Witnessing an Uma Musume who could truly be called a 'monster', Sunday Serenity felt her own excitement stir.
Once, she could only run before Manhattan Cafe. But now, this unobservable ghost had brazenly appeared in people's sight, and she was no longer content to stay hidden.
Since it was a race, and such an important one at that, she had to leave an indelible impression on everyone.
This was Sunday Serenity's first step into the real world, and also her most crucial one.
Once the initial excitement faded, Sunday Serenity began to focus on practical matters.
As a novice, Sunday Serenity was utterly clueless about proper running form.
If the race were at night, it wouldn't matter. No matter how bizarre her method, even if she just plowed forward with her legs digging into the ground, her extraordinary speed would easily surpass the other horse girls.
But the race was during the day. Starlight was blotted out by the sun, cutting off that source of energy. This meant that aimless exertion would place a tremendous strain on her spirit.
In the time belonging to the living, brimming with their vitality, a ghost was naturally at a disadvantage.
On top of that, there was the risk of being touched by other Uma Musume during the run. Their bodies would be scorched by the flames of her soul. She might not even make it to the finish line before her spirit was worn away to nothing.
If she crossed the finish line with only a few translucent wisps of her soul remaining, such a pitiful state would be utterly unworthy of Sunday Serenity's path to victory, and just as incompatible with Sunday Serenity's concept of 'coolness'.
What they needed was a perfect victory. A victory that was powerful, dazzling, and so thrilling it made one forget everything else!
So, Sunday Silence had to train Sunday Serenity, to make her remember the movements and essentials of running.
"Like this?"
Sunday Serenity swung her arms, demonstrating for Sunday Silence.
"No, the range needs to be wider." Sunday Silence raised her arm higher. "Remember the feeling I described to you?"
'Gliding over the land.'
"Right. You're not using two legs now, but a mermaid's tail. The ground is the ocean, and you're slapping the water's surface with your tail, letting the grass push you forward."
"Slapping the water's surface…" Sunday Serenity strained to visualize the scene in her mind.
She didn't need to train her body like a human, to increase strength and endurance through exercise. Her physical attributes were fixed from the start. What Sunday Serenity lacked was knowledge and experience.
As an Uma Musume, she had only experienced racing against Manhattan Cafe—the sample size was far too small. A formal race would be much more complex.
Even as a 'friend,' Sunday Silence had to admit that Manhattan Cafe was still far from strong; she needed to grow, to undergo a long period of training…
Sunday Serenity understood this too. She was concentrating fiercely, committing everything to memory.
While her past experiences hadn't led Sunday Serenity to ideal achievements, they had unexpectedly fostered one special ability.
Learning and imitation.
Imitating the demeanor, posture, and actions of others. He used to have a bad habit—stumbling over his words when nervous. But this fatal flaw was perfectly circumvented by Sunday Silence.
He would imitate others—people from movies, real life, cartoons, anyone—as long as he could observe their behavior, he could replicate their actions and speech fairly accurately after a while.
"Is it like this?" Sunday Serenity controlled the swing of her arms.
Not being able to see how Sunday Silence ran greatly increased the difficulty of learning.
The deliberately posed positions in front of the mirror lacked the natural feel of actual running; they were extremely stiff.
If only she could have a recording, like the ones of Narita Brian, to watch for a while. Or if she could enter the state she was in that night, making Sunday Serenity briefly visible.
"That's it. Maintain the rhythm, and charge onto the track—"
Assuming a starting stance, Sunday Serenity lowered her body and spread her legs.
It was the dead of night. The academy was silent, everyone having returned to their dormitories and entered their dreams. The entire training field was filled with a hazy, fog, the milky-white lights casting a pure, veil-like glow. The soil churned up from the grass flew about with each step.
The closer it got to midnight, the more Sunday Serenity's spirits soared, as if this were the break of dawn. While her body was replenished, they had to practice their movements and posture.
Habit is etched into the soul. Through monotonous, repetitive training, the act of running becomes instinct. There's no need to consciously remember it; once she stood on the track, her body would naturally assume the proper stance.
Just like Sunday Silence herself, who seemed born to run.
Speaking of which, what exactly was Sunday Silence?
Was she a horse girl ghost from the start? Or was she, like Sunday Serenity, someone who became a ghost after death…
Sunday Serenity buried this question in her heart, not intending to ask. Just as Sunday Silence had never probed deeply into her identity, she would do the same. It was enough to know that their souls were pressed tightly together, two halves of a whole.
Just as Sunday Serenity was constantly adjusting her running form under Sunday Silence's direction, she suddenly grabbed Sunday Serenity's sleeve from behind and said, "There's someone."
A person?
Not a ghost loitering on a street corner, obstructing the view, but a being of flesh and blood, utterly out of place in this phantom realm.
Under the training field's lights, a pair of resolute, gem-like amethyst eyes were fixed on her.
A streak of white, bright as a crescent moon, swayed on her forehead, her long brown hair fluttering in the wind.
That upright, imposing figure was unmistakable.
It was the student council president of Tracen Academy, the 'Emperor' renowned throughout the nation, Symboli Rudolf.
"Why is she here at this hour?"
It was past midnight; the students should have long returned to their dorms.
There wasn't a living soul on the track. What was this retired horse girl doing here? She couldn't possibly have gotten a sudden urge to run a few laps, could she?
Bathed in the starlight, Sunday Serenity stood still, quietly meeting Rudolf's gaze.
"I came hoping to try my luck, and I actually found you."
She spoke slowly, her voice steady, her tone full of a ruler's imposing authority.
The vast, quiet training field did nothing to diminish this horse girl's presence. She stood there, dignity emanating without a move.
Her spirit was as strong as her body.
A true powerhouse in every sense of the word.
"For the past few days, the student council has been receiving reports," she continued, addressing the girl in black. "About a horse girl in black clothes moving through the academy. No uniform, no trainer's badge. Those who approached her with questions found her skillfully evading them. That leaves only one possibility."
She was an outsider, attempting to achieve some goal within the academy's grounds.
She stated it bluntly.
Under the night sky, those amber-gold eyes of hers emitted a dim yet striking light, piercing through her long bangs to stare directly at Sunday Serenity.
"If you wish to tour the school, please go to the office and complete the formal procedures. The school will arrange a guide. If you need assistance, you can also seek help at the chairman's office. However…"
Rudolf's voice paused. "But if you have trespassed onto the school grounds, using its facilities without anyone's permission, then you are trampling on Tracen's rules and regulations. You are showing contempt for all of Tracen. Do you realize what you are doing?"
Suddenly, an intense pressure radiated from her. Her gaze, her posture—just like the title the world had bestowed upon her—was filled with unshakable pressure.
"State your name," Rudolf demanded, stepping closer to the girl in black. "State your purpose."
As Rudolf waited for her response, a long wind howled across the training field, as if startled by something.
It was night.
Countless souls were illuminated by the flames of the living.
They were leaving the grounds.
A cool breeze swept through, causing the black robes to flap violently with a sharp crack.
Under Rudolf's questioning gaze, the girl slowly turned.
"Heh…"
She let out a laugh, fearless and bold.
--+--
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!
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If you guys wanna check it out.