When it came to Nearl, a dear friend, Ines Fujin's feelings were complicated.
What she didn't realize was that her feelings towards Nearl weren't one hundred percent positive.
After all, she was still just a young girl.
She had to work part-time to support her family on top of her studies, especially in a place like Tracen Academy, which was full of top-tier young ladies from wealthy backgrounds.
A deep-seated sense of inferiority was firmly rooted in her heart.
That was when Nearl appeared.
Another Uma Musume who came from a difficult background—perhaps even more difficult than her own.
This natural sense of shared hardship made Ines want to get close.
'Her life experience is the same as mine. She must be different from these high-society girls.'
This wasn't to say Ines disliked her classmates. It was just that children don't know how to hold back or be considerate of others' feelings.
Sometimes, their excessive concern could hurt Ines without them even realizing it.
The human heart is truly complex. Too much of anything is just as bad as too little.
But Ines, who had approached with the idea of 'huddling together for warmth,' ultimately discovered that what she had drawn close to wasn't another piece of firewood burning itself out, but the sun itself.
Nearl faced their pitying gazes head-on, accepted them with dignity, and then shattered their condescending sympathy with her sheer ability, leaving only looks of respect in her wake.
She never flinched, never feared, and never wavered because of her classmates' attitudes.
That figure standing in the distance seemed like just another scholarship student, no different from herself, but their states of mind were worlds apart.
After realizing this, Ines found she could no longer face Nearl with her completely true self, and that pained her.
But now, seeing Nearl's dashing figure in her racing silks, her proud and formidable aura, brought back all the memories of their time together. It was as if someone was whispering in her ear, telling her one thing.
Countless things can influence a person—family, education, experiences... but in the end, who you become is a decision only you can make.
"On this race track, can I finally stand as your equal? By virtue of us both being competitors here."
While Ines was lost in thought, Nearl had already approached them with steady strides.
It was a curious thing.
Japan's turf tracks were famously weak on a global scale, so lighter, more agile Uma Musume had the advantage.
Looking at Nearl's heavy gait and the way each step left a deep impression, she was at a significant disadvantage on Japanese turf.
Perhaps she could only truly unleash one hundred percent of her potential on dirt tracks.
"Ines, Ryan, how have you been lately?"
"Ah, I'm in perfect condition right now! Thanks to you, Nearl, for convincing me to go home and talk to my family. Without their support and understanding, there wouldn't be this fully-powered Ines!"
Ines thrust out her right hand in a 'yes' pose, visibly excited.
On the other hand, Mejiro Ryan wasn't as familiar with Nearl as Ines Fujin was.
"Good day. Today, Nearl-san, you have truly become the center of attention."
"I've rarely seen such a blend of dashing elegance and imposing dignity. If you were to become an idol, I guarantee you wouldn't lose out to Miss Gold City."
Ryan spoke with certainty, and this was a conservative estimate.
In reality, Nearl was already arguably the most popular active Uma Musume. Idols and Uma Musume were naturally linked.
"You flatter me. With my rather dull personality, I'm afraid I'd be ill-suited for idol work."
"Speaking of which, Nearl, even though there are no restrictions on racing silks... is that long spear on your back really okay?"
Ines Fujin pointed at the long, sharp metallic object strapped to Nearl's back, finding it a bit hard to look at directly.
"Right now, I can only be glad you're a frontrunner. If you were stuck in the pack with that getup, it'd be like a passive interference skill with no cost. Every Uma Musume ahead of you would have a nerve-wracking debuff."
"This... I find it difficult to explain. My apologies."
Nearl drew the spear, holding it horizontally before her with one hand.
While it did feel comfortable to hold, it was admittedly rather nonsensical.
"Ah, don't worry about it. If it passed inspection, then it's compliant. Just treat it as a decorative piece on your back."
"Racing silks... truly mysterious."
After chatting for a little while and maintaining her social connections (or so she claimed), Nearl took her leave.
With only a few minutes until gate entry, she planned to go wait up ahead.
"Gate one on the innermost rail... other Uma Musume probably dream of this position, but it's a bit troublesome for me."
Looking at her assigned gate, Nearl suddenly felt it was a tricky situation. She wasn't skilled at breaking through packs, so if four or more Uma Musume could overpower her with sheer speed at the start and box her in, the rest of the race would be uncertain.
"After all, I can't actually use this spear to skewer the opponents ahead of me like candied haws on a stick."
Of course, the innermost gate position was an indispensable condition.
Because it was the spot all Uma Musume would instinctively drift towards. If she got boxed in at the start from gate one, even more Uma Musume coming from behind would crowd in, trapping her firmly inside.
"Barging through is a foul, so I can only consider 'that tactic.'"
Nodding to herself, Nearl had already decided on her strategy. But judging by the lamenting look on Ines's face over there, she was probably planning to wing it.
Ryan was much calmer. She simply stared intently at the finish line, glancing occasionally at Nearl and Ines Fujin.
She had already decided to mark Ines closely.
"Beep!"
The signal sounded, all the gates swung open, and the pressure of the moment felt like students taking the university entrance exams.
"Beautiful weather today. Two thousand meters on turf, middle distance."
"All are in the gates!"
"Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!"
The gates shut in succession, and instantly, the noise from the spectators outside seemed to be cut off.
The Uma Musume could only hear the sounds of their opponents.
Normally, the gates would be restless right now, with only a few confident Uma Musume able to stay calm.
But today...
'Don't dare move...'
Every Uma Musume stood stiffly. While their postures weren't fixed, the atmosphere was palpably heavy.
And it wasn't a feeling of being threatened. It was more like the well-behaved demeanor one shows in front of a stern leader or elder.
"..."
All the Uma Musume's gazes drifted towards Nearl's gate.
They saw Nearl had driven her spear deep into the turf inside the gate. She leaned against it slightly, eyes closed, saying nothing.
But beneath her feet, a fluctuation in a realm invisible to most Uma Musume was brewing.
--+--
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.