The spectators had already begun filing into the stadium, the stage was set, and now all that remained was to wait for the opening act—the athletes.
Outside the racecourse, Sunday Serenity, already changed into her racing silk, breathed in the cold air. Her body felt perfectly normal, not a hint of abnormality.
She wasn't the type to be affected by her environment. Wind and rain couldn't hinder her in the slightest; her baseline state was her peak condition.
Today's feeling was, as always, excellent.
Even though she'd been through this before, the excitement just wouldn't settle down.
Racing… it really gets the blood pumping, doesn't it?
Seeing that it was about time, Sunday Serenity stepped through the glass, ready to wait for the race to start.
Even without starting gates, she would never do something like jump the start. Usually, within the mysterious space, she used one mirror as the gate itself, and another mirror reflected a red light upon it. The light turning on signaled the gates opening, which was Sunday Serenity's cue to begin running.
Only those who achieved victory through such means were worthy of being called 'cool'.
If she won by false starting, not only the audience, but she herself would never forgive it.
Yes, this is my path to victory!
Thinking this, Sunday Serenity touched the mirror's surface. A dizzying sensation washed over her eyes, and her body arrived in a world of blue and purple. Fragments of all shapes and sizes rose from the ground, reflecting every corner of the spectator stands.
And one square panel, standing upright on the ground, corresponded precisely to the racetrack.
This was a place belonging solely to Sunday Serenity, a starting gate only she could ever enter or exit.
Just as the racecourse announcer began introducing the competitors, Sunday Serenity quietly assumed her ready stance.
However, at that moment, someone grabbed hold of her wide sleeve.
"Is there a problem?"
Thinking it was Sunday Silence, Sunday Serenity turned around. Instead, she saw a girl with long brown hair and purple eyes, clutching her clothes firmly like a child.
"Admire Vega!? No… you're that ghost I met on the road. How did you get in here?"
She had never encountered another ghost within this mysterious space.
"Probably followed you in just now," Sunday Silence's figure appeared on the mirror surface beside her, looking at the girl. "Entering here isn't our exclusive privilege. All ghosts have the ability to come in, but they don't like staying in this place with nothing in it. Ghosts are even more unfettered than humans."
"Besides, this place looks the same everywhere, but it's actually vast. Entering from different mirrors means the distances between points can be enormous."
The already small number of ghosts, scattered to various corners, became even harder to encounter.
The girl behind her had followed Sunday Serenity closely, entering through the same window.
"So then, little ghost girl, what do you want?"
She tightly gripped Sunday Serenity's sleeve, hugging it like a pillow, refusing to let go no matter what.
"A child's nature," Sunday Silence remarked. "I remember when Manhattan Cafe was very young, there was a time she was terribly afraid of other ghosts, even to the point of not daring to leave the house. Until I took her out."
"They feel fear towards ghosts different from themselves, and seek out beings similar to them, ones that can give them a sense of security."
"With so many people on the streets, why single me out?"
"A ghost who can hear her, see her, and has a human appearance… I'm probably the first one so far, right?"
She'd already shooed her away last time, yet here she was again, having followed her.
And now she was clinging on like a cat, refusing to let go.
"Listen, little ghost. If you have some unfulfilled wish, go to an abandoned hospital or a school at night. Write what you want everywhere with a red pen. That way, people will notice you and try everything to help you fulfill your wish. Understand?"
The girl blinked her jewel-like purple eyes, shook her head, and gripped even tighter.
"If you want to play at being a ghost, you can cling to people's backs, make it hard for them to move. Or push things over near them, make strange noises. Anyway, we're both ghosts. You clinging to me like this won't lead to anything."
"…" The spiritually very young girl pressed her lips together tightly, looking on the verge of tears.
This is really troublesome. To think I'd get pestered by another ghost.
Just as Sunday Serenity was pondering a solution, Sunday Silence spoke again.
"Other half, set this aside for now."
"What is it?"
She pointed outside the mirror, at the retreating backs of the competitors.
"The race has started."
--+--
Nine Uma Musume. Three in the leading group, four in the middle, and two at the very back.
Every competitor in this race had chosen a relatively steady running style. No one opted for a front-running strategy on the heavy ground. They planned to conserve their strength in the early stages, waiting until the final turn, the closing stretch, to begin the real duel.
The competitors had all chosen the running style that suited them best.
Biko Pegasus entered the leading group early in the race, holding third position. Hishi Amazon settled at the back of the pack, conserving her stamina.
So heavy…
After just a few steps, the soles of her shoes were caked with damp soil saturated with moisture. The lightweight aluminum shoes she'd deliberately chosen to reduce weight had lost their advantage completely to the mud.
This uses more leg strength than any other race, Hishi Amazon couldn't help but think.
Her feet felt like they were tied to stones. Each time they hit the ground, they involuntarily slid sideways. Not only that, when kicking back the dirt, her feet would slide a few centimeters before the shoes dug into the ground and propelled her forward.
It added to the exertion unnoticeably.
The flat sections were manageable, but this 1600-meter race involved two uphill sections, one of which was a steep slope about 200 meters long.
It was not to be underestimated.
This was where the disadvantage of being a closer came into play. While she could avoid the constant physical jostling and stamina drain among the front-runners and mid-pack runners…
Hishi Amazon sharply lowered her center of gravity, neutralizing a force pulling her to the right.
The ground was already pitted and uneven. The slightest misstep could mean planting a foot into a hole left by a runner ahead. If her balance skills weren't up to par, stumbling into one could mean catching the turf and ultimately falling.
Thinking this, Hishi Amazon looked ahead on the track. Biko Pegasus was in third position, doggedly pushing forward.
She's really going for it in this race, isn't she?
Good!
Hishi Amazon smiled.
I won't easily give up first place either! If you want to take it from me, you'll have to challenge me directly!
Just as Hishi Amazon prepared to quicken her pace, a wave of startled cries rose from the spectator stands. The sound spread like a stone breaking a pond's surface, passing incessantly through the crowd.
People's mouths hung open, faces etched with disbelief.
Hearing this, Hishi Amazon's pupils constricted sharply, and her legs trembled involuntarily.
Her red eyes flicked towards the rear, and then, Hishi Amazon witnessed a scene she would find hard to forget.
Five seconds after the race started, about seventy meters from the starting gates.
A black Uma Musume emerged from an empty gate, running on the churned-up, muddy grass.
Her sharp golden eyes were fixed directly on the front runners, the nine Uma Musume leading far ahead.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, 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.