Umamusume's days are numbered

This one is from London, this one is from Brest, this one is from Brussels, this one is from Bern...

It's hard to get a reply.

You asked if I prepared seriously? Of course I did, these places are quite far apart. The thought that Haidu Star might just grab a bag and a shovel and start digging wherever I go because I said I wanted some local specialties... makes my conscience ache a little.

But what on earth is this you've prepared?!

Finally, I took a picture of the president and sent it to her, asking Alice to come over so the two of them could make several trips to transport these local specialties from different regions to her lab. Hopefully, Alice can grow scallions with the soil of London and Brussels that taste like old London and old Brussels.

Sunny day of a certain month

Go for a morning run with the president.

Although the matter is said to be over, it is still a bit awkward to act as if the previous conflict never happened.

But to my surprise, the president was very magnanimous and didn't bring up the matter at all. I chatted with the president about my recent situation during my morning run, and the president nagged me again about not sleeping in class and having to hand in my homework on time.

Just thinking about these things annoys me, and once I feel annoyed, I stop feeling embarrassed.

The journey chatting with the president was enjoyable, but the two figures trailing behind weren't so happy. Mejiro Mine and Tokai, for some unknown reason, insisted on following behind me and the president, even though I'd never seen them doing their morning exercises before.

Are you still wondering what my relationship with the president really is? Hehe.

I mentioned to the student council president that my white dress had gotten damp, and he said he could take it back to the symbol's house to fix it. It's true, it's not appropriate to hang that dress in the dorm; every night when I open my eyes, I see that dress dangling in the air—it's scarier than Alice!

Sunny day of a certain month

I haven't seen Xinyuzhou in class for the past two days.

Although I don't pay much attention to my classmates, I can still tell if someone is missing.

...Although it seems like it took two days to discover it.

Ibuki, Kagura, and Leodeban were also clueless about what was going on. Thinking about it, it seems there aren't many people in the class who can really talk to Shin-Uchu, and they might even be more withdrawn than me.

However, since the teacher has no objections, it's probably not a big problem.

———When I arrived at the student council at noon and saw the program being broadcast on TV, I learned about the developments in the new universe.

I saw Shin-Universe on TV. She was wearing that unique final outfit, clearly having just finished a competition and being interviewed.

Only the G1 match allows players to wear the final outfit, but this match is not the Satsuki Sho.

Shin-Uchuu won the NHK Mile Cup, having just participated in the Satsuki Prize and announced his participation in the Japanese Derby that followed.

Episode 222 Cossacks and the First Bloodline

new York

It was another mild morning. At the confluence of rivers and the sea, lies the most prosperous city on this continent, and in the waterways of this city, a private yacht was drifting on the surface.

The shimmering water surface looked as if it were plated with silver. But a ripple broke the calm of the river, leaving a mark like the dorsal fin of a shark cutting through the water, shattering the shimmering spots on the surface.

Ripples circled the private yacht a few times before disappearing beside it. Meanwhile, a figure climbed up the railing onto the yacht's deck.

Anyone who sees this figure will immediately notice how incredibly thin she is. It is a woman's body, her curves accentuated by the form-fitting swimsuit. Water droplets meander down her collarbone, past her firm breasts and flat stomach, before settling on her thighs, which are as smooth as fish skin that has been peeled off.

Even with such a breathtakingly beautiful figure, few could resist temptation. She was incredibly slender, so slender that the outlines of her ribs were clearly visible. Furthermore, she was deathly pale. Not the kind of fair skin most people aspire to, but an industrially processed white, like plaster. Her deathly pallor and extreme thinness made her resemble a sinister vampire.

Standing behind her, you can see a horrific scar that almost splits her body apart, stretching from her thigh to her neck, close to her entire spine.

And then there's that jarring, conspicuous white highlight, the pair of diamond-shaped ears on her head, the eyes like black holes, and the harsh, bright red lips—

The person before you is none other than the invincible demon king, Hangxian, who has taken over the secretariat and ascended the throne as the new emperor of the horse racing world.

