𓃗 𓃗 𓃗
[POV: Gavi]
["The fanfare has sounded! The horse girls are preparing to enter their respective gates!"]
"Well then, I'll go in first, Gavi. Even if our gates are right next to each other."
"Yeah."
I watched Milord-san walk away, yet my body still refused to move. My eyes drifted across the surroundings; the other horse girls were calmly stepping into their gates as well.
It had been a long time since I last raced. The nervousness I felt now was exactly the same as when I made my debut. I couldn't calm myself—an unexplainable chill crept through my body. Before I realized it, I was hugging myself as if to fight it off.
I hate this feeling.
Come on, Gavi! This isn't your first race!
Don't disappoint the people who have been waiting so long for you!
And don't betray Aru's feelings either!
"Is something wrong? Are you feeling alright?"
An official approached, probably worried by the way I was acting.
I forced myself to steady my breathing. The last thing I wanted was to be pulled out of the race because of my anxiety.
"No. I'm fine."
"If that's the case, please go ahead. You're the last one."
"Understood."
I started walking forward. Each step felt heavier than the last. My body slowly stiffened, and even after I stepped into the gate and the rear door was locked behind me, the cold sensation refused to leave.
["Alright, viewers! All twelve horse girls have now entered the gates! Who will emerge as the victor?!"]
Cheers erupted from every direction. If anything, it only made the uneasiness worse.
"Are you okay?"
"... Yeah. I'm fine, Milord-san."
["The green flag is up! The racers are focusing—!"]
—'BANG!'
Before I even realized it, my body had slammed through the gate door. For a brief moment, I was running alone—until the reality of what I'd just done finally hit me.
—
𓃗 𓃗 𓃗
[POV: 3]
—
["Oh! What just happened, viewers?! Princess Gavi suddenly rushed out before the gate even opened!"]
Gavi panted softly, staring down at her trembling legs. Her ears twitched as the murmurs of the crowd spread through the stadium, everyone talking among themselves about what she had just done.
Slowly, Gavi lifted her gaze toward the audience.
Her eyes widened instantly.
An entire sea of eyes was staring straight at her.
"What just happened?"
"Princess Gavi suddenly jumped out!"
"Was she too excited?"
"She looks nervous."
"What's wrong with her?"
Questions flew from every direction, overlapping one another. Unable to endure their gazes any longer, Gavi looked away.
["For participant No.1, Princess Gavi! A first warning has been issued! Please return and enter the gate!"]
"...Yes," she replied softly.
Hearing the order from the Race Director, Gavi slowly walked back toward the gate. Her head remained lowered. She didn't want to look at anyone. Silently, she stepped back inside the gate.
"Your sister really doesn't look calm, Thalassa," Sunny remarked.
"...Ya. A heavy burden on the mind, combined with a strong sense of responsibility, can easily give rise to overwhelming anxiety."
Thalassa glanced at the man beside her.
"It seems you already expected this to happen, Trainer-san. You don't look very surprised."
"Of course. After seeing the results of the drawing that day, she immediately lost her composure. From the beginning, Gavi had been preparing for the strong possibility of facing Caraxes. She trained incredibly hard for that. Pushing herself constantly to the very edge. Unfortunately… everything changed."
"She should focus on her own race. But saying that now would only weigh on her even more," Thalassa continued.
"That's true. People push themselves the hardest when they have a goal they want to reach. But when that goal suddenly disappears… they're left feeling empty. It's not easy to force yourself to find a new purpose. And besides..."
The Trainer's gaze shifted toward the black-haired horse girl beside Thalassa. She had been silently watching the entire time, worry written clearly across her face as she observed her sister.
The Trainer let out a quiet sigh before continuing.
"I just hope everything turns out alright."
["Alright! Let's try that again! Race 6, Rookie C/D 1000 meters, Triple Crown Series 2! All participants, focus!"]
The announcer's warning echoed across the track.
Milord briefly glanced at the girl standing in the gate beside him.
Gavi was staring straight ahead with sharp focus. Even so, her face had grown pale, and cold sweat slowly trickled down.
Milord immediately turned his gaze away, refusing to let himself be distracted by Gavi any further.
