"What to do…"
Perched on a bench at the edge of the training field, a girl with a crown braid and a white shirt sat silently, gazing at the crowded academy square.
First-time visitors to Tracen were bustling around the event area with lively excitement.
Besides the stalls set up outside, the academy hall had been converted into activity rooms offering various programs.
To commemorate this historic event, it seemed, the audience kept snapping photos of the local Uma Musume running across the training grounds.
And that was precisely the most troublesome part.
To the girl, cameras were like radar.
She had to carefully dodge them. If someone accidentally caught her in a shot, her true form would be revealed.
Who knew how many among this crowd had been spectators at that autumn's [Tenno Sho]? If some lucky soul spotted her, and a photo showed a blurry patch of black mist, it wouldn't take a genius to guess—this league event would instantly turn into a game of cat and mouse.
Not only would Symboli Rudolf be involved, but Manhattan Cafe, as the person in charge, could also get dragged into the mess.
To avoid causing trouble for Manhattan Cafe, she now had no choice but to remain in this deserted, remote corner.
Far from the venues, far from the competition grounds, far from the clamor of the world, blooming alone here.
Not that she wanted to, of course.
"I wanna go have fun too…"
Was there anything more pitiful than watching others enjoy themselves while you couldn't?
Just as the girl was sinking into melancholy…
"Found you~" A light, airy voice drifted to her ears on the wind.
Holding her phone, a girl with long dark brown hair smiled, her green hairclip swaying gently with her locks.
Using her camera as her eyes, Green Grass, in full search mode, had finally found the person she'd been longing to see—at the far end of the training field, near Tracen's wall, in that spot where hardly anyone went.
Her 'kouhai,' the second 'Manhattan Cafe.'
Why put it that way?
Simply put, she saw 'Manhattan Cafe' as two people: one was the somewhat timid Manhattan Cafe during joint training sessions; the other was the one before her now, who had inherited her running form, turned the central racing world upside down, and whose true identity remained a mystery.
Both were her 'kouhai,' and Green Grass treated them equally.
After all, getting care from two kouhais at once—just thinking about it was thrilling.
"Not joining the event? I heard there are lots of fun things inside."
"Senpai…"
The girl relaxed when she saw who it was. She knew Green Grass had long since figured out her identity, but hadn't revealed it to anyone around them. Instead, she'd quietly helped from the sidelines, taking care of the real Manhattan Cafe for her.
So, her attitude toward Green Grass was considerably warmer.
Padding over lightly and sitting beside the girl, Green Grass grinned:
"Disguise?"
"Don't want to be noticed."
"Hmm…" Her sky-blue eyes shimmered faintly. "If Rudolf knew her greatest enemy was sitting right here, I wonder what she'd think."
"She'd probably recruit everyone she could and search Tracen inside out, layer by layer."
"Haha, I doubt Rudolf would go that far."
"No, she's done it before."
"Eh? Rudolf did?"
"Maybe you didn't notice, Senpai, but the disciplinary committee was quite active back then."
"Ah… now that you mention it, I guess so. So that was all to find you? I thought they were just maintaining campus order."
I see. So Rudolf had already discovered the 'kouhai,' and knew she was hiding within Tracen.
And here I thought I was the only one who knew!
Wait, Maruzensky knows too.
Green Grass, who had thought only the two of them shared the secret, felt an inexplicable pang of disappointment.
No, I can't! I made a vow to surpass Rudolf, Maruzensky, and Tosho Boy—to become the very best senpai!
I can't let something like this discourage me.
"R-right! 'Manhattan Cafe,' come with me somewhere." Green Grass clapped her hands together, addressing the girl. "I know a place that's not crowded, but really interesting."
"Senpai, you know I…"
"Don't worry, no one will spot us."
Green Grass waved a hand. "It's not far. There's a kid who wanted to hold an outdoor art exhibition, but there were no free spots. Since she really wanted to display her work, they gave her the outermost area."
