It was somewhat different from what she had imagined; she didn't feel like she was running a race, but merely doing a training lap.
The other Horse Girl, her opponents, didn't put any pressure on her at all.
Polaris Glacier truly felt a bit bored with this level of competition, even though thinking so might be inappropriate.
"It's just a debut race, not even a warm-up. Let's strive for higher-stakes races."
She lightly shook her head, turned, and was about to leave the track to change in the athlete's lounge.
Just then, a warmth suddenly surged from deep within her heart, spreading throughout her body in an instant, then concentrating on her legs.
Polaris Glacier paused her steps slightly, loosely clasped her hands a few times, and walked towards her intended direction with an unconcerned expression.
"What was that feeling just now...?"
Back in the lounge, Polaris Glacier pondered as she changed back into her casual clothes.
There wasn't much to ponder, actually; she clearly understood that her power was gradually revealing itself.
"Inherent Skill: Frigid Body Lv.3"
"Description: The struggle will only become fiercer! After each official race, her stamina and strength will slightly increase, and her leg quality will become tougher, until she becomes steel-boned."
Recalling the text she had seen in the full-body mirror at the time, Polaris Glacier understood that as long as she participated in more races, she could continuously grow stronger.
This characteristic, or rather, this advantage, should be put to good use.
"I'll talk to Kumi Trainer later."
Thinking this, she packed her belongings and pushed open the door to leave the lounge.
In the hallway, before she had walked a few steps, the figures of the Head Maid and Kumi Trainer appeared in her sight.
"Congratulations, Young Miss, that was truly a beautiful and complete victory."
"Thank you."
Polaris Glacier nodded, not delaying, and immediately stated her previous thought:
"Kumi Trainer, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
"Oh? What is it, please?"
The three walked towards the outside of the venue; the winner's stage would only begin in the evening, so they could return in the afternoon for rehearsal, leaving some free time.
Following phone navigation, they found a high-end hotel that offered both dining and lodging. The Head Maid requested two rooms, and as noon approached, they sat in a private dining room, waiting for the server to bring their meal.
"Eh? You want to participate in as many races as possible every month?!"
Kumi Trainer was first stunned, then suddenly exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes, I want to participate in as many races as possible, if that's alright?" Polaris Glacier sat upright in her chair, repeating her request.
To make the most of her inherent characteristics and become stronger, she naturally needed to participate in more races; this was unavoidable.
"This... it's not a matter of whether it's possible or not..."
Kumi Trainer placed a hand on her forehead, a bead of cold sweat trickling down her face, as her gaze subtly shifted towards the Head Maid, who was quietly sipping tea nearby, looking as if to say, 'Don't mind me.'
After thinking for a moment, she decided it would be better to explain to her Young Miss, so she carefully chose her words and began:
"Young Miss, actually, the number of races Horse Girl can participate in within a certain period is limited."
"Whether it's the deterioration of physical condition due to consecutive races, or public opinion, Horse Girl are not allowed to participate in too many races."
The deterioration of physical condition due to consecutive races is easy to understand.
In every race, Horse Girl need to expend a lot of energy, and their bodies accumulate fatigue.
If they race multiple times in a short period and the accumulated fatigue cannot be relieved...
Not achieving good results is a minor issue; the greater problem is that it could endanger their health, and their racing career might also be affected, possibly leading to a complete downfall.
One could say that forcing a Horse Girl into consecutive races is the most effective way to ruin her.
As for public opinion, allowing Horse Girl to race consecutively, or rather, forcing them to race consecutively, is a behavior with clear tendencies of Horse Girl abuse, and it would be condemned by the general public.
"Is that so... I understand."
After listening, Polaris Glacier also understood that her previous idea was somewhat too inappropriate.
Having not actually experienced it, she wasn't sure if her body could handle consecutive races. If something bad happened midway, it would be more trouble than it was worth.
But... she still wanted to try, after all. This was a way to maximize her own advantages.
She lowered her head slightly, her thoughts momentarily jumbled, and the atmosphere in the private room grew silent due to the recent topic.
As if noticing her Young Miss's expression was a little off, Kumi Trainer's mouth slightly opened, but she seemed hesitant to speak, unsure of what would be appropriate to say.
"If the Young Miss truly wishes to do so, it's not entirely impossible."
Just then, the Head Maid put down her teacup and suddenly spoke.
Her affirmative tone immediately drew the gazes of both Polaris Glacier and Kumi Trainer.
Feeling their gazes, which ranged from inquisitive to curious to expectant, the Head Maid gently pressed her hands down, gesturing for them to calm down, and then continued:
"As for public opinion, I can use my connections with familiar newspapers to try and improve the public discourse as much as possible."
