During his journey across the American continent, Fujimaru Ritsuka had encountered several highly respected Uma Musume and engaged in deep, friendly exchanges with them. Lady Halo was one of them.
To put it in slightly grander terms, she had practically built her own faction in the racing world, having raised many outstanding successors and family members through her guidance and focused cultivation. In short, she was a titan of the industry.
Halo had once invited Fujimaru Ritsuka to join her camp and train newcomers for her, but at the time, Ritsuka was still in the middle of his world tour and hadn't accepted right away.
However, he hadn't exactly refused, either. After all, the communication technology in this world was remarkably advanced—almost "black tech" levels. He could easily interact with the girls through remote communication, guiding their training or acting as a sounding board to offer whatever advice he could.
There was another important reason: it was through Halo's introduction that he had met the legendary Uma Musume "Fighter" and "Secretariat," leading to a conversation that might very well change the course of the sport. Fujimaru Ritsuka naturally wouldn't forget the debt of gratitude he owed for her recommendation.
He just hadn't expected her to call him immediately after he replied to her message.
There wasn't much of a special occasion this time; Lady Halo simply wanted to inform him that various countries and regions were eager for further exchange, so the establishment of the international exchange race system was proceeding smoothly.
Then, Halo let out a light laugh. "This year's Classic Triple Crown series has concluded. The new generation of Uma Musume are quite active, and several brilliant talents have emerged, though unfortunately, we still haven't seen a new Triple Crown winner. If you were to come to America, Ritsuka-kun, perhaps you could end this nearly twenty-year drought. Didn't you say 'Star' was a remarkable child? If it's you and her, you might just be able to continue Secretariat's legend..."
Before she could finish, the sound of light footsteps came from off-screen. Moments later, a pink-haired Uma Musume wrapped her arms around Halo's neck from behind, calling out affectionately, "Halo-senpai! You... oh? Isn't this Trainer-san! It's been so long!"
The girl's voice was bright and filled with excitement. Her ears twitched and stood straight up; she looked genuinely thrilled.
If Halo hadn't glanced toward the edge of the screen several times while speaking, Fujimaru Ritsuka might have believed it was a coincidence. He didn't call her out, however, simply greeting her with: "Has it really been that long? We spoke on the phone just last week to confirm your training schedule. Are you getting forgetful in your old age?"
After the banter, Ritsuka formally greeted Goodbye Halo.
Goodbye Halo was also a Newcomer year Uma Musume and had already won her debut race. Coming from a prestigious lineage, she didn't face the same struggles as Oguri Cap. Consequently, Ritsuka had already drafted a plan for her to set her sights directly on a GI championship.
In Ritsuka's eyes, Goodbye Halo possessed all the qualities of an elite Uma Musume. With proper training, winning two GI titles this year would be no problem at all. By next year, she could even challenge for the Triple Tiara.
Halo chimed in, "Ritsuka-kun, starting next year, Japan will establish the Fukuryu Stakes—it's the 'Golden Key' to the Kentucky Derby. Perhaps you'll meet in the American Twinkle Series. You mentioned finding a good prospect in Japan, didn't you? Why not come to America and see what high-level racing is really like?"
In this era, the overall and average strength of Japanese Uma Musume was inferior to those in Europe and America. The Japan Cup was essentially a "piggy bank" for various foreign runners. Thus, Halo could make such a joke—and make it with pride.
It was an undeniable fact.
If it hadn't been for the sudden rise of Katsuragi Ace, followed by Symboli Rudolf's triumph over the foreign titans, the Japan Cup would have belonged entirely to international runners.
As for this year... to be honest, Ritsuka wasn't optimistic about the Japanese side's performance in the Japan Cup, either. He had two Uma Musume friends who were planning to visit. If things went as expected...
He could only wish the Japanese runners good luck. After all, he was a pragmatist.
After some more conversation, Goodbye Halo reluctantly said her goodbyes. Ritsuka, multi-tasking as always, finished drafting an email to "Glory." He didn't forget to add "Vive la France!" at the end. He believed the petite French girl would bring victory after victory to her country.
As the saying goes, only short people, foreigners, and women can bring victory to France. Ritsuka figured it was best to follow local customs.
Next was the request from Trainer Komiyama.
The girl's words were thick with a heavy sense of guilt, but she was at her wit's end. She wanted to ask this "Fujimaru-kun," who held a "legendary reputation" among their classmates, for an idea.
This month (May), the Nishikino Ranch where Tamamo Cross lived had been hit by a crisis. It was on the brink of bankruptcy, and the ranch owner, "Uncle Nishikino," had been hospitalized with an illness. They couldn't even afford the medical bills.
Tamamo Cross, who had finally managed to win an Unraced/Maiden match just last month in April, wanted to help. But she was dirt-poor herself and could only pin her hopes on race prize money. Unexpectedly, she had been involved in an accident on the track and was currently injured...
It was the definition of "it never rains, but it pours."
Fujimaru Ritsuka was the type of person who would draw his sword to help a stranger on the road, let alone when faced with a life-or-death crisis involving someone he knew. Without a second thought, he lent the money. He then inquired about Tamamo Cross's current situation. Upon hearing that "Tama-chan is stable and will be back on the track soon," Ritsuka instead offered a word of caution to Trainer Komiyama. He was worried about Tamamo Cross's mental state and urged the girl to keep a close eye on her and have frequent, heart-to-heart talks.
Only after finishing all of this did Ritsuka finally conclude his workday.
The next morning, Ritsuka continued to accompany Oguri Cap for her morning practice. He ran into the "Troublemaker Trio" in the cafeteria again. Perhaps because Norn Ace had lost to Oguri in the test, they were significantly more subdued this time.
Ritsuka didn't dwell on the girls' previous misunderstandings of Oguri. Instead, he encouraged Oguri to build a good relationship with them. In their brief time together, Ritsuka felt that they weren't bad at heart—they just needed the right guidance. And Oguri Cap, who was aiming for the Japanese Derby, was the perfect candidate for the job.
After all, an Uma Musume was both an athlete and an idol. A deeply beloved idol had the power to influence a person's actions and mindset. Fans often treated their idol's words as gospel and would do anything to defend those they admired.
Ritsuka hoped that Oguri Cap would become an idol who guided people toward kindness. And weren't these three right in front of him the perfect first subjects for her influence?
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