Spectators gradually entered the racecourse. Shirayuki, Grass Wonder, El Condor Pasa, Silence Suzuka, and Special Week's teammates Happy Meek and Seiun Sky gathered beside Kiryuin Aoi.
"So many people."
Seeing the group that had come to cheer for Special Week, Kiryuin Aoi showed a surprised expression. Her originally slightly quiet team instantly became much livelier.
"Everyone here is my friend."
Special Week smiled brightly. With so many people beside her, she felt much more confident.
After sending Special Week to the competitors' passageway, everyone said goodbye to her.
"Shirayuki."
Before leaving, Special Week called out to Shirayuki. Her purple eyes carried a slight trace of worry.
"Actually, I'm still a little nervous. After all, I have to race against a lot of strong people. So... can you give me courage?"
Hearing Special Week's words, Shirayuki blinked in confusion.
Give her courage...
Did that mean she should encourage Spe-chan? But the meaning behind her words did not quite sound like that.
After thinking briefly, Shirayuki soon realized something. She walked over and stretched out her arms, tightly embracing Spe-chan.
This was the hug Spe-chan had once given her. It contained encouragement and comfort that words could never fully provide.
"Run with all your strength, Spe-chan."
Special Week closed her eyes and quietly felt the heartbeat coming from Shirayuki's body. Then she took a deep breath.
"I'm going now, Shirayuki. Watch me win!"
"Mm."
After returning to the spectator seats, Silence Suzuka looked curiously at Shirayuki, who had just come back, and asked where she had gone.
"I gave Spe-chan some encouragement. She was a little nervous."
"Spe-chan? Is she all right?"
"She felt much better after a hug."
"A hug?"
"That's right. Spe-chan likes hugging people when she's nervous or happy. I've been hugged by her before too. Suzuka-senpai should know, right?"
"It has happened before..."
Back then, she had been pushed to the ground and tightly hugged by an overly happy Special Week.
So that was it. Now it was Shirayuki's turn?
Unexpectedly, Silence Suzuka did not feel jealous. Once she had decided to walk forward together with Special Week and Shirayuki, Shirayuki had become someone with the same weight in her heart as Spe-chan.
She bent down and expressed her thanks to Shirayuki.
"Thank you, Shirayuki. Spe-chan's condition should be much better now."
Her mood was definitely in perfect condition.
"That's only natural. If Suzuka-senpai ever gets nervous, we can hold a hugging ceremony too."
"In that case, I'd hope both of you would hug me."
"No problem."
Everyone stood in the spectator seats, waiting for the race to begin.
El Condor Pasa was excitedly talking nonstop to Grass Wonder beside her. Seiun Sky looked relaxed, as if she had not fully woken up. Happy Meek was somewhat similar to her, always wearing an expressionless poker face.
However, her true thoughts might not necessarily be like that. Perhaps she was worried about Spe-chan too, Shirayuki thought.
At that moment, a butterfly flew past her eyes. Happy Meek slightly opened her mouth, her eyes following the butterfly.
Probably...
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Tokyo Racecourse!"
The announcer's voice resounded through the venue. She enthusiastically read out the opening lines.
"The course is sixteen hundred metres! The GIII graded race, the Saudi Arabia Royal Cup, is about to begin! First, please welcome our number one favourite, Special Week—!!"
"Ooooooh!!"
The atmosphere in the racecourse instantly became lively. People cheered loudly as the brown-haired girl walked onto the stage.
"Oh my, Spe-chan is out."
Grass Wonder smiled. Although she usually clashed with Special Week, whenever the matter had nothing to do with Shirayuki, her compatibility with Special Week was actually quite high. Especially when it came to racing, Grass Wonder was one of Special Week's firm supporters.
"Number one favourite. Looks like everyone recognizes Spe-chan's ability."
Shirayuki nodded inwardly. On the stage, Special Week looked over from afar and happily waved her hand.
Her lively and cheerful image was probably also one of the reasons everyone liked her.
"Next, please welcome our number two favourite, Skillful Beret!"
An Uma Musume with grey hair and an eye patch walked onto the stage.
"By the way, Trainer Kiryuin, did you arrange a strategy for Spe-chan?"
During the introductions, Shirayuki instinctively asked. Seeing who had asked the question, Kiryuin Aoi froze for a moment. For an instant, she almost thought Chiya had come over.
"I didn't create an overly detailed running plan. I only told her to remember the timing for acceleration. Four hundred metres before the finish line. With Spe-chan's stamina, she should be able to handle that distance."
"I see..."
"Spe-chan probably wouldn't remember an overly complicated strategy."
"That's true."
For Uma Musume who had only just entered graded races, simply knowing when to accelerate was already enough. Tactics like Shirayuki and Chiya's, where they directly determined an entire race flow, basically did not exist. Most of the opponents they encountered were also around that level.
It seemed the decision-making power for this race was entirely in Spe-chan's hands.
Shirayuki narrowed her eyes and looked at the racecourse.
After the warm-up ended, Special Week entered the gate and took her starting stance. With a loud clang, the gate opened, and the Uma Musume rushed out one after another. Special Week's start was a little slow, and she fell behind.
"As expected, is that big stomach making her unable to run...?"
Grass Wonder frowned.
"It's fine if her start is slow. Spe-chan runs as a closer."
Shirayuki immediately spoke. If things really did not work out, Spe-chan could also run as a late charger. Shirayuki, who often trained with her, knew this better than anyone. Spe-chan was an Uma Musume with a slow start but strong finishing power. Once her body warmed up, her speed would rise.
Sure enough, after passing the second corner, Special Week's condition improved. Her steps became increasingly steady, and her speed gradually increased.
"Move, move!"
Suddenly, a grey-haired Uma Musume shouted and ran past Spe-chan, even bumping her along the way. Special Week shifted sideways and slid two steps.
"Spe-chan!"
Silence Suzuka nervously clenched her fists.
"It's fine. It won't affect her."
Shirayuki stared at the racecourse. She saw Special Week briefly fall into panic before quickly recovering. Spe-chan's gaze had not wavered.
Don't think about anything.
Maintain your own rhythm.
Even if someone overtakes you, don't panic.
Watch your position, wait for the chance, and then...
Believe in yourself.
Soon, the race entered the final corner. The Uma Musume at the front gradually lost stamina. The lead runner, Skillful Beret, was still accelerating. Kiryuin Aoi let out a worried voice.
"The first-place Uma Musume is almost out of stamina. Her mid-race acceleration has already disrupted her rhythm. Looking at her steps, they've started to hesitate. She may lose speed around two hundred metres before the finish line. That will be Spe-chan's chance!"
Shirayuki quickly analyzed the race.
She had never felt her mind this clear before. A situation that she would not have been able to read at all in the past was now something she could unravel.
It seemed that the method she and Chiya had been using recently, learning together with both minds, really was effective. Her ability as a trainer had risen significantly.
Kiryuin Aoi widened her eyes and looked at Shirayuki beside her, who had just spoken with such professional terminology. For an instant, she once again had the illusion that Chiya was beside her. It felt like she had returned to their university days, when the two of them went to watch races together. Chiya would watch the race while analyzing the situation. Although his analysis had not been accurate back then, he had always enjoyed it.
Just as Shirayuki said, two hundred metres before the finish line, Skillful Beret's speed began to drop sharply. Special Week did not miss that opportunity. She accelerated from the rear, overtook her opponent in one move, and finally won the race by half a length.