She silently put on her bathrobe, letting her dark hair cling to her skin. Hangxian walked barefoot on the deck, leaving clear watermarks on the ground.

She walked down the steps and into the yacht's private cabin. The yacht was much larger than she had imagined, large enough to accommodate a completely enclosed, airtight room.

The room felt like it was in a completely different season from the outside. A brightly colored Persian carpet covered the floor, and incense burned slowly in a small bronze incense burner on the table. Various types of hunting rifles hung on the walls, their barrels gleaming. A person, their features obscured, nestled in a plush sofa, draped in a heavy blanket; only their swirling, black eyes were truly captivating.

The flight path didn't approach any further, nor did it sit on the opposite sofa. Instead, it closed the door behind it, stepped onto the carpet, and softly uttered, "Teacher."

There is only one person whom Hangxian can address as "teacher." That is the former emperor who handed the baton to Hangxian and personally crowned her: the Secretariat.

However, the secretary didn't seem to be doing well. She wasn't the energetic and spirited woman she appeared to be on television and in the news; instead, she seemed drowsy and exhausted. A fixed injection needle was implanted in her right arm, preventing her from frequently inserting it into a vein each time she received an injection. At that moment, the needle was working, drawing the medication suspended behind her back into her body.

"Have you been following the situation of events in other countries?" the secretariat asked, nestled in the sofa.

"No. I don't see any players who can be my opponents."

The secretariat remained noncommittal and didn't care what the flight route had actually said. She simply continued in that weary voice, languidly asking, "Do you know about Cossack cavalry?"

“In Russian history, the Cossacks once occupied an important position. During the Tsar’s eastward and westward expansion, Cossack cavalrymen roamed across the vast land, occupying cities, burning, killing, looting, and suppressing riots. They were the vast cloak of death.”

"The Cossack cavalry consisted of the finest female horses, which were hybrids, unlike ordinary horses. Tatars, Russians, Poles... the hybridity did not make them less capable of running; on the contrary, it made them even more valiant and skilled in battle."

The flight path stood silently on the carpet, listening without uttering a word, like a lifeless skeleton, its breathing almost inaudible. The only sound in the room was the chanting of the secretariat.

"Modern racehorse girls almost all originated from the three goddesses: Dali Arab, Godolphin Arab, and Bayer Turk—and they traveled across the ocean from the ancient Arab Empire to Britain to begin their ascension to godhood."

The three goddesses' influence on this world has permeated every aspect of life. However, as real gods, they even appear excessively young.

The three progenitors all originated in the late 18th to early 19th century.

The famous solar eclipse was born in England, several decades after the three goddesses were officially born.

"The three goddesses are the ancestors of almost all modern racehorse girls. But they are not the only ancestors. There is also a very small number whose bloodline comes from other ancestors."

"The Tsar wanted to gain the power to rule the whole of Europe and even the world, so he followed the example of the British and sought the pure bloodline of the ancient Arab Empire and gave it to the Cossacks, hoping to give birth to a divine steed that was no less than the eclipse through strict intermarriage and selection in each generation."

"In order to select the best bloodline, the pure-blooded progenitor from Arabia even intermarried with the Romanov family."

The secretariat member chuckled darkly, an unnatural flush rising to his cheeks.

"Unfortunately, they didn't live to see it. After a century of bloodline selection, on the eve of success, cannon fire shattered the crumbling dynasty."

"After the establishment of the Soviet Union, a large number of feudal nobles fled abroad. They went to Poland, Britain, the United States... everywhere were nobles from Tsarist Russia. They returned to their roots in these places and started new lives... including the branch that had intermarried."

The secretary extended her hand, her knuckles distinct. She held a corner of a photograph, placed it on the table in front of the sofa, and pushed the photograph toward the flight path.

