Dressing up as Kero? Not a chance.
Could never see myself cosplaying as Kero in this lifetime. Just think about it—if I wore that full-head mask, nobody would even see my face!
Plus, wouldn't that be like admitting that Seiun Sky's the one wearing the pants in this relationship?
Their plans to hit the comic convention together got put on hold for now. It wasn't often they left Tracen Academy for something that wasn't a race, but since they hadn't found suitable cosplay outfits yet, they left the costume shop empty-handed.
The two decided to check out the nearby streets to see if they could stumble upon some hidden gem of a store.
Walking out from the shop-lined block, they took the most familiar route—the one leading from Tracen Academy to the nearest subway station.
Whether heading out for races or back when she first arrived at Tracen, this was a path Barbatos had traveled countless times.
Especially passing by one particular store.
Barbatos couldn't help but let a faint smile touch her lips, as if recalling something particularly amusing.
Noticing the shift in her expression, Seiun Sky glanced sideways and asked amiably, "What's so funny?"
"Me? Ahem…"
"Just drank some carrot juice earlier and got a bit stuck in my teeth, so I was just… stretching my face a little."
The shop they were passing by was a seafood store—the very place where Barbatos had run into Seiun Sky for the second time.
That day, she'd caught the other girl buying fish after a failed fishing trip, witnessing firsthand what a "fisherman's secret purchase" really looked like.
If she had to put it into words, she supposed it was just… a happy memory.
If she hadn't met Seiun Sky again right outside this shop, maybe they wouldn't be as close as they were now—probably just roommates in Team Canopus, and nothing more.
It was only because she'd teased her with, "So, didn't catch anything today?" that their relationship had warmed up so quickly afterward.
It wasn't about taking joy in Seiun Sky's failed fishing trip—it was the joy of running into her there.
Of course, she'd never say that out loud.
Putting it into words would be almost like a confession. And even though she felt like her chances were pretty good…
It'd feel too rushed this way. Seiun Sky probably liked her back, so she ought to pick a better moment to confess—one where she could keep the upper hand.
The best timing would probably be around Christmas, during a New Year's shrine visit, or right after winning a race.
Studies showed that people look their coolest right after a victory.
So maybe she'd confess after winning the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, or wait until Christmas or New Year's.
It shouldn't be in front of a crowd, either—just the two of them was ideal. Otherwise, other people's teasing might put pressure on Seiun Sky.
She'd thought it all through.
Honestly, the perfect moment would be after winning the Winter Dream Cup.
But that was little more than a dream. Maybe in a year or two it'd be possible, but right now? It felt almost out of reach.
Especially after the Tenno Sho at the end of October.
The "Fugitive" had fallen to the "Empress"—a rising star defeated by a legendary Uma Musume.
It wasn't exactly shocking; most had seen it coming. After all, this was the great "Empress" Air Groove!
The timing of that Tenno Sho had overlapped with one of her own races, so she hadn't been able to watch it live.
Otherwise, she would've loved to witness the legendary Uma Musume's strength firsthand—to see just how wide the gap was between Silence Suzuka and herself, or whether she could've done better than Silence Suzuka did.
"Wanna check out a net cafe?"
The thought of the Tenno Sho suddenly inspired Barbatos to suggest.
But the moment she said it, she felt a twinge of regret. Was inviting Seiun Sky to a net cafe a bad move? It felt like back in school, asking a girl to go to an internet cafe—not exactly everyone's idea of a good time.
"Sure."
Seiun Sky agreed readily. "I've never been to one before."
Never been? Barbatos had been plenty of times, and was pretty familiar with them…
Wait, no. Barbatos realized she hadn't actually been to a net cafe here either. After all, internet cafes in China and Japan were pretty different.
Looked at that way, she really hadn't experienced a Japanese net cafe—which, in some ways, were more like private booths you could even stay overnight in.
"Me neither. Not sure where one is around here, honestly."
"Hmm? You've never been?"
Seiun Sky eyed Barbatos skeptically. That didn't seem to fit the "gamer girl" image Barbatos had going.
"I'm your honest, reliable young Uma Musume—would I lie to you?"
Barbatos pulled out her phone and searched for nearby net cafes using the map function.
Soon, she found one with decent reviews not too far away.
A little while later, they slid open the door to their private booth and stepped inside. The space was pretty compact.
In plenty of Japanese anime and movies, you saw people living in net cafes when they had nowhere else to go.
But there probably weren't many who'd stay in a net cafe here in Tokyo—the rates were on the pricey side.
Seiun Sky watched as Barbatos booted up the computer with practiced ease.
She clicked around with the mouse, not bothering to go nap in a corner or scroll through her phone.
If Barbatos had been gaming back in the dorm, Seiun Sky would've just gone about her own business. But here in a net cafe? Knowing Barbatos, she wouldn't drag her all the way here just to stream League of Legends.
Even if she did plan to stream, she probably wouldn't have invited her along just for that.
Barbatos took a seat in front of the computer and gestured to the spot beside her. "Did you watch the Tenno Sho earlier?"
"Nope. So you came here to watch the race?"
Seiun Sky's tone was matter-of-fact as she settled in next to Barbatos.
"Well, since we've never been to a net cafe, I figured we could use their computer to watch the race—and also scope out the competition for the Dream Cup and beyond."
While searching for the Tenno Sho video, she pulled up the menu on the screen and used the built-in order function to get some snacks and drinks from the net cafe attendant—salad and a few other things.
Net cafes in Japan often had surprisingly varied food options.
Seiun Sky watched her smooth ordering process and pressed her lips together. Still pulling my leg, I see.
The Tenno Sho video started playing, and the screen was instantly flooded with comments—Barbatos quickly hid them so they could actually see the race.
The final result was this:
Silence Suzuka lost to Air Groove by two lengths. But neither Barbatos nor Seiun Sky knew how the race had unfolded.
Now was their chance to watch this Tenno Sho for themselves.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, 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.