He needed to focus.
He was racing too.
There were no allies or friends here.
On the track, everyone was an opponent.
All of his strength gathered in his lead legs. With a sharp gaze, Milord prepared to burst forward with everything he had.
The alarm screamed.
The gate doors snapped open.
["STAAART!"]
'BOOOM!'
All the racers shot forward like bullets. The leading position was fiercely contested as three horse girls immediately clashed in a duel for first place.
"Ga—Gavi-chan!" Salva suddenly noticed something was wrong.
["What's happening?! Princess Gavi is currently in last place! She was late off the start!"]
"W-Why was Gavi-chan late? Didn't she have great starts during training?" Salva asked in confusion.
"Gavi already received her first warning. So she tried to be careful not to violate the rules again. Maybe that's why she deliberately held herself back a little," the Trainer explained.
"The problem is that Gavi-chan started way too late. And her anxiety still hasn't gone away. She's completely thrown off right now," Sunny added.
Meanwhile, Thalassa calmly observed from beside them.
"In a short-distance race, even the slightest delay is devastating. One moment of hesitation, and the gap becomes enormous." Her eyes sharpened as she continued, "But I want to see something… Can Gavi break free from a situation like this? It's not too late if she acts quickly."
Hearing that, Argentine began to grow uneasy. She looked visibly anxious as she saw how unfavorable her sister's position had become.
"Don't lose focus, Gavi! With your strength, you can do this!" she shouted.
["Kamaka Eclipse takes the lead! Right behind her are Lady Glory and Prince Istana! Meanwhile, Milord is lurking in fourth place!"]
"Fourth place, huh? Not bad for a start. I'm about five lengths behind the three of them. Kamaka at the front is strong too. But—"
'Woosh!'
—"you two behind me are leaving far too many openings!"
["Here it is, viewers! Milord bursts forward before entering the first corner! Prince Istana is dropping back! Milord takes third place!"]
Sensing the sudden movement from behind, Kamaka glanced sideways.
The first corner was approaching fast.
But Lady Glory had already locked down the inside line. Forcing his way into the turn would be dangerous. A collision could easily happen.
Kamaka began to slow down slightly before entering the corner.
He allowed Lady Glory to take the lead.
The racers surge into the first corner.
["Into the first corner! Milord is closing in on Kamaka Eclipse! The two are battling for second place! The fight is heating up, viewers!"]
Milord dives sharply into the turn, and Kamaka follows just as aggressively. The tight Tegalwaton Corner forces every racer passing through to push their limits.
The first obstacle is cleared.
Ahead lies the first long straight.
Seeing that her opponent is quite skilled, Milord decides to confront her.
"Yo, Kamaka!"
Milord calls out as they run side by side. Kamaka only responds with a sideways glance.
"I don't know what you're planning. Honestly, I don't care why you're willing to conspire with Caraxes. But there's one thing you should remember."
"...?"
Milord had been looking straight ahead, but something about her gaze suddenly feels strange to Kamaka. She waits for Milord to continue.
Then, suddenly—
Milord's eyes shift sharply toward her.
"...I'll crush you—if you hurt them too."
"...!"
Milord says it calmly.
Yet it is precisely that calmness that makes the hairs on the back of Kamaka's neck stand on end.
The sharp intensity in Milord's eyes freezes her in place. As if hypnotized by the chilling sensation creeping through her spine, Kamaka doesn't even realize that Milord has already moved ahead.
["What's happening, viewers?! Kamaka just let Milord pass! Milord is accelerating! Lady Glory is in danger! Lady Glory is under threat on the long straight!"]
"This is the perfect moment to attack. Within the next 1000 meters, they'll only pass the long straight once," the Trainer explains.
"Plus, Mi-chan has explosive acceleration as a typical Front Runner. Once she breaks away, it'll be hard for anyone to catch her," Sunny adds.
Up ahead, Lady Glory—now being pressured by Milord—begins to falter. Her eyes keep darting backward, anxious about holding her position.
Eventually, her concentration breaks.
An opening appears.
Milord wastes no time.
'Woosh!'
With a smooth burst, Milord overtakes her and takes the lead.
