Chapter 111: This is an individual’s impression. Effects are not guaranteed.

April 1st—the day of the Spring Fan Thanksgiving Festival at Central Tracen Academy.

I, Mihono Bourbon, was granted a one-day cooldown period… a holiday, by my contracted trainer—Master.

For racing Uma Musume, especially those in the midst of full-scale development like those in the Classic class, time—every second, every instant—is a resource that must never be wasted, one used to cultivate oneself.

Train the body. Hone technique. Maintain the mind. Sharpen race instincts.

Through these processes, racing Uma Musume continuously improve ourselves so that we can win races even 0.1 seconds faster.

That is the greatest and highest-priority task of a racing Uma Musume.

We must follow our trainers’ instructions and repeat this task endlessly.

…However, irregularities exist in all things.

Among them, the greatest—without question—is the necessity of cooldowns within a training schedule.

An Uma Musume’s body is sturdier than that of a human, but it does not possess limitless stamina.

In fact, because racing Uma Musume exert themselves more intensely and expend greater energy, the cooldown periods they require may be more frequent and longer than those of human athletes.

Thus, between training sessions, a certain minimum amount of cooldown time to recover stamina is essential.

These cooldowns can broadly be divided into two types.

First are those intended to recover from short-term fatigue.

Breaks of about ten to twenty minutes, taken once every thirty minutes to two hours.

According to Master, temporarily ending training allows fatigue to be reduced while rebooting one’s mental state and lowering inflated running costs.

By doing so, the probability of accidents decreases, and diminished training efficiency can be restored.

The second type is for recovering from long-term fatigue: using an entire day as rest, about once or twice a week.

This serves as a measure to reset accumulated heavy fatigue, reduce accident risk, and above all, avoid shortening the lifespan of our legs… or so I have been told.

Of these two, what I was given that day was, naturally, the latter—the long-term cooldown.

More precisely, in consideration of the festival, Master adjusted my schedule so that a one-day holiday would coincide with this date.

Under normal circumstances, training would take priority over sightseeing at a festival, so I likely would have gone to perform self-training instead of attending the Thanksgiving Festival today…

However, when Master says, “Your physical condition is fully adjusted. Resting here is the most efficient option,” I have no choice but to agree with that logic.

My Master—Trainer Horino Ayumu—is a highly capable contracted trainer who once led Hoshino Wilm-senpai to an undefeated Triple Crown.

That Master, based on training data from the past several weeks, has judged that “today should be a rest day.”

If that is the case, then as an Uma Musume who follows her trainer, all I can do is accept the proposal.

And so, due to those circumstances, I suspended training and took the day off.

…However, what should I do?

On a normal day off, I would spend time in my dorm room reviewing race theory and running manuals, or entering rest mode to normalize my status…

But during the Fan Thanksgiving Festival, use of one’s dorm room is, in principle, prohibited. That will be difficult.

To begin with, the Thanksgiving Festival is an event where Uma Musume appeal directly to fans of the Twinkle Series.

Restricting dorm room usage is likely intended to prevent Uma Musume from shutting themselves away to rest, which would go against the festival’s original purpose.

That said, I estimate that this rule is not strictly enforced.

According to my roommate, Flower-san, while dorm room use is nominally prohibited, it is apparently tolerated.

During the Thanksgiving Festival, unlike usual, the academy infirmary must accommodate visitors from outside.

Additionally, visitors are allowed to enter the school buildings and grounds.

As a result, there are no places left for unwell Uma Musume to rest other than their own rooms.

Thus, even if the administration wished to enforce the rule strictly, they cannot—placing them in a difficult position.

…However, even if it is effectively usable, there is no need to deliberately violate something that is prohibited in principle.

Therefore, it is best to assume that using Ritto Dormitory will be impossible until the festival ends.

That said, I cannot think of any other place where one could sit down to read quietly or get sufficient rest.

During the Thanksgiving Festival, fans enter nearly every location except the dorms. Anywhere outside my room, I would likely be seen by fans.

If that happens, it is easy to imagine that many eyes would turn toward me, or that I would be spoken to.

It would be better to recognize in advance that fully resting both mind and body will be difficult.

Based on all of the above, I concluded that “Operation: Rest” would be difficult to execute.

