Symboli Rudolf seemed utterly unsurprised by Gotham Song's answer. She didn't say anything more, casually shifting the conversation to unrelated topics after receiving that reply.
Then, Gotham Song and Neo Universe said goodbye to Symboli Rudolf and Tokai Teio, returning to their ordinary day.
Of course, Tokai Teio had really wanted to tag along with Gotham Song, but—
Though Tokai Teio was already in her senior year, as a student she still had academic classes she couldn't skip.
If not for that, she'd have already been following Gotham Song around the globe!
As for why Gotham Song wasn't attending those academic classes…well, that was a long, ancient story. In short: Gotham Song didn't attend academic classes. Yup.
Leaving behind a reluctant Tokai Teio, Gotham Song stepped outside, greeting her old acquaintances one by one. Among them, Twin Turbo was easily the most ecstatic.
That Great Escape idiot—idiotic in every possible sense—had clearly continued training diligently since the last race they'd run together. She'd even become quite a handful for Tokai Teio, again in every possible sense.
Well, due to various reasons like track preference and distance compatibility, Twin Turbo hadn't yet managed to truly beat Tokai Teio head-on—
However, with every race, Turbo's performances had grown increasingly formidable. Together with Nice Nature, she repeatedly forced Tokai Teio to push herself to the absolute limit—even surpassing it at times. That itself could already be considered quite an achievement.
At any rate, seeing such scenes made Gotham Song rather happy. After all, Twin Turbo was a horse she'd personally guided; for her to grow stronger afterward was entirely natural.
After bidding farewell to Twin Turbo, however, Gotham Song suddenly felt aimless. It was precisely at this moment that she clearly realized she had no specific idea of what to do in daily life now.
How could one describe this feeling?
In the beginning, she'd run driven by a countdown. Later, she'd run chasing others out of frustration. Now, suddenly free from obligations, she had no idea what to do with herself.
Neo Universe clearly sensed Gotham Song's confusion but said nothing. She simply held Gotham Song's hand even more tightly, transmitting her warmth silently.
"It's alright, Little Universe. It's just… the Breeders' Cup is still so far away. Right now, I can't quite figure out what I should be doing."
"That's because Song has always had some external reason to keep pushing forward, right? But it's fine, I understand. If there's anyone who fully, completely understands—it's me."
The afternoon sun was pleasantly warm, enough to make one drowsily close their eyes and drift off for a nap. The soft grass beneath them only heightened this peaceful sensation. With the weather so good, even if they fell asleep right here, catching a cold wouldn't be a worry. And so, the two Uma Musume quietly pressed close together in a secluded corner of the school grounds, intimately sharing this almost frozen moment in time.
"That's right. When it comes to things like this, Little Universe truly understands me best, doesn't she?"
In a certain sense, Gotham Song felt the person who understood her best wasn't herself, but rather the Uma Musume around her. After all, at least she had the self-awareness to admit:
Gotham Song herself might simply be a dense idiot.
But if you added an adjective before "understanding," focusing specifically on Gotham Song's past, then unquestionably, the Uma Musume who understood her best had to be Neo Universe. There was no other possibility.
The reason was simple: Neo Universe had accompanied Gotham Song for an absurdly long span of time—so long, it was impossible to even measure by normal standards.
Dozens of days? Months? Years?
Even Neo Universe herself couldn't provide an accurate answer. But regardless.
Across such a staggering expanse of time, Gotham Song and Neo Universe had lived through countless different, never entirely identical versions of ordinary days and worldlines together. On that point alone, Neo Universe's understanding of Gotham Song's past was unmatched by anyone else.
Therefore…in every possible sense, you truly are the ultimate authority, Little Universe.
"To tell you the truth, even I'm feeling uncertain and confused seeing Song like this. After all, it's my first time meeting such a version of you, too…"
Yet Neo Universe didn't even attempt to hide her feelings; she openly voiced what was truly on her mind.
This was understandable. After all, despite the immeasurable length of time they'd spent together, this was the very first time Neo Universe had reached a successful ending—one she herself couldn't fully comprehend. Somehow, she had avoided every bad outcome.
It was utterly perplexing.
"Is there something wrong?" Gotham Song asked softly.
"No… it's not that," Neo Universe replied, slightly lost, "It's just… this kind of dream feels like a strange radio signal. Sometimes I wonder if it's truly real."
Her expression showed subtle confusion, yet her body betrayed her emotions as she tightened her embrace around Gotham Song, steadfastly, yearningly, unwilling to loosen her hold even slightly.
"But if this really isn't reality, then I don't think I'd resist either. I'd gladly immerse myself in it forever…"
"Maybe like a corrupted signal, I've gotten a bit intoxicated… by everything happening right now—"
"Hey!"
Gotham Song drew back her knuckles after lightly knocking Neo Universe on the forehead, flashing a helpless but doting smile.
"What nonsense are you suddenly spouting, Little Universe? There's one thing I can promise you—everything here right now is reality, not some dream. Our heartbeats, at this very moment, are completely real."
This time, it was Gotham Song's turn to respond. She gently hugged Neo Universe in return, softly pressing their cheeks together.
"Real…?" Neo Universe murmured, her voice almost dreamlike. "If Song says so…"
Then I suppose I have no choice but to believe… Song… my Song…
Gotham Song couldn't help feeling something slightly off about Neo Universe's current state, but eventually, she chose not to dwell on it. Instead, she simply embraced Neo Universe, enjoying this precious and peaceful afternoon.
Today's sun felt especially warm…
By the time Gotham Song awoke from a deep, comfortable sleep, night had already fallen. The sun had nearly disappeared below the horizon, and most of the Uma Musume previously training on the field had vanished as well.
