The stands at Kasamatsu Racecourse were sparsely populated, barely half-full—interest in local races was dwindling by the day. If not for the special significance of the Young Crown Cup, featuring Oguri Cap's dazzling appearance, the crowd might have been even thinner.
Two petite Uma Musu stood on the viewing platform, looking down at the track. One had long black hair with subtle golden tips, dressed in casual clothes as she leaned lazily against the railing.
"Heh, traveling around and getting to see regional Uma Musu compete is really sothing, don't you think, Little Ship?"
The other, dressed in an elegant long gown like a young lady, had chestnut-brown hair with a streak of white in her bangs. She responded listlessly:
"For you, Stay Gold-nee, watching this must be like a Super Saiyan watching a bunch of humans with a power level of five fighting each other."
Stay Gold chuckled and ruffled her little sister's hair.
"For Uma Musu, what really decides the outco isn't sothing like power levels—it's will and spirit."
"Doesn't that manga you read say sothing like… magic and miracles do exist, you know?"
"Magic and miracles aren't free either."
As she spoke, Gold Ship lazily rested her chin on the railing. The cool touch of the tal made her narrow her eyes slightly.
If the atmosphere at the Gold household hadn't been so stifling lately, little Gold Ship would never have followed Stay Gold around on these trips. To her, unable to appreciate the charm of local races, it was just another boring way to pass the ti.
That said, even boring trips were better than staying with the Golds. Ever since Orfevre had been hailed as the future of their prestigious family, the pressure on her had grown imnse. Every day was just train, train, and train so more.
For the sake of so-called "Gold Glory," the whole family revolved around specialized training for Orfevre. In such a tense environnt, Gold Ship simply couldn't stay cooped up.
She hadn't even packed—just slipped out in her everyday clothes, tailing Stay Gold. If her older sister hadn't noticed and arranged for luggage to be sent later, Gold Ship felt her great escape might have ended in failure.
Not that she'd realized the Gold family wasn't all that concerned about the two of them anymore.
After all, the top priority now was developing Orfevre's abilities. With a top-tier Uma Musu like Stay Gold looking after Gold Ship, nothing too bad would happen.
And so Gold Ship dragged her suitcase full of fancy dresses from one local racetrack to the next. By now, most of those dresses were crumpled. If they kept moving around like this, she'd probably end up wearing frumpy, wrinkled skirts.
Not that she particularly cared. Uma Musu were physically robust enough that wearing a dress didn't stop them from running around anyway.
Gold Ship didn't pay much mind to these clothes. They'd only been custom-made for her to maintain the image of a young lady from an elite family. She herself had no special attachnt to them.
Seeing how bored Gold Ship looked, Stay Gold poked her cheek.
"This ti is different, you know. Rember Oguri Cap?"
"Yeah, that other Super Saiyan like , right?"
"She's another grey-haired Uma Musu, just like you," Stay Gold replied with a laugh, tapping her sister's forehead affectionately. Her little sister's imagination always leapt to the most unexpected places.
Gold Ship fiddled with the white streak in her bangs, lost in thought. Stay Gold went on:
"Today's race is the very one where Oguri Cap first made a na for herself! We might be in for a surprise!"
Gold Ship just humd noncommittally and stayed slumped against the railing, occasionally shifting to a cooler spot.
Seeing her little sister wriggling around like a caterpillar, Stay Gold could only smile helplessly before turning her attention to the track.
Down on the field, all the Uma Musu had entered and were ready. They only needed the announcer's call to load into the starting gates.
Oguri Roman's eyes imdiately found the figure that had occupied her thoughts lately: long black hair tied into a ponytail with a red ribbon, revealing the girl's pale neck. She seed composed only of black, white, and red, carrying herself with a sharp, elegant grace.
Then, Oguri Roman noticed it—Dream Weaver had pinned a golden hairclip shaped like a crown into her bangs. That tiny crown glittered dazzlingly under the sunlight.
For so reason, Oguri Roman's heart skipped a beat. With that crown accessory, Dream Weaver seed to carry an added layer of presence—indescribable, yet palpable—on top of the sharp intensity she'd shown in her debut race.
For a mont, Oguri Roman couldn't tell if it was just her imagination, heightened by pressure, or sothing real. She glanced away from Dream Weaver and noticed the other Uma Musu also frowning slightly, as if feeling uneasy.
So it wasn't just her. Every Uma Musu on the field sensed that strange, elusive aura—sothing extraordinary beyond words.
The realization made Oguri Roman's pupils contract. Dream Weaver wasn't doing anything; she was just standing there. Yet even so, every competitor could faintly feel her terrifying pressure?!
What would happen when she stepped onto the track? What would happen when she really started to run?
Unconsciously, cold sweat began beading on Oguri Roman's forehead, dampening her bangs.
She wanted to walk the sa path as the generation of miracles. She wanted to follow in the footsteps of Kitahara Jō and Oguri Cap, step by step along this glorious road.
But now, Dream Weaver's image overlapped with Oguri Cap's in her mind. To challenge the one she admired… to share the track with an Uma Musu like this?!
Oguri Roman bit her lower lip, hard enough to break the skin without even realizing.
If she wanted to win—if she wanted victory—she would have to face Dream Weaver, whose presence now rged in her mind with Oguri Cap's.
Her heart was already racing, and the running hadn't even begun.
Just then, a youthful female voice echoed through Kasamatsu Racecourse—the announcer's call.
"All contestants, please take your positions."
No more ti to hesitate. Gritting her teeth, Oguri Roman walked toward her assigned starting gate.
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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!
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