Chapter 69. The Tactless Opera House and the Tactful Reporters
"2:30.41"
After Tokai Teio crossed the finish line, the clock next to the big screen displayed the race completion time. This data was not a Racecourse record, but it was among the top ten historical completion times.
"Teio's completion time is quite good. It looks like she can achieve something at Longchamp Racecourse next."
Shuta An said.
"Although it was listed as good ground, water was poured before the race, so most sections of this Racecourse were no different from slightly heavy or even heavy ground."
"Teio performed really well."
Mejiro Dober held her lover's hand.
"Next, Ann will go pick up Teio, and then go for interviews, right? Should I wait for you here, or go directly to the winner's stage to get a good spot for Ann?"
"Go directly to the stage."
Shuta An clasped Mejiro Dober's hand, instructing.
"After Teio finishes her winning live performance, we can go straight back to the hotel. Next, we should focus on the Nassau Stakes."
"You can rest assured about my side."
Mejiro Dober was quite confident about the G1 she would participate in next week.
This year's Nassau Stakes had 8 Uma Musume scheduled to participate.
Excluding Mejiro Dober, the strongest among them should be Ruby Tiger, who has won five G2 heavy stakes so far, and All At Sea, who placed second in this year's Epsom Oaks. As you can see, the only Uma Musume in the entire field who had won a G1 was Mejiro Dober herself.
This lineup was honestly quite ordinary, but originally, Shuta's planned Racecourse for Mejiro Dober did not include this race, so a lower gold content didn't matter.
"As long as she can win, a lower race intensity can also make Dober's summer a bit easier."
The young man had planned.
—
Shuta An came alone to the exit of the underground passage. This time, Tokai Teio was pushed over by Opera House.
A helpless Tokai Teio stood in front of the young man, whispering.
"Opera House insisted on coming along."
Shuta An's mouth twitched. He looked at Opera House and spoke to dismiss her.
"Excuse me, this is our team's private time next. Could I ask you to leave this area for a while?"
"Eh? Is there anything that can't be watched?" Opera House blinked. "This isn't Sadalsuud Team's exclusive area, is it?"
Shuta An didn't bother to discuss these things with her and led Teio into the underground passage.
"Let's go. People without tact aren't worth communicating with."
Opera House followed directly. She just wanted to know why Tokai Teio could make that decision in the final straight—whether the decision-maker was Tokai Teio or her Trainer.
But Shuta An simply called over the staff of Ascot Racecourse and had Opera House sent away.
"How did Stoute teach her?" The young man was a little displeased. "I'll definitely have to mention it when I see him later. She has no manners at all."
"Alright, don't mind her." Teio hugged her Trainer's arm, rubbing against him. "The next race is the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in two months. Ann has no excuses during this time."
He knew what Tokai Teio's "excuses" referred to. The young man just silently stroked Tokai Teio's head.
"Winning today was relatively easy, but the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe definitely won't be like this."
Teio said in a muffled voice, still buried in her lover's arms.
"El Condor Pasa-senpai's past example is there. I don't want to lose my undefeated record at Longchamp."
Tokai Teio's Twinkle Series career, from her debut to now, could almost be described as smooth sailing. But what made Shuta very satisfied was that even now, Teio had not become incredibly arrogant.
Before every race, Teio would still do her best to prepare. Some Uma Musume at Central Tracen Academy would become complacent after achieving results, but the young man felt that this would never happen to Teio.
After a while of tender affection, Shuta released Teio, watching her leave to prepare for the winning live.
Only after Teio's figure disappeared from sight did he leave the underground passage and head to the media area.
"Compared to usual, I will arrive at the media area a bit later. I wonder if any reporters noticed this. If they ask, it wouldn't be good to publicly criticize Opera House in front of reporters, so I'll just find some excuse to get by."
Shuta An mused as he walked towards the media area.
—
Meanwhile, Opera House was scolded by her Trainer.
"What are you doing crowding other Uma Musume and their Trainers meeting? If you want to see so badly, I'll send you to Japan, and you can never come back to Europe."
"I just wanted to know who made the tactical decision for the final straight, but that guy impatiently had someone kick me out. He wasn't friendly at all."
Opera House pouted.
"You interfered with their post-race work. If it were me, I'd kick you out too." Stoute scoffed. "Shuta An probably thinks I haven't taught you properly and that you have no manners."
"…"
Opera House lowered her head. Having not won the race today, she indeed had little confidence to argue with her Trainer.
"Sigh, never mind. I'll explain it to Trainer Shuta myself later. If you go, it'll just make him more annoyed."
Stoute patted Opera House's shoulder.
"If you have problems like this, you can come back and ask me next time. I'll ask him for you. I'm your Trainer. Under normal circumstances, wouldn't I help you?"
"Understood."
Opera House quietly replied.
Upon arriving at the media area, Shuta An stood in his designated spot, smiling as he waited for the Ascot Racecourse staff to organize the interview and call on reporters for questions.
The questions reporters asked during this interview were all within the young man's expectations, and no one asked Shuta An why he had arrived a little late. Everyone was much more sensible than Opera House.
"Last question, please, the third reporter from the left in the third row." the staff announced.
"Hello, Trainer Shuta, I'm a reporter from the French magazine 'Paris Gallop.' Has Tokai Teio confirmed her entry for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe?"
