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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: The Real Race
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Facing forward again, I gripped the reins and clenched my teeth, trying my best to sync my breathing with Zephyr's.
"Hahh. Ugh."
But it wasn't easy. He was as fast as a car, but the ride was anything but smooth.
My stomach churned as my body was tossed up and down and my vision blurred.
"Zeph, Zephyr... I, ugh. I'm gonna... die..."
I'd only spoken in a whisper, but somehow, Zephyr seemed to understand.
He slowed down abruptly, as if hitting the brakes.
*Huh? Could this be our connection?*
I nearly teared up again. Finally able to catch my breath, my eyes widened.
"I'm sorry, Zephyr. I didn't know you wanted to run this fast. I should have practiced, practiced more..."
Just look at me, struggling to even hold the reins and hang on.
What an embarrassingly inept owner for a magnificent horse like Zephyr!
"Sorry..."
I felt sorry that he was holding back for my sake when I knew he could run much faster.
As we continued down the straight course, another horse zipped past us.
It was Walter and Chessier!
Chessier shot me a worried glance before pulling away.
"Go, Walter! You can do it, Chessier! Win this!"
Just as I was cheering them on so carefreely, Course B began.
Along with two judges, red hurdles appeared up ahead.
"Whoa! Waah!"
Zephyr began clearing the hurdles cleanly.
I was supposed to be hitting a few, knocking some over, and racking up penalty points.
*Then again, I'm the one who didn't practice. For Zephyr, this course must be second nature, almost boringly so.*
If I actually managed to place, it would be incredibly embarrassing. I wasn't really doing anything.
Zephyr was the one running, and the only reason I was sitting safely on his back was thanks to the enchanted saddle.
"You're amazing!"
Zephyr weaved through the line of obstacles, left and right, without a moment's hesitation.
How harsh must his training have been for every part of the course to be ingrained in his body?
*That's kind of sad...*
The thought had barely crossed my mind when the obstacles ended.
Next was the longest section, a curved course that went up a small hill and back down.
As we gained altitude, a lake hidden by the mountain ridge came into view. Its surface glittered in the morning sun.
"Wow."
I was in awe.
But my leisurely sightseeing was short-lived.
Hearing the overlapping sound of hooves, I glanced back and saw Damon right behind me.
"Faster! Pick up the pace!"
Damon yelled at his horse.
From the looks of it, his horse was already giving it everything it had, yet it was still slower than Zephyr, who was taking it easy for me.
"You idiot! Are you trying to lose to that cripple? What's with this pathetic speed on a course with no obstacles!"
"What did you say?"
Listen to the way that bastard talks.
I glanced around.
With no one watching, it was the perfect moment to commit a perfect crime.
"Well, well, well! Weren't you the one going on about noble dignity? Now that you're falling behind, nothing but trash comes out of your mouth, huh?"
"...?"
Damon's eyes, who had been riding alongside me, went wide.
He stared at me, his expression one of disbelief.
"What are you staring at, you piece of trash!"
"W-what did you just say...?"
"The so-called equestrian genius was all hype, wasn't he? You have less skill than an ant's poop, and you only won last year because of Zephyr, right? You're totally screwed without him, aren't you? First place is already out of reach, huh?"
I taunted Damon with a smug wag of my chin. His face turned red, then purple with rage.
"You, you want to die?! You little brat!"
"Nope, can't kill me, can you~? Losing to someone riding for the first time, are we~?"
"Shut up! I said, shut up!"
"Nope, not shutting up~?"
Seeing Damon's face, red with fury, was incredibly satisfying.
We were only side-by-side for a moment before the gap between us widened again.
"Aaargh!"
I heard Damon's roar of frustration from behind.
"Run! You stupid bastard! Run! I said, run!"
*Heeighhh—!*
The sound of harsh strikes was followed by the horse's cry. Forced to speed up, the horse caught up to me again.
"You're so dead!"
What was this? He was clearly furious, his eyes filled with madness.
He closed the distance, his hand flailing in the air a few times before he reached out and grabbed something near my thigh.
In that instant.
*Crackle.* I felt something unnatural.
*What the—*
I realized it immediately.
Damon had dispelled the anti-fall magic on my saddle.
At the same time, my butt, which had been glued to the saddle, lifted and bounced, and the stirrups binding my feet loosened.
"Kyaaaah!"
I, who had been entrusting my body to Zephyr, confident that nothing could make me fall, screamed in shock.
Zephyr, startled as well, quickly slowed down. But the sudden stop had the opposite effect. My body lurched forward, and my feet slipped right out of the stirrups.
"Ah, aaargh!"
Having let go of the reins, my body bucked and was launched into the air.
