Umamusume's days are numbered

On a certain day of a certain month, the weather turned from sunny to partly cloudy.

I don't know why, but I've been going to bed very early lately.

Sigh, maybe the little girl's body can't handle staying up all night every day, or maybe Alice is just torturing me too much every day.

Alice secretly made a copy of my dorm room key, but when I reported it to the dorm head, it went unanswered. I then reported it to Rudolf, who then summoned both of us to the student council.

First, the school criticized Alice Soko's behavior of infringing on the rights of others, condemned her blatant disregard for school rules and regulations, and warned her to maintain a certain distance from other students in her interactions, leaving everyone with a private personal space.

Then she comforted me for a few more minutes, saying that I should report any similar situations to her in the future.

Alice listened with tears streaming down her face, feeling as if she had been purified.

The next day, everything remained the same.

Now, recalling Rudolf's enigmatic smile before leaving, it takes on a whole new meaning.

You two are in cahoots, aren't you?

I'm shivering with cold. Can this cannibalistic world ever get any better?

In short, because of this, I was worried that Alice would find my diary, so I didn't write in it for quite a long time. I bought a notebook with a combination lock and hid it in a compartment in my desk. Hopefully, Alice won't find it now.

Even if she found out, and I've shown so much resistance, surely Alice wouldn't want to read a teenage girl's diary?

...Given her shamelessness, I feel she's capable of doing it.

disturbed.

Light rain on a certain day of a certain month

Alice, you fucking...you fucking can't do this, you fucking bastard!

You drugged me!

They actually put sleeping pills in the water I was drinking!

I was wondering why I'd been going to bed so early every day lately, because I was always so sleepy as soon as I got back to the dorm.

That's shameless, despicable, and vulgar.

This guy actually had the nerve to say, "It's just a drug similar to melatonin, it's harmless to the body," "Look, your sleep quality has been pretty good lately, you didn't even wake up when I drew your blood," and "Your morning energy has improved, you don't yawn in class anymore."

Huh? You drew my blood while I was asleep?

Eliseko, what exactly did you do while I was asleep?!

I lost my temper with her, and she finally made the difficult decision to stop melatonin for me.

...Okay, it can be considered a victory at this stage.

Tonight, I will return to the embrace of the internet.

...Speaking of which, Alice is really scary. She really knows how to use drugs. Now that the dorm isn't safe anymore, how can I possibly sleep soundly?

I'm worried that I'll wake up one morning to find myself tied up and modified by Alice.

Heavy rain on a certain day of a certain month

I was planning to stay up all night yesterday, but I was sleepy when I got back to my dorm.

I definitely didn't drink the water that Alice gave me today; it's only possible that my sleep schedule has been switched back to normal.

I was wondering why she stopped taking the medication so easily.

Unfortunately, I had no choice but to go to bed early.

Waaah, I can't be a noble American anymore.

I had a nightmare last night. I dreamt that when I woke up, I was stripped naked by Alice and my limbs were locked up. I was tied to the operating table in a spread-eagle position.

Alice, wearing a white lab coat, chuckled strangely and touched my leg, saying, "Such a good leg, since you don't treat it well and practice it, you might as well give it to me." I desperately wanted to return to the competition.

Then Alice put on a mask, picked up a chainsaw, and started sawing with a buzzing sound.

That was truly terrifying; the accompanying eerie, grotesque laughter woke me right up. I checked the time, and it was Kobe's training run time; Alice hadn't even arrived yet.

can not fall asleep.

While I still remember this dream, I'd better write it down quickly.

Alice, you've done so many bad things!

Heavy rain on a certain day of a certain month

It's been raining so much lately, the whole training ground is like a muddy mess, it feels like rolling around in the mud every day, it's unbearable.

I have to go to Alice's lab for a checkup again today. I don't want to go; it's too scary.

I was afraid that if I went there, Elisako would saw off my leg and replace it with my own.

After training, he awkwardly begged Yamato and Akama to go with him. He really didn't dare to go alone.

Yamato Akaki readily accepted. Oh, only Yamato Akaki can warm my cold heart.

I'll also borrow the lab's shower room. Perfect plan.

On a certain day of a certain month, the weather turned from cloudy to sunny.

The sky has finally cleared up! The temperature seems to have dropped a bit lately, and I feel a little chilly wearing this school uniform. But looking around, all the students at school are still wearing the same little skirts and shirts, the quintessential sailor uniforms.

She is truly beautiful and captivating.

The student council meeting was not peaceful today. The long-lost symbol of Rudolf finally reappeared, huddled together with Nishizaki Ryu, Eliseko, and a few others, making a ruckus.

It turns out they were deciding on the competition I would participate in next.

Anyway, I couldn't understand their arguments, so I just went along with it.

Isn't it too early to start a race now?

Finally, they decided to have me participate in a competition with a convoluted name, which supposedly had a huge reward and was perfect for me. Nishizaki Ryu patted his chest and said that if he couldn't win against his current opponents, he'd do a handstand split.

I'd really like to see him do a handstand split.

Alice looked at me with a sinister expression. I could see the meaning in her face.

If you can't outrun me, I'll detach your legs and attach them to my body.

I jolted awake. Now I didn't want to see Nishizaki Ryu doing a handstand.

