Uma Musume: To The Top!!

Chapter 322 322: 433

Kuroha and Émond walked side by side at the front, while McQueen, Dancing Brave, and the other Uma Musume followed behind them.

Seeing the adults ahead chatting quite pleasantly, Dancing Brave tilted her head and looked toward the purple-haired girl beside her.

"Mejiro McQueen?"

Facing another Uma Musume, Dancing Brave's tone was much more casual, with far less of the official courtesy from earlier.

McQueen paused, then turned her head slightly. "What is it, Dancing Brave-senpai?"

Her reply came naturally, without the slightest restraint.

Even though the one standing before her was a senior Uma Musume once crowned with the title of "world's strongest," the girl's bearing remained composed.

Dancing Brave did not answer right away.

Something flashed deep within her pupils, as if she were sensing something.

After a brief silence, she suddenly gave a soft laugh. "Mm... As expected of the strongest of Tracen Academy's current generation. You deserve that title."

"...You praise me too much."

McQueen's brows drew together faintly, but she still answered in a calm voice.

She was not quite sure what Dancing Brave meant by that, but she sensed no malice in it.

Folkqueen and Godolphin walked a little farther back, watching the scene with intrigued smiles on their faces.

One of them was the strongest Atlantic Uma Musume, who had retired less than half a year ago. The other was the Blue of the Three Goddesses.

What ordinary people could not see was perfectly clear to them.

In the instant Dancing Brave had observed McQueen just now, the light unique to a Domain had surfaced in her eyes.

And compared to Folkqueen, Godolphin saw even deeper.

That streak of Domain light was not like the power of present-day Uma Musume such as Inari, who could only force it out for a short while with all her strength.

Instead, it was incredibly deep and brilliant, like the brightest star in the night sky suddenly erupting with radiance.

It was as if this Uma Musume was still in the peak of her life and had never declined at all.

"The former strongest in the world..."

Godolphin looked at the two figures ahead, their atmosphere faintly subtle, and smiled softly.

"What an excellent child."

...

Up ahead, Émond had begun to sweat faintly at the forehead.

During their conversation just now, he had unknowingly been led off-topic by Kuroha and had nearly said something he should not have.

Once he realized it, he quickly cut himself off and gave a light cough.

"Aside from matters concerning you, Mr. Kuroha, the specific information on the other participants is essentially each team's top secret. We do not know much ourselves. My apologies."

Hearing that, Kuroha waved a hand gently. "It's fine. I was only asking in passing."

He had never intended to press too deeply.

Each team's trump cards naturally would not be shown lightly. He understood that much.

He glanced back at Dancing Brave, who was walking side by side with McQueen, then changed the subject.

"Speaking of which, shouldn't Dancing Brave be an Uma Musume from Great Britain? How did she end up serving as vice president of your France Tracen Academy?"

Émond paused when he heard that, then straightened his chest slightly, a hint of pride entering his tone.

"Because Dancing Brave's trainer came into contact with our association."

"Naturally, she followed the team to France as well."

"..."

Kuroha fell silent for a moment, unsure what to say.

Right. So that was how it worked.

No wonder Émond was so practiced at currying favor with him.

From the looks of it, poaching talent might well be a traditional specialty of the French Uma Musume Association.

Any trainer who came to Europe to race and had enough ability, they had probably tried extending an olive branch to them at least once.

If it worked, they profited immensely.

They would gain a top trainer outright, plus several top Uma Musume with outstanding records.

If it did not work, that was fine too.

Once the relationship was established, it would be useful sooner or later.

Kuroha silently placed a label on the French Association in his heart.

A den of old foxes.

Émond seemed to realize he had let something slip again. He gave a dry laugh and smoothly shifted the topic elsewhere.

"The residence our association prepared for you and your team is located at the Grand Estate of Chantilly. It is an old detached mansion."

"At the same time, we have opened access for you to most of the commonly used training grounds, including Chantilly and Deauville."

"If you need anything during this period, Mr. Kuroha, please feel free to give instructions to the estate staff at any time."

"You've been very thoughtful."

Kuroha nodded and did not pursue the previous subject further.

