Chapter 103. Silence Suzuka Sees Through Everything
This week was the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies race week. Unlike last year, this year's Hanshin Juvenile Fillies had nothing to do with Team Sadalsuud. However, Shuta An's workload was not light in the slightest.
After all, next week would be both the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes and the Hong Kong International Races week.
"I'm definitely going to Hong Kong then,"
Shuta An thought to himself, feeling a headache coming on. In theory, he should personally attend both Tokai Teio's race and Silence Suzuka's race. Unfortunately, the Attribute Viewer had never granted him a "clone" skill, so the young man could only choose one race to attend next Sunday.
Naturally, Shuta An chose Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong.
Although both were Uma Musume from Team Sadalsuud, Silence Suzuka naturally held a closer place in his heart. More importantly, this would be Silence Suzuka's retirement race from the Twinkle Series. Compared to Tokai Teio's Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, the significance was on an entirely different level.
"Still, even if Teio understands my decision, I should at least compensate her somehow."
As for that compensation, Shuta An already had his own plans.
"In any case, I'll just treat Teio to a few good meals."
Beyond that, the young man had no intention of considering anything further for now.
On Wednesday, Shuta An officially announced through Team Sadalsuud's official Twitter account and other media channels that Mejiro Dober would make a last-minute entry into the Arima Kinen.
Many fans were naturally overjoyed by the announcement, but a portion also expressed concern—
"Isn't challenging both Special Week and Grass Wonder at the same time far too difficult for Dober-chan?"
"The 2500-meter Nakayama Racecourse is a distance and track Dober-chan has never attempted before. What if she loses?"
"Will adding another race at the last minute affect Dober-chan's health?"
Facing all these concerns, Shuta An did not reply to a single one. No matter which viewpoint he answered, someone would inevitably become dissatisfied, so he simply chose to ignore them entirely.
This year's Hanshin Juvenile Fillies winner was Biwa Heidi. She defeated Air Groove by a full length.
"There was no way I could catch up at the end..."
After the winner interview, Air Groove stepped outside Hanshin Racecourse and helplessly explained the result to her Trainer, Tojo Hana.
"It's fine. This was only a limited two-year-old race. We'll focus on next year." Tojo Hana comforted her calmly.
"But this was only my second race after debuting. I originally wanted to chase Miss Mejiro Dober's record, but..." Air Groove slowly closed her eyes and tucked her ears.
"It's simply too difficult."
Hearing her trainee say this, Tojo Hana pursed her lips before informing the girl—who had been completely focused on preparing for the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies recently—of an important piece of news.
"Mejiro Dober is preparing to challenge the Arima Kinen."
"Eh?!" Air Groove exclaimed in shock. "The Arima Kinen? Didn't they already say the Queen Elizabeth Cup was supposed to be Miss Mejiro Dober's final race this year?"
"The Mejiro Family suddenly decided they wanted Mejiro Dober to replace Mejiro McQueen after McQueen withdrew. Ann-san argued with them for a long time before finally being forced to agree."
Tojo Hana shrugged helplessly.
"He was so angry afterward that he dragged us to the bar for drinks several nights in a row."
"That's going too far!"
Air Groove frowned deeply.
"The last Triple Tiara-route Uma Musume to win the Arima Kinen was almost thirty years ago. Isn't forcing Miss Mejiro Dober into the Arima Kinen basically demanding she lose her undefeated record?"
"But it's a request from her family. No matter how unreasonable it is, Mejiro Dober can only try to win. Even Ann-san's opposition couldn't change anything."
Tojo Hana herself was visibly dissatisfied.
"The Mejiro Family is truly outrageous. Don't they understand how valuable an undefeated record is? They're sacrificing Mejiro Dober's undefeated status purely for the family's honor."
"Didn't the academy say anything?" Air Groove pressed with a frown.
"Rudolf said we shouldn't interfere, and that she would personally handle it, but I haven't seen her do anything yet."
Tojo Hana sighed helplessly. Although Symboli Rudolf belonged to Team Rigil, even she had no authority over Rudolf's decisions.
"Trust Kaichou. She'll definitely act." Air Groove, however, clearly trusted Symboli Rudolf immensely.
After personally watching the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, Shuta An returned home, packed his luggage, and hurried toward the airport to fly to Hong Kong and meet Silence Suzuka.
Oguri Cap had just returned to Tokyo today after completing her winter races. Seeing her lover leave again for work naturally filled her with reluctance, but the gray-haired Uma Musume had no intention of becoming a troublesome woman.
"Go, Ann!"
Before he entered the car, she personally kissed him goodbye and spoke loudly with a smile.
"I'll return together with Suzuka and the Hong Kong Cup." Shuta An turned his head and made a promise. "Then our trophy room can add another trophy."
"Then I'll clear space in the display cabinet ahead of time and wait for the new collection." Oguri Cap smiled while waving him off.
—
When Shuta An landed in Hong Kong, it was already six o'clock local time in the evening.
After boarding the hotel's private vehicle and arriving at his hotel, it was already past seven o'clock by the time he reached his destination. The young man politely declined the attendant's offer to carry his luggage and simply followed him toward the suite he had reserved.
This time, Shuta An had not booked separate rooms, but rather a suite. Silence Suzuka would stay in one room, while he would stay in the other.
