Today was the day Margaret Nearl officially reported to Kasamatsu Tracen Academy. Though two days had passed in the blink of an eye, the warmth she'd felt staying with Oguri Cap and her mother would remain etched in her heart.
Oguri Cap and Nearl left the house together, though their destinations were different.
Nearl was headed for Kasamatsu Tracen, while Oguri Cap was returning to Central Tracen. These few days off had been more than enough for her—she was already itching to resume training.
After all, her rivals at Central were no pushovers. If she let herself relax too much, victory would smile on someone else. Oguri Cap had no intention of losing; she craved victory more than anyone.
"Margaret, I'm off. I'll keep an eye out for news about your races—good luck."
At the station where she'd catch the train to Central Tracen, Oguri Cap bid Nearl farewell. Yet there was no trace of melancholy or sorrow between them. They understood each other, knowing their paths would surely cross again on the racetrack—and that day wouldn't be long in coming.
So there was no need to fear parting. Oguri Cap's heart swelled with anticipation for the future.
"Mm, keep an eye on the papers, Oguri. You'll definitely see me there. Don't slack off at Central—I'll catch up to you soon."
"See you later, Margaret."
"Till we meet again, Oguri."
Their goodbyes were brief; both were decisive by nature. As long as they shared similar dreams, physical distance meant nothing.
Watching Oguri Cap board the bullet train, her backpack stuffed with specially prepared lunch boxes from Nearl, Margaret felt completely at peace.
'Next time you hear about me, Oguri, it'll be in a report of my victory.'
Nearl stood quietly where she was, watching until the train carrying Oguri Cap disappeared from view before finally turning to leave.
'Alright, time to report to Kasamatsu Tracen. I wonder if the director will approve of my idea.'
Turning these thoughts over in her mind, Nearl glanced at a letter of introduction in her hand. The handwriting on the envelope was Oguri Cap's own:
"To Kitahara Jones— From Oguri Cap"
Looking at the crooked characters, Nearl sighed helplessly.
"Seems like I'll have to supervise Oguri's handwriting practice too. Time feels tighter and tighter—maybe I should start sleeping only three hours a day…"
Her murmurs faded into the air as the Golden Pegasus walked away.
--+--
Nearl arrived at the gates of Kasamatsu Tracen. By now, only a few students remained around the entrance. After greeting the security guard, she stepped into the campus.
"So, first things first—find the director's office, right?"
Recalling the director's instructions after the entrance tests, Nearl decided to head there first. Though she didn't know where it was, she noticed several Uma Musume moving about the campus. Surely, she could find a friendly one to ask for directions.
Having settled on a plan, Nearl walked straight toward the nearest Uma Musume to inquire about the way.
The other girl had clearly noticed Nearl approaching. She blinked, her carefully groomed eyelashes fluttering.
'Strange, have we ever had such a beautiful Uma Musume at this academy? Why is she coming toward me? Does she need to ask something?'
As Nearl stopped before her, the girl stopped fiddling lazily with her phone. She closed it, slipped it into her pocket, straightened up from leaning against the wall, and stood upright.
"I haven't seen you before. Who are you? How did you get into the academy?"
Before Nearl could speak, the other girl fired off questions in a detached tone, her expression far from welcoming.
She crossed her arms, leaned slightly forward, bringing her face close to Nearl's, and spoke in a condescending tone.
"Even if you're an Uma Musume, you can't just wander in here. If you want a tour, come back on open campus day."
Her words were blunt, but Nearl didn't seem bothered. Still smiling gently, she replied politely.
"No, I didn't enter without permission. In fact, I passed the special admissions test. I should be an official student of Kasamatsu Tracen now."
"Seriously? Another special admission?"
The girl before her seemed startled. Her previously lazy, indifferent eyes now scanned Nearl up and down, and she muttered under her breath.
"Another special admission? Please don't tell me she's another Fujimasa March-level talent…"
She glanced back at Nearl, who was still smiling calmly as she watched her. The girl scratched her head irritably, sighed, and then extended her right hand toward Nearl.
"Let's get acquainted, special admission student. I'm Norn Ace."
"Margaret Nearl."
Nearl shook Norn Ace's hand firmly, then asked for directions to her destination.
"Ah, looking for that old man, the director? Follow me, I'll show you the way."
Hearing that Nearl needed to see the director first, Norn Ace sighed in annoyance but still offered to lead the way.
Nearl accepted her classmate's kindness and thanked her sincerely.
"Thank you for your help, Norn Ace."
"Hmph, if this were a year ago, I wouldn't have bothered with you. Consider yourself lucky I changed my ways after making a friend."
"Changing your behavior for a friend—that person must mean a lot to you."
At those words, Norn Ace's tone suddenly brightened. Nearl got the sense that praising her friend was far more effective than praising her directly.
"Of course. Having a friend like her is the luckiest thing in my life. But don't expect me to introduce you!"
Mid-sentence, Norn Ace suddenly grew wary, her tone turning sharp.
"Don't worry, Norn Ace. I won't pry into your private matters. Indulging curiosity isn't always a good thing."
Nearl shook her head, indicating she had no intention of digging deeper, and the tension eased once more.
"Whatever. The director's office is right there. Go on your own. I need to get back to class—and this time I have an excuse for skipping. Let's see how that baldy old man tries to punish me."
After leading Nearl to the destination, Norn Ace waved dismissively and turned to leave.
"Thank you again, Norn Ace."
After expressing her gratitude, Nearl stepped into the director's office. There was something she needed his approval for.
"Director, I'd like to schedule my debut race as soon as possible."
--+--
When Norn Ace returned to the classroom, she straight-up told the teacher she'd been helping a special admit. The teacher swallowed all his criticisms, finally just waving her back to her seat without further scolding.
After class ended, two of Norn Ace's friends crowded around her.
"Hey, Norn, you didn't have to lie about something like that. Did you really meet a special admit?"
"Yeah, I actually—"
Before Norn Ace could finish, the homeroom teacher suddenly slid the classroom door open and announced loudly:
"Everyone, quiet down. Today, a special admit will be joining our class for studies."
Ignoring the whispers spreading among her classmates, only one thought filled Norn Ace's mind:
"What are the odds?"
--+--
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.