"Huh? Huh?"
"W-What in the world is this?!"
"Gasp..."
From Tokai Teio, to Mejiro McQueen, and Mejiro Dober!
Their expressions were uncharacteristically identical—utter shock and disbelief, as if they were witnessing something unprecedented.
Japan's top active middle-distance horse girl, the undisputed queen of long-distance races, a young lady from a prestigious family... every single one of them could be considered well-traveled and knowledgeable.
But now!
The moment they opened their eyes and saw the white racing uniform, the white thigh-highs, that bow and quiver...!
All their past knowledge, everything they thought they knew, was shattered in an instant!!
Logically speaking, even a minor change in a racing uniform would be considered rare, something to envy, right?
But the plain white outfit Platinum had casually picked did not have noticeable changes, it even came with a pair of white thigh-highs?
And not just that—a full bow and a quiver?! What was going on here?
What's more noteworthy...
The master craftsman, a specialist in making racing uniforms, was reacting far more intensely than these young horse girls.
Just the turf G1 races in Japan number over twenty. Not to mention the less prestigious, but still G1-level, dirt track events.
Adding them up, there are dozens of G1 races every year, with hundreds of horse girls ordering custom uniforms, yet it's rare for even one to be blessed with a weapon.
"In my decades in this profession, handling over a thousand racing uniforms, this is the first time... I've seen a weapon appear alongside changes to the uniform itself!"
"And! The changes to the uniform aren't just minor tweaks; they're significant!"
"Not only that, the weapon isn't a common small dagger or pistol, nor is it a rarer medium-sized sword... It's actually... a bow and quiver? Something I've never even heard of! A large weapon?!"
"By the Three Goddesses, does such a blessing truly exist?!!"
It seemed the deeply shocked craftsman would need a while to process this, likely the biggest surprise of his entire career.
Just what kind of luck was this?
It was like being blessed by the Three Goddesses herself... no, more like being chosen!
While everyone from the young fillies to the professional craftsman was still collectively stunned,
Platinum's gaze drifted slightly. She looked from the familiar bow to the plain, empty quiver.
The moment her eyes fell on the quiver, the composed assassin girl froze.
Because, on that seemingly ordinary quiver, compared to the bow, a... system info panel had appeared?
[Quiver (Racing Uniform · Platinum Exclusive)]
[Description: Automatically refills upon entering a race. Generates a number of arrows equal to the number of horse girls on the field.]
[One arrow is automatically consumed for each horse girl overtaken.]
Whoa!
So... this is a special effect accessory? This empty quiver comes with its own arrows during races?
So cool! This is the one!
I wonder if there are any "defeat effects" or "overtake effects"? That'd be even better.
Perfectly satisfied, Platinum stepped forward. Without even a second glance at the white racing uniform that combined elements from her swimsuit and her previous look, she picked up the bow and arrow with keen interest.
It really was her own bow! The feel was just right!
Even for someone like Platinum, who had zero interest in "showing up for work," a tiny flicker of anticipation for the Japanese Derby sparked within her.
She kinda wanted to try running in this ethereally cool racing uniform, with the quiver and bow on her back!
"Alright! This is the one!"
The fact that this could make a certain little Pegasus want to work actively for the first time showed just how thoughtful the Three Goddesses were!
--+--
A short while later—
After completing the registration and payment, Platinum even found a long, narrow case at a nearby shop to store and carry her bow and quiver, slinging it over her shoulder.
Originally, Platinum had worried that such a large bow would be too conspicuous, with no good reason to carry it around.
It wasn't like she came to this world of innocent, fairy-tale horse girls to pick up her old trade, re-establish the Armorless Union, clock back in for overtime, and work as an assassin again, right?
So, from the moment she transformed, Platinum had chosen to seal the bow and arrow away, stashing it under her bed and never taking it out.
But now it was different. Since she'd received the blessing of the Three Goddesses, it was like getting "official certification"!
And this official certification was from the highest authority possible, the kind that could literally point to the heavens...
Therefore, the current racing uniform ensemble... essentially granted Platinum public carrying rights, leaving her utterly satisfied!
Meanwhile, Mejiro Dober, Tokai Teio, and the others finally snapped out of their daze and prepared to say goodbye to Platinum.
"Platinum..."
"The Japanese Derby in four or five days... are you really going to challenge it?"
After taking her bank card back from Platinum, Mejiro Dober gazed at the other girl with clear eyes, seemingly unable to hold back any longer, voicing a question she desperately wanted answered.
"Why are you challenging the Irregular Triple Crown?"
From any angle, attempting the Irregular Triple Crown... seemed far too risky, didn't it?
Having just run the 2400-meter Oaks, with only a mere week's rest before tackling the extremely demanding Japanese Derby, also 2400 meters...
The difficulty was unprecedented.
She could clearly challenge for the Undefeated Triple Crown next year!
Or she could give up the Derby, focus fully on preparing for the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger), and safely secure the Alternate Double Crown.
Throughout the entire nation of Japan, no Uma Musume had ever achieved the hellish Alternate Triple Crown. In most people's minds, such a challenge wasn't even possible!
Where did this Pegasus get such confidence?
The next moment, Platinum halted her steps.
Before Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen, the top active horse girls in Japan, her ethereal yet sharp eyes turned back to meet Mejiro Dober's gaze as she spoke calmly.
"No Japanese horse girl has ever stood on the world stage. Not Sunday Silence, not Maruzensky, not even the Emperor."
"But this vacancy on the world throne is about to end. I will stand above the heavens!"
Tokai Teio, Mejiro McQueen, and even Mejiro Dober were stunned once again, never expecting Platinum to radiate such absolute dominance and confidence?!
"Before that, I'll first win that supposedly impossible Irregular Triple Crown."
--+--
Half an hour later!
Back in her room, the young Pegasus lady eagerly took down the case she was carrying.
Looking forward to the Japanese Derby, a system panel pop-up, absent for so long, appeared before Platinum's eyes.
[System Reward (Available for Claim)]
[Note: The more races won and the greater the margin of victory as a horse girl, the greater the reward for the host's pre-transformation form.]
Seeing this, Platinum was taken aback for a second. After processing it, she nodded.
"So, when I was a doctor, treating horse girls gave me rewards that enhanced them."
"When I'm a horse girl, winning races gives me rewards that benefit my original form?"
[Note: Rewards will be determined based on the host's original body's needs.]
[Claim reward? YES/NO]
Huh? The system judges what I lack and rewards me accordingly?
But I don't really lack anything, do I? Unless... it's gonna give me money!!
'It's gotta be money, right?!'
"YES! Claim it!!"
--+--
T/N: ANNOUNCEMENT!!! In earlier chapters I realized I mistranslated Sea the Stars into Seabiscuit! I fixed them so don't worry, but just wanted to apologize for the misunderstanding that I gave. Seabiscuit is from a much older generation.
Also, for why I dont want to translate Uma musume skills. Its cause cant play in my country and im too lazy to go on a vpn everytime i play.
--+--
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.