"So... Trainer, I'm off, okay?"
Seiun Sky smiled and waved at the young man standing in the athlete's passage, staring at her with a nervous expression: "You must watch my performance on the track closely~?"
"Mm... Mm!"
Compared to the calm demeanor of the Uma Musume he was in charge of, Saito Asuka, watching Seiun Sky about to step onto the track, was nervously rambling: "You absolutely must not be nervous. Just run at your most comfortable pace, like you do in training. Don't let other Uma Musume set the pace..."
"Oh, come on... That's enough, that's enough. Behind me is the 'battlefield' of beautiful girls, you know? Don't say things that will make me nervous at a time like this."
The Black-haired Horse Girl covered her head with her right hand, feigning a sigh: "Especially at times like these, you should say something that makes me happy, right~?"
"But... this is your first race, isn't it?"
Saito Asuka, who was being comforted by the Black-haired Horse Girl about to step onto the track, showed no decrease in his nervousness: "You..."
"Oh, come on... you're really too nervous."
As if she didn't know this was her debut race, marking the start of her Uma Musume career, the Black-haired Horse Girl showed no signs of nervousness, neither from her facial expression nor from her tone of voice.
"Relax, please relax, okay?"
The Uma Musume participating in the race, in turn, comforted her Trainer: "I will win this race."
"I understand."
Hearing Seiun Sky's words, the young Trainer took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.
He looked at the Black-haired Horse Girl, who always had a faint smile on her face, and continued: "...Megumi and I will be cheering for you from the stands."
"Mm-hmm, I know."
But his words were met with a playful wink from the Uma Musume in front of him.
"You must watch me closely, don't take your eyes off me~?"
After saying this, Seiun Sky, following the broadcast, walked onto the race track.
"Next to appear is Seiun Sky, a competitor from Himeji Local Tresen Academy."
Seeing Seiun Sky walk out of the athlete's passage, the commentator flipped through the competitor's profile in front of him, then read the printed words: "She is the only Uma Musume this year who chose to enroll in the Himeji Tracen Academy, which is about to be abolished. In the now almost paralyzed Himeji Tracen Academy, she..."
...Is there really a need to broadcast these things?
Seiun Sky was a little puzzled, hearing the commentator speak those words as if reading from a script.
Well... never mind. Anyway, what she said won't affect my upcoming race.
The Black-haired Horse Girl, not taking this matter to heart, walked to the starting gate and began her warm-up preparations.
Next... I just need to cross the finish line earlier than anyone else in this race and win, right?
She turned her head and glanced at the other Uma Musume participating in this new horse race.
Speaking of which, this is also my first race in this world...
'First time participating in a race,' I really should do something to commemorate it.
Seiun Sky, standing at her designated gate number eight, gradually had a bold idea emerge in her mind.
Since I've already decided, I might as well make it a grand one.
"Are you scared?"
The silver-haired Uma Musume, standing at gate number seven, looked at the Black-haired Horse Girl beside her, who was deep in thought.
Mistaking her for being scared, a mocking smile appeared on her face: "If you're scared, why participate in the race?"
"If that's the case, wouldn't it be better to just stay in that local Tresen Academy that's about to close down?"
"That won't do."
Seiun Sky, hearing the silver-haired Uma Musume say this, looked at her beside her and replied with a smile: "If it closes down, Record Tresen will be in a lot of trouble."
"So what? Survival of the fittest, isn't that very..."
"But if it closes down, I'll have a big headache."
Not giving the silver-haired Uma Musume a chance to finish her sentence, Seiun Sky immediately continued: "After all, I was asked to."
"And everyone at Himeji Tracen has been very kind to me."
As she said this, the gates in front of them opened.
"So... I won't lose this race~?"
The Black-haired Horse Girl winked at the silver-haired Uma Musume, then was the first to walk into the gate.
She wants to save Himeji Tracen?
The silver-haired Uma Musume was stunned, hearing Seiun Sky say these words.
Just by herself...?
As a student of a local Tresen Academy, but one whose academy was still operating normally, the silver-haired Uma Musume couldn't imagine it.
...So she stepped onto the track bearing such a heavy wish.
Seriously... what did I say earlier?
"Sorry, but..."
Following Seiun Sky into the gate, she took her starting stance and then suddenly spoke: "I won't lose!"
"Mm-hmm, I'm really looking forward to the race~?"
Not minding her somewhat excessive words from before, the Black-haired Horse Girl maintained her smile and responded to her.
"Let's enjoy this race to the fullest~?"
She heard her say that playfully, like singing, in her beautiful voice.
...
"...Why are you more nervous than the Uma Musume in the last race?"
Nakayama Megumi looked at Saito Asuka beside her, whose back was ramrod straight, his hands tightly clutching his clothes, wrinkling them. With a helpless expression, she handed him the freshly bought ice cream cone: "Have something cold to calm down first."
"I can't help but be nervous, Megumi."
The man holding the ice cream cone showed a bitter smile: "...After all, she and I are both rookies participating in our first race."
"Are you worried about that child?"
Nakayama Megumi, hearing Saito Asuka say this, looked towards gate number eight: "Didn't you say that the times that child ran in training would be more than enough to win even a G1 race?"
"But a race isn't training."
The man, whose gaze was also fixed on gate number eight, murmured: "Changes on the track happen in an instant. Uma Musume need to make judgments about the current situation on the track as quickly as possible, otherwise..."
"But, Asuka, did you forget something?"
Nakayama Megumi interrupted Saito Asuka's words.
Looking into the eyes of her beloved sitting beside her, the woman stated her opinion amidst his puzzled gaze.
"In the face of overwhelming strength, no matter what 'schemes and tricks' are employed, they are powerless."
As she said this, she leaned back in her chair.
"...We, sitting in the stands, just need to look forward to and watch her performance in this race."