["Winner of the Debut Class A/B 800m Triple Crown Series-1! Please welcome! Kiiing Argentine!"]
A roaring sea of spectators thundered her name. A rising new star destined to shine across the National Series. The hope placed upon the next successor of a family that had always produced the greatest horse girls.
The black-haired girl steadied her breathing once more.
She glanced at the Tote Board. She couldn't believe she had won by that much.
Twelve lengths.
"Argentine-chaaan!"
She turned toward the voice calling her.
From the front row of the stands, all members of Team Emerald and Sunlight Nagari were cheering brightly. Gavi waved her hand, gesturing for her to come over.
"You finally won, Aru!" Gavi exclaimed.
"Congratulations on your victory, Argentine-chan!" Salva added.
"What was that just now? You're pretty amazing after all!" Milord chimed in.
"I don't really know either," Argentine replied softly.
"Huh?"
"I just analyzed the track before running. I tried to burst out the moment the gate opened, but everyone else did the same. So I held back and watched their movements. I looked for openings while they were fighting each other, waiting until the final corner. Then I sprinted as hard as I could down the runway, but I didn't—"
—"Okay, okay! I get it!" Milord snorted. "I didn't expect you to talk this much when you're happy."
"...?" Argentine tilted her head slightly.
"Anyway, it's my turn next, right?" Milord grinned. "Your race just now was incredible. I didn't expect you to go that far. But—" he extended his fist toward Argentine, "I'll show you a race even more exciting than yours!"
"There he goes again," Sunny teased with a smile.
"Hah?! You better prepare our bet! I'm definitely winning!" Milord shot back.
"Eeeh… how cute this little kid is when he's mad!"
"I've told you over and over, I'm not a little kid!"
Argentine simply stared blankly. Before she realized it, her lips curved into a smile.
Gavi, who had been watching her, was also surprised. It had been a long time since she'd seen her sister show such a warm smile.
A single feeling filled both sisters at that moment.
Relief.
—
𓃗 𓃗 𓃗
[POV: Milord]
—
["Alright, ladies and gentlemen! Dark clouds loom over Bantul, but the excitement of today's 2024 Triple Crown Series-1 race is only heating up!"]
["Up next: Beginner Class C/D!"]
["This race features twelve participants, including several fresh faces!"]
["How thrilling, everyone! Will any of them create a new legend this season? After witnessing King Argentine earlier, the promising new star from the King Halim Family!"]
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're all fired up."
That was my mutter as I walked down the corridor toward the track.
You know? The protagonist should arrive last. So I deliberately came out late, strolling casually onto the field, greeted by cheers from the crowd.
I looked ahead. The racers were preparing. Some waved to the audience, some stretched, others checked their shoes.
As for me? Of course I wouldn't do something trivial like that.
There are tricks to capturing the audience. One of the most important, naturally, is the first impression.
"Hey! All of you!"
All eyes turned toward me. I stood there, brimming with energy before all the racers. Even the spectators shifted their gaze.
I clenched my fist and thrust it forward.
"Look at you all! The greatness of North Sulawesi's number one horse girl! I'll defeat every single one of you and become the strongest!"
Silence.
They only stared.
I could even hear Sis grumbling, "This kid!" from the front row.
I felt the other racers' emotions starting to flare. Their silence. Their piercing stares.
Exactly the response I wanted.
The more provoked they were, the easier it would be to crush them later.
Ahh! How delightful!
"What are you saying, Milord-chan?!"
A whisper of complaint came from beside me. Someone grabbed my arm. I turned to see a chestnut-haired girl pouting at me. The Langusei flower on her left ear trembled as she fumed.
"Oh! MS Queen! So you're in this race too!"
She was my cousin from the Miranda Family.
We entered the Academy at the same time, but ended up on different teams before Sis registered me into Team Emerald.
"You just realized? You should've checked the race list! And what was that just now?!"
"Relax. You know how I am."
"Don't compare this to back in North Sulawesi! Please protect our family's reputation!"
"Don't worry. I was just— …Hm?"
Before I could finish, I sensed someone approaching.
Something big. Calm. Heavy.
I turned.
