"On your marks!"
At Ardan's command, the starting gates positioned on the turf track swung open, awaiting the runners' entry.
You could only say the Mejiro family was, well, the Mejiro family—absurdly lavish.
Just looking at the environment of local academies made it clear that turf tracks weren't all that common.
Both the cultivation of the turf and the maintenance required after each run came with no small expense.
To cut costs, most local Tracen Academies didn't have turf tracks at all; some local races didn't even offer turf to run on.
Central Tracen Academy was much better off—at least they had turf tracks installed—but even that wasn't without limits.
There was an unspoken understanding among the central trainers: they wouldn't use the turf for daily training.
Although the academy didn't explicitly forbid it, this was more of a customary practice.
They usually trained on woodchip tracks, which had a fairly similar feel to turf, because those were relatively easier to maintain and far cheaper.
The turf track was reserved for the Uma Musume to train on only when a race was approaching, just to keep the feel of the grass underfoot.
But the Mejiro family was different.
Looking around, there wasn't a woodchip track in sight—the vast training area had nothing but turf and dirt courses, and the maintenance alone must have cost a fortune.
Even regular training sessions could make direct use of the turf, something other Uma Musume couldn't even afford to envy.
'So this is what turf feels like underfoot?'
Platinum stamped lightly on the track, then shuffled her feet back and forth.
'Feels light under the soles, but the grip is surprisingly strong. The grass cushions my steps so my feet don't sink into the ground—seems like the kind of surface where you don't need to exert extra effort to push off.'
'Feels completely different from the dirt tracks I'm used to.'
'But that's fine. I prefer turf anyway. Dirt's more tiring to run on, and it gets my clothes all dirty—so annoying.'
"Platinum, stop daydreaming and get ready."
Mejiro Palmer, in the stall next to Platinum, whispered a reminder.
"It's fine."
Platinum replied without much concern, still curiously examining the gate in front of her, tracing the patterns on it.
This scene was noticed by the Mejiro family head, who was observing them from the side. She shook her head helplessly, looking rather displeased.
'Just as I thought, this child hasn't had proper training. She doesn't even know what to do inside the starting gate.'
'Will we have to rely solely on her innate running instinct?'
Ardan, meanwhile, didn't seem to notice. She was completely focused on the stopwatch in her hand.
"Three, two, one, go!"
As she pressed the stopwatch, the starting gates on the track swung open with a clang. The barrier that had held the Uma Musume back was gone, leaving only the wide track ahead.
"Alright, I'll take the lead this time!"
Mejiro Palmer, her focus already razor-sharp, broke from the gate perfectly. Just for fun, she immediately tried to seize the front-running position.
'It's just a training race after all, no need to take winning or losing too seriously. I just need to run earnestly.'
Palmer accelerated while mentally reminding herself.
"Not so fast, I'm in too!"
Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one with that idea. Mejiro Ryan, who usually never aimed for the lead, felt inspired this time and sped up, engaging in a fierce battle with Palmer for the front.
Watching the two of them vying for the lead up ahead, Mejiro Bright and Mejiro Dober further back gave up any thought of contesting it. They settled into a relatively relaxed pace, following behind.
'Stay calm, just maintain this. A 3000-meter race is already a long-distance event. If I spend all my energy at the start, I won't last.'
Mejiro Dober maintained her breathing and kept her stride steady, not flustered even as the two ahead gradually pulled away.
To her sides, Mejiro Bright kept a gentle smile on her face.
"Centaurea-chan missed the break."
Ardan, acting as timekeeper, voiced her concern.
As a spectator, Ardan could take in the whole situation on the track at a glance. Platinum's massive mistake naturally didn't escape her notice.
"Probably daydreaming again, or just not focused."
The Mejiro family head said calmly, "That child definitely isn't taking this seriously. A one-second delay out of the gate is just too absurd—she's already nearly ten meters behind."
"Ah, it seems Centaurea-chan has no hope of winning this race."
Ardan said dejectedly, but the grandmother beside her didn't seem too concerned.
"It's fine. After all, it's obvious this child hasn't trained seriously. Losing is within my expectations. As long as she can complete the full 3000 meters without slowing to a walk, my goal will be achieved."
"Grandmother? What is your goal?"
This was the first time Ardan had heard her grandmother say something like this. She had a feeling her grandmother was paying an unusual amount of attention to Platinum.
"That's not something you need to know for now. I'll tell you later. Let's watch the race for now."
The Mejiro family head shook her head, avoiding the topic. Matters of the future were best left for the future to reveal to these children.
"Alright."
Seeing her grandmother evade the question, Ardan dropped any further attempt to inquire. She understood her elder's temperament quite well.
If Grandmother didn't want to say something, it must be information not suitable for her to know yet.
'Centaurea-chan, do your best.'
Shifting her attention back to the track—specifically, back to Platinum—Ardan quietly cheered for her in her heart.
[The other sisters: So love can just transfer like that?]
Of course, the runners on the track weren't aware of Ardan's thoughts. By now, they had covered some distance, and everyone's positions had more or less settled.
In the end, Ryan gave up fighting Palmer for the lead and consciously eased her speed, falling back to a prominent position.
Though "prominent" on a track with only five runners didn't mean much; everyone was simply running in the style most comfortable for them.
Except Centaurea.
As the straggler in last place, trailing by nearly 14 meters, Platinum wasn't flustered at all. She even had spare attention to tidy her hair while running.
'Looks like I should wear a hairband when running in the future. It's such a hassle having my hair flying around like this.'
Her mind occupied with random thoughts, Platinum's footsteps remained unchanged, still hanging behind the leading group.
'Come to think of it, they're running pretty slow. Is that really okay? Well, whatever, it's fine with me. No need to push hard to catch up or anything. Perfect chance to slack off a bit.'
Platinum jogged along leisurely, her head filled with all sorts of whimsical musings.
'The turf feels really nice underfoot. Wonder what it tastes like? Would Oguri Cap like to eat it?'
--+--
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.