"You've found your opponent. This will be the showdown you've always wanted."

The person in the photo is dressed entirely in white, from head to toe, like a snowflake dancing in the air. Only her eyes, like black holes, firmly draw in every ray of light. She is a bewitching woman who, once you look at her, is impossible to look away from.

"Japan, Satsuki Prize." The secretariat murmured softly, "Her name is Hintraia, but she seems to prefer to be called Platinum."

"I will prepare the grandest duel for you."

Episode 223 Supernova

As the bell rang, Bai Jin, who had been drowsy, suddenly woke up, shook her head to dispel her sleepiness, and without waiting for Alice or the Emperor of the East Sea to come looking for her, she hummed a song and staggered out of the classroom.

Leo Deban witnessed Platinum's transformation from drowsy to fully alert, and nudged Ibuki Maikaku, who was sitting in front of him, on the back.

"Have you noticed? Your older sister has been acting very strangely lately."

Leo Deban and Ibuki Mai Kagura were not only seatmates, but also roommates, so they naturally had a good relationship.

Ibuki Kagura glanced sideways at Leodban, arms crossed, watching Platinum's departing figure: "So what?"

"She's no longer late or leaving early, and she's started handing in her homework on time. Although she still doesn't pay attention in class, she just dozes off instead of falling asleep as easily as before." Leo Deban counted on his fingers, "Speaking of which, she never listens in class, but she manages to pass every exam. In that respect, she's quite a genius."

"That's all? Isn't this a positive development? It's a good thing."

“There’s something even more terrifying!” Leo Deban leaned close to Ibuki Kagura and whispered in her ear, “Haven’t you noticed that she’s started tying her hair up every day?”

"Bai Jin used to come to class with messy, unkempt hair. Sometimes the static electricity in her hair would make it float around. But recently, her hair has been styled so smoothly and beautifully. She's definitely put in the effort to take care of it."

"And another thing, I even saw her wearing lipstick!"

"So what?" Ibuki Kagura didn't understand what Leodeban was trying to say. "The weather has been getting drier lately, so everyone usually carries lip balm with them, right? And I've seen the lip balm she's using before. It's the kind that's purely moisturizing, you could hardly even call it a cosmetic."

Leo Deban, exasperated, tapped Ibuki Kagura on the head: "You used to be so clever, how come you're so slow now?"

"A girl suddenly undergoing such a drastic change must have a trigger, right? Do you think that trigger is you?"

“That must be…” Leo Deban gestured with two little figures in his left and right hands respectively, then brought his hands close together. “Chirp chirp chirp, done.”

Ibuki Kagura understood what Leo Deban meant, but instead of jumping up as Leo Deban expected, she looked at him with the eyes of someone looking at an idiot: "Oh, is that what you mean? I thought you had discovered some great secret."

"I can only say that your worries are completely unnecessary. Having such doubts only shows that you don't understand your older sister yet."

"Based on my understanding of my older sister, her brain is probably single-threaded, only able to process one thing at a time. It's already quite an achievement for her to manage her daily life, so where would she find the extra energy to think about those other things?"

"If you said someone else, I would be a little worried, but it's absolutely impossible for my sister. If she had even a single brain cell to think in this direction, she would have already stripped naked and was lying in her dormitory waiting for her, instead of waiting for me."

Leo van der Ban was momentarily at a loss for words, looking at the confident Ibuki Maikaku: "Sometimes I really don't know if you're praising Platinum or belittling her."

Ignoring the two people whispering behind her back, Platinum hummed a song as she walked toward the student council.

Now, Platinum goes to the cafeteria and Alice's lab much less often, and spends all her time at the student council instead. Whenever she has the chance, she even eats lunch at the student council.

Alice had angrily declared that Platinum had forgotten her old love after finding a new one, and had ordered Platinum to leave, forbidding her from ever setting foot in the lab again. The expulsion lasted for three days, ending with Alice calling Platinum for help in search of food.

