Agnes Tachyon's expression grew serious.
She had noticed a scent on Lin Anran the first time she met him. At first, it had been faint and elusive, but now it had grown noticeably stronger.
"Looks like Doctor Lin really does have a special constitution."
"That's the legendary... Horse Mint, isn't it?!"
A silver-white Heavenly Horse girl suddenly appeared in the room!
Platinum, making her entrance!
Some time ago, the cautious, shrewd young doctor had specially prepared a new phone and a separate account for when he transformed into Platinum.
He couldn't keep using the same phone before and after all the time. His identity would be exposed before long.
Symboli Rudolf, who had requested to add the account ages ago, had finally been approved.
And the student council president immediately brought something up after she was accepted.
Symboli Rudolf: Platinum, you don't have a Winning Live Costume yet, do you?
Platinum: Huh? A Winning Live Costume?
Symboli Rudolf: That's right. It's what you wear when you compete in the highest-level GI Races. You wear it to give an impressive performance on the track and a beautiful show on stage.
No matter how frilly or heavy it looked, even if you had a knife, sword, gun, or even a bow hanging from your waist, it wouldn't affect your running or your stage performance in the slightest. And you couldn't use any of it on the track, either.
In short, it's a special outfit blessed by the Three Goddesses!
Forget about just competing in a GI Race—you've already won one. You should get a Winning Live Costume, too. It'll help you show off your charm.
Up until now, Platinum had worn the same outfit she'd transformed in, from her Debut Race all the way to the Oaks and her dominant Looking Back at the Moon victory.
She really hadn't prepared a special Winning Live Costume for competing in GI Races.
"Huh, no wonder..."
Miss Heavenly Horse suddenly remembered the foreign champion Uma Musume, Nobility, from the anime. When she ran, she wore a cape that looked as heavy as a padded coat.
That padded-coat cape had to weigh at least a pound or two. Under normal circumstances, it would surely have a significant impact on her speed.
And some Uma Musume, like Great Horse Express, wore pistols at their waists, while Rice Shower carried a dagger. Yet they'd still passed URA's inspection and competed.
At first, she'd wondered: wasn't URA supposed to be incredibly old-fashioned? Why would they let Uma Musume carry weapons?
Wasn't URA worried that some Uma Musume might fall too far behind, lose her temper, and throw a weapon, turning the race into an item match?
So it was the special nature of the Winning Live Costumes, and the Three Goddesses' blessing?
In an instant, Platinum's interest was piqued.
She suddenly remembered that when she first transformed, she'd been carrying a... bow!
And that bow was still under her bed. She hadn't touched it since.
"The Three Goddesses' blessing? Could weapons be considered part of the Winning Live Costume, so you can carry them around freely?"
"How interesting!"
Miss Heavenly Horse's interest grew, and a faint smile curled her lips.
The next moment, she lowered her head and typed a reply on her phone.
Platinum: All right, got it.
Platinum: I'll get a Winning Live Costume today, then. I won't forget before the next Derby.
Not long after Platinum sent her message,
a reply from Symboli Rudolf appeared immediately.
Symboli Rudolf: Teio and her friends Mejiro Dober and Mejiro McQueen are just outside Tracen Academy right now.
Symboli Rudolf: I can ask them to wait a bit and come with you to pick out a Winning Live Costume?
Dober? Chunky McQueen and Teio?
Seeing Symboli Rudolf's enthusiasm, Miss Heavenly Horse smiled faintly and murmured to herself,
"Looks like I have no choice but to go out today."
All right, then. Time to pick out a Winning Live Costume!
"How interesting. I wonder what mine will look like. Will it have a weapon, too?"
50. Platinum: Guh, the girl at the front desk?
"W-wait a minute!!"
After replying to Emperor Symboli Rudolf and agreeing to meet Mejiro Dober, Tokai Teio, and Mejiro McQueen to pick out a Winning Live Costume...
Miss Heavenly Horse seemed to have thought of something. For once, a puzzled, bewildered look appeared on her delicate face.
"I don't think I'm..."
"...technically an Uma Musume, am I?"
Uma Musume were a unique species in this world. They had exceptional physical abilities and were generally about three times stronger than humans.
Among them, those who loved running included gifted individuals known as racehorse girls—Uma Musume.
And this world... really did have gods!
The Three Goddesses, whom Uma Musume often mentioned, truly existed.
But her own species wasn't Uma Musume at all!
She remembered very clearly that she belonged to the Kulantta race from her homeland. Though her appearance was similar to an Uma Musume's, they were fundamentally different.
If the Winning Live Costumes were blessed by the Three Goddesses, would she, as a Kulantta, pass muster with them?
Platinum couldn't help feeling a little worried.
