Chapter 210: So this is Hoshino Wilm—the very model of an Uma Musume—who burned her way into people’s brains by putting up utterly broken results in her attempt to become one of the stars.

So this is Hoshino Wilm—the very model of an Uma Musume—who burned her way into people’s minds with utterly absurd results in her pursuit of becoming one of the stars.

Anyway, it might be a bit late to say this, but Tracen Academy is incredibly well-funded.

I mean, it’s the central hub of horse racing in Japan—an industry where more money moves than almost anywhere else in the world. So of course it is.

And we Uma Musume who belong to this academy—along with our base of operations, the Ritto Dorm and Miho Dorm—live in places that cost a ridiculous amount too.

Two four-story buildings sit on a massive plot of land, each housing around 800 students.

Despite being such huge complexes, most of the rooms are doubles, and they’re relatively spacious. For someone like me, who has almost no hobbies besides running, it’s honestly more space than I know what to do with.

Sure, the bathrooms and sinks are shared—but even so, for a place with 800 residents, this level of space is insane.

And this isn’t some countryside backwater like my hometown either. This is prime Tokyo land. It really makes you think—money gathers where money already is.

Anyway.

Each of our rooms comes with a balcony.

Back in my Classic year, the reason I was able to “break in”—well, not illegally or anything—but still get back into my room after the entrance had been locked… was largely thanks to that balcony.

That said, balconies aren’t actually meant for climbing in via drainpipes.

Normally, you’d use them for things like hanging laundry—especially anything personal or important—growing sun-loving plants, or just stepping outside for a bit of privacy from your roommate.

That’s their real purpose. Or rather, what they’re supposed to be used for.

And I am a girl my age, after all. Sometimes I use it that way too.

That’s why I’ve stepped out onto the balcony tonight.

"Brr… it’s cold. So cold."

It’s already mid-December, and past 8 PM, so the temperature has really dropped.

Apparently, my metabolism runs high, so I don’t feel the cold easily… but even so, once it dips below 5°C, I can’t ignore it.

Catching a cold and having to withdraw from the Arima Kinen would be no laughing matter, so I’m fully equipped—gown over my pajamas, neck warmer on.

Warm and cozy Wilm, Full Armor Mode.

My roommate senpai even said, “…you’re cute.”

Now then, there’s a reason I came out here this bundled up.

As I gazed out at Tokyo’s glittering nightscape, I placed my earphones over my horse ears, brought my phone to my mouth, and spoke.

"Hey, hello. Can you hear me?"

"Good—oops, good evening, Hoshino Wilm!"

The reply came instantly—bright and energetic as always.

Even though it’s late at night here…
Oh right, there’s about a nine-hour time difference.

It’s just past 8 PM here, so over there it’s 11 AM. Still morning—no wonder she’s so lively.

…Wait, it’s a weekday though. Why is she casually calling me? Doesn’t she have classes?

I mean, yeah, I did say I’d be free at this time—but she could’ve adjusted a bit on her end too.

Well, whatever.

Seeing her happy makes it worth it.

"Full of energy as always, Anne. It’s been a week."

"Yes! I’m glad to see you’re doing well too, Hoshino Wilm!"

The strongest in the West—the heroic princess, Understandable.

After being defeated by Tokai Teio at the Japan Cup, she returned to England.

…Though, on the day itself, she was very unhappy about it.

"No! Nooo! I want to stay in Japan! I want to watch the Arima!!" she shouted, as her trainer dragged her off through the airport gate.

Well, there’s no way a human could overpower an Uma Musume, so it was probably just for show. Anne seems like the type who can accept things logically, even if she’s emotional about them.

As she said herself, since she had come all the way to Japan, she wanted to stay until the Arima Kinen.

But for runners at our level, the year-end season is packed with obligations.

Ah, and since the UK is a Christian country, they don’t celebrate New Year’s as much, right? I think Ayumu mentioned that once. Instead, Christmas is the major event.

Either way, both sides are busy around this time.

Just last week, she said, "I recorded a Christmas live performance! Please watch it!" and sent me a selfie in her outfit.