Platinum also discovered that the student council meeting at noon was a good place. Normally, the other members of the student council would be there, especially Kizuna, who was like a ghost behind Rudolf. However, the student council also took a lunch break, at which time only Rudolf would be there.

If you get there by noon, you'll have some alone time with Rudolf!

Just thinking about his time alone at noon made Bai Jin so excited that he rubbed his hands together, his mouth watering.

At this moment, she finally began to understand the feelings of the carp leaping over the dragon gate and Ibuki dancing to Kagura.

"Student council... student council... student council..." Bai Jin hummed a song in the corridor, but then saw a familiar figure walking out of the student council building.

Not a member of the student council, but a classmate with long blonde hair and blue inner dye—Shin Universe!

Upon reflection, Platinum belatedly realized that he hadn't seen any signs of the new universe for several days.

Facing the new universe, Platinum nodded somewhat nervously. After all, they were classmates, and he couldn't simply ignore them.

Instead, just as Platinum was about to move forward, the new universe stopped in front of her.

"Cornflower." The new universe gently called to Platinum, who didn't know why the new universe called her that. "When you have a goal that you must achieve, what will you choose?"

Why is she suddenly asking me this? Platinum frowned. The new universe, however, didn't expect to get an answer from Platinum and continued to pass by her.

...Never mind, minding my own business has always been one of my strengths.

Leaving the new universe behind, Platinum, with a sweet smile, opened the student council door: "President—"

Platinum's voice abruptly stopped. She saw Rudolf standing behind his desk, his face ashen, his hands pressed on the desk, his chest heaving violently, looking like a volcano about to erupt.

Rudolf seemed to be grinding his teeth to powder as he roared in a low voice.

"This is utterly ridiculous!!!"

Platinum's eardrums vibrated from Rudolph's symbolic roar, and he quickly covered his ears.

What's wrong? Why are you suddenly so angry?

"…Sorry, Platinum. Did I scare you?" Rudolf Symbol noticed Platinum only then, pinched his brow, and sat back down. "I didn't control my temper."

"You and Xin Yuzhou have always been classmates. Has Xin Yuzhou undergone any significant changes recently, or can you find out if there have been any changes in her family?"

Rudolf symbolizes anger...from a new universe?

Platinum shook her head. Let alone any recent changes in the New Universe, in Platinum's recollection, the New Universe didn't even exist before this semester.

"She had already participated in the Satsuki Prize, but she also signed up for the NHK Mile Cup, and at the same time decided to play in the Japanese Derby."

Episode 224 President, are you tired?

"She had already participated in the Satsuki Prize, but she also signed up for the NHK Mile Cup, and at the same time decided to play in the Japanese Derby."

The Satsuki Sho takes place around April, while the NHK Mile Cup and the Japanese Derby are both in May. They are also both G1-level events with substantial prize money.

The NHK Mile Cup is a less mainstream race on the 1600m track, so it's less prestigious than the Satsuki Sho and the Japanese Derby. However, even with its lower prestige, it's still a G1-level race. Joining the new universe and preparing to participate in the Japanese Derby would mean she'd be competing in three G1-level races within a month and a half.

Theoretically, it's a feasible race schedule, perfectly timed to coincide with the edge of the cooldown period for participating. However, in reality, no one would run it like that.

To reiterate, female horse racers have a very short career span and are more physically demanding and prone to injury than other athletes. G1 races are the most prestigious level of racing. The pain and fatigue accumulated from each G1 Grand Prix race cannot be erased in just two weeks.

After three races, Shin Cosmos will only become more and more tired, her performance will get worse and worse, and it may even lead to the premature end of her career. Only a trainer who doesn't care about his racehorse girl, doesn't expect her to achieve good results, and doesn't even care about his own reputation would make such a decision.

"So... is it a problem with the trainers in the new universe?" Platinum asked cautiously, "Are you going to fire the trainers in the new universe?"