As the sister of Golden Sixty, Leap of Faith refused to allow herself to stop here.
"This race was also a chance for me to understand myself better."
"I've realized that I truly lack talent in this area."
As she spoke, Leap of Faith secretly glanced up at Golden Sixty: "And I've already indulged that girl long enough—fulfilling her wish to run together on the track."
"To be honest, the reason I wanted to become a Racing Uma Musume in the first place was because I didn't get along with my family, so I ran off to Japan out of spite."
At this point, there really was no need to persist. After all, even for Uma Musume, standing on the racetrack isn't a necessity for everyone.
That stage doesn't belong to everyone.
...I see. Platinum quietly let out a sigh of relief.
Leaving the racetrack was one thing—as long as it wasn't due to some injury.
In the pursuit of dreams, dreams themselves can change. Platinum couldn't find much to say to Leap of Faith, who was brave enough to shift her direction, and could only offer her blessings.
"Well... I hope you find a goal you truly love and excel at in the future," Platinum said awkwardly.
Still, the thought of parting left her with a faint sense of reluctance.
If Leap of Faith no longer wished to be an Uma Musume, there was no reason for her to return to Japan.
In fact, even if she did want to continue, as Golden Sixty's sister, she would surely receive better treatment in Hong Kong.
So that meant... once Platinum returned to Japan and Leap of Faith stayed in Hong Kong, they would be worlds apart.
Then she wouldn't have to worry about the Soul Dissolution Syndrome anymore, right? There'd be no need to keep pushing her away.
"Let's... keep in touch. Don't... forget me. Or us. I mean, Fuji Kyoji and..." The words were on the tip of her tongue, but Platinum just couldn't bring herself to say them.
She trailed off into a soft, mumbling hum, her voice as faint as a mosquito's whine.
"I'm not leaving. Once my leg heals, I'm still going to Japan," Leap of Faith said with a serene smile, though her grip on Platinum's hand tightened ever so slightly, the tenderness in her eyes so deep it seemed to spill over.
"But I thought you said you weren't going to be a Racing Uma Musume anymore?"
"I'm not going to be an Uma Musume, but I never said I was leaving the racing world altogether." Leap of Faith brushed a strand of hair from her forehead, one hand still firmly holding Platinum's.
"Besides, there are still things at Tracen Academy I can't bear to leave."
"At Tracen, I have many friends, many classmates—there's Fuji Kyoji, and... you."
"I've decided to become a support staff Uma Musume. If I can't shine on the track, then let me be someone who can watch all of you from the closest possible distance."
"I see," Platinum sighed in relief, but then her face flushed bright red.
She'd only managed to squeeze those words out because she thought Leap of Faith wasn't coming back... but now it turned out she wasn't leaving after all?
Didn't that make what she said just now incredibly cheesy? She'd be teased about it until graduation for sure!
But the expected teasing never came. Leap of Faith withdrew her hand.
—Then, in the next moment, Leap of Faith turned Platinum's palm over, so that their hands met palm to palm.
Platinum didn't look at Leap of Faith, and Leap of Faith didn't say another word. A quiet stillness settled between them.
Across from them, Ever Flourishing sensed something amiss. The emerald-green-haired girl glanced right at Platinum, then left at Leap of Faith, about to say something, but Fresh Memory tugged gently on her sleeve.
"Have you ever heard that Japanese proverb?" Fresh Memory whispered into Ever Flourishing's ear.
Ever Flourishing tilted her head, looking curiously at Fresh Memory.
"They say if you interrupt people in love, the Three Goddesses will kick you to death."
Ever Flourishing's eyes widened in understanding. So that's what this was about? Why didn't you say so earlier? That explains everything.
"Everyone!"
Golden Sixty suddenly stood up, raising her glass with the same bold flair as always.
"First, congratulations to our champion today—Platinum."
"Honestly, I was shocked. A rookie breaking through as a dark horse, and coming from last place to first at that? Incredible!"
"Not taking you seriously as a rival from the start was my biggest mistake."
Even though Golden Sixty had lost partly due to other factors, and one race couldn't prove everything, dwelling on that now would just be petty.
A loss was a loss.
"Also..." Golden Sixty scratched her head, looking a bit embarrassed.
"After running in this race, I've been feeling... like I'm still young, like I still have endless energy left."
"Sure, it's embarrassing to be beaten by a rookie like Platinum, but if I just slink away into retirement without winning back my pride, wouldn't I be laughed at for the rest of my life?"
Platinum rolled her eyes hard upon hearing that.
See? You do care. You totally care about winning and losing, don't you?
"So... I've decided not to retire after all! It looks like I'll be clinging to this 'Hong Kong Horse King' title for a few more years, waiting for some new talent to drag me off this throne."
Urban Sea rested her chin on her hand, watching Golden Sixty with an amused smile.
She'd seen all along that Golden Sixty had no real intention of retiring so soon. Unlike some of them, Golden Sixty's body was still at its peak. She might not improve further, but with effort, she could maintain that peak form.
A slump? Everyone has them. Seeing Golden Sixty overcome this one made this special race meaningful in its own way.
"Looks like it'll be a long time before you come to the UK, then," Urban Sea chimed in. "My little Star's been waiting for me, so I'll be heading back in a few days."
"You really dote on your younger siblings, don't you?"
"Oh my..." Urban Sea covered her cheeks, blushing slightly. "It's more of a happy burden, really."
"You've all seen photos of Sea the Stars already—would you like to see the others? I have Galileo's, little Bellamy's , little Ocean's..."
Urban Sea listed her siblings' names one by one, reminding everyone what a huge family she came from.
Then again, wouldn't the rest of these photos also be baby pictures?
"I'll be leaving soon as well," Sham said, her words slow and deliberate. The way she always spoke made every sentence sound like a threat.
"My companions have been waiting for me. I'm heading to Nepal to climb Mount Everest."
As everyone chatted, the moon outside the window cast a soft silver glow.
Whether retiring or not retiring—it was all just a small part of life's journey.
For Uma Musume, life was still long, and they had plenty of time to discover the meaning of their own paths.
Under the tranquil moonlight, a new journey was just beginning.
--+--
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.