Umapyon Police Patrols in Person!

Silence Suzuka ran fast. Zhou Yuang had experienced that firsthand.

The wind whipped past his face so hard he felt he needed goggles.

But Silence Suzuka was a running fool. She had no destination; she only wanted to prove herself.

She wanted to take off on a whim as a Front Runner and run somewhere even she didn't know.

But she wasn't afraid.

Her trainer was right beside her.

No matter where she ran, he would keep watching her.

And... she could share with him the view from the front that no one else had ever seen.

Chapter 36: Umapyon Police Patrols in Person!

"Silence Suzuka, welcome back!"

The moment Zhou Yuang said it, an ear-splitting alarm rang out.

He sprang upright and looked at the Clock beside his bed, then down at the sheets.

"That dream felt so real."

Zhou Yuang reached over to silence the Clock, picking it up while he was at it.

He had dreamed he was Silence Suzuka's trainer and led her from one victory to the next.

But just like in the livestream, a whole lot had happened.

He had met Air Groove and Special Week, for instance, and there had been that shared dream that ended in a Bad Ending.

But what was with the dream within a dream?!

Neither he nor Silence Suzuka had acted like first-time players. They had seemed like two people who had been through it all, smiling as they made it through Tenno Sho Autumn hand in hand.

And just as they were about to collect the CG, his alarm had woken him up.

For a second, he had thought that after reaching the good ending, he would have to use the Clock of Life Replay and do it all again.

"But... that dream... Never mind."

I blurted out my real name because I thought it was a dream... I'm done for!

I knew the Three Goddesses couldn't be trusted. This has to be their plot!

Zhou Yuang put the Clock back and got ready to get up.

It was still early for work, but there was no harm in heading to Tracen Academy early to see his future wife.

He got up at once, got everything in order, and set off for Tracen Academy.

After greeting Hayakawa, he was about to head for his office when he spotted someone he couldn't possibly miss.

Silence Suzuka's orange hair stood out no matter how he looked at it.

The Carrot Sprite was certainly an eye-catching presence at Tracen Academy.

Most Uma Musume had black or brown hair. There weren't many with orange hair like hers.

"Um..."

Silence Suzuka spotted Zhou Yuang immediately and jogged over.

She was smiling.

"Good morning, Mr. Zhou Yuang."

The bright young high school girl ran up to him.

She wore a Tracen Academy uniform, with a shoulder bag slung over one shoulder. With that lovely long hair, seeing an Uma Musume like her run up to him felt incredible.

Silence Suzuka might not have much to bounce, but her long hair flowed beautifully!

I have to propose to Silence Suzuka!

Zhou Yuang couldn't resist a quiet girl with long hair.

"Good morning, Suzuka."

Zhou Yuang suppressed the urge to say something unhinged and greeted her.

Looking at Zhou Yuang, Silence Suzuka decided to put her plan into action immediately.

And what was her plan?

F2A, of course!

What plan? What wheat ears?

Just rush! She was a Front Runner!

Why wouldn't she charge straight in?!

Because of their shared dream yesterday, Silence Suzuka had woken up with a [Ukare (loss of composure)] debuff.

She had gone for a Morning Run as soon as she got up to calm herself down.

But she wasn't an Uma Musume who came with a built-in blue recovery skill.

After all, she had no stamina or intelligence bonus.

So without a blue recovery skill, she wasn't making the smartest decisions either.

That was why she had started lying in wait for Zhou Yuang as soon as she arrived at Tracen Academy.

The View from the Front Is Mine!

She knew perfectly well that Zhou Yuang had an Uma Musume named Oguri Cap.

In terms of versatility, she couldn't match Oguri Cap.

But she was faster!

An Uma Musume had to run fast on the track and even faster on the track of life. That was what it meant to be sound in mind and body!

She also remembered the nickname she had gained in yesterday's dream.

Interdimensional Fugitive.

Today, I'm going on a Front Runner escape across dimensions!

"Mr. Zhou Yuang, are you AT?"

Silence Suzuka's question left Zhou Yuang dumbfounded.

You're opening with your ultimate move?

Come on.

Didn't I teach you on the stream?

Investigate properly before you make your move!

Zhou Yuang glanced around warily. Once he saw no other Uma Musume nearby, he turned back to Silence Suzuka.

He wasn't the sort to dodge responsibility, so of course he had to answer.

Goodbye, my fifty Jewels...

Wait, isn't that just the equivalent of missing out on the daily Training mission reward once?

Is getting a wife for that price a bad deal?

Hell no. That's a steal!

"You didn't say anything in the Livestream Room yesterday, did you? I thought you would've spoken up when I chose the mission with the three-star ticket."

Zhou Yuang answered her question with one of his own.

Whether he said "I think I am" or "I'm AT"... it would be too embarrassing.

That alias really was far too careless.

Maybe I should pick a better-sounding name for my next stream?

"...I did! Just once."

I knew it. Thank goodness!

You're my trainer.

Silence Suzuka looked at Zhou Yuang, her heart brimming with joy.

His excellent performance on the livestream, his earnestness and gentleness during yesterday's training, and the feeling that they really had spent all that time together from their contract to Tenno Sho Autumn had all left her very fond of him.

They had known each other for less than a day, yet it felt as if they had been together from her debut through the end of her senior year.

"Only once? You've got impressive restraint."

A lurker, huh?

Suzuka, you sure can hold your breath.

Zhou Yuang felt helpless, but it made sense. Silence Suzuka was a quiet, affectionate Uma Musume, even if she wasn't as docile as certain Uma Musume who were as gentle as cows.

There was nothing wrong with being a woman of few words.

"By the way, did you have a good dream last night?"

That dream had felt too real. Whenever Zhou Yuang saw Silence Suzuka, those scenes came back to him.

He also found himself wanting to take care of her and... have Silence Suzuka carry him around town on her back.

It was a little embarrassing, but being carried by Silence Suzuka as she ran had felt wonderful.

Especially the sight of the scenery flashing past... Uh-oh.

I think Silence Suzuka's rubbing off on me.

I'm going to inherit Silence Suzuka's running-fool Factors.

"You dreamed it too? The dream where you revealed who you were?"

Silence Suzuka was delighted. She hadn't expected that the shared dreaming from the livestream could happen in real life too.

Then... doesn't that mean we really are sharing the scenery through each other's eyes?

"I did. You even carried me while you ran. Just like on the stream, you still couldn't let the Special Week thing go. Suzuka, there's something I need to ask you..."

"What is it?"

Silence Suzuka pricked up her ears, eager to hear what Zhou Yuang wanted her to do.

"Well..."

"GOOD MORNING!!!"

A shrill greeting bursting with energy rang out.

A certain pink-haired girl came charging over.

Compared with Zhou Yuang, the prince who had promised to watch over Silence Suzuka forever, this was the loyal pink-haired knight who shipped the pair.

Who knew when this pink knight might suddenly whip out some power-up items and bring anyone she deemed impure to justice?

Help!

Zhou Yuang blinked at Silence Suzuka in appeal, and she understood at once.

She turned to greet Agnes Digital.

"Good morning, Miss Digital."

"Good morning, Literacy-kaa-san!"

At the sight of Silence Suzuka's ladylike demeanor, Digital's mouth split into a strange grin.

She was in bliss.

"Silence Suzuka really is adorable. AT acts like such a jerk, but he gets to be close to an Uma Musume this cute..."

She clasped her hands together and rubbed them, though she wasn't praying for anyone's safety.

The next second, she began to mutter.