"Hii—!" MS Queen shrieked softly.
My eyes fixed on the towering figure before us. A dominant presence, with solid muscle lining her arms and legs. Long chestnut hair flowing freely. A Leilem flower adorned her left ear. Strength and elegance intertwined.
She stopped right beside me. Our eyes met, as if she were measuring me.
"What are you staring at?" I challenged.
"Oh? How interesting. Your courage seems bigger than your small body."
"I could easily smack that big body of yours," I shot back.
Her gaze sharpened. "You… just came from North Sulawesi, didn't you? What's your name?"
"Milord."
"Nice to meet you, Milord. I'm Caraxes Nagari. As a fellow from North Sulawesi, I like your spirit. But…"
"...!" A chill ran down my spine as her expression shifted.
"As your senior, I'll show you—" she leaned closer, "the true strength of a North Sulawesi horse girl."
I swallowed unconsciously.
After a few seconds, she straightened and turned to leave, then paused.
"Ah, I almost forgot."
"...?"
"Send my regards to Sunlight Nagari."
What? She knows Sis?
Who exactly is she?
She smiled at my puzzled face and walked away.
["Alright, ladies and gentlemen! The horse girls are entering the gates!"]
"MS Queen. You're in gate two, right?"
"He—? Ah! Y-Yes!"
She answered flustered, still staring at Caraxes' retreating back.
Did she feel that intimidation too?
"Well then. Good luck."
"Ah, yeah. You too, Milord-chan!"
We parted ways.
But Caraxes lingered in my thoughts.
I stepped into gate eleven, my assigned spot.
Senior? From North Sulawesi? Knows Sis?
If that's true, I should know her.
Or did she enroll earlier?
The questions swirled endlessly.
["All horse girls are in the gates! Preparations begin!"]
I glanced toward gate five—
And then—
"...?!"
"... Hee." A smirk aimed directly at me.
What was that?
That expression—
Why did my body freeze?
A cold sensation crept up from my feet, crawling upward, gripping my heart.
Her aura was suffocatingly dense. Even the Uma around her shivered. The racer beside me turned pale, sweat forming despite facing forward.
Damn it! Why is my instinct flaring up now?!
Something about her was wrong.
["The green flag is raised! The race is about to begin! Focus, racers!"]
I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
Focus.
That's what matters now.
I have to prove it to everyone.
Especially to the black-haired horse girl watching from the front row—
That I am—
The alarm shrieked. The gates burst open.
—the strongest!
["Race Staaart!"]
𓃗 𓃗 𓃗
[POV: 3]
The thunder of the horse girls' footsteps shook the ground.
The cheers of tens of thousands roared, echoing as they chased down the track.
The members of Team Emerald fell silent for a moment. They realized something.
"Milord-san's struggling a bit at the start," Gavi said.
["The horse girls burst forward! Five racers immediately fight for first place!"]
"So this is the National level? Damn it! They're all insanely strong!"—Milord thought.
["Kamaka Eclipse takes the initiative! Shadowed by Nadiem Kartika, Mayalosa, and Elkano Bless! Meanwhile in the middle pack, Exotica Allstar, MS Queen, and Milord are still setting up their strategies!"]
"Milord started from gate eleven. That's quite far out. Not a favorable position."
Gavi and Salva turned to Trainer after his explanation. Argentine, meanwhile, remained focused on the race unfolding before her.
"That's why Milord needs to cut into the inside lane quickly. So she can avoid the crowd," Argentine added.
"Correct. If she stays too long on the outside, she'll burn more stamina. But—"
"Too tight! Damn it! There's no opening at all!"—Milord cursed inwardly.
"T-Trainer-san! Isn't Milord-san's position bad?" Salva asked anxiously.
"Yeah… it seems so," Trainer murmured.
["The frontrunners have entered the First Corner! The top positions are now occupied by four racers!"]
Milord's eyes scanned her surroundings.
She was in the middle lane. Four horses packed tightly ahead of her. Several more lurking behind.
I could just dash forward like usual, but…
Milord glanced toward the inside lane.
In the stands, Trainer continued analyzing.