"She hasn't entered yet. I plan to give Tokai Teio a post-race check-up to confirm her physical condition. If there are no issues, she will enter." Shuta An replied truthfully. "As long as Tokai Teio isn't injured, her name will definitely appear on this year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe entry list."
—
After the winning live, Shuta An took Mejiro Dober backstage and met Tokai Teio.
"Hmph hmph, how was my English song today?"
Teio lifted her head, looking at the young man, hoping for his praise.
"Very impressive. I saw everyone in the audience was captivated."
Shuta An reached out, stroking Tokai Teio's head as he responded to her expectation.
"When did Teio practice English songs?"
"When I was at the academy, Ann told me to prepare for European races, so I practiced one. I also practiced a French song. After I win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, I'll sing it for Ann at the winning live at Longchamp Racecourse!"
Tokai Teio's face was beaming with a smile as she made a new promise.
"I learned one too!" Mejiro Dober wasn't to be outdone and joined the conversation. "I'll sing one at the winning live after next week's Nassau Stakes!"
"Alright, alright, I'll look forward to it."
Shuta An held Mejiro Dober's wrist with his other hand, comforting the Undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume.
Walking back to the hotel, Teio remembered their backstage conversation and decided to continue asking questions.
"Speaking of which, I've never heard Ann sing before!"
"Me neither." Mejiro Dober blinked. "Hasn't Ann ever sung before?"
"What would I sing? Trainers don't need to participate in winning lives. When we Trainers gather, we just focus on drinking, discussing recent news, and sharing training experiences. There's no singing."
Shuta An shook his head, explaining himself.
"The last time I sang in front of others was probably at a graduation ceremony."
"Wow~ That must have been ages ago."
Teio deliberately made an exaggerated expression.
"But that just makes me want to hear Ann sing even more!"
"I really want to hear it too!"
Mejiro Dober hugged the young man's left arm—followed by Tokai Teio hugging the other side. The two Uma Musume said in unison.
"We want to hear Ann sing!"
"Then I'll just sing a bit?"
Shuta An thought for a moment.
"Isn't Fuji TV's Monday night drama 'Yamato Nadeshiko' currently airing? I'll just sing the chorus of the theme song 'Everything.'"
"Ah… Actually, I don't really like Sakurako Jinno's personality; she's too materialistic."
Teio shook her head repeatedly.
"The male lead's personality is quite good, but not as good as Ann's."
"I'm not as smart as the male lead; the setting says he's a top student from MIT's math department."
Shuta An smiled and shook his head. Then he closed his eyes, found the tune in his heart, and after adjusting, he began to sing a cappella.
"My dear, please don't hurt my heart again. On nights when I fall asleep exhausted from crying. Don't look back at the past, please only look at me~~"
His voice gradually deepened, but Mejiro Dober and Tokai Teio, who had heard the original, perked up their ears, knowing that the next two lines were the most crucial part and the highlight of the song's chorus.
When he sang here, Shuta An unconsciously swayed his head slightly. Although he hadn't received vocal training, his foundation was so good that even without technique, he could express the song's emotions through his physical abilities (and the filter in his lovers' eyes).
"My love for you is stronger than you imagine~~"
"So good~~ Isn't Ann actually very good at singing?"
Mejiro Dober's eyes widened, muttering to herself.
"He's better than many Uma Musumes at the academy."
"I don't need gentle lies, all I want is you.~~"
Shuta An stopped after this short segment.
"Well, it's just average."
"This is just average?"
Teio vigorously shook the young man's body.
"If Maya-chan heard Ann sing like this, she'd become Ann's fan on the spot!"
"My singing level is far from the original singer's." Shuta An was aware of his abilities. "It just sounds good to you, but I'm really not good at this."
"If I can win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the URA Association should release a new song for me."
Teio's eyes darted around.
"Then I'll ask the Trainer to sing a song on my new single too. I'm sure many interested people will buy the CD!"
"That's a great idea!" Mejiro Dober's eyes lit up. "I'll mention it to the URA Association right away; I'm also releasing a new single soon."
"I came up with this idea!" Teio looked at Mejiro Dober, pouting. "Is Dober-senpai just going to snatch it away like that?"
"Oh my~"
Mejiro Dober poked Tokai Teio's puffed-out cheek, smiling as she offered a condition that made Tokai Teio blush.
"If Teio goes to Ann's room tonight, I definitely won't disturb her like Teio did before."
"I…"
Teio's cheeks flushed crimson, the heat seemingly radiating towards the young man.
Mejiro Dober covered her mouth, but her curved eyes betrayed her beaming smile.
—
Upon returning to the hotel, Shuta An took the two Uma Musume to a Japanese restaurant near the hotel to celebrate.
However, Shuta An wasn't idle during the celebration. While chatting with Dober and Teio, he replied to messages from friends and other Uma Musume from Team Sadalsuud on his phone.
Of course, Teio was pretty much the same.
"It's just winning the Epsom Derby; why is everyone making such a fuss?"
The Undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume said this, but the smile on her face showed no signs of disappearing.
Mejiro Dober fully understood Tokai Teio's behavior—she was a veteran, and when she won the Yorkshire Oaks, Mejiro Dober's reaction was almost identical to Tokai Teio's current one.
"Overseas Classic Races are more challenging now than most domestic races, but my retirement race will definitely be the Queen Elizabeth Cup."
Mejiro Dober took a bite of salmon, muttering to herself.
"If I win it, can it be considered a spring-autumn consecutive victory?"
Mejiro Dober couldn't find the answer to this question.