Umamusume's days are numbered

"No." Before Platinum could even finish speaking, Alice interrupted her with a sneer.

"What do you take me for? Do you really think I'm omnipotent?"

"I'm completely clueless about your illness, how can I possibly take care of others?"

"I do occasionally make some strange medicines with all sorts of effects. But I'm not Leonardo da Vinci, I can't be good at everything, okay?"

"I'd rather trust the doctors at the hospital than believe I can cure the Emperor of the East Sea. If they say it's impossible, then it's impossible, and I have no say in it."

"If I had that ability, I would have healed my leg and been running on the track long ago. Would it be your turn?"

Platinum fell silent again. Although Alice's words were harsh, Platinum knew she was telling the truth.

Sitting here like this, casually asking Alice if she has the ability to save the Emperor of the East Sea, is the real hypocrite and the real cold-bloodedness.

It wasn't that Airi didn't want to save her, but rather that she lacked the ability to do so. However, it was different for her; her own negligence led to this outcome.

Although the Emperor of the East Sea had just been sent to the hospital, and the report couldn't be completed so quickly, given the level of pain, it would be hard to lie and say it wasn't a fracture.

Seeing Platinum's almost tearful expression, even Alice softened and, unusually, offered her a few words of comfort: "Don't be sad. Racehorse girls have a high injury rate. The top racehorses run longer and have more ailments. Very few can retire healthy and energetic."

"Aside from the Emperor of the East Sea, even those with exceptional qualities were unable to participate in the Satsuki Prize and the Japanese Derby due to illness. There are many other examples as well."

"Not to mention the Emperor of the East Sea, even world-class horse kings like Hangxian, Jinqiang Liushi, and the Secretariat have been injured. Hangxian even missed his most precious peak period for a whole year because of this."

"Even you, I'm always prepared for the possibility of contracting various illnesses and suffering injuries during competitions. Although you feel like you're very strong, there's no guarantee that you won't be able to predict the future."

Seeing that Platinum's mood was getting worse despite her attempts to comfort her, Alice panicked. How could comforting her make her depressed?

"Just get my point. Injuries and fractures aren't the main issue. The real issue is whether the Tokai Emperor is satisfied with this Japanese derby, and that's enough."

These words, of course, did little to comfort Platinum. She asked Alice, unwilling to give up, "Is there really no other way?"

Even though it's just a remedy, if even that can't be done, Platinum will truly be unable to forgive himself.

Whether it was truly for the sake of the East Sea Emperor or simply to alleviate her own guilt, Platinum wanted to do something for him.

“Yes,” Alice shrugged. “I’ll bring her flowers and a fruit basket to the hospital, and run alongside her during her rehabilitation. That’s all.”

"After all, you can't possibly get your hands on a panacea, right... huh?"

As Alice spoke, she realized something was amiss. There was no panacea, but she was still researching the antidote for Soul Dissolution syndrome that Platinum had given her.

What if she really could produce a miracle drug that promotes periosteal recovery and bone growth?

Platinum's eyes lit up.

Yes! I do have a panacea here...

However, you have to wait until you finish the Chrysanthemum Appreciation event and complete the Three Crowns achievement before you are eligible to start the Level 3 Shop.

Moreover, the carrots that have been hoarded are still a long way off. If we rely solely on weekly eradication, we'll probably only have enough to last until the chrysanthemum viewing season.

However, curing the Emperor of the East Sea doesn't necessarily require a panacea.

This useless system shop that only sells junk has finally come into play—Platinum has seen it. This shop has everything, even airplanes and suppressants, who knows?

She quickly searched for "medications for treating fractures," and the first product that popped up was:

[Return to the track, reclaim your former glory! Guaranteed results in three months! Whether it's a broken bone or a severed leg, as long as it can be set, it can be healed! A powerful bone-strengthening elixir, the choice for successful racehorse girls!]

