One could only say that Everlamp had indeed pinpointed one of Nearl's little weaknesses—her gentle nature and patience with friends.
With just a slight show of discomfort from Everlamp, Nearl's defenses crumbled, and she surrendered outright.
"Alright, I'll accept it. But I might not actually wear it—is that okay with you?"
Now, as Nearl looked at those girly pink shoes in her hand, she felt an indescribable unease. Still, it was a gift from Everlamp, given with good intentions, so she fought back her embarrassment and placed them in the basket.
"That's fine! It's up to you what you do with them, Nearl—once a gift is given, it's yours to decide."
"Phew…"
Letting out a long breath, Nearl decided to pretend she hadn't seen those shoes. She planned to tuck them away in the closet once she got back. For now, she needed to pick out a few proper running shoes for herself.
Tuning out Everlamp's cheerful chattering, Nearl scanned the shelves carefully.
'The thickness and bounce of the sole, a sturdy build overall—those are the important things. Everything else is secondary. And, well, if the price could be a little lower, that'd be ideal.'
Every now and then, Nearl picked up a pair, testing their flexibility by bending them or pressing the material. After examining a few, she settled on a simple, no-frills pair of sneakers.
"This one should do."
She held the shoes in her hand, taking a closer look at the price tag.
"Surprisingly affordable. How can shoes of this quality be so cheap? This is almost at cost."
Carrying the pair, Nearl went straight to ask one of the store clerks.
"Excuse me, is the price on these marked correctly? The quality seems way above what you'd expect for this price range."
"Oh, these? I'm surprised you picked these out, miss."
The clerk looked at the shoes in Nearl's hand with a tone of nostalgia.
"Not many people buy these anymore. The design is too plain—frankly, you could even call them ugly."
It was true—from an average person's perspective, the shoes Nearl held weren't much to look at. The upper was all black without any variation, and the whole shape came off as clunky and rough. If looks were all that mattered, these definitely wouldn't be the choice.
"But I'm not at a point where I need to worry about appearance. Durability is enough for me."
Nearl set the sneakers on the counter and asked, "Do you have these in my size? I'd like to buy a few pairs."
"We do, but are you sure you want this model?"
"The price is right, and the quality is good. Right now, a tough pair of shoes is far more useful to me than a pretty one."
Nearl spoke with a hint of resignation. Hearing this, the clerk's expression shifted to one of understanding.
After receiving the sneakers the clerk dug out for her, Nearl relaxed. Everything on her list was now taken care of.
But when her eyes fell on the pink sneakers Everlamp had paid for and handed to her, a mix of reluctance and a sudden memory flashed through her mind.
'I remember Oguri complaining about how ugly her running shoes are. Should I buy her a nicer pair?'
Her gaze lingered on the pink sneakers for a moment, but she quickly dismissed the thought.
"No, these were a gift from Everlamp. How could I even think of regifting them? Even if I won't wear them, I should store them properly."
With a sigh, Nearl turned back to pick out another pair as a gift.
--+--
"Ah! The sun's almost gone—time flew by so fast!"
Everlamp looped one arm through Nearl's while holding a bag of cream buns in the other, striding cheerfully down the street, a constant smile on her face.
Nearl let herself be dragged along somewhat helplessly, but seeing that bright, happy face filled her with warmth.
"Alright, shouldn't you be heading home soon? It's getting late."
When they reached the entrance of the shopping district, Nearl ruffled Everlamp's hair gently. By now, she'd completely forgotten that Everlamp was technically her senior.
"Ugh, don't wanna," Everlamp pouted, clearly unwilling.
"Then, Nearl, can I come play with you tomorrow?"
"Sorry, I'm planning to visit an old friend in the central district tomorrow. I probably won't have time."
Nearl gently declined the invitation, explaining her plans.
"So, were those pretty shoes you picked out today for her?" Everlamp asked curiously.
"Yes. She's always been a bit simple, but surprisingly, she's got quite a girly sense of taste—or maybe you could call it old-fashioned?"
Thinking of that gray-haired foodie she knew so well, a faint smile touched Nearl's eyes, even carrying a hint of affection.
Watching her, Everlamp secretly stuck out her tongue, feeling a little sorry for that Uma Musume.
'To be seen like a kid by Nearl—just how innocent must she be?'
"Well, can't be helped then," Everlamp sighed regretfully, but quickly perked up, puffing her chest out proudly.
"But it's fine! I'll be transferring to Kasamatsu Tracen soon anyway. Once I'm there, I can bother you every day!"
"You're transferring to Kasamatsu Tracen?"
At Nearl's question, Everlamp beamed even brighter.
"Yep, very soon! Once I pass the special admission exam, I want to join the same team as you!"
"No problem at all. I'll be waiting for you."
Nearl looked at the spirited young gray-haired filly and couldn't help patting her head.
"Well, see you later, Everlamp."
"Mm! Do your best, Nearl!"
With one last energetic wave, Everlamp dashed off down the street, her gray hair bouncing behind her, full of life.
Nearl shook her head with a soft laugh and turned to walk back toward the academy. She didn't run this time—the bags she carried weren't very sturdy, and jostling them might spill the contents.
Besides, she seemed to be enjoying herself. "So many people are out strolling. Feels like it's been forever since I've seen the world outside…"
Cherishing this rare break, Nearl wore a relaxed smile as she slowly made her way back, accompanied by the setting sun.
Just as Nearl was savoring this lazy evening, outside the city's printing press, an astonishing number of newspaper bundles were being loaded into rows of neatly lined-up trucks.
Tonight, these trucks would deliver their cargo to distribution points all over.
This batch far exceeded the usual print run—many were even central edition papers.
And the reason for all this was a single race—just a local SP3 grade event.
That day, the appearance of one dazzlingly brilliant Uma Musume had elevated an otherwise ordinary race into a historic moment.
--+--
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.