Umamusume's days are numbered

Ah this.

Now... they've got themselves caught in their own trap.

"Yes, of course..." Alice heard a gentle and sweet voice coming from the other end of the phone.

“I prepared your share a long time ago.”

(The censorship of the hedgehog cat is just...)

Can you please censor the white Valentine's Day theme?

Episode 154 Choco-Chocolate

As Shirogane watched Elisako hang up the phone, he grinned, panting.

Ignoring Manhattan Coffee and Alice's nagging in-laws, Platinum quickly ran a few steps forward to catch up with Rudolf's symbolic steps.

The winding mountain road behind Teresa College is an old asphalt road, which shows signs of wear and tear with dry air and temperature fluctuations. Last year, Tokyo was quite cold, with a few light snowfalls, and the gray asphalt surface often showed cracks.

This road usually has relatively little traffic, which is rare in Tokyo where land is extremely valuable, so it has naturally become a place for many racehorse girls to train in the morning.

Including the symbol of Rudolf.

Rudolph Symbol was wearing that red tracksuit with a blouse that the school gave out, making him look like a pink plastic bag rolling on the ground. Platinum couldn't help but chuckle as she watched Rudolph Symbol's back.

Oh, I wear this too. Never mind then.

Platinum hurried to Rudolph's side. Rudolph remained focused, her breathing even and her posture upright—her morning exercise was genuine, even though she had been retired for who knows how long. The morning air was still a bit chilly, and Platinum could see the white steam rising from Rudolph's mouth.

After staring at Rudolph's symbol for a while, and realizing that she really intended to run away without saying a word, Platinum thought for a moment and took the initiative to start a conversation with her.

"What does Rudolph symbolize, and what is White Day?"

"You have no manners! At least call me Chairman!" Rudolph symbolically chopped Platinum on the head.

But... it's White Day...

Rudolf symbolizes the recollection of past memories.

"Don't you celebrate this holiday where you live? Oh right, I think it's a Japanese-specific version of Valentine's Day."

Valentine's Day is a day for boys to give gifts to girls they like... while White Day is the opposite, a day for girls to give gifts back to boys.

"Oh...that's quite romantic." Platinum nodded.

"But... at Treson Academy, apart from the trainers, all the students are girls... so here, the festival has evolved into a dumping frenzy where everyone buys and gets free chocolates."

"It sounds like it's suddenly become something extraordinary! It's gone from two people sharing their feelings to a huge party!" Platinum exclaimed in shock.

"The chocolates sell out every year."

"Hasn't this just turned into chocolate manufacturers and students pouring their hearts out to each other?"

"By the way, because the racehorse girls are all rich and energetic, the school is always in chaos around this time of year. I remember last year around this time, the Good Opera erected a life-size chocolate sculpture of itself right in the center of the government building."

"I can already picture the chaotic scene..."

"By the way, the chocolate sculpture started to melt after the sun came out. By noon, it had turned into a sticky mess of chocolate."

"It's melted! The wonderful opera has melted!"

"In short, it's just a good opportunity for these energetic kids to relax, so the student council just lets them have their fun." Rudolph tilted his head and thought for a moment, his feet still moving. Before they knew it, the two of them had climbed halfway up the mountain. "And at this time of year, there are quite a few more couples."

"I see, it's a festival for people who are into social life to have a super party."

Hearing Platinum's words, Rudolf couldn't help but laugh: "What kind of logic is that?"

Platinum nudged Rudolph with her shoulder: "And you? Did you take this opportunity to find your other half?"

Rudolf simply smiled wryly: "These things have nothing to do with me. Forget about finding a loving partner, I don't even receive many chocolates."

That's true. As the student council president, Rudolph is mostly respected more than liked by the students. Even when they do give her chocolates, it's out of a sense of obligation and respect. Compared to that, she doesn't receive many.

However, with chocolate... quality is more important than quantity.

Rudolph, the symbol of destiny, always receives chocolates, but Rudolph doesn't really have any intention of taking things further with his original friends, so he always laughs it off.

I've been treating you as friends, and you actually wanted to get into my bed?

How disgusting! Rudolf symbolizes righteous indignation.

