“THE UMAMUSUME PARTICIPATING IN THE RACE ARE READY AND BEGINNING TO ENTER THE STARTING GATES. TODAY’S FIELD IS MADE UP OF SOME OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING UMAMUSUME IN CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE RACING HISTORY. YOU COULD TRULY CALL IT A LINEUP PACKED WITH POWERHOUSES. HOSOE-SAN, WHO DO YOU THINK HAS THE EDGE TODAY?”
“TODAY’S CONTEST IS SURE TO BE EXTREMELY FIERCE. AMONG THE COMPETITORS ARE QUITE A FEW UMAMUSUME WE’VE HELD HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR BEFORE. BUT IF I HAD TO NAME THE UMAMUSUME I HAVE THE GREATEST HOPES FOR TODAY, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE ONE WHO CREATED AN UNSHAKABLE STANDARD OF COMMON SENSE FOR US.”
“IN OTHER WORDS, HOSOE-SAN, YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGHEST FOR SYMBOLI RUDOLF?”
“SHE IS THE UMAMUSUME KNOWN AS THE EMPEROR, AFTER ALL. HOWEVER, EVERY COMPETITOR HERE POSSESSES EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY. UNTIL THE FINAL MOMENT, NO ONE CAN SAY FOR CERTAIN WHO WILL ULTIMATELY WIN THIS RACE.”
“INDEED. THE BRILLIANCE AND UNCERTAINTY OF CLASHES BETWEEN THE STRONG ARE THE VERY SOUL OF RACING. LET US LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE STRENGTH OF TODAY’S STAR UMAMUSUME!”
Listening to the exchange between the commentators on television, Sunset looked displeased.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Sure, she tried to smooth it over, but anyone can tell she’s praising that Emperor. Isn’t that way too biased…”
Even so, Sunset had no way to change the opinions of the spectators there, so all she could do was silently bite her handkerchief.
Sunset-oneechan in rabid fan mode is completely unreasonable…
All the children present silently thought the same thing. Of course, none of them dared to say it to her face.
“THE 2,400-METER TRACEN OPEN EXHIBITION RACE—HAS BEGUN!”
With the starting gates opening in perfect unison, every Umamusume broke from the gate.
“ASIDE FROM MR. C.B., WHO HAS STARTED LATE AS USUAL, ALL THE UMAMUSUME HAVE MADE A BEAUTIFUL BREAK FROM THE GATE. NOW THEN, HOW WILL THE RACE UNFOLD FROM HERE?”
“C.B.-san is as steady as ever! Great, she’ll definitely win this time! Smash that Emperor!”
Yes, Sunset was the kind of brainless fan who could turn even her idol’s flaws into virtues.
“CURRENTLY RUNNING IN FIRST IS MARUZENSKY, WHO HAS CONSISTENTLY CHOSEN TO RUN AS A FRONT RUNNER. THREE LENGTHS BEHIND HER IS NARITA BRIAN, WHO HAS CHOSEN A PACE CHASER STRATEGY FOR THIS RACE, FOLLOWED BY OGURI CAP HALF A LENGTH BACK, AND THEN T.M. OPERA O CLINGING TIGHTLY BEHIND. FURTHER BACK IS THE LATE SURGER GROUP, STARTING WITH AIR GROOVE, FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY SYMBOLI RUDOLF, WITH TAMAMO CROSS STILL BEHIND THEM. LAST IS THE END CLOSER, MR. C.B. WILL SHE BE ABLE TO SHOW US THAT DEMONIC FINAL SPURT?”
The live commentator rattled off every Umamusume’s name and position like reading from a menu. It could not be helped. After all, they were all famous Umamusume, and if the commentary favored one over another too heavily, there would be complaints after the race.
“C—B—!”
Swinging the cheering stick in her hand wildly, Sunset loudly cheered for her idol. The other party could not hear her, and in reality, the race had already ended long ago, but the flame called passion was still burning fiercely in her chest.
For an Umamusume, a 2,400-meter race was merely a contest of a little over two minutes. Now, the race had already reached the final corner.
“THE RACE HAS ENTERED ITS LATTER HALF. HOW ARE THINGS ON THE TRACK? EVERYONE HAS BEGUN THE FINAL SPRINT PHASE!”
“NARITA BRIAN HAS PASSED MARUZENSKY! WHAT A POWERFUL FINAL SPURT! NOW IS THE MOMENT FOR NARITA BRIAN TO LEAVE THE REST IN THE DUST! IS THERE ANYONE WHO CAN OVERTAKE HER?”
