Maybe because the Japan Cup was drawing near, Kagura had the distinct feeling that there were more visitors on the streets now who clearly were not locals.
That was something she noticed after seeing Mejiro Dober onto her train and then wandering the shopping district by herself. She knew there was less than a month left before the Japan Cup. As one of the few races in Japan that truly stood on the international stage, it was an event Tracen—and indeed the whole country—took extremely seriously.
So in the lead-up to the race, Kagura kept spotting that kind of advertising everywhere she went. In practically every shopping street she passed through, there were promos for the Japan Cup. If she stopped outside any electronics store and watched the TVs for even a little while, she would see Japan Cup commercials playing.
This year's advertising campaign had gone all out.
The reason was simple: Japan was fielding the strongest lineup it could possibly put forward. Both Triple Crown champions would be running in this year's Japan Cup, competing against foreign entrants for the winner's trophy. And Rudolf's string of major victories this year had only made everyone's confidence swell further.
This time, we'll definitely defend our home turf!
That kind of atmosphere hung in every street and alley.
Mr. C.B...
Looking up at the huge Mr. C.B. VS Rudolf splashed across the TV commercial, Kagura could not help sighing.
Only someone who had actually seen Mr. C.B.'s condition up close would know that this Japan Cup was not going to be Rudolf versus Mr. C.B. at all. Rudolf's real opponent might be someone else. It might even be no one.
But it definitely would not be Mr. C.B. in her current state.
"Come to think of it, you can hear people speaking English on the streets now too. Does that feel familiar to you, Eclipse-san?"
——The English those people are speaking... isn't proper English. They look British enough, but what they're speaking sounds like some strange mutant dialect. Though compared to the English this country teaches, it's still much better... The English in this country and the English I know are practically unrelated. Aside from using the same alphabet, they have almost nothing in common.
Eclipse gave a tart little critique of the accents of a few foreigners passing nearby. Kagura understood exactly why.
The difference between British English, American English, and Japanese-accented English was very obvious. British and American English were one thing, but Japanese English was enough to make Eclipse, a Brit, visibly bristle on a regular basis.
Of course, Kagura could hear the accent differences too. The people who had just passed by had been speaking American English. She could not say for certain, but she guessed they were probably from farther away—from America.
"Hah... so these are the runners they're sending out for this year's Japan Cup? I suppose they look a little livelier than the usual lot... but only a little. Compared to previous years, having two Triple Crown champions does at least make things mildly interesting."
While standing outside an electronics store and mooching off the TV display, Kagura suddenly heard someone nearby speaking in American English—and rather loudly, too.
"Seattle, do you really think it's appropriate for a tourist who isn't even racing to be making comments that hostile?"
Another voice followed, noticeably calmer and more restrained. Kagura finally located the source of the conversation.
A little deeper inside the shop stood two tall Umamusume. One had brown hair and sounded spirited and difficult to deal with. The other wore glasses and had long orange hair, giving off a much quieter, more rational impression.
"I'm just telling the truth, Affirmed. The Umamusume in this country are so weak it's embarrassing to watch. They wouldn't even need Big Sis Secretariat to come over personally—I could go out there myself and beat this bunch of weaklings into the dirt. The trainers here, the institutions here, the whole setup—honestly, it's all a complete mess. And that's not just my opinion. Go ask the student council president of European Tracen. She'd give you the same answer."
Their clothes had that distinctly Western white-collar look to them, and they were both far taller than the kind of Umamusume you usually saw in Japan. In Kagura's experience, the Umamusume here were generally pretty small. So she quickly drew a conclusion: these two were probably tourists from another country.
From their conversation, she more or less caught their names. The short-haired brunette with that infuriating, obnoxiously smug air of a bossy demoness was probably called Seattle. The orange-haired one was Affirmed.
"I'm pretty sure that has more to do with old grudges involving her mother and people here..."
It sounded like the two of them were active professional racers as well. The one called Seattle, however, was making some rather unfriendly remarks. This was the first time Kagura had heard a foreigner's view of Japan straight from the source—even if it was negative.
"And don't those grudges say something about the standard here too? Aside from having decent tracks, everything else—trainers, support staff, runners, all of it—is trash, if you ask me."
"You really should be more careful with what you say. If someone happened to understand you, two sentences like that could turn into a diplomatic incident. You don't want Big Sis Secretariat having to come over and clean up your mess, do you?"
"Hah! Relax. There's barely anyone around here. And even if there is, take a look at that shop owner over there—he's like a block of wood. No way he understands a word I'm saying."
"I wouldn't be so sure. There's been a little Umamusume over there staring at us this whole time."
As she said that, the orange-haired Umamusume suddenly turned her gaze straight toward Kagura, who had been standing nearby pretending to watch TV while actually eavesdropping.
Kagura had not expected things to take this turn. She had only wanted to stand there quietly and enjoy the gossip, maybe hear a few strange and interesting things from foreigners. Instead, the conversation had swung around and landed directly on her.
"Hah! That little shorty is obviously local. What, Affirmed, you think a kid that small can understand a foreign language?"
"Miss, when you're commenting on strangers, please do try to show a little restraint. And please don't assume people can't understand what you're saying."
After listening to this bossy demoness ramble on and on for half the conversation, Kagura had originally meant to keep pretending she did not understand. But by the end, the woman's tone had grown so openly provocative—so dripping with arrogance and contempt—that Kagura felt she really ought to say something.
So she replied in English, using what she had learned from Eclipse's memories.
"Wow~ What a textbook London accent. Little one, are you European?"
"Where I'm from doesn't seem particularly important, and I don't see why I'm obligated to tell you. I'd simply appreciate it if you showed a little respect when speaking about other people."
Kagura answered with a frown, her voice carrying a clear note of warning.
Up until a point, the earlier remarks had not had much to do with her, so she could treat them as gossip and let them slide. But now the woman was practically talking straight in her face, and Kagura did not feel like swallowing that quietly.
"Hah—respect? Where I'm from, only people with real ability deserve—mmph!!"
Before the brunette could finish, the orange-haired Umamusume clapped a hand over her mouth.
"My apologies, little miss. Some of my companion's habits are not so easily corrected, and she offended you without thinking. Please allow me to apologize in her place."
"No... it's nothing. It's good to know not everyone from your side is this rude and full of themselves. I only wanted to remind this ill-mannered lady to mind basic courtesy. If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way."
"Y—mmph mmph!"
The brunette had barely managed to get out two syllables before her companion covered her mouth again and dragged her back by the neck. The orange-haired Umamusume smiled apologetically and hurriedly waved goodbye to Kagura.
---
T/N: that was Seattle Slew, and Affirmed, they dont have umamusume forms yet but they are accomplished horses!
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