[No need for three courses of treatment, just one! Walk normally in one month, run like the wind in two months, and be invincible in three months! Highly recommended by three goddesses, the exclusive formula for the Emperor of the East Sea!]

[Note: I have not recommended this.]

[Note: The prosthetic limb cannot be reattached.]

[Note: However, artificial bones are acceptable.]

[Note: Where did you get all this junk? Vivian is looking for you.]

Looking at this bizarre store interface, Platinum fell into deep thought, feeling that this thing in front of him was teetering between believable and unbelievable.

Although the description sounds like something out of a traveling quack doctor's tale, the display page reveals that the medicine box itself has a rather futuristic feel, emitting a slight fluorescent glow. Inside, instead of pills, are capsules. The granules inside the capsules, when poured out, even have a clear metallic sheen, and are ground finer than flour.

...Thinking about this now is useless. My suppressants are all bought from stores; if anything goes wrong, I wouldn't have this chance to struggle here anymore. At worst, I'll just buy them and try them myself first; if there are no problems, then I'll hand them over to the Emperor of the East Sea.

And it said it could be cured in three months! Three months, so the Emperor of the East Sea would be able to attend the chrysanthemum appreciation event!

But... the thought of the panacea in the level 3 shop made Platinum feel like a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head.

From now until the chrysanthemum viewing season, even if you complete all the weekly extermination tasks, you might only have enough money to buy one panacea.

This was something she absolutely couldn't give up; she had to take that panacea the moment she finished the chrysanthemum appreciation run. Platinum couldn't wait even a second; she was desperate to escape this nightmare that had haunted her for two lifetimes.

Then we should give the medicine to the Emperor of the East Sea later—no, after the chrysanthemums are bloomed, what use would it be?

Damn it, I shouldn't have bought the diary in the first place. I never thought I'd be stumped by a few hundred carrots.

and many more.

Platinum brings up the achievements screen.

[Complete the Japanese Derby (1/1)] (Winning the championship will earn a three-star rating) (150 + 150 carrots reward)

[Complete the Yasuda Memorial (0/1)] (Winning the championship will earn a three-star rating) (150 + 150 carrots reward) (Rewards doubled for consecutive wins)

[Complete Takarazuka Commemoration (0/1)] (Winning grants a 3-star rating) (150 + 150 carrots reward) (Rewards doubled for consecutive wins)

Episode 241 No Other Choice

I don't know if it's because I just finished the derby, but the next two achievements had a note flashing next to them.

It's almost like it's guiding Platinum.

...I never imagined that the days of running around for carrots would be back. Platinum sighed deeply.

Registration for the Yasuda Memorial is now closed, but there should still be time to register for the Takarazuka Memorial.

Winning the championship earns you 300 carrots. With consecutive wins, that's 600 carrots.

More than enough.

Forget about buying that bone-strengthening and super-powerful pill—what kind of aesthetic sense would come up with such a name—I could even just spend a few more carrots to buy a few more diaries.

It's not that Bai Jin is too impatient; it's just that the Emperor of the East Sea can't wait.

According to the instructions, this medicine will take about three months to take effect. Chrysanthemums are blooming in October, which means that this medicine must be delivered to the Emperor of the East Sea before July.

The Japanese derby was at the end of May, and throughout June, only two G1 matches were included in this achievement system: the Yasuda Memorial and the Takarazuka Memorial. In fact, only these two G1 matches were held throughout June.

What about July? The answer is, there wasn't a single G1 match; it was completely blank. Forget G1 matches, there weren't even any G2-level events.

July and August are the off-season! This is why these two months are chosen for summer training camps, so that no student will miss the summer training camp due to competition schedules.

The Yasuda Kinen tournament is about to start, and it's too late to register now. Even if it were still possible, the interval between the two matches is too short, and Platinum is worried that she won't be able to perform at her full potential. It would be ridiculous to lose because of this.

The Takarazuka memorial was my final choice.

With about half a month to prepare, and by the end of July, the Emperor of the East Sea could barely recover before the chrysanthemum viewing.

