The rest of the runners finally, finally dragged themselves to the finish line. This race had been a complete nightmare. It wasn't a 2000m mid-distance turf race; they felt like they had just run a 3200m dirt race. They didn't have a single ounce of strength left. They couldn't even lift their legs.
"Waaaaah..."
One of the runners burst into tears on the spot. This race was too hard. Her trainer had lied! He said a debut race was just about enjoying yourself, but this was completely different! If official races are all this terrifying... she didn't want to be a horse girl anymore. Running wasn't fun at all.
Influenced by the surrounding emotions...
"Ugh..."
Mejiro McQueen clenched her fists, her eyes becoming moist, but she held back. She was a Mejiro! She absolutely could not lose her composure in public!
Damn it... my debut race... I lost! She had never imagined her first-ever defeat would be in her debut race. Thinking of the expectations of her family elders and her trainer, she truly wanted to cry. She had failed to meet their expectations. To lose in her debut... did she really have the ability to protect her family's honor? But she couldn't show this weakness. No matter how painful it was, she had to maintain her persona!
"Yo~" Gold Ship walked up to Mejiro McQueen.
Seeing her, McQueen's body trembled. She subconsciously wanted to flee, like a small animal encountering a large beast. When facing Gold Ship, Mejiro McQueen felt a primal panic, along with a complex mix of emotions... but mostly fear. That girl's outfit was ridiculous, but her dinosaur-like aura and ferocious eyes all screamed "dangerous."
But just as Mejiro McQueen made a move, Gold Ship's hand was already on her shoulder. Caught, McQueen could feel the unbelievable strength in that body. Her own strength was no match. She could only grit her teeth and turn to glare at her. Although McQueen felt her expression must be very fierce, in Gold Ship's eyes, she looked as delicate as a flower, with tears welling in her eyes.
"You lookin' like this... gives me a weird feeling. Oh well." Gold Ship said things McQueen couldn't understand. McQueen swore today was the absolute first time she had ever met Gold Ship. She'd heard the name, but they had never met. Why was this Gold Ship girl acting so overly familiar? And why, of all people, was she picking on her?
Mejiro McQueen couldn't help but ask, "What do you want?"
"Oh, this? Nothin' big. I just beat you, so I wanted to see your reaction. But... this is pretty boring, after all." Gold Ship's eyes seemed to be looking through Mejiro McQueen, at someone else. The unintentional longing and loneliness that leaked out left McQueen baffled.
Why do her eyes look like... like a child searching for her family? No way... did this monster mistake me for someone else? No, that doesn't feel right... Mejiro McQueen felt that Gold Ship hadn't mistaken her. Gold Ship was definitely looking for her, Mejiro McQueen. But... it was as if in Gold Ship's mind, she wasn't Mejiro McQueen? She didn't know why she was thinking this, but at that moment, she felt an indescribable anger!
"What in the world are you trying to do?!"
At this point, Mejiro McQueen had forgotten all about her "young lady" image. She was completely flustered. She didn't understand why she could read Gold Ship's emotions, but she wished she couldn't. And this bastard just said it, right? She won, so she wanted to come see the loser's reaction? Damn her! She really is a Demon King! Does she love humiliating her opponents this much? And... although she didn't know why this girl had "given up" on her at the end... McQueen didn't feel relieved. Instead, she felt as if she had lost in some other, more fundamental way. The kind of loss she could never win back.
Gold Ship was a bit confused by McQueen's reaction.
"What are you so worked up about? This great one hasn't even done anything to you yet. You know, I had a whole speech planned. I was gonna corner you, and then... Hahaha! Mejiro McQueen! Your 'first time' has been stolen by this great one!"
As she spoke, Gold Ship acted out the scene she had imagined. She not only tilted up Mejiro McQueen's chin, but also yelled loudly, "Not by anyone else! It was me, Lord Gold Ship, who stole your 'first time'! This is an unchangeable fact! You'd better remember it!"
"..."
