Chapter 298: Jealousy
Even so, Lily Noble remained confident.
In her mind, she quietly reviewed the race, realizing that although the effects of her earlier impulsiveness had already surfaced, they were not beyond recovery.
Her stamina reserves were still sufficient, and her explosive power remained strong.
More importantly, with the help of many senpai and trainers, she had gone through numerous practice races before this event, which had given her the ability to adapt flexibly on the track.
As she adjusted her breathing, she carefully observed the condition of her opponents.
Although Sayaka was temporarily in the lead, her rapid breathing and slightly trembling legs revealed the toll on her stamina.
The other runners, under the strain of continuous high-intensity running, were also gradually showing signs of fatigue.
As for herself, despite the disruption to her rhythm caused by her earlier impulsiveness, her solid training foundation allowed her body to remain in good competitive condition.
The key to the race lay in controlling rhythm and unleashing a decisive burst at the right moment. Fully aware of this, she began to slow her pace, lengthening and steadying her breathing to recover her strength quickly while conserving energy for the upcoming sprint phase.
Her gaze locked firmly onto Sayaka ahead, as she rapidly mapped out her next strategy.
"I can't act blindly anymore," she thought to herself. "Next, I need to seize the right moment and overtake her with the perfect rhythm and burst."
At that thought, determination shone in her eyes, as if she could already see herself crossing the finish line.
However, just at that moment, when Almond Eye was mentioned in the broadcast, Lily Noble's brows instantly furrowed deeply.
Her thoughts drifted back to the training room, where her trainer's serious, cautionary words seemed to echo in her ears:
"With your current strength and experience, this mock race shouldn't pose much of a problem."
"But you must pay close attention to a runner named Almond Eye."
"From what I understand, her training results are outstanding. In this race, she will definitely be an extremely troublesome opponent."
At the time, although Lily Noble had nodded in acknowledgment, she hadn't truly grasped what Almond Eye meant as a competitor.
Now, hearing the upperclassmen' praise for Almond Eye's performance, she finally felt the sense of crisis.
Subconsciously, she clenched her fists and silently swore:
"I won't let this opponent surpass me so easily."
"This race… I'm determined to win. I'll make sure everyone sees my strength."
She took a deep breath, calming the turbulence in her heart caused by regret and tension, readjusted her breathing rhythm, and fixed her gaze firmly on the track ahead—seeking the best opportunity in the remaining race to regain control.
At the same time, she remained wary of Almond Eye, careful not to give her any opening to exploit.
Meanwhile, Soft Melody, running within the pack, listened intently to the insightful commentary from Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa over the broadcast.
When she heard the upperclassmen lavish praise on Almond Eye, a sense of curiosity arose within her.
Before this, the name Almond Eye had been completely unfamiliar to her. However, during today's highly anticipated assessment, she had taken notice of her.
Previously, during casual conversations with friends and from experienced senpai, Soft Melody had heard that among her cohort there was a runner named Lucky Lilac who was considered quite promising and not to be underestimated.
Thus, from the moment she entered the exam venue that morning, she had subconsciously kept an eye out for the name "Lucky Lilac."
Earlier in the day, when she happened to see Lucky Lilac undergoing testing, she had paid a bit more attention out of curiosity.
Unexpectedly, that attention led her to notice Almond Eye, who was constantly by Lucky Lilac's side.
From that moment on, her attention had been drawn to Almond Eye.
In various tests, Almond Eye displayed remarkable ability—most of her results were even slightly better than Lucky Lilac's.
"A formidable opponent," Soft Melody had quietly concluded at the time.
Now, the praise from the upperclassmen over the broadcast undoubtedly confirmed her earlier judgment.
Soft Melody slightly adjusted her somewhat hurried breathing, calming the fluctuations in her heart brought on by the race's pace.
She lifted her gaze toward Almond Eye not far ahead, having already made up her mind:
In the remainder of the race, she would carefully observe Almond Eye's running style.
She knew well that since Almond Eye had earned the recognition of the upperclassmen, her approach must contain something unique. Perhaps she could draw valuable experience from it to help herself improve in future training and races.
At the same time, a competitive spirit quietly rose within her.
She longed to truly compete with Almond Eye—to use this mock race to measure the gap between herself and this highly regarded opponent, and to explore her own untapped potential.
With that thought, Soft Melody quickened her pace slightly, her gaze firmly fixed on Almond Eye, as if silently declaring her challenge across the track.
Meanwhile, among the Umamusume across the entire track, there were some candidates who had originally been completely absorbed in their own performance, fixated solely on their rankings.
But when the broadcast clearly carried Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa's high praise for Almond Eye, it was as if an invisible hand gently stirred their hearts, creating a different kind of ripple—jealousy.
One candidate with a neat ponytail was sprinting hard along the track. Strands of hair on her forehead were already soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to her flushed cheeks.
Upon hearing the praise for Almond Eye, a trace of complexity flashed through her previously focused gaze, and she unconsciously clenched her teeth.
In her mind, this was just a mock race—was it really necessary to praise someone so highly?
Besides, she had put in no less effort than that Almond Eye. Why was Almond Eye the one receiving the upperclassmen favor, while she was overlooked?
As this sense of imbalance grew, her steps became heavier, each stride filled with unwillingness and frustration.
Another tall candidate, upon hearing the broadcast, found her once steady gaze begin to waver.
She couldn't help but glance toward Almond Eye in the distance, her eyes also filled with complicated emotions.
She wasn't particularly good at short-distance races. She felt that if the setting were different—another track, another type of race—the one receiving the upperclassmen praise would surely be herself.
She tried to console herself with this thought, yet the feeling of jealousy spread like wild grass within her, throwing her into inner turmoil. Her previously steady breathing became hurried, and her rhythm unconsciously fell into disarray.
There were also those candidates who had always worked quietly and diligently in training, hoping to shine on the track one day. Hearing the upperclassmen praise Almond Eye, their already tense nerves felt sharply struck, and feelings of inferiority and jealousy surged together.
Some lowered their heads, unable to look at Almond Eye anymore, thinking bitterly:
"I've worked so hard, yet I never receive recognition… She's only just begun to stand out, and she's already being praised by the upperclassmen… How much more do I have to give to receive the same attention?"
This jealousy became like a heavy shackle, slowing their steps on the track—each step feeling as though it pressed painfully against their own hearts.