No!
Dr. Lin, where is he?
The girl, who appeared delicate and exuded an air of refined grace, had an unusual glimmer in her stunning, starry eyes.
Flightline's extremely sharp intuition immediately picked up that something was off.
After all, Dr. Lin's clinic had only recently begun to build its reputation.
As an Uma Musume who had known Dr. Lin for quite some time, Flightline was well aware that the gentle, reliable young doctor deeply desired recognition within the American Uma Musume community.
Now that he had returned and was finally gaining fame, attracting attention from many prestigious Uma Musume families, and the number of patients was gradually increasing…
For Dr. Lin to suddenly take an urgent leave and disappear for an entire week?
No matter how you looked at it, this didn't seem right!
In Flightline's eyes, Dr. Lin wouldn't easily let go of this upward momentum unless… something had happened that made taking a week off more important or valuable to him than staying at work.
"Dr. Lin is incredibly attentive to every young filly that needs treatment."
"Not to mention, his relationship with Sham seems to be progressing rather quickly."
Flightline's sharp instincts were backed by intel shared from Secretariat, confirming that Sham and Dr. Lin were on good terms.
To Flightline, Dr. Lin wasn't just ambitious—he was also kind and considerate toward Uma Musume, able to see things from their perspective and understand their deepest fears, like how physical injuries could impact their races and even their careers.
So, whenever a serious injury occurred, Dr. Lin would always dedicate himself fully to treating it before tending to his own affairs.
Under normal circumstances, he would have found a way to make time, even if just half a day, to come back and treat Sham.
"Today was supposed to be the day for treating Sham's serious injury."
And yet…
"Dr. Lin started his leave two days ago, for a whole week…"
"This isn't like him at all!"
"So, his disappearance might… have something to do with Sham?"
Flightline felt she was closing in on the answer.
A week-long absence definitely wasn't because he'd become an Exclusive Doctor for Sham's household.
It wasn't an exclusive contract either—those don't last just a week.
Timing-wise, it was complicated but not hard to guess.
Based on intel, information, and her understanding of Lin Anran, Flightline gently stroked her chin and reached a conclusion.
"It seems like a short-term hire, then?"
And it's already been two and a half days!
At this rate… there's been enough time for her to have her way with him and send Dr. Lin to the hospital with a fractured pelvis!!!
The thought alone made Flightline, who usually resembled a delicate, bookish girl, practically burn with frustration.
She regretted trusting Secretariat so much and going along with that Big Red's plan to intercept at scheduled times.
Well, that plan failed spectacularly—now Dr. Lin is gone.
Damn you, Big Red!!!
Now, Flightline faced a choice.
Knowing where Dr. Lin was and realizing just how dangerously unpredictable Sham could be, what should she do?
That rival of Secretariat's, a monster known for her vicious, demon-like competitive drive, was even more dangerous than she or Secretariat had anticipated?!
Flightline's first instinct was to contact Secretariat.
As Sham's longtime rival, who'd faced off against her multiple times, Secretariat was supposed to be her ally in this alliance to stop Sham.
But this alliance was fragile at best.
On the surface, telling Secretariat seemed like the best way to deal with Sham, but Flightline had no intention of doing that.
"That Big Red is too focused on training and underestimates Sham."
"She thought that since Sham hasn't known Dr. Lin as long, she wouldn't pose much threat in the short term. As long as we limited their contact with regular interceptions, everything would be foolproof."
"If I tell her about Sham and Dr. Lin now, Secretariat will probably lose it."
"Then, she'll break the 'no early moves' rule we agreed on, too."
At that thought, Flightline narrowed her eyes slightly.
Having seen through Sham's "scam," Flightline had no intention of exposing it publicly.
After some thought, she decided not to reveal Sham's actions in their group chat, unlike how Secretariat had shared intel about Sham's contact with Lin Anran.
If this got out…
Things would get messy.
Secretariat, who's still striving to become the [GOAT] and surpass Man o' War, would turn around and find her home robbed!
Who could handle that?
Right now, Flightline certainly couldn't. She felt her heart bleeding.
With a thieving cat already on the prowl, playing dirty, she had to make a move to prevent maximum losses!
And she had to do it secretly, before Sunday Silence and Secretariat found out.
"If there's one thieving cat, there can be a second."
"Just because this can't be made public doesn't mean… I'll let Sham have her way."
So, there was no need to notify Secretariat. But she also couldn't let Sham jump Dr. Lin until he ended up in the hospital with a pelvic injury.
After finishing her thoughts—
In just a few seconds!