I was pondering how to spend the day of the festival, when—

"Bourbon-san! If you have no plans, would you like to tour the festival together with this class president!?"

…I received an invitation from an unexpected person.

Sakura Bakushin O.

A self-proclaimed “Bakushin-style” class president, with beautiful chestnut-colored hair.

She is an Uma Musume of the same generation as me—and a rival.

Like me, she favors a front-running style, and in the recent Spring Stakes, we contested the lead. She was an opponent I managed to defeat using the “First Move, Certain Victory” skill taught to me by Master.

At present, she does not appear to be an overwhelmingly powerful Uma Musume, but according to Master, “She hasn’t bloomed yet, but as a sprinter, she has outstanding talent.”

…At the same time, he also said that she lacks aptitude for middle and long distances to such an extent that there is little need to be wary of her in the Triple Crown races.

I have interacted with her frequently for some time now, and though it has never been explicitly defined, I infer that we are what one would call “friends.”

Two front-running Uma Musume with aptitude from short distance to mile, who communicate from time to time—that may be the most appropriate description.

Her “class president–like” ideology is extremely complex and difficult to understand, but her ideas and actions themselves are highly proactive and good-natured.

I judge it to be a useful relationship—one with no major issues and plenty of stimulation to be gained.

In fact, when I checked with Master just in case, he said, “Sakura Bakushin O is a wonderful Uma Musume. You’ll surely learn something. Maybe even a speed bonus.”

The precise meaning of “speed bonus” is unclear, but I inferred that it likely referred to something beneficial to my running.

Given that, her proposal resolved my dilemma of how to spend my day off, while also carrying the potential to provide insight into my running.

I had no reason to refuse.

And so, on the day of the Thanksgiving Festival—

"Look, Bourbon-san! ‘Grilled carrots that might make your legs faster’! To gain speed simply by eating—what a stroke of fortune!! Let’s eat them immediately!!"

"Sakura Bakushin O-san, judging by the cooking process, those grilled carrots do not contain any components that would make one’s legs faster. Considering the phrasing ‘might make,’ I assess this to be exaggerated advertising."

"Ch-what!? Then is this fraud!? As a class president, I cannot allow such a thing! I must go tell them to stop this malicious business at once!!"

"As the product is described as ‘grilled carrots that might make your legs faster,’ the expression itself is not strictly incorrect… Sakura Bakushin O-san, I recommend you stop. Further interference is likely to constitute obstruction of business."

"Don’t stop me, Bourbon-san! As a class president, I cannot allow wrongdoing!!"

"I estimate that further verbal attempts at restraint will be ineffective. In order to execute Master’s emergency order—‘Prevent trouble before it happens’—I will shift to the phase of physical intervention."

"W-what!? D-don’t tell me even you have fallen to the forces of evil, Bourbon-san!? Ggh… but I am the class president who saves everyone! I will save you too, Bourbon-san!! Bakushin Bakushiiin!!"

…Despite such unforeseen trouble, we successfully carried out “Operation: Rest—Thanksgiving Festival Tour.”

We watched an event in which Wilm-senpai was participating, visited a stall run by a friend of Bakushin O-san, and—

Spent our time visiting many stalls and events.

Three hours, nine minutes, and forty-one seconds after the start of “Operation: Rest—Thanksgiving Festival Tour.”

Prompted by a growl from Sakura Bakushin O-san’s stomach, we decided to take lunch.

Normally, racing Uma Musume eat at the Tracen Academy cafeteria.

However, during the Thanksgiving Festival, this cafeteria is opened to the general public.

Even under normal circumstances, food supply there sometimes struggles to keep up. Providing meals to both visitors and Uma Musume as usual would be difficult.

For that reason, during the festival, use of the cafeteria by academy-affiliated racing Uma Musume is restricted.

Apparently, if one applies in advance, the academy will provide boxed lunches…

But many Uma Musume instead satisfy their appetites by eating from stalls or dining out.

According to Wilm-senpai, "Food just tastes better when you eat it in a festival mood. In reality, it’s not that special, though."

Personally, as long as I could replenish enough nutrition to allow me to continue running toward my goals, I had no further demands… however.

In addition to the goal of “achieving the Triple Crown,” I have also been assigned a mission by my father: “the improvement of social skills.”

