That unique special effect took Nearl by complete surprise at this very moment.
She had assumed it would be something similar to Platinum's special effect.
Since it was a Domain effect, Nearl had even prepared herself for the possibility of also activating [Chivalry Field: Colosseum of Kazimierz] and being mistaken by the public as having some sisterly relationship with Platinum.
After all, from the game's story and background, as The Radiant Knight, Nearl also had deep ties to that knightly arena.
Given that they were both [Pegasus] and [Knight], it seemed only natural that they would share the Colosseum of Kazimierz as their domain effect.
But who would have thought...
It would actually be effects like [Arm Up] and [Arm Off]?
[Arm Up: White Robe Victory Outfit transforms into Knight Armor Victory Outfit in the public's perspective]
[Arm Off: Knight Armor Victory Outfit transforms into White Robe Victory Outfit in the public's perspective]
Once she clearly read the descriptions, a strange light immediately flickered in Nearl's orange eyes, and her expression shifted slightly.
The next instant, she gently lowered her head to look at the white victory outfit she was currently wearing.
Originally, Nearl thought her two sets of victory outfits were just for pre-race changes based on her clothing preferences.
Who could have guessed that now, she would have a "one-click outfit change," "skin switch," "armor on/off" function right in the middle of a race?
Even in many games, that kind of functionality would probably be locked behind paid skins, wouldn't it?
Not to mention, in this Uma Musume world, you couldn't even pay for microtransactions if you wanted to—this was a place where noble young ladies were a dime a dozen.
Every race that the Pegasus Platinum had won in the past had competitors from at least several different noble families. There was even one race where half the field consisted of Uma Musume from the combined top European noble families under the Coolmore Group. And yet, the victory outfits they wore were all extremely conventional and normal.
In comparison, Nearl's lance and her second set of knight armor were absolutely enough to leave people utterly astonished.
And now—was she really about to activate Arm Up, making her knight armor visibly appear to the public right in the middle of a race?
Just thinking about that scene, the golden-haired girl felt a growing flicker of interest.
This kind of armoring and disarming at will during a race was truly unheard of, and for Margaret Nearl, it held a significant allure.
Because this way... she wouldn't have to struggle with choosing between two outfits before a race, agonizing over which victory outfit to wear.
From now on, she could continue wearing this white robe that the public was already familiar with, and then, when activating her domain acceleration, she could armor up in one swift motion, donning that set of gleaming, cold knight armor?!
"It seems... the next race..."
"Will be something to look forward to!"
--+--
The next day.
On the training field, a dark-coated girl was pushing through an intensely grueling training regimen.
The sheer volume of her training was so exaggerated that most older, peak-condition Uma Musume would consider it "horse abuse."
Yet Sunday Silence carried on with unwavering determination. Despite her seemingly small and inconspicuous frame, her body seemed to harbor boundless potential, not to mention her iron will!
Only with that could she overcome such an extreme training load, pushing herself to become stronger, closer to her peak, before the next American Triple Crown arrived!
"Huff... huff..."
"This alone is definitely not enough!"
"[Margaret Nearl]—that monster gives me a greater sense of crisis than even Easy Goer, hailed as the [Third-Generation Big Red Monster]!"
Pausing to catch her breath after finishing her training, Sunday Silence's face was filled with seriousness and intensity, without a trace of slackness.
Even though the next American Triple Crown was still over six months away—plenty of time—Sunday Silence didn't dare relax in the slightest.
The Radiant Knight Nearl's back-to-back G1 wins in the Hopeful Stakes and the just-concluded Travers Stakes the day before had put immense pressure on every filly aiming for the American Triple Crown!
From Sunday Silence to Easy Goer, everyone felt it absolutely!
The victories brought by Margaret Nearl were transforming into a storm, sweeping across the entire United States!
That was no exaggeration, because... this was something unheard of in a century of American history—a filly in her first season defeating classic-season Uma Musume! You'd be hard-pressed to find more than a few examples like this anywhere in the world throughout racing history.
This was a true [upset victory]! And one of a kind, at that!
Actually, upsets aren't all that rare around the world.
In Europe and the U.S., especially, they happen quite frequently, with several cases popping up every year.
But those upsets usually involve classic-season Uma Musume defeating older horses. In American history, there's simply no example of a first-season filly pulling off such an exaggerated feat by defeating older competitors!
After all, in the hyper-competitive racing scenes of Europe and America, the goal is to reach peak form as early as possible. So, right after completing the classic-season Triple Crown races, they immediately challenge the authority and throne of older horses.
But that so-called early maturity and throne succession—at the very least, it happens after the classic races are done!
Nearl, however, had taken this "upset" way too far—how could she still win after debuting just over a month ago, while still technically a first-season filly?!
