"First up is our Number 8, Solar Mecha! Hailing from Kasamatsu, she's hit the board in all three of her starts so far, but hasn't quite found the winner's circle yet. Let's all send our best wishes to this young Uma Musume, hoping today brings her that first career victory!"
"Ms. Hana's certainly enthusiastic! Solar Mecha has shown fantastic breakouts from the starting gate; we might just see her try to set the pace today."
"Next is number 3, Nice Inspection. This appears to be her very first race since debuting. I wonder what kind of impression she'll make? Mr. Kan, are there any particular competitors you've got your eye on?"
The male commentator, nudged by his colleague, cleared his throat and picked up his notes.
"Well, if I had to pick one, I'd probably lean toward Number 2."
"Number 2, you say?"
"Mhm. Everlamp. Three wins from three starts, and she's made them look easy. This Sun-Moon Cup is her final SP3 race. I'm really looking forward to seeing how high she can fly."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Ms. Hana shifted her gaze to the parade ring, deftly steering the conversation.
"And here she is, Number 2, Everlamp! She looks surprisingly petite, but that smile on her face is truly infectious. What a darling girl."
The male commentator chimed in beside her.
"See? Adorable, right? She looks about the same age as my daughter at home. Seeing her feels like looking at my own kid."
"Oh ho, so you're one of those fans, a 'Papa Fan', are you?"
"Hey now, don't go announcing that to the whole world!"
Up in the stands, Kitahara Jo chuckled at the exchange, a touch of admiration in his voice.
"These two commentators are really something. Just a bit of playful banter and they've skillfully guided everyone's attention right to the competitors. And they've warmed up the crowd perfectly for the race—everyone's fully engaged now."
Kitahara's instincts were right. The audience's focus had indeed shifted to the parade ring. They were curious about this Uma Musume named Everlamp, wondering why the commentators were singling her out.
"Oh, she really is cute. So tiny, but that bright smile and her waving are so full of energy. She's like a little idol."
"And she's a roan! Same coat color as Oguri Cap! That's it, I'm officially a dedicated fan of hers!"
"Give it a rest. How many 'dedicated fans' have you claimed to be? That's not dedicated, that's just being fickle."
"Who says? I'm always dedicated—I just dedicate myself to a lot of them at once!"
Sandwiched between these voices, Kitahara Jo wore a wry smile. "Haha, oh dear... this crowd sure is something else..."
On the Parade Ring.
Everlamp, having shrugged off her jacket, bounced on her heels as she waved to the crowd, then bent down to pick it up.
"Hup-to!"
She snatched the jacket, coiled her body, and sprang back upright. Still bouncing, she started heading backstage, humming a nonsensical little tune.
"Hum-dee~ Hayes~ la-la~"
Unfortunately, she seemed too caught up in the moment to watch her step. Not far ahead, a single protruding nail lay in wait on the wooden platform.
"Tappy-tap~"
Everlamp kept hopping, completely unaware. If she kept going, she was almost certain to trip on it.
Scrunch.
A single hoof quietly came down on the nail, the metal shoe pressing down and grinding it flat.
The nail let out a tiny, grating squeak before being thoroughly forced flush into the plank.
"Huh?"
Everlamp looked curiously at the golden-haired Uma Musume who now had one hoof planted on the step, confusion in her eyes.
"My apologies. I was just stretching my legs. Did I startle you?" Nearl said, her expression genuinely apologetic.
"Ah! No, no, not at all! I was just being jumpy."
Everlamp waved her hands vigorously in front of her chest, her gestures wildly expressive.
"My name's Everlamp! You can call me Lampie, big sis!"
She whooshed down from the side of the step, landing and tilting her head back to look up at Nearl.
"Lampie... I'm not sure that's appropriate, Everlamp-senpai. I believe I am actually younger than you. It would be impolite for me to use a familiar nickname."
Nearl was slightly taken aback by the other girl's instant familiarity, which made her response a beat hesitant.
"Eh? But you look so much taller than me!"
Everlamp tried to gesture with her fingers, illustrating what she perceived as a "huge" difference.
"Heh."
Nearl couldn't help but laugh. The little Uma Musume before her was so vivacious and artless, it was impossible not to feel a surge of affection.
"Hehe, big sis laughed! That means you like me, right?"
Everlamp stepped forward and grabbed hold of Nearl's sleeve, beaming.
"Please, just call me Nearl. You've competed in more races than I have; you are the senpai here."
With a somewhat resigned smile, Nearl gently patted Everlamp's head and gave a slight bow as she introduced herself. "I am Margaret Nearl."
"Fewer races? Nearl, you just debuted? Then why pick this race? Won't it be a bit tough for you?"
Everlamp seemed genuinely concerned for the Uma Musume she'd met mere minutes ago, already launching into trying to manage Nearl's expectations.
"Listen, Nearl, for this race, it's best not to focus too much on the result, okay? Not that I'm telling you to give up! Just... after you've given it your all, no matter what happens, don't let the outcome get to you."
Looking down at the girl who now clung to her arm, chattering away incessantly, Nearl felt a complex mix of emotions.
Out of politeness, she could only listen with a patient smile, nodding occasionally to the unsolicited advice.
"And now, taking the stage from the Number 1 position, Margaret Nearl! Also an Uma Musume from Tracen Academy's Kasamatsu branch!"
Hearing this, Nearl breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She gently extracted her hand and bid the other girl farewell.
"Everlamp-senpai, it's my turn to go up. Thank you for your advice. I'll see you on the track."
Upon hearing this, the ever-present smile finally vanished from Everlamp's face. Her damp eyes held Nearl's gaze, filled with a complicated emotion.
"The track... Right. Go on, Nearl. If... if after the race you still want to... come find me to chat, okay?"
Waving at Nearl, Everlamp turned and walked away, her back to the golden-haired girl.
But her steps were no longer the lively, energetic bounces from before.
Nearl watched her retreating figure, lost in thought.
--+--
"Alright, and now stepping forward is competitor Nearl. One has to say, her beauty is truly a rarity even among Uma Musume. Her hair practically glows with a golden radiance under the sun!"
"Stunning, indeed. But the racetrack isn't won on beauty alone. Victory here is all about strength. Ms. Hana, shall we take a look at this Uma Musume's racing record?"
"..."
"Ms. Hana?"
"Unbelievable! This is truly unbelievable! The records show that Margaret Nearl has no previous racing history!"
--+--
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.