All eyes in the room shifted to Agnes Digital.
"Wow... getting to race against a Uma Musume as cool as the president, that's amazing," Tokai Teio said, her face full of envy.
Platinum, on the other hand, just rolled her eyes.
Racing against the Hong Kong Uma Musume King? Now that sounded like a surefire way to have a bad time.
"This isn't an official race, to be more precise, it's a special event," Symboli Rudolf continued.
Maybe it was to prove that Golden Sixty was still the undefeated emperor of her streak, or perhaps to test the results of her rehabilitation.
Or maybe it was just a whim.
Golden Sixty and her trainer had sent out invitations to Uma Musume across the world.
The invites didn't go to active Uma Musume at the peak of their careers. Instead, they targeted either promising rookies who'd just debuted, or retired veterans with a decent existing rapport.
As it happened, Golden Sixty and Symboli Rudolf were on fairly good terms. They didn't meet often, but they'd exchanged quite a few letters over the years.
And so, the invitation had landed with Symboli Rudolf, who then passed it on to Agnes Digital.
"So, Agnes Digital, are you willing to participate?"
Agnes Digital let out a few hesitant, whimpering sounds, then wrung her hands tightly. "Um... I'm really grateful for the president's recognition..."
"But I can't accept this invitation."
"I see." Symboli Rudolf simply nodded, not pressing further. "Well, you are retired after all. Forcing you to compete again would indeed be..."
"No, no, no, that's not it!" Agnes Digital hurriedly shook her head so hard it was like a rattle drum. "I'd be happy to participate! In fact, I was already planning to."
Symboli Rudolf didn't speak, instead gesturing with her eyes for Agnes Digital to continue.
"But... well... you see..." Agnes Digital fidgeted for a moment before pulling out an identical invitation from inside her clothes.
"Even though we haven't had many chances to interact before... surprisingly, the two of us actually get along... pretty well."
"So, I received an invitation from her directly too."
Oh.
That was a possibility Symboli Rudolf hadn't considered.
"I'm so sorry, President!" Agnes Digital bowed her head sharply, pressing her hands together in apology. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I should have mentioned it earlier!"
"It's really not a problem..." Symboli Rudolf's gaze drifted back to the invitation on the desk.
Now it had become a puzzle.
Aside from an all-around genius like Agnes Digital who could quickly adapt to Hong Kong's track, how many retired Uma Musume were there who fit the bill and had the free time? The pickings seemed slim.
There were contenders like Taiki Shuttle, who excelled at mile races, but she was an active Uma Musume currently in her prime. They couldn't possibly disrupt someone's race schedule for a single special event.
So then... who should receive this invitation?
Symboli Rudolf picked up the envelope, a headache beginning to form.
Golden Sixty had said it was fine to invite promising juniors, that it was just a friendly race.
But this was still a run against a world-class Uma Musume... Symboli Rudolf was protective of all the young fillies at Tracen Academy, afraid that a single race like this could shatter their confidence.
Sigh. If only there was a newly debuted Uma Musume who was talented enough, physically capable enough to not be completely broken by a race against a world-class champion...
But an Uma Musume like that couldn't possibly exist, right? Hah...
Symboli Rudolf's fingers, which had been idly tapping the invitation, suddenly stilled.
...Wait a minute... maybe there was?
Symboli Rudolf's eyes shifted sideways. Tokai Teio and Platinum were chattering away non-stop on another sofa.
Platinum was patting her chest, her mouth running a mile a minute.
"Symboli Rudolf said Golden Sixty is on her level, so they're roughly equivalent."
"Golden Sixty avoided the Hong Kong Cup, and Agnes Digital won the Hong Kong Cup, meaning Agnes Digital is stronger than Golden Sixty."
"Agnes Digital got fewer votes than Jungle Pocket for Uma Musume of the Year, meaning Jungle Pocket is stronger than Agnes Digital."
"Jungle Pocket lost to Agnes Tachyon in the Satsuki Sho, but I've beaten Agnes Tachyon, meaning I'm stronger than Jungle Pocket."
"To sum it all up, I completely outclass Symboli Rudolf."
"Hmph..." Tokai Teio puffed out her cheeks.
"I won't let you talk about the president like that! The president is definitely the strongest!"
Platinum was thoroughly amused. "Then listen to my reasoning again and see if it makes sense. Symboli Rudolf said she and Golden Sixty are on the same..."
Tokai Teio covered her ears. "I'm not listening! I don't know how to argue, but there's definitely something wrong with what you're saying!"
Watching Platinum's incessant chatter, a vein throbbed on Symboli Rudolf's forehead.
Calm, calm, Symboli Rudolf. You must learn patience.
"Platinum," Symboli Rudolf said, her voice deceptively calm as she reached out and patted Platinum's shoulder. "Who do you think would be most suitable for this race?"
Without a moment's hesitation, Platinum blurted out, "Well, it's obviously me, the one who completely outclasses Symboli Rudolf."
It was the same old story. Since they'd never actually race, she might as well talk big first.
The spirit must prevail, even if you lose.
If asked, she'd claim she was inferior to Tokai Teio; if pressed, she'd insist they couldn't beat her.
It's not like this foreign Uma Musume could swim over here just for a race, right?
"How about you go, then?"
As the hand on Platinum's shoulder gradually increased its pressure, Platinum's face stiffened, and cold sweat began to trickle down her temple.
She had, it seemed, inadvertently talked big about the wrong person.
Anyone else would be fine—they wouldn't hear it. But there was one particularly petty individual standing right beside her.
And now, retribution had arrived.
"President..." Platinum wiped her sweat. "I was joking! Who else but our brilliant and mighty president could possibly shoulder such a heavy responsibility?"
Know when to bend.
"Hmm?" Symboli Rudolf let out a noncommittal, almost amused snort.
She was starting to realize that this little runt, Platinum, needed to be taken down a peg.
"Weren't you the one who completely outclasses me?"
Platinum quickly latched onto Symboli Rudolf's leg in a desperate hug. "Please see reason, President! I was talking nonsense, possessed by some evil spirit, my judgment clouded..."
Platinum genuinely did not want to go race.
It wasn't that she was afraid of not winning—Platinum didn't really crave those things anyway.
Her bare minimum standard was just winning the Yayoi Sho; everything else was whatever. She'd run if she could, and concede gracefully if she couldn't.
And precisely because of that—Platinum desired victory, but not with a desperate, all-consuming hunger.
She had no desire to be an Undefeated Triple Crown winner.
Everyone loses at some point in their life. Who wins from childhood straight through to old age? That'd be winning to the point of numbness.
The real reason was that this extra race wasn't listed in her crappy system.
In other words, it was outside the plan.
If it wasn't a race she needed to run, why bother causing a stir? She'd have to fly all the way to Hong Kong, exhausting herself for nothing.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, 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.