Kitasan Black had thought she'd last a week at most before she couldn't stand living here anymore.
But she had underestimated herself.
A strong body combined with superhuman mental fortitude—she was far stronger than she'd given herself credit for.
During academic classes, she'd initially thought catching up to the curriculum here would be difficult. But the reality was quite different. Even when she couldn't help but zone out during lessons, whenever the teacher asked questions or it was time to do exercises, her brain would automatically kick into gear like some advanced AI, retrieving answers for her.
During physical education, while she always ran at the back of the pack, distances that pushed others to their limits felt like nothing more than a light warm-up to her. But to avoid standing out, she always pretended to be as exhausted as everyone else by the end of each class.
And so, a month passed quickly amid this fulfilling school life.
Even she was surprised she'd managed to stick it out.
Not only had she persevered, but she actually felt somewhat refreshed.
Her previous school life, while allowing her to slack off freely, had left her feeling empty and bored deep down. Here, although every day's schedule was packed, she unexpectedly felt a sense of actually living—no longer as boring as before.
Life lies in movement. Kitasan Black suddenly understood this saying.
Sometimes getting your body and brain moving really was quite pleasant.
Of course, exercise needed to be moderate. She felt the current level was just right.
Even though occasionally she felt the school's training intensity left her wanting more, she was a conservation-minded lay-flat advocate who had no desire to discover her limits.
However, while her academics were fine, Kitasan Black had become a problem student that troubled the teachers when it came to peer relationships. A month after transferring, she still hadn't integrated into the class.
Even Satono Diamond, who lived in the same room, had a relationship with her that amounted to nothing more than daily-seen strangers.
Satono Diamond had tried to befriend Kitasan Black, but facing someone as unresponsive as a block of wood, even the young lady couldn't break through her psychological defenses.
During her psychological counseling session, the guidance counselor asked: "Miss Kitakami, you've been here for a month now. How do you feel about life here?"
The teacher originally wanted to know if Kitasan Black's isolation from the class was because she still hadn't adjusted.
But faced with this question, Kitasan Black answered with complete sincerity: "It's wonderful."
The course intensity was just right.
Plus, since the classmates were basically all young ladies, as long as she didn't provoke anyone, their refined upbringing made them much easier to deal with than ordinary elementary schoolers. She didn't need to pay any special attention to social dynamics.
She even felt this was practically her ideal school. She somewhat regretted avoiding the entrance exam and not coming here earlier.
The counselor was skeptical and asked again: "You're not keeping up with your classmates academically. Doesn't that bother you at all?"
"Not really."
Kitasan Black looked at the teacher oddly, wondering what these questions were about.
Concerned about her?
No need. She was doing quite well right now.
Besides, her current performance was all an act. Why would she feel uncomfortable?
Still, hearing the teacher ask this was reassuring.
After all, asking such questions meant the teacher hadn't seen through her disguise. She'd been wondering if her act of barely keeping up was too deliberate, and had considered pretending to fail a few times.
But now it seemed the teacher would never suspect an elementary schooler of having such scheming.
This was wonderful.
"And how are things with your classmates?"
Seeing that the roundabout approach wasn't getting the answers she wanted, the counselor decided to be direct.
"It's fine."
Kitasan Black's answer remained impeccable.
Wasn't this kind of relationship limited to classmates the best?
Why make friends?
Fake friends were meaningless and might even cause more trouble.
Real friends required opening your heart, which was even more troublesome.
If you could live comfortably alone, wasn't making friends just asking for suffering?
Besides, she really didn't want to become friends with students who would become uma musume.
Becoming uma musume meant they would become opponents in the future.
To put it more seriously, they would become enemies in the workplace.
—Enemies who could obstruct your dreams!
—Enemies who could crush your pride!
If she became friends with them now, what would happen when they met on the track?
Kitasan Black, who already considered herself a "fake," felt psychological pressure about crushing other uma musume's dreams just to make money. If that uma musume was also her friend, wouldn't it be even harder to go all out? So avoiding these unnecessary complications was the smart move.
As for the idea that because they were friends, you should give it your all—like other uma musume felt—Kitasan Black simply couldn't understand such emotions. Just thinking about it made her brain shudder.
Because we're friends, I must defeat you—the world of uma musume was simply too heavy.
The counselor couldn't read anything from Kitasan Black. She had originally wanted to help her solve her problems, but continuing to probe might create new issues, so she decided to stop, pressing the buzzer to signal the end of this counseling session.
"All right, you can go now."
"Thank you, sensei."
Although she internally felt psychological counseling was such a hassle, Kitasan Black still showed an obedient smile as she thanked the teacher. Besides, at a school like this, psychological counseling was necessary. Not every young uma musume could adapt to this level of academic intensity like she could.
Leaving the medical room, Kitasan Black ignored the classmates still waiting in line and walked toward the hallway exit.
Lunch break was approaching. She planned to head to the cafeteria early while it was still uncrowded to grab a seat.
What she didn't know was that at this moment, inside the medical room, the teacher was collecting the classmates' opinions about her.
At the end of each student's counseling session, the teacher would ask them one question.
"Student, what do you think of the new transfer student? Do you feel you get along with her?"
Although they found it odd that the teacher would ask such a question, since it didn't concern themselves and they were still just elementary schoolers without too much guile, they shared their honest views of Kitasan Black.