["Milord takes the lead! Incredible! Despite her small frame, she passes her opponents with ease!"]
"I'm not small, you idiot!" Milord snaps in protest.
Right after that, the eyes of every spectator suddenly focus on a single point.
Someone is running unbelievably fast—bursting forward from the very back of the pack, weaving through gaps between the other horse girls.
Salva's eyes widen. "Huh? Isn't that...?"
Chestnut tail hair flutters behind her. Her body leans forward. Her strides are sharp and far-reaching.
Across the long, unforgiving track, one horse girl is desperately pouring every ounce of strength into catching up.
["Woah! What's happening?! From the inside lane! Crawling up from the depths! Princess Gavi is surging forward, viewers!"]
"I..." Gavi plants her foot firmly, gathering all her strength to drive herself forward. "I can't lose here!"
'Boom!'
["Princess Gavi accelerates again! She overtakes one racer! Two! Three! Four! Wow! What did we just witness?! She's passed seven competitors! There it is—the incredible speed of the Princess!"]
A thunderous roar erupts from the crowd.
Almost the entire sea of spectators shouts her name, cheering with all their might for the Princess and her desperate charge.
"GEEEAAAH!"
["Princess Gavi has surged up to third place! She's now threatening Lady Glory and Milord as they approach the second corner!"]
Meanwhile, up ahead, Milord is stunned by what her teammate has just done.
"This can't be real, right?! How much stamina does that girl even have?! She's almost on Noel-senpai's level! I need to get out of here fast!"
["Not wanting Gavi to catch up, Milord tries to widen the gap! She's increasing her speed!"]
"Gavi's speed is extraordinary. And her strength lies in exploding during the final third of the race," the Trainer says.
"Your little sister is incredible, Thalassa. She has great potential to succeed you."
"Yes. She has both speed and power. And she only just recovered from her injury. It's astonishing that she managed to chase this far after such a delayed start."
Thalassa pauses.
"But..."
"I'm entering the second corner. I can still hold my position. Now I just need to accelerate past Lady Glory. After that, I'll chase Mil—"
—'Cragh!'
"...Huh?"
Just as Gavi prepares to overtake Lady Glory, she suddenly feels something in her leg.
"...No...way..."
A sharp pain shoots through it. Her body staggers, unable to maintain balance.
From the front stands, the girl who had predicted this speaks again.
"She underestimated the brutality of Tegalwaton," Thalassa continues.
'Crash!'
Gavi scrapes against the inner rail as she enters the turn. Fortunately, she manages to steady herself.
["Oh! What just happened?! Princess Gavi lost her balance! She hit the rail!"]
She tries to return to the racing line—
But from the outside, Kamaka immediately closes the gap Gavi left behind.
As a result, Gavi is forced to slow down. She falls away from the battle.
["Princess Gavi suddenly slows down! The other racers are catching up! No resistance! The Princess is losing momentum!"]
Hearing what happened to Gavi, Milord grows briefly worried.
She glances back for a moment—then focuses forward again.
["Meanwhile, Milord continues pulling away at the front! The short straight is cleared—they're entering the Last Corner! No one can catch her! No one can reach her! Milord is ten lengths ahead!"]
Behind them, the girl who had been fighting so desperately now shows a face filled with frustration.
"Why?! I was so close to catching them! Why?! Why now—damn it, you stupid leg?!"
That is Gavi's silent scream.
She keeps cursing the leg that betrayed her.
The crushing disappointment—from before the race until this very moment—swirls endlessly in her mind and heart.
Reality finally forces its way in. This time, there is nothing she can do.
From the front row of the stands, the black-haired girl finally realizes what is happening to her sister.
She tries to shout her name—
But her voice is swallowed instantly by the roaring crowd behind her, all cheering for the racer in the lead.
"Go, Milord!"
"MILOOORD!"
"Just a little more, Milord! Go!!"
Argentine glanced back. She realized how quickly the crowd had changed. Those who had been cheering for Gavi earlier had now shifted, shouting Milord's name instead.
Beside her, the Trainer spoke calmly to Thalassa. "Your lil' sister's race is already over."