"If Milord cuts in right away, she won't have space in the corner," he explained. "Centrifugal force will push her further outward. So she needs to wait until the turn, then accelerate there while forcing her way inside. That's why—"
"Ihave to be patient,"—Milord thought.
["At the front, Mayalosa takes the lead! Kamaka Eclipse now battles Nadiem Kartika!"]
Trainer noticed the reaction of the horse girl beside him. "What's wrong, Sunny? Surprised to see your little sister?"
"… Yes. It's rare to see her hold back. Usually she dashes straight to the front and runs as far as she can. I know that habit isn't without reason. Even though her legs are strong, Mi-chan's body is small. It takes more energy for her to fight head-to-head."
"That's why she wants to get as far ahead as possible. So no one can catch her during the Last Spurt."
"But this situation forces her into a Late Surger position."
"Yeah. I think Milord made a wise decision. Let's see how she breaks through this."
Milord kept observing. Her eyes locked onto Elkano Bless ahead. She could tell Elkano was already starting to lose breath. Understandable—the opening battle had drained a lot of stamina.
Elkano seemed to lose control. Her strides grew uneven. Fatigue clouded her vision.
And then—
A small shadow burst forward from the outside.
'Whooom!'
𓃗 𓃗 𓃗
[POV: Milord]
["Coming from the outside, overtaking Elkano Bless! Third place now belongs to Milord!"]
Yes! I finally broke through! Now I just need to take second and first at the next corner—
—'Wooommhh!'
"Huh?"
Darkness.
Like a dense fog deep within a forest.
That's where I am right now—I can feel it.
The roaring crowd, even the pounding footsteps of the other horse girls, vanished as if swallowed whole. Silence. Calm… yet terrifying.
A chill crept up the back of my neck. The cold sensation spread slowly.
Slowly… slowly…
Until it reached my throat.
Suddenly—
"Hee!"
"…!"
That laugh! I know that laugh!
The presence capable of freezing my body solid. I began to feel another set of footsteps besides my own.
I could hear them.
Closer.
Right behind me—my instincts screamed not to look, but my head moved on its own, slowly glancing back to see what creature stood behind me now.
"Mii… lord…!"
A wide grin—like a beast that had found its prey.
I was like a small rabbit trapped among rocks.
Waiting for fate to devour me.
["Woah! Unnoticed, Caraxes has also forced her way in! Sticking tightly to Milord!"]
—
𓃗 𓃗 𓃗
[POV: 3]
—
"This is bad! That girl—!"
"What's wrong, Sunny-senpai?" Gavi asked.
"Mi-chan is in danger. The Uma sticking to her is seriously strong. The fight at the front made me not realize she was even in this race."
"...?"
"Did you forget, Gavi-chan? She was the one who took first place in your debut race at the Jateng Derby."
"...!" Gavi's eyes widened.
"I once heard rumors from North Sulawesi. A horse girl with a terrifying aura. Long, swift strides. Overtaking mercilessly—even on the corners. As if she cuts down anyone standing in front of her."
Salva shuddered at that. Her fingers even trembled.
"I know Mi-chan is strong. But this is different. The opponent she's facing now is on an entirely different level."
"Well... that's actually very good for her," Trainer cut in.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Gavi asked.
"From watching Milord's previous race, she's a front-runner type—no different from Caraxes. The problem is, Caraxes is aggressive. Once she makes her move, no one can stop her."
"So that's why you entered Mi-chan in this race, Trainer-san?" Sunny asked.
Trainer smiled. "Of course. I want to see how much she's learned when facing someone of the same type."
Meanwhile, on the track, Milord looked stunned.
"Damn it! Where did she come from?! I didn't even realize she was right behind me!"
Milord fought hard to maintain her position. She forced herself to keep her focus forward.
"No! I can't let it affect me! I have to get away from—"
—'Whoosh!'
Before Milord could decide, the beast shot forward.
Their eyes met for a split second. Milord froze again. Her heart seemed to stop. Time slowed.
Wrapped in a dense, spreading aura, the creature uttered a single word for her.
"Weak."
"...?!"
["Woooah! Caraxes bursts from the outside! Two horse girls overtaken at once! Incredible! This is the power of the horse girl from North Sulawesi!"]
