The current Sham...
She was furious!
First Secretariat a while back, then Sunday Silence a few days ago—each had smoothly disrupted Sham's original plans.
Initially, this seemingly elegant, well-behaved black-haired young lady just wanted to quietly build a good relationship with Dr. Lin, preparing for a closer bond in the future.
Was that too much to ask? Why did they have to interfere with her, one after another?
Her getting close to Dr. Lin? Perfectly fine.
Other little foreign fillies getting close to Dr. Lin? Absolutely not.
Other little foreign fillies obstructing her from getting close to Dr. Lin? Even more unacceptable!
Enough was enough!
'Hmph, that last remark from Sunday Silence...'
'Big Red—she actually brought up Big Red, Secretariat!'
'Sunday Silence's appearance was no coincidence. I must change my plans!'
With her keen sense of smell, Sham had already sensed something was off.
Sunday Silence's presence was full of irregularities.
'Obviously, Secretariat accidentally bumped into me first, but she's busy with training and important races—she can't keep an eye on me all the time.'
'So, Sunday Silence took over!'
But why did Sunday Silence happen to coincidentally run into her during her "regular" visits?
It was almost as if... Sunday Silence had already undergone treatment and knew Dr. Lin's habits—like how many days it usually took before the next treatment session began.
The tone Sunday Silence used when talking to Dr. Lin was even more natural than when she herself spoke to him.
But the problem was, Sunday Silence hadn't been injured recently! How could she know Dr. Lin so well?
There seemed to be only one answer...
That is—long before Dr. Lin arrived in Japan and made a name for himself, he already had a very good relationship with Secretariat, Sunday Silence, and the others!
This was the correct conclusion Sham reached after thinking it over, despite seeming to have suffered setbacks from being blocked by Secretariat and Sunday Silence.
Her sharpness wasn't limited to the racetrack—it applied off the track as well!
'So... I'm afraid that if I try to see Dr. Lin normally for my next treatment, Sunday Silence or even other Uma Musume might show up again.'
'On one hand, I can't get closer to Dr. Lin in the short term as originally planned... On the other hand, there might be at least several "thieving cats" who already know Dr. Lin well, have excellent relationships with him, and are far ahead of me!'
'The situation is extremely critical!'
Sham stopped walking and gently touched her feet, which no longer felt any pain. Her calm, elegant, and gentle expression was now filled with cold intensity.
She was no fool who would lose her composure just because a plan was disrupted.
In Sham's mind, thoughts raced as she reflected on her time knowing Dr. Lin, as well as the situations involving Sunday Silence, Secretariat, and the others.
'What's important is that Sunday Silence and Secretariat don't see Dr. Lin frequently. They only see him "regularly"!'
'Even though they have excellent relationships with him, they both choose to see him periodically... It seems likely that Secretariat and Sunday Silence must have some kind of agreement.'
'For the time being, they probably can't make a move on Dr. Lin freely. But they certainly don't mind periodically blocking me from pursuing him!'
This was the reason Sham had been provoked more than once.
But now, after thoroughly analyzing the situation, Sham calmed down and saw a great opportunity!
Wasn't this a case of them keeping each other in check?
In other words, wasn't this just like during a race when a large group of Uma Musume form among the mid-pack and front-runner groups?
Although she seemed to be at a disadvantage—a closer being marked, the last to appear, the one who started late—but...
Precisely because she started late, Secretariat and Sunday Silence surely weren't fully prepared to guard against her yet.
While they were busy keeping each other in check and preparing for their own races, how could they accurately and constantly monitor a closer coming from far behind?
That kind of thing... was absolutely impossible!
'If I, as a "closer," play by the rules and follow their rhythm in the "Lin Anran Cup."'
'Then, having started late, I will definitely lose.'
After all, Dr. Lin had better relationships with Secretariat and Sunday Silence and had known them longer.
If she tried to pursue Dr. Lin at the same efficiency, Sham, starting from zero, would be at the greatest disadvantage.
She couldn't play by the rules anymore!
'On the contrary, if I break the rhythm they've set and accelerate early... victory is within reach!!'
And what did accelerating early mean?
Dr. Lin was the acceleration she wanted!
So... she had to take extreme measures, using methods Secretariat and Sunday Silence would never expect, to launch a surprise attack!
To this end, the current Sham had made ample preparations to ensure everything went smoothly.
'Dr. Lin... I'm coming!'
--+--
Europe.
A silvery-white young Pegasus girl was lazily holding her phone, scrolling through parts of the official racing website.
