Anyway, at least now she had something to wear. That frilly dress from before was out of the question—wearing it made her feel like she'd lost some part of herself.
Not that Platinum was in any hurry to change clothes just yet. After all, the race might be over, but the day wasn't done yet…
That's right—that thing! That one thing!
The Winner's Stage!
An event where a bunch of Uma Musume, tired as dead dogs after running their hearts out, get stuffed into frilly outfits.
The ones who placed second and third, hiding their frustration and humiliation behind strained smiles, have to stand behind the equally exhausted winner—who doesn't feel like smiling either—and sing and dance for the audience below.
Yeah, that kind of event.
Just to be clear, the above is purely Platinum's own malicious speculation. Don't take it seriously.
But still… since it's the rules, Platinum had no intention of breaking them. She'd won first place, so she'd obediently go up on stage and dance.
One thing at a time. For the prize money, she knew what mattered most.
Ugh, but the problem was… in her past life, Platinum had been a bedridden patient who could barely even walk.
She didn't know the first thing about walking properly, and running was something she'd figured out purely by instinct… Asking her to dance? Platinum was afraid she'd trip over flat ground.
If it really came down to it, she'd just stand there stiffly on stage. Whether she could dance was a matter of skill; whether she showed up was a matter of attitude.
For some reason, Platinum didn't seem to have much self-awareness about how thick-skinned she really was.
Only when she was alone would she confidently act like she had nerves of steel.
All in all, she had the prize money, she had clothes, and even though she still didn't have any ID, at least she probably wouldn't be sleeping on the streets. Things were looking up.
Without realizing it, Platinum started to smile.
She'd gained a healthy body, left that god-awful world behind, and could start a brand-new life. So far, her first step had been a pretty clean one.
With a good start like this, surely things would only get better from here…
Cough, cough—!
Hack, hack—!
Was it because she'd pushed herself too hard in the race? The strain on her lungs had been intense, and on top of that, Platinum only had a basic grasp of running—she didn't even know how to breathe properly while doing it.
She covered her mouth with her hand as the coughing fit took hold. Soon enough, it subsided.
Platinum lowered her hand, not thinking much of it.
But—
There in the center of her pale palm, a smear of dark red lay stark and vivid, glaringly bright.
Her hand trembled. Her pupils trembled. Her teeth chattered. Her very soul shook.
No. No, no.
No, no, no, no, no—!
She shook her head, staring in disbelief at what lay before her.
No, no, it can't be. It's impossible.
These symptoms… they were just… just…
Exactly like the incurable disease she'd had before!
First, it didn't affect normal bodily functions, but she'd start coughing up blood.
Once it reached that stage, there was no doubt—she was infected.
Even though it didn't have a tangible impact on the patient's health yet… it was already impossible to cure. In other words, from that point on, she was as good as dead.
Then, the senses would begin to scramble. Smell, taste, sight, touch, hearing—all gradually tangling together like a ball of knotted yarn.
Not tasting food or losing the sense of pain were minor issues at this stage.
Patients might even forget to breathe and end up suffocating themselves.
Their bodies would remain physiologically healthy, their organs functioning normally, but they'd cease to work as they should.
Finally, even the most crucial part—the brain—would begin to fail.
At this stage, it would feel as though her mind had become a separate entity trapped inside her own body… as if her brain was detaching from her physical self.
This was the most terrifying phase.
Patients could no longer tell whether they were alive or dead, spiraling deeper into despair… until the moment they drew their last breath. And even then, their bodies… would remain physically healthy.
In the world Platinum came from, this sudden, merciless disease was commonly known as Soul Dissolution Syndrome. The longest any known patient had survived was ten years.
Unfortunately, in her previous life, Platinum hadn't made it that long.
She thought she'd left that shitty world behind, that this was a brand-new life… Yet the nightmare from her past had followed her here.
"Please…"
Trembling, she stared at the blood in her palm, the metallic taste spreading in her mouth.
Why… just when she started to believe everything could begin anew… did it have to play such a cruel joke on her?
Why did she have to suffer like this again?
Stumbling to her feet, she tripped over the strap of her travel bag and fell hard to the floor.
Could it be… that this second chance at life was only given to her so she could relive that living hell all over again?
Ten years—at most, only ten years. And that was with full medical support. If she only counted the first stage, where she could still live normally, she had three years at most.
Her second life… and it would only last three years?
Platinum's vision blurred.
Calm down, calm down. Maybe it's some other illness… You know, ha… maybe it's Originium Affliction…
She pressed her lips tightly together, her teeth sinking into the tender flesh. Vivid red blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
"I don't want to die… I don't want to die… I don't want to die!"
She slammed a fist against the floor, breaking into loud, wrenching sobs.
"My life—both the one before and this one—has only just begun!"
"I still want to see more places, walk more paths, meet more friends…"
"I want to live! I want to live a long, long life! To a hundred, no—as long as I possibly can, damn it!"
"This kind of outcome—I won't accept it! I refuse!"
"Damn heavens, damn it all! You just want to see me suffer, don't you? You want to see me like this, is that it?"
"I'm begging you, I'm begging you, just let me go… All I want is to live a proper life, like a normal person… Is that really too much to ask…?"
Sobbing and sniffling, she pounded the floor until her voice grew hoarse.
Suddenly, she went quiet. Staring blankly toward the door, she heard a clear, gentle knocking.
"Um… Platinum? I heard you… Are you crying? Are you… okay?" From outside came the hesitant voice of Leap of Faith.
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A/N: The road may be winding, but the future is bright. Don't worry, readers—I give you my word, it's a happy ending.
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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.