"Isn't this as absurd as... that Silver Pegasus on turf?"
"I remember, in a lot of videos promoting Platinum, it was highlighted that she won a G1 classic race as a first-season filly!"
Sunday Silence suddenly recalled the Pegasus Platinum.
She was an Uma Musume adored by fans from Japan to Dubai and all across Europe, with some even praising her as...
—[Unmatched Strength, No Peak Higher than The Everest! The Sky Above the Sky!]
As a first-season filly, Platinum directly challenged classic-season races. In less than three months after her debut, she completed her debut race, earned qualifications in graded stakes, and then charged into the Oaks, the Japanese Derby, and the English Epsom Derby!
Officially, because participating in the Classic Triple Crown counts as "skipping a grade," she was classified as a classic-season competitor. But who didn't know that the Pegasus Platinum had just debuted and was purely a first-season filly pulling off an upset victory?
Now, the unique achievements of the world's first Pegasus Platinum were being replicated by a second golden Pegasus, Margaret Nearl?!
Are all Uma Musume labeled [Pegasus] this outrageous?
It's almost as if they're so exceptional—they seem to transcend the very species of Uma Musume!
"But... I won't admit defeat that easily."
After a short while, Sunday Silence finished her rest and stood up.
But she didn't immediately dive back into training.
Ever since her past injury, when she was treated by that gentle Dr. Lin Anran and grew closer to him through those interactions,
Dr. Lin had repeatedly reminded Sunday Silence, as well as Seattle Slew, Secretariat, and the others, to manage their training loads carefully and avoid pushing too hard for short-term gains that could lead to injury.
If an Uma Musume gets injured and it lasts for a month or so, they'll have to go through rehab and gradually return to training.
The scattered costs of all that, added together, would almost always far outweigh the benefits of reckless, excessive training.
With that comparison and Dr. Lin's advice, even though Sunday Silence felt anxious, she could still maintain a calm mindset and avoid blind recklessness.
"Today's training is done."
"So next..."
In the dark-coated girl's mind, the group chat from some time ago flashed to life.
It was a second chat group created by Secretariat without Dr. Lin, filled with the fillies who had been treated and interacted with Dr. Lin the most.
In other words... this group was full of rivals eyeing her beloved Dr. Lin!
On the track, they were rivals; off the track, they were still rivals!
And in that group chat from some time ago, titled [Only the Strong Deserve the Beauty], a message from Secretariat appeared.
It was shared intelligence stating that Sham, who had been injured after failing in the American Triple Crown, had sought treatment from Dr. Lin.
And what's more, she was plotting something shady against Dr. Lin!
That piece of intelligence immediately put Sunday Silence and the others on high alert.
"Sham... I'm not familiar with her, but I know she's definitely someone to watch out for."
"Secretariat sharing this intel is clearly trying to use me and others who care about Dr. Lin as tools to block Sham. She's probably busy training and preparing for new races herself."
"This is a blatant scheme, but I have no choice but to play along."
If she didn't keep an eye out and block Sham, what if...
What if something really happened?
After all, there's only one Dr. Lin!
Sunday Silence was extremely worried that before she could even complete the Triple Crown races, Sham or some other thieving cat would [steal her home]!
She couldn't let that happen! The thought of Dr. Lin finding another Uma Musume!!
Sunday Silence wanted Dr. Lin to think only of her for the rest of his life!
So, since training was over, she had to free up time to go to Dr. Lin's clinic.
"Time to visit Dr. Lin. That way, I can guard against any potential threats from Sham or other thieving cats..."
"Plus, it'll help deepen my relationship with Dr. Lin!"
"This is Senior Secretariat letting us make a move, and no one objected, so it doesn't count as [breaking the rules], right?"
As an Uma Musume, getting regular check-ups from a doctor... wasn't that perfectly reasonable?
The only downside to this universal excuse was that it couldn't be used repeatedly in a short period.
It's worth mentioning—Sunday Silence, along with Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Ruffian, had previously agreed on a rule that no one would make a move arbitrarily in the short term.
After all, Dr. Lin had just returned to the U.S. not long ago, and his clinic had either not opened or had just opened.
If Dr. Lin sensed something off and decided to pack up and leave again, what would they do?
At the very least, they had to wait until Dr. Lin's medical career in the U.S. stabilized before they could each show their skills and accelerate in the [Lin Anran Cup].
But now... Sham's appearance had slightly disrupted the original rules.
Secretariat's decision to share the intelligence openly was clearly a signal that they could have limited contact with Dr. Lin to guard against other potential thieving cats.
So, Sunday Silence knew she now had a legitimate reason to make her move!
"Alright, time to go see Dr. Lin again~"
As Sunday Silence started walking toward the clinic she knew so well, her mind drifted to that unfamiliar Uma Musume, Sham.