Flightline lowered her head, took out her phone, and decisively dialed Sham's number.
The call connected after just a few rings.
As soon as it picked up…
"Miss Flightline? This is a surprise."
"What can I do for you?"
Sham's voice on the other end sounded perfectly normal, but to Flightline, it was just an elegant mask full of deceit.
Flightline no longer saw Sham as some gradual, refined, etiquette-abiding young lady from a prestigious family.
She was a "Sham" who lived up to her name—someone who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals!
Flightline's voice came out icy cold.
"Is Dr. Lin hurt?"
Flightline's first concern was the physical condition of the young doctor she adored.
After being thrown to the wolves for two and a half days, she refused to believe that the sly Sham hadn't taken a bite out of him.
As the saying goes, "Physician, heal thyself." But in Flightline's memory, Dr. Lin's expertise lay in treating Uma Musume—he knew nothing about humans or pelvises.
The moment Flightline spoke, there was a brief, slightly hurried breath on the other end of the line, quickly followed by composed silence.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Shouldn't I be the one who's injured?"
Sham's reply was like that of a playful, clueless young lady, feigning confusion.
What a master of deception, this thieving cat—leaving almost no opening, afraid of being tricked into revealing something, huh?
Flightline's tone grew even colder, a stark contrast to her seemingly delicate appearance.
"Enough. I'm not interested in you, Sham."
"Two and a half days—isn't that enough?"
Suddenly, the line fell silent for a moment.
The precise, decisive timing made it clear this wasn't a baseless accusation.
Then Flightline delivered her final warning.
"If I don't see Dr. Lin's clinic reopen today, it won't be me coming for you next—it'll be Secretariat. Don't get too greedy!"
"Sham, you wouldn't want Secretariat, Sunday Silence, Sea the Stars, and Dahlia to find out about this, would you?"
She laid her cards on the table, spelling out the threat.
It's worth noting that Flightline named four famously powerful Uma Musume in one breath.
Of those four, only Sunday Silence wasn't widely known yet.
If possible, Flightline certainly didn't want her other competitors to collectively riot and break the 'competition-first' alliance they'd agreed on.
But even more than that, she didn't want Dr. Lin to actually be on leave for a full week, as the clinic's notice claimed.
Given the physical difference between humans and Uma Musume, if Sham got a taste for it… wouldn't her Dr. Lin end up with a fractured pelvis, hospitalized for good?
I don't want that!!!
The situation between Flightline and Sham was completely unequal.
Sham, the latecomer, had successfully stolen a march, inviting Dr. Lin to her home for a full two and a half days.
With Flightline already convinced of this, if Sham still refused to back down…
"Fine."
After a moment of hesitation, Sham—who'd been joking just moments before—let out a sigh of regret and reluctance, but agreed to Flightline's terms.
"Have it your way…"
And with that, the call ended.
As Flightline put her phone away, she narrowed her eyes, her breathing slightly uneven.
It was good that Dr. Lin would return.
But that wasn't enough!
In Flightline's eyes, the fact that she hadn't been the first to have him was already a huge loss.
Just stopping that sly thieving cat from having three or four more days wasn't enough—a loss was still a loss.
Unless… she could gain something from somewhere else, cutting losses in time and turning a deficit into profit!
'If Sham can do it, so can I!'
In an instant, Flightline began thinking seriously.
The delicate balance of restraint that had existed among Secretariat, Sunday Silence, Flightline, and the others…
At this moment, that balance had been shattered!
--+--
Inside the manor, in her room, Sham's delicate profile shifted between light and shadow.
"Dammit…"
"Flightline's reflexes are sharp."
"What a shame. It looks like I won't be able to finish the third entry in my diary."
Sham let out a soft sigh. This girl, who appeared elegant but was cunning and shrewd, knew it wasn't necessary to tear apart all pretense with Flightline just yet.
The pressure and impact of the names Flightline had listed forced Sham to concede.
Sea the Stars, Secretariat, Dahlia, Sunday Silence…
Including Flightline, that made five! And the weakest among them, whether now or in the future, seemed stronger than your average world-class Uma Musume, right?
"In a way, that was both a threat and intel from Flightline."
"Besides Secretariat and Sunday Silence, there's also Sea the Stars from the Sea family, and Dahlia, who was campaigning in Europe until recently?"
As both a threat and intel, it carried significant weight.
So, after a moment's thought, Sham had chosen to agree to Flightline's terms and compromise.
She'd just have to find another chance to go horse dancing with Dr. Lin later…
"Where there's a first time, there can be a second."
"Right now, I'm already halfway to success!"
