Umamusume's days are numbered

Platinum stood naked in front of the mirror for a few more seconds, hands on her hips, and sighed.

"What am I doing...?"

The windbreaker and the light, airy dress had both been tumbled in the washing machine and hung on the balcony. Bai Jin didn't know if these clothes could be washed together, but she just stuffed them all in. So now, all she had was the school uniform that Fujikishi had given her.

Although I'm not a student at Treson College yet... it wouldn't hurt to wear it in advance, right?

Even if you really need platinum, you still have to wear it, unless the clothing store can deliver it to your door.

After quickly putting on her school uniform, Bai Jin twirled around in front of the mirror again.

The uniform is predominantly navy blue, with slightly playful light blue sleeves. While the main body is a standard sailor uniform with a pleated skirt, the feel of the fabric and the workmanship are noticeably different, even in Platinum. What kind of fabric is it made of?

Incidentally, perhaps to prevent varicose veins and protect the legs and ankles, the uniform also comes with long socks and small leather shoes.

Platinum didn't seem to mind these things. She tucked her skirt up a bit, revealing her long, slender legs in exaggerated proportions in the mirror.

Hmm, I originally thought all these uniforms would look like sacks of flour, but this one from Treson Academy... is surprisingly quite nice. Platinum leaned closer to the mirror and smoothed her bangs in front of it. She lifted her bangs, revealing a pair of pure, black eyes.

Only these eyes are the same as in my past life... From a young age, people said that my pupils were darker than other people's, and they became darker and darker as I grew up, until almost all of my pupils were mixed together, and I couldn't tell which part was which.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Bai Jin confirmed that there were no flaws, so she closed the dormitory door and prepared to go for a walk.

Let's take a stroll around the campus first, after all, Treson College... is much bigger than we imagined.

Thinking about it carefully, it makes sense. After all, it's an academy that raises thousands of foals, and all the top-ranked horse racers in the country come from this academy. How could it not have the necessary facilities?

An academy that can accommodate thousands of foals for training at the same time... you can imagine how big it is.

First, I'll go to the cafeteria to fill my stomach, then follow the signs to see the unique attractions of Tresson... Platinum thought to himself, rubbing his belly.

There are quite a few places worth exploring in this school, like the chestnut hat that's always gobbling down food in the cafeteria, the giant tree train that's always preparing to dive, and the tree hollow where racehorse girls are always wailing...

Incidentally, perhaps because Platinum had been living a pig-like life with no connection to normal people's routines, she had never seen Little Chestnut Hat eating when she went to the cafeteria.

While deep in thought, Bai Jin noticed a significant increase in foot traffic today.

Oh! Platinum suddenly realized, because only she herself woke up on time today!

She happened to arrive just in time for the girls to go to school. It was the time when Treson Academy was gradually waking up, and walking in the corridors and along the roadside, she could see groups of girls walking together, all wearing the same uniforms as Platinum.

Such dazzling girls... their rosy school life, singing their hearts out... it's just too blinding! Platinum couldn't help but cover her eyes.

It was at this moment that Platinum saw the girl leaning against the street lamp.

Among all the already exquisite girls, the girl in front of me could also be described as beautiful.

She is about the same height as Platinum, has a pair of gentle, deep blue eyes, and also has striking white highlights on her forehead, just like Rudolph's symbol.

Isn't this the Emperor's illegitimate son, the Emperor of the East Sea?

Bai Jin couldn't help but feel remorseful. "What a sin! I've also become a gullible believer in rumors."

Speaking of the Emperor of the East Sea, what's most impressive is indeed his voice, sweet as honey, as soothing as a dandelion gently brushing against your earlobe.

"Well, I've finally waited for you. The rumors are all true."

Yes, yes, that's exactly the sound...

Ok?

Bai Jin, realizing what was happening, opened his eyes wide and saw the Emperor of the East Sea walking towards him step by step.

Episode 21 The Legendary Princess Mononoke

"Have you heard the rumors circulating at school lately?" Golden Ship lowered her voice, trying to create an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue, but her expression ruined all her efforts.

