Alright… guess I'll just go to the Winner's Stage after all!!
Not only had she made up her mind, but the lazy, work-shy Platinum still found a way to motivate herself—by feeding herself some good ol' hopium.
'Phew, the last shift was a breeze anyway. Over in just a few minutes, no sweat.'
'If I just put in a little overtime now, I'll definitely rake in the big bucks later. Might as well grind a bit~'
'Compared to staying in America and waiting for Secretariat, Ruffian, or Dahlia to debut, win races, and split the prize money with me… it's way easier and more profitable to just race myself!'
Back when she watched them, Secretariat and Ruffian's training races seemed polished, full of momentum—she'd even thought they were all promising geniuses destined for greatness.
But then… Big Red, who consistently dominated the training matches, debuted under the name Secretariat… and only managed a measly fourth place.
That sealed it for Platinum. If she could defeat the legendary Daiwa Scarlet herself, then coming to Japan to aim for the Irregular Triple Crown was absolutely the best choice!
So, for her bright future, she'd just have to put in some overtime, rack up more fans, and squeeze out those coins!
"Alright, let's head to the Winner's Stage…"
The Pegasus girl's usually cool and detached expression flickered with something new—the steely resolve of someone succumbing to capitalism and working overtime for the first time.
Platinum, forced into overtime on her very first shift, strode forward with powerful steps, falling in beside Daiwa Scarlet.
--+--
"Daiwa Scarlet—so outstanding, so dominant in any era—actually lost her debut race?!"
"This world truly is full of legends! Platinum… what a Platinum!"
In the stands, Tokai Teio couldn't even care about her still-recovering legs—freshly treated by Dr. Lin—as she slapped her knees in excitement.
The petite girl's eyes sparkled with a mix of shock and exhilaration.
Tokai Teio—the undefeated Dual-Crown winner, the heir to the Emperor's legacy—felt her legs trembling. Not from fear, but from the sheer thrill of battle—even as a spectator!
No doubt about it, this wasn't Daiwa Scarlet underperforming. This was purely the work of a super dark horse.
A horse girl that skilled… if she were from Tracen Academy, Teio would've known her.
Daiwa Scarlet was already one of Tracen's brightest rising stars. So how could Platinum, who beat her, be some nobody?
"So… is Platinum from another Uma Musume Academy?"
The curious Teio couldn't help but mutter to herself.
But before that—
"First, let's enjoy Platinum's post-race Winner's Stage performance!"
--+--
Some time later.
The Winner's Stage was packed, crowds buzzing in anticipation for the super dark horse who'd surpassed Daiwa Scarlet.
Even Vodka and Tokai Teio were among the spectators, eager to witness the mysterious, petite Platinum's first-ever stage performance.
Under the eager gaze of countless onlookers, the countdown to the show began!
And then—snap!
The stage lights blinked out in an instant!
A single spotlight remained, forming the silhouette of a pure-white Pegasus at the center of the darkened stage—as if heralding the arrival of the true ruler of the race!
To the audience, she was nothing less than a radiant, powerful, and captivating celestial steed in the form of a snow-white girl!
In that moment—from the fans drawn in by her race performance, to Vodka and Teio—everyone held their breath.
"Here she comes—"
Then—tap, tap, TAP!
Crisp, rhythmic footsteps grew louder, clearer, until—
A petite, silver-white figure emerged from the backstage passage, stepping onto the Winner's Stage in all her glory!
Her expression was just as calm and lazy as when she'd raced, her delicate face bearing only the faintest touch of makeup from the stylists backstage.
After Platinum took the lead, Daiwa Scarlet (second place) and the other racers followed.
And then—from her cherry lips came a cool, slightly resigned voice that instantly captured the entire audience.
"Uma da-chi!"
"Uma-pyo~i! Uma-pyo~i!"
"Suki da-chi, Uma Poi!"
Platinum's delivery lacked the usual sweetness, warmth, or cutesy charm most horse girls brought to the song.
Instead, her voice carried that signature lazy drawl—yet she was singing what were practically love-confession lyrics, creating a jarring contrast with her fierce, dominating presence on the track.
As the music swelled, the white-haired girl's movements were a bit stiff at first, but she quickly matched Daiwa Scarlet's choreography.
In fact… she was getting the hang of it! Her motions shifted from clumsy to smooth, almost natural.
Even Platinum herself was surprised.
Backstage, she'd frantically skimmed through the available songs, dance moves, and lyrics, cramming as much as she could in the short prep time.
She'd gone from clueless to somewhat prepared—but now?
She was actually getting into the groove?!
'Guh… so the [Knight-Idol] Centaurea's talents in singing and dancing really carried over, huh?'
The white-haired girl finally understood the true worth of her body—originally belonging to Platinum, the assassin Pegasus of Terra, the Platinum of the Armorless Union.
For various reasons, that girl—who could be a Platinum Assassin, an Idol Knight, or even a Receptionist—
Had to be packed with racing talent, idol potential, and performance experience.
And now… all of it was reflected in the singing, dancing Platinum on stage!
As the song continued—
"Kaze o kitte daichi ket-te!"
"Kimi no naka ni hikari tomosu!"
"Doki doki doki doki doki doki doki—!"
On stage, Platinum's snow-white, waist-length hair swayed like a cascading waterfall. Her unexpected singing style and growing confidence left the audience stunned!
And then—!!
The crowd erupted!
"She's… like a Pegasus! So radiant, so beautiful!"
"She might even challenge for an undefeated Triple Crown, like Agnes Tachyon!"
"Platinum-saaaan! I love youuuu!"
"For you, I'd become a werewolf! For you, I'd go mad! For you, I'd wear this heavy disguise! For you, I'd change my heart! Can we meet again someday???"
Platinum had just debuted, and her fanbase was already exploding!
And now… the show went on!
--+--
Finally, hours later—
Back in her room, the white-haired girl collapsed onto her bed, drenched in sweat.
"Phew…"
"Can't believe I actually won my debut race… and against Daiwa Scarlet, of all people?"
Yawning lazily, the Kuranta girl couldn't help but adore this world where all she had to do was run, win, and live the good life.
The races, the work hours—everything was just right for Platinum. The only downside?
The damn Winner's Stage.
"Being a Uma Musume isn't so bad. And it's not even that tiring."
Not only that, but she knew—if she could beat Daiwa Scarlet even after a slow start, then maybe she really had a shot at the Irregular Triple Crown!
That legendary, unrepeatable feat might still be out of reach, but at least she had the right to challenge it.
But just as she muttered to herself—
Her phone lit up.
A new message.
And the sender was…
[Secretariat]?!