What exactly constitutes fulfilling this mission, and how it should be accomplished, remains unclear…

Social skills are the qualities appropriate for a member of a social group—in other words, traits that allow one to blend in with ordinary Uma Musume without standing out as markedly different.

Put simply, acquiring social skills means acquiring “traits that are not significantly different from those of other Uma Musume.”

There exists a gap between myself and other Uma Musume—one likely caused by a deficiency in my own awareness.

I infer that acting in the same manner as an average Uma Musume would help bridge that gap.

Therefore, together with Sakura Bakushin O-san, I purchased yakisoba from a nearby food stall and sat down on a bench to eat.

The yakisoba, sold by an ash-gray–haired Uma Musume, was portioned appropriately for Uma Musume consumption, and in terms of calorie replenishment alone, it was an ideal meal.

However, it is also true that, for optimal training, several additional nutrients should be consumed.

I will likely need to take supplements later. I should consult Master about this.

While chewing the yakisoba and organizing these thoughts, Sakura Bakushin O-san spoke to me.

"Still, that Spring Stakes the other day—what a splendid Bakushin, even as rivals, Bourbon-san! It made me think all over again, ‘I need to train even harder!’"

She turned her sparkling eyes toward me and spoke words that were, presumably, praise.

Another Uma Musume would likely have grasped the intent of those words immediately, but…

Consulting my internal database, I predict that Sakura Bakushin O-san’s statement contains no ulterior motive.

In that case, what response should I give…?

I search my database for an appropriate course of action. One hit.

“When receiving praise from someone, regardless of the reason, first express gratitude sincerely.”

I recall the emergency response protocol given to me by Master.

I lowered my head slightly toward Sakura Bakushin O-san.

"I will gratefully accept that praise."

"Yes, please do! Since this class president has acknowledged you, there’s no doubt you delivered a truly splendid run!"

She said this with a smile, then brought the pack of yakisoba she was holding to her mouth.

…Class president.

A term Sakura Bakushin O-san brings up from time to time.

However, I sense a nontrivial gap between the conventional meaning of the word “class president” and the nuance she intends by it.

Suddenly curious about that discrepancy, I asked her directly.

"Sakura Bakushin O-san, you occasionally use the term ‘class president.’ What does that ‘president’ signify?"

Asking this question would provide no advantage in the Triple Crown races.

However, in regard to the mission of improving social skills, I believe that deepening one’s understanding of others would be beneficial.

And for that purpose, I spoke this question—

…No. That is incorrect.

Error. Logical inconsistency detected.

When I asked her that question, I was not considering such benefits.

I simply… voiced a question that came to mind, without any particular intent.

An unnecessary action. One taken neither for achieving the Triple Crown nor for improving social skills.

Why did I do such a thing, just now…?

As I questioned myself internally, my own illogical behavior laid bare—

Sakura Bakushin O-san suddenly stood up beside me and declared:

"I’m glad you asked!"

She then completely forgot about the yakisoba in her hand and began recounting her past.

Her explanation featured highly idiosyncratic wording and a distinctive chain of reasoning, making full comprehension extremely difficult, but…

If I were to summarize it, it would be as follows:

"I was chosen from the moment I was born. I was very smart, and very fast."

"Those who are chosen must serve as examples and guide everyone else."

"That is to say, the class president who leads everyone is me—and I am the class president!"

…………???

There is no room for dispute regarding the fact that Sakura Bakushin O-san is fast.

She enrolled at Central Tracen Academy and competes in G2 races of the Twinkle Series.

Statistically speaking, this is by no means easy and unquestionably requires talent.

Therefore, her aptitude for running is indisputable.

However, if asked whether Sakura Bakushin O-san is “smart,” some doubt arises.

According to my database, her academic performance is below average.

From her usual words and actions, I do not believe her thinking speed to be slow, but when it comes to direct memory retention and structured reasoning, describing her as “excellent” does not seem accurate.

As for the assertion that the chosen—that is, the capable—should serve as examples, there is no strong basis to deny it.

However, whether such a role necessarily becomes an obligation is another matter. I infer that it does not.

I have been taught that it is virtuous for the strong to protect the weak, but that it is not an absolute duty. Protecting the weak is a moral effort, not an obligation.

