Pushing open the creaky wooden door, the old hinges let out a long groan, disturbing the orphanage's usual silence.
Nearl stepped out of her small room into the courtyard, which lay as empty and unchanged as it had been fourteen years ago—only the grass seemed a little more yellowed and dry.
The Komori Orphanage was founded by Komori Party herself. No one knew what the twenty-three-year-old had gone through to come up with such an idea back then, but over the past fourteen years, she had truly dedicated herself to running this place, giving many children a reason to keep living.
Maybe that's just the kind of kindness you'd expect from an Uma Musume—a spirit blessed by the Three Goddesses.
With a soft look in her eyes, Nearl glanced around the slightly worn-down orphanage, murmured, 'I'm heading out,' then shut the gate behind her and began her morning training.
The early morning town was quiet; everyone knew each other's routines. Shops and markets hadn't opened yet—perfect for a run.
Leaving the town behind, she followed a path beside the river—winding and narrow. The section closer to town was paved with asphalt, which gradually turned into concrete, and further ahead, where the path disappeared into the woods, it became a simple dirt trail worn down by footsteps.
The autumn river was veiled in a faint mist, and now and then, the sound of stirring water broke the silence—perhaps some creature moving beneath the surface. The banks were overgrown with weeds, scattered but not too tall; clearly, someone had been maintaining them.
A cool breeze brushed against her skin.
Clip-clop, clip-clop—a rapid rhythm of footsteps approached from the direction of the town, swift like a gust of wind sweeping across the land. This was where Nearl always ran.
Hah… huff…
Lift, lower, lift again—her well-rounded thighs tensed with unmistakable strength, rising so high they nearly touched her abdomen.
Her knees and calves moved like precision machinery, following a perfect arc, driving force downward with every motion.
Supple ankles and feet worked in harmony, directing power into the ground and propelling her forward.
Her upper body leaned slightly forward, waist straight, arms swinging rhythmically at her sides, contributing to her momentum—so forceful they seemed to slice through the air, whistling lightly.
Her gaze remained fixed ahead, watching the path and taking in the open, soothing scenery. Her ears twitched constantly in the wind, betraying her cheerful mood.
'Huff…' This is enough. No need to push harder—just maintaining this pace is fine for training. Nearl quietly dismissed the idea of accelerating further.
'After all, if I increase the intensity, my appetite will grow too,' she sighed somewhat helplessly.
The Komori Orphanage relied almost entirely on Komori Party's personal efforts. Although there were occasional public donations, most of the funding came from the prize money she had won in her racing days. It was no surprise the place was a bit rundown.
Even so, the two most worn-out rooms in the whole orphanage were occupied by Director Komori and Nearl herself—no child had ever been assigned to live in those.
The meals might have been simple, but not a single child went hungry or suffered from malnutrition.
Nearl, however, was an exception. She was probably the only one who was constantly hungry. If she ever ate to her heart's content, Director Komori would undoubtedly be under even greater pressure.
She was also deeply grateful for the radiant power within her. Without its constant healing influence, she would've likely fallen ill from hunger long ago.
Director Komori had always been suspicious about how little Nearl ate, but seeing that she remained healthy, she eventually let go of her worries, marveling that an Uma Musume could eat as little as an ordinary human girl.
The asphalt section was long behind her, and the concrete path was nearly at its end. What lay ahead was a dirt trail—uneven and stretching upward into the forest.
Heavy going! And an uphill slope, no less.
But Nearl's expression didn't change, nor did her rhythm break. She charged straight up the slope without even altering her running form.
Squelch! Her foot sank into the soft, damp earth. She lowered her center of gravity slightly, thighs coiling—the powerful curves of her legs clearly visible even through her loose training pants.
Planting the balls of her feet firmly, she pushed off as if digging into the soil, sending mud flying backward and leaving deep, dramatic footprints in her wake.
The depth, the force—it was unlike anything a fourteen-year-old Uma Musume who hadn't even undergone Maturation should be capable of.
Repeating the motion, Nearl raced up the slope at an astonishing speed, leaving a trail of fierce impressions carved into the dirt path behind her.
Looking back, the entire trail was riddled with similar marks—the road itself had become ragged and torn up over time.
In fact, most of the damage to that path could be attributed to Nearl's daily routine.
Margaret, the road destroyer—what is it that reflects in her eyes?
Nearl called this uphill running method "Frontier Charge"—a technique only someone with Pegasus bloodline like her could use. It was completely different from how most Uma Musume tackled slopes.
Normally, Uma Musume would shorten their stride and quicken their pace when going uphill, maintaining speed while conserving energy.
The difference between experts and beginners lay in how smoothly they could transition into and maintain that adjusted form—something that required extensive practice.
But Nearl's approach was unusual. Her strides didn't get faster; they grew slower, more powerful, covering greater distance with each step.
To Nearl, it felt as though with every push uphill, an invisible pair of wings supported her from behind—giving her a sense of floating. Each step felt light, and surprisingly, it cost her less stamina.
The dirt path was almost behind her. The endpoint was a scenic lookout atop the hill, where she always rested after her morning run, stretched her limbs, and then headed back to help Director Komori prepare breakfast for the entire orphanage.
Taking the final step, an expansive view unfolded before her eyes—the whole town lay below, a beautiful scene bathed in morning light.
Nearl eased her breath, wiping her barely-sweaty face, and was about to start stretching when a voice interrupted her.
"Margaret."
She turned toward the sound. A figure in a school uniform stood leaning nearby—gray hair slightly messy, twin ears swaying rhythmically, betraying their owner's cheerful mood.
Though Nearl couldn't tell whether that cheer came from seeing her or from the large bag of food resting at the girl's feet.
'Well, I didn't expect this.'
Still, meeting an old friend lifted Nearl's spirits. A slight smile touched her lips, and her tone warmed with unfiltered joy.
She walked slowly closer, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the gray-haired figure, a hint of nostalgia coloring her voice.
"It's good to see you again, Oguri Cap."
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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.
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