Umamusume's days are numbered

Episode 254 The Source of All Harm

With a jingling sound, the astronomer pushed the platinum into the store.

The sky outside was getting dark, and the day had passed by in the blink of an eye.

"Alright, alright, don't be so polite with me. Haidu Star's good friends are my good friends too." The astronomer enthusiastically pushed Platinum into the store, as if she were the owner of the store.

"I...I should go back now..." Bai Jin shrugged. She had been thinking about how to build a closer relationship with the astronomer, at least to get his contact information, and then proceed gradually. But the astronomer was much more enthusiastic than Bai Jin had expected. Not only did he watch the movie with her, but as they left the theater and it was getting dark, he also very warmly insisted on treating her to dinner.

Platinum couldn't refuse the astronomer, but she couldn't understand the place he led her to—Kurand Sake Market, a famous chain store, and it was self-service.

But it's not a buffet, it's a sake buffet! It's a chain izakaya (Japanese pub).

Stop right there, astronomer! You're committing a crime! This is illegal!

"Don't go! It's my treat tonight!" The astronomer's eyes sparkled as he kept glancing at the frosted glass bottles on the shelf, looking utterly drooling.

"Miss Astronomy is here again today." The waiter standing by the door chuckled, covering his mouth. "She's a little late today."

"Oh dear, I slept in until the afternoon today because I enjoyed myself so much yesterday," the astronomer chuckled, scratching his head. "We even brought in a new customer today!"

"Miss Astronomy, aren't you here in Tokyo for tourism? You've been coming every night since I met you last week, you've become a regular. Do you still have the energy to go sightseeing during the day?" The shop assistant put a bracelet on the astronomer's wrist. "Please don't lose it like last time."

"Now that we've found paradise, it doesn't matter if we don't go to other places!"

"Hehe, that's an exaggeration."

Platinum listened to the conversation between the two, speechless.

Was the astronomer inviting her to dinner or simply trying to satisfy her personal desires? Even before entering the restaurant, her eyes were glued to the bottles of alcohol. Platinum was afraid she'd start rolling around in the pile of drinks as soon as she went in. Her expression was one of utter ravenous anticipation.

So you're here in Tokyo for tourism!

"This customer..." The clerk's gaze shifted to Bai Jin, hesitating slightly. Bai Jin had indeed grown taller over the past year, but he still looked quite young and seemed far from being old enough to drink alcohol.

"Ah, then I'll..." Platinum hurriedly tried to take this opportunity to get rid of the astronomer. Unexpectedly, the astronomer gave Platinum a thumbs up, showed a "leave it to me" expression, and went to greet the shop assistant.

"I'm sorry, she's my companion, she's Finnish. You know, people who stay in that godforsaken place for a long time are all shy and depressed. And her Japanese is terrible. Just ask me if you have any questions."

Platinum stared at the astronomer in disbelief. How did he suddenly become Finnish?

"Oh, you said it looks a bit small... Please don't say that in front of her, she'll get angry."

"She's definitely an adult. Actually, she's a skier on the Finnish national team. I'll tell you her name, try searching for it online, you're guaranteed to find it... Maybe you'll even see her at the next Winter Olympics."

"Oh, no need, thank you then, we'll go in now."

After chatting idly with the clerk, the astronomer grabbed Platinum and dragged her into the izakaya. He patted Platinum on the shoulder with a smug grin, pointed to himself, and smugly finished speaking.

Platinum took a step back to keep her distance.

"Are you even an astronomer?"

The person in front of me is spouting nonsense, bragging without a second thought, lying with a natural flair—a genius at swindling. Who knows, even her name and Bai Jin are probably made up on the spot, and her relationships are all fake.

Then I tricked myself into going to an izakaya (Japanese pub) and got drunk, after which I did things that I can't go into detail about.

For example, signing a contract with one's own fingerprint, or voluntarily donating one's body.

The astronomer was both amused and exasperated, her eyes fixed on the wine cabinet behind Platinum, clearly unable to contain her excitement for even a second. She took out her phone and searched for her own name, then tossed it to Platinum: "Why would I lie to you? You'll see for yourself. I'm going to pick something out now."

After saying that, the astronomer hummed a little tune and rushed towards the liquor cabinet, tossing the phone into Platinum's hands without any concern that Platinum might grab the phone and run away.

Platinum was sweating profusely as he watched the astronomer, who was practically drooling and leaning over the liquor cabinet with his eyes shining.

At first glance, the astronomer gave Platinum the impression of a punk older sister, whose shiny, studded leather jacket and pants perfectly matched Platinum's preconceived notions about astronomers.

Now...

This person... just like Jinqiang Liushi, has an indescribable sense of regret.

Platinum looked down at her phone; there were quite a few search terms, including Wikipedia.

[The highly anticipated seeded player, Shiwama-sensei, achieved a resounding victory in his debut match!]