Therefore, the moment he entered, he immediately saw the Uma Musume sitting at the desk with her back facing him, quietly reading a book.
Hearing footsteps behind her, Silence Suzuka turned around.
To Shuta An's surprise, the Uma Musume neither smiled gently nor stood up to greet him. Instead, she merely puffed her cheeks slightly.
"What's wrong? Did someone upset Suzuka?" After placing his luggage in his room, the young man walked behind her and asked with a smile.
Silence Suzuka continued pouting for a long while without saying anything.
Just as Shuta An was about to take action himself and pry open the Uma Musume's mouth with his tongue, she finally spoke.
"Why did you let Dober-chan run in the Arima Kinen?"
"To satisfy Dober's request." Shuta An answered honestly.
"What she wants...might actually be you, Ann." Upon hearing his answer, Silence Suzuka did not hide her thoughts at all.
"So Suzuka noticed earlier than I expected." The young man looked slightly surprised.
"Of course I noticed. Because Dober right now is exactly like how I was around this time last year." The Uma Musume gently tugged at her lover's left sleeve. "So you must free her."
"I know." Shuta An gently held Silence Suzuka's fair and warm wrist with his right hand.
After returning to the hotel, Shuta An casually glanced through tomorrow's schedule before setting the documents aside.
Tomorrow would be the Hong Kong International Races' official public training session. Although Silence Suzuka's condition had always been excellent, as her Trainer, he still needed to accompany her to Sha Tin Racecourse to observe her state in person.
"Hong Kong Cup..." The young man leaned back against the sofa and narrowed his eyes slightly. "This race should become Suzuka's perfect conclusion."
Unlike Tokai Teio, whose brilliance carried an overwhelming sense of domination, Silence Suzuka's races possessed a kind of beauty that made people unable to look away. Once she entered her rhythm, the entire race would seem to transform into her personal stage.
And Hong Kong's Sha Tin Racecourse was precisely the kind of venue most suitable for her performance.
Long straights. Wide course. Stable turf condition.
For Silence Suzuka, these conditions were almost ideal.
"But the pressure will also be enormous." Shuta An folded his arms. "After the Tenno Sho (Autumn), everyone now views Suzuka with a completely different mentality."
Before that accident, many people still treated Silence Suzuka as an extremely talented front-runner.
After that accident, however, her miraculous return itself had already become a symbol.
If she could further complete her Twinkle Series retirement race with a victory in Hong Kong, then Silence Suzuka's status would instantly rise to another level entirely.
Thinking this far, the young man lowered his head and once again opened the Attribute Viewer.
"Reflected Crown's Eye"
The skill description quietly floated before him once more.
"Each Uma Musume can only be set once. In the next race, there's a small chance to possess the power to stir miracles."
Shuta An tapped lightly on the armrest.
"A miracle..."
He did not particularly believe in vague concepts like miracles. In his understanding, the so-called miracle was merely the result produced when talent, preparation, condition, and mentality simultaneously aligned at their peak.
But the Attribute Viewer's abilities had already exceeded normal understanding from the very beginning.
"So..."
The young man's gaze gradually settled.
"If Suzuka can truly enter that state during the Hong Kong Cup"
He suddenly recalled the sensation from the Japan Cup.
That mysterious synchronization.
That feeling as though horse and rider had completely become one.
"It really was similar to a Zone for Umamusume"
Shuta An muttered softly.
The greatest difference was that ordinary "Zone" states usually erupted when the body approached its limits. Yet during the Japan Cup, his body had clearly remained calm. Even Tokai Teio himself had not truly reached exhaustion.
It was more like an extreme synchronization of spirit, rhythm, and instinct.
"If Suzuka can also grasp it—"
The young man's thoughts suddenly paused.
"No." He shook his head. "I shouldn't force it."
That state could not be deliberately pursued. Once one became obsessed with chasing it, it would instead become impossible to enter.
"Just let everything happen naturally."
After making up his mind, Shuta An finally chose to activate Reflected Crown's Eye for Silence Suzuka.
The Attribute Viewer flickered faintly.
Soon, a line of text appeared before his eyes.
"As target possesses multiple G1 honors, probability adjustment complete."
The young man raised an eyebrow slightly.
"So accumulated achievements really do affect it."
He did not continue researching further. After all, even now, he still lacked enough understanding of the Attribute Viewer itself.
Closing the interface, Shuta An stood up and walked toward the balcony.
Outside the hotel window, Hong Kong's night scenery glittered brilliantly.
The flowing lights illuminated Victoria Harbour in the distance, while the bustling neon signs carried a prosperity completely different from Tokyo.
The sea breeze drifted in faintly.
The young man silently watched the nightscape for a while before suddenly smiling.
"Suzuka's final Twinkle Series race being here. It's actually not bad at all."
At that moment, a soft knock sounded from the adjacent room's direction.
Shuta An immediately knew who it was.
Opening the door, he saw Silence Suzuka standing quietly outside in loose nightwear, her long orange hair still slightly damp, clearly having just finished bathing.
"What's wrong?" he asked with a smile.
Silence Suzuka looked up at him for several seconds before softly speaking:
"Ann..."
"Tomorrow, after training..."
"Can we go see the night view together?"
The young man blinked slightly, then laughed softly.
"Of course."