But she wasn't too troubled. After all... she'd appeared in races without any resistance and completed three of them. That proved she'd at least earned the Three Goddesses' tacit approval.
Platinum regained her composure and stopped worrying. She picked up her phone, turned around, and headed for the location Symboli Rudolf had sent her.
"All right, let's go see Dober and Teio."
Mejiro Dober was the girl she'd faced in the Oaks just two days ago. It seemed Platinum had shaken her confidence during the race.
Two days had passed. Surely she'd gotten her emotions back under control by now?
The shopping street outside Tracen Academy.
"Huh? Platinum's coming?"
"Got it!!"
Tokai Teio hung up the phone, a honey-sweet drink in her hands.
Beside her were the Mejiro sisters, Mejiro McQueen and Mejiro Dober, waiting for the dessert shop to prepare their order.
The moment Tokai Teio mentioned "Platinum," Mejiro Dober's ears—belonging to the cool, stunning girl—twitched, and her body turned around without her even thinking.
It was as if the silver-white Heavenly Horse had given Mejiro Dober PTSD, instantly drawing her attention and focus.
The silver-white Heavenly Horse who looked back at the moon!
"I don't think I'll ever forget you for the rest of my life!"
"I've never been so impressed by any other Uma Musume."
That one race, their conversations, the interview—nearly every sentence and every word Platinum had said had left a deep impression on Mejiro Dober.
The cool beauty still wasn't sure what her complicated feelings were. Was it... simple resentment? Or had she started to admire the powerful Heavenly Horse?
Beside her, Mejiro McQueen, steady in both temperament and weight, was still gazing at the shop, focused on waiting for her dessert.
But the next second, Mejiro McQueen belatedly caught on. She wiped her lips and exclaimed,
"Huh, Platinum?"
"What's she coming here for?"
Tokai Teio quickly explained that Platinum needed a Winning Live Costume.
"A Winning Live Costume?"
"Yeah. Remember? Platinum's worn the same outfit from her Debut Race all the way through the Oaks."
Only then did Mejiro Dober realize...
After all, at a crucial moment in a race, who had the spare attention to watch what their rivals were wearing, or whether they'd changed into a special Winning Live Costume?
Now that Teio mentioned it, it really was true.
"So I'm taking Platinum to pick out or order a Winning Live Costume."
"Want to come along?"
It was a task assigned by the student council president—and it involved that very Heavenly Horse Platinum!
Since Japanese racing had begun decades ago, no Uma Musume had ever won a GI in just the third race of her career. Platinum had set a remarkable record.
And that wasn't all. Platinum had won those three races in just one month! She'd set another seemingly unbreakable record, rising from obscurity to become a GI champion known across the land in a single month!
She was even going to challenge the Triple Crown of Transformation, which was considered impossible to achieve! Such an unbelievable choice of races had deeply shaken Tokai Teio.
If she got the chance, Tokai Teio wanted to face Platinum in a Training Race! She couldn't let this opportunity to meet her pass by.
There was no time to mourn Mejiro Dober's defeat!
Rushing onto the battlefield the very next moment was the Undefeated Two Crowns, Tokai Teio!
The two Mejiro fillies beside Tokai Teio wore subtle expressions.
The first to speak was Mejiro Dober, who had faced Heavenly Horse Platinum before.
The cool beauty tucked a lock of black hair behind her ear and answered seriously,
"I'll come."
"What about you, McQueen?"
Mejiro McQueen nodded with interest. She walked over to collect her dessert from the shop and said,
"Then I'll come, too. I want to see what that Heavenly Horse's Winning Live Costume looks like. And I want to find out..."
"Will the Three Goddesses give her a weapon?"
A little while later.
Platinum followed the location marker on her phone and found the place.
The only Kulantta girl in this world had come here, curious about Winning Live Costumes.
In front of her stood Mejiro Dober, watching her with a complicated, yearning look; Tokai Teio, wearing a cheerful smile; and the chubby filly Mejiro McQueen, head lowered as she savored her dessert!
"Platinum!"
Miss Heavenly Horse walked over and greeted them.
After a few pleasantries, Tokai Teio led the way down a somewhat secluded road near Tracen Academy.
Platinum had been in Japan for a month, but she'd never come this way before. She couldn't help asking,
"Is there a process for getting a Winning Live Costume? Is it a lot of trouble?"
The first to answer was Mejiro Dober, the cool, elegant girl who resembled an ice queen.
"It's actually quite simple. You can apply through the URA's official channels, or go directly to a specific craftsperson to have one made or buy one."
"Applying through URA involves a lot of paperwork and takes a long time. You might not make it in time for the Derby, so it's best to buy one directly. Then, after the blessing ceremony where you pay respects to the Three Goddesses, it'll be officially upgraded to a Winning Live Costume."
Before you continue