But before heading out to et jiro McQueen, Gotham Song had one important matter to settle.
After all, she was about to et McQueen—soone whose phantom companion was still very much around.
Gotham Song hadn’t forgotten what happened at the Kikuka Sho: even from far away, without eting face-to-face, McQueen had seen right through her. If she showed up now without preparation, her identity might instantly blow wide open.
Then it wouldn’t just be "entering jiro Manor."
It would be:
Entering jiro Manor!
Thus, the morning after she’d agreed to accompany jiro Bright, Gotham Song imdiately went to see Manhattan Cafe—
Or rather, Sunday Silence.
The old ghost seed to have anticipated this and readily agreed to help when the ti ca.
Satisfied, Gotham Song then spent so leisure ti running alongside Cafe before leaving.
But as Gotham Song left, Manhattan Cafe stood deep in thought, a troubled look clouding her face.
"My friend, why do I have this odd feeling...that Gotham didn’t actually co here to see ?"
Under Sunday Silence’s amused yet sympathetic gaze, Cafe’s confusion gradually mixed with a hint of sour lancholy.
Although, as her best friend, Sunday Silence probably shouldn’t indulge such complicated feelings, but...
Wouldn’t it be interesting if Cafe really did develop those feelings for Gotham?
Sorry, Cafe. I’ll explain everything clearly later, okay?
Sunday Silence stayed silent, quietly holding in laughter as Cafe puzzled over her conflicted emotions. anwhile, Gotham Song was completely unaware, busy moving through her own packed schedule.
A week passed quickly for Uma Musu, and Gotham Song continued her days alternating between training and rest, until the Ruka Stakes results finally arrived.
Once again, the global and Japanese Uma Musu communities erupted into chaos.
Unbelievably, jiro McQueen had won the Ruka Stakes with a Great Escape strategy, earning herself the highest honor in that running style.
It stunned everyone—particularly those who had watched both this race and the final edition of the Gotham Stakes. They witnessed a shocking realization:
jiro McQueen had almost flawlessly replicated Twilight Song’s running style.
More precisely, she mimicked Twilight Song’s habits and skills nearly perfectly.
Nearly—because a perfect replica was impossible due to physical differences.
The height gap, specifically.
The mature jiro McQueen was nearly twenty centiters taller than Twilight Song. Twilight Song’s small stature allowed her to lower her center of gravity drastically, running as though flying along the ground, enabling impossible acceleration through curves.
McQueen simply couldn’t reproduce that aspect physically.
Thus, she was an almost-perfect copy, rather than an exact replica.
Still, McQueen winning the Ruka Stakes with a Great Escape was shocking enough on its own.
Ever since Twilight Song’s ti, the entire Uma Musu world tacitly agreed: whoever won the Ruka Stakes with a Great Escape beca the reigning queen of front runners.
Now—
A horse girl who had never competed seriously with escape tactics suddenly seized the title of escape queen, doing so by perfectly imitating the Goddess of Escape herself?
Moreover, she was Twilight Song’s own sister by blood?!
Every front runner-type Uma Musu worldwide suddenly questioned their sanity, not knowing whether they should envy her, envy her more, or envy her endlessly.
But none of that mattered to jiro Manor.
The day after the Ruka Stakes concluded, Gotham Song woke early, traveling with jiro Bright to Tokyo International Airport to welco McQueen ho.
Accompanying them was jiro Ardan. In late March, the weather was warm enough for the three horse girls to have changed out of their winter clothes into lighter garnts.
Gotham Song’s hair was neatly decorated by a soft blue ribbon—another thoughtful "gift" from jiro Ardan.
Incidentally, jiro Bright had tried giving her a similar white ribbon, suggesting she tie it on the opposite side.
Would that count as a fashion statent?
Gotham Song had no idea.
Officially, it was just the three of them greeting McQueen. For the first ti in a long while, Gotham Song also enjoyed a ride in the luxurious jiro family limousine.
She even put on a little act, showing carefully faked curiosity and awe at seeing such a limousine for the first ti—
[You have zero acting talent.]
And promptly received Sunday Silence’s rciless critique.
Indeed, their three-person squad had secretly beco four—a rather nice tradition at this point.
Gotham Song cursed the old ghost silently while being gently led into the limousine by jiro Ardan.
Yet jiro Bright rely smiled softly, seemingly pleased with Gotham Song’s adorable, if slightly awkward, performance.
The limousine soon approached the airport, and Bright casually posed one final question to Gotham Song:
"After we pick up McQueen today, will you join us at jiro Manor for a visit, Gotham?"
"Ah..."
Although Gotham Song had prepared ntally to revisit jiro Manor, wasn’t this a bit soon?
"Um...will Ardan-san also be coming?"
She struggled lightly, thinking Ardan’s presence would at least guarantee safety.
"Hmm...if Ramonu-nee isn’t there, I suppose I can go ho."