It had a cute Santa-like design—but the green color surprised me. Apparently, in the UK, Santa is sometimes associated with green.

…Oops, I got sidetracked.

Anyway.

Even though Anne had to return to England due to racing and scheduling reasons…

She apparently sulked so much that she declared, "I’m done! I won’t race anymore!"—a completely outrageous strike for someone at the pinnacle of the sport.

Her trainer in England contacted Ayumu in a panic, asking for help.

Specifically, they wanted mediation from me and Ayumu—since apparently we’re her “favorites.”

After some negotiation, we agreed to have a 30-minute call with her once a week to keep her in a good mood.

I did have… some thoughts about Ayumu talking to other girls, but—

"Understandable has an incredibly sharp racing sense. You’ll gain a lot from talking to her. Plus, we’ve earned a massive favor with her trainer and the racing authorities—it could benefit your training too."

As expected, he’s my contract trainer to the core.

As for me, I consider her a normal friend, so I wouldn’t mind talking for hours.

But she insists, "It’s too much of an honor to talk to my favorite! So 30 minutes is enough!"

…What a strange girl.

Though, as a former fan myself, I kind of get it.

No matter your position, your “oshi” is always someone you revere.

And so, today is one of our long-awaited call days.

Leaning against the railing of the Ritto Dorm balcony, I spoke toward Anne somewhere far away.

"How’s it going over there lately?"

"It’s completely in Christmas mode now. Preparations started in late November, but now that it’s so close, everything’s in full swing.

Public transport and tourist spots are closing, and supermarkets are packed with people stocking up."

"Oh, that really shows the cultural difference. Christmas isn’t that big of a deal in Japan."

"From our perspective… celebrating Christmas without being a Christian country feels a bit… unusual?"

"Yeah, I’ve heard that before. Japan’s religious views are kind of… chaotic."

Shinto, Buddhism, Christianity—all mixed together.

Some people probably don’t even know Christmas celebrates Christ’s birth… though saying that out loud would get me in trouble.

…Still, Anne’s Japanese has improved a lot over these past two months.

When we first met, you could clearly tell she was a foreigner despite her skill—but now, she sounds completely natural.

Her learning ability is terrifying.

…Meanwhile, I can’t even score 70 on a Japanese test. Pretty embarrassing for someone supposedly in the same “genius” category.

As we talked, I leaned on the railing and looked up at the moon.

Unfortunately, we can’t look at the exact same moon.

Its color, the stars around it, even its shape—they all differ depending on where you are.

But even so…

We’re still under the same sky, running as racing Uma Musume.

When I think about it that way, even 14,000 kilometers doesn’t feel that far.

"We’ll race again someday."

"I want to run with you again… When can we race next?"

"Hey, I was just thinking that. Hmm… I’m not planning to run the Arc next year…"

"Ah, I thought so. The Autumn Tenno Sho is still ahead, right? Based on your trainer’s approach, you won’t push too hard in autumn… so the Japan Cup is unlikely?

Hmm… the Spring Tenno Sho is a bit long for me, Takarazuka is rare for international runners, Osaka Hai too… Arima, I’d rather watch…"

"Wow, Anne. You really get it."

"Huh? Really? Hehe, I’m glad!"

No, seriously—that’s incredible.

She deduced all that just from me saying I wouldn’t run the Arc.

Her understanding of me is… honestly, like that of a veteran fan.

"And besides… I probably won’t be able to go to Japan in spring. So—could you come to Europe instead?"

"Hm? Oh, focusing on races there? That’s not a bad idea."

"Ah, no—not that. It’s just… something came up."

Her tone shifted slightly.

"Actually… Neddy said she’s retiring."

"…What? Nedirika is?"

Nedirika.

One of the Uma Musume we raced against at the Arc.

A warrior-like girl—more like a knight, by their standards.

She said she didn’t think highly of herself, but she was undeniably a top-tier racer.

I’d wanted to race against her again someday.

"…She said she’s done what she needed to do. That continuing would only bring shame. She doesn’t even want to move up to the Dream Trophy tier.