So every White Day... might be a day to look forward to for other ponies, but for Rudolph, it's pure torture and torment.

Navigating between two "friends" whose eyes are red with anger, one must ignore their underlying accusations, find a way to ensure they can get along peacefully, and avoid hurting their feelings...

Thinking of this, Rudolf sighed.

Those guys last year already had their fun; I wonder what kind of bloodshed they'll cause this year.

On the last White Valentine's Day, Donghai naturally took the initiative to cover herself in chocolate from head to toe, tie her with ribbons, and put her in a 1×1×1 meter square box. She even placed it in Rudolph's bedroom, which was practically the only thing missing.

Fortunately, Rudolf had already sensed something was amiss that evening, and went back to his house to stay the night. Otherwise, Rudolf wouldn't have known how to explain to Donghae that even if he was put into the gift box, he was just an ordinary friend.

Incidentally, although Rudolf Symbol was not present, Megumi Mine was. That guy had somehow registered his fingerprints and tiptoed into Rudolf Symbol's house, heading straight for the bedroom on the third floor.

...So, Donghai must be quite adept at getting in there too. What's going on? Does anyone think they can just walk into my house?

When Megumi Takamine saw the large box in the bedroom, she remained remarkably calm. Without even checking what was inside, she simply and swiftly opened the French windows and threw the box out from the third floor.

Rudolf symbolized that if she had been there... she couldn't have imagined how things would have ended!

Thinking of this, Rudolph couldn't help but pat Platinum on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Be careful when you receive the chocolates."

"There might be a life-threatening situation."

Platinum looked at Rudolf's pained expression and, not knowing what to say, could only nod blankly.

White Valentine's Day...it seems to be just a day for dumping chocolates.

Episode 155 Water and Fire Are Incompatible

Ibuki Maki and Kagura secretly peeked out.

She got up very early today, before the sky was even gray. She secretly turned on the induction cooker and, risking being caught by the dorm supervisor, melted all the chocolates she had bought before, then put them in the mold to cool and shape them as she wanted.

This is purely handmade chocolate! Purely handmade... uh, melted and molded.

Ultimately, where does the definition of handicraft begin? Does it start with growing cocoa beans? Lost in thought, Ibuki Maikaku looked around but didn't see anyone.

Even on White Valentine's Day, everyone was more active than usual, and Ibuki Mai and Kagura were still among the first to arrive at the school building.

This... is because... it really is...

The crushing defeat at the Yayoi Prize was a deeply unforgettable experience for Ibuki Mai and Kagura.

I felt a surge of resentment; they had so ruthlessly and mercilessly trampled the dignity of the other contestants... But that figure, that calm and collected figure standing on the stage, was so unforgettable...

Compared to the dazzling beauty of that figure, even the tyrannical trampling seemed bearable.

I hadn't planned on that... I've always been the one getting chocolates...

Thinking about this, Ibuki Kagura felt as if she had lost in some inexplicable way again, and the blush on her face spread to her ears.

Given Ibuki Maikaku's inherently arrogant attitude and outstanding talent, she naturally had a group of fans surrounding her, providing her with a stable source of income from chocolates every year. However, this was the first time she had ever given away chocolates.

The so-called exchange of chocolates was actually a war!

A war that will determine the fate of both sides!

The person who gives chocolates is essentially giving the recipient the power to accept or reject them... placing them in a completely disadvantaged position.

So if the old Ibuki Kagura were to offer me chocolates, it would be worse than killing her. But now that I think about it, I even lost to Platinum in the race, so our positions are no longer equal.

Waaah, I've become the vulnerable one.

Thinking about it any further would make her face steam. Ibuki Kagura suddenly jumped out, found Platinum's shoe cabinet with practiced ease, quietly put her chocolate inside, and then jumped back behind the shelf as if fleeing.

Of course, Ibuki Mai and Kagura knew which shoe locker was which for Platinum. After all, they were classmates and friends.

Well, Platinum doesn't seem to realize it yet.

Having accomplished all this, Ibuki Mai and Kagura clutched their chests, their hearts pounding. They...they had actually done something so indecent!

He deserves to die!

Waaah... I'm not clean anymore...

