On the other side, in the student council office of Tresen Academy...
Currently, some of the council members were either busy with their own affairs or had mysteriously vanished into thin air—as was their habit. Thus, only Symboli Rudolf and Air Groove remained, diligently handling paperwork.
The current student council president, Rudolf, kept glancing up at the clock every few minutes as she worked, as if waiting for something—or rather, someone.
She was exceptionally interested in that mysterious dark horse—or rather, Pegasus—known as Platinum.
As someone who dedicated herself to nurturing the next generation, Rudolf had always dreamed of witnessing a Japanese horse girl truly reach the pinnacle of [World-Class] prowess!
But even she, hailed as the strongest racehorse girl in Japan's history—a seven-time G1 winner, an Undefeated Triple Crown holder, the Emperor herself—had once fallen short of that global standard.
In Japan, the only internationally open middle-distance G1 race was the Japan Cup, and Rudolf had competed twice—ending with one win and one loss.
After that, burdened by the endless expectations of her fans, she set out to prove the limits of Japanese Uma Musume beyond her homeland, embarking on an overseas campaign to America—only to return in [Crushing Defeat], her ambitions shattered!
Some might argue that the Emperor's performance abroad wasn't that bad, but to Rudolf herself? It was far from enough.
'If I couldn't achieve that dream… then the next generation will!'
'What the Uma Musume of Japan lost in the past… the strongest of the future will reclaim!'
That's why she treated prodigies like Tokai Teio, Agnes Tachyon, and now Platinum with almost motherly care, pouring her heart into their training.
And judging by the current situation, Platinum might just be the most problematic of them all. After all… what kind of horse girl would willingly challenge something as irregular as the Irregular Triple Crown?
Right now, Rudolf was simply waiting for Platinum to arrive. She wanted to have a good, long talk with that seemingly cold yet adorably soft-spoken little Pegasus—to understand exactly what was going through her head.
Why would she pass up the chance at next year's Undefeated Triple Crown, something well within her reach, only to aim for the Irregular Triple Crown instead? And not just any year—but the one where her rival would be Agnes Tachyon, a once-in-a-decade prodigy also gunning for an Undefeated Triple Crown?!
Why skip the easy mode, ignore the hard mode, and dive straight into the nightmare difficulty?!
"Haaah…"
Rudolf racked her brain but still couldn't comprehend the mindset of this new generation. She couldn't help but wonder if this was what they called a "generational gap".
'I'm still young… right?'
After who-knows-how-long of paperwork…
Just as she finished signing another document and seamlessly moved to the next, her phone suddenly rang.
Seeing the caller ID—[Tokai Teio]—the Emperor's brow furrowed slightly, a faint sense of unease creeping in.
'At this time… Teio should either be waiting for Platinum at the gate or already bringing her here.'
'What could've happened that she'd need to call me?'
Rudolf immediately answered, her expression sharpening.
"President, there's been a… slight complication."
"Platinum might be delayed."
As expected—
"On the way here, Platinum ran straight into Agnes Tachyon, who was training on the field."
"?!"
In an instant, Rudolf's pupils contracted.
'Did they just go straight to [Mars colliding with Earth]?!'
'Isn't this way too fast?!'
"What… happened between them?"
"Tachyon-senpai seemed really interested in Platinum. After praising her, she immediately challenged her to a practice race!"
Hearing that, Rudolf shot to her feet without hesitation, already moving to head downstairs toward the training grounds.
Gripping her phone tightly, she spoke firmly.
"I'm on my way. Those two should not be racing right now!"
--+--
'Huh…? Why would Tachyon-senpai praise Platinum like that but then say she'll go easy on her?'
'Is this a case of "courtesy before the blade" or… does she already see some fatal flaw in Platinum that she can exploit?'
A confused Daiwa Scarlet couldn't make sense of it.
If Platinum's explosive power and strength—qualities critical to a Uma Musume—were already on par with veteran G1 champions, then shouldn't she at least have the right to face Tachyon-senpai properly?
So why praise her… only to then say she'll hold back?
"What magnificent legs… resilient, powerful… brimming with limitless potential."
"For a long time now, in my pursuit of understanding a Uma Musume's limits, I haven't confined my studies to just Japan."
"From the champions of Britain, Australia, Ireland, France… to even the American kings of the dirt—I've analyzed them all."
"Even Europe's Sea Bird and Sea the Stars only surpass you slightly in physique. In terms of [Physique] alone, you're nearly on their level."
Agnes Tachyon lightly stroked her chin, muttering to herself like a mad scientist obsessed with horse girls.
"Honestly, the only ones who could completely outclass your physique are the once-in-a-century legends of history… and—"
"That American Dirt monster I studied a few months ago!"
After her impassioned analysis, Tachyon delivered her verdict.
"In short, when it comes to [Physique]… you rank among the top five active Uma Musume in the world!"*
"In terms of research value… you're the most fascinating subject Japan has to offer."
And that was why—
"So, how about a practice race? I'm dying to see your true potential, Platinum."
"In return, I'll give you proper guidance."
At this point, Tachyon still didn't know Platinum intended to challenge this year's classic races—meaning she saw her as a rookie for the next season.
From a conventional standpoint, Tachyon was the senpai, Platinum the kouhai. Getting a practice match with a G1-winning veteran was an incredible opportunity!
Especially when that senpai was a prodigy rumored to be aiming for an undefeated Triple Crown!
And as everyone knew, practice races weren't about winning—they were about growth.
For most horse girls, securing a practice match with Agnes Tachyon was next to impossible—even G1 champions couldn't always get her to agree.
So, in theory, Tachyon's offer was an invaluable chance for a rookie—a "deal too good to refuse."
And on top of that… she even promised to hold back! Who wouldn't jump at this opportunity?
"So, Platinum… what do you say?"
She was here for a tour, not to clock in for overtime!
Faced with Tachyon's question, the lazy Pegasus girl tilted her head slightly before delivering her answer.
And since it was just a practice race… that meant no prize money!!!
"No thanks~"
--+--
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.