The other runners, who had been wallowing in the pain of their defeat, were suddenly drawn in by Gold Ship's voice. Their ears perked up, and they looked over with serious faces. What just... happened? Does that Demon King have a habit of 'doing things' to the losers? It seemed unlikely, but... it was the Demon King. Maybe she did. In an instant, all the runners backed away, but... not too far. They stayed within "gossip" range, their faces full of curiosity. What did we just miss?
Mejiro McQueen, hearing Gold Ship's cackling, froze. Did this... this... does this girl have any idea what kind of outrageous thing she's saying?! The instant Gold Ship let go, McQueen, in a fit of rage, lunged forward to land a heavy blow. Her face was bright red with anger, her body radiating a powerful murderous intent. Her punch was fast and vicious.
But Gold Ship just gave her a cold glance, easily sidestepped, and grabbed McQueen's wrist. In terms of physical combat, Lord Gold Ship has no weaknesses!
"Wh... at?!"
Mejiro McQueen's eyes went wide.
Gold Ship looked into her eyes, seemed to think for a moment, and then, as if in sudden realization, said, "I don't think this is a good idea... but if you want to settle this with a fight, that's fine too. Because this great one is the strongest at both racing and brawling."
"..." Mejiro McQueen hung her head. "I... I wasn't thinking that."
"Well, alright then. Oh, right. You should pay more attention to your body. You seem a bit careless about it. You really should. After all, your body isn't as strong as this great one's. Also... remember to eat fewer sweets. You don't want to lose again, do you?"
After saying this, Gold Ship turned and left coolly. Even if she's a different person... just looking at that face gives me a feeling of... closeness. Why? Wasn't that... my own former body?
Thinking of this, Gold Ship suddenly considered a certain possibility, and her face changed dramatically.
Could it be... that this great one... No. Impossible!
Reaching the exit, Gold Ship suddenly punched the wall. The terrifying force spiderwebbed the concrete. The nearby staff and spectators jumped in fright. As Gold Ship calmly walked into the tunnel, the people nearby stared at the mark left by her fist, their throats audibly gulping. A punch like that could probably kill a person.
What Gold Ship had just thought was: 'Did this great one just mistake her other self... for her MOM?! Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Begone, evil thoughts!'
But... come to think of it... I don't really have any feelings for my current family. It was like that even before I regained my memories. That's not normal, right? I thought it was because I'm a natural-born powerhouse, unbound by 'family affection.' But when I'm facing Mejiro McQueen's body... I can't control this urge to get close. This abnormality never happened when I was Mejiro McQueen! Could it be...
'Damn it! Was this great one abducted by aliens at some point?! Why is that weird horse girl's brain eroding mine?! I am the cruel and heartless Demon King! Get out of my head, you weird alien horse! If I ever get the chance to go to your world, I'll humiliate you a hundred times! A HUNDRED TIMES!'
She tried to convince herself. The only reason she wanted to see her "other self" was to race her. It was definitely not because she was "lacking love."
The Demon King is not affected by emotions!
She just wants to prove that she is the strongest!
'Damn... it's not enough. Still not enough. The intensity isn't high enough! Why are you all so weak?! You can't satisfy this great one at all! Even a hundred more races like this can't fill the void in my heart! As I thought... I need to up the intensity. It's time to find... that person. I hope she has the abilities from the game settings... No, she must have those abilities!'
Radiating a tyrannical aura, Gold Ship left the venue.
The security guards were terrified. By the time everyone else reacted, they realized she had skipped the Winning Concert.
Mejiro McQueen, who had been lost in thought, suddenly heard the news. She snapped back to reality and looked up at the empty Winning Concert stage. An unknown fire ignited in her heart.
Mejiro McQueen herself didn't even know why she was so easily emotionally affected by that... that brat of a Demon King. Was it really because Gold Ship had stolen her "first" (defeat)? No, no... Mejiro McQueen felt it wasn't that. She just felt that Gold Ship... was kind of like a relative's small child? But... why did she think that... violent girl... was a "child"?
...And how in the world did that girl know her secret about eating sweets?
...
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