"As for whether the Young Miss's body can withstand consecutive races, that will require the Young Miss's own judgment, along with your assistance, Kumi."
Upon hearing this, both Polaris Glacier and Kumi Trainer showed thoughtful expressions.
"The Head Maid... she didn't object," Polaris Glacier suddenly whispered after a while, a smile gradually appearing on her lips.
"Hmm... this is your idea, Young Miss, so as the Head Maid, I naturally have to support it."
The Head Maid also smiled at her Young Miss, as gentle as ever, as if she could embrace everything about the person she served.
"It's not just me, Madam is the same, Young Miss."
Shaking her head lightly, the Head Maid closed her eyes and began to contemplate the specific procedures for what needed to be done next.
Watching the two of them, Kumi Trainer covered her head, looking very distressed, muttering:
"Madam, I can't win against these two; I'm going to declare surrender..."
The matter was essentially settled here. Kumi had only one vote, while the Young Miss plus the Head Maid totaled two votes. It was time to prepare for the upcoming consecutive races!
After lunch, Polaris Glacier took a nap in the hotel room at the Head Maid's suggestion, waking up at three in the afternoon.
After washing her face, she picked up her phone and found that Maruzensky had sent a message much earlier, saying that she and Rudolph Symboli had already returned to Fuchu.
She then checked Jun Yu Circle and found that the Horse Girl senior had actually filmed her performance on the track, specifically the segment where she crossed the finish line with a large lead.
"Elementary Division's Super Rookie! Polaris Glacier pulls a huge lead in her debut race! Special mention here, please pay more attention to her...?"
Polaris Glacier then realized that the other party had tagged her account many times, practically openly directing traffic to her.
After some thought, she decided to buy a gift in Chiba to bring back for the other party, as a token of thanks.
As she thought this, she also headed out.
When she arrived downstairs at the hotel, she specifically sent messages to the Head Maid and Kumi Trainer to inform them.
Then, she relied on her phone's navigation to head to a nearby shopping mall.
After about half an hour of browsing, she chose a brand-guaranteed lipstick, along with a small mirror.
Polaris Glacier, having no experience in choosing gifts, wasn't sure if this was appropriate.
She checked the time, felt it was almost time for the winner's stage rehearsal, and so hailed a taxi to the racecourse.
Upon arriving, she explained the situation to the relevant personnel and smoothly entered the backstage area.
In the practice room at this time, there were already two Horse Girl present, who were the second and third place finishers from the morning's race.
Polaris Glacier didn't know them and had no impression of them, so for a moment, she wasn't sure what to say as a greeting.
The two of them, however, had a deep impression of Polaris Glacier. After exchanging glances, one of them, a Horse Girl with short brown hair, spoke:
"Good afternoon, Polaris Glacier."
"Although you might not know us, we certainly have a strong impression of you, both within the academy and on the track."
With a suitable opening, the conversation naturally flowed smoothly.
Perhaps due to Horse Girl' innate nature to admire strength, their attitude towards Polaris Glacier was unexpectedly good; they even hoped for another chance to race against her.
However, when they spoke of "racing again," both of their expressions were a bit strained. The chilling aura was truly terrifying, and the feeling of being frozen and trembling was not pleasant at all.
Polaris Glacier's response to this was, "Definitely, if there's a chance."
When they had chatted enough, the special music began to play, and the official rehearsal started.
At six in the evening, the racecourse gradually became crowded with people, all there to watch the winner's stage and cheer for their favorite Horse Girl.
"That race this morning was amazing! I can't believe she pulled such a big lead in her debut race. I feel like we can look forward to next year's Classics. What was that Horse Girl's name again?"
"It's Polaris Glacier! Her high-speed leading style really makes your blood boil. I'm already a fan of hers. I wonder when her next race is."
Accompanied by the occasional chatter of the crowd, the stage gradually rose, and then lights illuminated it in the next moment, revealing the figures of the three Horse Girl on stage.
Polaris Glacier, dressed in her performance outfit, stood at the center C position, a smile on her face, and began to sing and dance to the timely music.
It's worth noting that only the race winner gets to sing the main vocals, while the remaining two Horse Girl can only provide backing dance. This is a privilege reserved for the winner.
"Ah, Young Miss is so dazzling and vibrant on stage."
Somewhere below the stage, the Head Maid was recording with her phone, her face full of a gratified smile.
Kumi Trainer beside her also stared at her Young Miss, completely unable to tear her eyes away.
The audience's cheers continued, momentarily making the Horse Girl on stage appear even more radiant.
