Inside the Student Council Room at Tracen Academy.
Tokai Teio was excitedly recounting her observations to her admired senior, Symboli Rudolf.
"She had this huge bow! Carried it on her back—looked totally epic!"
Even though Teio was the senior in terms of age, she had to admit that when Platinum showed up in her racing gear with that bow, she undoubtedly had more presence and looked way cooler!
"It's like… when Platinum walks down the street expressionless with that bow on her back, she gives off this assassin or hitman vibe from those drama shows. So. Cool!"
"Only shame is her quiver was empty. Would've been perfect if there were actual arrows in it."
But what left Teio feeling a little regretful was that the quiver was completely bare.
It's not like Platinum could've brought her own arrows, right? That just wouldn't work.
Even if you ignored whether extra arrows would pass the URA officials' review just for the sake of looking cool or setting a vibe…
Even if they somehow got approved for the race, those self-supplied arrows wouldn't carry the Three Goddesses' blessing. They wouldn't be lightweight and unobtrusive like that bow—instead, they'd just add dead weight.
So, Teio felt a little sorry about it.
In front of her, Symboli Rudolf, seated behind her desk, couldn't help but show a hint of surprise.
Even the vice president, Air Groove, who'd been quietly handling paperwork off to the side, raised a skeptical eyebrow.
Symboli Rudolf chuckled softly and nodded to show she understood.
"Platinum… she's this lucky?"
That girl really is something.
Not only did her racing gear undergo noticeable changes, but she even got a weapon—and an extremely rare, large-type weapon at that, one of only a handful in the whole world.
Looks like the Three Goddesses have taken quite a liking to that little pegasus!
"In that case, the Japan Derby is really something to look forward to now."
"There's Jungle Pocket, the popular genius girl once thought to be the only one who might beat Agnes Tachyon!"
"There's Kurofune, the monstrous talent who came from overseas!"
"And then there's Platinum, the mysterious pegasus aiming for an Irregular Triple Crown!"
Among the six G1 races in the classics—the Classic Triple Crown and the Triple Tiara—the Japan Derby had always been the most watched, the most influential, the king of events.
Winning the Derby would instantly make a horse girl a household name, a superstar—her popularity could rival that of horse girls with multiple G1 wins!
There was even a saying about the Triple Crown: "The horse girl with the fastest closing speed wins the Satsuki Sho! The luckiest horse girl wins the Derby! The strongest horse girl wins the Kikuka Sho!"
The Satsuki Sho, run over 2000 meters, usually goes to the horse girl with the most terrifying late burst.
The Kikuka Sho, over 3000 meters, has a high success rate—those who win often continue to display powerful strength and outstanding stamina. Their overall records frequently place them among the top of their generation, hence the "strongest" label.
So why is the Derby said to be for the "luckiest"?
The answer is simple, brutal, and completely opposite to that seemingly sweet, lighthearted notion of luck!
Giving it your all! Burning yourself out! Running with the determination to stake everything! That's why the Japan Derby is said to be won by the luckiest horse girl.
Because too many horse girls dream of winning the Japan Derby. To win this race, which the entire nation watches, with its massive influence and popularity, they're willing to pay any price.
For example, ramping up training intensity relentlessly, even if it means risking long-term effects, increasing the chance of fractures, injuries, or even serious ailments… all just to be at their absolute best on race day.
Too many Derby champion horse girls bet their careers and lives on this one race. Afterward, they can't recover fully, their later performances fall short, and they end up being called "lucky."
That's how brutal the Japan Derby is. So even someone as strong as Pegasus Platinum, despite her unmatched speed, might still be limited by the grueling campaign and the madness of the Derby…
A smile of anticipation tugged at Symboli Rudolf's lips. She turned to Air Groove beside her and asked for her opinion.
"Air Groove, who do you think…"
"Is the strongest horse girl in the Japan Derby?"
The composed Air Groove thought for a moment before giving her view.
"Platinum, probably. But if we include foreign horse girls, that's another story."
"After all, Kurofune has remarkable talent, and Jungle Pocket's ability is stunning too. It'll be a three-way battle."
"If it were just two top contenders, it'd purely come down to individual strength. But with three? The situation gets messy—anything could happen!"
"Plus, Platinum just ran the 2400-meter Oaks. How much of her strength… can her body, her legs… bring to the Derby?"
So, the question of who would win the Derby was still up in the air!
Meanwhile, Tokai Teio smiled slightly and sighed with feeling.
"But Platinum… her racing gear and bow are so cool!"
"She'll definitely secure at least second, if not first!"
In short, the upcoming Japan Derby was absolutely not to be missed!!
--+--
Could it be… is it gonna shower me with gold coins?!
As soon as this possibility crossed her mind, the typically unflappable Miss Pegasus's eyes lit up with excitement.
Without hesitation, she prepared to claim this system reward.
From Platinum's perspective, she wasn't lacking in anything!
Well, if she had to name something, wouldn't it be money and healing abilities?
Right now, she only had [Basic Healing Ability]. If claiming this could upgrade it to [Intermediate Healing Ability], that'd be great! A straight-up gold coin payout would work too!
Anyway, for this unscrupulous young doctor, either a gold windfall or a boost in medical skills was the ideal outcome.
She couldn't think of anything else she might have lacked before her transformation. Logically, it should be one of those two… probably?
After pressing the claim button, Miss Pegasus stared intently at the system panel before her.
The next moment, the text on the screen changed.
[Races Won: Debut Race (5 lengths), G3 Premium (15 lengths), G1 Premium Oaks (10 lengths)]
[Race Rewards…]
[Calculating…]
Then, new text appeared, replacing the old.
[Reward: Minor Pelvic Enhancement]
[Reward: Minor Lower Back Enhancement]
[Reward: Acquire Minor Endurance from Kuranta Character "Młynar Nearl"]
[Note: Further random rewards from Kuranta characters obtainable]
?
??
???
Something's off! This is nine-tenths wrong!
No way, is there some mistake with these rewards?
The petite Miss Pegasus tilted her head, eyes wide with confusion as she stared at the system panel.
"?"
She didn't get it. She was utterly baffled!
"These rewards…"
"Are they… are they even reasonable? What use are they?"
"Wait, are these rewards really what I need? Did the system glitch, giving me the wrong stuff?"
Giving these… something must be messed up!
What good does enhancing my lower back or pelvis do? And giving me 'Uncle's' minor endurance? Shouldn't it be his ultimate move, [Unbrilliant Glory] or something?
Enhancing these weird things… there's no way I'll ever use them…
Immediately, the system's reply appeared in brief text.
[Ding!]
[No errors detected. These rewards are the most suitable for the host.]
[Please continue winning races to acquire more rewards. Random rewards from the Nearl family members are obtainable.]
[Please take good care of your body! Good luck!]
In that instant, Miss Pegasus Platinum was utterly, completely bewildered!
--+--
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.