"So that’s how it is. Then, I suppose we should prepare a set of daily necessities for Ruby-san in jiro Manor as well?"
"Ah... y-yes, probably...?"
Gotham Song had no idea why, but looking at jiro Ramonu, who wore her usual serene expression, utterly unreadable, she felt waves of chills running through her heart.
After returning from Daiichi Ruby’s ho, the first thing Gotham Song saw was Ramonu, waiting for her at the entrance. Clearly, her elder sister had been deliberately waiting there. After briefly asking what exactly had happened, they swiftly moved into their current topic.
How should I describe the current atmosphere... Um, should I start praying for Ruby now?
"Actually, it seems the preparations were already taken care of, weren’t they?"
"Oh? Well, that’s good."
She definitely rembers sothing like this, right?!
Although very subtle, lasting only for a brief mont, Ramonu nodded slightly and her lips curled gently after hearing Gotham Song’s response. Clearly, she was very satisfied. But as for why she was pleased, Gotham Song couldn’t grasp the reason at all.
Just why is she happy...?
"I’m happy because you’ve paid attention to such minor details. It ans you’ve grown a lot, Song. As your sister, of course, I’d feel proud about this, wouldn’t I?"
"Ah... y-yes..."
What else can I say? She could only nod—nod very deeply. Indeed, even though she wasn’t the eldest, Gotham Song understood this feeling exceptionally well, especially after repeatedly witnessing jiro McQueen’s changes right before her eyes.
An elder sister is exactly the type who feels happy over those small, special monts of growth from their younger siblings, even if those monts aren’t at the heart of the topic. Especially a sister who acts like a mother... Wait, wait! Why did my thoughts wander here?!
But why did Ramonu-nee suddenly bring up this subject? Obviously, it’s because of so very clear reason, right?! Especially since Gotham Song just ca back from Daiichi Ruby’s ho. At this delicate timing, why Ramonu suddenly acted like this—it couldn’t be more obvious!
If it were the old Gotham Song who knew nothing about this world, she’d probably think this was just ordinary concern between sisters. But now...
Though she still believed things wouldn’t escalate into anything too terrifying between sisters, even if Ramonu didn’t have those particular thoughts, at the very least, it was probably about reminding her to be restrained and cautious, right?
Then, how should she answer here?
"Don’t rush, Song. No matter what, don’t rush. You must never hastily answer questions posed to you. After all, there’s nothing urgent enough that you have to respond right away after hearing it, isn’t that right?"
Yet Ramonu interrupted Gotham Song’s attempt to reply. Instead, she leaned in very close, gently cupping her younger sister’s cheeks, and then softly gave sothing that rarely occurred, yet was happening right now—
A sister’s guidance.
This... this feels a bit too close... So what exactly is this situation?
Gotham Song was completely and utterly stalled by confusion, unable to form any effective thoughts for a while.
"You really are as dense as ever, Song. However, as your elder sister, there are still things I must tell you ahead of ti."
"As I just ntioned, no one can demand an imdiate answer from soone of jiro Manor. Having ample ti to think is your rightful privilege, Song."
How could soone from jiro Manor endure even a shred of injustice?
jiro Ramonu absolutely wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen—not sothing she could see, nor sothing she couldn’t. If soone tried, then she’d bet her na of Ramonu—every Uma Musu here would tear them completely apart.
So, just like this topic, what exactly was Gotham Song now fully equipped with?
"You really can’t hide anything from Onee-san... Geez, one after another, is my expression really that easy to read?!"
Gotham Song puffed her cheeks, looking at the Uma Musu before her in apparent dissatisfaction. She even widened her eyes, openly showing her displeasure.
Yet Ramonu didn’t give a direct answer to this reaction.
What could she say? An elder sister could never lie to her younger sibling, right?
"In short, Song, no matter what choices you face, if you genuinely feel unsure, then just take your ti enjoying the luxury of choosing. It’s not like you’ll lose everything by not imdiately deciding, right?"
But isn’t saying sothing like that simply arrogance?
"It absolutely is arrogance, Song. You’re always forgetting one thing—you’re a proud mber of jiro Manor. Beyond that, you’re an era itself, an embodint of an age. Even leaving aside the glory you’ve already achieved, right now, you’re a signal of a brand-new era beginning."
"If soone who opened up two great eras, who reached the pinnacle of glory, doesn’t have the right to be arrogant, then who in this world could possibly have that right, Song?"
jiro Ramonu seed greatly amused, pinching Gotham Song’s cheek softly and pulling it gently.
"Since you’re called the Demon Lord of the racetrack, then enjoy the privileges that co with such glory and power even more boldly. After all, Gotham Song would never lose to anyone. That’s sothing your sister firmly believes in..."
jiro Ramonu clearly saw it—or rather, she could clearly sense the faint confusion hidden within Gotham Song’s eyes. As her elder sister, how could she just stand by and do nothing?
However, Gotham Song, standing before Ramonu, felt deeply surprised instead.
If Ruby had rely said she didn’t find this kind of behavior excessive, then Ramonu’s attitude undoubtedly pushed things a step further.
Even if there were excessive elents involved, so what? Was Gotham Song, as soone truly strong, so pitiful creature who had no room to make such choices?
That probably was the feeling and description, right? Yet again, such a matter completely shook Gotham Song’s entire worldview regarding the world of Uma Musu. And it was only at this very mont she truly realized one thing clearly.
Why was it that Twilight Song’s reputation had beco so terrible in Japan back then, and yet...