So Witch and I have been trying to convince her to stay. As part of that… we thought racing together again in spring might reignite her spark."

"Wow…"

…No, wait—"wow" isn’t the right response.

For now, what matters is Nedirika.

I do have my own thoughts about her retirement.

But whether that means I should step in and say something… is another matter.

"Hmm… it’s a tough one. Retirement is ultimately a very personal decision. It’s not something you should force. What matters most is whether Nedirika truly wants to step away, from the bottom of her heart."

"Eh!? Why!? That’s not okay—Neddy retiring is absolutely not okay! It’d be so lonely to lose someone who can run such amazing races!"

Her shocked voice rang through the call, and I couldn’t help but smile wryly.

Yeah… this is where our ways of thinking differ.

For better or worse, I draw a clear line between myself and others.

Anne, on the other hand, is a bit more… blurred in that regard.

Well, maybe that’s just normal for her age. I tend to forget, but she’s still only around fourteen.

Still, some people probably find my distance comforting, while others are saved by Anne’s pushiness. Neither approach is something you can force onto others.

Nedirika.

An Uma Musume I’ve only raced once.

We’re not close enough for me to try and stop her from retiring…

Whether she keeps running might come down to Anne.

“…No, wait.”

“Maybe it’ll come down to Witch instead.”

“Witch keeps telling me to be more considerate—like, ‘think about her feelings.’ She even suggested setting up a proper meeting instead of forcing things, saying we shouldn’t push her. What’s with that?”

“Honestly, I think Witch is right on this one.”

Yeah… I had it wrong.

It’s not Anne—it’s Witch.

Do your best, Witch Evening.

A genius who doesn’t quite understand ordinary hearts, and a prodigy who has already proven her existence.

The only one who can bridge those two… seems to be you.

“…Anyway, that’s how things are over here! Now tell me about your side!

How are Tokai Teio and Nice Nature? Are they bulking up like crazy for the Arima!?”

“Hm? Yeah… I’m sure they’re training hard.”

“…Ah. I see. You’re being kept in the dark, huh. Horino Trainer is there, after all.”

And she’s exactly right.

Lately, I haven’t had many chances to interact with Teio or Nature.

We used to have lunch together all the time, and occasionally hang out after school—but even that has been avoided recently.

It’s not like I messed up and they hate me now…

It feels more like they’re trying to avoid Ayumu’s absurd appraisal abilities.

Nature used that concealment strategy before, and now even Teio has started doing it.

Honestly… it’s kind of lonely.

And Hoshino Wilm is the lonely type.

The only saving grace is running alongside Bourbon—since we’re in the same camp—and nighttime self-training with Rice, which is only allowed when Ayumu isn’t around.

If I lost those too, I’d be completely alone.

Well, I do have juniors who come talk to me sometimes, and I occasionally chat with first-years, so it’s not true isolation—but still…

Having Ayumu by my side is incredibly reassuring. He’s someone I absolutely need.

But because he’s too capable, it creates this strange kind of luxury problem.

The man who taught me the loneliness and pain of isolation—and the warmth of running alongside someone—

…is now the one isolating me.

What irony.

“I get it. My trainer has a sharp eye too, so I’ve been avoided a bit lately. I understand how you feel.”

“No, in your case, it’s probably because they’re afraid of you.”

“Hey!”

When it comes to perception, Anne is no different.

Actually, she’s worse—she sees through everything.

Ayumu and her trainer analyze things logically, but Anne… hers feels closer to a supernatural sixth sense.

You can’t block it. You can’t deceive it.

In that sense, Anne might actually be Nature’s natural enemy. Information control probably wouldn’t work on her.

On the other hand, Teio might have the advantage against Anne.

That absolute emperor who keeps surpassing herself—she’s exactly the kind of “unknown” Anne struggles with.

As for me, I’m somewhat disadvantaged against Nature, but have the edge against Teio… so the matchups balance out cleanly.

…What would happen if the four of us ran together?

Nature’s near-precognitive strategies would probably get hard-countered by Ayumu and Anne—but she’s not the kind of girl who would break from that alone.