Though running itself was undoubtedly enjoyable, after sprinting through an entire afternoon, grabbing dinner with some familiar faces sounded pretty good too.
Besides, it really was about time for dinner!
In that sense, Uma Musume truly were carefree beings. They might chase a single obsession or remark and run like maniacs for an entire day—or change their plans entirely because a friend casually invited them to the cafeteria or Snack Street instead.
But, well, what was wrong with that? Uma Musume ought to be this kind of adorable creature.
Although a few eccentric Uma Musume were still running tirelessly around the track—either driven by madness or determined not to slack off—that was normal, and Gotham Song had no intention of disturbing them. She simply walked along the track's edge, preparing to have dinner with Neo Universe.
Though their afternoon had been pleasantly idle, they did have important plans for the evening, so they needed to get back to their dormitory as soon as possible.
And what exactly could be so important that it required being in their dormitory?
Watching a race, of course!
Gotham Song had made promises with many Uma Musume—especially the young fillies who admired her deeply—and tonight, across the distant seas, something quite extraordinary was happening.
Gotham Song always ate quickly, although unexpectedly encountering Oguri Cap at the cafeteria did slow her down a little. Fortunately, Oguri Cap, fully absorbed in her meal, hadn't shifted into her chaotic mode in response to Gotham Song's presence this time, allowing Gotham Song to leave without further delay.
When Gotham Song finally made it back to her room, timing was already tight. She'd barely managed to sit down when the broadcast began the pre-race ceremony.
Naturally, Gotham Song never sent messages to anyone before a race to announce she was watching, since that would inevitably add unnecessary psychological pressure. However, those around her seemed to tacitly assume she was always watching, anyway. None of them ever considered the possibility that Gotham Song might miss watching their races.
But tonight's race was intriguing for various unusual reasons. In fact, it was drawing a considerable amount of attention.
Firstly, because of the race's first- and second-most popular contenders; secondly… also because of those same two.
No misunderstanding—"because of those same two" referred specifically to the rarity of having two young Uma Musume, both undefeated from their debut until now, competing against each other. These two fillies were highly anticipated by everyone.
Of course, that undefeated status specifically referred to races after their maiden victory. So why phrase it like this?
Because one of the fillies had, in fact, debuted twice.
The most popular contender: Haya of Stars.
And the second-most popular?
Van Gogh.
This was precisely why the race between the first- and second-most popular contenders was capturing everyone's imagination.
This wasn't just a clash between two geniuses. It was also a battle between two genius sisters.
For this reason alone, the attention drawn to this race was unprecedented. Or rather, a race already popular by default was now elevated to new heights.
And why exactly was this the case?
Because the stage for this battle of genius sisters had a resounding name:
The 2000 Guineas.
Even without additional promotion, the 2000 Guineas—a cornerstone of the Classic Triple Crown—already had deep historical significance and recognition. Under these combined factors, this particular 2000 Guineas had naturally become one of the most anticipated events of the year.
In terms of sheer popularity, perhaps second only to the Dubai World Cup.
And just as Gotham Song relaxed on her bed to watch, Haya of Stars appeared on-screen, entering the presentation stage.
Of course, Haya of Stars wasn't second-most popular—she was the most popular. Which meant Gotham Song had completely missed Van Gogh's presentation.
Ah, poor little Van Gogh.
Gotham Song felt a bit helpless about this. Little Van Gogh truly had rotten luck… Perhaps this was just karma for those questionable novels she'd written earlier?
Gotham Song felt sorry, but nothing could be done. Missing it was simply missing it—a helpless situation.
On the screen, Haya of Stars trotted past the grandstand. Gotham Song clearly sensed that the cute filly occasionally glanced toward the camera, almost as if searching for someone's gaze.
Just who exactly are you looking for…? Oh, Haya, you're far too obvious.
Gotham Song struggled to find words for her current emotions.
The last time they'd met—or rather, what had most deeply impressed Gotham Song back then—was seeing Haya curled up and fragile in her room. At that moment, she had been frail and lost, entirely unable to find her path forward, a scene that truly tugged at the heartstrings.
Yet now, the filly running confidently across the screen, dressed in her black-and-blue Racing Outfit, had become stronger, fully displaying her power. She had grown into an Uma Musume everyone watched with anticipation and belief, expecting her victory.
How to describe this feeling?
Was it perhaps the immense gratification of seeing your own child grow up?
Yes—Gotham Song figured this was probably the most fitting comparison.
"Song, you look incredibly happy right now."
"Eh? Do I? I hadn't even noticed… Little Universe, why do you think I'm smiling?"
Because of another Uma Musume...? Neo Universe nearly blurted it out, but in the end, she refrained from voicing such pointed and obvious words.
"Hmm… maybe it's because you're relieved? Haya of Stars finally overcame her weakness and now shows her true strength."
Gotham Song gently hugged Neo Universe tighter, letting out a satisfied sigh.
"Ah, as expected of my Little Universe—you really understand me."
"Guh—"
Hehe.
Neo Universe immediately froze, speechless and dazed.
However, Gotham Song's attention was completely on the screen, so she didn't notice Neo Universe's strange reaction.
Meanwhile, Haya of Stars had already finished her presentation, now standing in front of the starting gates.
Gotham Song's curiosity was now at its peak. Haya of Stars and Van Gogh… Both were genuinely powerful Uma Musume. Just who would finally claim victory in this race?
---
shameless plug NEW TL
Umamusume: The Socially Anxious Umamusume Doesn't Want to Snuggle!
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