Furthermore, a “class president” is generally understood to be an individual selected—by election or appointment—to manage specific matters within a “class,” typically consisting of ten to thirty people.

If the equation “Sakura Bakushin O = class president,” as she claims, were valid, then she would perpetually hold that role, which contradicts the conditions of selection.

All in all—

It could be said that Sakura Bakushin O-san’s explanation was filled with points that invited doubt. To borrow Wilm-senpai’s phrasing, it was “packed with things to retort.”

As I considered which question I should raise first, Sakura Bakushin O-san spoke again.

"Ah, it seems you’re so impressed by my attitude as a class president that you’re left speechless!"

Impressed… impressed?

Am I, at this moment, feeling impressed?

I have always been poor at recognizing emotions.

As such, I cannot clearly determine whether what I am experiencing now corresponds to the emotion she calls “impressed,” or whether it is something else entirely.

Logically speaking, Sakura Bakushin O-san’s words prioritize others and express a willingness to act for their sake. By that standard, they are admirable.

If asked whether there was absolutely nothing about them that stirred me, the answer would be… no. Perhaps not.

This vague, unsettled feeling—this dissatisfaction, paired with an urge to voice my own opinion…

Is this what “being impressed” feels like, Master…?

"…Perhaps you’re right. I may be impressed."

"Of course you are! Just as I thought—there’s a flame of justice burning in your chest as well, Bourbon-san! A truly wonderful thing, yes!"

"? No. There is no factual evidence that my chest is currently on fire."

"There’s no need to be embarrassed, Bourbon-san! Everyone carries a flame of justice burning within their heart!"

……??????

I am, by all measurable standards, an ordinary Uma Musume and should not possess any mechanism capable of combustion in the chest area…

Could it be that all Uma Musume have internal ignition capabilities that are simply undocumented in my database?

To be safe, I may need to confirm this with Master.

I shall ask him during tomorrow morning’s meeting.

After that, Sakura Bakushin O-san continued speaking.

"And so, being excellent, a prodigy, and godspeed incarnate, I naturally became the class president!

From there, in order to serve as everyone’s role model, I began my Bakushin as the fastest Uma Musume of them all!"

Holding what was now undoubtedly cold yakisoba, Sakura Bakushin O-san struck a curious pose and declared, "Hmph!"

Her words contained many elements that were difficult to parse, but… there was one thing I understood.

"In summary, you began running in order to approach the goal you set for yourself—‘class president,’ correct?"

In that respect, I could relate.

Mihono Bourbon runs to fulfill the dream called the “Triple Crown,” which I once witnessed with my father and now pursue together with Master.

In the same way, Sakura Bakushin O-san runs to draw closer to her dream of being “class president.”

Her mentality is exceedingly difficult to comprehend, and full understanding may not be possible—but at least that part, I believed I understood.

Or so I thought.

"Huh? No, that’s not it?"

Sakura Bakushin O-san denied my words with a puzzled expression.

"Not it?"

"No. As I said earlier, I’m already the class president. It’s not something I’m aiming for now, you see?"

She said this while tilting her head slightly.

I do not understand what it means to already be a class president, but…

She claims she has already achieved that goal.

…If that is the case.

Then for what purpose—?

"Then… Sakura Bakushin O-san, why do you run?

After already achieving your greatest goal—your dream—and standing atop the summit you sought… why, and for what reason, do you continue to run?"

The words escaped me without intent, yet I felt a strange constriction in my chest—as though their direction were somehow turned inward, toward myself.

Despite my involuntarily furrowed brow…

Sakura Bakushin O-san answered with unrestrained cheer.

"That’s obvious! Because it makes me happy—and more than anything, proud!!"

…That was a sensation I, Mihono Bourbon, found difficult to understand.

"Happy… proud?"

"Yes! I love who I am—the fastest class president who leads everyone!

That’s why I run! I dash through with unrivaled speed! I Bakushin!!

That is the reason this Sakura Bakushin O runs in the Twinkle Series!!

So don’t think you’ll beat me in the next race either, Bourbon-san! Bakushin Bakushiiin!!"

With that, she clenched her fist and thrust it upward—

And flipped over the pack of yakisoba resting in her hand.