In Tracen, Good at Doing Time

That debut race strategy of letting Silence Suzuka run away from the start not only shocked her—it also amazed the Uma Musume.

Continuing with that pleasing racing style was undoubtedly a good thing.

Unfortunately, just as Zhou Yuang had said, it damaged her body.

Being a Front Runner was a double-edged sword, bringing both benefits and risks.

Between a painful victory and a despairing defeat, which one was worth choosing?

The Uma Musume in the comments asked Zhou Yuang, seeking an answer from him.

Zhou Yuang knew how nervous the comments were, but he wasn't nervous.

Because Zhou Yuang knew this was a game, while the Uma Musume subconsciously thought it was reality.

But the more innocent they are, the cuter these girls seem to me.

Uma Musume were truly creatures of pure emotion.

Now, how should he choose the future for this adorable girl?

Zhou Yuang looked at Silence Suzuka before him, then reached toward the choice panel.

Then... he simply swiped the panel open.

"You found me out."

Darley said with a smile, looking at her two companions beside her.

"She's not that slow after all."

Baye said nothing, but Godolphin smiled and opened her eyes, watching Zhou Yuang's actions.

This was a game, but judging from everything that had happened before, it was no different from reality.

Since it was a game but not something to fool around with, there was no reason to make such a terrible choice.

Zhou Yuang swiped open the panel and walked toward Silence Suzuka.

One person and one Horse gradually drew closer. Seeing the Trainer suddenly approach, Silence Suzuka grew a little nervous.

She felt that he was getting a bit too close.

"Silence Suzuka!"

Zhou Yuang suddenly raised his voice, startling Silence Suzuka into answering at once.

"Yes!"

"Why did you come to Tracen Academy?"

"Why? I came to Tracen Academy, of course, to..."

"I like running. I want to see more unknown scenery, so I came here... right?"

Zhou Yuang answered for Silence Suzuka. Those were the lines she had spoken when they first met.

Some Uma Musume outside the screen might not remember them, but Zhou Yuang remembered them perfectly.

Silence Suzuka was a Front Runner, but not a mindless all-out Front Runner. She was a runner who fled and pursued.

She fled from the other Uma Musume and pursued the scenery she wished to see.

"That's right. Exactly."

Silence Suzuka still looked somewhat timid, but she remembered the moment she had signed with Zhou Yuang. Zhou Yuang had looked at her seriously...

Huh? Had the Trainer ever looked serious?

Silence Suzuka stared at the Trainer before her in confusion.

On that pale, steamed-bun-like head was only one large, yellow A that looked like a Lamp.

"You can ask me what to do, because I'm your Trainer. If you have questions, I'll answer them. If you have difficulties, I'll solve them. But before that, you can ask yourself what you intend to do."

Zhou Yuang pointed at Silence Suzuka's head, and Silence Suzuka instinctively touched it as well.

"Whether you want to carry on despite the burden for the sake of your own racing style and brilliance, or proceed cautiously so you can run in more races, I'll agree either way. Though you'll be alone on the track, watching scenery that belongs only to you, I'll work hard so you can run better, waiting for you in the scenery ahead."

"Trainer..."

Looking at Zhou Yuang before her, Silence Suzuka hesitated.

"So, boldly make your own decision. The reason I chose you is simple: because you are Silence Suzuka, the Uma Musume who captivated me."

Zhou Yuang reached out to stroke Silence Suzuka's head and met her gaze.

His face seemed incapable of showing any emotion, yet it conveyed a blazing trust that Silence Suzuka could feel.

Silence Suzuka wanted to run away, but she didn't dare.

It wasn't because she feared injuring her body. She simply felt that the Trainer before her trusted her even more than she trusted herself.

So, what was her choice?

Run! She wanted to run!

Not away from the Trainer who trusted her and had given her the right to choose, but on the racetrack.

She liked running, and she loved the scenery that only she could enjoy.

So...

"I want to run! I want to keep running away on the track!"

"I know my body might develop problems, but I love running. I want to see more scenery I've never seen before, scenery that belongs only to me, so... I'm going to continue!"

"Trainer, please allow me to be selfish!"

Silence Suzuka firmly voiced her thoughts. Of course, these were also the thoughts of the Silence Suzuka outside the screen.

Trainer, I want to be a Front Runner.

Running really was such a happy thing.

Remembering the image of herself streaking far ahead in the debut race on the screen, smiling as she did so, Silence Suzuka felt that she wanted to try being a Front Runner too.

After this stream ends, I'll try it.

She thought silently.

