"Huh? Wha—whaaat?!"
Off to the side, Sakura Chiyono O seemed completely lost about what was going on.
Her eyes were wide, her head whipping back and forth frantically between Ardan and Centaurea, scanning both of them.
The ears on her head wobbled side to side in confusion, and maybe it was just an illusion, but the two tufts of hair sticking out below seemed to be swaying along with them.
'She's like a puppy.'
The thought crossed both Centaurea and Dicta Striker's minds at the same time.
"Hehe."
Seeing Sakura Chiyono O's expression, which clearly said "You're having a secret chat without me!", even the usually prim and proper Ardan couldn't hold back a soft laugh. The scene became quite merry for a moment.
"Nononononono…"
Sakura Chiyono O pouted and lunged at Ardan, clinging to her and rubbing her face against her discontentedly.
"S-stop it, Chiyo, that tickles…"
Ardan, a bit flustered by this version of Chiyo, smiled with a troubled expression.
"I'll tell you, alright? Just stop rubbing, it's a bit ticklish."
In the end, Ardan couldn't hold out and surrendered, begging for mercy.
"Yay! Spill it, Ardan!"
Seeing Ardan relent, Chiyo loosened her clingy grip slightly.
She lifted her head, her eyes brimming with curiosity fixed intently on Ardan, her tail wagging wildly behind her.
"It must be a huge secret, right? Or does Centaurea-chan have some weakness you found out about? I've read about this—giving in because of your own desires, then gradually sliding into the abyss…"
"What are you even saying, Chiyo!"
A deeply blushing Ardan hastily covered Sakura Chiyono O's equally red face, her composure unusually shaken.
"No! Nothing like that! I just promised not to rush her to get up anymore!"
Afraid Chiyo would spout more earth-shattering nonsense, Ardan hurriedly explained. That was the little agreement she'd just made with Platinum during their whispered conversation.
"Just waking up, huh."
Chiyo's gossipy hopes were dashed, but she quickly found a new question.
"But Ardan, why do you want Centaurea-chan and Dicta Striker to have a race? Dicta Striker is incredibly strong; even I wouldn't stand a chance against her. Won't Centaurea-chan be crushed?"
Faced with Chiyo's question, Ardan just shook her head mysteriously.
"As for that, I do have my own thoughts.
First, I hope this match will allow Dicta Striker and Centaurea-chan to gauge each other's strength. Besides, after competing, their relationship will probably become much more friendly.
Forcing things down like you did before, Chiyo, might leave a thorn in Dicta Striker's heart."
"Second, I'm hoping Centaurea-chan will enroll at Central Tracen in the future. With a recommendation from the Mejiro family, her qualifications won't be an issue. This race could become part of her experience, and maybe even let her skip the entrance tests."
"Third," here, Ardan smiled enigmatically, "I actually believe Centaurea-chan won't lose."
"Um, Ardan-san, as much as I'd like to believe you, Dicta Striker is currently recognized as the fastest finisher. She's not your average Uma Musume."
Sakura Chiyono O couldn't help but protest, unable to understand where Ardan's confidence was coming from.
"Talking about it now is pointless, Chiyo. Let's watch the race. The result will tell us everything."
Shaking her head, Ardan didn't answer Chiyo further. She shifted her gaze to the track, where the little sister she cared about was preparing for the race.
'Centaurea-chan, this time, can I see that transcendent finishing speed of yours again?'
Ardan waited with anticipation.
--+--
Over on the dirt track, Dicta Striker was warming up. She rotated her neck while glancing at Platinum, who was simply standing to the side, her tone calm.
"Hey, Platinum. I won't be holding back in this match. I'll shatter your overly optimistic illusions and make you understand that racing isn't so simple."
"If you end up hating me, I don't care. Facing reality and working hard is what's important."
"I'm going to give you a loss."
"Pre-race trash talk is meaningless."
Platinum showed no reaction whatsoever to Dicta Striker's words.
She just stood casually on the dirt, waiting for the race to start.
"And I won't hate you either. Because that word... needs to be used carefully for me. Otherwise, things nobody wants to see might happen."
"Ha? What are you talking about? I don't get it."
Dicta Striker's face was full of confusion, but her curiosity was clearly not going to be satisfied. Platinum had no intention of explaining.
"...Can't figure you out. Whatever."
In the end, Dicta Striker gave up on trying to communicate with Platinum and switched to explaining the race details.
"Hey, see that sign over there?"
Dicta Striker pointed to a person-shaped cutout on the other side of the track, depicting a well-endowed, dark-skinned older sister.
"That cutout marks the finish line. The total distance is 2000 meters—a middle-distance race, and my best distance."
As she spoke, Dicta Striker pointed a thumb at herself.
"Even though the track surface is dirt, it doesn't feel much different from turf to run on. Your turf affinity should be fine, right?"
"I won't explain the rest. Watch this coin in my hand. I'm going to flip it, and the race starts the moment it hits the ground."
Saying this, Dicta Striker pulled a coin from her hoodie pocket, placed it against her index finger, and pressed her thumb against it.
"Ting~~~~"
The sound of the coin flipping rang out. It shot upwards rapidly, glinting as it tumbled through the air.
"Clink."
"Hah!"
The instant it landed, Dicta Striker exploded into motion, instantly completing both her start and her initial acceleration.
The dirt track bore the force of her launch, leaving a distinct imprint behind.
An excited expression, clothes flapping with her movement, and those rapidly churning legs—all of it defined Dicta Striker in this moment.
"Come on, let me show you my speed!"
The brown figure galloped across the track, an overwhelming aura radiating in all directions. This was Dicta Striker's confidence.
The confidence of the current fastest 2000-meter Uma Musume!
'Come on, this is just the beginning. Let me see the source of your confidence.'
Dicta Striker thought as she ran.
'Show me everything you've got on this track! I'll crush it all, every last bit, with my finishing kick!'
However, she had been so focused on her start that she completely missed what was happening with Platinum beside her.
But Sakura Chiyono O, watching from afar, didn't miss it.
"Ah! Centaurea's late off the mark!"
--+--
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.