Training time flew by, and before she knew it, it was already lunch. Nearl was walking alone toward the cafeteria, her tracksuit dusted with dirt and grime, her back and chest damp with sweat.
An hour earlier, Norn Ace had called it a day—according to her, that morning's training session had been as intense as a full day's worth usually was. She said she was going to see a masseuse in the afternoon for some muscle treatment.
Nearl understood completely. If she didn't take any recovery measures today, the muscle soreness tomorrow would be so bad she wouldn't even be able to get out of bed. She could only hope Norn Ace had learned her lesson and would pace herself better in future trainings.
Soon enough, Nearl reached the cafeteria entrance.
The cafeteria at Kasamatsu Tracen was one of the academy's proudest features. Ever since they'd brought in a new head chef a few years back, the quality of the food had shot straight up.
Not only was it delicious, but it was all-you-can-eat. For a while, the cafeteria became Kasamatsu Tracen's golden ticket in attracting new students. That always-smiling old man became the most popular person among the Uma Musume on campus.
But those days didn't last long. About a year ago, a certain Uma Musume enrolled, and after that, the cafeteria could no longer guarantee there'd be enough food for everyone.
That year, every time the lunch bell rang, all the Uma Musume would dash toward the cafeteria like their lives depended on it—like zombies bursting out of a cage. Those pretty, delicate faces of theirs twisted into something fierce.
Their goal was simple: get the food.
They had no choice! If they didn't rush, they'd go hungry! That gray-haired demon was right on their tails, and if they let their guard down for even a second, she'd clean out everything!
Of course, that was a bit of an exaggeration. That Uma Musume didn't actually eat the entire cafeteria's worth of food by herself, but she would snatch up all the good dishes! And who wants to eat the mediocre ones?
So it became a race.
Because of this, last year's cafeteria felt like a warzone—packed with Uma Musume jostling at the serving windows, arms flying everywhere, the noise deafening.
The cafeteria staff was under immense pressure. Some of the servers would even talk in their sleep: 'No more, it's all sold out…'
As for the head chef, that old man, word had it he developed a phobia of gray-haired girls and had to see a therapist. He didn't dare go near the kitchen anymore. He'd just stand there like a withered tree, staring blankly at the cutting board.
If the boss was like that, the rest of the staff was even more stressed. The principal had no choice but to hire additional workers and implement shift rotations—just to barely maintain Kasamatsu Tracen's reputation.
After all, if they couldn't even live up to the promise of "making sure every Uma Musume is well-fed," the academy would become a laughingstock.
But now things were different.
According to the rumors, after that particular Uma Musume moved up to the central league, the head chef sprang back to life, more energetic than a twenty-year-old.
He started fighting to get back into the kitchen, taking charge of the meals again. And while he cooked, he'd break into these exaggerated, joyful laughs. Uma Musume passing by often heard him roaring with laughter. His face glowed every day like a flower drenched in fertilizer—abs radiant.
Today, Nearl was lucky enough to be eating a dish prepared by that old gentleman himself. It was genuinely the most delicious thing she'd ever tasted—and that was no exaggeration. After all, in both her lifetimes, Nearl had never really experienced fine cuisine.
Her previous life didn't count. From the time she could remember, she'd been stuck in a hospital. Her meals were specially prepared—nutritious but utterly tasteless. In this life, she did have chances to try delicious food, but the Komori Orphanage's tight conditions made Nearl naturally frugal.
At the orphanage, Nearl and Director Komori usually cooked simple, large-portion meals—basic and repetitive. They weren't lacking in nutrition, but flavor wasn't a priority.
Nearl had never spent money on snacks, either. In fact, she hardly spent anything on herself. Even when Director Komori bought her treats out of concern, Nearl would share them with the other children at the orphanage without tasting a bite.
Today's meal might just be the best thing Nearl had eaten in both her lifetimes. And since the academy cafeteria was all-you-can-eat, it meant Nearl didn't have to hold back her appetite.
"Another serving, please."
Nearl picked up another plate of fried noodles and a portion of tripe from the serving window, then returned to her seat to eat quietly. The two empty plates beside her meant she'd already finished portions meant for two Uma Musume.
'So delicious… It's actually improving my mood,' Nearl thought to herself as she slowly savored the noodles.
'I should look into learning how to cook properly. I always thought it was enough that my cooking was edible—Oguri Cap never complained—but I see now there's value in improving. Good food can lift spirits and work as a reward.'
Pleasantly satisfied by the tasty meal, Nearl finished portions for three Uma Musume and finally felt full. It was the first time she'd ever eaten this much.
"Kasamatsu Tracen… really is a great place." —By Margaret Nearl.
Leaving the cafeteria, Nearl walked cheerfully toward Kitahara Jo's training office. Norn Ace had suggested several suitable debut races, but which one to finally choose—she needed to discuss that with her trainer.
Walking down the now-familiar path, Nearl arrived at the training room door. As expected, Kitahara Jo was inside. Unfortunately, he wasn't hitting the books—he was watching an Uma Musume race on a small TV.
Knock knock.
Nearl rapped on the door to announce her arrival.
"Huh? Ah!… Nearl! Come in, come in!"
Startled by the knocking, Kitahara Jo looked panicked. When he saw it was Nearl, his expression turned into that of 'a kid caught gaming in secret'—cold sweat instantly beading on his rough face.
He quickly reached out and turned off the TV, cutting off the ongoing race, then stood up and hurried toward Nearl with an apologetic smile. His guilty demeanor was so exaggerated that Nearl's slight frown melted into an amused, helpless look.
"There's no need for that, Trainer Kitahara. I won't scold you for this. Watching races is part of your passion for Uma Musume. As long as you complete your daily studies afterward, it's fine."
"Yes! Instructor Nearl!"
Hearing that, Kitahara visibly relaxed. He straightened up and broke into a smile, even mustering the courage to joke with her.
"So, what brings you here today, Nearl? You've already passed the trainer's exam yourself—you don't need me to guide you specially, do you? I'm not nearly qualified for that."
Hearing his words, Nearl's eyes narrowed slightly. She'd picked up on a weakness in his character: 'He's too insecure. I'll have to keep that in mind during our time together. But today, there's something else to discuss—that'll have to wait.'
With that in mind, Nearl looked Kitahara squarely in the eyes and stated her purpose for coming, very seriously.
"Trainer Kitahara, I'd like to discuss my debut race with you."
--+--
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.