Chapter 11: The Emperor's Arrival
Clatter.
"A F T E R! N O O N!"
The rest room door was slammed open from the outside. A small head peeked in from the doorframe, looking at Stardust Mirage.
Your cute Teio-chan suddenly appears
"Can I come in?"
Without waiting for an answer, Teio, beaming, scurried in.
She had changed into a brand new performance outfit, stylish yet playful, making her look even cuter than before.
"Teio... don't ask after you've already come in," Stardust Mirage, who had just fallen asleep, reluctantly opened her eyes. Looking at the horse girl who had beaten her, her feelings were somewhat complicated.
"Sorry 'bout that~"
Teio offered an insincere apology and then plopped down on the edge of the bed, her eyes sparkling as if they could emit light.
Is she here to gloat about her victory?
Stardust Mirage sat up on the bed, straightening her clothes, feeling that her limbs were mostly back to normal, but she inwardly groaned.
I already lost the race, and now you come find me? Is Tokai Teio here to deliver the winner's ultimate humiliation?!
"That thing!" Teio said excitedly, grabbing Stardust Mirage's left hand with both of hers. "That running technique, what was it? Can you tell me?"
"...Huh?"
"That one! The one you used to pass me!"
Seeing that Stardust Mirage still didn't seem to understand what she meant, Teio quickly stood up from the chair.
She struck an exaggerated running pose, lifting one leg straight up high, then slammed it down forcefully——
She was talking about Shukuchi.
Although Teio's form was quite inaccurate, Stardust Mirage finally understood, but that was followed by a sense of helplessness.
She knew about Teio's friendly and familiar personality from her previous life, but no matter what, isn't this too familiar? They just met today, and were just opponents, and she's already asking about the other's running technique?
"That running style was super amazing! Whoosh~ and you disappeared, then you were ahead! I've never seen anyone at the academy use it before. Did you come up with it yourself, Mirage?"
When it came to topics about running, Tokai Teio seemed extremely excited, her two ears twitching incessantly on top of her head. Teio circled left and right by Stardust Mirage's bedside, her gaze fixed on her, brimming with infinite curiosity.
For her, winning her debut race should have been a simple matter, but she was almost defeated by this new friend she just met this morning. It was only by relying on a burst of guts, a third sprint she didn't even know she had in her, that she barely managed to hold onto the champion's position.
Teio didn't feel humiliated by this. On the contrary, she was delighted to have encountered such a powerful rival. Tokai Teio, who had been burdened with high expectations since childhood, felt her competitive spirit burn fiercely during a race for the first time.
Stardust Mirage, this horse girl who had surpassed her in speed twice—Teio couldn't wait to learn everything about this great rival!
Stardust Mirage looked at Teio before her. As Teio's gaze gradually shifted from curiosity to something more... aggressive, she quickly spoke up:
"That running style was something I randomly came up with while working a part-time job back home. I call it Shukuchi—I can teach it to you, Teio, but I don't think it suits your legs."
As she spoke, Stardust Mirage shifted her gaze to Tokai Teio's legs.
They were a pair of excellent legs, straight and slender, with streamlined muscles tightly clustered around the bone, fair skin still tinged with a bit of residual heat from the race...
"Stardust Mirage?"
Teio looked at her, who had started studying the muscles of her leg, somewhat confused.
"Your legs really are quite soft, as expected."
Stardust Mirage said something that sounded like harassment, but her expression was very serious.
"Shukuchi relies on a forceful, straight-legged kick against the ground, enduring a huge impact in exchange for a single surge forward. If Teio, with your legs, tried to use it, it could very likely cause a direct fracture."
Even I can only use this move without breaking my feet thanks to the body template the system provides.
She added the latter half silently in her heart. She didn't want to cause the already ill-fated Tokai Teio to suffer even greater injuries.
"It doesn't suit me? Then forget about it!"
