Pegasus? Actually, I'm a doctor!

(If this was Teio now, she'd broken a bone after the Spring Tenno Sho. That would make it her second fracture.)

(She was already a famous figure throughout Japan, and she'd won more prize money than anyone could count!)

(Treating her would bring in a fortune and make a name for him. He'd establish his reputation and have no trouble attracting other wealthy clients.)

Even if no other big-name clients came along, given Tokai Teio's running style...

Well, there was always the chance she'd become a repeat customer and break a bone for the third time.

So Lin Anran saw no reason at all not to treat Tokai Teio. Even if it meant using his precious trial card, he was willing to do it!

Hearing Lin Anran's response, Tokai Teio was both surprised and delighted. She nearly sprang to her feet and bounced around.

But the pain in her leg quickly brought her back to her senses. The petite girl, still a little young and immature, raised her head and spoke in a faintly trembling voice.

"R-really? You can cure me?"

"Please, you have to heal me! I'll agree to anything!"

Good!

That was exactly what Lin Anran had been waiting to hear.

He immediately began discussing the specific medical fees.

"About the medical fees... They might be a little high."

"Specifically—"

A moment later, he quoted a hefty sum.

To Lin Anran's surprise, Tokai Teio didn't hesitate at all. She nodded so eagerly that she looked like a pecking chick.

Having already won many races, Tokai Teio valued victory far more than a mere prize purse or medical bill.

And with her keen intuition, Miss Teio had also sensed that the reliable young doctor before her seemed to... like money a little too much.

That made things easy!

Tokai Teio patted her thigh lightly and looked up at him, speaking earnestly.

"I've heard that some prestigious Uma Musume families have their own doctors. They pay them a lot, and some even offer them a share of their race winnings as an incentive."

"Doctor Lin, if you really can heal my leg, I'll give you an extra 10% of the prize money from my next race."

Everyone understood the principle that great rewards brought out the brave.

Trainers usually received a certain percentage of the prize money earned by the Uma Musume on their team. So it seemed reasonable for the best doctors—the ones capable of extending an Uma Musume's career—to receive a share as well, didn't it?

"How interesting!"

Tokai Teio's offer won Lin Anran over completely and piqued his interest.

The shares offered by nobodies like Big Red, Bully, and Dahlia couldn't tempt him. They probably wouldn't win any races anyway.

But Tokai Teio was different. She was a gifted girl talented enough to win GI Races!

If he could heal her well enough to improve her condition, then when Tokai Teio returned to the track and won races... would he also get another hefty payment for his treatment?

The unscrupulous doctor quietly opened his system, gazed at the hopeful Tokai Teio, and used his one and only Intermediate Healing Ability trial card.

The next second, a new line of text appeared before him.

Intermediate Healing Ability — Patient: Tokai Teio (treatable)

Select treatment methods (multiple selections allowed): acupuncture, surgery, medication...

Treatment period: one day, three days, one week, half a month, one month...

The simple, straightforward information made Lin Anran see the light. His face brightened.

Good!

Even medication alone could heal Tokai Teio's fracture. It sounded incredible and defied common sense, but... Lin Anran didn't care about that.

This was the world of Uma Musume. The legendary Three Goddesses existed here, along with all sorts of things that couldn't be explained.

Compared to all that, he was probably just an ordinary unscrupulous doctor with slightly strange, slightly better medical skills.

In short, as long as he could earn his consultation fee, it was good.

Lin Anran had been a little worried that healing a serious injury in the blink of an eye might seem too much like science fiction.

But he could choose the treatment method and even the duration? That made it safe.

He could adjust the treatment period and methods instead of choosing medication alone. That should be enough to fool the girl who only cared about training and racing.

Lin Anran immediately selected a combination of treatment methods and quickly set the treatment period.

Treatment plan (combination): acupuncture, medication

Treatment period: half a month

In the next instant, a wealth of information flooded Lin Anran's mind.

For him, the fracture that was so severe that no doctor in all of Japan could heal it in the short term was now easy to treat!

A mere fracture was nothing. He could handle it in a snap!

Confidently, Lin Anran smiled at Tokai Teio and gestured for her to lie down on the nearby hospital bed.

"I won't let you down after you've paid such a generous medical fee, Miss Teio."

"Now, please lie down."

At some point, Lin Anran had taken up his acupuncture tools.

The unscrupulous doctor held a sharp, icy needle. Tokai Teio's eyes widened at the sight, and she swallowed nervously.

Still, she endured her fear and bewilderment and lay down on the bed, wanting to recover.

"I-I have a fracture, right? Isn't this needle the wrong treatment?"

