Platinum stretched lazily on her bed, hugging the blankets as she rolled over and burrowed back under the covers.
'Sigh, it's been so long since I had such a wonderful dream...' In the dream, not only did she have a healthy body, but she also had the pair of legs she'd always yearned for—she could run freely wherever she wished...
The only downside was turning into a kemonomimi—the ears on her head and the tail behind her were way too troublesome.
A dull ache spread across the top of her head. Platinum reached up and felt around, finding a pair of fluffy ears that had been squashed under her head.
In an instant, she was fully awake. 'Darn, so it wasn't a dream after all.'
The early morning carried a slight chill. Any lingering drowsiness vanished, and she felt her hands and feet turn icy. 'Can this world get any worse...'
Oh, right—she'd forgotten to close the dorm window last night. Never mind, then.
Platinum first grabbed her phone, turning on the camera to make sure her face hadn't been twisted by the night breeze.
Then, she wobbled out of bed to shut the window before flopping back into the soft, cozy mattress.
That's right—Platinum had already enrolled... at least, she was conditionally enrolled.
After all, she couldn't really move into Symboli Rudolf's home, could she? Wouldn't that make it look like Rudolf was keeping some hidden beauty tucked away? All those nasty rumors about the student president would be "confirmed" then.
You know, stuff like 'Tokai Teio is Symboli Rudolf's secret lovechild,' or 'Symboli Rudolf loves snatching common girls,' or even 'Symboli Rudolf flips through concubine plaques every night'... Except for the first one, which might have some room for debate, the rest were pure nonsense.
Total fake news!
Anyway, after Symboli Rudolf negotiated with the dorm head of Ritto Dormitory, Fuji Kiseki, it was agreed that Platinum could stay in an empty dorm room for a few days.
Everything else would be sorted out once her student status was finalized.
Even so, cleaning up another separate dorm room would be a real hassle. Platinum figured that unless something major changed, she'd probably end up staying in this room for good.
And before her enrollment was processed—she wasn't officially a student yet, which meant it was all vacation time for her.
While all the other Uma Musume were slogging through classes and training, she could sleep in! Bliss!
She peacefully closed her eyes, lying still... but after a few seconds, she slowly opened them again.
Seems like... she couldn't fall back asleep after all.
How to put it... Even though she was tired from the race and her lazy bones were acting up...
After two whole days of the eat-sleep-repeat piglet lifestyle, she was already sick of it.
When a kid gets a new toy, don't they always play with it obsessively? Well, Platinum's new legs... were kind of like that new toy.
As dark as it sounded, that's honestly how she felt right now. Her instincts were stirring, itching to go out and wander.
No time like the present. Platinum stripped off her pajamas until she was completely bare, standing boldly in front of the mirror!
Taking a deep breath, she clasped her hands together, bowed to her reflection, and declared:
"Thanks for the meal! Anyway, I'll take good care of this body from now on!"
What, feeling ashamed of looking at your own body?
As an upright and honorable man, you have to face every hardship head-on!
If your brain feels shame, just beat it until it's no longer ashamed!
Besides, how should I say it... This body is so young and underdeveloped... it really leaves me feeling unmoved.
Sorry, but Platinum preferred them bigger. Yeah, in every way.
Big is good, good is big—that's an eternal truth.
After standing there naked for a few more seconds, hands on her hips, Platinum sighed.
"What am I even doing..."
Her windbreaker and that fluttery dress were both tossed in the wash and now hanging on the balcony.
She had no idea if they could be washed together—she'd just stuffed them all in at once. So now, the only clothes she had on hand were the school uniform Fuji Kiseki had given her.
She wasn't officially a student at Tracen Academy yet... but surely it wouldn't hurt to try it on early, right?
Even if it did matter, Platinum had to wear it—unless a clothing store delivered right to her door.
In a few quick moves, she slipped into the school uniform and turned once in front of the mirror.
The main part of the uniform was navy blue, with light teal sleeves that added a playful touch.
Though it was essentially a standard sailor suit and pleated skirt, even Platinum could tell the fabric and craftsmanship were a cut above the rest. What kind of material was this, anyway?
By the way, probably to prevent varicose veins and protect the legs and ankles, the uniform also came with knee-high socks and little leather shoes.
Platinum had no objections to these. She adjusted the skirt slightly, and her straight, slender legs appeared in the mirror with an exaggerated proportion.
'Hmm, I thought all school uniforms were shapeless like potato sacks, but Tracen Academy's... unexpectedly looks pretty good.' Platinum leaned closer to the mirror, smoothing down her bangs.
She lifted them, revealing those pitch-black eyes, dark as a black hole.
Only these eyes were the same as in her previous life... Ever since she was little, people said her pupils were darker than anyone else's. And as she grew, they kept getting darker and darker, until finally, the entire iris seemed to merge into one, indistinguishable.
After checking her reflection and making sure nothing was out of place, Platinum closed her dorm room door and headed out for a walk.
First, she'd explore the campus. After all, Tracen Academy was far bigger than she'd imagined.
Thinking about it, it made sense.
This was an academy housing thousands of young Uma Musume—every racer in the country worthy of being called a graded stakes winner came from this institution. Of course, it would have facilities to match.
And an academy that could accommodate thousands of fillies training at once... you could imagine how vast it was.
She'd grab a bite at the cafeteria to fill her stomach, then follow the signs to check out Tracen's famous spots... Platinum thought to herself, patting her belly.
There were plenty of interesting places around the school.
Like the ever-ravenous Oguri Cap devouring food in the cafeteria, the always-about-to-dive Taiki Shuttle, and the legendary weeping hole where Uma Musume were always heard wailing...
By the way, maybe because Platinum had been living a piglet's life completely out of sync with normal human schedules, she'd never actually seen Oguri Cap eating in the cafeteria.
Lost in thought, Platinum suddenly noticed the foot traffic today was noticeably heavier.
Oh, right! It hit her—because today was the first time she'd gotten up on time!
She'd stumbled right into the morning rush of Uma Musume heading to class.
This was the time when Tracen Academy was truly waking up. Walking along the corridors and paths, she saw small groups of girls in the same uniform as hers, chatting and walking together.
Such dazzling young girls... the rosy campus life in full bloom... It was all too bright! Platinum couldn't help but shield her eyes.
And just then, she spotted a girl leaning against a lamppost.
Even among so many already exquisite girls, this one could truly be called stunning.
She was about the same height as Platinum, with gentle azure-blue eyes, and strikingly similar to Rudolf—a noticeable white streak in the front of her hair.
'Isn't that the emperor's secret lovechild, Tokai Teio?'
Platinum couldn't help but repent inwardly. 'My bad, my bad—I've become a gullible spreader of rumors too.'
When it came to Tokai Teio, the most memorable thing was definitely that honey-sweet voice of hers. Talking to her felt as soothing as a dandelion gently brushing against your ear—
"Well, finally caught ya. So the rumors are true after all."
Yes, yes, that's the voice...
Huh?
Snapping to her senses, Platinum widened her eyes and watched as Tokai Teio walked step by step toward her.
--+--
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.