Chapter 51: I, Reset!
Although the seven-horse training race had ended, the audience showed no intention of leaving.
After all, these spectators, who could take time out of their work hours to watch the race, were basically hardcore horse girl enthusiasts. How could they miss the main event that followed: the Winner's Ceremony!
The race's relentless, breathless pacing had filled the spectators with fervor. Every single moment was a thrilling contest, with all competitors giving their all for victory.
In the final stretch, Stardust Mirage and Taiki Shuttle had erupted into an unimaginably fierce duel. The two seemed to burn themselves completely, pouring all their stamina into the final sprint.
Gathering winds and thunder on the track aided Stardust Mirage in seizing victory, a race that had utterly ignited the entire audience.
Their blood still hot, they crowded within the venue, eagerly awaiting the surprise performance by the winner, Stellar Mirage.
What song would she sing?
What kind of radiance would she emit on stage?
What would her victory uniform look like?
Everyone was brimming with curiosity about this horse girl's Winner's Ceremony.
Stardust Mirage... the horse girl who summoned gales and thunder on the track to defeat Victory Shot—what kind of performance would she deliver on stage?
Click.
A spotlight pierced the completely dark stage, illuminating the girl standing on the central platform.
The previously buzzing audience fell silent in an instant, all eyes drawn to that stark white light. They straightened their focus, looking toward the stage's center.
Click. Click.
Then, a second and third spotlight crisscrossed, revealing Stardust Mirage, now clad in her victory uniform. She slightly raised her head, her blood-red eyes gleaming under the lights as she looked around.
On stage, Stardust Mirage also saw the audience, whose numbers seemed no less than during the race.
Every gaze was firmly fixed on her. This was a stage belonging solely to her.
As Stellar Mirage thought this, everything before her seemed to slow down.
Her mind flashed back to the scene of Tokai Teio being surrounded by the audience on stage.
She couldn't help but inwardly sigh: [So radiant... like the morning star...]
A faint whoosh seemed to echo in her ears.
Not a trace of hesitation remained in Stellar Mirage's heart, completely replaced by the song she was about to perform.
If she didn't take the stage, she wouldn't agonize over singing. But now that she stood here... she had to firmly grasp the glory that belonged to the victor!
[This time, I've caught the starlight!]
Standing on the high platform, Stardust Mirage involuntarily slowly extended her right hand forward. The stage environment began to change according to her will.
A clear, ethereal prelude played by wind chimes resonated across the stage, accompanied by Stardust Mirage's resolute declaration:
"The song's name is 'Reset'!"
Click, click, clickclick, clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick—!
Countless stage lights blazed to life from all directions with the sound, lining up in two rows before the gradually focusing Stardust Mirage. Singing, she slowly walked forward.
"If only... I run out."
"Look, I can hold it in my hand."
"That ticket to tomorrow—I once let go!"
The moment she opened her mouth to sing, all the worries Stardust Mirage had agonized over offstage were swept away.
She was now wholly immersed in this performance. The song seemed to mirror her heart, stirring up Stardust Mirage's memories.
[That was the final stretch, less than 200m in her debut race.
Looking at Tokai Teio ahead, the distance to overtake seemed within arm's reach—that was her ticket to victory.
Yet, at that moment, Stardust Mirage hesitated for an instant.
And that instant precisely became an insurmountable chasm between winner and loser, completely separating her from Tokai Teio.]
She had... handed the victory to another.
But it was precisely that failure that truly awakened Stardust Mirage.
"Right here, I will depart—!"
"To reclaim something, once more, Reset!"
[Her mind flashed with images: losing the race, begging Oguri Cap and Musaka to train her.
The figure she desperately chased on the training ground, the determination to keep going even when vomiting from exhaustion.]
...What peaceful life, what obsession with the strong.
These were actually just words Stardust Mirage used to deceive herself after crossing over.
Ever since suddenly crossing over and leaving her familiar world... that decadent her, for the first time, discovered her own pursuit.
She met, she encountered.
From that day on, she was completely reborn!
If she had to say what she longed for now, it was to... shine!
It was the feeling of seizing victory before everyone and standing on the track, being the center of attention, that feeling of becoming the most radiant star!
To firmly grasp every opportunity to shine, she was willing to do anything.
Whether it was training desperately, forcing herself to grow stronger in dire situations, or even... performing on this stage for the Winner's Ceremony.
Now, singing her heart out, Stardust Mirage understood just how greedy she was.
Even now, while singing, Stardust Mirage's heart was shouting.
Shouting for her to firmly seize everyone's attention, to make her the object of everyone's admiration!
From now on, whether in races or Winner's Ceremonies, I won't let go—
This was her performance as the victor, and this was also... her declaration of war to all her rivals!
"This vast world, it belongs to me!"
"Once more, I'll take it back, Reset!"
"The power to move forward, it fills me more!"
"Once more, I'll start to take a step, Start!"
[That was the scenery she saw while running in the Maiden Race. The strength honed through training blossomed fully in that race, and Stardust Mirage captured everyone's attention with a front-running escape.]
[That was the sweat shed when overtaking the leading trio in the training race. Even temporarily falling behind, Stardust Mirage's eyes saw only the finish line—a view she would never yield to anyone.]
Now, her thirst for victory was no longer concealed; her pursuit of radiance bloomed anew.
After seeing her own heart clearly through song, Stardust Mirage felt everything before her was unprecedentedly clear.
From now on, as long as it could set her on the steps to victory, she would never avoid anything again.
Today's Winner's Ceremony was her place of rebirth.
Note: I'm new to translating so please be kind and tell me any mistakes you all find, I will try to release a chapter a day but don't expect much
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