Up until now, Everlamp's journey had been smooth sailing—no real rivals, no true challenges, and blessed with her own natural talent.
Though her innate temperament kept her from becoming truly arrogant, deep down she held a firm, unshaken belief that she was the strongest.
Back then, she always felt there was no one she couldn't surpass. That self-confidence nurtured the budding form of her unique zone.
But just as she'd barely grasped this power—something she herself didn't fully understand—the Sun-Moon Cup arrived.
The outcome was predictable. That hollow confidence was utterly shattered by Nearl's performance, smashed to pieces beyond repair.
With that mindset gone, the foundation of her zone crumbled as well.
'Ah, whatever. Maybe it's for the best.'
Everlamp hopped down from the rock, dusting off her backside. In an instant, she was back to her usual lively, endearing little self.
'If it was built on fake confidence, good riddance. Better to lose it now than face bigger trouble later. Honestly, I feel lighter this way.'
'Time to head back. I'll grab some oden for Nearl-nee—it's really getting cold out now.'
With that, Everlamp walked off relaxed, not a hint of longing for the power she'd lost.
A little while later.
"Nearl-nee, I brought you something to eat."
"Thank you. How much do I owe you?"
Seeing Everlamp's cheerful face, Nearl couldn't help but share in her delight.
But she still had to ask about the money.
"Eh, don't worry about it! It's no big deal, Sis. You don't always have to be so concerned."
Everlamp set the oden down in front of Nearl, then picked out a pouch-like piece with a skewer.
"Here, try this—it's some fish roe with oden! Super tasty!"
Faced with this eager, silvery-haired bundle of cuteness, Nearl couldn't possibly refuse. She quickly ate the food.
"Well? Is it good, Nearl-nee?"
Noticing Nearl slowly chewing with her eyes lowered, Everlamp asked curiously.
"It's quite delicious. For a street stall, it's very good. But this is how it's prepared? Next time, I can make some for you."
"Really? I'll look forward to it then! Go, Nearl-nee!"
Pleased with Nearl's response, Everlamp left the oden on the table and turned to leave.
"I'm heading back to my dorm to rest. You should turn in early too, Sis. You've been reading since this afternoon in the training room—remember to balance work and rest."
Before leaving, Everlamp made sure to remind her.
Watching her support Uma Musume go, a warm smile lingered on Nearl's face.
'Speaking of which, our team's so small we never really established this properly… It's about time we set up a group activity fund. Shared expenses can come out of that from now on.'
Thinking it over, Nearl nodded to herself.
'Yes, having clear rules is always better. Leaving things vague will only cause issues someday. I'll discuss it with the trainer tomorrow.'
So the next morning, after early training, Nearl went to see the trainer about it.
"You're absolutely right, Nearl. 'Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards,' as they say. We should've sorted this sooner."
Kitahara Jo rubbed his chin, fully agreeing with Nearl's idea.
"Let me, as your trainer, draft the plan. You've got the Spring Welcome Cup tomorrow, so take today to do as you please—just make sure you're in good form."
"Thank you, Trainer."
Since Kitahara took the initiative, Nearl felt at ease leaving it to him.
After all, a team activity fund wasn't a huge deal, but it wasn't trivial either. Even a rough framework would help.
But once she was alone, Nearl felt a bit bored.
The trainer told her to relax, but she'd never had so much free time in her life. She wasn't sure how to spend it.
'I'll go for a walk. It's been so many days, and I've hardly explored Kasamatsu at all.'
After thinking for a moment, Nearl decided on a casual stroll—she didn't know any other way to unwind.
While walking, something occurred to her.
'Now that I think of it, the trainer did mention I should buy a phone.'
She recalled Kitahara complaining on their way back from the central district that he couldn't reach her at all.
'Looks like I have something to do this afternoon. I'll go to the shopping street first.'
Changing direction, Nearl turned toward the market street. She'd been there once before to buy horseshoes, so she knew the way well.
Soon, she reached the commercial district.
Nearl knew herself well enough—she had no interest in fiddling with apps or software. All she needed was to be reachable.
"I need calling and texting, and it has to be durable. That's all."
At a mobile phone retailer, Nearl explained her requirements to the salesperson. Her simplicity left the clerk almost exasperated.
"Miss, are you sure you don't want anything else? All the students love little games or chat apps these days. Camera and internet features are important too. Buying a basic phone that only calls and texts really isn't a good idea."
The female clerk tried earnestly to persuade her.
"I'm not just trying to upsell you—I'm a fan of Uma Musume races myself, and I can tell from your uniform you're from Tracen. I'll even give you an extra discount, so don't worry about the price. Really, phones are so essential now. A good one will make your life much, much easier."
But unfortunately, Nearl wasn't easily swayed. She knew exactly what she needed and didn't hesitate.
"Thank you for the advice, but I only need a basic phone for calls and texts."
Seeing how firm she was, the clerk finally gave up. She gave Nearl a complicated look and sighed.
"Alright, if you insist… a basic phone it is."
With that, the clerk went into the back storage room.
She rummaged around for over ten minutes before emerging with a dusty box.
"Sorry, almost no one buys these anymore, so it's a bit dirty."
"That's fine."
Nearl took the box. The brand logo was clearly visible on it.
"Nokia?"
"Yep, Nokia. This brand used to be the top seller back in the day. It's a shame hardly anyone buys them now."
Looking at the phone box in Nearl's hands, the clerk sighed nostalgically. "Technology moves so fast. In just a few years, these phones have almost disappeared."
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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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If you guys wanna check it out.