Chapter 294: Familiar Names in the Mock Race
The tests were divided into morning and afternoon sessions. The morning consisted of basic and physical fitness tests, while the afternoon focused on track adaptation.
According to the exam rules, candidates were not allowed to leave the academy after finishing the morning session, and lunch would be provided by Tracen Academy.
This was also part of the educational design—essentially a kind of hidden test.
Most candidates who applied were top students from various Tracen elementary schools, and many had a strong chance of being admitted.
The academy cafeteria had clearly taken many factors into account, such as nutrition and taste—especially nutrition, with meals carefully balanced to suit the needs of Umamusume.
However, it was impossible to accommodate every individual preference. Moreover, since races after debut would take place all across Japan and even the world, adaptability to different foods was also considered an important, if subtle, requirement.
After the morning tests ended, Almond Eye and Lucky Lilac followed the flow of people toward the cafeteria.
Along the way, the two chatted excitedly about their experiences that morning, occasionally breaking into cheerful laughter.
Inside, the cafeteria was spacious and bright, with neatly arranged tables and chairs, and the air filled with the aroma of food.
"Wow, the cafeteria looks amazing!" Lucky Lilac exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Almond Eye looked around as well and nodded.
"Yeah, and the food here seems really good—after all, it's prepared for future runner like us."
While chatting, they followed the instructions of the guiding senpai and lined up obediently to receive their trays.
The trays were filled with a variety of foods: protein-rich grilled chicken breast, a nutritious vegetable salad, fragrant brown rice, and a refreshing fruit platter.
After finding empty seats and sitting down, Almond Eye looked at her tray with a bit of hesitation.
"I don't usually eat salad… I wonder if I'll be able to get used to it."
"You don't like salad?" Lucky Lilac asked curiously, taking a bite of chicken and giving a thumbs-up.
"It's pretty tasty, Almond Eye. You should give it a try, you might end up liking it."
"Furthermore, we need enough nutrition for the track adaptation test this afternoon."
"It's not that I dislike it… I just don't eat it often," Almond Eye explained.
She nodded, picked up her fork, and cautiously took a bite of the salad.
At first, her expression showed some discomfort, but gradually she realized it didn't taste as bad as she had imagined.
"Hmm… it's actually not bad," she said with a smile.
"See? I told you," Lucky Lilac nodded as she started eating her own salad.
"The food here tastes really good… mm, this salad is so refreshing, it's even better than the one at home!"
The two ate and chatted, and before long, they found themselves observing the other examinees around them.
Some candidates were eating with great enjoyment, praising the food; others, like Almond Eye earlier, were not used to certain dishes but were still trying their best.
"Looks like everyone's trying to adapt," Lucky Lilac whispered.
"This must also be part of the test—we can't fall behind."
Almond Eye agreed wholeheartedly and finished everything on her tray.
Even though some dishes weren't her usual favorites, she felt motivated, thinking that this might be part of the exam and a necessary step toward becoming an excellent Umamusume.
After finishing their meal, they didn't leave the cafeteria immediately. Instead, they stayed seated for a while to rest and digest, chatting about the upcoming afternoon track adaptation test.
"I wonder what the track adaptation will be like," Almond Eye said thoughtfully.
Lucky Lilac considered it and offered reassurance:
"I'm not really sure either, but I don't think we need to worry too much."
"We did so well in the morning tests, so this afternoon should be fine too."
"Let's do our best together!"
With that, Lucky Lilac smiled and held out her hand. Almond Eye perked up and gave her a crisp high-five.
After their break, they felt they could either head to the designated rest area or walk around a bit. Carrying their now-empty trays, the two stood up.
Just as they were about to leave, a murmur suddenly spread through the cafeteria, quickly growing louder and more widespread.
They instinctively looked around and noticed that everyone was staring toward the front of the cafeteria. Following their gaze, they saw a large screen mounted on the wall, slowly displaying a list of names.
"That is…?" Lucky Lilac murmured.
"It's the list for the afternoon field tests, and…" Almond Eye's eyes shifted slightly as she continued, "…the results of the mock race draw."
The two of them were still scheduled together for the field tests: running 800m, 1600m, and 2400m on both dirt and turf.
However, they were assigned to different mock races. Lucky Lilac was placed in a 2000m dirt race, while Almond Eye would run a 1400m turf race.
Lucky Lilac immediately looked troubled. "Huh? Why dirt? I… I'm really not good at dirt tracks." Her brows knitted tightly, her face full of concern.
Almond Eye, on the other hand, said nothing at first, staring at the list of competitors for her race.
She noticed some familiar names.
"Lily Noble, Sayaka… Soft Melody…" she murmured unconsciously.
She didn't actually know these Umamusume, but while preparing for the mock race over the past few days, Makoto and Kitasan Black had mentioned them.
These were all opponents that trainers and upperclassmen considered worth paying attention to.
So she'd be facing them this soon? Good… Almond Eye felt a tremor run through her.
It was the kind of shiver that came from deep within—an exhilarating mix of excitement and tension when facing strong opponents.
But she quickly took a deep breath, steadying herself, then looked at Lucky Lilac and smiled.
"Don't worry too much."
"Even if it's a dirt race, we still have time to prepare."
"And you can use this time to recall the techniques from your dirt training. They might come in handy."
"Besides, the assignments were decided by random draw. It's not like everyone else in the dirt race is good at it either."
Lucky Lilac had been biting her lip in worry, but hearing Almond Eye's words, her eyes lit up.
"You're right. It's not like I'm the only one who's bad at dirt."
"And if I think about it… it's not like I've never run on dirt. Whether at home or at Grandpa Imanami's place, I've practiced it before."
"Thanks, Almond Eye. I feel like I'll be fine now."
She nodded firmly, looking at Almond Eye with gratitude. Then her expression shifted slightly.
"What about you? How do your turf race opponents look?"
"As for me…" Feeling that same thrill again, Almond Eye looked back at the list on the screen.
Before she could finish, Lucky Lilac let out a quiet gasp beside her.
"Lily Noble? I… I think Orf-senpai mentioned her… she's… pretty strong, I think…" Choosing her words carefully, she gave a moderate description, then looked at Almond Eye, biting her lip.
"But for you, Almond Eye, you should…"
"Orf-senpai… you mean Orfevre-senpai?"
Before Lucky Lilac could finish, Almond Eye grinned as she stared at the screen.
"If even a veteran like her praises them, then that just means…" she said, her voice firm with determination, "…I'll have to give it everything I've got."