Oguri Cap couldn't recall how she had stepped onto the Winner's Stage, nor how she had come down from it.
Her mind was still stuck on the announcer's final words.
"After deliberation by the central association, the Black Uma Musume has been demoted to 8th place for a diagonal foul and intentionally obstructing other competitors! Therefore—the winner of this year's Mainichi Okan is—Oguri Cap!!"
The moment the ruling was announced, it felt like a steel nail had been driven straight into Oguri Cap's heart.
An indescribable pain spread through her chest.
She looked toward the Black Uma Musume, who was heading toward the exit as usual after the race.
As if completely unaware of the decision, she left the arena.
What was going through her mind, Oguri Cap couldn't guess.
But in that moment, her own feelings were far worse than if she had simply lost.
"Tch!" Sirius Symboli clicked her tongue in displeasure, her crimson eyes fixed on the observation deck.
A cold, mocking smile touched her lips.
"So this is the central racing authority, huh? How typical! With so many eyes watching—are they all just for show?!"
From start to finish, aside from that explosive burst of speed to break free, the Black Uma Musume had stayed on the outside—how could she have possibly blocked anyone?
Unless… Central actually believed that her sudden acceleration—so quick it was barely visible to the human eye—had somehow interfered with the others?
Sirius glanced toward the other filly who had been boxing the Black Uma Musume in.
That girl was frowning slightly, her eyes wavering with clear doubt.
If anyone had been at risk of fouling, it was the group trapping her in the middle.
Yet Central completely ignored the ironclad truth right in front of them.
Really… what a disgraceful act.
Sirius Symboli snorted.
No matter how much resentment she felt, as Uma Musume, there was nothing they could do against Central's authority.
After all, the Twinkle Series was run under Central's rules.
They didn't have the power to clash head-on with Central like the Black Uma Musume did.
If they openly defied the ruling and were suspended, their careers would be over.
They had no right to speak in her defense.
But—to seize victory from her in this way—
Oguri Cap's fists clenched until her knuckles cracked, her teeth grinding together.
This was far more humiliating than any defeat…
At that moment, Oguri Cap finally understood.
Beneath the chains of "Central," that Black Uma Musume who had shattered those chains had handed her a defeat more complete than any other.
By the time she came to herself, Oguri Cap was already in the car, headed back to Tracen Academy.
"This place…"
She stepped out on instinct, staring at the familiar school gates.
"Finally awake, are you?" Musaka Ginjirou spoke up. "Your eyes were open, but your brain had shut down completely."
The strain on her heart, the pressure of judging the race situation, and the mental burden of facing tens of thousands of spectators on the final stage—all of it had piled up in her mind.
That's why Oguri Cap had fallen into such a deep daze.
Trainer Musaka explained that the moment she stepped off the Winner's Stage, Oguri Cap had collapsed to the ground, too weak to even stand.
Her face had been deathly pale, her body more exhausted than after the race itself.
In the end, Sirius Symboli had helped carry her into the car.
"Pathetic to watch, really."
Sirius frowned at the hollow-eyed Oguri Cap. "That was, without a doubt, the worst victory dance I've ever seen."
Such an incredible race, ruined by a single statement from Central.
Even the Winner's Stage had lost the brilliance it should have had.
"How do you feel?" Musaka Ginjirou asked.
Oguri Cap didn't hide her lost, uneasy smile.
"I've never… felt this terrible before…"
"It's not your fault. I know."
Whether it was Narita Brian or Hishi Amazon, Central had treated the Black Uma Musume as if she didn't exist, letting them take the championship.
But today was different.
Central had included the Black Uma Musume—who hadn't even officially entered the race—in the final standings, and lowered her position.
Musaka understood Central's goal in doing this.
They weren't trying to give Oguri Cap a fair ranking, nor were they clumsily trying to make the Black Uma Musume lose.
What they really wanted was that word—'foul.'
Most spectators didn't really understand the rules of racing.
Most of the time, they only learned which Uma Musume had committed a foul by listening to Central's announcements.
As long as the audience saw an exciting race, they were satisfied.
Very few paid attention to what happened off the track.
Rather than whether someone had the right to compete, they cared more about how she performed on the field.
So an on-track foul was much more serious than an off-track violation.
Actions like moving diagonally, obstructing other Uma Musume and putting them in danger—
For an Uma Musume, that was a serious offense.
Not only would she have to apologize to the affected filly, she'd have to admit her mistake in front of numerous reporters and media.
It could heavily damage an Uma Musume's reputation.
But in this race, Central didn't erase her results due to lack of eligibility.
Instead, they went out of their way to exaggerate the Black Uma Musume's foul.
They shifted the focus from her influence on Central to her influence on the other racers.
And since her identity was special—impossible to expose easily—Central felt free to dump all the blame on her.
She was the perfect target for public opinion.
Whether she wanted public attention and praise, or was simply defying Central, she must have had her reasons for appearing on the track.
And Central needed only one thing to destroy those reasons:
Tarnish her image, redirect the conflict.
Make her a hated figure in the eyes of the audience.
Frame her victory as something unfairly gained through cheating.
After all, most viewers watched from home, listening to the commentators.
Only a small number saw the race live.
So their knowledge of the Black Uma Musume came from articles and broadcasts.
Sacrificing the opinions of a few who understood the rules, and the feelings of a handful of racers, bought Central the condemnation of tens of thousands toward the Black Uma Musume.
That was the outcome Central wanted.
Those who knew the truth of the race, and those who heard about it through the media, would clash.
Conflicts would erupt among the audience.
Central could then fan the flames of public opinion.
Musaka Ginjirou could already imagine what kind of impact the public outcry would have on the Black Uma Musume.
As the incident grew, the next time she appeared on the track, she wouldn't be met with cheers, but endless suspicion and abuse.
Just imagining it was torment to the spirit.
Unless she could step forward herself—in front of countless people, cameras, and media—and prove her innocence.
But to Central, that would be a dream come true—they still had no leads on her identity.
Public opinion could make someone, turning her into a shining star.
It could also break someone, making her despised by all.
Central was counting on exactly that.
Words and texts were invisible blades—enough to corner a person completely.
Musaka Ginjirou despised it.
But he had to admit, it was the most effective way to deal with the unidentified Black Uma Musume.
If they couldn't restrict her by force, they would make her leave the track on her own.
Central wanted to completely dismantle the stage belonging to that Black Uma Musume.
Who could say whether, next time, she would still be able to reach the finish line through that chaos of soul-crushing noise…
--+--
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.