"..."
Symboli Rudolf stared wordlessly at the results on the big screen. Her sweat-dampened hair stuck clammily to her face, and her mouth was slightly open, taking heavy breaths. The wind across the turf made her soaked clothes feel cold. At this moment, her body and mind both seemed exhausted.
In this race, Symboli Rudolf had used her full strength.
From the moment the race began, she'd had a premonition that if she didn't use every means at her disposal, she would very likely lose. But she had never predicted that even after using her full strength, the final result would still be a loss—and a crushing defeat at that.
She recalled the final burst from McQueen.
It was a possibility she had once envisioned.
What kind of beautiful running style could be evolved by fusing the Zone and McQueen's skills?
Now, Symboli Rudolf had seen it.
The fusion of the Zone and skills was truly, incomparably powerful.
If McQueen hadn't been using [McQueen]'s body, the race might have been even more spectacular. Perhaps then, she could have truly witnessed that "one horse leading, ten thousand horses fading to obscurity" ultimate view. She felt a tinge of regret that she had not been able to witness McQueen's true full power.
What a pity...
Symboli Rudolf looked over at Mejiro McQueen.
Why wasn't this a horse girl from their world?
I truly envy you, my other-world self, to be able to have such a brilliant horse girl.
Above Mejiro McQueen...
[McQueen] floated in mid-air, her face blissful as she savored this moment of victory.
That was amazing! Amazing!
Invincible, desu wa!
This is the exact scenery I wanted to see!
Although the one who won the race was another Mejiro McQueen, they were all Mejiro McQueen! And she had provided the body! By rounding up, this was a victory they had won together!
"Hehehe... hehehehe..."
[McQueen]'s spiritual form was currently like a real ball of mochi.
In this race, they had not only defeated so many legendary horse girls, they had also beaten Japan's strongest, the Emperor!
Her career as a horse girl... she had no regrets, right?
The family's mission was nothing in the face of this victory!
She, Mejiro McQueen, had surpassed her ancestors!
The glory of the Mejiro family was no longer just the Tenno Sho. From this moment on, the glory of the Mejiro family was only one thing—
Her! Mejiro McQueen!
...But [McQueen] still felt it was a small pity.
"It's a shame this wasn't an official race."
This race was, after all, just a campus event. Although the intensity of the race was high-caliber, it wasn't an official G1 race.
The URA committee would not recognize this result, nor would it be recorded in a horse girl's career.
At that moment, Mejiro McQueen was heading to the stage to accept her award.
With the support of the Chairwoman, although it wasn't an official race, it had all the requisite trophies and prize money—and a considerable amount at that. The entire process looked no different from an official race.
The only difference was that it wouldn't be recognized by the committee or officially recorded.
But Mejiro McQueen wasn't from this world anyway, so she didn't care if this world's committee recognized it or not. This trophy and prize money would definitely end up in that plump filly's pocket anyway.
'I'll just consider it the rental fee for using this body, then. After all, the exertion was quite significant. That plump filly is probably in for a rough few days.' Mejiro McQueen thought to herself as she looked at the gold-plated trophy in her hand. While this level of muscle soreness was nothing to her, it probably wouldn't be the same for that plump filly.
However, Mejiro McQueen was underestimating the plump filly. No matter what, [McQueen] herself was also an excellent horse girl. This degree of muscle soreness was not unacceptable to her. Compared to the results she'd gained from this race, this small price was nothing at all!
Besides, [McQueen] was actually having ideas.
She felt like she was just one step away from learning the skills. If it were up to her, she'd want McQueen to run in her body a few more times. That way, she might be able to truly grasp this ultimate power.
"McQueen, you should still have the strength to go on stage, right?"
Symboli Rudolf, along with the other competitors, blocked Mejiro McQueen's path. Because she hadn't managed to completely shake off her opponents in the race, this Winning Concert would not be Mejiro McQueen's solo performance.
Moreover, it seemed the Chairwoman had originally planned for all the competitors to perform together. Since it wasn't an official race, just a private event, the rules weren't as strict.
'Troublesome.'
Mejiro McQueen couldn't help but think it. A Winning Concert was troublesome, but a team Winning Concert was even more troublesome.
'Can't they just let me go back now and have that one come out and dance?'
Although the Mejiro girls from this world had come to find her earlier, saying they wanted to talk, what did this world's Mejiro family have to do with her?
She just wanted to escape back to her own world. But clearly, she couldn't return until the time came. She remembered that the last time she returned, she had suddenly felt very sleepy, and went back after she fell asleep. But right now, her mind was crystal clear.
