Umamusume's days are numbered

New Universe, however, was already used to this kind of thrill. Her relationship with Cornflower didn't yet need this anchor-like touch to connect them.

And the astronomer—yes, she was a genius, an unprecedented genius, an unprecedentedly cold-blooded one. She had never experienced anything that warmed her heart. Form a band and release an album? Probably not. Become a racehorse girl? Probably not either. Go to university? Probably not. Travel the world? So-so.

Her genius made everything she did effortless, but it also made her lose interest in everything. The astronomer liked wine because it made her feel warm and cozy, like a python basking in the sun, its heat rising within her. Unfortunately, she loved to drink but never got drunk—she was just as gifted at that.

Today, for the first time, she heard her own heartbeat, through a means other than drinking.

Wow, this is incredible! The astronomer heard a jolt in her heart. She knew that platinum must be something important to her. What kind of importance it held didn't matter, but it was definitely something important to her.

The strange light looked at the astronomer with an odd gaze. Her lips parted, trembling, unsure of what to say, then she pinched the bridge of her nose to force herself to calm down.

"Seriously, Galileo. Do you know what you're doing?"

“I am fully aware of what I am doing. I am an adult.”

"Besides having a driver's license and being able to drink, what the hell makes you seem like an adult?" the strange light cursed under its breath. "Have you considered your sister and younger sister? How are you going to explain this?"

"What's there to explain?" The astronomer looked at the strange light with innocent confusion. "It's not like I stole my sister's friend."

If we're talking about who comes first, then I'll go first.

"I was just testing the waters for my sister," the astronomer said with a strong voice, arms crossed.

"Galileo, seriously, you must never say this to your sister. She'll kill you and make you into horse meat sashimi."

(Twelve chapters to go, bonus chapter)

Episode 284 I owed you in my past life

Time returns to the present.

"Did you hear that, big foreign woman, big foreign woman, please respond if you hear me."

Sitting in a double hotel suite in the city center, listening to the astronomers talking incessantly not far away, I felt an overwhelming sadness in my heart, as if I were a rickshaw puller.

I even had to book a hotel room for two people because I didn't know when the astronomers would come.

Her wonderful trip to Tokyo, filled with strange lights, came to an abrupt end. She had originally planned to visit the Harry Potter theme park and had even booked the tickets, but the astronomer persuaded her to also book a flight to Hawaii.

She'd rather watch the astronomers and their flock of ponies fly off to Hawaii while she stays in Tokyo for two months. If that were the case, that strange light would wake her up laughing... no, crying, most of the night. Unfortunately, that's not an option.

And they can't even be on the same flight as the astronomers! They're supposed to be in the same group, but the astronomers insist on scheduling their flights to avoid meeting them! Is the astronomer even speaking human language?

And it's conceivable that in the week before Platinum heads to the youth training base, he probably won't have a single free moment to pursue his travel plans. The astronomers estimate that they'll be trying to acquire this young talent during this week.

Alas... the poor little colt, fallen into the clutches of the astronomer. With the astronomer's methods, a week would be enough to win over an entire bar of girls. The strange light feigned a few crocodile tears, then had to continue being an accomplice of the astronomer.

The strange light didn't actually want to help the astronomers at first. She was a principled person; not reporting them to Haidu City was already being reasonable, let alone aiding and abetting evil—that wouldn't conform to her ladylike code.

"You're not going to help me? You really, really aren't going to help me?"

“Helping me is helping yourself. Think about it, my fate is closely related to yours. If I really find a home, you will be completely freed from my sister's clutches.”

The astronomers at the time stared wide-eyed and said this with an air of authority.

"Think about the kind of life you're living now? Every few days, my sister sends us separate messages asking about the progress of our relationship, forcing us to coordinate our statements in advance to avoid giving ourselves away."

“Every time she interrogates us, we have to make some tangible progress to appease my sister’s burning heart. Holding hands, kissing, drinking from the same cup—soon there won’t be any progress to satisfy my sister’s appetite.”

The thought of what the scene would be like sent chills down their spines.

The couple's relationship is so passionate, they've already reached the final stage, so everyone knows what they should do next, right?

At that time, it's estimated that Haidu City will start every day—

Did you do it? Did you guys do that?

Has it started? Hasn't it started yet? Should I wait a little longer? Do you want me to give you some privacy?

(Poking his head out) What stage are we at? Do you want me to give you some pointers?

