After that, Silence Suzuka didn't speak to Nearl again. Of course, it wasn't because she disliked Nearl; she was just too shy, retreating into herself.
'That bright red face makes Suzuka look even more like a carrot.'
That's what Nearl thought.
But the easygoing moment ended there. The exit was now close, the track drawing near.
"Nearl-san, thank you for being willing to chat with me. You must have sensed my confusion, didn't you?"
Just one step from the exit, Silence Suzuka turned back and bowed to Nearl in gratitude.
"Why do you say that?"
"I'm not sure. But I've always trusted my feelings, and my feelings told me what you were thinking, Nearl."
"Well then, I hope you don't think I was looking down on you."
Her thoughts seen through, Nearl simply gave up any attempt to deny it.
"Mhm mhm! I'm very grateful. Talking just now really lifted my spirits. Thank you so much!"
Right then, a voice came from outside the door—the commentator's.
"Next up, taking the number two spot, the popular pick filled with everyone's hopes—Silence Suzuka! Could she be the one to pull off an upset in this race? She's the most likely candidate!"
"It seems the time has come." Silence Suzuka shook her head slightly. "Nearl-san, please don't hold back. Please let me witness that radiance."
"I'll do my best. Don't be startled."
Nodding, Nearl watched as the gently smiling Silence Suzuka walked away, leaving her alone in the hallway.
"Silence Suzuka's tragedy... the Silent Sunday."
Nearl's expression grew completely calm, but beneath that calm, intense emotions surged.
"I won't let that day fall silent. Sunday should be filled with laughter, not tears."
--+--
"And finally! The top favorite! Having emerged from Kasamatsu alongside Oguri Cap, competing in 23 races without a single defeat, the mythical Uma Musume stands before us now—Margaret Nearl!"
"This is her first race at the center stage. Can her winning streak continue? Or will the gap between local and central tracks prove itself once again?"
"She's here! Let's welcome our overwhelmingly popular number one pick!"
Amid the commentator's fervent excitement, Nearl emerged with her usual steady, unwavering pace, greeted by wave after wave of cheers.
The chaotic roar gradually coalesced into a stable, unified chant.
"Nearl! Victory! Nearl! Victory!"
The unified shouts were so powerful that small stones outside the track intermittently bounced. The crowd's passion felt like nails pinning the legs of all the other competitors in place; they could feel their very hearts vibrating.
It was like a mountain crumbling and the earth splitting open.
"So powerful... this is Nearl-nee's charisma."
Everlamp, by the railing, covered her ears, but her weak resistance only slightly dampened the noise, far from granting her peace.
"This scale... it feels comparable to Oguri and Tamamo Cross-senpai's Arima Kinen, but that was a Grade I! This is just an OP race!"
Berno Light was equally incredulous.
"This is Margaret's power. She's a natural at becoming the center of attention like this, making people willingly place their hopes on her."
For once, Oguri Cap wasn't eating. Instead, she watched Nearl's appearance, her gaze complex—filled with pride, competitive spirit, and a touch of regret.
'Margaret... I wonder if I can wait until the year we stand together in the same race...'
Far away, at Central Tracen, Toujou Hana was growing anxious. The moment she saw the crowd's cheers on the broadcast, she knew it was bad.
"Support like this... it's too early for an Uma Musume in an OP race. Their spirits will be crushed under such overwhelming momentum."
"Right. In this race, I think we're going to see underperformance across the board."
Okino, beside her, agreed with Toujou Hana's assessment.
He understood how immense the psychological pressure of such united support was on the other Uma Musume. If these young runners could muster even eighty percent of their strength, it would be a testament to their mental fortitude.
"Suzuka..."
Toujou Hana's fingers clenched, her knuckles turning white with tension as she watched her team member with concern.
But what about Silence Suzuka? Was she frightened by this spectacle?
Surprisingly, she showed little reaction. No, that wasn't quite accurate—she was actually clapping!
'Nearl-san is truly amazing. To have so many spectators shouting and excited for her... it must be because of her personal charm. I want to learn from her.'
Yes, that was what the gentle Suzuka was thinking. She would cheer for others' success, even for strangers she'd never met, because her heart was just that soft and pure.
"Now, all the Uma Musume have completed loading! Nearl is in gate five, SIlence Suzuka in gate two—standard positions, but they're also the ones that best test adaptability!"
"They're all set! The final moment is here!"
Breeeep~~
Clang!
"The gates are open! They're all off!"
"Here we go."
Nearl calmly whispered the words. In the next instant, the metal bars obstructing her view swung open with a crash.
Putting power into her feet, strength far surpassing the other Uma Musume granted Nearl incredible acceleration, giving her a massive advantage right from the start.
"So fast!"
Silence Suzuka exclaimed in awe. She was barely managing to keep up with Nearl, struggling not to be left behind.
"This is my top speed already, and I can only just barely follow. No wonder my trainer wanted me in this race. I really can learn a lot from Nearl."
"They're off! All starters have cleared the gates! It seems the quality of the entrants for this Sumire Stakes is quite good! While their break times vary, none can be considered a slow start."
"Indeed! But as expected, taking the lead is Nearl! That powerfully intense dash gives me the illusion that the very earth is being parted before her!"
"Not a single trace of hesitation! That resolute form shows no wavering as Nearl continues to run single-mindedly at the front!"
"Chasing after her is Silence Suzuka! You can see she's using everything she has to pursue Nearl, but there's still a significant gap!"
"But in third place—third place is already falling far behind those two! Silence Suzuka has already opened up nearly a full length lead over third, and we've only just begun!"
The cheers from the venue continued to pour in, but Nearl had already tuned them out. Her focus now belonged solely to the track stretching out before her.
'No rivals. No other Uma Musume will appear ahead of me.'
'This is the reality I've long known. My run is a lonely one, a pilgrimage that belongs to me alone. The only targets I have, besides Centaurea, are the me from one second ago.'
Nearl's entire being was focused.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! 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!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.