[Dangerous]!
That was the adjective Sunday Silence couldn't help but assign to her after some thought.
Calling her dangerous was definitely not an overreaction.
In fact, Sunday Silence felt it might even be underestimating Sham.
The reasoning was simple: if Sham weren't highly dangerous and proactive, why would Secretariat openly share the intel, clearly indicating that they could have limited contact to protect Dr. Lin?
"Just based on appearance, Sham is elegant, has a great figure, carries herself like a noble young lady, and radiates approachability without any cold, distant aloofness."
"She practically seems like the gentle childhood friend, the first love, the noble lady in the public's eyes."
"But—!"
"That astonishing [Kentucky Derby] is enough to prove she's no saint! Not the friendly miss she appears to be at all!"
When Sunday Silence recalled the Kentucky Derby from a few months ago, a look of near awe appeared in her eyes.
The Kentucky Derby, the first leg of the American Triple Crown, speaks volumes about its importance.
In that race, almost every Uma Musume on the field became mere supporting characters for Secretariat and Sham. That epic battle turned into a super iconic [one-on-one] [showdown].
Feeling Secretariat's immense strength and chasing victory at any cost, the seemingly gentle and elegant Sham pursued the fastest start, not letting slip even the slightest lead.
Because her start was so rushed and abrupt, Sham actually ended up hitting the gate with her teeth, causing blood to flow!
Yet despite that, Sham didn't stop for a second. She was like a demon on the battlefield—ferocious, terrifying, and incredibly powerful! Under the awed and horrified gazes of the surrounding Uma Musume, she displayed exceptional prowess.
By the time she crossed the finish line, Sham's time had surpassed every previous record in the history of the Kentucky Derby up to that point.
In other words—!
Even the past Triple Crown winners and dual classic champions, legendary performances from their classic-year Kentucky Derbies, were outperformed by Sham!
Secretariat, historical first.
Sham, historical second.
In terms of outcome, Sham lost to the great red monster Secretariat. But as the second-place finisher, she surpassed the former historical record-holder, and together with Secretariat, they pushed the previous record down to third place and beyond!
That same Sham, who started so hard she bled yet still chased down a historical second-place time, and in the next race, the Belmont Stakes, though she lost to Secretariat again...
Her time in that second race was still enough to rank in the historical top five!
If not for Secretariat, many believed Sham had a very high chance of becoming a Triple Crown winner! Her strength, talent, and desire to win were terrifying to the extreme!
A monster known for her [intense competitive spirit], who chased even to the point of breaking her legs in the Belmont Stakes without giving up...
If Sham were to apply that competitive spirit from the races to the [Lin Anran Cup] outside of competition!
Who wouldn't be wary?
Just thinking about Sham's terrifying, demonic competitive drive during the American Triple Crown, Sunday Silence couldn't stay calm at all.
"Sham looks elegant? Gentle? That must just be a [false facade] before her competitive spirit is ignited, before she finds her prey!!"
"And according to Senior Secretariat's intel, Sham now... is already attracted to Dr. Lin."
"No one understands Sham's competitive drive better than Secretariat, which is why she's tacitly allowing us to make limited moves to guard against Sham."
Kentucky Derby, bloodied, historical top two.
Belmont Stakes, historical top five.
Chased even to the point of breaking a leg without withdrawing.
"An Uma Musume like this is dangerous on the track, and off the track... she's probably even more dangerous!"
"And she appears so approachable, elegant, gentle, and leaves an excellent impression!"
"We must prevent Dr. Lin from being deceived. This is a [bad woman]!"
The dark-coated girl couldn't help but quicken her pace, heading toward the familiar, long-unvisited clinic.
--+--
A short while later.
Inside the clinic.
The black-haired girl Sham leaned casually against the examination table, a playful smile on her lips, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Dr. Lin, could you check on how my leg is recovering today?"
In the next moment, the black-haired girl seemingly offhandedly mentioned some slight discomfort in her leg, then suddenly stretched it out and placed it on the examination table.
It was a long, well-proportioned, and beautifully toned leg, honed by rigorous training with smooth lines, and skin as fair as jade, radiating aesthetic appeal. And not just that—Sham was wearing black stockings on both legs.
The stockings were soft and elastic, perfectly outlining the curves of her legs, extending from her thighs down to her ankles, covering the tops of her feet and revealing only her delicate toes. Under the light, the stockings reflected a subtle sheen, adding to their allure.
The young woman in open-toed black stockings tilted her head slightly, smiling as she waited for the young male doctor to begin his examination.
She was testing the doctor with this!
This scene even made Lin Anran, who considered himself well-experienced in treating numerous Uma Musume, freeze for a moment.
