At the Kasamatsu Tracen track, Nearl was alone, preparing for her assessment.
She had changed out of her usual clothes and into the Kasamatsu Tracen athletic uniform. The loose-fitting sportswear was soft, breathable, and sweat-absorbent—honestly, Nearl even considered wearing it as everyday attire.
After all, the kid came from a poor family~~~
Setting foot on the test track, Nearl took a moment to feel out the sandy surface. The footing when running, the depth of the sand, the slope variations, the evenness of the path—all were details that demanded attention. A moment of carelessness could spell disaster.
Of course, that was for ordinary Uma Musume. Nearl had never been bothered by such things. Whether it was turf or dirt, she could crush them all equally. To her, the differences in terrain and track condition mattered little.
So why was Nearl jogging slowly on the sandy track now?
Perhaps even she didn't really know.
She was simply following an impulse in her heart, letting herself lap the track again and again at a gentle pace.
"Margaret."
A voice interrupted Nearl's jog. It was Oguri Cap. Nearl turned and saw her, along with several others standing behind her.
Nearl guessed these must be the staff of Kasamatsu Tracen. She stopped jogging and walked toward Oguri Cap and the group.
There were three people with Oguri Cap: an elderly man, another Uma Musume, and a young woman.
Nearl couldn't immediately tell the old man's role, but she could make some guesses about the other two.
The Uma Musume was also wearing athletic gear and had a stopwatch around her neck—likely the official overseeing Nearl's test today.
The young woman was holding some documents and dressed in slightly more formal work attire, clearly an administrative staff member of the school. Though at the moment, this administrator was gazing at Oguri Cap with such fervent eyes she seemed ready to throw herself at her in excitement.
Nearl understood—this was another one of Oguri Cap's fervent fans.
As Nearl approached, the old man stepped forward first, introducing himself with a warm smile.
"Hello, Miss Nearl. I'm the director of Kasamatsu Tracen. My name isn't worth mentioning—just call me Director."
"Very well, then I'll address you as such. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to enroll, Director."
Nearl bowed politely in gratitude.
The Director chuckled warmly at her manners. "I'll accept your thanks, but whether you can officially enroll depends on your performance in this test. Make sure you run well."
"Understood."
Nearl nodded, then turned her gaze toward the Uma Musume with the stopwatch.
"Hello, I'm Margaret Nearl. Are you the official overseeing my test today?"
"Such a polite girl! I'm Swift Speed. I'm just here to time you—feel free to call me by name."
The Uma Musume responded cheerfully to Nearl's greeting and introduced herself casually. She clearly didn't stand on ceremony.
"Then I'll take you up on that, Miss Swift Speed." Nearl smiled faintly, acknowledging her name.
"And the last one…"
"Oh, her? Just call her Ozumi. She's a huge fan of Uma Musume—treats every one of us wonderfully."
Swift Speed waved a hand dismissively.
"I see. Then, Miss Swift Speed, when does my test begin?"
After familiarizing herself with the three, Nearl asked about the timing of her assessment.
"Anytime is fine, really. Would you like to start now?"
Swift Speed confirmed, and after seeing Nearl nod, she grew somewhat more serious and motioned for Nearl to follow her.
"Today's test is 1200 meters on a sandy track, left-handed circuit, firm going. As long as you finish under 90 seconds, you pass. Understood?"
Swift Speed relayed the test conditions clearly. Nearl nodded in acknowledgment.
"Good. I saw you already ran a few laps on this track earlier, so you should be warmed up by now, right?"
"Yes, I'm fully prepared."
"Excellent. Then let's begin. One lap on this track is exactly 1200 meters. Start from my position. I'll count down: 3, 2, 1."
With the final instructions given, Nearl moved to the starting line. In the distance, Oguri Cap and the others turned their attention to the track.
The Director watched Nearl settle into her stance, then turned to Oguri Cap.
"Miss Oguri Cap, do you think she can pass this test?"
Oguri Cap shook her head.
"Huh? You don't think she can do it?"
The Director's face twisted comically in surprise.
"What I mean is, the question is unnecessary. Margaret is the rival I respect most. She's a monster who will surely crush every obstacle in her path to the Central Circuit."
A smile spread across Oguri Cap's face.
"No one understands better than I do—from the moment Margaret decided to become an Uma Musume, it was only a matter of time before her name dominated the record books."
Just then, Ozumi suddenly gasped in astonishment.
"She's—she's so fast!"
--+--
Nearl planted her left foot firmly forward, shifting her center of gravity slightly downward. Power gathered in her legs; her arms poised to swing. Her whole body seemed tense, yet on closer look, every part was relaxed—a posture perfect for explosive motion.
At the signal, she would burst forward at incredible speed.
The countdown from Miss Swift Speed reached her ears.
But Nearl felt as if she were spacing out. Her thoughts seemed to drift somewhere far away in an instant, yet she remained fully aware of her surroundings.
"What is this…?"
Her body felt light, her mind cleared of all clutter in a flash. She had never felt so exhilarated, yet so utterly calm.
She could feel the blood flowing through her veins, the twitch of her muscles, the texture beneath her feet. The world before her eyes narrowed to a blurry, empty stretch ahead. The sun in the sky seemed to shine even brighter, just within reach.
It was an illusion, yet more than that.
In that moment, Nearl seemed to see three versions of herself: an unimaginably frail boy; a Golden Pegasus with a stern, resolute, yet gentle demeanor; and a lazy, detached, shrewd Black Pegasus. The Golden Pegasus stood in the center, leaning against the black one, while the frail boy waited far off at the finish line.
"3."
Nearl seemed to understand something.
"2."
She was ready to stride forward.
"1."
The moment Miss Swift Speed's count ended, a flash of golden light streaked past. The gust of wind that followed roared in her sensitive ears. In a daze, that golden figure had already dashed far into the distance.
--+--
Starting Skill: Breaking with the Past, the Light Never Fades.
Effect: Never misses the break, gains extremely high acceleration, cannot be caught by anyone through any means, triggers unconditionally, continues accelerating until mid-race.
--+--
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.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.