The advantage is mine!
Sham took out her phone again and began texting her mother.
[No need to cut the power tonight. We can't keep Dr. Lin here any longer.]
By now, the young Sham had learned from her mother just how extraordinary Lin Anran's physique was.
The pinnacle of Horse Mint!
The answer for Uma Musume!
A physique that could be called the [King of Stallions] was no exaggeration—its rarity was on par with a once-in-a-century legend.
Not only that, but it also greatly increased the probability of offspring inheriting excellent traits, making it very likely that his descendants would become outstanding, even top-tier Uma Musume.
In other words… he had the potential to revitalize an entire Uma Musume family!
There was even a saying that a person with such an Extreme Horse Mint Physique could single-handedly establish a prestigious family, surpassing even the most exceptional Uma Musume.
This wasn't surprising, and few disputed it.
The reason was simple: often, a famous Uma Musume was exceptional herself, but whether her offspring would inherit her talent was another matter entirely.
"Tiger father, dog son" was a common occurrence among the great Uma Musume families. A brilliant generation didn't guarantee the next would be the same.
The pattern of rise and decline was not uncommon among prestigious Uma Musume families worldwide, which was why they placed extreme importance on nurturing the next generation.
In contrast, Lin Anran's [King of Stallions] Physique was practically irresistible to any prestigious Uma Musume family.
If Sham's family had initially trusted and accepted her choice…
Now they were… utterly fanatic! They would agree to anything if it meant securing Dr. Lin.
Sham was already quite accomplished, but she still fell short of Secretariat—though that was nothing to be ashamed of, given that Secretariat had already cemented herself as a top-five historical figure in American racing after the Classic Triple Crown and was poised to challenge for the number one spot!
If the pupil surpasses the master, future offspring of Sham and Dr. Lin might even rival monsters like Secretariat and Nearl!
To make that dream a reality, her utterly fanatic family would undoubtedly provide all the support they could.
But in Sham's view, it was better to stay rational for now and carefully plan her next move.
"Knowing there are so many thieving cats out there… I'll have to be cautious with my next move."
"For now, I'll focus on preparing to return to the track while looking for new opportunities!"
--+--
Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, it was the day of a highly anticipated super G1 race.
The King George VI Stakes!
A gathering of stars, dazzling and brilliant!
Widely recognized as one of the few turf G1 races in the world that could rival the prestigious Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
The Epsom Derby was also weighty, due in no small part to its historical significance as the original Derby, the Derby's birthplace, but in terms of competitiveness and prestige, it inevitably paled slightly next to the King George.
If the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was acknowledged as the world's premier turf race, then the King George firmly held a spot in the top three, also standing as a pinnacle of G1 racing!
Thus… the number of participants was significantly higher than the usual six or so seen in standard G1 races!
Among the crowds lining up, there were numerous active star Uma Musume or retired famous Uma Musume.
Countless discussions buzzed incessantly at this moment.
Even from the Coolmore group, no fewer than a dozen had come to watch the race.
Fame and Glory, along with several other Coolmore Uma Musume who had been involved in cornering Platinum, were also in attendance.
"The top favorite is undoubtedly the Pegasus Platinum."
"And Harbinger didn't even make the top three in popularity?"
"Cape Blanco and Workforce, with their impressive records, rounded out the top three."
Fame and Glory couldn't help but sigh.
After all, on paper, Harbinger was a G2 Uma Musume.
But based on her performances in G2 races and training sessions, she was a true monster, fully capable of challenging the Pegasus's undefeated record.
Uma Musume like Harbinger, whose ability exceeded their fame, were exceptionally rare in this era.
"Platinum has been fighting relentlessly lately."
"Up until the week before the King George, she was still outpacing two or three of us Coolmore Uma Musume in a G2 race."
"In contrast, the well-rested and supremely talented Harbinger is sure to give the Pegasus an endless surprise!"
Fame and Glory's feelings toward Platinum were complex.
Was it envy? Resentment? Or spite?
Even she couldn't quite tell.
But she knew that she had initiated the blockade, underestimated Platinum's strength and influence, and thus deserved her suspension.
As Platinum continued to surpass Coolmore Uma Musume in several recent G2 races, for some reason, she now faintly hoped Platinum would win.
Why was that, I wonder?
--+--
On the path to the King George.
A silver-haired girl, carrying a bow case on her back, strode forward.
"After winning the King George, my [Late-Stage Schedule] will only leave the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, right?"
"Will things get too boring in Europe after that?"
Platinum suddenly thought.
"Maybe… I should go play in the US?"
--+--
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.