"Ah, I lost."
Silence Suzuka knew it clearly—in the area she excelled at most, she still hadn't managed to defeat Nearl.
There wasn't even a shred of self-consolation to be found.
"But I'm happy. In this race, my legs fully answered my desires. That feeling of pushing beyond everything else, focusing only on what's ahead… it was truly wonderful."
Tilting her head back to gaze at the sky, she found it brilliantly sunny, with mountain-like clouds piled high in wondrous, bizarre shapes.
Looking at them couldn't help but make one's heart feel wide open. A sudden gust of wind swept through, tousling Suzuka's hair and invigorating her spirits.
'Guess I'll ask Nearl-san to race with me again next time. I still want to run alongside her.'
'But sometimes I really do wonder…'
Silence Suzuka shifted her gaze toward Nearl, who was, as usual, circling the track.
Every movement remained as resolute and dignified as before the race, and wherever she passed, cheers from the audience never ceased.
'Is there really anyone who could make Nearl put everything on the line to compete?'
--+--
"So that's how it is. That's why you said you might have a chance to win, Master? Limited to 1600 meters, with how Nearl-senpai has performed so far, she really couldn't beat you."
Staring intently at Nearl's post-race interview, Special Week spoke to Platinum, who was sprawled on a cushion behind her.
"I already told you, you silly disciple. Instead of watching the race, why not hurry up and give me some fries?"
Lazily rolling over, completely unconcerned about wrinkling her pajamas, Platinum had now fully adjusted to this weak body—it even matched her lethargic mindset perfectly.
Take now, for instance. Even though her fusion progress had advanced enough that the wheelchair was no longer necessary, Platinum had taken a liking to this mobile chair and spent her days riding it around aimlessly.
"The fries are gone. Mom took them and ate them."
"Whaaat?! Why?!My life's purpose… What value does life even hold for me now?!"
Hearing that her longed-for fries had vanished into her foster mother's stomach, Centaurea let out a hamster-like shriek and flopped onto the tatami, rolling around.
"Don't stake your life's meaning on fries."
Special Week watched this bizarre creature expressionlessly, her heart unperturbed.
"You should have higher aspirations, shouldn't you? Like becoming Japan's top Uma Musume someday."
"Nah."
Platinum refused with a bored look.
"Isn't that something you can go for, Spe-chan? I'm not chasing that. In this life, only fries are an eternal desire."
"Stop saying weird things. Even if we set that aside, aren't we both Uma Musume? Carrot sticks should be the eternal pursuit."
"No, you don't get it. Only fries fit the vibe of my line."
"Haah… So, Master, are you having another episode? This is who-knows-what time you've spouted nonsense. I remember you once said characters in wheelchairs are the strongest—how are they strong? Back then, you even needed my help with daily life."
Special Week counted on her fingers, recalling Platinum's strange moments.
"And there was 'My eyes seal a divine power,' 'White hair reigns supreme,' 'Tonight, Platinum joins the race,' and stuff like that."
"Oh? You remember all that, Spe-chan? Your reaction back when I asked you to help me bathe was really cute."
Platinum smiled, looking at her disciple who was now a bit taller than her.
"Though you were wrapped in a towel."
"Tricky."
"You're just too naive, Spe-chan. But being naive is good—it makes you cute."
Stretching, Platinum got up from the floor. Seeing another version of herself racing across the track, she felt a long-dormant itch to move.
"Suddenly feel like moving a bit. Spe-chan, come run a lap with me."
"Only if you promise not to torment me with your Domain."
"That's called tempering. Fine, no Domain. But I'll use red-type skills. Your choice."
"Urgh… Then let's go with the Domain. At least that's just a single type of pressure."
Compared to experiencing the varied and colorful world of red-type interference skills, Special Week thought a single type of pressure was easier to handle.
But Platinum's suggestion was just to amuse herself. Asking Special Week's opinion was merely a formality—or rather, seeing Special Week flustered was what she wanted to see right now.
"Understood. Then today, we'll use red-type skills."
"Master!"
"Hehehe…"
Watching Special Week's icy composure break, Platinum chuckled in delight.
--+--
After the race, in the backstage resting room of the racetrack, Nearl was pacing anxiously—a rare sight that left her restless and unsettled.
This was unusual, far from her usual measured, composed, and confident demeanor. Even Komori Party hadn't seen her like this.
But Nearl's flustered state actually matched her age for once.
Usually, though she still looked like a girl, her classmates, influenced by her steady presence, already saw her as belonging to the teacher's generation.
So, what could be causing Nearl such distress?
"What do I do? I've never encountered this before… This is the first time I haven't won by a large margin. Doesn't that mean I have to go onstage with the other competitors for the song and dance? I've never tried that!"
The mere thought of putting on a frilly dress with her classmates, jumping around on stage while singing those cute but utterly embarrassing lyrics, made Nearl feel like she was facing the biggest crisis of her life.
It felt as if a lifelong principle was being shattered.
"No, I really can't do it! It's not about the dancing—it's that I feel like I'd experience social death."
Shivering, Nearl shook her head vigorously, rejecting the image of herself doing the "Umapyoi dance."
"I need to think of a way… What should I do? Running away is the simplest option. Should I? But what about the fans' expectations?"
Unwilling to disappoint them, Nearl found herself caught in a dilemma.
As time passed, the winner's stage deadline loomed closer. The mounting panic pushed Nearl to the edge of her endurance.
"Haah… You really are too bound by rules and self-restraint, child. Or perhaps your capricious side got split away?"
A familiar voice filled with worry and affection sounded in her ear, like someone soothing a child who'd taken a fall.
"It's a wonderful quality not to be prideful about your status, but refusing to use that power at all is just stubbornness."
A faint, mist-like glow gathered around Nearl, gradually forming into the figure of a woman who was familiar, yet shouldn't be here.
"If you really don't want to go onstage, big sister can give you an excuse—a perfectly legitimate one."
With that, she snapped her fingers.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 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.