(Pacing back and forth) I'm in such a hurry! Are you all done yet? Hurry, hurry, I can't wait any longer! Are you ready?

What can astronomers and the strange light do? Should they give Haidu City a spectacular live broadcast?

Both of them knew perfectly well that they didn't have much time left to fool Hai Du City.

"And at this moment—" the astronomer shrugged, "I've really found my soulmate. Everyone's happy. You don't have to deal with my sister anymore, and I can live a happy life."

The strange light couldn't speak. Because, damn it, she felt that the astronomer's little mouth was right.

Silence means no objection. No objection means tacit agreement.

The strange light acknowledged the astronomers, which was shameful, but it was for survival; there was no other way.

So she boarded a flight to Hawaii.

"I received your message. I'm in the city center now." The strange light sighed, as if trying to vent all the sorrow in his heart.

I'm sorry, Haidu City.

Sorry, Haidu Star.

Someone like me will definitely go to hell someday... Oh, I'm not religious, never mind then.

"Very well. The girls are all settled now and are idly stargazing in the yard." The astronomer, phone in hand, walked to the window and opened it a crack. In the pitch-black night, the incandescent light in the yard, like a small torch, was so conspicuous.

"Tomorrow's schedule isn't finalized yet; we'll probably have to discuss it tomorrow morning. They don't seem too tired, but we need to adjust to the time difference tonight. Just be flexible; I'll let you know if anything unexpected happens."

"Hmm." The strange light was in a bad mood and didn't want to talk, so she just hummed to indicate that she had heard.

Then both sides of the phone fell silent.

"...Why haven't you hung up yet?" the strange light said reluctantly. "If you have something to say, hurry up and say it. I want to finish reading 'The Magic Mountain' during the last bit of leisure time tonight."

"How many times have you watched this?"

"Always fresh and new."

"Well... how should I put it..." the astronomer said, surprisingly embarrassed, "strange light... do you know how to woo a girl?"

"Ha, you should throw this question in Bush's mailbox. Or call the Honolulu mayor's hotline, maybe he can answer it for you." Strange Light chuckled. "I'm hanging up if there's nothing else."

"No, I'm serious. I'm not kidding, I have no experience in pursuing girls."

The strangely glowing brain took a full ten seconds to comprehend what the astronomer was saying.

"...Then what about those girls you get along with so well at the bar? You seem like a social butterfly, always surrounded by pretty girls wherever you go."

"You yourself said that it was girls sticking up to me, how would I know what they were thinking? I was just trying to sit quietly in the bar and have a relaxing drink, and they all started swarming around me."

The strangely glowing brain took another ten seconds to process the astronomer's words, then its lips trembled as it said, "You idiot, now you're telling me you're a pure, innocent white lotus? Are you kidding me?"

The strange light really wanted to maintain its civilized language. But today her thoughts had changed slightly.

Since these concise and powerful emotional words are ubiquitous in every language, it means that humans always have a use for them.

For example, now.

The strange light seemed to spasm as it hung up the phone, then gently put down the book in its hand and stood by the window looking at the night sky outside.

"I owed her from my past life," a strange light shone in his heart.

Episode 285 What's in the attic?

The astronomers were busy preparing for her little scheme, completely unaware of the platinum. She was sitting in the yard stargazing, dreaming of her trip to Hawaii.

Platinum pointed excitedly at the sky and said, "That's Polaris."

"This is the Big Dipper."

"This is Polaris."

"This is the Big Dipper."

"This one is..."

The girl with excellent manners quietly covered her mouth and reminded Platinum, "The Big Dipper has seven stars."

Bai Jin withdrew her hand somewhat embarrassedly. There was nothing she could do; with so many stars in the sky, only these two names came to mind.

This one is the brighter North Star, this one is the dimmer North Star, this one is the slightly tilted North Star... that's it.

Platinum also has something to say.

There's nothing you can do; she's illiterate. How can you expect an illiterate person to know the names of all the stars in the sky?

Isn't it enough for her to know that the scenery is beautiful? Does she really need to listen to explanations like she's going to an observatory?

Sigh, I wonder how things are on the other side of the world now. Does the president miss me...? Probably keeps thinking about me so much he can't sleep, and is probably torn between calling me and disturbing his rest.

Platinum sighed. Who made herself so perfect?

And the Empress of the East Sea... I wonder how well she's recovering, and whether that medicine really worked...