After the Silence Suzuka on the screen firmly said those words, Zhou Yuang nodded.

"If that's what you want, then I'll see it through with you. The training ahead will be extremely arduous."

"I know!"

Silence Suzuka nodded seriously.

"No slacking off."

"Yes!"

"No staying up late."

"Yes!"

"No gaining weight."

"Yes?!"

Silence Suzuka suddenly felt that a great deal of black aura had appeared around the Zhou Yuang in front of her. What was that?

It was practically the resentment of Dou E...

How frightening.

"It's a promise, then."

"Mm. Trainer, I understand. We've made a promise, right?"

Silence Suzuka raised her head and looked at the Trainer across from her, revealing a faint smile filled with happiness.

With that smile, the scene ended, and the screen returned to the main interface.

"Even if it's a game, I still have to keep my promises."

Looking at the screen, where Silence Suzuka had suddenly said, "Trainer, I'll run. I'll keep running forever, so please watch me carefully and don't let me run too far," Zhou Yuang couldn't help rubbing his chin.

It was only a game, but it wasn't something he could play around with.

His gaze shifted to the comment feed nearby, only to find that the comments had become excited.

[Uma Musume Fan]: Amazing! One is an Uma Musume who knows she's fragile but still charges forward fearlessly, and the other is a Trainer who supports her with all his might. I'm totally obsessed with this pairing!!!

[Unbreakable Glass]: I'm so jealous. Watching them makes me want to find a Trainer like that too.

[Festival Girl]: A story like this... Just watching it makes my heart race.

[Hates Flashes and Manic Guys]: You can actually say something like that?

[Side-Eyeing Lewd Manga Teacher]: I'm finally out... Phew. A pairing like this really is perfect for drawing a pure-love doujin.

[Uma Musume Fan]: What? I'm offering 150 Carrots! Artist above, hurry up and draw it! I'm dying over here!

The comments were a mixed bag, but they gave Zhou Yuang's performance a high enough rating. Zhou Yuang thought that it had been worth it—he had earned a wave of goodwill from the comments.

But as far as he was concerned, the most important thing was that he had gotten some practice.

This kind of dialogue for winning over an Uma Musume would definitely come in handy next time!

If he encountered the real Silence Suzuka, he could just say these things directly.

Zhou Yuang considered this, then opened the menu, checked the schedule, and estimated his subsequent training plan.

Meanwhile, Silence Suzuka, sitting before the screen, held both hands against her chest.

She had to admit that she felt a little jealous.

She was jealous that the version of herself on the screen had something so enviable, but she hoped that after that, the promise between that version of herself and the Trainer could be fulfilled.

Everyone wanted to obtain happiness, and Silence Suzuka was no exception.

Even if that version of herself wasn't the current her, she would still pray for that version's happiness.

She hoped to see that version of herself continue being a Front Runner and see more unknown scenery in her place.

Then she would go search for scenery that belonged only to her.

"All right, the next step is still some simple training. Let's set a few small goals first—six consecutive graded-race victories."

In the game, Silence Suzuka was the first Uma Musume who could obtain the Front Runner skill.

First, she had made a name for herself through Front Running. Secondly...

Silence Suzuka was Cygames' favorite daughter.

That wasn't a joke.

Although Silence Suzuka wasn't as strong as Oguri Cap in the game, that was because Silence Suzuka was simply too pampered.

The difficulty of obtaining her Front Runner skill was fairly low.

Unlike certain Uma Musume who needed their aptitudes adjusted before they could obtain Front Runner, her story still had her carry four others, and even used her as a stepping stone for new characters.

Using a popular character as a stepping stone for other Uma Musume was something only that stupid Cygames could do.

That was getting off track.

Silence Suzuka's requirements for Front Runner were six consecutive graded-race victories, followed by winning the Tenno Sho Autumn twice.

But as an Uma Musume who had suffered a tragedy in the Tenno Sho Autumn, this arrangement... Cygames clearly had its own intentions.

Could only those who crossed a certain hurdle be considered strong?

The tragedies of reality could not be overturned, but in games, any Uma Musume could obtain happiness.

That was probably one of the gentle aspects of the world of anime.

Afterward, Zhou Yuang continued arranging Silence Suzuka's plans. Raising her stats absolutely could not be neglected.

Chapter 12: I Don't Want a Stupid Uma Musume

"It's a shame that the Front Runner skill requires certain conditions to unlock. Otherwise, Silence Suzuka could run wild during Training."

The game Uma Musume had once become a world dominated by Front Runners.