But Nearl didn't dwell on this question for too long. After all, you fight soldiers with a general and hold back floods with earth—she'd deal with things as they came. For now, she focused her attention on the afternoon tea.
"Nearl, how many days until your debut race?"
Fujimasa March held a fried dumpling between her fingers, lifting it up to eye level and examining it carefully. She seemed quite fascinated by the translucent wrapper of the dumpling.
"My trainer has already signed me up for the Sun-Moon Cup. I'll be making my debut within the next week or two," Nearl replied, turning away from the flowers on the lawn she had been admiring.
"Using a proper race as your debut?" Fujimasa's brow furrowed briefly before relaxing again.
"Well, I suppose it makes sense. Your ability already far surpasses that of most ordinary Uma Musume. Any debut race would be a walk in the park for you."
"The Sun-Moon Cup, huh… A Grade SP3 race. There's no way you could lose that." Fujimasa stated it as a simple fact.
If this Uma Musume could crush her by a huge margin, then some low-tier SP3 race wouldn't even be worth glancing at.
At that thought, Fujimasa shot another look at Nearl and smirked slightly.
'And especially her—she's a Great Escapee. Even if the other racers threw pride aside and ganged up to block her, they still wouldn't be able to keep up.'
"Thank you for the vote of confidence, March. But what if all this praise goes to my head?"
"Pfft, as if! You? Getting a big head? I doubt you'd let a winning streak get to you," Fujimasa chuckled, then added, "Besides, I'm only stating facts. If you get cocky over that, that's on you."
"Fair enough. In that case, I'll gladly accept your 'honest assessment'," Nearl replied with a warm smile.
"I'll come watch your debut race, so make sure you run well, Nearl." Fujimasa looked at the golden-haired Uma Musume sitting beside her and felt a sudden premonition. "You're definitely going to become the strongest Uma Musume."
"I'll strive toward that goal. And I'll want you watching when I claim victory," Nearl said earnestly.
"I will," Fujimasa nodded seriously. "By the way, does Oguri Cap know you're making your debut?"
"Not yet. I haven't told her. She must be busy with her own races at the central circuit—I wouldn't want to bother her with something this trivial." Nearl's tone was natural; she genuinely didn't consider her debut race a big deal.
"I doubt Oguri Cap would see anything related to you as 'trivial'," Fujimasa shrugged helplessly. "But suit yourself. With your skill, your victory will definitely be splashed all over the papers. Even if she's at the central tracks, she'll see the news."
"The news, huh…"
"What's wrong? You sound a bit reluctant."
Hearing the question, Nearl offered a slightly awkward smile.
"Ah, how should I put it… I've never had the best impression of media coverage. Maybe it's just in my nature. But don't worry—I understand the difference well enough. I'll handle the interviews properly."
"Weirdo. What 'difference' can there be with news reports?" Fujimasa muttered under her breath.
Not quite sure how to respond, Nearl could only smile faintly. Fujimasa, ever considerate, didn't press further and changed the subject.
"When we have time later, why don't we go visit Oguri Cap at the central circuit? She'd be so surprised."
After a moment's thought, Fujimasa remembered their mutual friend Oguri Cap. Missing her friend, she suggested they go together.
"That's a wonderful idea. But are you sure it won't interfere with her training?"
Nearl was genuinely tempted by the suggestion, but she also didn't want to cause any inconvenience for Oguri Cap.
"Oh, come on. Don't act like training schedules are that rigid. There's plenty of downtime between sessions—it's not like she's training nonstop…"
Fujimasa's voice trailed off as she suddenly remembered: the person in front of her was exactly the type to fill every waking moment with training.
"Never mind. A training maniac like you probably wouldn't get it. Anyway, visiting Oguri Cap won't disrupt her training."
Deciding it was too troublesome to explain, Fujimasa dropped the subject. Nearl wasn't completely oblivious, though, and since Fujimasa seemed so sure, she agreed.
"Understood. Let's go together after my debut race. By then, your injury should be mostly healed."
"Yeah, that's the spirit. No need to overthink everything," Fujimasa said, pleased with Nearl's decisiveness.
"Well, it's about time. We've finished the snacks—shall I wheel you back to your room?"
Noticing the now-empty food container, Nearl smiled softly. She stood up from the stone bench, placed the container into her bag, and turned to Fujimasa.
"Much obliged, Nearl. I had a really good time today—thanks to you."
On the way back, Fujimasa spoke with a smile—one as delicate yet striking as the flowers on the lawn earlier. It completely softened her usual fierce and imposing aura, making her seem gentle and vulnerable.
Perhaps only in moments like this did people remember that she was, after all, still just a girl.
"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," Nearl replied with a warm smile, giving Fujimasa a playful wink. "I am a knight, after all. Bringing joy to others is part of the code."
That drew a loud laugh from Fujimasa, her clear voice ringing down the hallway.
"So you're one of those dorks, huh? Calling yourself a knight—pfft, hahaha!"
When she finally caught her breath, Fujimasa jokingly extended her hand. "Well then, Knight Nearl, does this mean you have to kiss my hand?"
"…"
"…"
Under Nearl's subtly amused gaze, Fujimasa's hand slowly, awkwardly retracted. A blush crept across her cheeks, and she seemed to shrink into herself, her confident aura vanishing entirely.
The doctors and nurses passing by couldn't help but smile at the adorable scene. One doctor even sighed fondly, "This is exactly why I went into Uma Musume medicine."
Beneath everyone's warm gazes, Fujimasa patted Nearl's hand urgently, signaling her to hurry up. Her face was flushed all the way to the tips of her ears.
Smiling, Nearl nodded politely to the onlookers before quickening her pace. She wheeled Fujimasa—who was now covering her face and pretending to be an ostrich—swiftly away from the scene.
--+--
Far away at the central circuit, Oguri Cap suddenly sneezed. She shook her ash-gray hair and declared with certainty, "I have a feeling someone's talking about me."
Tamamo Cross, who was helping carry Oguri Cap's food, looked on with a head full of question marks.
--+--
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.