The stands at Kasamatsu Racecourse were sparsely populated, barely half-full—interest in local races was dwindling by the day. If not for the special significance of the Young Crown Cup, featuring Oguri Cap's dazzling appearance, the crowd might have been even thinner.
Two petite Uma Musume stood on the viewing platform, looking down at the track. One had long black hair with subtle golden tips, dressed in casual clothes as she leaned lazily against the railing.
"Heh, traveling around and getting to see regional Uma Musume compete is really something, don't you think, Little Ship?"
The other, dressed in an elegant long gown like a young lady, had chestnut-brown hair with a streak of white in her bangs. She responded listlessly:
"For you, Stay Gold-nee, watching this must be like a Super Saiyan watching a bunch of humans with a power level of five fighting each other."
Stay Gold chuckled and ruffled her little sister's hair.
"For Uma Musume, what really decides the outcome isn't something like power levels—it's will and spirit."
"Doesn't that manga you read say something like… magic and miracles do exist, you know?"
"Magic and miracles aren't free either."
As she spoke, Gold Ship lazily rested her chin on the railing. The cool touch of the metal made her narrow her eyes slightly.
If the atmosphere at the Gold household hadn't been so stifling lately, little Gold Ship would never have followed Stay Gold around on these trips. To her, unable to appreciate the charm of local races, it was just another boring way to pass the time.
That said, even boring trips were better than staying with the Golds. Ever since Orfevre had been hailed as the future of their prestigious family, the pressure on her had grown immense. Every day was just train, train, and train some more.
For the sake of so-called "Gold Glory," the whole family revolved around specialized training for Orfevre. In such a tense environment, Gold Ship simply couldn't stay cooped up.
She hadn't even packed—just slipped out in her everyday clothes, tailing Stay Gold. If her older sister hadn't noticed and arranged for luggage to be sent later, Gold Ship felt her great escape might have ended in failure.
Not that she'd realized the Gold family wasn't all that concerned about the two of them anymore.
After all, the top priority now was developing Orfevre's abilities. With a top-tier Uma Musume like Stay Gold looking after Gold Ship, nothing too bad would happen.
And so Gold Ship dragged her suitcase full of fancy dresses from one local racetrack to the next. By now, most of those dresses were crumpled. If they kept moving around like this, she'd probably end up wearing frumpy, wrinkled skirts.
Not that she particularly cared. Uma Musume were physically robust enough that wearing a dress didn't stop them from running around anyway.
Gold Ship didn't pay much mind to these clothes. They'd only been custom-made for her to maintain the image of a young lady from an elite family. She herself had no special attachment to them.
Seeing how bored Gold Ship looked, Stay Gold poked her cheek.
"This time is different, you know. Remember Oguri Cap?"
"Yeah, that other Super Saiyan like me, right?"
"She's another grey-haired Uma Musume, just like you," Stay Gold replied with a laugh, tapping her sister's forehead affectionately. Her little sister's imagination always leapt to the most unexpected places.
Gold Ship fiddled with the white streak in her bangs, lost in thought. Stay Gold went on:
"Today's race is the very one where Oguri Cap first made a name for herself! We might be in for a surprise!"
Gold Ship just hummed noncommittally and stayed slumped against the railing, occasionally shifting to a cooler spot.
Seeing her little sister wriggling around like a caterpillar, Stay Gold could only smile helplessly before turning her attention to the track.
Down on the field, all the Uma Musume had entered and were ready. They only needed the announcer's call to load into the starting gates.
Oguri Roman's eyes immediately found the figure that had occupied her thoughts lately: long black hair tied into a ponytail with a red ribbon, revealing the girl's pale neck. She seemed composed only of black, white, and red, carrying herself with a sharp, elegant grace.
Then, Oguri Roman noticed it—Dream Weaver had pinned a golden hairclip shaped like a crown into her bangs. That tiny crown glittered dazzlingly under the sunlight.
For some reason, Oguri Roman's heart skipped a beat. With that crown accessory, Dream Weaver seemed to carry an added layer of presence—indescribable, yet palpable—on top of the sharp intensity she'd shown in her debut race.
For a moment, Oguri Roman couldn't tell if it was just her imagination, heightened by pressure, or something real. She glanced away from Dream Weaver and noticed the other Uma Musume also frowning slightly, as if feeling uneasy.
So it wasn't just her. Every Uma Musume on the field sensed that strange, elusive aura—something extraordinary beyond words.
The realization made Oguri Roman's pupils contract. Dream Weaver wasn't doing anything; she was just standing there. Yet even so, every competitor could faintly feel her terrifying pressure?!
What would happen when she stepped onto the track? What would happen when she really started to run?
Unconsciously, cold sweat began beading on Oguri Roman's forehead, dampening her bangs.
She wanted to walk the same path as the generation of miracles. She wanted to follow in the footsteps of Kitahara Jō and Oguri Cap, step by step along this glorious road.
But now, Dream Weaver's image overlapped with Oguri Cap's in her mind. To challenge the one she admired… to share the track with an Uma Musume like this?!
Oguri Roman bit her lower lip, hard enough to break the skin without even realizing.
If she wanted to win—if she wanted victory—she would have to face Dream Weaver, whose presence now merged in her mind with Oguri Cap's.
Her heart was already racing, and the running hadn't even begun.
Just then, a youthful female voice echoed through Kasamatsu Racecourse—the announcer's call.
"All contestants, please take your positions."
No more time to hesitate. Gritting her teeth, Oguri Roman walked toward her assigned starting gate.
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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!
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If you guys wanna check it out.