Training finished just as the morning sun climbed into the sky.
Garden Gale wiped the sweat from her forehead, releasing one final breath of exhaustion. Grabbing her bag and slipping on her headphones, she headed straight for the cafeteria.
Train.
Eat.
Train.
Eat.
Her daily routine was unchanging—but only strict monotony could produce excellence. If Garden Gale had spent her nights idling, she'd never have taken home the Satsuki Sho.
As music played, she abruptly remembered something. Something important. Something absolutely critical.
Her calm facade shattered instantly, her face turning pale.
Wait a minute… Could I delete my Umastagram account?
She tapped anxiously through the app, but couldn't find any option to deactivate it. Instead, she discovered her verified real-name information in the account settings:
Garden Gale, Tracen Academy Classic Division—her student ID and everything were uploaded. Umastagram certification required real, verified identity data.
Yet her public-facing username remained [Ruined King]. Even if she couldn't deactivate, maybe she could at least change her username quickly…
Otherwise…
When this account inevitably surfaced...
It wouldn't be a minor embarrassment; she'd outright die of embarrassment!
She skimmed her profile bio again: "Been to Iceland, traveled Ireland. Skateboarding downhill enthusiast, loves skiing, fan of Juice WRLD. Amateur producer, artist…"
Garden Gale shut her eyes painfully.
Even the attempt at intellectual charm afterward—"Interested in history and culture"—couldn't save this disaster.
Why did I ever write something this stupid?!
She peeked at her follower count.
2,200.
"Two thousand?!"
Garden Gale yelped aloud. Luckily, she was alone on a quiet path. Quickly glancing around to confirm no witnesses, she slumped onto a nearby bench and checked the comments.
[Logos]:Hey Ruined King, when's your debut race? Can't wait!
[Eigo #1 Wise Hater]:Why no Umastagram updates lately?
The latest comment was just three minutes ago, and scrolling revealed many others.
Why are so many people following me anyway?
She hadn't posted anything in ages, yet they kept coming. This also meant another escape route was blocked—if she recklessly changed her account now, her original followers would inevitably expose her, leading to eternal embarrassment!
This account had become a total mess.
A first-class hot potato.
Rubbing her chin helplessly, Garden Gale resigned herself to fate. Even worse, Tokai Teio had messaged her again. She avoided opening the private chat for now.
Instead, she glanced at the trending page.
Number one—Bear Dance, predictably.
Number two—the Satsuki Sho, still blazing hot days later.
She deliberately ignored that she'd invented the Bear Dance herself, tapping on the Satsuki Sho post instead. The winning moment captured in the rain, spectators standing and cheering, stretching hands toward dreams and glory under flashing, colorful lights.
At the center of it all—Garden Gale, responding fiercely to the crowd's passion. Even rain-soaked and disheveled, she radiated an irrepressible vitality, lifting her arm triumphantly, eyes blazing with defiant intensity—a flame not even torrential rain could extinguish.
[TkCrkn]:This race was insanely COOOOOOOOOOOOL! No amount of Os can express my shock!
[LittlePumpkin]:Same! Totally love Garden Gale now! Officially her fan for life. She's so powerful and cool! Proud, mysterious… hehehehe.
[ConductorYXP]:Plus, she's super cute—especially her Winner's Live…
Garden Gale immediately switched off her screen, face blank.
Nopenopenopenope!
Why is that damned dance everywhere? Will I forever be known as 'the Bear Dance girl'?!
Calm down, calm down.
Pretending nonchalance, she whistled softly, reopened her phone without looking, and quickly hammered the back button repeatedly, retreating safely to the home screen. Then she cautiously opened the messaging page.
Garden Gale sighed with relief.
[Tokai Teio]: Hey, you there?
[Tokai Teio]: I tried your advice…but it doesn't seem… very effective.
[Tokai Teio]:I feel like she's deliberately ignoring me. I don't even know how to explain the specifics… Honestly, you're the only one who can help now.
The most recent message was two days old, from the day of the Satsuki Sho.
Garden Gale pondered briefly, then typed a reply:
[Ruined King]:Then be more forceful.
[Ruined King]:Create a situation she can't possibly ignore, or push it far enough that she has no choice.
After all, when Viego revived Isolde, he never asked Runeterra for permission.
He just did it.
She sent the message casually, massaging her temples as music filled her ears again. Garden Gale decided she'd better not procrastinate any further.
She quickly headed toward the cafeteria, intending to eat, rest, and get back on schedule for afternoon training.
...
At the Tracen Academy cafeteria—athletes always needed plenty of food, and Umamusume were no exception. Central Tracen was bustling as usual, but Garden Gale swiftly grabbed lunch and scanned the crowded dining hall, settling at an empty spot.
Just as she sat down...
She spotted Curren Chan at a nearby table.
And with her was... Admire Vega.
Garden Gale narrowed her eyes slightly—not hostile, merely curious about what these two were up to.
Relaxed, she took a sip of soy milk, thinking it was shaping up to be a pleasantly peaceful morning.
But then an argument erupted between the two girls.
Their voices rose steadily, with Admire Vega abruptly standing, drawing stares from nearby tables. Curren Chan seemed desperate to calm her down, but to no avail.
The quarrel only intensified.
Garden Gale stared blankly.
Well then.
So much for my relaxing morning.
Realizing she couldn't just watch, she stood up and headed toward them.
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T/N: GG YHOURE JUST PUSHING URSELF INTO THE BASEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUST KEEP TOKAI TEIO AS CUCKAI TEIO!!!!