Having trained real horses, why are we now training racehorse girls after time-traveling?

"Alright then... Karen-chan, you take the master craftsman and the other companions to get acquainted first, I'll go talk to Miss Journey."

"Leave it to Karen-chan, Onii-chan~" Makoto was taking her refusal to let Ikezoe worry about her to the extreme. Just a week ago, Makoto was arguing with the Gold Master, but now she was intimately wrapped her arm around the Gold Master's and said to her:

"Gold Master, you're here! Now we're all partners, so let's get along well!"

"Hey—don't grab me! You're so strong!"

Golden Journey and Ikezoe watched the group gradually depart, but after a long while, Ikezoe finally asked with some doubt:

"That...Golden Journey...Madam?"

“You’re still a young lady, aren’t you? I’m not married.” Golden Journey chuckled and corrected her, then asked with a hint of teasing, “What? Do I look like I’m already of marriageable age?”

"No, that's not what I meant..." Chi Tian waved his hand awkwardly. He only realized belatedly that in the world of Uma Musume, Golden Journey and Master were sisters, not the kind of relationship he remembered.

"Trainer Ikezoe, you are a very special person. I can sense that you have some extraordinary qualities."

Soon after the teasing subsided, Golden Journey returned to the same calm expression he had when they first met, and said to Ikezoe with a hint of curiosity in his tone:

“You are the only person I have ever met who can accept that child, the Golden Master. And you are also the only trainer I have ever met who can be accepted by the Master.”

"Before this, I had never seen her get along so well with anyone, even among us family members. Jujiang's relationship with the other sisters was not so good, and she seemed somewhat rebellious."

“The Golden Master… is indeed a little difficult to get along with.” Chi Tian replied as if grumbling, a helpless smile appearing on his face: “Actually, I didn’t think I would accept the Golden Master at first, but in the end I figured it out.”

"Perhaps this is some kind of fate between us. I am honored to be her comrade-in-arms. I think she could have found a better trainer than me with her potential, but she still chose to stand with me... even though she is not so easy to get along with... I am still very honored."

As Ikezoe said, he has always felt that it was an honor for him to compete alongside the Golden Masters. His career reached its peak because of the Golden Masters, and he and the Golden Masters were once so close to surpassing Japan's record. Although they ultimately missed each other, he is still incredibly excited when the memories of fighting for it come to mind.

"I didn't expect you to value the Golden Master so much... I thought you just valued her talent."

However, Chi Tian's answer surprised even Golden Journey, who was unusually taken aback. The emotion in Chi Tian's words just now left Golden Journey somewhat bewildered.

She even had a feeling that the man in front of her knew the Gold Master better than she, the eldest sister, and had even spent more time with him than she had... but that should be impossible.

However, the emotion in Ikezoe's words could not be fake. For a moment, Golden Journey did not know whether to believe the facts or the emotional side—could there really be such a thing as predestined relationships in this world?

Could it be that the three goddesses descended this trainer specifically to be the partner of the master's child?

When this thought popped into her mind, Golden Journey couldn't help but have a bold idea, and solemnly asked, "...I wonder if Trainer Ikezoe would be willing to help me educate another child?"

"She's quite talented, but her temper... is probably even more volatile and easily angered than that of the master craftsman. Her name is Meng..."

"Please, please spare me."

However, before Golden Journey could finish speaking, all that could be seen was Chi Tian's expression as if he were about to kneel down before her, pleading with Golden Journey not to continue.

One gold master was already enough for him, but then a dream journey... what kind of hell on earth is this?

Even in his past life, he rode there one horse at a time, how could he have come with several? Do you really think Chi Tianqian is made of iron?

"Since you're so resistant, I won't continue."

Seeing that her other child was being so disliked by Chi Tian, ​​Golden Journey found it a bit funny. It seemed that her child's journey had not yet begun.

However, the journey of that child, Master, has undoubtedly begun earlier than expected. Perhaps it wouldn't be too late to ask Trainer Ikezoe to teach that child, Dream Journey, after Master has achieved great success?

She had planned her golden journey in this way, and had already prepared a simple template in her mind. However, at the end, she took the initiative to ask one last question.

"Trainer Ikezoe, I'd like to hear your plans for the future of the Gold Master... if you don't mind."

"Ah, I'll probably let her run a few more races. Next year she can challenge for the classic triple crown. She definitely won't make it this year. Let her run some GIII level races first, and then we'll consider GII."

Chi Tian had already made plans for the future of the Gold Master, and based on his memories, he was full of confidence in the future of the Gold Master.

"First, we'll secure the classic Triple Crown, then the Arima Kinen! Once we've got everything, it'll be about time to..."

"Arc de Triomphe".

At that moment, Golden Journey casually uttered the word, causing Chi Tian to pause slightly in surprise.

“Let that child go to the Arc de Triomphe, break out of Japan, and rush onto the real world stage—if it really can be as you say.” Golden Journey said to Ikezoe, who was standing there stunned, as he turned to leave.

"Just as you expected, train her to become the strongest racehorse girl in all of Japan, Trainer Ikezoe."