Right now, there probably aren't many people there.
As she spoke, Green Grass looked at her with hopeful eyes.
After a few seconds locked with those dewy, pleading eyes—seeing the words 'I want to go with you' practically written on her face—the girl reluctantly nodded in agreement.
"Great~!"
Strolling through the academy event with her kouhai—this long-held wish, written in her notebook for years, could finally be checked off today.
--+--
"Yes, the race starts at ten. Someone will explain the specific arrangements, but it should be similar to the procedure for an official race."
After explaining the league's relevant rules to the local trainers, they nodded and thanked Manhattan Cafe.
Only after everyone had left did Manhattan Cafe finally let out a sigh of relief.
So tired…
This was even more exhausting than lecturing students.
Perhaps afraid of making any mistakes, these local trainers had repeatedly confirmed every single detail with her.
Even after she told them this league event was just a large-scale activity aimed at strengthening ties between the academies, and that they didn't need to be so formal, they still couldn't relax.
To the trainers from local Tracen branches, the central academy seemed like an unattainable holy land, reserved only for the elite of the elite. They probably imagined everyone here as refined, noble upper-class types.
But that really wasn't the case at all…
The atmosphere in the academy was quite free. Trainers often experimented with different training methods.
Of course, the results weren't always satisfactory. It wasn't rare for Uma Musume to lose races due to some trainer's bizarre commands, after which said trainer would smack their own forehead, lamenting their oversight.
Was that how elites were supposed to act?
Not to mention some trainers who, after their Uma Musume accidentally lost a race, would curse angrily.
Was that refined speech?
Just like the local trainers, they too could be foolish, make mistakes, get angry.
Maybe they had put in more effort than others, possessed greater perseverance to test into Tracen, but at their core, they were all just ordinary people hoping the Uma Musume they trained could win races.
There was no such thing as an unattainable existence; all such distinctions were created by one's own perception.
Yes, one's own perception…
Leaving the conference room, Manhattan Cafe decided to go find her 'friend.'
Because the area was swarming with people taking photos, she'd had to temporarily separate from her 'friend' to prevent her from being caught on camera.
Now, finally done with her work, she had time.
She'd been wanting to explore the big event with her 'friend' for a while.
But soon, Manhattan Cafe realized a problem.
When she'd parted ways with her 'friend,' she hadn't actually told her where to wait.
Quietly pulling out her mirror, Manhattan Cafe peered into that other world, but her 'friend' wasn't there.
That meant her 'friend' was still outside.
In that case, the search area was much smaller.
She just needed to go to the less crowded spots.
Like the woods lining the training field, and the paths within them.
That's where her 'friend' had last run into Copano Rickey and accidentally injured Silence Suzuka, who had been chasing after them.
Silence Suzuka…
Speaking of which, Manhattan Cafe suddenly remembered—aside from apologizing, she hadn't actually made any real amends to Silence Suzuka.
Just a few days ago, when she ran into Silence Suzuka, she'd been mysteriously invited to go for a run together at noon.
Manhattan Cafe had been puzzled at the time, wondering why Silence Suzuka would suggest such a thing.
Now it seemed perhaps the other girl was subtly reminding her that she hadn't forgotten that incident.
In an instant, Manhattan Cafe understood.
Even though it was her 'friend' who had reduced Silence Suzuka to that state, she and her 'friend' were inseparable. Her 'friend's' business was her business; her 'friend's' mistakes were her mistakes.
So, she should be the one to make it right.
"Manhattan Cafe?"
As if fate had intervened, Manhattan Cafe, who had unconsciously wandered into the woods, heard a soft call.
A girl with long orange hair was sitting on a bench by the path, quietly holding a book.
Her beautiful teal-blue eyes looked toward Manhattan Cafe.
"What a coincidence, Manhattan Cafe," she said. "Did you also come here seeking some peace and quiet?"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 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.