*Is... is this really happening...?*
For a moment, my vision slowed down as if in slow motion.
The dazzling sky.
The shimmering lake.
The green panorama of the mountain ridge.
*Thud—!*
"Ugh."
I landed on my right arm and tumbled across the ground. A few sharp stones flew up, stinging my cheek.
"Ahhh..."
My whole body screamed in pain, but it wasn't enough to make me lose consciousness.
I immediately tried moving my arms and legs. It seemed no bones were broken.
"Wow. Wow. What a truly rotten person..."
Clutching my aching right arm, I stared blankly at Damon's horse and Zephyr as they rode away.
No matter how provoked he was, to cheat so brazenly...
No. This was more than just cheating.
It was an act that was grounds for immediate disqualification and could escalate into a feud between our families.
"You bastard... Your victory is toast now..."
I staggered to my feet.
I had to go back the way I came and tell the judges what happened.
*Prrrr.*
Just then, I heard the sound of hooves and turned around to see—
"Z-Zephyr?"
—Zephyr had come back.
*Wait, is this possible?*
Can a racehorse, which is supposed to only run forward, stop on its own when its rider falls off and then backtrack?
The chaotic and confusing world of horseback riding...
"Zephyr, how on earth did you come back? Aww, you're amazing."
I said, stroking Zephyr.
"Let's go back and tell the judges that Damon cheated. He's such an idiot. Why would he do something that would obviously be found out?"
I really didn't get it.
"He and I were the only ones who entered Course C at the same time, and the magic on my saddle was dispelled. I can't use magic yet, so I couldn't have undone it myself. So even if no one saw..."
As I chattered on and turned to go, something grabbed the back of my neck.
"Huh?"
Zephyr was biting the collar of my clothes.
It was as if he were speaking with his eyes.
[Let's keep running.]
—Just like that.
"A-are you serious? I can't do it..."
There was no way to recast the anti-fall magic.
To keep going, I would have to rely solely on my own strength.
"No. It's scary. I can't..."
As I shook my head, Zephyr's blue eyes met mine.
In that brief moment, I understood his gaze.
A desire to run.
A will to win.
I thought he was tired of running, exhausted from the harsh training and abuse...
*I was wrong. You want to run.*
He was different from me, who had no competitive spirit whatsoever.
"...O-okay."
Let's do it. Sink or swim.
I took a deep breath and climbed back onto Zephyr's back, who even lowered his body for me.
"I won't let go, no matter what. You have to... run carefully so I don't fall off, okay?"
*Prrrr,*
[Trust me.]
His whinny sounded just like that.
"Let's go!"
Zephyr started running again.
The magic-less saddle was precarious, and unlike before, I had to squeeze with my thighs with all my might.
*Wow, so this is what real riding is like?*
In fact, it was a clear realization.
It felt like an awakening.
It was just like the feeling of successfully riding a bike for the first time.
*If I'd kept riding with the magic, my skills wouldn't have improved at all!*
And so, I learned as I rode.
How to breathe with the horse.
How to naturally entrust my body to him without straining.
"...Why is this happening!"
As we entered Course D, where the obstacles began again, I saw Damon.
For some reason, Damon's horse had stopped in front of a hurdle, panting in agitation.
*Yeah, with an owner like that, I'd want to go on strike too.*
I clicked my tongue in disapproval.
"Huh?"
Just then, Zephyr, who had been running smoothly, stopped beside Damon in an elegant pose instead of jumping the obstacle.
*Why did he stop?*
As I wondered, I realized.
*Aha, maybe this means I should taunt him one more time?*
I grinned and stuck my chin out at Damon.
"The equestrian genius is all washed up, huh~? Can't even win by cheating, can you~?"
"Y-youuuu!"
As if that was his cue, Zephyr started clearing the obstacles again.
Ah, so this is what a connection feels like.
I was moved.
"Kyahahaha! Zephyr, you're the best!"
We passed the obstacle course without any trouble and entered the final straightaway.
In this moment, racing at full speed.
The cool air filling my lungs.
*Am I... an equestrian genius?!*
I couldn't even feel the pain from my fall anymore.
In the distance, I could see the finish line, along with the crowd filling the awards area.
The finish line...
*Huh? The finish line?*
Chessier had been ahead by an overwhelming margin, but for some reason, the red finish line ribbon was still intact.
*Where's Chessier? Ah, there!*
Soon, I saw them.
For some reason, Walter was stopped and circling around, and as Chessier's eyes met mine, he let out a small smile.
While I was bewildered.
Zephyr continued to run powerfully,
"Waaaaah!"
and just like that, we crossed the finish line.
A thunderous roar erupted from the crowd.
