Hearing Mr. C.B.'s words, Dream Weaver remained silent for a long while before finally speaking.
"Looks like I still couldn't catch up, huh..."
"Now, now, don't be so hard on yourself."
Mr. C.B. spread her hands and shook her head.
"That was a field formed by five Triple Crown-level Uma Musume working together. You think I'm some kind of monster like you? Just lasting until the end of the race is pretty darn impressive."
"With injuries like these, there's no way I can think about the Kikuka Shō anymore."
As she spoke, Mr. C.B. raised her eyes and gave Dream Weaver a playful wink.
"What, did you get lonely not having me in the race with you?"
"Do you like me that much?"
Hearing that, Dream Weaver's cheeks flushed with a hint of embarrassed pink. She quickly waved her hands in denial.
"That's not it at all!"
"It's just... I feel it's such a shame. To have come all this way through the Japanese Derby, only to have to stop because of injuries..."
Her voice gradually trailed off into a murmur. Everyone in the hospital room fell silent because of her words.
The lighthearted mood from the earlier jokes faded away. When Dream Weaver laid the issue bare like this, a heavy atmosphere almost instantly filled the entire ward.
Mr. C.B. glanced at Dream Weaver, who was hanging her head, then at the silent group around her. With a somewhat helpless expression, she spread her hands.
"Hey, I'm the one who's injured, right? Why does everyone look even more downcast than I do?"
"Mr. C.B., you..." Symboli Rudolf began, but before she could finish, Mr. C.B. cut her off.
"It's fine."
She shrugged with a relaxed look.
"Back at the training camp, I had to listen to a bunch of people chattering about the Triple Crown and all those expectations every single day. I don't really have any starry-eyed dreams about those races myself."
"If it weren't for the fact that the Triple Crown holds special meaning for challenging those European folks, I might not have even entered."
"So... even if I can't complete it, it really doesn't matter."
Seeing her seemingly carefree attitude, the mood in the room lightened considerably without anyone realizing it.
Noticing the atmosphere wasn't so oppressive anymore, Mr. C.B. continued.
"Besides, I don't have to run the Triple Crown races."
She stroked her chin, as if pondering something, before speaking again after a moment.
"I recall there's another major race called the Japan Cup, right?"
"That's right. If the Triple Crown races were established by Europe to assert their absolute authority, then the Japan Cup is the true world-class event that gathers top Uma Musume from everywhere."
"While its prestige still can't match Europe's top local events, it attracts many Uma Musume from other countries to compete for the title."
As Mr. C.B. brought up the Japan Cup, Shiragawa immediately jumped in to explain.
Though held back by the European racing establishment, as an independent racing region, they naturally had their own world-class events.
The Japan Cup, bearing the nation's name, was precisely such a world-level race.
Unlike the Triple Crown, which was specifically set up to suppress local talents, world-class races like the Japan Cup were generally established by the local region itself.
The hope was that one day, their own Uma Musume could showcase their prowess on a global stage.
Of course, as a world-class event, it naturally attracted many formidable competitors.
"It's called the Japan Cup. It can't just keep being won by European Uma Musume forever."
"So, I've set my sights on next year's Japan Cup."
Mr. C.B. smiled at Shiragawa, who had provided the explanation, then looked at the others in the room.
Finally, her gaze settled on the attending medical staff.
"With injuries like mine, they shouldn't affect next year's Japan Cup, right?"
The staff member she was looking at thought for a moment before giving a definite answer.
"Shouldn't be a problem."
Having gotten her answer, Mr. C.B. spread her hands open toward everyone with a grin.
"So... that's that, then."
"The Triple Crown is up to you guys. I'll be preparing for next year's Japan Cup."
After saying that, she waved a hand dismissively at the group.
"Alright, alright, everyone out. The visiting hours have been plenty long enough today. I'm sure you all have your own tasks to complete, right?"
"With a whole crowd stuck in this room, at least let the patient breathe some fresh air."
With Mr. C.B. putting it that way, no one felt they could say much more. After wishing her a speedy recovery, they filed out of the room one by one.
Symboli Rudolf seemed to want to say something more before leaving, but seeing Mr. C.B.'s stubborn look, she ultimately swallowed her words. She ushered out Shiragawa, who was still peeling an apple, and together they left the ward.
Lying in the hospital bed, Mr. C.B. looked at the nightstand, where apples had unknowingly piled up into a small mountain. A wry smile touched her lips.
She turned her head toward Dream Weaver, who was opening the window for some fresh air.
"Remember to take a few apples with you on your way out."
"There's no way one patient can eat all of these, you know."
Dream Weaver, with her back to Mr. C.B., gave a slight nod. After opening all the windows wide, she paused at the windowsill for a moment, making Mr. C.B. tilt her head in confusion.
"What, are you going to hog the fresh air from a patient too?"
A breeze ruffled the ends of Dream Weaver's hair. Without turning around, she spoke softly.
"I'll win the Kikuka Shō. I'll win the Triple Crown... I'll carry your share, too."
Mr. C.B. was taken aback by her words. After a good while, she finally responded with a smile.
"Well, that has been the goal everyone's been striving for all along."
Then, before Dream Weaver could reply, Mr. C.B. continued.
"Just be careful on your own. If Europe fields an even stronger lineup than they did for the Japanese Derby, you must be cautious."
"The Kikuka Shō distance is 3,000 meters. There's no need to rush; that's plenty of time for you to observe your opponents carefully."
After saying this, Mr. C.B. stretched her arms out wide in a yawn. Her joints gave a series of satisfying pops, and she let out a contented sigh.
"Alright, you haven't done today's training yet, have you? Don't waste time here, you training maniac."
"Off you go."
"I understand."
Dream Weaver didn't hesitate any longer. She nodded to her and walked toward the door.
Just as she was about to step out of the room, Mr. C.B.'s voice came from behind her. Perhaps because of the distance, her words sounded a little faint.
"I'll be cheering for you from the stands, you know."
Dream Weaver's steps halted briefly at the doorway. Her hand tightened almost imperceptibly on the doorknob before she gave a firm, resolute nod.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.