Celebrating Oguri Cap's first away victory? Haha, now that was an interesting turn of events.
Eplano: So, love really does just disappear, doesn't it, Maruzen-senpai?
Of course, Eplano didn't dare say it out loud. Even if the words were on the tip of her tongue, she would swallow them without hesitation.
This was Maruzensky, after all. Even setting aside her status as the Vice President of the Student Council, she was a senior in the family bloodline. If she wanted to say something, she said it; as a junior, Eplano's job was simply to listen and obey.
Perhaps this big shot from the Central Racing Association had taken a liking to Fujimaru Ritsuka and Oguri Cap and wanted to bring them to the Central circuit?
Eplano felt her cheeks flush for some reason, a complex swirl of emotions rising in her chest.
Even though Ohi Racecourse was located in Tokyo, and its conditions were better than other regional tracks, a regional circuit was still a regional circuit. It could never be integrated into Central. They were two different worlds.
Maruzensky patted Eplano's head as a small gesture of comfort.
With that, the three Uma Musume all turned their gaze toward Fujimaru Ritsuka.
Though Maruzensky's proposal had come out of nowhere, it carried an enthusiasm that was impossible for someone like Oguri Cap to refuse. Without a second thought, Oguri "defected" instantly. Of course, if Maruzensky were to say anything during the meal that upset Fujimaru Ritsuka, Oguri would firmly take his side. She wouldn't be bought off by such small favors!
Fujimaru Ritsuka met Maruzensky's gaze. Beyond the friendliness, those sapphire eyes seemed to hide something else... a blend of curiosity, a bit of probing, and perhaps a deeper, more far-reaching intention.
Without a moment's hesitation, he nodded with a smile. "Then I shall gladly accept your invitation, Miss Maruzensky."
Since his companion was an Uma Musume, there was no chance of this being some kind of "sugar-coated bullet" trap. In that case, they might as well enjoy themselves.
Maruzensky's smile grew even sweeter. As she turned, her skirt flared in an elegant arc through the air.
An hour later, in a buffet restaurant that had been fully booked for their private use.
The dazzling array of delicacies made Oguri Cap salivate constantly; she was almost at her breaking point. But "almost" was the keyword—she wouldn't cross the line. This was someone else's treat, so she had to wait for the host to speak first.
While Symboli Rudolf might have focused on Oguri Cap, Maruzensky was far more interested in Fujimaru Ritsuka. She skipped the pleasantries and gave Oguri a "mission": "If you find any food you particularly like, you must share it with us, okay?~"
Furthermore, Maruzensky arranged for Eplano to "keep watch," preventing Oguri from simply hauling over an entire mountain of food at once.
Seeing Oguri immersed in the joy of the feast, Fujimaru Ritsuka spoke up: "I wonder if Miss Maruzensky has any advice for me?"
He could tell she had something to say; this wasn't just a simple victory celebration for Oguri. She had only met Oguri a handful of times; no matter how much she might admire a new talent, she wouldn't go to these lengths just for that.
"..." Maruzensky blinked. Compared to the work she had been assigned, she actually wanted to chat about more romantic or lighthearted things. It was rare to find someone who could keep up with her "dead slang," something even Symboli Rudolf couldn't do. Especially when that someone was a trainer who looked quite young but exuded mystery at every turn.
The girl smiled slightly and invited Fujimaru Ritsuka to sit. "Personally, I'm quite fond of the 'table social' culture here."
Despite saying that, Maruzensky went straight to the point: "Forgive my bluntness, Fujimaru-kun, but do you know about 'Domains'?"
Maruzensky was certain that when they first met, Fujimaru Ritsuka knew nothing about such things.
Back then, he had no background, wasn't even a trainer, and looked at Uma Musume with an expression of pure curiosity—as if he were seeing such unique beings for the very first time.
But Uma Musume had been integrated into human society since ancient times. They had left their mark on every great ancient civilization. Could Fujimaru Ritsuka be someone who had traveled from an even more distant era? That was obviously impossible.
Therefore, no matter how she looked at it, he shouldn't have known about the existence of Domains.
Yet last year, while he was wandering across the European continent, an obscure Uma Musume from France surpassed those from Britain and Ireland to snatch a G1 crown.
On that day, the warm autumn sun cast a dazzling brilliance, and white feathers falling from the sky added a dreamlike luster to the victory. It looked as if the Goddess herself were creating momentum for the British Uma Musume!
However, the crown of the Middle Park Stakes fell into the hands of Le Glorieux.
This year, Le Glorieux became even more formidable. She boldly launched expeditions to Britain and the United States, seizing G1 titles and dominating two continents!
She even went as far as to declare that she would come to Japan to take the Japan Cup!
Although the Japan Cup had been repeatedly trampled by foreign Uma Musume since its inception, first Katsuragi Ace rose as a dark horse, and then Symboli Rudolf displayed his kingly prestige. These two had fully demonstrated the strength of Japanese Uma Musume, successfully curbing the "invasion" of foreign racers and boosting domestic morale.
How did this Le Glorieux dare to pop the champagne so early? Even if she could conquer the turf of Britain and America, she wouldn't necessarily adapt to the turf in Japan.
Perhaps it was because she had awakened her "Domain" early on.
It wasn't until Le Glorieux went to the US and performed another miracle that the British Uma Musume realized they had been played. The strange phenomenon at the Middle Park Stakes wasn't the Goddess's blessing at all—it was the expansion of Le Glorieux's Domain!
But then again, just because Fujimaru Ritsuka went to Europe and a French Uma Musume happened to win a British race, wasn't it a bit rash to assume he was involved?
If there were no evidence, it wouldn't just be rash—it would be pure fantasy. But they did have evidence. Nijinsky had seen Le Glorieux and Fujimaru Ritsuka celebrating the victory together and had even taken a photo. At the time, a pink-haired young Uma Musume was also in the frame.
And this year, that pink-haired girl officially debuted. She had already set her sights on the Futurity Stakes in Britain, causing much resentment among British Uma Musume, who were preparing to "elbow" her hard during the race.
So, who was this pink-haired Uma Musume? Her name was Trêve, and she had a senior in her bloodline named Montjeu.
Then the question arose: given that only Le Glorieux had displayed a Domain, was it too impulsive to assume Fujimaru Ritsuka was closely related to its awakening?
Actually, it wasn't. Because Nijinsky had found more evidence. Only this time, the evidence wasn't with a stranger, but with a British Uma Musume.
Mtoto's racing record had been lackluster—an incredibly awkward one win in seven starts, and that sole victory was in a Maiden race. To put it bluntly, as an Uma Musume, she was a failure.
But this year, upon entering her senior years, she suddenly swept away her slump. She immediately won the Brigadier Gerard Stakes and began a winning streak so effortless it felt like she was using a "cheat."
In a sense, she was. She had opened a Domain.
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Musume: Oguri Cap Grand Order (80 Chapters – Ongoing)
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