"Mind if I take a closer look?"
Wiping a bit of dust off the box in her hands, Nearl asked the shop assistant.
"Go ahead, it's not like we're selling many of these anymore," the assistant replied, seeming rather indifferent about the old phone model. She waved a hand dismissively, indicating Nearl was free to inspect it.
Having gotten permission, Nearl carefully opened the box along its seams and took out the vintage-looking mobile inside.
It was a flip phone, mostly blue in color. Nearl pressed a few buttons on the keypad, finding the tactile feedback quite satisfying.
"I'll take this one."
--+--
About an hour later, Nearl emerged from the shopping street. She held the newly purchased flip phone in her hand, slowly inputting the phone numbers she still remembered.
Regarding the battery, Nearl had entrusted the phone to the assistant first, asking her to charge it for a while.
She herself had gone to get a SIM card, so the phone was now fully operational.
"First, the Trainer... then Director Komori..."
Her fingers, which had been typing away, suddenly paused.
"Now that I think about it, it's been over a month since I've seen everyone at the orphanage. I should go back for a visit after this race is over."
Feeling the warmth of nostalgia welling up inside, Nearl's expression softened considerably.
"Which way should I go now? I'm really not familiar with the roads in Kasamatsu…"
Thinking this, she casually picked a direction and started strolling, savoring this brief moment of respite.
--+--
Central.
"Ugh, seriously, what's the other me up to? These feelings are so strange."
Centaurea suddenly clutched her forehead, muttering words of discontent.
But seeing her slightly flushed cheeks and relaxed demeanor at that moment, anyone could tell her words probably meant the opposite.
"Centaurea-chan?"
A worried voice came from beside Platinum.
"It's fine, it's fine, don't mind me. Just thought about some troublesome things."
Hearing Ardan's concerned voice, Platinum quickly waved her hands to indicate she was okay; otherwise, Ardan would start fussing over her again.
She didn't exactly dislike it, but she still had some pride. Always troubling Ardan made even her feel a bit guilty.
"Let's go, let's go. Didn't you say you'd take me to see Tracen? I even stopped playing my game for this."
Seeing that Ardan still wanted to get to the bottom of it, Platinum hurriedly changed the subject. She really didn't want to get into a discussion about personality or lifestyle with Ardan.
"Eek! Don't push me."
Ardan, being pushed from behind by Platinum's hands, seemed caught between laughter and tears.
But with her gentle nature, she wasn't very good at refusing, so she let herself be propelled forward by Platinum's momentum.
"Although its academic status is high, don't think of Central Tracen as some incredibly sacred place, Centaurea-chan."
As they walked, Ardan explained the situation.
"In terms of training facilities alone, the Mejiro family's are actually a bit more comprehensive. Tracen's advantages lie in its systematic learning approach, its atmosphere of exchange, and its excellent Trainers."
"So here at Tracen, Centaurea-chan, you can find many Uma Musume who are at the top of their generation."
While speaking, Ardan led Platinum to the school gate, where a woman dressed entirely in green was standing.
"Miss Ardan, hello. How has your health been lately?"
Seeing Ardan arrive, the green-clad woman asked. It seemed she and Ardan were on good terms.
"Thanks to you, Miss Hayakawa, I'm much better now. The doctor said if I rest a while longer, I can return to training soon."
Ardan responded warmly, not forgetting to bring Platinum into the conversation.
"This is a new friend I've made. Her name is Centaurea."
Pulling the spaced-out Platinum to the front, Ardan placed her hands on Platinum's shoulders and introduced her to Miss Hayakawa.
"Though we say 'friend,' honestly, Centaurea-chan feels more like a younger sister to me. After all, her daily habits aren't the greatest, and she needs me to worry about her a lot."
"Ardan, you've worked hard."
Looking at Ardan, who started chattering non-stop the moment Centaurea was mentioned, and the blank-faced, checked-out Platinum beside her, Miss Hayakawa offered a somewhat strained smile.
"So, you've come today to show this Miss Centaurea around Central Tracen?"
"Ah, yes. Could you please register her, Miss Hayakawa?"
Reminded by Miss Hayakawa, Ardan finally remembered the purpose of their visit and looked a little embarrassed.
"No registration needed. A friend brought by Ardan, and an Uma Musume at that, is more than enough. The Mejiro family's reputation still carries some weight, after all."
"Thank you for your help."
Ardan gratefully bowed to her and pulled Platinum into the academy.
However, as Platinum passed by Miss Hayakawa, she muttered a very quiet thanks.
"Sorry for the trouble."
This thank you made Miss Hayakawa pause for a moment, then she covered her mouth with a light chuckle.
"It seems this child isn't quite as much trouble as Ardan made her out to be."
Inside the academy, Ardan led Platinum all the way towards the track.
"Everyone should be training on the track right now. Want to go see? It's an atmosphere you can't experience outside."
"Mmm, whatever."
Platinum nodded casually.
Right now, she just wanted to see Tokai Teio. If Teio hadn't enrolled yet, seeing Symboli Rudolf would be fine too—they were practically cut from the same cloth, anyway.
"Then how about I introduce you to some of my classmates? Whether it's Chiyo or Yaeno Muteki, they're all very easy to get along with."
"Look, Ardan, stop treating me like a child…"
Platinum looked at Ardan, who kept chattering away beside her, and felt speechless.
"If you want me to change how I see you, why not start by changing your own attitude towards life first?"
Faced with Platinum's protest, Ardan remained unmoved.
"Gr…"
Platinum's cheeks puffed out a little.
Just then, two pleasant voices called out from the distance. One sounded cool and surprised, while the other, by comparison, seemed more straightforward and enthusiastic.
"Is that Ardan over there?"
"Ah, it's true! Ardan-saaan~~"
Hearing this call, especially the latter one, Ardan responded happily.
"Dicta Striker! Chiyo! It's so good to see you!"
"See? I'm happy too! These past few days you've been gone, I've been living all alone. It's been so lonely!"
Sakura Chiyono O sprinted over from afar, then slammed on the brakes just before collision, stopping precisely in front of Ardan and Platinum.
Tears welling in her eyes, she clung to Ardan's arm, incessantly complaining about how lonely she had been lately, making Platinum unable to bear watching.
'She's so clingy. And the way her ears are drooping and her tail is wagging… is she a dog or what?'
--+--
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.