That said, if she was truly set on escaping, she could.
The Winning Concert wasn't mandatory. It's just that there was no precedent for this. Not to mention, this wasn't an official race, just a campus event.
But regarding the tradition of the Winning Concert... even if Mejiro McQueen didn't consider herself a "pure" horse girl, she still didn't want to run from it.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have complained about it in the past while still diligently studying the craft.
She said with a blank expression, "I don't have much experience with team performances. I've always been on stage alone. Are you sure you want to do this with me?"
"It's fine, we'll all coordinate with you. Since you're the winner, the 'C' position naturally goes to you," Symboli Rudolf said with a smile, completely missing McQueen's hidden intentions.
After confirming that [McQueen]'s body hadn't truly been harmed, she had relaxed.
Symboli Rudolf had always believed that the Winning Concert was a place for horse girls to vent their joy. The quality of the dance and the choice of song weren't the most important things. What mattered was the heart. If you're not feeling well, you shouldn't force yourself to dance.
However, considering that the Winning Concert did have an audience, it was best not to have a total flop. So, the runners still needed a basic foundation in dance. As for singing, there was no need to force it; they could just play a CD.
"Suit yourselves. If you think it's fine, it's fine. I'm just going to perform at my own rhythm."
Mejiro McQueen was a little annoyed.
You're really dense, Symboli Rudolf. Can't you tell I'm asking you to back out gracefully?
While she truly disliked the Winning Concert, she hated the idea of her performance being ruined by a few second-rate runners even more.
The biggest reason Mejiro McQueen hated team performances was that she looked down on the skill level of other runners.
Although her own performance level wasn't top-tier, her standards were set against those of top-tier idols.
At the end of the day, horse girls were athletes. Stage performance was not their main profession.
In Mejiro McQueen's eyes, their level was completely unwatchable.
The group walked towards the lounge.
In the lounge, everyone gathered around a large screen, voting on a song and watching the dance video to practice. They seemed very relaxed, almost like they were at a karaoke bar. There were even snacks and drinks on the table.
Mejiro McQueen just watched this scene from the side, feeling a headache coming on.
Their behavior, it could only be said, was exactly what she expected.
For horse girls, the Winning Concert was indeed mostly about having fun. Aside from those who genuinely loved the stage, most horse girls wouldn't hold themselves to overly harsh standards when it came to performing.
'Looks like I'll have to lower myself to their level later.'
Mejiro McQueen resignedly lowered her eyes. Her ears and tail drooped, looking listless. Although she had said otherwise earlier, she really didn't want to mess up the performance. If she truly did her own thing on stage, the final performance would definitely be a mess. After all, this was a group song.
The runners at her side thought she was depressed because she was bad at performing, and decided they would help her out on stage.
'I see. So this is your weakness?' Symboli Rudolf thought she had discovered McQueen's "cute" side.
However, when the performance began, they all realized how wrong they were. Watching the performance, which was on the level of a professional idol, their previously relaxed moods vanished. They could only throw themselves seriously into the performance. And this was with Mejiro McQueen deliberately holding back to match their level.
'Wonderful! As expected, you don't disappoint me!'
Trêve, mixed in with the audience, waved a purple light stick, her eyes shining as she watched the incredibly radiant Mejiro McQueen on stage. She was already thinking about whether she should stand on the left or the right during the Japan Cup.
Of course, if possible, what she wanted most was the 'C' position!
It's just that, right now, she really didn't have the confidence to guarantee a win.
Although this mentality shouldn't have appeared in her, the winner of the Arc de Triomphe.
But the strength Mejiro McQueen had shown in this race was just that powerful. If not for the special nature of the Emperor's and Oguri Cap's domains, Trêve felt those two would have already been eliminated by McQueen.
As for Trêve herself, she hadn't actually researched "domains" that deeply. Her domain couldn't reach the level of Symboli Rudolf's. She was actually more skilled in "bewitching (gating)" power. This was because the power of a domain was too taxing on the body and was highly dependent on one's condition. In comparison, her bewitching power didn't have as many restrictions and was more suited to her running style.
Her bewitching power and special skills were extremely strong.
In the previous Arc de Triomphe, she had been unrivaled. She had even overtaken domain-level horse girls.
But Trêve had already sensed, through this race and her own intuition, that her bewitching power would probably have no effect on Mejiro McQueen.
'In that case, my encounter with you truly must be the guidance of fate.'
...
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