Chapter 285: The Finals (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 285: The Finals (2)
It was no exaggeration to say that today marked the largest and most diverse gathering of different species in one place in all of history.
It was a monumental day, one that could have symbolized harmony between the species.
A day that should have been the first step toward peace was being ruined in real time.
“Well, look at you pathetic bastards. The same ones who go on about how beastkin are vulgar are now waving sticks with beastkin drawn on them and cheering. Do your families know you act like this?”
Her tone was flippant and aggressive.
While there was no better way to speak if one wanted to provoke an enemy in war, it was hardly suitable for addressing the public.
Those who didn't know Hilde were taken aback, but those who did simply thought, That crazy bitch is at it again.
They couldn't even imagine her being polite.
But key figures from every nation had come to watch. For the representative of the beastkin nation to behave this way would only worsen relations that were just beginning to improve.
If there's one thing I did right after coming here, it was making you my slave.
She was neither a main nor a sub-slave, yet I had enslaved her all the same. And I had no intention of ever letting her go.
The fact that Karami, who had never forcibly enslaved anyone and had tried to free all his slaves, felt this way spoke volumes.
Karami’s command traveled along an intangible chain, reaching Hilde with each toxic word she spat.
“So snap out of it and go home and be good to your parents—”
Hilde flinched.
Her words came to an abrupt halt.
Whoosh!
Hilde glared fiercely in Karami’s direction. The sheer pressure of her leonine gaze was enough to send a crack running through the glass window.
It was as if one could hear a lion’s growl, but Karami simply met it with a light shrug, as if it were all amusing.
‘Don't even think about resisting. Just keep talking.’
Hilde gritted her teeth, but her mouth began to move on its own. Following Karami’s command, she continued her speech in a much more formal tone.
“…is what I hope none of you are thinking. For those who treat other species without prejudice are people worthy of emulation.”
The 180-degree shift in Hilde’s attitude left the crowd dumbfounded.
Regardless, her mouth kept moving against her will.
“As you all know, the racers in this competition are citizens of our Vestia. Their origins may differ, but their essence does not change.”
Hilde’s gaze swept over the various species that made up the audience, focusing on the humans.
Under the oppressive weight of her golden, leonine eyes, the people froze as if they had encountered a wild beast.
“This competition is not some talent show for your amusement. The same goes for the racers. They are not your slaves, nor are they beings you can look down upon.”
“……”
“I ask that you look them in the eye, as equals. Know that the effort and passion they have poured into this are not bound by species. That they too are not beasts, but people, just like you. I will now take my leave. Enjoy the race.”
With that concise conclusion, Hilde stepped down from the podium.
The crowd remained silent even after she left, as if moved by her speech and mulling over its contents.
Thump, thump, thump!
The sound of furious footsteps approached.
A moment later, the door was thrown open with enough force to break it.
“Hey, you son of a bitch! Who told you to speak through my mouth!” Hilde shrieked as she stormed into the room.
“So you’d have me watch you insult all those people? They are all our valued guests.”
“Guests, my ass! You call these people who have nothing better to do than watch others run ‘guests’? Since they’re all gathered here, why don’t we just wipe them out? Then the beastkin can rule the world, right? Sounds good.”
“It is not ‘good.’ Stop causing trouble and sit down quietly to watch the race.”
Hilde’s body moved stiffly, like a marionette, before sitting primly on the sofa.
“You fucking bastard! Let me go! Let me go right now!”
“You’re always so consistent, Azyeth. It’s almost reassuring.”
“Mhm.”
“Please play with the Cat Princess here.”
“Cat Princess…!”
At the word “princess,” Azyeth’s eyes lit up.
She sat down next to Hilde.
Her eyes sparkled with interest.
“Hello… Cat Princess. Have you ever read Snow White?”
“Wh-what is this now?”
To be captured by Azyeth.
It seemed she, too, was sentenced to the Snow White punishment—having to listen to the story until her ears bled.
The other slaves looked at Hilde with pity.
—The final race is about to begin. All participating racers, please proceed to the track. I repeat, the final race is about to begin—
The announcement echoed through the racetrack.
It was calling for Miro.
“Miro.”
“Yeah.”
“Go on.”
“Haaaah…”
Miro let out a weary sigh and sluggishly got to her feet. Her younger siblings gathered in front of her.
“Sis, we’ve never asked you for anything before, have we?”
“That’s right.”
“So we’re going to ask for everything we've held back all at once.”
Mire held out her fist to Miro.
“Show them how amazing our sister is. We have nothing, but let us be proud that we have a sister like you.”
Miro held her breath for a moment, then let out a short, dry laugh before bumping her fist against Mire’s.