Ardan received a reassuring nod from Bright.
Thus, Gotham Song could only reluctantly nod along.
Well, as long as jiro Ramonu didn’t suddenly appear, nothing disastrous should happen...right?
She thought quietly: check the current situation at jiro Manor, then slip away at night without staying over.
Because...well...
The room reserved for her current self at jiro Manor made her extrely uneasy.
The limousine stopped shortly after. Gotham Song followed the two jiro sisters towards the arrivals gate.
It was all familiar—ignoring how frequently she’d visited here in her previous life, she’d also co through here not long ago after flying in from Arica.
Shortly after, jiro McQueen and jiro Palr erged with luggage, imdiately welcod warmly by the jiro sisters.
Well, "sisters" referred mainly to Bright, Palr, and Ardan. Palr even hugged Ardan enthusiastically, leaving McQueen—the youngest—to stand aloofly aside.
McQueen greeted everyone politely before imdiately fixing her intense gaze on Gotham Song’s face.
Um...didn’t we et already, McQueen? Your stare right now is incredibly scary!
"Um, McQueen...san?"
"Mm."
Mmm?! Say sothing more! Please don’t just ’Mm’ !
Sunday Silence was already laughing hysterically, leaving Gotham Song frozen awkwardly in place.
"Er, McQueen-san, could you please speak normally?"
"What do you an?"
How am I supposed to continue this conversation?! Are you really McQueen?!
Gotham Song gave up entirely.
Fortunately, jiro Bright quickly noticed and interrupted Ardan and Palr’s conversation, saving Gotham Song from this awkward stand-off.
They returned to the limousine, heading calmly toward jiro Manor. Unseen by the others, Sunday Silence wrapped an arm around Gotham Song, lending comfort. The mischievous old ghost even daringly poked McQueen’s cheek—fortunately, as a ghost, she went entirely unnoticed.
Gotham Song slowly relaxed, leaning back into her seat, desperately trying to ignore McQueen’s unwavering stare.
McQueen hadn’t shifted her gaze away even slightly since they’d reunited!
Thankfully, McQueen did nothing else; the car quietly advanced toward jiro Manor.
What exactly was McQueen thinking about?
She was thinking about Gotham Song, indeed. Internally, she was having a conversation with Phantom Ruka.
[Co on, McQueen, didn’t you already see her clearly at the Kikuka Sho? Why act surprised now?]
It’s different. I didn’t see clearly that night, and it was noisy.
That night beneath the Winner’s Stage, with its chaos, noise, and poor lighting, McQueen couldn’t fully appreciate how utterly similar Gotham Song looked to Twilight Song.
But now...
It wasn’t just ordinary resemblance. Ti had passed, but McQueen rembered Twilight Song’s face perfectly.
It was normal for people to look similar, sure, but this...this was uncanny.
Even though she knew Gotham Song couldn’t possibly be Twilight Song, McQueen couldn’t help staring, searching through her familiar features for soone long gone.
I know she isn’t her, but she looks so much like her... That was McQueen’s mindset.
But Phantom Ruka was now thoroughly irritated.
Impossible. That girl absolutely isn’t Twilight Song. If Twilight Song herself stood before , I’d recognize her instantly.
No one understood Twilight Song better than Phantom Ruka herself.
She glared angrily at Gotham Song, kicking around helplessly in McQueen’s mind—futilely.
Unlike the hidden ghosts squabbling silently inside their respective "hosts," the five living horse girls maintained outward harmony.
Eventually, the limousine—actually carrying seven passengers—pulled into jiro Manor.
Gotham Song exited first, desperate to escape McQueen’s nerve-wracking stare.
Standing firmly on familiar ground, she gazed nostalgically at the grand manor.
She recalled her first arrival:
Back then, she’d embarrassingly rushed upstairs and thrown up in Ramonu’s room.
But now...
She moved with calm grace, every action exuding the poise and dignity of soone from jiro Manor.
"Miss Gotham?"
"Ahh!"
[Hahahaha!]
Startled, Gotham Song jumped back, realizing jiro Palr had playfully leaned close.
"Geez, Palr-nee, you almost scared to death."
"Ehehe, everyone else went inside, so I ca to call you. Co on, I’ll show you around jiro Manor properly later."
"Ah, okay. Thank you, Palr...san?"
"You can call Palr-nee, like you just did."
"Ah, okay...Palr-nee."
Wait, did I just instinctively call her Palr-nee earlier? Damn it, that was a complete slip-up!
Palr cheerfully held Gotham’s hand, smiling contentedly as she guided her inside.
anwhile, Gotham Song ntally sighed in relief:
Good thing everyone else already went inside. I have to be more careful, or it’ll be a disaster if soone like Ramonu suddenly hears call her like that...
Gotham Song’s instincts warned her strongly about that particular danger.
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