Facing the sharp-tongued, cold, and serious Symboli Rudolf, Divine Starlight's eyes beneath her heavy bangs remained calm and composed.
"I apologize, President. I simply wanted a romance like the ones in manga. However, I have come to see reality clearly now, I won't let myself wither away like that anymore."
Hearing this, Rudolf's eyes flickered with a brief moment of surprise.
'Why is she speaking to me like this? Isn't she usually the sullen, quiet type?'
Rudolf didn't overthink it. She let out a sigh and continued.
"The URA higher-ups have already considered asking for your withdrawal from Tracen, Starlight-kun... but I have managed to secure one last chance for you. In the Newcomers' Stakes in the middle of next month, if you can place in the top three, you will have a chance to stay."
[Option 1: Top three? That's a lot of pressure... Maybe I'll pass...]
[Option 2: Boldly declare that you will take the championship.]
"...I choose 2."
Back to reality. Rudolf saw Starlight lower her head in silence and was about to continue her persuasion. "Starlight-kun, since you chose to become an Uma Musume— "
Before she could finish, Star, who had been looking down, suddenly snapped her head up.
Between the strands of her hair, her golden, six-pointed star-shaped eyes radiated determination and confidence.
"President, I will participate. Furthermore, I am going to take the championship!"
"..."
"Good. Class is about to start. You may head back now."
"Yes, President."
Turning around, Star felt a surge of excitement. She took a few quick steps toward the door, but Rudolf called out to her again.
"Starlight-kun..."
"Y-yes, President?"
"You are very different today."
"Is that so..."
"Mhm. Do your best. Since you said you'd take the championship... I will be there at the venue to watch the race myself."
"Thank you, President."
With a smiling nod, Starlight left the Student Council office without stopping. Coming out into the hallway and looking at the clear sky outside the window, the voice from before echoed in her mind.
[Detection complete. Decision confirmed: Option 2. Reward: A pair of custom-made training shoes.]
[Custom-made training shoes: Specialized running shoes made for Uma Musume training. Effect: Increases training efficiency by 15%.]
Starlight blinked, still dazed. Suddenly, a pair of blue-and-white running shoes slammed into her face.
The hard horseshoes shared a heavy, intimate embrace with her cheek. With a scream, Starlight was sent flying backward.
"I~ want~ to~ complain...!"
Collapsing onto the floor, Starlight closed her eyes peacefully, her cheek already red and swollen.
"Ah! Hey, are you alright...?"
Not long after, a black-haired Uma Musume noticed her. Her sky-blue eyes reflected Starlight's prone figure.
Squatting down, Fuji Kiseki gave Starlight a shake. Seeing no reaction, she unhesitatingly picked the girl up and turned toward the infirmary.
An unknown amount of time passed. When Divine Starlight slowly opened her eyes, it was already noon. The piercing sunlight shone through the glass onto her face.
"I am..."
"You're finally awake. How are you feeling? Do you have pain anywhere?" Fuji Kiseki, who had been reading nearby, immediately sat up and asked with concern.
Feeling the dull throb in her cheek, Starlight finally remembered she had been knocked out by a pair of flying shoes. Looking at the beautiful, short-haired girl before her, she quickly expressed her gratitude.
"Thank you for bringing me here. You... you're Fuji Kiseki-san, right?"
"That's right, I'm Fuji Kiseki. And what is your name?"
"Divine Starlight. That is my name."
"I see... Are you a junior who hasn't debuted yet? I don't think I've heard the name before."
"Um, actually, I've already debuted. It's just that I haven't competed in any races. Also, I'm in the Senior High division."
"Is that so?! I am terribly sorry."
"It's fine, Fuji Kiseki-san, you don't need to apologize. I haven't really had much social interaction with other students anyway. In our class, only Super Creek, who sits in front of me, occasionally talks to me."
"Besides, you helped me when I fainted."
Starlight spoke somewhat rapidly, perhaps out of nervousness.
"It was nothing. Oh, right— these are your running shoes, aren't they?"
"Yes, they're mine."
Reaching out to take the newly acquired running shoes, Divine Starlight bowed in gratitude once more. Her bangs, which covered her eyes, swayed back and forth, looking quite awkward.
"Um, Starlight-kun... can you really see what's in front of you like that? Maybe you should go to the barber and trim those bangs."
"Ah, it's fine. I'm used to it."
'After all, I'm just an 'extra', naturally, I'd have the kind of look that hides my face', she thought. As she lamented internally, Star's stomach began to voice its protest.
"Ah, that..."
"Haha, well, it is noon. I haven't eaten either, shall we go together?"
"Eh, is that really okay?"
"Of course, why wouldn't it be?"
The two walked side-by-side along the path toward the cafeteria. Fuji Kiseki glanced at the grey-haired Uma Musume, who was about half a head shorter than her.
Suddenly, a realization struck her, and she spoke up in surprise.
"Wait, are you that Uma Musume who confesses to her junior every single day? Talking to you just now, I thought you'd be the quiet and reserved type."
Whoosh— !!!
The moment the words left Fuji Kiseki's mouth, Divine Starlight vanished into thin air.
"Eh? Starlight-kun, I... Oh no, I think I said the wrong thing. Sigh— I'll have to apologize to her later," Fuji Kiseki said, feeling guilty.
A corner of the cafeteria.
Currently clutching a bowl of egg fried rice and eating in silence, the flush on Divine Starlight's face had not yet completely faded.
'How humiliating! Can't I just cut ties with that pathetic simp past?'
She slowly lifted her head, looking through the gaps in her hair at the bustling restaurant. Uma Musumes were gathered in groups of two or three, laughing and chatting during their lunch hour.
Yet, even so, no one around her paid her any mind.
'Is this the power of being an extra?'
With a sigh, Starlight finished her meal alone and returned to her dorm in silence for a nap.
Miho Dormitory, Top Floor.
The very last room at the end of the hallway. Although it was a double room, as a background character, our student Starlight enjoyed the luxury of a private suite. The neighboring bed was already covered with boxes of her miscellaneous belongings.
Placing her sneakers on the shoe rack by the door, Starlight walked slowly to her bed and collapsed onto it listlessly.
"Training starts this afternoon. What am I going to do..."
[Option 1: Find your trainer and request a training schedule.]
[Option 2: Today has been terrible, so stay in the dorm and rest as usual.]
Seeing the options appear again, Starlight didn't address them immediately. Instead, she took out the Muscle-Building Bone-Strengthening Liquid she had obtained earlier.
She suspiciously pulled the stopper. A bitter smell, reminiscent of traditional Chinese medicine, instantly assaulted her nostrils.
"What is this... Cough, cough, cough! Is it always this pungent?"
After taking a moment to recover, and adhering to the principle that "good medicine tastes bitter," Starlight simply tilted her head back and downed the whole thing.
The moment it entered her mouth, a sticky, stinking flavor like an open sewer exploded across her palate.
It nearly sent her to the afterlife right then and there.