Teio, I’d handle head-on.

The real issue is Anne—she could probably replicate both my domain and Teio’s.

That would effectively create a double deployment… a massive boost for her.

Which is exactly why Nature would try to shut that down.

She’s the best among us when it comes to suppressing someone’s full potential.

The question is whether Anne can see through that kind of setup… and honestly, she doesn’t seem great at reading those kinds of intentions.

So that might depend on her trainer.

…The more I think about it, the more I want to run with Anne included in our trio.

Not just a three-way standoff—but a four-way deadlock, where each person counters another…

No—actually, I don’t really have weaknesses.

So it’s more like a three-way stalemate among them, with me layered on top.

“I wonder which of you—Anne, Teio, or Nature—can push me the furthest.”

“I wonder which of you—Hoshino Wilm, Neddy, or Witch—will entertain me the most.”

“…Hm?”

“…Huh?”

…Looks like we were thinking the same thing.

Maybe there’s something that connects Triple Crown winners.

Though hers would be something like an undefeated, irregular Tiara Triple Crown in Japan.

“Hmm… speaking seriously, I have a strong advantage over Nedirika. As for Witch…

Well, I haven’t faced a fully awakened Witch on European turf yet, so I can’t say for sure. Last time, she had just come back from a slump.

Still… I have no intention of losing.

I am the strongest, after all.”

“…I’d say the same—but I lost to Tokai Teio, so it doesn’t sound very convincing.

But I’ll win next time! I’ve already analyzed that dual low-cost deployment—and I’ve even awakened a second domain to counter it! I’m currently refining it into a lower-cost version!”

“…You’ve already gone that far? That’s terrifying…”

She really is something else.

Weak against the unknown—but the moment something becomes known, she dismantles it completely.

To stay ahead of Understandable means constantly updating yourself to your absolute peak.

Still… Nedirika and Witch Evening, huh.

Nedirika has a domain-sealing ability so powerful it might even surpass Symboli Rudolf.

Witch Evening… I’m still not entirely sure, but she’s probably a self-actualization-type domain user.

If the three of us were combined with them…

What kind of race would that become?

I find myself imagining all six of us competing.

The key would undoubtedly be Nedirika.

If she performs at full strength, it shuts down the overwhelming power of domains entirely.

In that case, Teio—who has already converted her domain into a skill—and Anne, who will likely finish doing the same within a month, would have a huge advantage.

That kind of thing probably can’t be sealed.

Maybe I should ask Ayumu to help me learn domain conversion too.

With “Anime Reincarnation,” I could probably pick it up fairly easily.

But if domains are off the table…

Then it becomes a pure battle of specs, skill, and strategy.

…That feels nostalgic.

In that case, I’d have the advantage.

After all, I have the best specs—and Ayumu backing me.

But how much Teio and Anne explode will matter too. Those two can completely break the rules when they awaken.

Then it becomes a question of how much Nature can control that—and how Witch keeps up.

In terms of race development, I’d probably be holding off a breakaway from the third corner…

Or maybe they’d surge from the final corner instead?

…Yeah.

That would be fun.

The only problem is, a race this stacked—spanning both East and West—isn’t likely to happen anytime soon.

“I think… maybe I should get them to move to Japan…”

“Hm? Sorry, what was that?”

“Ah, nothing… I was just thinking it’d be nice if we could all run together in Japan.

But races here have their own appeal too… ahh, it’s such a dilemma! The world—racing itself—is just full of fun!”

On the other end of the call, Anne beams.

I understand exactly how she feels.

More than that… I’m glad she’s come to understand it too.

“Speaking of that, the one I’m most excited about right now is the Arima Kinen—definitely the Arima Kinen!

Over here, it airs at around 6 AM, so I’ve promised to watch it together with Witch and Neddy!”

“Thanks. Hehe… you’ll be cheering for me, right?”

“Of course! Was it ‘mochi no ron’? Naturally, my number one support goes to Hoshino Wilm! Second is Tokai Teio, third is Nice Nature!

…At this rate, that’s probably just going to match the popularity rankings, isn’t it?”