[Eclipse Stakes Latest Penalty Report]
[King George VI Stakes Open for Entries]
These past few days, the slightly lazy Miss Platinum had come across quite a few interesting news stories. She could also sense that the Uma Musume racing circles across Europe were quietly buzzing with excitement.
Because... the time for the King George VI Stakes was drawing closer. And the latest penalty report from the Eclipse Trophy had been announced once again.
That is—
The four Coolmore Uma Musume involved in cornering Platinum were collectively suspended for six months and all had their rankings disqualified.
Furthermore, the Eclipse Stakes would henceforth impose entry restrictions: no more than one-third of the entrants could be from the same family.
In truth, Platinum had already learned about these penalties a while ago. She opened the article now to see the comments below.
As the silvery-white young woman scrolled down to the comments section...
"Huh? What was originally a two-month 'vacation' turned into a serious six-month suspension? The punishment finally makes sense."
"This directly bans them for a fraction of their careers—now that's a proper penalty for a serious violation."
"This punishment is appropriate. Two months would've just been a post-G1 break. Six months is a suitable penalty to deter even the prestigious families."
"As a Pegasus fan, I'm thrilled!"
"Wait, there are two Pegasus girls now, right? Which one are you a fan of?"
"Gwah, I want both! I support them all!"
"Platinum, my Platinum, will you win the King George VI Stakes?"
After reading, Platinum closed the article.
Then, she stood up from her room.
The lazy Platinum, feeling utterly bored lately, pondered what she should do.
She couldn't just laze around in her room all day, could she? That would be a bit too dull.
Just as Platinum was considering whether to do something... her phone, which she had just turned off, suddenly chimed with a message notification.
So, she chose to look back at her phone screen.
The next second, Platinum saw clearly that the sender was... [Galileo]?
A while back, when Platinum had arrived in Europe for her campaign and the original Lin Anran had returned to the United States, Galileo had grown quite anxious.
Thus, during this time, she occasionally probed Platinum for information, asking if Dr. Lin had any plans to come to Europe.
But now, the message from Galileo seemed unrelated to her original self?
[Galileo: The King George VI Stakes is about to begin. Are you prepared, Platinum?]
[Galileo: This time, without a doubt, you will be facing the strongest opponent you've ever encountered—bar none!]
It was actually a well-intentioned reminder?
Even a world-class Uma Musume like Galileo didn't hesitate to say that the opponent in the King George VI Stakes would be the "strongest opponent she'd ever faced"?
The silvery-white young woman was slightly taken aback.
The most outstanding opponents she had faced in terms of achievements and strength were undoubtedly the two formidable rivals she encountered in the Dubai World Cup.
Namely, the contemporary heavy-track demon, Montjeu, who could showcase exceptional adaptability on heavy grass tracks.
And the dual-surface genius, Dubai Millennium, renowned worldwide for mastering both turf and dirt.
Those two Uma Musume were undoubtedly strong, but neither could be considered historic-level on firm turf tracks.
Montjeu barely reached historic-level on heavy tracks, but not on firm ones. And based on Galileo's confident assessment...
Would her opponent in the King George VI Stakes truly reach historic-level?
Such strength, across the vast European Uma Musume racing world, would be a once-in-a-decade occurrence at the very least.
[Galileo: Harbinger—I wonder if you've heard that name.]
[Galileo: On the training track, she crushed a slightly out-of-form Montjeu by a huge margin. And just the other day... she defeated me by a large margin as well.]
[Galileo: Her strength absolutely reaches historic-level. It's not even like Montjeu-senpai's case, where she barely reaches it under specific conditions. Harbinger is exceptional even among historic-level Uma Musume and has the potential to challenge legendary status!]
[Galileo: Even my seemingly petite but actually proud little sister fully acknowledged Harbinger's terror after watching the training race!]
Then, Galileo sent a string of follow-up messages.
After reading them, Platinum raised an eyebrow.
Not only was she at the peak of historic-level, but she might even touch legendary status? Exceptional even among historic-level Uma Musume?
That would be a once-in-several-decades super powerhouse!
This King George VI Stakes was destined to be the most classic race in the event's history in the past ten years.
"Wait, since when is Galileo this nice?"
After her surprise, Platinum was also a little incredulous. Galileo, whom she had defeated three times and twice sent to the Pegasus Hall of Fame...
Why would she be so enthusiastic and proactive, warning her not to underestimate this incredibly fearsome opponent?
Even if she had a good personality and didn't hold grudges after losses, there wasn't much need for such ardent reminders, was there?
Puzzled, Platinum, after a few seconds...
[Galileo: So I suggest, before the race begins, you should train hard, Platinum.]