[The ultimate showdown with strange light, the astronomer's retirement battle, a retrospective of the Irish Championship]

The legend's end is lamentable. The astronomer, tragically losing her life, was ultimately avenged by the miraculous brilliance of light.

[After six titles and one runner-up finish, astronomer announces retirement following Irish Championship]

[A genius athlete, a miracle occurs—a biography of an astronomer]

There's even a biography of hers for sale on Amazon!

Not even sure if it was the same person, Platinum also seemed to have seen an album by a British band credited as an astronomer.

Bai Jin squinted, comparing the person in the phone photo with the person standing in front of him, hesitating between this bottle of sake, that bottle of sake, or both of the better sake bottles. He felt that apart from looking exactly the same, they were indeed two different people.

What kind of drastic change could have transformed this slightly depressed beauty in the photo into her current state?

"See? Now you believe me, right?" The astronomer swaggered back, carrying large and small cups, and shoved them into Platinum's arms without a word. "Come on, come on, we're kindred spirits! Tonight, we'll drink until we drop!"

I think you're already drunk before you've even started drinking!

Episode 255 The Psychologist

"Whoosh—ha!!!"

The astronomer downed the sake in her small glass in one gulp, her shoulders trembling from head to toe. Finally, with a flushed face, she let out a satisfied exhale and slumped limply into her chair.

"Hmm, this tastes pretty good. It has a sweet and sour fruity aroma, like drinking apple cider vinegar. I'm really curious, what kind of process is used to make this flavor? If it's not artificial flavoring... could it be that apples are added during fermentation?"

"This... has a minty flavor. It's a pretty good idea. It tastes like a sweet drink, like Fanta, but it has a burning sensation in your throat. And then it's chilled—it's like a cool candy in your mouth, but when it gets to your stomach, it feels like a bonfire. Amazing!"

"Oh...this taste...could this be traditional sake? There are no other improvements to cater to trends, just the most basic taste of alcohol from fermented rice...it's so rich and full-bodied. It's spicy enough...it goes straight to my head...it's wonderful."

Platinum sat opposite the astronomer, glass in hand, silently watching him down glass after glass, a look of contented bliss on her face. The astronomer had previously called the izakaya "paradise," and now it seemed it truly was paradise to her.

Anyway, Platinum didn't eat a single drop. She was initially quite interested and wanted to sneak in and try some, but when she saw the astronomer across from her melt-in-your-mouth expression after just one small cup, Platinum was so startled that she put the cup down again.

Judging from the astronomer's posture, Platinum suspected that what she was drinking wasn't sake, but something added to it.

But the other guests didn't seem to be like astronomers. This led Platinum to suspect that the problem lay with the astronomers themselves.

The astronomer didn't care whether Platinum actually ate it or not. In the end, when the astronomer brought Platinum to this place, he hadn't considered her dinner at all. She just kept taking drinks, tasting them, taking drinks, and tasting them.

Should she consider going back...? Although Platinum had a polite smile on her face, a ring of cold sweat had already formed on her forehead.

Putting aside the fact that his stomach was already rumbling, if Rudolf Symbol found out that he had been sitting in an izakaya with someone for a while, Rudolf Symbol would definitely give him a righteous correction.

And if someone takes a picture of this... it'll be headline news tomorrow, another big story.

There's already a mess waiting for you, don't make things worse for yourself.

"Then I'll head back first..." Platinum said, just about to get up, when she saw the astronomer wave her hand.

"Do you know why I like izakayas?" The astronomer leaned against the table, one hand supporting his head and the other holding a glass to his lips, looking around the izakaya.

"This isn't like a bar. The music is deafening, and the men and women dancing to it have ulterior motives and all sorts of hidden agendas. I hate places like that. There's no point in getting yourself drunk there."

The astronomer's face was flushed, but her eyes were clear and bright, not at all cloudy. Her stomach seemed bottomless; although she appeared drunk, her words were coherent and logical.

"There are still too few places like this, especially the old-fashioned izakayas and roadside stalls I've visited before... Wow, all kinds of people."

“You can see middle-aged people who have just finished a long day at get off work, you can see young male college students, and you can see old men who have just finished bathing in a public bathhouse, with steam still rising from their heads. Some of them have all sorts of grievances and dissatisfactions in their hearts, some want to indulge themselves, and some have already made it a habit.”

"Here, getting drunk is not a means, but the ultimate goal."

“This is the true pleasure of drinking.” The astronomer’s lips were pressed against the rim of the glass, her words muffled, but her crescent-shaped eyes revealed that she was smiling happily.

"Have I ever told you that I majored in psychology in college? I'm very good at judging people; I can tell at a glance that you have problems that need to be solved."

Bai Jin was stunned, thinking to herself, "You actually went to university? Really?"

“Fake.” The astronomer rolled his eyes. “I’m studying at the Royal Academy of Music in the UK, but I haven’t finished yet. I’m on leave. It has nothing to do with psychology. Besides, studying psychology doesn’t mean I’m good at judging people.”