Yet, why had so many younger Uma Musu, who never witnessed Twilight Song themselves, beco her most devoted and fanatic supporters instead?
Because of her strength and her glory.
Even if Twilight Song no longer existed in that world, her legend circulated worldwide—that rainy day, that Great Escape victory. It was a victory so glorious that no Uma Musu enthusiast could fail to know about it!
The logic was simple: the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe itself was already one of the greatest races globally. An Uma Musu who won the Arc would naturally have her na recorded prominently in history—even if she had only this single triumph.
Let alone Twilight Song, who possessed two insane national Triple Crowns and another Triple Crown on top of that—achieving supre glory across both dirt and turf.
Because of that, countless people effortlessly turned their eyes toward this incomparably powerful Uma Musu. Because she was strong, because she was invincible, because of her miraculous runs, and because of her tragic, incomplete beauty.
Such stories naturally beca legendary, perfectly demonstrating just how overwhelmingly dominant Twilight Song truly had been.
Precisely because of this, despite a terribly hostile public opinion environnt, Twilight Song’s followers in Japan never decreased—in fact, their numbers only grew greater!
Until Gotham Song appeared, completely overturning that originally negative public sentint up until today. But thinking about it now, even without Gotham Song, wouldn’t Twilight Song’s reputation eventually have reversed at so future point?
And that was exactly the most terrifying, most powerful point about the truly strong—they transcend eras and ti, crossing boundaries between different generations. As long as that strength remained seen and discussed by everyone, that radiant brilliance and indomitable pride would continue to shine brilliantly.
If only I could have a showdown with such an opponent. If only I could’ve been Twilight Song myself. Such thoughts spiraled, becoming simple yearning.
And the people driven by this yearning were, in a sense, truly entitled to their pride.
If everyone directs their gaze towards you, and all those people are your fans, then, as the strong one in their eyes, wouldn’t it be a betrayal to show cowardice?
Uma Musu is cruel—or rather, horse racing, competition itself, is cruel. Over a dozen competitors in a race, yet only one can take first place. Among countless classic-year Uma Musu each year, there can only ever be one who achieves the Triple Crown!
That’s just how frighteningly cruel being an Uma Musu is.
At this very mont, Gotham Song finally and thoroughly understood the true nature of competition in this world.
Or perhaps, only after continuously crushing everyone else beneath her feet, did she finally project herself through jiro Ramonu’s harshness onto those constantly oppressed Uma Musu, only at this mont understanding clearly—
Just how exhausting looking upward is... My neck really hurts.
But fortunately, it seems I’m always the one being looked up to.
Thinking carefully, Ruby has ntioned it several tis already. Song, what exactly is your title?
Augustus Returned, Demon Lord of the Racetrack—soone everyone must gaze upward toward, soone who surely has a seat reserved when talking about the strongest Uma Musu of all ti.
If I lowered my head, would everyone else have to stare straight into the center of the earth?
"I-I’ll try my best. As Gotham Song, as the Demon Lord of the Racetrack..."
Uma Musu? Aren’t the strong supposed to firmly crush the weak beneath their feet?
If you want to defeat , then co face head-on. Fairly and squarely—try stepping over the obstacles in your path. Otherwise, the glory of victory will remain mine alone to savor.
jiro Ramonu nodded in satisfaction, releasing Gotham Song’s cheeks as if finally having resolved sothing weighing on her heart. Truthfully, whether or not Gotham Song would choose Daiichi Ruby wasn’t sothing she particularly cared about.
This was Gotham Song’s choice—just as there existed sothing called a strong person’s pride, of course, as a sister, she too carried this pride. If she had to use her position to pry, inquire, or manipulate to achieve her desired outco, how could that count as upright or honorable?
jiro Ramonu had her own pride as well, and she wouldn’t use weak thods to achieve victory...
That would amount to admitting defeat!
"Very good. Maintain this mood and mindset, because my little sister is among the rare few in the entire world—a strong one whose very na makes others consider withdrawing from competition."
For Uma Musu, "withdrawing from a race" was truly a distant concept. At least for jiro Ramonu, she’d only seen it ntioned once—in a book.
It was a record from many years ago, from the days before Eclipse retired. The book described how whenever Eclipse announced participation in a race, almost all competitors would consider withdrawing to preserve their strength, leaving only a very small number willing to run.
For spectators, races at that ti beca exceptionally dull, because only two or three Uma Musu would be running. Often, after the winner crossed the finish line, the audience would still have to wait quite a while before the "close-following" second-place Uma Musu appeared.
Of course, ntioning such things didn’t an all races Gotham Song entered would have massive numbers withdrawing—though sothing like this happening was still within jiro Ramonu’s expectations.
However, since Song had just finished the Dubai World Cup, this scenario hadn’t truly occurred yet. It was only when chatting casually with Symboli Rudolf that Ramonu heard that a few younger Uma Musu were already beginning to harbor such feelings, prompting these thoughts.
Song has already grown into such a powerful existence—it was truly ti for her to understand what the so-called "ntality of the strong" ant.
When participating in any race, you should have the mindset: "All of you are re challengers." Isn’t that right? After all, my little sister...
...Is powerful enough to make the entire world tremble, powerful enough to be compared with that Uma Musu from history.
You must understand: Song’s professional career had only just officially begun. Her older-horse year hadn’t even ended, yet she was already chasing after the radiance of the so-called "Sun" from history. Sothing like this—
How could sothing like this not make jiro Ramonu, as an elder sister, feel joyful and proud?
Such was the pride and sentint that belonged exclusively to an elder sister.
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