[Galileo: To maximize your chances of winning, it's best to have a highly skilled doctor who knows you well tailor a suitable training regimen based on your physical condition. This will help you adapt quickly and optimally for the King George VI Stakes.]
After reading Galileo's suggestion, the confused Platinum fell silent for a moment.
Well, well, well. So that's the game she's playing. Now Platinum understood.
Immediately, Platinum quickly typed her reply.
[Platinum: Okay, thanks for the reminder. I'll consider it carefully.]
Coming was out of the question.
At least for the short term, that certain black-hearted young doctor would definitely choose to stay in the United States.
His reputation in the U.S. was finally growing, and his career was booming.
Now that more and more injured little foreign fillies were coming to his door, coming to Europe at this time... wouldn't that be maximizing losses?
At the very least, he needed his fame to reach a certain level, to become a widely recognized "renowned doctor."
Once he reached that esteemed status, even if Lin Anran left temporarily—whether for Japan or Europe—upon his return to the U.S., many little fillies would immediately seek him out for regular check-ups and treatments as soon as they heard he was back.
He still had a way to go before reaching that point. At least for now, he wasn't quite there yet, so he couldn't leave casually.
"According to Galileo, Harbinger is extremely, extremely strong. Even her incredibly talented little sister, who dominates Europe, Sea the Stars, acknowledges this."
"And the reason the Coolmore Group didn't corner me in the more prestigious and influential King George VI Stakes was probably because of Harbinger's presence."
"Both the Sea Family and the Coolmore Group recognize her strength."
"Then..."
This was no ordinary Uma Musume. She needed to bring out the heavy punches!
Although Platinum didn't have an ultimate obsession or desire to win, it was worth mentioning that she didn't particularly like the feeling of losing.
So, during races, she might occasionally take it easy a bit, start late, do a look back or two, but she had never lost.
Since her opponent's strength was extraordinary—the strongest she'd faced since her debut a year ago...
It seemed she would have to get serious for the King George VI Stakes!
--+--
Then, some time later.
In her room, Platinum now felt a slight doubt about another matter.
Before the race arrived, wouldn't things be a bit too boring now?
Would it be bad to just stay cooped up in her room until the King George VI Stakes began?
In the Uma Musume world, there was no such thing as the Armorless Union, and she had nowhere to go to work.
She couldn't just pick up her old trade and open an Uma Musume clinic in Europe too, could she?
Platinum was certain that given her current popularity and influence in the turf racing world, if she opened a clinic outside...
In less than half a day, it would definitely make headline news in the Uma Musume circles of various countries.
Since there was really nothing to do...
"Then... go train at the training field downstairs?"
"Or—just run some secondary G2 races as training and warm-up before the heavyweight King George VI Stakes arrives?"
Which should she choose? Free training in the training field?
Or use other prestigious races as training and warm-up?
Faced with this choice, Platinum didn't hesitate for a second. She chose to use races as her training!
The former, no matter how long she trained, wouldn't earn her a single cent in prize money.
The latter... the more she won, the more prize money she'd get!
"Okay, then before the important races like the King George VI Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, I'll just regularly run through some G2 races as preparation."
Feeling somewhat bored, the great Miss Platinum decided to start using consecutive races as a warm-up.
The next second, as if thinking of something, Platinum suddenly reopened her phone.
She quickly began searching the official website for recent prestigious races and looked through the entry lists for upcoming events.
In Europe, G1 races weren't exactly few, but if you sought internationally influential G1 races, then there weren't that many.
As for the second-tier G2 races, whose numbers were multiplied many times over, they were too numerous to count.
So, Platinum scrolled for a good while before finding some interesting races among the many G2 entry lists.
"This G2 has four Coolmore Uma Musume."
"This G2 has three Coolmore fillies entered. Check this one too."
"This G2 has four!"
"Here, two... not many, but the timing works. Might as well enter this one too."
As for G1 races, currently there weren't many top-tier Coolmore Uma Musume to be found; several were already on the suspension list.
The slightly vindictive great Platinum decided to prioritize G2 races with a larger number of Uma Musume from the Coolmore Group for her consecutive race preparations.
Coolmore cornering and hunting the Pegasus?
No, the tables had turned now.
Next up... it was the warm-up session for the Armorless Union's great Platinum! The silvery-white young woman would hunt the Coolmore Uma Musume instead!
Win the G2 warm-up races, and win the King George VI Stakes too. That could be considered sound and proper.
Goal: Sixty-three races, sixty-three victories—the legend of the strongest undefeated Uma Musume!
--+--
United States, in front of a clinic.
"Thank you, Dr. Lin!"
