The next day, Nearl made her way to the URA headquarters alone.
Of course, to avoid being surrounded and stared at by fans, she had taken some steps to disguise herself.
Well, if shoving your head into a motorcycle helmet counted as a disguise.
A central Tracen Academy uniform, paired with a tight-fitting, pitch-black full-face helmet—the combination was practically performance art.
This wasn't Nearl's idea. It had been suggested by another, very familiar Uma Musume.
"If you don't want people recognizing you, instead of hiding, just disguise yourself outright. A physical disguise. It's not like strangers are going to rip your helmet off anyway."
"Embarrassed? What's there to be embarrassed about? If it really bothers you, just rent a Kamen Rider bodysuit too. Then you'll have the perfect set."
"A full cover-up will give you a calm sense of security. After all, no one will know who's inside that eye-catching costume—they'll only be able to tell if you're male or female."
"As long as you're not embarrassed, the only people feeling awkward will be the ones staring at you."
Nearl had eventually been convinced by this Uma Musume, but for convenience and budget reasons, she settled on a compromise—just the full-face helmet.
And you know what? It worked surprisingly well.
Even though people stared the whole way, once she reminded herself they were only looking at "some helmet-wearing Uma Musume" as a symbol, and not at her, Nearl stopped minding much.
'I should thank that Uma Musume when I get back. This method is really practical. Did she ever mention her name, though?'
Thinking about that dapple-gray Uma Musume, Nearl couldn't shake the feeling she'd seen that figure somewhere before.
--+--
URA headquarters. Here, Nearl finally took off her helmet.
Since the URA was a massive organization, it carried an inherent deterrent effect against ordinary crowds, so foot traffic here was usually light.
Nearl figured that even if she was recognized here, it wouldn't be a big deal.
Passing through the main gate and crossing the large plaza, Nearl noted that the review department she was headed to this time was nothing like Mr. Kazumi's place from last time.
Mr. Kazumi's family only collaborated with the URA, so how they built on their land was entirely up to them.
But the Uma Musume Review Department was a core, authoritative division of the URA, located in the central building—not an easy place to get into.
Or at least, it shouldn't have been easy to get into.
"Ah! Nearl! It's Nearl!"
"Where? Where? I need a picture!"
The moment Nearl stepped into the office building, it was destined to become a fan frenzy. After all, most staff working at the URA had at least a bit of "Uma Musume enthusiast" in them.
By the time a supervisor came over to restore order, Nearl had already signed nearly two hundred autographs.
"Sigh… the side effects of fame. This is exactly why I wanted to wear a helmet to travel."
Still, it wasn't without its perks. Thanks to her reputation, she was fast-tracked all the way to the Uma Musume Review Department.
"Hello, I'm Nearl. I'm here for the review."
Stepping through the floor's entrance, everything before her felt both unfamiliar and bizarre. Though only a hallway apart, it was like stepping into another world.
The walls were plastered with Uma Musume standees and all kinds of entry pledge posters. Life-sized cutouts stood in the corners, and desk toys were actually the most normal thing in sight.
If she hadn't been certain she was in the right place, Nearl would have suspected she'd walked into some fan club meeting, not an office.
But no one responded.
It wasn't that there was no one there—just that no one answered her greeting. All she could hear now was a chorus of snores.
"Asleep…?"
Incredulous, she pulled out her phone. The time read 9:00 AM in bold digits.
"Is this really a proper department? I know there are probably fewer than a hundred Uma Musume needing serious review each year, and most of the time there really isn't much to do, but this is too lax. Didn't work just start?"
"It's precisely because work just started that we're like this."
Suddenly, a voice that sounded utterly exhausted spoke up behind her.
"After all, every single person here definitely didn't get enough sleep last night."
"Ah, hello. I'm Margaret Nearl. I was notified to come for a qualification re-review."
Realizing her comment might have been inappropriate, Nearl hurriedly greeted him. The man in front of her just scratched his head, unbothered.
"Ah, so you're the Radiant Knight? My apologies. I'd like to get excited, but my body is just… yaaaawn… too exhausted. I don't even have the energy to be excited."
"No, that's not necessary. I already experienced the staff's enthusiasm on the way here—enough to make me want to retreat a little."
"Heh, true. Those guys rarely get to see Uma Musume up close. They're not much different from ordinary spectators. Please forgive them."
The man pushed open the door ahead and led Nearl into what looked like a lounge.
It was furnished for extreme comfort—even the sofa wasn't a normal one, but a beanbag chair. The table in front was covered with all kinds of snacks.
"Yawn… Sorry. I'm actually the department head here. The reason we called you in, Nearl, isn't really for any serious review—just a formality."
Plopping down on the sofa, the man visibly relaxed, his hand instinctively moving to his waist.
"Don't worry. Everyone in the review department is a retired central trainer. We know the difference between tactical brilliance and slacking off better than any spectator. Your strategy in the Satsuki Sho was bold and brilliant—truly admirable."
"You're too kind. So, what should I do next?"
Looking at this middle-aged man who seemed about to drift off to heaven from exhaustion, Nearl wasn't quite sure why he'd called her here.
"No, you don't need to do anything. Just stay here for two or three hours, then you can leave. That way, we can tell people you passed the assessment."
"I see. Understood. But why is everyone here so tired? And, sir, you're still quite young—why did you give up being a central trainer?"
"Ah, that…"
After Nearl asked this, she could see a visibly pained expression flash across the man's face.
"Let's just say I couldn't keep my feelings in check. If you don't draw clear boundaries, that's what happens."
"You… you mean…?"
Nearl thought she could guess.
"That's right. Every staff member in this review department retired after falling in love with and marrying the Uma Musume they were in charge of at the time."
"After all, they're Uma Musume. The physical stamina is just too much to keep up with, and their possessiveness can be pretty intense."
"Continuing as a trainer? Not a chance. Your wife wouldn't feel at ease letting you keep working with other Uma Musume—because as Uma Musume themselves, they know exactly how captivating the race can be."
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! 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.