A public confession!? No, wait, they'd already confirmed their relationship long ago—this was just them flaunting it right out in the open!
Goodness, that's the fifth one already!
Anyone with eyes could see the special feelings Manhattan Cafe held for that unknown girl.
Her lifted smile practically had the word 'happiness' written all over it.
"Ca-Cafe..."
She hadn't expected the other to make such a bold move; her raised hand froze stiff in the air.
"Let me hold you for a bit..."
Manhattan Cafe closed her eyes, savoring the softness coming from 'Friend'.
So warm.
It was just like leaning by a fireplace.
The intense warmth from 'Friend' made Manhattan Cafe feel as if her own heart was melting along with it.
That invisible wall that had stood between them was finally shattered right then and there.
Seeing the two in the middle of the track, clinging to each other like a pair of lovebirds, every Uma Musume present couldn't help but cover their mouths, their faces flushed with excitement, letting out shriek after shriek.
So bold! So passionate!
Is this how the seniors do love? This is way too intense!
But amid the excitement, the students also realized something: if that person and Cafe were truly in love, why hadn't she participated in this race?
Was she afraid of losing?
And if that was the case, why hold the race at all?
It seemed the decision had already been made long ago.
Looking over at the contestants, it was clear things had also gone way beyond what they'd expected. They all stood frozen before the finish line.
Everyone had entered the race to express their admiration for Cafe-senpai—well, there was some debate about Silence Suzuka, but Green Grass, Narita Brian, and Admire Vega, among others, were here for real.
Especially Admire Vega.
Her late-night 'visits' and heartfelt confessions were already famous throughout Tracen Academy, and her classmates had all cheered her on with enthusiastic support.
Yet, Cafe hadn't chosen anyone from this group; instead, she went for someone who wasn't even in the race.
If that person truly loved Cafe, even knowing she might lose, she should've stepped up and raced anyway!
What place did Manhattan Cafe think these contestants held? And what about Silence Suzuka, who'd actually won?
Mixed in with the cheers, many Uma Musume began to voice their doubts.
"Still, the winner of this race was Suzuka-senpai. Isn't Cafe-senpai going to acknowledge that at all?"
"Right! Suzuka-senpai tried so hard!"
"And if she already had someone she liked, why not just say so? Why even hold this race?"
"Could it be that Cafe-senpai never cared about Brian-senpai and the others at all?"
The murmurs drifted from the spectator stands, and Cafe gradually snapped out of her warm daze.
"I see... yes, I think I owe everyone an explanation."
This whole incident started because of her misunderstanding.
Just as Cafe was thinking about how to make them understand the cause and the course of events...
"Stop——!!"
A booming voice echoed across the field. Gold Ship, gripping a microphone, stepped forward, cutting through all the noise.
"What's all this? What are you all arguing about? I said I'm hosting this race, and here you are still yapping away!"
Gold Ship shouted, "Don't forget—what's the name of this race?"
What is it?
"The Manhattan Cafe Conquest Race! The whole point is how to win Cafe over—"
As she spoke, Gold Ship gestured toward the masked girl.
"And as you all saw, Cafe chose that girl. Meaning, she successfully won Cafe over. So, she's the winner of this race. Naturally, there shouldn't be any objections!"
"Exactly!"Gold Ship clenched her fist. "Only the one who captures Cafe's heart is the true winner! No matter how fast you run, no matter how hard you try, if you can't make Cafe's heart flutter, you're all losers!"
What nonsense?
The students were dumbfounded on the spot.
This wasn't just spouting nonsense anymore—this was outright lying with your eyes wide open!
Weren't they promised the winner would earn Cafe's love? Wasn't this supposed to be a contest to win her hand? And now the outcome was rigged from the start?
"Can't be helped! You all saw how hard Admire Vega and the others tried, but in the end, Cafe ran straight to this unknown girl without even looking back."
"Personally, I was rooting for Admire Vega, but it's up to Cafe's choice. As a warrior of pure love, Cafe's decision is everything."