“I’ll come back with a win.”
Miro and Karami’s eyes met.
“I think you already know what I’m going to say.”
“Yeah.”
She had heard it many times already.
A sincerity she hadn’t believed was sincere. Karami’s heart, which wasn’t just paying lip service.
Who cares if you don’t win?
Do what you want.
Enjoy this moment.
So you won’t have any regrets later.
“Go on.”
“I will, Coach.”
*
Beneath a sky of sullen gray clouds, the track was thoroughly soaked from repeated downpours.
The white lines at the edge of the track bled as if dissolved in the rainwater, and the puddles gathered in between glistened like mirrors.
The rain was a fine mist.
The sound of it pattering on the ground kept a steady rhythm, like the heartbeats of the racers awaiting the start.
“It’s raining so hard. Can they even race in this?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
Hearing the worried voices from the stands, Miro headed toward the starting gates.
Even before her hooves touched it, she could feel the sensation of the wet earth seeping in. The race hadn’t even started, yet the rain already made her body feel heavy.
I can’t be like this already.
She warmed up, lifting her knees to her chest to generate heat.
She tested her footing, planting her left hoof once, then twice.
The mud brushed against the inside of her hooves, causing a slight slip.
It was the biggest variable in today’s race.
There was no time to get used to it.
I should have run a simulation for a rainy day.
It was too late for regrets.
She would have to overcome it with experience.
“Miro! I never thought we'd actually meet in the finals. You must have wanted to run with me, right? There's no other way you could have made it this far. This senior is touched!”
It was Lua Swift, spouting nonsense the moment they met again.
A mental attack before the race even began.
It felt like another debuff had been stacked against her.
She did her best to ignore it.
—Greetings, everyone! A sincere welcome to the Harpanel Racetrack! I never imagined so many of you would come. It just goes to show how much interest there is in this event.
—Before we begin the final race, I have an announcement. The popularity poll, which was conducted just as it was during the preliminaries, has concluded. Let’s see which racer received the most love from the fans!
The first to appear on the screen was Iris, dressed in a neat priestess’s uniform.
With her eyes closed and hands clasped, she seemed to be offering a brief prayer before the match.
Her figure, praying in the rain, was utterly sacred.
—Number one in popularity, it’s this racer, as expected! The high priestess of the Order of Balance, the unicorn, Lady Iris!
“Woooooah! Priestess, you’re beautiful!”
“Long live the Order of Balance!”
The popularity poll was heavily influenced by a racer’s individual fame and their regional ties.
But Iris belonged to the Order of Balance.
It was a popular religion, found all across the continent. As it boasted the largest number of followers, her support wasn’t bound by region.
Because of this unique factor, the number of votes Iris received was overwhelming compared to the other racers.
The screen then switched to Kiss.
—Next is our number two. The idol of the South, racer Kiss. She certainly has a dedicated fanbase. We can feel the fans’ passionate love for her all the way from here.
And finally.
A towering figure reaching two meters in height.
Cloud decorations adorned their legs.
Flames burned on their shoulders, back, and waist, unextinguished by the rain.
A single glance was enough to see they were far from ordinary.
Not a human, but a yokai.
—And number three in popularity is racer Shibiogwi. With skills that transcend the human realm, they have run nonstop to reach the finals. A close match with racer Iris is expected. I’m already excited to see what kind of race they’ll show us.
As it was the finals, all the racers who had advanced were introduced, not just the popular ones.
Marin of the West.
Lua Swift.
Scarlet Stampede.
Astrophe, the adopted daughter of Count Montbriand whom Karami had seen before, and Neiro Bram, who had competed against her in the main rounds.
The other racers, and finally, Miro.
Cheers erupted from the stands each time the announcer recited a racer’s information.
It was the same when it was Miro’s turn.
Seeing people wave merchandise with her image on it, cheering for her, gave her a strange feeling. It felt even more surreal than before, perhaps because this was the final.
—The race will begin shortly. Racers, please enter the gates.
Miro entered her gate.
A narrow space where she could only see straight ahead.
The smell of rain and the metallic tang of iron filled the air.
Her heart pounded.
Closing her eyes, Miro took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, holding it.
Until the starting shot fired.
—All racers are ready. The final of the 1st Harpanel Grand Prix, a journey that has spanned three long months—
The sound of the rain grew quiet.
Her breathing disappeared.
The announcer's voice faded into the distance.
Just as she felt the illusion of entering a world of her own…
Miro's eyes snapped open.
Clang.
The gates opened.
Sixteen racers shot forward.
A thunderous roar from the crowd.
—The race that will mark the end of a long journey begins now