Sunny day of a certain month

Time flies! The competition is tomorrow. I'm feeling quite nervous.

When they heard I was going to run a race soon, everyone in the Spica team cheered me on and said they would definitely go watch.

Thank you, but I'm even more nervous now that you're here.

The Emperor of the East Sea looked incredibly envious. This little girl was preparing for her debut competition soon and couldn't wait to participate in any competitions.

Ryu Nishizaki patted my shoulder to encourage me, saying that everything would be fine.

Elise also told me that with her current physical condition, she doesn't need any tactics at all. She just needs to start running as fast as she can, and if she doesn't get surrounded, she will win.

Even Rudolf made a point of taking time to watch my training today and gave me a thumbs up.

No, you guys are only making me more nervous!

Never mind, I'm going to bed early tonight.

I can't sleep.

Sunny day of a certain month

The horse farm is great. It's comfortable to run on.

I won! Haha, so easy! I knew I could do it, a complete victory! That's me for sure!

Even after we left the track, Nishizaki Ryu pressed his hand against my head and said, "You kept running in the inner circle and then in the outer circle, and you even sprinted at an angle during the final sprint, as if you were afraid I'd do a split when I reached the finish line."

Enough with the fuss, I won, didn't I?

Alice smiled and told me that the last three waves ran very well this time, and that we should strike while the iron was hot and do extra training tonight.

···ah?

(End of fourth update. Goodnight everyone, have a good night's sleep, muah!)

Episode 68 Saudi Arabian Royal Cup

The racetrack in Tokyo was packed with people today. The tense announcements and live broadcasts echoed throughout the stadium.

"Wow, the Platinum runner is so fast! She's far ahead, so strong! She's about to lead from start to finish."

"The race is now in its final stages, and there is still a four-horse length gap between Kiri Mizuki, who is in second place, and Platinum. Can Kiri Mizuki overtake Platinum in the final moments and win the championship?"

"Or will Platinum dominate the race with an unparalleled lead until the finish line, turning this competition into her personal showcase?"

"They've exited the corner, and led by Platinum, the top-ranked female racehorses have all surged out of the final corner. Now, in front of all the racers, there are no curves or slopes, only a final straight of about 500 meters."

"At this point, all tactics have become ineffective. On this final straight, only the racehorses with the strongest stamina and the best last-foot speed can stand out!"

call···

Platinum's nostrils flared; she could feel her lungs bulging like bellows. And soon, these bulging bellows would send oxygen to every part of her body, and then...

Like a fire that has been lit, Platinum is about to unleash its final burst of power.

We've reached the final straight section... It seems no one can catch up.

Platinum thought to himself, the sounds of other horseshoes clattering on the ground still far away.

...Although it's not nice to say it like that, it sounds like I'm getting a good deal and then complaining, but—

"It seems a bit too easy," Platinum muttered softly, facing the wind.

After being brutally beaten by Rudolf, she faced off against the Emperor of the East Sea and then against Alice, all top-tier competitors who exerted immense pressure on her, causing her to somewhat forget—

They are top-notch themselves.

"Kirei Mizuka is going all out! Kirei Mizuka is sprinting! Can she close the gap with Platinum? Does Platinum have enough stamina to handle Kirei Mizuka's final kick?"

Haha, someone's starting to sprint!

Upon closer reflection, it seems like it's time to make a final push.

Platinum glanced at the audience seats next to her and seemed to see a few familiar figures waving at her. But she didn't get a good look at them.

This race attracted significantly more people than the previous debut race, filling almost three-quarters of the stands. It truly lives up to its name as the world of Uma Musume, where everyone's involved in horse racing.

But Platinum had no time to care about any of that now; it didn't matter who the audience was there to see.

Now, they all have to look after themselves.

Platinum lowered his waist, his legs suddenly tensed, and his right foot stepped into the grass, almost his entire heel sinking into the soil.

In Platinum's own perception, time seemed to slow down at this moment. She could feel the airflow in her trachea, the soft sensation of her toes sinking into the grass through the horseshoes, and the sweat on the back of her neck evaporating in the wind.

Whether it was her imagination or not, she could even feel the flow of electricity in her nerves, the opening and closing of the pores on her skin, and the refraction of light in her pupils.

This is a truly addictive feeling.

Unfortunately, this illusion lasted only a fleeting moment, disappearing like the receding tide. In that instant, Platinum's perception returned to normal, and everything resumed its normal flow.

The only difference was that the power boost from Platinum was real. Therefore, she felt an unprecedentedly strong gale whipping against her face, as if the entire world was rushing towards her from all directions.

"—" Even the commentator fell silent, and everyone's attention was focused on Platinum.

"No, I can't take it anymore—" came the horse girl's tearful cry from behind, but even that voice was getting farther and farther away.

In contrast, Platinum could hear her own heartbeat very clearly, becoming clearer and clearer. While everything else was slipping away, only the finish line was rushing towards her.

"—The final winner is Platinum!"

After a brief silence, the commentator burst into excited praise.

"Simply unparalleled lower legs, demonic lower limbs!"

"No one could stop her. She led from start to finish, and no other runner could stand in front of her!"

"On today's field, all the other competitors can only look up to him from behind."

"This is truly a case of one horse leading the way, eclipsing all others! Let us celebrate the birth of the Queen of the Saudi Arabian Royal Cup."