Gold Ship shrugged, wearing an expression that said, 'I'm a good person, I was forced into this.'
"And besides!"Gold Ship wasn't finished.
"Silence Suzuka, do you really think you won?"
Gold Ship once again posed a baffling question.
"...Me?"
Suddenly having the spotlight turned on her, Silence Suzuka was startled.
"That's right, Silence Suzuka, do you think you came in first?"Gold Ship repeated.
Hey, that's going too far!
Silence Suzuka had clearly crossed the finish line half a length ahead of Narita Brian, right in front of everyone! And before that, no one had ever passed her!
And now you're asking if she's first?
What do you mean, Gold Ship? Are you trying to turn black into white now?
"I'm asking Silence Suzuka! The rest of you, quiet down! I can't hear!"Gold Ship yelled, and the surrounding noise finally died down.
After a long silence, Silence Suzuka slowly spoke up. "I lost..."
As soon as the words left her mouth, the entire venue fell silent.
She admitted defeat...
Silence Suzuka actually admitted defeat!?
No one expected that Silence Suzuka, who had won with overwhelming strength, would concede to an opponent she'd never even met before.
No matter how you looked at it, it was hard to believe.
"Suzuka-senpai, if you admit defeat, it's really over! There's still a chance now!"
"No, that's not it..." Silence Suzuka shook her head.
She wasn't just admitting defeat—she truly had lost.
That voice praising her, the one she knew so well, had come from ahead of the finish line.
If there really was someone unseen, and that someone had raced, then without a doubt, they had crossed the finish line far ahead of her.
It sounded unbelievable, right? An invisible person? It almost sounded like she was making up excuses for her own failure.
Silence Suzuka wasn't a child anymore.
But...
That deeply nostalgic feeling had returned, as if it were right beside her again.
Someone running across the grass with a beautifully perfect form.
"I lost," she said.
But I am satisfied.
As if she'd expected that answer all along, Gold Ship's voice rang out again.
"Silence Suzuka acknowledges her defeat! Then I declare the winner of this race to be... this masked mysterious Uma Musume! Let's welcome the happy couple!"
Clap clap clap clap—
Gold Ship started applauding first.
Seeing that the matter was settled, with Silence Suzuka voluntarily stepping down, no one could question the race's outcome anymore.
Looking at the two girls in the middle of the track who hadn't separated from each other for a moment, following Gold Ship's lead, the students gradually began to clap.
Slowly, the applause grew louder and louder, eventually turning into blessings for the pair.
"Be happy together!"
"Though I feel bad for Suzuka-senpai, congratulations on the new couple!!"
"Congratulations to you both!!"
Manhattan Cafe, now realizing what her impulsiveness had led to, was too embarrassed to lift her head. The girl beside her was also frozen in place, bewildered and unsure what to do.
She hadn't come here for this...
From a distance, Gold Ship watched the two and finally lowered her microphone.
"Whew~ Truly worthy of me, Cupid the Love God! For Cafe's happiness, I went to such lengths—I'm practically moved to tears by my own goodness! I'm just too nice!"
As she spoke, Gold Ship wiped away nonexistent tears, quickly returning to her usual self.
"But when will I ever master the Shadow Clone Technique!? I really want to pull off that trick where Golshi-chan sweeps big Gold Ship off her feet. Darn it, my body, unleash your potential! Urrghhh—!!"
Unlike the chaotic field, at the very edge of the spectator stands, Symboli Rudolf slowly turned around.
Beside her, the inspector spoke up. "It seems Narita Brian's condition isn't as good as we imagined."
"Not good?" Rudolf shook her head.
The final missing piece for Narita Brian had just been filled in.
"My apologies, Inspector, we've wasted too much time already. Please excuse me."
After nodding to her, Symboli Rudolf left the field with Air Groove.
Watching them go, the inspector fiddled with her necktie, where a pinhole camera reflected a faint glimmer of light.
That 'Black Ghost' that had been such a headache for the Central authorities.
To think you'd have the nerve to show up here so openly.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 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.