"Suzuka, Suzuka! Something terrible has happened—!"
Silence Suzuka, who was busy blow-drying her tail, was startled by the frantic voice outside the door. Then, with a loud thud, Special Week, who had just stepped out for breakfast, came stumbling back in, looking utterly panicked.
She was clutching a newspaper, her face a mask of anxiety.
"Are you alright, Spe-chan?"
Just as Suzuka began to worry, Special Week's clumsy feet tangled together. With a soft thump, the girl pitched forward, sliding gracefully across the floor until she came to a stop right at Suzuka's feet.
"Spe-chan!?"
"Oww, my nose... Ah! Suzuka, look at this!" Rubbing her reddened nose, Special Week scrambled up, thrusting the newspaper forward and jabbing her finger at the headline.
Though slightly concerned about the slow trickle of blood from Special Week's nose, Silence Suzuka followed her pointing finger and began to read.
After just a few words, Suzuka's eyes widened in shock, and she brought a hand to her mouth in disbelief.
"This can't be..."
In glaring red letters, the headline screamed:
[To Whom It May Concern—]
--+--
Brrrring! Brrrrrring!!
The obnoxious ringing of the telephone jarred the blonde woman awake long before she intended to rise.
Glancing at the wall clock, she saw the hands hadn't even reached seven yet.
Who in the world was calling this early? A full hour before work even started!
Grumbling internally after what should have been a peaceful sleep, she rubbed her eyes, suppressed her irritation, switched into her professional tone, and answered the call.
"Yes?"
"Chairwoman! It's bad! Check the news!"
"The news?"
The frantic voice on the other end sounded vaguely familiar, and a sense of foreboding crept over the Central Chairwoman.
She immediately grabbed her phone, pulling up the day's news. Her eyes grew wider with each passing second.
The veins on her fingers grew prominent as all traces of sleepiness vanished.
Her teeth ground together with an audible creak, and she spoke into the phone with a voice nearing hysterics.
"Get the car! I'm going to the media company to see the editor-in-chief, right now!! Hurry—!"
--+--
Date: October 17th. The contents of a single column spread through the streets and alleyways the moment it was published.
It contained only a few short lines, but the information within was enough to send shockwaves through the horse racing world.
People eagerly discussed it amongst themselves.
[The Central Authority, blinded by greed and tyranny.]
At Tracen Academy, students read the freshly purchased newspapers.
[The once-mighty lion has rotted from within.]
Listening to her roommate's description, Vodka, toothbrush in mouth, froze mid-scrub.
[The rules of the past have become chains that bind them.]
In the cafeteria, Oguri Cap silently set down her bowl and chopsticks.
[Complacent, turning a blind eye to the truth.]
[Using slander to cover their own incompetence.]
On the training field, Hishi Amazon lay on the grass, holding the newspaper aloft.
[For the Central Authority's vile actions.]
[They will be Judged.]
Holding her stomach, Sirius Symboli let out a laugh of unprecedented delight.
[In the upcoming Autumn Tenno Sho.]
[We will take all the glory that belongs to the victor.]
"Signed—"
[The Black Ghost]
Finished reading, Narita Brian rolled up the newspaper in the student council room.
The air was terribly still.
Symboli Rudolf rested her chin on her interlaced fingers, eyes narrowed.
Beside her, Air Groove hung her head, lost in thought.
"Well, President Rudolf. Do you think this message truly came from that black Uma Musume?"
Narita Brian no longer trusted the words of the media, but upon seeing this report, her heart couldn't help but skip a beat.
What if it was real?
The thought kept popping into her head.
What if that black Uma Musume had found a reporter and had them publish this?
Was that even possible?
After getting the news, Narita Brian had rushed straight to Rudolf to report it.
After what felt like an eternity, Air Groove spoke up. "What does it mean here, about the 'rules of the past'...?"
Finally, Rudolf also lifted her head.
"It's also unclear where she obtained the information..."
Indeed, a long time ago, before the [Twinkle Series], local Uma Musume could freely participate in Central's races, alongside those belonging to Central itself.
Not only that, but even foreign Uma Musume could enter all of Central's competitions.
Later, however, to make the [Twinkle Series] more spectator-friendly and to foster domestic Uma Musume, the Central Authority established a series of policies.
"First, they distinguished between Central and local, banning local Uma Musume from competing."
"Secondly, they prohibited foreign, and even repatriated, Uma Musume from participating in graded stakes races."
At the time, these explicit regulations allowed the [Twinkle Series] to develop more effectively. They also shielded domestic Uma Musume from the demoralizing defeats by foreign competitors, allowing them to gradually gain confidence and showcase their brilliance.
But later, when the [Twinkle Series] reached a certain scale, the very rules designed to aid the competitions became a burden.
Too many Uma Musume were shut out of the Central circuit due to their origins.
Forced to retire with regrets in the end.
This was a deep source of regret for Rudolf, yet she felt powerless to change it.
The various officials within the Central Authority had become set in their ways.
They were satisfied with the status quo, no longer considering the future development of the [Twinkle Series].
They let those antiquated rules drag the entire competition into decline.
Beneath the seemingly vibrant track scene, hidden dangers festered.
It was no exaggeration to say that without the involvement of the black Uma Musume, the Central Authority would still be wearing that same unchanging, stagnant expression even now.
This open letter to Central was not wrong.
Their rules were no longer suited for the current competitive environment.
The accusations of slander and insult were also undeniable facts.
But what Rudolf found hard to fathom was the other party's audacity to publish it so brazenly.
This could no longer be called mere provocation.
Rudolf's gaze sharpened.
It was no exaggeration to call this a declaration of war.
A war between the black Uma Musume and the Central Authority, and indeed, the entire [Twinkle Series].
She had clearly stated she would participate in the Autumn [Tenno Sho] and boldly claimed she would seize the championship.
Could it be that she thought this [Tenno Sho] would be on the same level as the [Mainichi Okan] or the [New Zealand Trophy]?
After the rule changes, a significant number of individuals were eligible to participate in this race!
Even the [Japanese Derby] from a few months prior paled in comparison to the stature of this [Tenno Sho].
Just the known list of participants already far exceeded that of a standard G1 race.
What gave her the confidence to make such a boast?
Was it ignorance of everyone's capabilities? Or was it...?
Rudolf's eyebrows gradually drew together in a deep frown.
On the other hand, Narita Brian, still gripping the newspaper, wasn't overthinking it.
She felt a genuine thrill of excitement.
It was clear from these words that her rival hadn't been cowed by Central's smear campaign. Instead, she had countered with a devastating blow.
Now, the whole world was probably going crazy over this news.
--+--
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.