After finishing the Takarazuka Memorial event, Platinum's savings suddenly increased significantly; she even had some money left over after buying the medicine for the Emperor of the East Blue. Without delay, she immediately took down the medicine for the Emperor of the East Blue—but a problem still lay before Platinum.

How can we get this medicine to the Emperor of the East Sea? Should we just run up to her and say, "Hey, I got some super cool medicine, do you want to try it?"

Platinum bets he'll be captured by Surugawa Tetsuya.

After racking her brains all night with her not-so-bright mind, Bai Jin finally found a feasible method: she decided to deliver it secretly in the middle of the night.

If Alice knew the whole story, she would probably laugh and say, "For Platinum's intelligence, being able to think of this is a huge evolution, worthy of praise."

Platinum acted immediately, slipping a note into the medicine bottle that read, "A new medicine developed by Elisako, supposedly helpful for your bones. I took it out secretly, don't tell Elisako." Then, late at night, he sneaked it into the East Sea Emperor's room.

After the memorial service at Takarazuka, the Empress of the East Sea has returned to school from the hospital, but she is still only recuperating in her dormitory and is rarely seen at the training ground.

Platinum's stealth skills were highly proficient, as if ingrained in her bones; she was born for this. In short, no one noticed her, and Platinum successfully arrived at the entrance of the East Sea Emperor's dormitory.

But a new problem arose for Platinum—she didn't have the key to the East Sea Emperor's dormitory.

So Bai Jin pondered for a while longer. He had no intention of secretly taking the key to the East Sea Emperor, nor did he plan to knock on the door and go in. He didn't even consider the East Sea Emperor's roommate, Chongpao.

She was determined to leave through the window!

They even prepared the curtains for jumping off the building. It wasn't until then that Alice, who had been watching Platinum's strange behavior through the monitor, finally couldn't sit still any longer and used the master key to open the door for Platinum.

In short, the final result is gratifying; the bottle of medicine has finally been delivered. As for its specific effects, we'll have to wait until Platinum returns to Tokyo from Hawaii to find out.

Linda sat cross-legged on the grass, listening to Excellent Quality and Platinum whispering. Feeling it was almost bedtime, she patted herself and sat up from the grass.

“Stars are very common; you can see them every night.” Linda stretched. “It’s time to go to bed.”

Platinum and Excellent Qualities stood up immediately. Linda squinted at Platinum and suddenly said, "I heard you had a real match with Sam in Hong Kong and even beat him?"

"Sam is...?"

"The con artist's name." Linda smiled. "You didn't expect her to have such a masculine name, did you? I was startled when I first heard it."

"The con artist mentioned you to me, saying you were a racehorse girl who surprised her a lot."

Platinum recalled the conman's tough, outlaw-like image and thought the name couldn't be more fitting.

"I did win the championship in the end. But I never beat the cheater," Platinum replied somewhat hesitantly.

She usually acts very arrogantly in front of acquaintances, daring to criticize everyone from Nishizaki Ryu to the secretariat. Since they can't come from across the ocean to beat me up, I can say whatever I want. They always say they're not as good as me, wishing they could have been born twenty years earlier and defeated all their seniors.

However, Platinum still held the real veterans who had run races in high esteem—excluding Golden Gun Sixty. Especially the Fraudster; perhaps it was that fierce first impression that left a particularly deep impression on Platinum. Platinum's respect for the Fraudster was three times that for Golden Gun Sixty.

So Platinum decided to tell the truth.

"The cheat lost speed at the end of the race. I was using a chasing strategy in that race, so I didn't fully feel the power of the cheat's pace. It was mainly a battle between Golden Sixty and the cheat."

"But even so, I still vividly remember the steps of the fraudster. I think I would never want to encounter such an opponent in a competition a second time."

"Hmm..." Linda listened to Platinum's words and pondered.

The con artist said that although she had no hope, if she really had to choose one, she would recommend this child.

The fact that a conman could utter such words speaks volumes.

Is it her? Is there any possibility? Maybe I should believe it?

Linda then put on a bright smile again, pointed to the old house behind her with her thumb: "Speaking of which, I noticed you've been asking me about the attic and basement. You seem quite interested."

"It just so happens that I've been accumulating all sorts of old things here and there lately. I was planning to take a shower before bed anyway, so I don't mind getting my body dirty."

Linda paused, then her brown eyes swept over Platinum and Excellent Qualities before casually suggesting, "In that case...would you like me to take you up for a look?"