Holding the phone, Manhattan Cafe repeated with confusion, "A fan site? Whose... the 'Black Ghost's'?"
Just moments ago, a man named Fujii Senosuke had called again, claiming he'd built a website for the Black Ghost. He'd even sent the domain via text message.
Come to think of it, hadn't he also called himself a journalist?
He was the one who'd tipped them off before the race too.
Combined with the news about 'Friend' published in the paper, he must be the contact 'Friend' had at the media company.
Though she wasn't sure exactly when the two had connected, Cafe had to admit he'd been genuinely helpful, both before and after the race.
So she didn't adopt the same confrontational tone as before.
Listening to the voice on the phone, she asked, "That website... what's it for?"
"To gather people who support the 'Black Ghost,' of course," Fujii Senosuke replied. "You saw what happened at the race, Miss Silence. Despite such incredible ability, she isn't recognized. As an Uma Musume, she deserves greater honors. So I'm hoping this site can find people willing to support her."
Manhattan Cafe frowned at his words.
"My 'Friend' doesn't need any of that..."
"Huh?"
"No, I mean... the 'Black Ghost' doesn't need that..." She corrected herself. "Even without honors, she'll keep running on the track."
"To be honest, I've wondered if there's even a point to doing all this."
Fujii Senosuke's voice came through the receiver, tinged with hesitation.
"For her, my efforts might just be unnecessary. Whether I do this or not, she'll keep running. But still..."
His tone shifted.
"Glory isn't something you're born with. As she keeps racing, more and more supporters will rally to her. When that time comes, I want the stadium to roar with cheers when she crosses the finish line, not fall into dead silence."
He wanted her to be seen by more people, to be acknowledged by more people.
He wanted her to gain the honors that matched her skill.
It wasn't just for her sake, but also for us, the supporters quietly standing in the background.
We also want to be able to shout freely when she wins.
"What do you think, Miss Silence?"
I...
Manhattan Cafe's grip on the phone tightened unconsciously.
'The Nameless Black Ghost, with her peerless legs, sliced through the racetrack—'
As the commentator's voice echoed through the stadium, Manhattan Cafe had clapped her hands with joy. It was a rare moment where she genuinely wanted to share her happiness with someone.
But Agnes Tachyon, beside her, had gently pulled at her sleeve. Those dull eyes conveyed a single message:
'Don't speak.'
The surroundings were utterly silent. Everyone was frowning, wearing expressions of clear disapproval.
Why?
My 'Friend' won. Why are you all making faces like that?
Can't you see how strong she is? How amazing she is!
The words stuck in her throat.
Manhattan Cafe felt as if she'd been plunged into an icy abyss. The joy of victory evaporated in that frigid atmosphere.
This was the reality laid out before Manhattan Cafe—her 'Friend's' situation.
Forever relegated to the lower ranks, never accepted.
No matter how much she tried to comfort herself, it was useless. The one most affected by the crowd's reaction wasn't 'Friend'—it was Cafe herself.
Wasn't she, too, one of 'Friend's' supporters?
Thinking this, Manhattan Cafe bit her lip lightly.
"I'll... go take a look at it. That website."
If there really were people there, expressing their admiration and respect for 'Friend'... maybe that wouldn't be so bad.
"Excellent, Miss Silence. Right now, it's just a simple page with a message board. If there's anything you'd like changed, please let me know. Also, any information about the 'Black Ghost' you're comfortable sharing would be great. I'll use it for the site's introduction."
On the other end of the line, Fujii Senosuke—sporting dark circles from days of hard work—let out a sigh of relief.
Whether it was the warning letters or other information, Miss Silence was currently the only link to the 'Ghost.' Only with her approval could the site really get off the ground.
Now, finally, they had a good start.
After saying their goodbyes, they hung up. Manhattan Cafe pushed aside the curtain and entered Agnes Tachyon's room.
Ever since she'd started researching the secrets of 'Friend's' body, their interactions had become much more frequent.
What used to be a room she wouldn't enter for half a month at a time, she now visited several times a day. Agnes had even suggested removing the dividing curtain altogether for easier access.
But, sensing some ulterior motive behind that offer, Manhattan Cafe had vetoed the idea immediately.
She had no desire to see Agnes Tachyon's experimental equipment cluttering up her own space.
"Hey, Cafe."
Hearing the sound from behind her, Agnes Tachyon greeted her without turning around.
"There's something I'd like to ask you..."
"Hold on a sec, let me finish this first."
Seeing Agnes Tachyon hunched over, fiddling with something, Manhattan Cafe moved closer.
"What are you doing?"
In her hand, she was using tweezers to hold a single, long black hair, shining different colored lights on it.
"Is that..."
"Yep, just as you see. It's 'Friend's' hair," Agnes stated matter-of-factly.
"You pulled it out?"
"Nah, nah. I just asked her if I could have one as a research sample. Think about it—just looking won't tell us much, and experimenting directly on a living person is too risky. Taking tiny samples like this for study doesn't harm the body, and we still get data. A perfect solution, right?"
Listening to Agnes's faintly proud tone, Manhattan Cafe's brows furrowed.
It sounded reasonable, but Cafe couldn't shake the feeling that this was part of some "sustainable research" plan.
Next, it might evolve into skin, nails, and who knows what else.
Before that happened, Manhattan Cafe needed to make something clear.
"Before you do anything like this, you have to tell me first."
"I am telling you now. It was only recently acquired anyway. Next time, I'll let you know earlier. So, what did you need me for?"
Agnes brushed her off and changed the subject.
Manhattan Cafe looked displeased but didn't press further. She asked Agnes to turn on the computer.
"A website... I see. So someone built a dedicated site for her. That's not a bad idea at all."
As Manhattan Cafe explained, Agnes Tachyon nodded repeatedly.
This way, she could get a more direct look at people's thoughts about the Ghost and potentially extract some useful related data.
Provided people weren't just posting nonsense.
But small, obscure sites like this rarely attracted the kind of troublemakers who loved to stir up chaos.
She typed in the URL. The keyboard clacked, and the page loaded before their eyes.
It was a webpage built on a black background with white and red text. It listed the races the 'Black Ghost' had participated in, the opponents she'd defeated, winning margins, race times, and even a photo of one of the warning letters.
Though hastily assembled, it was surprisingly well put together.
The two continued scrolling. Soon, a post on the message board caught their attention.
"The Black Ghost's next target is the [Miyako Stakes]."
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 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.