"Guaagh!"—Milord was thrown off balance by Caraxes' explosive surge. She nearly crashed into the rail.
With her long strides, Caraxes was already level with first place.
"Impossible!" Mayalosa gasped.
A sneer never left Caraxes' face. "Ahahaha! Weak! So weak!"
["Caraxes Nagari takes the lead! From the middle pack to the very front in an instant!"]
"Damn it!" Milord poured out more strength.
She began her chase at the Last Corner, drawing even with Kamaka Eclipse in third.
"Go, Mi-chaaan!"
"Run! Ruuun!"
"Milord-saaan!"
Amid the roaring sea of voices, Gavi, Salva, and Sunlight kept shouting encouragement.
Meanwhile, Argentine remained silent, watching the race unfold—especially the monster in first place. Her lips pressed tighter.
Whether it was instinct or not, Argentine felt something strange in her body the moment she accidentally met Caraxes' eyes.
"... Hee!"
"...!"
Argentine stiffened. Her grip on the iron railing tightened. She felt as though the monster had marked her.
["Last Corner cleared! The horse girls begin their assaults in the final sector!"]
As Caraxes ran wild, Milord gathered her strength. Her eyes scanned ahead, searching for a gap between Kamaka and Mayalosa, who were locked together.
She waited—until Mayalosa accelerated too much and drifted wide.
"Now!"
'Whooom!'
["From the outside, Milord surges forward, viewers! Passing Kamaka Eclipse! Mayalosa! Incredible! Second place! Milord is chasing Caraxes ahead!"]
"HEEEAAAH!"
"Just a little more, Mi-chaaan!"
"Fasteeer!"
["Uncatchable! Caraxes is uncatchable! Three lengths! Four lengths! Five lengths! Caraxes is going wild! She's going wild, viewers!"]
"Damn it! Damn you!" Milord cursed.
Thick black mist churned around her. The invincible form of absolute power.
A crushing dominance that left her behind.
Even the small figure desperately pouring everything she had—just to close the gap by even a single centimeter—was left in its wake.
Amid the thunderous cheers of the crowd, the Black Dragon displayed her tyranny.
["Finiiiish! A decisive victory for Caraxes Nagariii!"]
—
𓃗 𓃗 𓃗
[POV: Milord]
—
["Finish! Caraxes finishes first! First place goes to Caraxes Nagari! Second Milord, and Mayalosa in third!"]
The crowd's roar echoed everywhere, piercing my tense ears.
My blood still raged. I couldn't control my ragged breathing.
My face wouldn't lift. My hair hung down, drenched in sweat. My eyes stayed wide, unable to believe what just happened.
"I… lost?"
That reality dragged me back to moments ago—to her pulling farther and farther away.
I swear I gave it everything. With what I had left in the Last Spurt, I was sure my speed could still reach her.
But—
My eyes shifted to the tote board.
It showed a reality that boiled my heart.
"Seven… lengths?!"
No way! Impossible!
What the hell is this?! There's no way I fell that far behind!
["Incredible! What an intense race! The winner of the Beginner Class C/D, Triple Crown Series-1 this time is Caraxeees—!"]
"Nagariiii!!!"
Tch! I'm seriously disgusted!
That girl—she's not even out of breath.
Just how much stamina does that bastard have?!
I'm sure she could've blasted off from the start. So why did she choose to stay in the back?
No—almost a third of the race, she stayed tucked behind me on the inside.
She didn't move at all. Too calm. That's why I didn't notice.
Could it be…?!
As if realizing I'd been staring at her, she turned toward me.
That same sneer she'd shown since the starting gate.
"...!"
That bastard—!
She did it on purpose! She deliberately tailed me! She locked my inside line on purpose! She forced me into the middle pack! That burst nearly took me down!
And then—
"Hehe! Hehehe! Ahahahaha! Ahahahahahaha!"
Her laughter echoed—satisfied, as if she had crushed me completely.
And I could only stand there in silence, my teeth grinding as I held back my rage.
"You—! BASTARD!"
※ ※ ※ (Chapter 04) ※ ※ ※