"Where did you get so many rumors from?" A bead of cold sweat slowly trickled down Megumi McQueen's forehead. It was common knowledge that fifty percent of the rumors circulating at school originated from the Golden Ship.

Oh, the remaining 50% came from Aili Digital.

"Anyway, it's just those ordinary things that have been embellished and turned into what we are now, right? These are all kinds of strange tales that only the school newspaper would be interested in including." Vodka waved his hand.

"How can you say that!" Golden Ship slammed the Rubik's Cube onto the table. "I swear on my honor, this news is absolutely true, no deception whatsoever!"

“But you’ve vouched for me with your personal integrity more than once or twice.” With a troubled look on his face, Yamato Akaki, unusually, reached a consensus with Vodka.

"So, are you still going to listen or not?"

Megumi McQueen looked at Yamato Akaki, Yamato Akaki looked at Vodka, Vodka looked at the Golden Ship, and the group huddled together.

"Say it quickly."

"Have you heard...?" Golden Ship asked, his face grim, as they huddled together. "There are ghosts in our school..."

"Wait, isn't this a rumor from a long, long time ago?" Megumi McQueen raised his hand.

As everyone knows, Manhattan Coffee is haunted by an unseen ghost. Manhattan Coffee seems to have no qualms about such things, which makes those who have spoken with her always suspicious.

But... how should I put it... that person can be quite eccentric at times, so is it true or false...?

“No, that’s not it.” The Golden Ship shook its head. “When has my intelligence ever been so outdated?”

"It's the rumor that's been circulating for the last couple of days, with many eyewitnesses, the one known as the 'Wandering Princess Mononoke'!"

The lights in the training room were all turned off, and even the curtains had been drawn by Golden Ship beforehand, making the room dimly lit. Coupled with Golden Ship's serious expression, it actually created a rather eerie atmosphere.

McQueen swallowed hard, his ears drooping and pressed tightly against his head.

"Some students who have been resting in their dorms due to illness say... there's a white ghost wandering around the Lidong dorms right now..."

Let's tentatively call this witness student G...

"Wait a minute, you're not talking about yourself, are you?" Yamato Akaki raised his hand. "You skipped your trainer elective class yesterday."

"The trainer was furious when he found out that his team's racehorse girl had skipped his class."

"Stop nagging! It's just an elective class. At that time, Lord Golden Ship was on his way to Mars. How can you back out just because of something like this? And stop interrupting!"

Golden Ship cleared his throat before continuing.

"At that time, G was standing in the dormitory hallway... leisurely basking in the afternoon sun. Oh, it was so warm and cozy that I couldn't help but take a nap."

You said it yourself... This is totally you...

Yamato Akari and Vodka closed their eyes and clenched their teeth.

And you skipped class because you were taking a nap? That's so carefree, Golden Ship!

Then, as G was about to return to her dorm, she saw...that shadowy figure...

"What are you talking about indistinctly?" Among them, only Megumi McQueen listened most attentively, and even became genuinely frightened.

"It was a white figure... not a single other color on its body... that's not an effect you can achieve by just draping a bed sheet over it..." Golden Ship took out a flashlight and shone it on his face, making himself appear as light and shadow. "So, G is absolutely certain that it wasn't some student playing tricks..."

"The white figure moved slowly and unsteadily in the stairwell... Student G thought he was seeing things, so he quietly followed..."

"After all, it's a warm afternoon; it's too brazen for even a ghost to appear in the dormitory corridor during the day..."

"So G followed the white ghost, stepping up the stairs, stepping, stepping..."

"Stepping, stepping..."

"Tap...tap..."

The Golden Ship spoke faster and faster.

"Higher and higher...on the very upper floors..."

"Very few people live there anymore... Apart from upperclassmen and the dorm supervisor, no one usually visits such high floors..."

Yamato Akama glanced at the golden ship. Was this guy really telling a ghost story?

And it actually sounds... pretty real. After all, if it were made up, why wouldn't they choose midnight, a classic time for ghost stories, to fabricate the story of the Golden Ship?