"…Yes. It was predictable she'd finish seventh or lower."
"So, what are you going to do, Thalassa?" Sunny asked.
"I'll meet Father after this."
Hearing that answer, Argentine's eyes widened. Her heart seemed to stop as she slowly turned toward Thalassa.
"This will be a record for Gavi. It will determine whether she can still continue to the Indonesia Derby," Thalassa continued.
"I see. Very well, I'll leave it to you," the Trainer replied.
—
𓃗 𓃗 𓃗
[POV: Gavi]
—
Pain.
That was all I could feel right now.
My entire body felt shattered. The pain in my right leg kept getting worse. Even my breathing had begun to fall out of rhythm.
Honestly, I could still endure most of it.
But there was one thing I couldn't handle.
My heart.
A crushing weight filled my chest. After everything I had gone through just to race again… it had all come to nothing.
It wasn't anyone else's fault.
I was the one who destroyed it.
That was why I cursed myself.
I had truly disappointed everyone who supported me.
"Aru… I'm sorry…"
That was the only sentence that escaped in a whisper.
["Last spurt, viewers! Milord is in the lead with Symphony Pararaja right behind! Milord! Symphony Pararaja! Milord! Symphony Pararaja! And Putra Barbara is charging from behind at incredible speed!"]
"Geeeaaah!"
I forced myself one last time—but once again, my legs refused to obey.
["Finiiish! Milord wins the race!"]
Slowly, my speed began to drop.
There was no point in running anymore.
I crossed the finish line quietly, carrying the storm of pain raging inside my heart.
It was over.
I had truly failed.
—
𓃗 𓃗 𓃗
[POV: 3]
—
The sky began to turn gray.
The sun hid behind the clouds as if in shame.
It was the complete opposite of the earth below. The Tegalwaton racecourse thundered with the roar of the crowd. Cheers filled every corner of the grandstand.
The race had ended.
Yet the adrenaline still lingered in the air.
However, among the exhausted horse girls, one of them sat alone behind the others. She clutched her right leg, groaning softly as she endured the intense pain.
["First place goes to Milord! Second, Putra Barbara! Third, Symphony Pararaja!"]
"Princess Gavi finished seventh?"
"That's a joke, right?"
"But she was so fast earlier."
Those were the voices Gavi heard.
She didn't want to do it, but for some reason… her face slowly turned toward the grandstand.
"…!"
Gavi's eyes widened.
A sea of disappointed gazes from the crowd was directed straight at her.
"I knew it. Her performance would drop after that injury."
"It'll be hard for her to match Thalassa now."
"At this rate, she might even miss the Indonesia Derby."
"She even lost badly to a newcomer."
"Seeing her like this, Argentine might actually be better."
"Milord was amazing too. I think I'll start supporting him."
"Me too!"
Gavi's lips trembled.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing—even though these were the same people who had supported her before the race began.
"…Stop… please, stop…"
Unable to bear the situation any longer, Gavi stood up and left the track. She ran toward the corridor, trying to hide her face so no one would see it.
"Gavi!"
Seeing that, Argentine leapt over the barrier. She chased after her sister and followed her into the corridor.
"Gavi!"
Argentine called out again.
Inside the lonely corridor, Gavi's steps slowly slowed… until they stopped. Her body still faced forward.
Seeing that she had stopped moving, Argentine walked closer.
But every echoing footstep only made Gavi's heart ache even more.
"No! Don't come closer!" —That was what her heart screamed.
Yet the words wouldn't come out.
Gavi kept her head lowered, unwilling to let Argentine see her face now that she stood right before her.
Silence.
There was no sound anymore.
Argentine watched her quietly.
Then, gently—
She embraced her sister.
For a moment, Gavi was startled.
Then her tears spilled uncontrollably. She buried her face in Argentine's chest. Her quiet sobs slowly grew louder, echoing through the corridor.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry."
"…You fought hard. So you don't need to apologize."
Still crying, Gavi returned Argentine's embrace.
The black-haired girl gently stroked her sister's head.
"No matter what happens, I'll always be by your side."
※ ※ ※ (Chapter — 10-C) ※ ※ ※