"You never tell the truth."

"Yes, it's true. I was saying you have a lot of worries that are bothering you right now, and you urgently need to resolve them, is that true?"

"Why don't you try a little?" The astronomer placed a small glass of clear sake in front of Platinum. "I feel you need this right now."

“There are some things that are hard to say to your friends or teachers. But I'm a stranger to you. I don't know or understand the people, things, or conflicts you're talking about.”

"Why don't you take advantage of the alcohol and use me as a confidant, pour out all your troubles to me? I promise to keep it a secret."

The astronomer made a zipping motion on his own mouth: "My mouth is the hardest in the world; no one can pry it open."

Bai Jinxin said, "I don't know if you're stubborn or not, but I do know that you never tell the truth."

"Perhaps, an outsider's perspective is clearer, and I can offer some advice. Even if I can't offer advice, getting drunk and confiding in someone are the best ways to vent."

Drunkenness...and venting...

Platinum lowered his head and saw his reflection in the clear liquid the astronomer handed him.

Not to mention astronomers, even Platinum himself could see it—his brows were furrowed, and there was an unyielding worry in his eyes; anyone could tell at a glance that he was preoccupied.

Platinum was completely at a loss, her mind in turmoil. Although meeting the astronomer had temporarily put her worries aside, it didn't mean they had disappeared.

Platinum looked at the astronomer with trembling eyes. The astronomer gave her an encouraging look.

As if possessed, Platinum picked up the glass the astronomer handed her and drank it all in one gulp. She felt as if she had swallowed a fireball; the burning sensation made her cough and cry, tears streaming down her face.

Whether it was the alcohol or the violent coughing, Platinum's cheeks immediately turned bright red, which was especially noticeable in contrast to her pure white hair and skin.

After taking a few breaths, Platinum sat there blankly, then suddenly let out a hiccup. Then, she opened her lips.

(Please do not imitate this due to plot reasons.)

In real life, please don't go to bars or izakayas with strangers you've just met, unless you have some kind of divine revelation or something.

Episode 256 Gate

New Universe looked up and glanced at the current weather.

A light rain had just fallen, but the sky hadn't cleared yet. The absence of the relentless, fiery sunlight was pleasant. It was a scene the new universe preferred.

Shin-Uchu has seen many sunny and rainy days, but only the Takarazuka Memorial was always like this, with no sunshine and humid weather, making it a vivid memory for Shin-Uchu.

Shin-Universe stood on the grass and tentatively stretched his ankles. After a series of battles, his leg bones were fine—which was to be expected, as his leg problems wouldn't occur until after Takarazuka—but his muscles were struggling to withstand such intense use and would spasm from time to time.

So New Universe put thick bandages on her ankles and calves. Although it only helped a little, it made her feel a bit more comfortable.

New Universe looked towards the audience. She saw her trainer staring intently at her.

Shin Universe knows she's responsible and loves herself. As Shin Universe's trainer, she persisted in standing in the stands cheering them on, even as the public opinion had reached terrifying levels. Given the current climate, it wouldn't be surprising if Shin Universe's training sessions were attacked by fanatical fans.

New Universe felt a little guilty towards her trainer. But she couldn't say it out loud, because even if she did, no one would understand what she was saying.

But this suffering will soon end, the new universe promises. All the suffering of everyone will soon be gone. Because the final [Gate] is just around the corner.

"All fifteen contestants have entered the venue."

The narration came over the loudspeaker.

"This year's Takarazuka Commemoration is slightly different from previous years. Two classic year racehorses have returned to the Takarazuka track after challenging the Japanese Derby, which seems to indicate that they are very confident in their abilities. This includes the Platinum racer who has won the Satsuki Sho and the Japanese Derby in a row and is only one win away from achieving an undefeated triple crown."

As the narrator's voice faded, the camera panned to Platinum. Platinum was stomping hard on the grass, staring blankly at the footprints his shoes had left.

This is a thoroughfare for fine horses? You must be kidding!

Although I had heard from Lieyan Kuaiju that the Takarazuka Memorial's grass field was more suited to Europe and America, I only realized the real difference after actually walking on it.

If the tracks I usually run on are all concrete, then the track at the Takarazuka Memorial today could be called a gravel road. Although it's covered with a layer of gravel and feels hard to the touch, the uncompacted soil underneath will sink if you apply any pressure.

And the grasslands of Europe and America... are even more unimaginable. No wonder racehorses that have traveled to Europe often refer to those grasslands as swimming pools when they return home.

So... Platinum suddenly realized something.

No wonder it looked familiar. Hanshin Racecourse... that's where I first stepped onto the racetrack.

At that time, I had no recollection of how soft the grass was; I just used all my strength. Yes, the gate for leaping over the dragon gate was still standing right next to me.

The footage of the new universe was only shown briefly. After all, she is currently embroiled in a public opinion storm, and her academic performance is not outstanding.