Some thought Kitasan Black was cool and impressive, but a bit unapproachable.
Others thought Kitasan Black studied very diligently. Despite transferring from a regular school, she had never failed a single class assignment, and during physical education she always gritted her teeth and pushed through to the end.
The teacher was somewhat surprised.
She hadn't expected the classmates to have so many positive opinions of Kitasan Black.
The negative feedback was limited to her being unapproachable and seeming aloof.
In other words, if Kitasan Black would just be more proactive, the problem they were worried about wouldn't be a problem at all?
The counselor looked somewhat speechlessly at the last student waiting for counseling.
And finally, she asked this student the same question.
Satono Crown showed no surprise at this question, because students who had come out earlier had already leaked that there would be a question like this at the end.
"I think Miss Kitakami is really strong!"
"?"
The teacher hadn't expected to hear such an assessment from the honor student Satono Crown.
It was even incomprehensible.
After all, Kitasan Black's grades this month could only be called passing, far from excellent.
She couldn't compare to students like Satono Crown who consistently ranked first or second. But the teacher didn't question Satono Crown's opinion, instead gesturing for her to continue.
"Why do you think so? What makes Miss Kitakami strong?"
"I feel Miss Kitakami's mentality is really strong. Despite being a transfer student who couldn't keep up with the curriculum at first, she never showed the slightest anxiety or worry. She seemed completely confident that she would catch up with everyone—and that's exactly what happened. She now finishes every training session with the rest of us, and she passed last month's quiz. This kind of mental fortitude is really admirable."
Satono Crown had actually been quietly observing Kitasan Black the whole time. After all, this was someone who made her feel a certain sense of destiny, so she'd noticed things even the teachers had overlooked—namely that Kitasan Black had never shown even a hint of unease since enrolling.
Never mind transfer students—even new students who enrolled normally usually showed some anxiety or adjustment issues. But from her very first day, Kitasan Black had displayed none of that.
That person's eyes were always so languid and carefree, just like at the Satomi family's company party, where she could completely ignore others' gazes and do what she did.
Satono Crown had never seen anyone who could face all situations with such composure.
"..."
The counselor paused her writing thoughtfully.
While she was curious why Satono Crown had observed so carefully, she was now even more curious about the little girl Kitasan Black. The girl who had spoken with her head down and seemed so well-behaved—how had she earned such high praise from this young lady?
No.
Not just Satono Crown.
Looking at all the students' assessments of Kitasan Black she'd recorded, she realized the teachers had all seriously underestimated this child.
Kitasan Black.
A transfer student who stayed outside the group—how had she managed to earn such high praise from all the students in just one month?
Average grades, no remarkable performance.
Where did this charm come from?
"Would you mind if I asked one more question?"
"It's about Miss Kitakami, isn't it? I don't mind."
Satono Crown had already figured out that the earlier question had nothing to do with her own psychological assessment. The teachers were apparently using the students to learn about Miss Kitakami's situation.
She was now quite curious about what Miss Kitakami had done during her counseling session to attract the counselor's attention.
If Kitasan Black knew about this, she would feel quite wronged.
She really hadn't done anything.
"Miss Crown, do you think you could become friends with Miss Kitakami?"
"..."
Satono Crown's eyes widened slightly, not expecting this to be the question.
Become friends with Miss Kitakami?
She'd never really considered this before. First, that feeling of facing a fated rival made her instinctively view Miss Kitakami as competition. Second, Miss Kitakami seemed very busy trying to catch up academically, and she didn't want to disturb her studies.
But hearing this question now, after a moment's thought, Satono Crown gave her answer.
"I think... we might become very good friends in the future."
Since she was her rival, their relationship in the future probably wouldn't be bad.
Rather, precisely because they were rivals, they might become good friends.
Satono Crown broke into a bright smile, her eyes showing anticipation. She was looking forward to that future.
Unlike Kitasan Black's pessimistic thinking, for uma musume, true good friends were often the opponents you truly wanted to defeat. In the world of uma musume, racing and friendship were equal.
"Thank you very much. That will be all."
After finishing Satono Crown's counseling session, the guidance counselor took out Kitasan Black's assessment results with an interested expression.
She didn't know how Kitasan Black had managed this—perhaps these young ladies were simply too well-bred and naturally felt goodwill toward the commoner-born Kitasan Black?
But regardless, the problem the teachers had initially worried about seemed to be no problem at all. In a circle like this, as long as Kitasan Black herself didn't have issues, the situation they feared wouldn't occur.
As for whether Kitasan Black herself would develop problems?
Remembering how Kitasan Black had been earlier, combined with Satono Crown's assessment, she felt such worry was also unnecessary.
"Though it is strange—there's a conflict between Satono Diamond and Satono Crown's assessments."
Satono Crown thought Kitasan Black was a hardworking, ambitious person.
Most of the students felt the same.
Only Satono Diamond disagreed.
Satono Diamond's assessment of Kitasan Black: someone who seems to lack enthusiasm, appears very mature, like some of the employees at her father's company.
Satono Diamond's description made the teacher think of two words: corporate drone.
But how could that be?
Kitasan Black was still just an elementary schooler.
And except for Satono Diamond, all the other students thought Kitasan Black was diligent and studious.
So she concluded that Satono Diamond must have misjudged her.
...
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