"I believe you've already looked into my past," Eternal Meteor said, facing Speed Symboli head-on. "So you should also know that I used to be… wandering, right?"
She held Speed Symboli's gaze without flinching, trying to show that everything she was saying was true. Only after Speed Symboli slowly nodded did Eternal Meteor continue.
"Whether it was the qualifications to enter Tracen, or the money to buy equipment—Rudolf gave all of it to me. Otherwise I would've had no choice but to keep sneaking into racetracks just to watch races."
Truth mixed with half-truth—and then, at the end, she tossed out something Speed Symboli wouldn't know, something that could pull her attention away.
Because Eternal Meteor was genuinely afraid Speed Symboli would start digging into what exactly had happened to make her "like this."
Who knew how thoroughly X had fabricated her past?
And who knew what version of the story X had written?
If what she said didn't match whatever records existed, she'd be in real trouble.
So she kept the timing vague. People would fill in the blanks themselves.
After all, her appearance was… very convincing.
"Sneaking in to watch races?"
Good. Speed Symboli bit onto the topic exactly as Eternal Meteor hoped.
Eternal Meteor paused, pretending to "search her memories," then put on a faintly sorrowful expression—brewing emotion—and continued with a story she made up on the spot.
"Yes. To be honest, at first my wish to become a horse girl started because of an accident. Before that happened, my only dreams were simply eating until I was full and sleeping well."
She "accidentally" let slip details that made her sound truly pitiful.
"One time I got swept into a massive crowd. Back then my body was just too small. No matter how I struggled, no matter how desperately I tried to squeeze out—it was useless. I could only be carried forward by the current of people."
As she spoke, she lifted an arm and gave it a slight shake, displaying her slender limbs to make it feel more believable.
"It was really helpless. Everyone around me was half a head taller. Even if I craned my neck, I couldn't see any light. And when I yelled for help, my voice was completely drowned by the crowd's excited cheering."
Eternal Meteor tried to paint the scene in detail—so Speed Symboli could "step into" it with her.
"When I realized I couldn't break free, I gave up and just let the crowd push me along, thinking… if I kept moving to one side, I'd eventually get out."
"I don't know how long it took, but suddenly the cheers around me grew even louder. As the crowd slowly spread apart, I saw a sight I'll never forget."
"On a bright green, wide-open racetrack, only one brown-haired horse girl remained standing beyond the finish line. None of her opponents were still on their feet—some had collapsed on the ground, others were bent over, gasping."
Eternal Meteor tilted her head slightly toward the chandelier, her expression filling with longing.
"Only she looked as if she'd merely taken a leisurely walk across the grass. She raised her fist toward the stands—and in that instant, the roar exploded in my ears. The entire crowd screamed the same name."
"Symboli Rudolf."
Speed Symboli, who had been listening intently, naturally supplied the name. She stared at Eternal Meteor, thoughtful.
"That's right," Eternal Meteor said with a small laugh, as if she truly were reminiscing. "Call it fate or coincidence… I happened to witness Rudolf winning at that exact moment. And I was lucky—because the crowd was so huge that the ticket gates were opened wider, and I was small enough to slip in. That's how I ended up inside."
"You could say everything I have now exists because I met Rudolf. Otherwise I'd probably still be laying cardboard under a bridge."
"I see."
Yes…! It worked. That was a pretty good story.
Eternal Meteor cheered internally.
She'd successfully gotten through it again—huh? Why did she say "again"?
Whatever. The important thing was it seemed to land. A "fated encounter," the origin of a dream, a reunion, then her current meteoric success—wow, applause. Maybe she could even write a novel someday.
Even she was half convinced by her own performance. The acting must've been excellent.
But she didn't forget why she was saying all this. Her face showed none of what she felt.
"So nothing like what you were worried about has happened," she said evenly. "And I've never thought about it. I'm only repaying the kindness I received."
Yet even as she said it, the joy inside her dimmed into something closer to regret.
Because she truly…
"Is it really like that?" Speed Symboli asked softly. "Is it that you don't want to… or that you… can't?"
"Huh?"
The question cut straight through Eternal Meteor's thoughts. And it made her freeze.
What did she mean?
Did she know Eternal Meteor didn't have long to live? Or was it something else?
Eternal Meteor hadn't left any trace about her lifespan. She'd personally checked every hospital report—none of them showed anything like that.
Her mind raced. She tried to keep the same expression as before, but it cracked slightly. Her eyes betrayed the unease she couldn't fully hide.
"So I was right," Speed Symboli said.
She lifted a hand, stopping Eternal Meteor from rushing to speak, and continued at her own pace.
"I don't know what you've been through," she said. "But when you talk about your past, your eyes don't waver even once."
"But when you talk about your relationship with Rudolf… I can feel real disappointment coming from you."
Hearing that, Eternal Meteor relaxed a little.
So her secret hadn't been exposed. It was just… her acting that had slipped.
She replayed her usual behavior in her mind. Rudolf hadn't noticed anything, so she'd assumed she was flawless.
Now she realized she'd overestimated herself.
She had tried hard to keep her emotions in check… but some things still leaked.
"You don't need to hide it from me," Speed Symboli said. "I didn't come here to decide Rudolf's private feelings—or yours."
Eternal Meteor looked at her, confusion written plainly on her face, like a giant question mark.
Didn't you literally say you came to confirm my relationship with Rudolf? Why are you saying this now?
As if she could hear the complaint in Eternal Meteor's mind, Speed Symboli explained calmly:
"I told you from the beginning—I came only to confirm the relationship. Not to stop it. I was mainly worried Rudolf might do something that could land her in prison."
"But now it seems you understand your own age, and you know what should and shouldn't be done."
Speed Symboli took a sip of water, then smiled slightly at Eternal Meteor—who was now looking a bit dazed.
"I'm not some controlling old monster. Rudolf isn't a child anymore. I won't meddle in her private affairs."
"And likewise," she continued, "I won't say things like 'you're too young to understand feelings.'"
"But all of that has a premise."
Her voice sharpened noticeably. The pressure in her gaze and presence was so strong it made her age vanish—then, just as quickly, it faded, as if it had never existed.
"Nothing illegal."
"If you truly want to be with Rudolf," Speed Symboli said, tone returning to calm, "then start doubling your effort from now on."
"If you don't want to be judged by others later… then you'll need power equal to hers."
"Or stronger."
Stronger…?
Eternal Meteor lowered her head and sank into deep thought.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 132)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter140)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter95)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter165)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 145
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 135
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 95
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 155
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 125
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 105
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 62
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 80
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 80
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 62
Uma Musume: I Want All 65
I Can Copy Unique Skills 53
Summoning an Evil God, but the 41
Supernatural Multiverse 45
My Harem Is Indescribable 35
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 46
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 26
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 36
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