There was no longer any response from Lin Anran in the infirmary.

The unscrupulous doctor had been won over by the generous medical fee and the promise of a share in her future winnings. All he wanted was to get paid as soon as possible and finish treating her.

And so, the next moment—

Tokai Teio, an undefeated two-time crown winner and one of Japan's top Uma Musume, let out a loud scream in the infirmary.

"Ah...! Ow!!"

That afternoon, in the student council room.

A tall girl with brown hair sat behind the desk, calm and composed. The bangs above her forehead formed a white crescent, lending her the air of an emperor.

She was Symboli Rudolf, the strongest Uma Musume in Japanese history. After retiring, she had taken up the role of student council president and set herself a new goal: raising outstanding juniors.

Tokai Teio was a successor Rudolf had recognized and believed in long ago. But unfortunately, she had broken a bone while striving for the Undefeated Triple Crown and missed the final race.

Worse still, after finally recovering, Tokai Teio had suffered another fracture following the Spring Tenno Sho, another GI Race she had challenged.

These repeated serious injuries had led the public to widely believe that Tokai Teio might never race again and would likely retire.

And now, Tokai Teio—whom countless doctors had said needed a long period of rest—had walked up to her on legs that looked almost normal and told her that she'd already been partly treated and would recover after some time?

"Huh?"

"That Doctor Lin who was just announced this morning says... he's confident he can heal you?"

"And he's already gotten your legs to recover somewhat in such a short time?"

Even Symboli Rudolf hadn't expected this.

"Mm-hmm~ Just wait, President. I'll surprise you in my next race!"

The petite Tokai Teio nodded quickly, beaming. No one knew better than she did how her legs felt. They really were much better.

"That's wonderful news. You might even be able to make the Takarazuka Kinen and the Tenno Sho in autumn."

"That Doctor Lin really does have skill. No wonder that monster in America can't stop thinking about him..."

Symboli Rudolf paused, as if remembering something else, then stood up.

"Teio, get some proper rest. Don't start training again right away. I'll be back after I take care of something."

"Eh? What about you, President? Do you have something to do?"

Tokai Teio tilted her little head and pressed her.

"The second race of this year's Classic Triple Crown, the Derby, is coming up soon, isn't it? Those girls have taken too much of a beating from Tachyon..."

"I want to visit Jungle Pocket and Cafe and the others, and give them some encouragement."

At that answer, Tokai Teio seemed to recall something. She wasn't particularly surprised by what Symboli Rudolf had said.

"Tachyon... She really is terrifying. She won the first crown of the Triple Crown so effortlessly."

"For a monster with that kind of talent, this year's Triple Crown might be within her grasp, don't you think?"

"As long as nothing unexpected happens—"

In his dorm room.

The unscrupulous doctor looked down at the payment notification on his phone.

It was the medical fee Tokai Teio had transferred to him, and the sum was enough to put his mind at ease.

Once he'd fully healed Tokai Teio, he could earn another payment when she raced. He'd also make a name for himself and have no shortage of future clients!

"I made a fortune on my very first day in Japan."

"This place has a much brighter future than the nobodies I knew in America."

After reflecting on that, Lin Anran walked over to the mirror.

Tokai Teio had paid him a lot, but he wasn't about to be satisfied with that.

No matter how high the medical fee was, it couldn't compare to the full prize money from a major race, could it?

The unscrupulous doctor cared only about money. After collecting his medical fee, he wanted to go earn race winnings, too.

Once he won the Triple Crown and upgraded to permanent Intermediate Healing Ability, he'd be able to do whatever he wanted!

Lin Anran gazed into the mirror and made up his mind.

"Then, transform!"

The next moment, he finally activated his transformation.

After a flash of golden light, a slightly petite, white-haired girl stood in his place!

Platinum!

She looked exactly like the figure on the panel. Even the bow she carried as a sniper operator was strapped to her back?!

He was going to race after transforming... so why had he brought a bow?

After a moment of surprise, Platinum walked up to the mirror and examined herself.

She also began to sense the power contained in her transformed legs.

When her fair, soft hand touched the bow on her back, she felt an inexplicable sense of reassurance.

The young Kuranta girl knew that weapons weren't needed in this world of racing.

Or rather, her legs were her weapons!

With such powerful legs, she could survive—and earn countless winnings, couldn't she?

"Ha!"

"This world... This place is surprisingly nice~"

She spoke in a soft, slightly lazy voice.

"Will there be an interesting battle soon?~"

The languid Kuranta girl planned to make her debut as soon as possible and finish things quickly.