Teio blinked, her ponytail swishing from side to side. She nodded upon hearing this, not doubting that Stardust Mirage would lie to her.
"Teio, that's very rude of you."
A third person's voice suddenly came from outside the door, interrupting their conversation.
The moment Stardust Mirage heard this voice, she shuddered all over, feeling as if she were being stared at by a monster. If she moved even a little, she would be immediately torn to pieces and devoured...
"Ah, it's the President!"
Tokai Teio seemed to feel none of this pressure at all. Instead, she shouted excitedly and turned to look.
The Demon King... is here?!
Stella Mirage froze stiffly on the spot, unable even to turn her head, but the pressure, substantial as it was, made her feel as if she were already in hell.
And the name Teio called out...
"Is it the Emperor?" As she managed with difficulty to ask, the pressure suddenly vanished, as if it had never existed.
"Hello, I am Symboli Rudolf, student council president of the Central Tracen Academy... You are Stardust Mirage, correct?"
The owner of this dignified voice steadily held Teio, who had thrown herself at her, with her left arm, and extended her right hand towards Stardust Mirage.
Stardust Mirage looked at the right hand extended towards her. It didn't look particularly large but seemed very powerful. When she gripped it, she immediately felt her hand completely enveloped...
"P-p-pleased to meet you, Emperor."
Stardust Mirage stammered, gripping Rudolf's hand with both of hers, shaking it vigorously up and down.
Although this person was just an ordinary horse girl in her previous life, in this world, she held a high position and significant influence, even capable of affecting the decisions of the JRA, the largest horse racing institution in Japan's horse girl world.
She really didn't want to offend such a big shot for no reason—come to think of it, the Emperor actually came to watch the race? Was it a good thing she didn't win today? Otherwise, she might be sunk into Tokyo Bay by the doting "mother" without even knowing...
While Stardust Mirage was lost in these anxious thoughts, Rudolf had already withdrawn her hand. Although she didn't know what this rookie horse girl was thinking, Rudolf was used to people having various strange reactions upon meeting her for the first time.
"Since I have other matters to attend to shortly, I'll keep this brief."
Rudolf snapped her fingers in front of Stardust Mirage, drawing her attention back, then continued:
"The first matter is, are you willing to come to Central Tracen Academy to receive your education? We will provide the training methods most suitable for you, recommend a suitable trainer, and ensure every horse girl can gain something."
Rudolf's words sounded like standard admissions office talk, but Stardust Mirage knew she wasn't exaggerating.
For a horse girl, Central not only allows participation in higher-level races but also offers comprehensive improvement in terms of training standards and opponents. It is deservedly the strongest institution domestically.
"But I didn't apply... Oh, I see." Stardust Mirage, who had just started to mention the difficulties, suddenly remembered a certain story from the original world—referring to the Emperor forcibly taking/recruiting (卢毛女 a reference to the Chinese opera "The White-Haired Girl," where the villain Huang Shiren forces the heroine). She immediately understood that these difficulties meant nothing to Rudolf. As long as she could enter Central, whether she wanted to earn prize money or continue running, she would have a higher platform. Thinking this, she quickly nodded and said:
"If possible, please arrange it, Emperor! I want to go to Central!"
"Great! Stardust Mirage, come to Team Spica too, let's train together!" Teio immediately shouted, but was promptly put down by Rudolf and pushed out the door—
"Eh, President, why?!" Teio, now outside, looked stunned. "I want to keep chatting with Stardust Mirage!!"
"The next topic isn't for your ears, Teio. Go prepare for what's next." Rudolf paid no attention to Teio's acting cute performance. "It involves someone else."
With that, Symboli Rudolf closed the door directly, then turned to look at Stardust Mirage.
What was she going to say?
Note: I'm new to translating so please be kind and tell me any mistakes you all find, I will try to release a chapter a day but don't expect much
Please support the original author: 幻想全能之书的小说
Raw: 赛马娘,我会圣诞 帽大招也要告诉你?