Stepping out of the student council, out of the office building, out of the campus, and then onto the street.
Along the way, Nearl never once stopped returning greetings. Whether it was Uma Musume or passersby, they all warmly stepped forward to say hello to her.
Many had even pulled out notebooks ready for an autograph, but seeing Ardan accompanying Nearl with such hurried expressions, they held back—settling instead for snapping a photo from afar.
"Nearl really is popular with everyone, isn't she? She hasn't even run in a G1 race yet, but her fan count is already on par with theirs."
Nearl shook her head. It seemed she didn't hold much affection for these so-called fans.
"They're just followers of the trend, not really fans. Let's hurry along."
With that, Nearl quietly picked up her pace. The distance between Central Tracen and the URA headquarters wasn't short, but for the two of them as Uma Musume, it was nothing.
It was just that Ardan was still in her recovery phase, limited to a light jog of around 10 kilometers per hour, which was why they kept getting held up by people along the way.
Fortunately, the URA was now right in front of them.
"Good day, you two. How may I assist you?"
At the entrance, a gentle older sister stopped Nearl and Ardan, inquiring warmly and patiently.
Normally, people weren't allowed to just wander in like this—after all, the URA was a massive organization with its own procedures.
But these two were Uma Musume! And one of them was the Radiant Knight. That face alone was the best pass one could have.
So Nearl walked straight through the multiple checkpoints and into the interior.
"Whew, I thought we'd be even later. Didn't expect the trip to take less time than I'd imagined."
"That's because the staff kept giving us the green light along the way. If we'd gone through all the formal procedures, it really would've taken ages."
"Right? As expected of Nearl."
"Please don't tease me, Ardan. Do you know the way from here?"
"Mhm, I came once before with my grandmother—when my own racing uniform was being made. As long as the layout hasn't changed, we should be fine."
Ardan gazed at the impressive complex before her, trying hard to recall her memories from back then.
"Along this path here, and then…"
Luckily, Ardan's memory proved reliable. After only a few wrong turns, they arrived in front of a modest little building.
"This building… feels completely different from the rest of the URA's atmosphere. It's like jumping from the tech age straight into feudal times."
Looking at the villa-like structure before her, then comparing it to the sleek, industrial-style buildings she'd just passed, Nearl felt as if she'd traveled through time.
"That's because this is someone's actual home. The Cy clan, who make the racing uniforms, have always lived here. It's quite different from the URA, which is just a workplace."
Seeing that Nearl didn't quite understand, Ardan went on to explain in detail about this famous Japanese family dedicated to crafting racing uniforms.
"Cy? What kind of surname is that?"
"That's always been a mystery. No one knows why their ancestors chose two English letters as their family name."
Just as Ardan and Nearl were chatting happily, the large door in front of them suddenly swung open, and an ordinary-looking middle-aged man stepped out.
He was dressed in a yukata usually worn by the elderly. His appearance wasn't particularly appealing to Uma Musume, but the kindness in his demeanor was unmistakable.
"Hey, Miss Mejiro, if you keep this up, you'll spill all our family secrets. Leave us a little mystery, would you?"
He scratched his light brown short hair, wearing an expression of playful distress.
"Hehe."
Clearly, Ardan was well acquainted with this man's personality. She merely covered her mouth with a light chuckle and said nothing more.
"Ahh, what's so great about you noble-bred Uma Musume anyway? Commoner-born ones are definitely cuter, I say."
Muttering to himself, he shifted his gaze to Nearl. In an instant, a sharp glint burst from his eyes—Nearl almost wondered if he was on something, his entire demeanor suddenly brimming with energy.
"The Radiant Knight! It's the Radiant Knight, right?! Haha, I knew you'd come eventually! It wasn't a waste, waiting all this time!"
"…"
Nearl watched the man, now grinning like a fool, and instinctively shifted half a step forward, subtly positioning herself between him and Ardan.
"…"
Noticing this, Ardan said nothing. She simply leaned forward slightly, resting lightly against Nearl's back, and tilted her head just enough to peer out with one eye.
"Are you… alright?"
Finally, Nearl couldn't help but ask, breaking the man's excited reverie.
"Ahem, my apologies. Please ignore my behavior just now."
Seemingly calmer now, the man coughed and offered an apology to Nearl.
"For us, crafting racing uniforms for Uma Musume isn't just a job—it's a passion, a hobby, the very meaning of our lives. And powerful Uma Musume like you ignite that passion to its fullest. Can you understand that?"
As he spoke, he gestured with his hands, mimicking a sword-slashing motion.
"It's a lot like the relationship between a swordsmith and a swordsman."
"I see. I understand."
Nearl's words seemed to relieve the master. He reached out and shook her hand.
"Please, just call me Kazumi. Though calling me Mr. Cy is fine too, but this name feels more comfortable. Who knows why our surname had to be such a weird thing?"
Scratching his head, as the current master racing uniform crafter, he clearly found it a bit awkward.
"Anyway, please come inside and sit. Making a racing uniform isn't like regular clothing—there's no set process, really."
"Huh?"
Nearl was puzzled, but Ardan lightly covered her smiling face. Placing her hands on Nearl's back, she gently pushed her forward.
"You'll understand once you try it. Don't worry, it'll be quick."
Inside the house…
"Well, the interior is certainly… unique."
The moment she stepped in, Nearl was startled by the sight before her. Honestly, it really did give off the vibe of a creep… a pervert's den.
"Hahaha, you really are polite and gentle. Many other Uma Musume straight up call me a pervert."
Kazumi smiled wryly, then looked up at the hundreds of silk ribbons hanging from the ceiling, his expression a mix of resignation and contentment.
"After all, with this many racing uniforms hanging overhead, I probably look like some daydreaming freak, right?"
"But the truth is, I just want to preserve these beautiful works of art. Every racing uniform design is a flash of inspiration, a blessing from the Three Goddesses—impossible to replicate."
"I believe you, Mr. Kazumi."
Looking into the bright sparkle in the man's eyes, Nearl felt she could sense the joy and pride in his heart.
'Maybe it's precisely because of people like him that Sister Byerley and the others allowed him to master this craft.'
--+--
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.