I Just Wanted a Quiet Life... So Why Am I an Uma Musume Trainer?!

Chapter 501 - 500 The Derby, of All Things…

Hachiman's Perspective

If you're involved with horse girls in any capacity, there is one race that everyone—without exception—dreams of. It is a race that represents the pinnacle of aspiration. That race is the Derby.

It's no exaggeration to say that in any country where horse girl racing is held, the Derby exists in some form or another. It isn't just the Japan Derby; you have the Epsom Derby in the UK, the Prix du Jockey Club in France, the Irish Derby, the Kentucky Derby, the UAE Derby, the Derby Italiano, the German Derby, the Australian Derby, the Hong Kong Derby, the Saudi Derby, and the Korea Derby. In every major city where the sport flourishes, it is positioned as a traditional, prestigious race—a Grade 1 event of the highest caliber. There are countless others I could list, but if I kept going, we'd be here all day.

The reason I'm giving you this encyclopedia entry right now is simple: the Derby is about to begin, and Mr. C.B.'s shot at the second leg of the Triple Crown is on the line. This is my second time standing on the precipice of a Derby as a trainer, but the tension is in a league of its own. Back when Rice was running, I was so focused on the sheer desperation of winning that I didn't have the mental bandwidth to appreciate the gravity of the stage. Now that I've had a moment to breathe, I'm realizing just how absurdly massive this platform actually is.

"And here is my girl," I muttered to myself. "Standing right in the center of that stage. The overwhelming favorite to win it all."

"Hm? Is something the matter, Brother?" Rudolf asked, stepping up beside me.

"Are you worried about something, Dearest Brother?" Rice added, looking up at me with concerned eyes.

"Ah, no, I'm fine. Don't worry about it. It's just… I'm realizing I never really gave the Derby the respect it deserved until now."

"Oh?" Rudolf tilted her head. "How so?"

"With Rice, I knew the Derby was a big deal, sure. But now I'm thinking about the math. Every year, eighteen girls stand at the gate, but only one can win. Only one girl earns that title. It's a legacy. A tradition. The weight of it is incredible. Back then, I was so obsessed with just getting Rice across the finish line first that the 'prestige' part went right over my head."

"That is… impressive, in its own way," Rudolf admitted.

"So yeah, I was just standing here acknowledging it. The Derby is truly something else."

"Rice tied with Bourbon-san in the Derby, didn't she?" Rice said, a nostalgic smile playing on her lips. "That brings back memories."

"Two years already. Time flies," I said, checking my watch. "Anyway, I'm going to go check on C.B."

"Understood," Rudolf nodded. "Leave things here to me."

— Inside the Waiting Room —

"♪~ ♪~"

"You're remarkably upbeat," I sighed as I walked in. "We're minutes away from the Derby. Though I suppose being this carefree is exactly what makes you you."

"That's the only way to be!" C.B. chirped. "So, Hachiman, what's the play for today?"

"We're sticking to your favorite: the late charge. Stay at the back and blast past them in the final stretch. That's what feels best for you, isn't it?"

"You know me so well!"

"However…" I held up a finger. "Don't stay at the absolute dead-last position. Stay about second or third from the back so you can peel out the moment you see an opening. Got it?"

"Yep, got it! ♪"

"We practiced this, so you should know the timing. Start your push from the middle of the final corner."

"Geez, Hachiman, you're such a worrywart. Don't sweat it! I've got it all up here!" She tapped her temple with a wink.

"...I'm trusting you."

"Leave it to me! Alright, time to go—"

[SNAP!]

"...Wait, what?" C.B. paused.

"Huh? What happened— oh. Oh no."

I'll explain exactly what happened as simply as I can. The moment C.B. stood up to head out of the room, the strap on one of her racing heels snapped clean off. This was bad. Beyond bad. We didn't have a spare pair on hand.

"Well, would you look at that…" C.B. muttered, looking down at her shoe. "That's a bit of a pickle. Hmm… alright, let's do this."

[SNAP!]

"...What are you doing?!" I blurted out.

"There! Now they match! ♪" C.B. said, having intentionally ripped the strap off the other shoe.

"You've got to be kidding me…"

"I can't go out there looking lopsided, can I? This was the only way! Besides, they might actually be easier to run in like this!"

"...Don't you dare use that as an excuse if you lose," I groaned, rubbing my temples.

"As if! I'm winning this!"

I never thought my anxiety levels could spike even higher right before the race, but here we were.

— In the Stands —

"Eeeek?! The strap snapped?!" Rice cried out, her hands over her mouth. "I-Is C.B.-san going to be okay?"

"I never dreamed something like that would happen right before the gates opened," I muttered, my eyes glued to the track. "Losing a shoe is one thing, but if those heels fly off mid-race, she'll be disqualified for safety reasons."

"The uncertainty is mounting…" Rudolf noted, her expression grim. "But at this point, we have no choice but to believe in her."

As C.B. stepped onto the turf, she didn't seem to care about her feet at all. If anything, she looked bored, as if she were waiting for a bus rather than starting the biggest race of her life.

"Oh! Hachimaaaan!!" she suddenly yelled, waving her arms wildly toward the stands.

"...Why is she so relaxed? Does she even understand the situation she's in?"

"I-I think she does, but…" Rice stammered.

"At the Satsuki-sho, she yelled for you in the paddock," Rudolf said, her voice dry. "At the Derby, she shouts for you from the turf. I wonder where she'll call your name during the Kikka-sho?"

"Don't. It's not funny, even as a joke."

The Japan Derby began. I watched through my binoculars, my heart in my throat. Despite the shoe situation, her form was identical to her training sessions. She followed the plan perfectly. By the time they hit the home stretch, she had already surged to the front, widening the gap with every stride until she crossed the finish line.

She did it. Two legs of the Triple Crown, secured.

And yet… why? Why is it that even though we won the Derby—the most glorious race in the country—I feel this strange, hollow sense of exasperation?

Headline: C.B. Overcomes Equipment Malfunction to Secure Second Jewel of the Triple Crown!

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