Before long, the group left the airport, boarded the motorcade prepared by the French Association, and drove toward Chantilly.

...

In one of the cars near the front of the motorcade.

Sitting steadily behind the front passenger seat, Émond finally let out a breath. "That Trainer Kuroha is truly difficult to deal with."

The driver beside him was clearly quite familiar with him and laughed. "What happened? Did he get you cornered?"

"I almost suffered a serious loss." Émond clutched his head, looking somewhat pained.

Still, the matter of receiving them could be considered handled. Judging from this Trainer Kuroha's attitude, it was most likely impossible to poach him.

After this, it would not have much to do with him.

In the back seat.

Dancing Brave leaned against the seat and ignored the two men's complaints in front, instead turning her head to look at the passing streetscape outside the window. No one knew what she was thinking.

Just then, Émond seemed to remember something and turned back to ask, "By the way, Miss Dancing Brave, did you accomplish your purpose in coming this time?"

Hearing that, the brown-haired girl slowly turned her head. Her long ponytail, tipped with purple highlights, traced a line through the air.

At that moment, Dancing Brave's expression was indifferent, completely different from the gentle beauty she had appeared to be earlier.

"More or less."

"...What does 'more or less' mean?"

Dancing Brave shot him a sideways glance, then turned her head away again.

"Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand. You association people always love pretending you know things you don't."

"I'll speak with little Hidé myself when the time comes. Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

"..."

Émond and the driver looked at each other, but wisely said nothing more.

After all, whether it was Dancing Brave or the Uma Musume she called little Hidé, neither of them was someone they could compare to.

...

The sky gradually darkened.

The cars continued onward, passing through Paris's gentle night. Before long, the motorcade finally arrived at the Grand Estate of Chantilly.

"Well then, Mr. Kuroha, we shall not disturb you any further."

After escorting Kuroha and the others to the villa entrance, Émond and the rest prepared to take their leave.

Kuroha returned the courtesy with a light smile. "All right. You've truly gone to a lot of trouble for us today."

"Haha, it is merely part of our duties. During your time in France, if you encounter anything difficult to handle, feel free to call me."

Émond smiled, then left with the accompanying personnel.

Only, at the instant she turned around, France's student council vice president gave McQueen a quick wink, her lips opening and closing as she said something unknown before following the group away.

"..."

McQueen remained where she was, one hand resting on her suitcase, her expression serious.

Suddenly, Kuroha's gentle laugh sounded beside her. "What is it, McQueen? Do you care that much about what she said at the end?"

"...Trainer, you saw it too?"

McQueen paused, then shook her head. "No. If she had used Japanese, that would have been one thing, but I can't read English lip movements."

"She said, 'Do your best.'"

Folkqueen translated from the side. "Though from the look of her, it didn't seem like encouragement."

"...She was provoking me?"

McQueen fell silent for a moment, then combined it with the inexplicable feeling she had sensed earlier at the airport and reached that conclusion.

But soon, she looked at Kuroha in confusion and asked, "But she retired a long time ago. No matter how strong I am, she cannot threaten me, and I cannot threaten her. Why would she provoke me?"

"You really cannot threaten her, but... she is the vice president of France Tracen's student council," Kuroha reminded her.

Student council...

As someone born into a distinguished family, McQueen was naturally not naive. So she only froze for an instant before understanding.

"So that means..."

"Right. She wasn't provoking you on her own behalf. She was declaring war on behalf of her junior."

Seeing that McQueen had understood, Kuroha nodded and smiled. "France Tracen's current generation also has a top-class genius Uma Musume."

"Dancing Brave probably came to receive us this time to help her junior judge how threatening her strongest opponents are."

"But even after seeing McQueen, she still thinks her junior can win?" Kuroha's tone turned somewhat odd, and then he looked toward the blue-haired girl beside him.

"Godolphin, are the judgments of you Three Goddesses really that accurate?"

"Mm..."

Hearing that, Godolphin put on an innocent expression, then smiled brightly and winked. "Who knows?"

After the group fooled around for a while, under Kuroha's direction, they each chose a room in the villa and settled in.

The expedition had officially begun.

(End of Chapter)

[Get +30 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]

[Every 300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]

[Thanks for Reading!]