Watching the renewed vitality in Platinum, Symboli Rudolf allowed a faint, satisfied smile to tug at the corners of her lips.
Perhaps Platinum still had many things she couldn't, or wouldn't, voice. But Symboli Rudolf wasn't some voyeur obsessed with laying bare every last thought in another's mind.
The fact that she had worked through her troubles herself and was willing to continue pouring her sweat out on the racetrack was more than enough for Symboli Rudolf.
"Well then—" Symboli Rudolf began, clapping her hands together as she addressed Platinum. "Welcome to Tracen Academy."
Unexpectedly, Platinum's face froze solid.
Platinum: "?"
Symboli Rudolf: "?"
The two of them just stared at each other, wide-eyed and bewildered.
"Let me... get this straight first." Symboli Rudolf pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes.
She felt like she'd experienced more twists and turns today than in an entire month. "You do intend to keep living in this country as an Uma Musume, correct?"
"If you want to be an Uma Musume, you can't avoid Tracen Academy. As you can see, only Tracen Academy offers the most comprehensive basic education, the finest facilities, equipment, and teaching staff. The nation's top trainers are all gathered here. There are even preferential entry slots for Tracen students when registering for races."
"If one day you step onto the stage of a G1 grand prize, the racing silks you wear for that decisive race will be tailored by top-tier artisans through connections arranged by Tracen Academy. Trying to become an Uma Musume in this country while avoiding Tracen is practically impossible."
Hearing this, Platinum's eyes widened, and she stared trembling at Symboli Rudolf.
"Th-th-this... This is a monopoly! What's the point of anti-monopoly laws then?"
"Don't be absurd. Think of Tracen Academy more like... an agricultural cooperative," Symboli Rudolf said, somewhat amused.
"Don't use an agricultural co-op as an example! That makes me even less confident!"
The agricultural cooperatives in this country... Well, those who know, know.
Their nature was downright egregious.
"So? Having heard all that, have you reconsidered your position?" Symboli Rudolf coaxed, determined to recruit Platinum for Tracen Academy.
Right now, she felt like a completionist gamer who had just stumbled upon the last, rarest Pokemon; there was no way she was letting Platinum get away.
"Look at it from another angle. As long as you become a student at Tracen Academy, you'll have access to all those privileges I mentioned. You can focus solely on training and winning."
"Impossible." Platinum pushed away the hand Symboli Rudolf had extended.
Was Platinum tempted by what Symboli Rudolf described? Absolutely. If nothing else, Tracen students could train without distractions, leaving all other matters to their trainers and support staff.
Platinum, on the other hand, had to handle everything herself.
That was a huge gap!
But Platinum truly couldn't join Tracen Academy.
The main reason was still the Soul Dissolution Syndrome. If she lived a communal dormitory life, prolonged close contact meant her roommate would almost certainly be at risk of infection.
Sure, she was in Stage One now and was taking suppressants, which made her practically non-contagious.
But what if?
That one-in-ten-thousand chance was a gamble Platinum couldn't afford. She had to strive, through her own efforts, to minimize the chance of infecting others.
Besides, if she took medication daily, her roommate would inevitably notice.
So, Platinum's original plan was to somehow obtain fake identification, rent a studio apartment—or maybe just head deep into the mountains to train like a martial arts recluse.
She'd come out for races and go back to hibernate the rest of the time, minimizing social interaction as much as possible. The plan was simple: no emotional attachments, just the single-life route.
And it wasn't like Platinum had given up.
--+--
[Complete the Satsuki Sho (0/1)] (Winning grants 3-star rating) (Reward: 100 Carrots + Unlock Tier 2 Shop)
--+--
This was an achievement from her utterly useless and stingy system.
Meaning, if she won the Satsuki Sho and got the 3-star rating, she would unlock the shop's second tier.
The items sold in the Tier 1 shop were already the limits of what Platinum could imagine, had heard of, or had seen.
Everything from a simple deck of cards, to special medicines and suppressants for Soul Dissolution Syndrome, all the way to a Tiger Tank. It had a bit of everything.
So what kind of items would be in the Tier 2 shop...?
Could it be... [items that don't exist yet, but will in the future]?
Or perhaps... [items absent from this world, but abundant in others].
Either way, it was possible the Tier 2 shop might contain a medicine that could truly cure Soul Dissolution Syndrome.
Of course, the possibility was slim. But it wasn't zero. And that was enough for Platinum to strive for it.
So, Platinum didn't want campus life. She wanted to devote herself entirely to preparing for the Satsuki Sho. She absolutely had to get her hands on that championship.
Unfortunately, things rarely go as planned. It seemed now that if she didn't become a Tracen student, she might not even get a chance to participate in the Satsuki Sho?
Frustrating. It was all just so frustrating.
Symboli Rudolf keenly sensed Platinum's hesitation.
There's a chance! As long as she wasn't firmly opposed, there was an opportunity! Symboli Rudolf's eyes lit up.
She wasn't about to let this ultra-rare 'must-have' card, whom she'd tracked down across several blocks, just slip away.
"Since we have a difference of opinion, why not settle it the Uma Musume way?" Symboli Rudolf rose from the bench, brushing the dust from her dark green coat.
"The Uma Musume way... Russian Roulette?"
"What kind of dark, twisted duel is that from another world?!" Symboli Rudolf couldn't help but retort. "Running! It's a running race!"
She pointed to the street beside the park. A distinct Uma Musume lane was clearly marked between the vehicle roadway and the pedestrian sidewalk.
"From here, to the next intersection. About a kilometer," Symboli Rudolf said, stretching. "Whoever wins gets their way. How about it?"
"...You can't be serious. A seven-time G1 winner challenging me to a race? Do you actually want me to win?" Platinum frowned deeply.
She hadn't gotten arrogant just from winning her debut race. A world-class champion Uma Musume against her current self? It would be child's play for Rudolf.
"Not at all. I'm just a retired old-timer now, full of aches and pains. How could I possibly keep up with the youth?" It seemed time really could change a person.
The Symboli Rudolf of old would never have been able to say something so shameless with a straight face.
But then again, the Symboli Rudolf of old wouldn't have spent all this time patiently chatting with a fledgling filly either. She probably would have just thrown her over a shoulder and carried her off without a second word.
--+--
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.