Moreover, the Golden Ship truly disappeared yesterday afternoon... While the Golden Ship's disappearances are common, blatantly skipping class is rare. Just to increase the credibility of a ghost story, the Golden Ship skipped a class? Yamato Akaki felt that even the Golden Ship wouldn't do such a thing.

Thinking of this, even Yamato Akama felt a chill run down his spine.

McQueen raised his hand to cover his ears, his face turning ashen.

Finally... the white ghost stopped on the first floor. Student G watched as the ghost stepped stiffly into that floor...

"Then she stopped in front of the first dormitory room."

Golden Ship's face twisted into a ferocious grin: "Then... G heard a crackling sound coming from outside the dormitory door... That ghost is trying to pry open the door!"

"After a long while... the sounds in front of the first dormitory finally stopped. Just when G thought it was all over, the ghost appeared in front of the second dormitory... and then, immediately afterward..."

"Kara...Kara..."

The onomatopoeia for the golden ship struck the hearts of those present like heavy hammer blows.

"That ghost is trying to pry open the doors one by one!"

"And so... G watched her walk past each door, finally stopping in front of one..."

"Then...karakara..."

At that moment, the Golden Ship turned off its flashlight, plunging the entire training room into darkness.

"The door is open."

The ghost stepped through that door... and the instant she entered... she looked at student G...

"It was a face devoid of any color, with only those dark, hole-like eyes staring intently at her!"

"Ouch—" Megumi McQueen screamed, clutching his head.

"What are you doing?" The East Sea Emperor turned on the lights as he stepped into the training room. "I brought guests."

"Ouch—" Even Yamato Akachi and Vodka screamed.

The three pointed at the platinum figure following behind the Emperor of the East Sea and shouted in unison.

"The White Ghost! The White Ghost has come knocking!"

Episode 22 The Legendary Symbol Princess

Let's first go over the timeline.

Compared to the Golden Ship's audacious assumptions, fabrications, and complete slander, although both intelligence experts were exaggerating and making unfounded accusations, at least Alice Digital had some professional ethics... If you ask what those ethics were, she herself would stammer.

What right does something fabricated out of thin air have to be served up! Golden Ship, learn from this!

Alice Digital's keen nose had already caught a whiff of the sweet scent of the little pony on Platinum's very first night at Treson Academy—when it comes to intelligence, Alice Digital is a professional.

Treson College is merely an extension of my hands—of course, this is a tribute from Ali Digital to Rudolf Symbol.

I am at most a tiny tentacle in this academy... But don't you think that being able to live with these little ponies is incredibly blissful?

Ah, ascension.

There are adorable ponies on the left and right, surrounded by racehorse girls every day...

This really is heaven! It is heaven!

I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to live in the same school as everyone at Aili Digital... I cannot express my gratitude enough.

Only single-push promotion is possible!

Pushing this and pushing that—that's the confidence of a single-pusher!

I love Uma Musume Pretty Derby!

And without realizing it... I've become intimately familiar with all the adorable girls in school, to the point where I can pick one off the street and call out their name and know which dorm they live in.

My apologies... But this intelligence network is also for the purpose of better promoting each of them individually!

Let me silently offer my blessings to every little cutie from the shadows!

Thanks to this intelligence network, Aili Digital was able to detect immediately that... another extraordinary person had arrived at the school!

On this pitch-black, stormy night, a black sedan slowly came to a stop in front of Tresson College. The rain was like molten iron, and the emperor's face, as he opened the door and stepped into the downpour, was as cold as molten iron.

Rudolph, draped in a dark green trench coat, fluttered and rustled in the storm. She opened her umbrella, and in the face of such a sudden downpour, the umbrella in the emperor's hand seemed like a lone boat swaying precariously, yet the emperor held it so steadily that not a single sway was felt.

Fujiki stood at the entrance of Tressen Academy, wearing a raincoat and waiting in the rain. But she wasn't waiting for the emperor; the emperor was clearly waiting for someone else as well.

From within the still-open car door, a slender hand emerged, as if Michelangelo had just sculpted it. Those hands were so white, like bright, sparkling pearls.