As if she had fallen into memories, Duramente fell silent for a moment.
After a while, she suddenly said slowly, as though changing the subject, "When I was little, there was a time when Mom and Dad were especially busy and had no time to look after me. Sister Symboli took care of me."
Hearing that, Kitasan Black was somewhat puzzled. She thought about it but still could not understand what Duramente was trying to say, so she could not help tilting her head and asking:
"...And then?"
"And on the day she took care of me," Duramente nodded, "Sister Symboli asked me what I liked to eat.
"I said I liked dorayaki.
"So all three meals on the first day were dorayaki.
"The second day, the third day, the fourth day... until Mom and Dad finished their work and came back, I ate dorayaki every day."
She gave a bitter smile.
"It's not that I don't like dorayaki. I still like it quite a lot, but...
"What I really mean is, I'm probably just the type who doesn't have many thoughts of my own.
"Sister Symboli asked what I liked to eat, so I said dorayaki, and then I ate dorayaki for many days.
"Mom and Dad, and many people in the family, said that I should become the strongest Horse Girl, that I could become the strongest Horse Girl, so I ran that way.
"It's the same. Since the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is the greatest race, then if I want to become the strongest Horse Girl, I..."
She paused, her gaze strangely filled with both confusion and determination.
"...should win it."
As she listened quietly, shock gradually welled up in Kitasan Black's heart.
In her impression, Duramente had always been the one with more ideas, more