"Your medical skills are truly as rumored... no, even better than the rumors say!"
"Thank you. Next time I need a check-up or get injured again, I'll come find you."
A tall, golden-haired foreign filly said somewhat happily to the black-haired young doctor seeing her to the door.
Lin Anran simply smiled slightly and waved at her.
"Check-ups are always welcome."
"As a doctor, I sincerely hope you won't need treatment and will stay healthy until retirement."
"Then, I wish you the best of luck in your races."
With that, Lin Anran saw off his fifth Uma Musume patient of the day.
When he returned to his seat inside the clinic...
Just a few minutes later, Lin Anran heard clattering footsteps approaching on the street.
Another patient?
The current Lin Anran could clearly sense that the number of Uma Musume visiting his clinic was gradually increasing.
It seemed his recent treatments and service attitude had built a reputation and gained recognition.
Word of mouth spread, and the future looked promising!
There would be more and more little fillies who could make it rain gold!
The black-hearted young doctor, in a pleasant mood, quickly suppressed his smile and maintained a serious, calm expression, waiting for this new little foreign filly.
Little foreign fillies—the more, the merrier!
A few seconds later.
A black figure that had felt somewhat familiar to Lin Anran lately crossed the threshold and entered his view.
"Huh?"
"Sham??"
The black-hearted young doctor's voice immediately held a note of surprise.
He hadn't expected to see Sham showing up now.
The current Sham had already undergone several treatment phases and was only one last session away from full recovery.
In Lin Anran's assessment, Sham's physical condition was almost fully restored; she could gradually start training again.
At a time like this, someone as fiercely competitive as Sham should be training. Why was she coming to the clinic to find him?
It wasn't time for her next treatment yet. There were still two or three days left before the cycle he'd set.
Puzzled, Lin Anran didn't understand but welcomed her nonetheless. After all, she was a major client, a little filly who could make it rain gold.
"Dr. Lin, could I ask you for a favor?"
Sham, with the approachability of the girl next door, smiled slightly and sat down in front of Lin Anran.
She didn't beat around the bush and continued.
"This is the first time I've been seriously injured to this extent, and I want to return to the track as quickly and efficiently as possible."
"If I try to figure out a suitable training load on my own, it'll be too difficult. Training too much might re-injure my not-yet-fully-recovered body."
"Training too little and being too conservative would make recovery too slow, and I might miss races I'm interested in."
"So—I'd like to ask you to stay at my place short-term, to tailor a safe and suitable training plan for me based on my physical condition."
In other words, this was a short-term employment.
Sham had a hunch that inviting the young doctor to become her family's physician or her exclusive contracted doctor probably wouldn't be easy.
But if... she changed it to something simple, easy, and very short-term, offering a large sum of money in return?
No need to look after many Uma Musume, just adjust and create the most suitable and safe training plan based on her physical condition.
It could be done in a few days if things went quickly. And the fee Sham intended to offer was substantial!
Hearing this, even the black-hearted young doctor was stunned.
Not much workload—at most, sitting by the training track watching Sham run, adjusting the training plan over a few days—in exchange for a heavy reward?
Who could resist such temptation?
'What a big city! So many opportunities to earn gold!'
'You little filly, you really delight me...'
Lin Anran didn't hesitate in the slightest. He nodded gently and made his choice.
"Since I'm handling your treatment, of course I should see it through to the end."
"I feel duty-bound."
"Then, Miss Sham, when would you like to start?"
Hearing Lin Anran's agreement, the black-haired young woman, whose appearance was highly deceptive, couldn't quite suppress the warmth on her face. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
'No, can't laugh yet, I have to hold it in...'
Along with her rapidly accelerating heartbeat, the black-haired young lady's ample bosom heaved with an intensity that even Sunday Silence or Platinum would find difficult to match.
"Today. Let's make it today."
"After you finish work, Dr. Lin, a driver from home will come pick you up."
Dr. Lin... was coming to her home!
Could anyone else pull that off?!
The sheep was entering the tiger's den!!
--+--
Currently.
The crimson-haired young girl was training hard on the practice track.
The current Secretariat didn't believe any accidents would occur.
The appearance of monsters like Sham and Platinum thrilled Secretariat. Defeating just one of them would be enough to cement her title as the strongest in history.
Thus, finally fulfilling her promise with Dr. Lin!
All that was left was time before she could have Dr. Lin for herself.
Until then, she had to train hard and maintain excellent condition. It would be terrible if she lost to Nearl in the future.
Although in Secretariat's view, the possibility of her losing was extremely slim, she couldn't afford to lose.
"Huff..."
"Huff..."
