To Li Ze, Tracen Academy was an unfamiliar place.
He still remembered when he first entered university, curiously examining the campus only to discover half a day later that the whole school was barely larger than a famous shopping mall downtown.
It wasn’t much bigger than his high school.
But no matter how small an academy was, an unfamiliar place was still unfamiliar.
Tall walls rose around the campus like the boundaries of a fortress, separating inside from outside.
People outside couldn’t simply enter, while those inside couldn’t casually leave.
An enormous institution like Tracen Academy was even more complicated.
Without someone guiding her through such an unfamiliar environment, she would probably get lost.
Fortunately, Tracen knew this was Natsume Reiko’s first visit and didn’t expect her to locate an obscure training ground using nothing but a place name.
They had arranged for someone to wait at the entrance and guide her.
Tokai Teio.
The instant she stepped off the bus, the man— No, at the moment, the woman—immediately saw Tokai Teio waiting there.
She finally understood why Tazuna had said over the phone, You won’t need to know your guide’s name.
You’ll recognize her the moment you see her.
Of course.
As Symboli Rudolf’s devoted little shadow, how could Tokai Teio possibly give up an opportunity like this?
Especially since…
The girl had apparently become interested in her.
Thanks to Tazuna’s reminder, Li Ze remembered the entire interaction he’d had with Tokai Teio while in Natsume Reiko’s form.
He could vaguely sense the girl’s feelings.
Tokai Teio regarded her as a rival.
A powerful opponent standing on the road toward an undefeated Triple Crown.
Thinking about it briefly, the reason was obvious.
This was the consequence of attracting Symboli Rudolf’s attention.
Still, Li Ze didn’t particularly care.
That strange hunger for victory seemed to emerge only when she stepped onto the racetrack.
Outside competition, she herself didn’t care much about winning or losing.
The strange contrast occasionally made her wonder about herself, but then again, enough bizarre things had happened already.
One or two more wouldn’t matter.
“Reiko!
You’re here!
Come on, let’s go!
I’ll take you to the President and the others!” When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back.
Of course, the adorable Tokai Teio was hardly an abyss.
But she had spotted Reiko getting off the bus and immediately ran over, grabbing her hand.
Her expression practically screamed that she wanted to fly back to Symboli Rudolf’s side as quickly as possible.
“Teio, don’t run.
Let’s walk.” The woman smiled gently.
“I still have an auditing-student evaluation later.” Li Ze still didn’t know what today’s evaluation would involve.
The auditing-student examination was supposed to be similar to the transfer examination.
In the past, groups of Uma Musume would run together in something resembling a mock race, while the Emperor and Empress observed from the stands.
But today…
She was the only examinee.
Running alone might not matter to most Uma Musume.
But for Li Ze—for Natsume Reiko—it was an enormous disadvantage.
All her starting skills were red.
And everyone knew red skills were skills used against other runners.
If there were no opponents, who was she supposed to debuff?
The air?
That would be like Ultraman Tiga transforming into Power Type only to challenge the monster to a footrace.
Deliberately abandoning one’s strengths to emphasize one’s weaknesses was pure stupidity.
Surely the Emperor and the others wouldn’t make such an idiotic decision.
Most likely…
They would find her an opponent.
With that thought, Li Ze looked at Tokai Teio walking ahead.
Tokai Teio was an obvious candidate.
Now that they were walking, Li Ze had an opportunity to observe her carefully.
She was petite, several heads shorter than Reiko.
But her vitality radiated outward.
Since Li Ze had refused to run, they had to walk slowly instead.
Yet Teio still couldn’t keep still.
She bounced around energetically and, under Li Ze’s observation, circled around her several times.
“Hey, hey, Reiko!
What does it feel like when your aura catches someone?
Nature said it feels like running with weights tied to you.
But I don’t think it’ll feel like that!” Chatter, chatter, chatter.
Like a little sparrow.
Tokai Teio’s vitality manifested even in the way she spoke.
Li Ze still needed to maintain Natsume Reiko’s image, so she answered the girl’s questions whenever necessary.
If “yes” or “no” was sufficient, she refused to waste extra words.
Along the way, Li Ze could hear other Uma Musume whispering.
Most of their attention fell on her.
That wasn’t surprising.
Every other Uma Musume wore Tracen Academy’s uniform.
Only she wore a plain white top and black athletic pants.
Please forgive Li Ze’s hopelessly straight-man fashion sense.
Even while female, her aesthetic remained beyond saving.
In one sentence: Black and white clothes always look good.
Originally, Li Ze had planned to wear a dress.
The simple white dress was probably the prettiest piece of women’s clothing he’d personally selected, and combined with Natsume Reiko’s appearance, the effect was genuinely stunning.
But then he remembered he was coming for an athletic evaluation.
A dress wasn’t suitable for running.
So he’d abandoned the idea.
“Reiko, Reiko!
When’s your next race?
What race are you entering?” “That…” Tokai Teio happened to ask something Li Ze had been considering lately.
His motives were extremely practical.
For various reasons, the money he’d saved was beginning to run low.
He needed another prize payout.
“Probably the Wakagoma Stakes.” Li Ze thought for a moment.
That was the most suitable upcoming race.
“If I can finish in the top three there, I’ll try challenging the Triple Crown.” He had barely beaten Nice Nature once in his debut.
Li Ze didn’t believe that meant he could accomplish something as legendary as the Triple Crown.
Technique could be learned quickly.
But fundamentals required time.
And his system didn’t have a manual.
No AI assistant.
No helpful system fairy.
Yes, he had a huge collection of red skills and a unique red finishing move.
But that still wasn’t enough.
Not one gold skill was available.
Everything was locked.
And the stupid system didn’t even list the unlock conditions.
At least let me spend skill points!
What kind of Uma Musume system is this?!
His unreliable cheat was what it was.
Ultimately…
He still had to work hard himself.
“Nature?” Suddenly, someone familiar appeared in his field of vision.
Looking closer, wasn’t that Nice Nature, the girl who had narrowly lost to him?
Thinking back to the debut race, it really was a shame.
Why hadn’t Nature finished third?
Even if Li Ze himself had placed second, he’d still have profited from the joke.
He quietly bullied Nice Nature in his heart.
After all: Friendship first.
Competition second.
Nature third.
The other girl noticed Reiko’s gaze.
They exchanged smiles, then looked away.
Tokai Teio, however, immediately ran over to Nice Nature and chatted with her for a few moments.
Then she glanced back, remembered that she was supposed to be acting as a guide, and quickly returned to Li Ze.
They continued onward.
Eventually, they reached a relatively isolated racetrack.
From far away, Li Ze could see three people standing there.
Thanks to memories from his previous life, she recognized all three immediately.
The Emperor, Symboli Rudolf.
The Empress, Air Groove.
And the Green Demon, Big Sister Tazuna.
But…
Why was the Emperor wearing sportswear?
And why the hell was she warming up?!
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