From treating Secretariat, Sunday Silence, and Flightline in the U.S. to traveling far to Japan to treat Tokai Teio, Agnes Tachyon, and others, Lin Anran had never seen an Uma Musume come for a check-up wearing open-toed black stockings.
Testing an official like this?
But as long as the medical fees were paid normally, as long as the gold coins dropped properly, the somewhat morally flexible young doctor didn't mind accepting the challenge and continuing the treatment.
What could he do? After all, he was a kind-hearted healing hand for Uma Musume.
But the very next moment...
From outside the street came the sound of firm, hurried footsteps.
In the next instant, a petite, dark-coated girl appeared at the doorway.
Just as Sunday Silence was about to step inside, her eyes fell on something unexpected, and her pupils immediately contracted.
Sunday Silence's exquisite features, almost identical to Manhattan Cafe's, didn't share Manhattan Cafe's minimal emotional fluctuations.
Her gaze first landed on the familiar black-haired young doctor, then shifted to Sham's open-toed black stockings.
"???"
Seeing Sham actually here in Dr. Lin's clinic, wearing stockings despite having leg injuries—how could the dark-coated girl stay calm under these circumstances?
"Dr. Lin... I'm here for a check-up."
Sunday Silence softly called out Lin Anran's name, then stared intently at Sham.
"Senior Sham, I remember what the required courses at Uma Musume Academies mentioned."
"When receiving treatment for injuries, Uma Musume shouldn't wear stockings on their legs, right?"
Sunday Silence stepped fully inside, her tone absolutely certain. She continued,
"It seems Senior Sham is so focused on racing that she's forgotten a lot of basics. No need to trouble Dr. Lin with these stockings—I'll help you take them off."
"I'm sure Senior Big Red is also very [concerned] about you."
When Sunday Silence mentioned the last part, her voice made the elegantly smiling young lady Sham's expression freeze completely.
When Sunday Silence first suggested "helping" take them off, Sham felt immediately displeased. Where did this little filly come from, not focusing on preparing for the Triple Crown but instead interfering with her?
Not apologizing and leaving, not waiting her turn—how could she be so bold?
This Sunday Silence shouldn't have had much contact with Dr. Lin since he returned to the U.S., so why was she so aggressive?
But when Sunday Silence mentioned "Big Red" at the end, Sham fully understood.
This, this was...
That second-generation Big Red Monster, too busy with her race schedule to get away—had Secretariat sent reinforcements to stop her?!
That last sentence was clearly a threat born of dissatisfaction. Sunday Silence was indicating she could report this to Secretariat at any time.
Either back off and stop, or drag Secretariat into this and let everything blow up!
'Madwoman!'
'This dark little filly, and that Big Red one... they're all madwomen!'
The next moment, the seemingly elegant and gentle black-haired young lady appeared to only understand the surface meaning and nodded gently.
"It's touching that Big Red would [worry] about me."
Finally, Sham slightly turned her head away from Lin Anran's line of sight and looked directly at the dark-coated Sunday Silence.
Instantly, her elegant expression transformed into one of extreme coldness.
"Thank you for the important reminder, but there's no need to trouble yourself. I'll take them off myself."
But her voice remained as warm and charming as ever, as if genuinely thanking Sunday Silence for the reminder and "help."
Soon, Sham sat back in her seat, crossing her legs as she began removing her stockings.
—The first simple skirmish ended with Sunday Silence's victory.
Sunday Silence finally let out a slight sigh of relief. She saw the black-haired young lady acting composed, seemingly admitting defeat.
But...
Sham's level of craziness was definitely no less than Sunday Silence's!
Was this yielding, admitting defeat?
No, at most, this was just the calm before the storm.
Sham, that widely recognized insane competitive spirit from the races... was about to be fully ignited now!
--+--
Several days later.
On the road to a certain clinic.
Sham was once again on her way to Lin Anran's clinic.
Her hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall, dark and glossy, swaying gently with her steps. Combined with Sham's exceptional cham, she seemed like a harmless, adorable girl next door.
"Time to visit Dr. Lin again. This time... it can't just be a simple treatment."
"Last time, I ran into that Big Red."
"Three or four days ago during treatment, I ran into Sunday Silence! They won't even give me a chance for slight contact?"
The black-haired young lady curled her lips into a sharp smile.
"Fine, if that's how it is, then I'll go all out."
She was going to...offer a hefty sum to invite Lin Anran to her home for a short period to develop a recovery training rehab plan for her.
In other words—a lucrative invitation for Dr. Lin to stay at her place for a few days!
And if there happened to be a power outage at night, and something unexpected occurred in the darkness... surely Secretariat and Sunday Silence would understand, right?
Horseplay... is coming!
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
There should be... around 70+ advanced chapters?
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.