"According to Dr. Lin's treatment habits, Sham's next treatment is in two days."
"Two days from now, either I or someone like Flightline can go block Sham."
With other competitors periodically causing trouble around Sham's treatment times, there should be no surprises.
For now, she could train with peace of mind.
Secretariat was still training—
--+--
Several hours later.
After getting out of the dedicated driver's car, the black-haired young doctor was dragging his suitcase toward the entrance of a luxurious estate.
Lin Anran had brought several sets of clothes, prepared to stay at Sham's place for a few days.
As soon as he reached the gate, he saw the estate doors open.
Then, he saw the familiar black-haired girl, Sham, wearing a dress that accentuated her stunning figure, walking out from the villa within the estate and waving to him.
"Dr. Lin, welcome to my home."
"Come on in, I've prepared a room for you."
Lin Anran stepped forward, walking toward where Sham stood.
But for some reason, his heartbeat sped up slightly, and his eyelids twitched a little.
He was just here to take it easy and look after the little filly's health. Nothing unusual would happen... right?
--+--
Ten minutes later.
Lin Anran had already stepped into his room.
"Dr. Lin, this is your room."
"The room next door is mine. Feel free to come find me anytime."
The shapely black-haired young woman waved at Lin Anran, then closed the door.
The moment the door closed...
Once back in her adjacent room, Sham walked to the window and looked up at the dark, cloudy night sky.
She hadn't chosen to bring Dr. Lin over tonight on a whim.
The weather—she had already confirmed the weather!
Tonight, there would be a perfectly suitable storm!
The happy black-haired young lady directly picked up her phone and sent a message to a family member.
[Sham: In a little over an hour, according to the weather, it's going to thunder and rain.]
[Sham: When it does, be sure to shut off the power!!]
Soon, Sham received a reply. Satisfied, she put down her phone.
Full of anticipation, her heart swelling with excitement, the young Sham sat on the edge of her bed, waiting for the countdown.
--+--
Drip...
Drop...
Under Sham's eager anticipation, time passed bit by bit.
After who knows how long, outside the window, the sound of frantic rain finally began to patter.
The pouring rain—it had arrived!!
Not only that, but lightning soon followed, streaking through the storm clouds.
Boom! Rumble!!
Even the thunder was deafening.
Generally speaking, weather like this wasn't liked by any Uma Musume, as it severely hindered training and racing.
Only Uma Musume like Montjeu, who specialized in heavy tracks and possessed extra ability on them, might somewhat enjoy this kind of weather.
But at this moment, Sham slightly curved her lips. She got out of bed, silently counting down in her heart.
[3!]
[2!]
[1!]
The next instant, all the lights within the estate instantly went out.
Every light in the villa suddenly vanished simultaneously, plunging it into darkness like an isolated island.
As a delicate and timid little filly who had recently been injured, in such a dark and terrifying environment without any lights...
Wasn't it perfectly reasonable for her to seek out the gentle young doctor who had treated her?
The impatient young Sham pushed open her door and stepped toward the immediately adjacent room.
--+--
"Why did the power suddenly go out?"
In his room, Lin Anran, who had been leaning on his bed, was surprised when the lights suddenly went out, plunging everything into darkness.
He also noticed the sound of rain outside the window, along with the lightning and thunder.
Before Lin Anran could fully process it, he heard the sound of his door handle turning.
Then, a slightly trembling female voice spoke up.
"Eep... the power's out."
"Dr. Lin, I'm a little scared. Can I stay in your room for a while? I'll go back once the power returns."
Sham's trembling, fearful voice didn't create much contrast with her usual gentle and elegant image.
Hearing this, although Lin Anran felt somewhat puzzled, he didn't refuse.
"Mm, alright."
Sham would probably just sit at the computer desk nearby or on the edge of his bed.
The power should come back on soon, right?
But in the darkness, something slightly unexpected happened to Lin Anran a few seconds later.
The sound of Sham's footsteps was clear and quick, without any sense of fear or weakness in the dark. She quickly walked to his bedside, as if afraid he might change his mind.
Then, in the next moment, the covers Lin Anran was under were lifted.
Before Lin Anran could react, a not-petite but soft and curvaceous figure rushed into his arms in the pitch-black night.
The sensation of her delicate body against his made Lin Anran freeze completely. The stimulus caused Lin Anran to lose his composure for the first time.
"Huh?"
The next second, a pair of jade-like arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer.
Her warm breath reached the young doctor's ear.
"Dr. Lin, hold me..."
The gentle yet assertive female voice, combined with the stimulus of her voluptuous body in his arms and the contrast...
—The horse began to jump.
--+--
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.