 Guineas—all were founded during that era.
In a sense, Europe is the birthplace of modern horse racing.
This origin spread across the world with the expansion of Anglo-Austrian influence, and to this day, the rules and race structures for Uma Musume competitions globally still follow this very system.
Naturally, the European racing circuit, having built this system, became the place where the world's strongest Uma Musume gathered. The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is the ultimate proof of that.
It boasts the finest environment, the best trainers, the top-notch equipment, and, as a result, attracts an ever-growing number of the most talented Uma Musume athletes.
Yet, simply dominating a region through their influence alone wasn't the European circuit's ultimate goal.
As pioneers of the sport, carrying the legacy of their predecessors, they would never allow their glory to be diminished by Uma Musume from other parts of the world.
To establish this unique purity and absolute authority of European racing, the Triple Crown was created.
Every region influenced by European racing saw the establishment of its own Triple Crown series. In theory, any Uma Musume with sufficient skill could seize this honor.
But the reality is, to this day, the only Uma Musume who have achieved the Triple Crown title have come from the European circuit.
With their overwhelmingly advanced training conditions, European racing has managed to scoop up almost all the world's prodigies.
Even if a genius emerged unwilling to join the European circuit, she would face only defeat against other prodigies of equal or greater strength who had received more specialized training.
What made it even more despairing for local Uma Musume was that not only were the geniuses being poached, but the majority of their own local prestigious families and legacies were also founded by European Uma Musume in the first place.
Even institutions like Tracen Academy, which trains skilled Uma Musume, and the Uma Musume Association, which governs the rules of racing, were established with the help of the European circuit.
With such a massive head start, the Triple Crown became a distant star, something the local Uma Musume could only yearn for but never reach.
Over time, the European circuit used the glory of the Triple Crown to firmly cement its absolute authority.
Later, to further solidify this authority, they even rewrote the Triple Crown rules, transforming it from a once-in-a-lifetime honor into a grand spectacle held every single year.
On the surface, it was to give local Uma Musume more opportunities.
But in reality, it was to crush the confidence of the rest of the world with a dizzying array of European Triple Crown winners.
As more and more European Triple Crown winners emerged, the number of local Uma Musume daring to challenge for this honor gradually dwindled.
While there were still many G1-level races for local Uma Musume to compete in, everyone had come to instinctively believe that European Uma Musume were simply stronger than those from anywhere else.
The Triple Crown was a diadem forged by the European racing world, for the honor of their predecessors and for absolute legitimacy, to crown themselves.
Any Uma Musume daring enough to challenge this authority would face judgment.
The radiance of their crown brooked not a single doubt.
--+--
[Script Mission constructed successfully.]
As the cold, mechanical voice faded from her ears, Dream Weaver slowly opened her eyes. The sight that greeted her was a landscape all too familiar.
On Tracen's training grounds, one Uma Musume after another poured out their passion and youth, running with all their might for the glory they dreamed of. It looked no different from the real world.
'The European... racing circuit?' Dream Weaver murmured to herself, watching the training Uma Musume.
Uma Musume racing wasn't confined to Japan.
Dancing Brave, who had once wanted to offer her significant help, was an Uma Musume from Europe.
The Northern family from the script world she had just experienced also traced its origins back to Europe.
But in reality, and in her previous script worlds, Europe and other regions of the world maintained a delicate balance.
While European races were generally held in higher regard, and the average quality of European Uma Musume was correspondingly a bit higher, that was merely a traditional advantage born from their head start.
Overall, the European circuit and many later-developing circuits didn't have a strict hierarchy; their relationship was more one of cooperation.
European Uma Musume would come to Central Tracen academies around the world for exchange studies, and they'd fly across the globe for international G1-level competitions.
But this script world was different.
The European circuit had used the Triple Crown races to establish its absolute authority and legitimacy.
With such an overwhelming advantage, the flow was one-way: Uma Musume from other regions went to Europe to study and to compete.
As for regional G1 races outside the Triple Crown, many European-born Uma Musume saw them as little more than a token of pity for the local Uma Musume.
An invisible line seemed drawn between them, a ceiling placed over the heads of any Uma Musume who didn't choose to join the European circuit—a limit they could never hope to break through.
And that limit was the honor of the Triple Crown.
'To think the Triple Crown would become something like this in this script world.'
'This script world... really, anything can happen, can't it?'
The script worlds Dream Weaver had experienced before had never differed from reality to this extent.
At most, it was the local Uma Musume declining after Oguri Cap's generation. But in Dream Weaver's eyes, even without her, Oguri Roman and the others could have rightfully earned their place in the central circuit through their own strength.
This time, however, the change had affected nearly the entire world.
It was a far cry from the world in her memory, where every Uma Musume could freely chase her dreams.
Dream Weaver's fist tightened almost imperceptibly. Silently, she summoned the mission interface in her mind.
As she willed it, the translucent blue screen materialized before her eyes once more.
--+--
[Script Mission: The Primordial Throne of the Triple Crown]
— Main Objective —
Win your own Triple Crown.
Reward: 30,000 SP + Stage Pass × 1 + Proof of the Triple Crown
Note: This script world is a 'Story Type' script. The host will retain their original attributes to complete the mission. Upon completion of the main mission, you may choose one item from the rewards to bring back to the real world.
--+--
T/N: HSR Fic out on MapleTL!
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.