“Well, we are the core of the Twinkle Series right now.”

The reincarnated, cheat-type Uma Musume—me, Hoshino Wilm.

The true prodigy who has already stepped—not just one foot, but both—into the Dream Trophy tier, Tokai Teio.

And Nice Nature—the physically dominant schemer who has begun crushing even Mejiro McQueen through sheer power.

Of course, there are plenty of other G1-level Uma Musume.

But after the outrageous performances this autumn, the center of the current Twinkle Series is probably the three of us.

In popularity… and in strength.

“The Japanese Twinkle Series is incredible. It’s like the level inflation has gone out of control—or rather, it’s already entered a higher-tier league.

Even though I said what I said earlier… Witch and Neddy might not be able to keep up unless they break through another level.”

“Well, you did lose to Teio, Anne.”

“Muuuuuu…! …Yes, I did lose. That’s a fact, so I accept it.”

Hehe. She reacts so easily—and then regains her composure just as quickly. She’s fun to tease.

And the best part is, she doesn’t dwell on defeat at all.

Given that it’s Anne’s assessment, it’s probably accurate.

Right now, Japan’s racing scene is one step ahead of the rest of the world.

…Or rather, it’s more accurate to say that we—the three stars—are forcefully pulling it upward.

On the flip side, if we were to retire now, things might settle back in line with the rest of the world.

But that’s fine, even if it’s only temporary.

If we show what’s possible, others will follow.

The passion we’ve ignited will be passed on, inherited—and the next generation will run even faster.

That’s how we Uma Musume grow stronger with each generation.

Which is why, once we’ve taken this lead, it won’t be so easily lost.

At least… not with that starving dark bay I saw at the Thanksgiving event, and that shrewd chestnut I met the other day.

If those girls are the ones to carry the next generation, then surely…

“Mmm… if that’s the case—no, in that case, I suppose I’ll just have to raise the level of the UK’s fairy tales by another two tiers.

I’ll have to come up with an Understandable-style power-leveling method together with my trainer.”

“…This girl says things like that so casually, it’s actually scary.”

“I will, you know? Practice what you preach, right?”

“…That’s what makes it scary.”

At this rate, in two years, maybe only Japan and the UK will be operating on an entirely different level.

…Haha. It doesn’t even sound unrealistic.

Just like I’m a reincarnated, cheat-type Uma Musume…

Anne is more like a natural-born bug in the system.

It’s terrifying… and, at the same time, incredibly exciting.

---

Before I knew it, thirty minutes had passed, and the call came to an end.

Right at the end, Anne—sounding like she was on the verge of crying tears of blood—declared:

“Next week too—absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely—we have to call again! Okay!? Absolutely!!!”

…So this is how an intense fan looks from the perspective of their favorite.

“It’s not unpleasant, though. Anne really is straightforward to the core.

…Well, it’s not just her. Everyone is so sincere… so genuine. It’s kind of wonderful.”

Murmuring with a faint smile, I removed my earphones, slipped them into my pocket along with my phone, and looked up at the sky once more.

In the cold night air, beyond the clear atmosphere, countless lights shimmered.

They look beautiful from here—but they aren’t just lights.

They are stars, burning their lives away.

Each one shining with its own unique brilliance.

Together, they connect and form constellations.

The ones seen from Japan and those seen from the UK are completely different…

And yet, sometimes they overlap, creating a beauty that’s never been seen before.

Those intersections of stars bring joy to those who gaze upon them…

…and sometimes, they give birth to new stars.

And as one such star, perhaps I too am shining on others right now.

That cycle of the night sky—the world—I’ve come to love it.

Truly love it.

And I think… that’s a very fortunate thing.

“Dad, Mom… I wonder if you’re watching me from somewhere.

…Thank you for bringing me into this world.

Right now, I’m really, truly happy.

And I’m sure I’ll keep being happy… from here on too.”

Just as I finished whispering that—

From inside the warm room, my senpai called out to me.

Alright… yeah. No need to linger too long in sentimentality.

Time to return to that warm, joyful everyday life.