Just as Ibuki Kagura was still savoring the heart-pounding memory, the doors of the school building opened again. Ibuki Kagura nervously peeked inside.

The woman who arrived at the teaching building was a very tall woman with impressive long, pure black hair that reached her waist. With her elegant smile, she was clearly a classic example of a Japanese woman with long, straight black hair.

Wearing the outer academy's uniform... Is she a logistics girl? Ibuki Kagura wondered to herself, what is she doing in this teaching building?

Unexpectedly, the Yamato Nadeshiko-style woman with long, straight black hair walked slowly to the shoe cabinet, taking small steps forward, and finally stopped in the same spot where Ibuki Mai and Kagura had stood.

"Wait...wasn't that Platinum's shoe cabinet?" Ibuki Maikaku was dumbfounded.

The newcomer knelt down, carefully took the heart-shaped chocolate out of his handbag, and then opened the platinum shoe cabinet.

At that moment, Ibuki Mai Kagura felt her heart stop beating.

The woman with long, straight black hair paused, saw the chocolate from Ibuki Mai and Kagura, and then, without thinking—

He took it out directly and made a move as if to throw it away.

"Hey hey hey hey what are you doing?" Ibuki Maki Kagura couldn't hold back any longer and jumped out.

What are you doing? I'm asking you, what are you doing?!

"Tsk." The newcomer clicked his tongue, as if regretting that he hadn't been able to throw his chocolate away. He then leisurely took both chocolates in his hands and turned to Ibuki Kagura.

"Hehe... Good morning, Miss Mosquito. I didn't expect you to be so eager to come."

"Mosquitoes?" Ibuki Kagura grinded her teeth and sneered, making a smacking sound between them.

It's important to know that Ibuki Maikaku is not someone to be bullied. Before being brutally beaten by Platinum, she was a player who could easily crush others.

Platinum beat me up, fine, but who are you? What are you?

"On a summer night, it flies around camping couples with a drooling look..." The woman with long, straight black hair held two chocolates and made a flying wing gesture while imitating the sound.

"Buzzing...buzzing...buzzing...it's really annoying."

The woman with long, straight black hair approached Ibuki Kagura step by step, puffing out her chest proudly under her cold gaze, and handed her the chocolate.

"Little girl, my name is Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate. You know what that means? When there are mosquitoes around..."

Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate, bends down, and gently blows into Ibuki Kagura's ear: "Just fumigate them with mosquito coils, and they'll all fly away."

"Is that so, a mosquito..." Facing the oncoming carp leaping over the dragon gate, Ibuki Maikaku neither dodged nor fled, but grabbed her chocolate, crossed her arms over her chest, and looked at her coldly.

"My name is Ibuki Maikaku. If you ask me... the most annoying thing isn't mosquitoes."

Ibuki Maikaku pointed to the two antenna-like hairs on Koi Leaping Over the Dragon Gate's head: "They're cockroaches."

"They only crawl in dark and cold places, eating food scraps... Most importantly, they go in groups, taking over other people's homes, which is extremely shameless."

Koi Leaps Over the Dragon Gate, looking at Ibuki Mai Kagura with a half-smile, while Ibuki Mai Kagura stared back at Koi Leaps Over the Dragon Gate expressionlessly. Being around these two, it seemed even one's stance was becoming distorted.

"Hehe, little Ibuki, I recognize you. You're Platinum's classmate, right?" Koi Leaps Over the Dragon Gate chuckled, covering her face, as if she hadn't heard what Ibuki Mai Kagura had just said.

Ibuki Maikaku frowned. She understood the unspoken meaning behind the metaphor of a carp leaping over a dragon gate.

First, he addressed his opponent as "Little Ibuki," thus declaring his supreme status.

Then, in a very familiar tone, he said that his opponent was a Platinum-level classmate... He automatically adopted his wife's perspective, speaking as if the two of them were a newlywed couple.

At the same time, there is also an element of showing off.

Hey kid, how long have you known Platinum? How long have I known Platinum?

Go behind me and join the queue. There's no way it'll be your turn.

If I actually agree, I'll be put on the receiving end.

Episode 156 Handmade Chocolates