"Listen to me, Alice."

Having figured everything out, Platinum, disregarding the fact that half of her final outfit was off, began excitedly pacing back and forth in the lounge.

"Suko, you...you're right, you're a fucking genius!"

"Thank you, I've always been a genius. Also, don't swear. You need to know you're a Uma Musume now, an idol. Swearing will lower your standing among the fans." Alice watched as Shirogane suddenly jumped up and started pacing, wondering if the kid had been driven crazy by the shock.

“You’re right, I can indeed help the Emperor of the East Sea!” Bai Jin suddenly stopped in front of Ai Lisuzi, his burning eyes staring straight at her.

"Do you mean helping her deliver fruit baskets and flowers? Or running alongside her from now on?" Alice tilted her head to the left, and Platinum's gaze shifted to the left; Alice tilted her head to the right, and Platinum's gaze shifted to the right. Alice had only ever seen such an undisguised gaze on Manhattan Coffee, the coffee shop where she had poured all her coffee, and it made her feel uneasy.

“I can give her the medicine; I can definitely cure her.” Platinum took a deep breath, trying to persuade Alice.

"Oh." Alice looked at Platinum as if she were crazy. "Then just send it. Why are you looking at me like that? Do you want to perform a blood sacrifice on me? Let me make this clear first, disposing of corpses is a very troublesome thing. I don't think you can do it well."

"I can indeed cure the Emperor of the East Sea... but I have to attend the Takarazuka Memorial first. Don't ask why, I can't explain it either, but I just want to attend the Takarazuka Memorial."

Although it's just sophistry, that's all Platinum can say.

She couldn't very well tell Alice that she actually came from another world and that she had a Walmart inside her that forced her to run in order to buy things, could she?

Platinum feels that saying she is the chosen one of the three goddesses is more believable.

Furthermore, participating in the Takarazuka Memorial is not just a matter for Platinum alone. It requires the consent of the racer and an application from the trainer, making it a very complicated process.

Currently, only Nishizaki Ryu and Rudolf Symbol can sign this name. It's safe to say that neither of them will easily agree to Platinum's outrageous request.

Therefore, she must persuade Alice in advance to act as her intermediary and convince those two people.

Anyway, given Alice's personality, if she wanted to compete, she couldn't wait to get on the track.

“Disposing of corpses is much more troublesome in the summer than in the winter, and they decompose more easily. If you insist on bleeding them, it’s best to dismember them and process them in batches. If you’re going to perform a live sacrifice, the best way to dispose of them is to stuff them into bags, fill them with stones, and throw them into Tokyo Bay.” Alice lay down on the sofa like a corpse. “Don’t go to Takarazuka, just choose the live sacrifice option. Let’s get started.”

—This is not what I expected?

“I would be very happy if you said that next year. A Takarazuka memorial is still too early for you right now. You can’t get fat in one bite.”

"Now you're saying we should proceed gradually?" Bai Jin said anxiously. "Then why were you the first to agree when we went to Hong Kong for the competition?"

Alice scratched her head in frustration: "Really... these two are different in nature."

"In the Hong Kong Special Tournament, apart from Golden Gun Sixty and the swindler, your opponents are all old guys who have been retired for who knows how many years. You are actually only facing Golden Gun Sixty."

"And you didn't even manage to beat her in Golden Gun Sixty, did you? Actually, you won by taking shortcuts. You couldn't have beaten that Hong Kong Horse Racing King on your own, do you admit it?"

Even so, compared to the Golden Gun Sixty, the Takarazuka Memorial contestants—

Alice interrupted Platinum impatiently once again: "Ah, yes, Gold Gun Sixty is indeed strong enough, so strong that there are very few active racehorse girls in the whole of Japan who can compare with her."

"But have you considered this? Although you are eligible to participate in the Takarazuka Memorial, very few classic players will actually challenge this event. Those who participate in the Takarazuka Memorial are all top-tier players of the contemporary generation who have undergone multiple hellish trials and tribulations."