“FROM BEHIND! LOOK BEHIND THEM! MR. C.B. IS STARTING TO MAKE HER MOVE! MR. C.B. HAS BEGUN OVERTAKING! THE FINAL STRAIGHT UP AHEAD IS AN UPHILL CLIMB. WILL MR. C.B.’S SPEED DROP BECAUSE OF IT—NO! MR. C.B. IS AS STRONG ON THE UPHILL AS EVER. THAT IS THE UMAMUSUME WHO BROKE THROUGH COMMON SENSE—MR. C.B.! SHE HAS OVERTAKEN SEVERAL UMAMUSUME ON THE UPHILL, AND MR. C.B. HAS COME UP BEHIND NARITA BRIAN! IF WE’RE TALKING FINAL SPURTS, COULD MR. C.B.’S DEMONIC SPURT BE SUPERIOR? NARITA BRIAN? MR. C.B.? WHO WILL SEIZE THE ADVANTAGE?”
“Go, C.B.-san!”
Hey, hey, Sunset, your feet are on the table!
“NO ONE AHEAD CAN OVERTAKE THEM NOW—NO, WAIT, THERE’S STILL ANOTHER FACTOR—OOOH! IT’S SYMBOLI RUDOLF! SYMBOLI RUDOLF HAS BURST OUT FROM THE GROUP BEHIND! SO FAST, SO FAST! SYMBOLI RUDOLF IS CONTINUOUSLY CLOSING IN ON THE FRONT TWO! CAN NARITA BRIAN MAINTAIN HER ADVANTAGE? CAN MR. C.B. SUCCESSFULLY TURN THE TABLES ON THE EMPEROR—”
“No—!”
To defend themselves against the piercing noise, the children around Sunset all covered their ears.
“SYMBOLI RUDOLF! SHE HAS CAUGHT UP TO MR. C.B.! WHAT ABOUT NARITA BRIAN? SYMBOLI RUDOLF! SHE OVERTAKES—SO FAST! IS THERE STILL A CHANCE FOR THINGS TO TURN AROUND? THE FINAL SPRINT—”
“ACROSS—THE LINE! SYMBOLI RUDOLF DEFEATS NARITA BRIAN BY HALF A LENGTH AND CLAIMS THE CROWN! THIRD PLACE IS MR. C.B., ALMOST LEVEL WITH NARITA BRIAN! IS THIS THE ABSOLUTE DOMINANCE OF THE TRIPLE CROWN UMAMUSUME? LET US CONGRATULATE SYMBOLI RUDOLF! TRULY WORTHY OF THE EMPEROR’S NAME!”
…
“Ah, C.B.-san…”
Next came the television’s praise segment for Symboli Rudolf, along with Symboli Rudolf taking the opportunity to promote the academy to new students. Using the chance to advertise after such an exciting race was truly making the most of their resources. Unfortunately, to Sunset, who was sprawled across the table with empty eyes, not a single word made it in.
“C.B.-san, even though your final spurt was already that strong, even though you gave it everything you had, why did you still lose? Symboli Rudolf… damn it…”
“Sunset-oneechan… you’ve been muttering for almost half an hour…”
“Uuu… I’m so frustrated…”
“All right, children, it’s time to eat!”
The director’s voice came from the dining room.
…
This orphanage was not very large. Normally, it was managed only by the director and his wife together with two caregivers. Fortunately, there were only a dozen or so children in the orphanage in total, and all of them were healthy. When this orphanage was first founded, there had only been two children: Sunset and her “younger sister,” Kitasan Black. Operating under the logic that “raising two little Umamusume is still raising children, so why not raise a few more,” the director had gone on to take in many healthy children within his means.
Although there was government funding, life at the orphanage could only be described as poor. If the director and his wife had not saved quite a bit when they were younger, they might not have been able to feed all these still-growing children—especially with two little Umamusume among them, whose appetites were larger than those of human children.
In order not to place an even heavier burden on the director and his wife, Sunset had begun earning pocket money from odd jobs a long time ago, making some extra food money for herself and her sister. Although Sunset was still young, she was very familiar with the elders on the shopping street, and an Umamusume’s body did mature somewhat earlier than a human’s, so she was still able to get work.
“Why is my dinner especially big today?”
Looking at the food in front of her, half again as much as usual, Sunset was rather curious. Even her gloomy mood over Mr. C.B. losing to Symboli Rudolf calmed down considerably. She had originally been wondering whether she should go out and get some extra food tonight, but now it seemed there was no need. Saving whatever you could was a virtue most poor children possessed.
“Kita called just now and said she’s eating dinner at the volunteer service station tonight, so her portion is yours to take care of, Sunset. Also, after you finish eating, go pick Kita up from there. I really don’t feel at ease with her out at night.”
The director cheerfully gave Sunset another bowl of rice.
“I suddenly feel like it’s pretty nice when Kita doesn’t come back… Ow! I’m just kidding, ahaha…”
Because she added one unnecessary joke, Sunset earned herself a knuckle to the head that did not actually hurt.
T/N: heh
This is a fan translation of 迫于生计，赛马娘登上赛场！ by 扶风三尺 Rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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