"When that time comes, I will provide you with help that you can hardly imagine, something that can grant almost any wish of yours. No matter what it takes, I will do my best to make it happen."

However, until the figure of the Golden Journey completely disappeared from Ikemoto's sight, for the first time, an insecure smile appeared on Ikemoto's usually highly motivated face as he muttered to himself:

"The Arc de Triomphe... ah..."

"Yes... the Gold Master can do it, she can do it... but perhaps I... am not qualified enough."

Chapter 70: The Two Who Challenge the Arc de Triomphe

“The Arc de Triomphe… that’s a really big ambition. Even back in my day, I never took any racehorses out of the country. Ikezoe, you should have some confidence in yourself.”

A few days later, the group returned to Treson Academy, acting as if nothing had happened. Training continued as usual. However, only the three trainers who had reunited knew each other's troubles.

As for Ikezoe, who couldn't keep things to himself, both Jinlang and Wada could see his troubles at a glance. During training together today, the two of them took the initiative to talk about Ikezoe's troubles - "the Arc de Triomphe".

This was a competition that had drawn countless groups and even the central government to an almost obsessive level of fervor even before their journey. Yet, this 2400-meter race held in France had brought countless riders and famous horses to their deaths, as if it were an insurmountable chasm.

The Golden Master, who was once just one step away from winning the Arc de Triomphe, is also Ikezo's biggest question – of course, his regret is not only because the Golden Master failed to win the competition, but also because he was unable to personally ride the Golden Master to participate in the competition.

"The people at the esports venue told me that my qualifications and abilities are far from those of top international riders." Recalling the incident at the Arc de Triomphe, even this usually optimistic person seemed somewhat dispirited, speaking slowly:

"I canceled all my domestic events and competitions and went to the Arc de Triomphe in advance to observe the venue and ask the riders about the key points of the Arc de Triomphe. I wanted the Golden Master to familiarize himself with the venue during his time in France so that he could prepare in advance and win the Arc de Triomphe in one fell swoop. That was my plan."

"But later the station reminded me that my skill level was far too low... so they replaced me with a stronger rider."

Speaking of this, Ikezoe was both amused and exasperated. He considered himself to be a very skilled rider in central Japan, if not among the top tier. Who would dare say he wasn't qualified to participate in any GI race in Japan? Even in the international Japan Cup, his horse would definitely be a favorite to win.

But only at the Arc de Triomphe in France did Ikezoe encounter a hurdle that he could never forget: for the first time in his life, he was deemed "incapable" and unable to compete alongside the Gold Master.

Then, the Golden Master also narrowly lost in second place. To this day, Ikezoe still doesn't know how to evaluate the decision made by the central government... or rather, they think that if Ikezoe had been the rider, he probably wouldn't have even gotten second place.

"Have some confidence in yourself, Chi Tian. Now that you know why the Central Committee refused to let you ride the Golden Master, it's not too late for you to try again."

Jinlang and Wada were, of course, aware of this matter. Jinlang, who had a closer relationship with the media and thus knew better what kind of people in the central government were, offered some words of comfort: "I don't want to discourage you, Ikezoe, but if you want to challenge the Arc de Triomphe, you really need to hone your skills further. At the very least, you need to have the qualifications to participate in international competitions."

“You see, Wada-kun is also constantly honing himself. I think he is like you, someone who wants to challenge the Arc de Triomphe.”

"Huh? Wada, you're going to the Arc de Triomphe too?"

This was the first time Ikezoe had heard this news. He instinctively glanced at Wada beside him, who had kept his intentions hidden for a moment before shrugging and saying:

"Yes...it's really embarrassing, even Ikezoe-kun can't attend the Arc de Triomphe...but I really want to try my luck at the Arc de Triomphe."

“I also want to bring good operas to the Arc de Triomphe – although I’ve never done it before, I want to try this time.”

It must be said that Wada himself is indeed somewhat unskilled yet loves to play. His technical and theoretical level is arguably the worst among the three – although his record in the Central Division was indeed good, and he later grew into a rider worthy of this honor, it still does not change the fact that he is indeed inferior to Ikezoe, let alone Ikurami.

But Wada did not give up. He studied hard, even though his actual mental age was over 40. He was still very enthusiastic about learning to improve himself. He understood the principle of "the early bird catches the worm".

"Hotan, have you thought this through? The Arc de Triomphe is no joke."

However, Ikezoe, who had already suffered a setback at the Arc de Triomphe, said with a troubled expression, "Many of our famous horses have suffered losses at the Arc de Triomphe, and quite a few of them retired not long after returning home."

"You really intend to send a great opera there to try your luck? Then you don't have much time to prepare. Although, even if we calculate it, the Golden Masters can't possibly challenge the Arc de Triomphe until next year..."

"...To be honest, I don't know if I'm qualified." However, Wada just shook his head when he heard this. He had just brought up the regret he had wanted to make up for a long time without having thought about anything else.

After all, back then, he didn't even qualify to see the Arc de Triomphe, let alone compete in it. But this time, if he can achieve his goal of winning the Classic Triple Crown and a few more GI performances... perhaps he and Good Opera can reach a level comparable to the Golden Masters.