"Unlike you newbies, those guys are qualitatively different from you. During the Hong Kong Special, you only had to deal with 61 Golden Gunners. But at the Takarazuka Memorial, you'll have to deal with 17 people besides yourself!"

"Seventeen people, each one a pillar of the horse racing world who can put pressure on you. With your current attitude of only leading the pack, do you really think they can let you win once you get there?"

"Of course, I believe in you, and you might win. But why bother? You've already won the Japanese derby. Just wait patiently for the Kikusho. You'll be the undefeated Triple Crown winner, a feat only Rudolph Symbol has achieved before you. After that, you'll have plenty of time and energy to hone your skills."

"I guarantee that by this time next year, winning the Takarazuka Memorial Championship will be as easy as taking candy from a baby."

Episode 242 Persuading

Alice is not a completely rational person; she often acts on impulse.

But she knows Platinum better than anyone and is confident she can make the best decision for her.

The reason why Alice had previously supported Platinum's expedition to Hong Kong was that, in her opinion, the benefits Platinum could gain from it outweighed the troubles that would come with the expedition.

A group of retired veterans, and a contemporary champion who made Platinum clearly realize his own strength. Winning the championship was an unexpected surprise, but even though Platinum ultimately lost, Eliseko believed that what Platinum learned from it was more than what he would gain from racing in Japan for two or three months.

This time, for the Takarazuka memorial, after considering various factors, Elise Soko believes that it is of no use to Platinum at this stage.

The Takarazuka Memorial was important and was one of Platinum Future's entry options. However, it didn't play a decisive role.

Platinum doesn't need the Takarazuka Commemorative Bounty anymore, nor has she ever had any obsession with "My Uma Musume journey started for Takarazuka." She doesn't even need the Takarazuka Commemorative trophy—not to mention whether she can win the Kikuka Prize, her victories in the Satsuki Prize and the Japanese Derby are enough to prove Platinum's strength.

Most importantly! She's just one win away from the Kikusho! If she wins the Kikusho, Platinum will become the only undefeated Triple Crown female horse after Rudolph the Symbol. What does that mean? What historical significance does it hold?

The Chrysanthemum Prize was practically a foregone conclusion; as long as Platinum wasn't hit by a car, Eriko could guarantee her victory. Through careful nurturing and cultivation, Platinum, like a seed, had taken root and sprouted, announcing her existence. In this generation, there were no rivals who could threaten Platinum's chances. After the transformation following the summer training camp, winning the Chrysanthemum Prize, and having competed in the Arima Kinen and run against Japan's truly top athletes, Eriko found it hard to imagine anything that could stop Platinum.

"Platinum, do you still remember what our initial agreement was?"

Alice stood up from the sofa, meeting Platinum's burning gaze. This time, Alice's face lacked both the fake, relieved smile from before and the malicious grin that usually emanated from her, as if she were being watched by a cobra. She simply stared at Platinum expressionlessly.

"Of course I remember."

Platinum and Alice usually had various conflicts, but only this time did she sense the anger hidden beneath Alice's calm face.

"I will become the best racehorse, and I will not lose a single race. I will prove that by participating in the Takarazuka Memorial."

But Platinum couldn't back down. She had reasons to participate in the competition no matter what.

"You make it sound so easy. Haha, of course it's easy for you. You have a professional trainer to guide you, and a pharmacist to take care of you at all times, to check if you're sick, if you can't handle the schedule, to check on your mental health, and even to help you with your emotional problems."

"All you have to do is participate in the race and run. You don't need to worry about anything else."

"The final suit, the horseshoes, the nutritional supplements, and your brain that's so slow it's unbearable for me."

"Actually, this is what you're thinking, right? It doesn't matter whether I win or not, because the East Sea Emperor broke his leg, and I got first place. So I have to do something to make myself look like I'm atoning for my sins, to make myself look like I'm in pain, so that others will forgive me, sympathize with me, and support me."