At least Wada himself has a clear understanding of himself. He is definitely not good enough to teach opera all the way to the Arc de Triomphe. He just wants to make up for these regrets. As for the Arc de Triomphe, it is the kind of thing that is considered a success if he can just participate.

Rather than winning, he would prefer Good Opera to finish the race at the Arc de Triomphe unscathed, just like the Golden Ship back then—he certainly didn't want Good Opera to be the next Japanese racehorse that finished in France and then retired back home.

"So, what about Imai-senpai? Are you also aiming for the Arc de Triomphe? Although I remember Megumi McQueen didn't participate in the expedition, the Golden Ship had the potential to achieve a better ranking, right?" Wada couldn't help but turn to look at Imai, the most skilled among them.

"Yes, Senior Jinlang, you definitely deserve to participate in the Arc de Triomphe! Don't you want to win the Arc de Triomphe?" Ikezoe also belatedly realized that although he and Wada both thought they had drawn the best cards, Jinlang's two racehorse girls were by no means weak either.

Both Megumi McQueen and Golden Ship have the potential to challenge the Arc de Triomphe. For these three trainers, all possessing futuristic vision, another chance would be enough to allow them to avoid most of the difficulties and obstacles, thus reaching even greater heights.

"You young people should take the stage. I'll hold the fort here."

Upon hearing this, Lang smiled and shook his head. He was well aware of the regrets of his two juniors, and he understood their determination to give it another shot. After all, they were still young, and it was normal for them to want to strive for the future again after their touching reunion with their beloved horse.

But he has let go of it. The racehorses he once rode have long since disappeared in the long river of time. Even the racehorses that are now regarded as seniors in this world are just children in his eyes... He has no other thoughts besides affection for them.

"But it's too early to talk about these things now, Ikezoe. Now focus your attention on teaching the Gold Master and try to take her to a higher level."

"Even if you say that, Senior Jinlang..."

However, for a moment, a troubled expression appeared on Chi Tian's face, and his gaze unconsciously turned to the other side of the playground, where the Golden Masters were currently doing parallel running training in the team.

Even with past experience... teaching a master of gold... Ikezoe felt that this time, it might be much more difficult than teaching in his previous life.

Chapter 71: The Goldsmith's Indolence?

At this moment, another lap around the track was completed. This training session ended with Megumi McQueen crossing the finish line first. After finishing, Megumi McQueen couldn't help but glance at Good Opera and Raging Waves following closely behind, with Golden Master and True Machine coming last.

As for the Golden Boat, she didn't participate in this parallel training session; instead, she took on the role of the finish line worker.

"You didn't unleash your final kick, Opera and Raging Waves, are you going easy on me?"

"Hahaha, this is what my trainer and I, Nutao, require us to use our last leg as little as possible during training to avoid injury." Good Opera immediately replied with an exaggerated gesture: "As long as our physical fitness and strength increase, our last leg will naturally grow as well. The trainer tells us to avoid getting injured during training as much as possible."

"On the contrary, McQueen, you need to be careful. Your burst of energy just now was indeed impressive, but don't rush things!"

"—There's no need to worry about that. My trainer has already made a plan for me, and I now take time every day to get my legs checked."

McQueen has been with Jinlang's team for some time now, and he continues to trust Jinlang's training arrangements as always. But if we were to pinpoint the biggest change Jinlang has brought to McQueen, it would be that he's become more attentive to the health of his legs and feet than ever before.

Because McQueen had learned about his mission from his grandmother, which was not only to win the Emperor's Prize and fulfill the Mejiro family's mission, but more importantly, to be able to retire healthily many years later and use his uninjured legs to improve the Mejiro family's bloodline, thereby cultivating better descendants.

Since that day, McQueen has been very concerned about the safety of her legs, because she knows that she has been given a new mission, and Jin Lang is her trainer, her supervisor and planner - the key figure in her to continue the family's future.

As for who will continue the Mejiro family bloodline with her in the future... to be honest, McQueen herself wasn't very sure, but she felt that if she really fell in love with someone, it would be because she was attracted by their qualities and excellence.

She knew perfectly well that the person McQueen liked was definitely not an ordinary person. Although she didn't have any plans to be in a relationship right now.

The primary goal is to win the Emperor's Prize; as for what comes next... we'll talk about that when we reach that age.

"Oh, McQueen, that was a great run! Another new record!" The Golden Ship, who hadn't participated in training but was holding a timer, stepped forward and said, then his gaze shifted to the Golden Master beside him.

"Hehe, Master Sister, you actually failed to catch up. That's really unexpected. You were so strong in the debut competition, how come you're so weak now?"

"What—the Golden Ship!"

However, the panting goldsmith was immediately enraged by the gold ship's provocative words, but after her anger subsided, she looked up and saw the gold ship's 170-centimeter-tall figure, and she immediately deflated, losing all her temper.

Waaaaah... You stinky old lady! Why did you leave the Golden Ship as the temporary head of the household when you left? This guy has no sense of responsibility whatsoever...