Chapter 1633: with translation of chapter title

NO. 247: Spotting the threat

Although Elispeed often resists any possible physical exertion outside of training.

But she also has to admit that the trainer's theory—that most of life's frustrations, anxieties, and gains and losses can be healed by throwing oneself wholeheartedly into high-intensity exercise—has considerable scientific basis.

The interval between the Satsuki Sho and the Kanto Derby is too short; so short that after her loss in the Satsuki Sho she had to abandon her original thoughts about the experiment, about Guinea Pig-kun, and about the unpleasant women around Guinea Pig-kun, and devote herself entirely to figuring out how to win the Kanto Derby.

She undoubtedly succeeded.

Although she never misses her daily training, her high‑intensity talks with the trainer are merely about seeking reference experience and coping logic, emphasizing an 'efficiency chat about work.' With her already solid foundation and matching mindset, she then adjusts her self‑strategy logic in multiple ways based on the trainer's far‑ahead experience, ultimately producing the run that leaves a deep impression on everyone.

—It's as if she had calculated everything in a sudden situation, holding every variable in her hand, turning them into usable cards in a posture that is both utterly rational and utterly crazy, leaving no room to acknowledge any opponent.

Even opponents whom the trainer had high hopes for are treated as surprise trump cards; she tramples everyone's path with a calm, unhurried demeanor to forge an entirely new fastest route, earning her the nickname 'particle of super‑light speed' that expands her name.

Everyone expects her to show even greater speed in the next race, to display the potential implied by her name, yet she herself is not entirely at ease.

First, this way of controlling everything is exceptionally mentally draining and constantly accompanied by extreme risk.

The more precise the plan, the less room there is to pivot, and the easier it is for a tiny variable to cause total failure; thus each time she must, like Omer devising a plan, prepare at least double‑digit backup plans to truly have a winning formula.

But such thorough assurance is not something she can guarantee.

Second, it is this horse girl right before her.

Manchester Tea Seat—her teammate, her old friend, her old classmate, and the most formidable presence in their four‑person team.

Even the Forest Treasure Cave that the trainer especially looks forward to poses far less of a threat in her eyes than this petite girl whose mood is as low as a drenched black cat.

Because she can infer it.

Just as she can, with Guinea Pig‑kun's information, craft an exceptionally meticulous plan that covers every competitor, she naturally knows what they might think after the race, given her deep understanding of them.

But among those seventeen horse girls, only a few truly matter to her.

To be seen as a threat by her, the scope must be narrowed to what is immediately before her.

She can certainly, by single‑handedly controlling the whole situation, weave tactics and strategy into a net, forge an endgame that merely needs to be enjoyed at full throttle to suppress everything, and thereby display the finishing‑kick talent that Guinea Pig‑kun praised outright from the very start of her training.

But such a perfect scheme is destined to be enjoyed at its utmost perfection only the first time.

Because there is an unexpected label.

In the classic year's races, since it's nearly impossible for a respectable strategist to appear, everyone has grown accustomed to deciding victory by straightforward confrontation, accustomed to not having to consider much strategy—this is, quite naturally, the 'brute‑force pure land' that only exists in the novice bouts of classic‑year intensity.

But this year, she has destroyed that brute‑force pure land.

Of course, competitive events are inherently about the strong prevailing, and strategy is a component of overall strength; there usually aren't any brute‑force purists criticizing her for breaking the classic‑race worldview, but it's foreseeable that in the next race, regardless of whether those old faces are still present, everyone will be on guard against her.

The surprise, exhilarating first‑encounter kill is already past.

Going forward, she won't even get the joy of a sneak attack; she'll be targeted in advance, and inevitably that petite black cat who excels at targeting others will be among those aiming at her.

Don't be fooled by this black cat's current low‑spirited, evasive demeanor; know that in the whole Central Treisen, aside from the occasional Sunday serenity that pops up, it's probably Elispeed who understands this laboratory roommate the best.

Even if Aomo Lindun, relying on good compatibility and both sides being considered proactive communication, managed to come from behind and surpass Zhouri Ningjing bit by bit, it still might not be able to catch up to the information progress unlocked by Ailisuzhi.

After all, the aspect in which Aomo understands Chazuo the deepest is psychology, and this aspect had already been experienced enough by Ailisuzhi back in the Telesen Theater nightmare of the previous theater incident.

As a firsthand witness, as the party being chased at high speed by Chazuo wielding various firearms, she almost thought she had killed the other's dog.

That clarity is precisely why her understanding of Tea Seat surpasses even Omer's.

That clarity is precisely why her understanding of Chazuo surpasses Aomo's.

She doesn't want to say it too rudely, but in the two races of this classic year, no horse girl understands targeting better than Manchester Tea Seat.

After all, she is a top student of spiritualism; ever since the deceitful experiment that entangled their fated bond, she has seen her more than once, been curious about her, and repeatedly, in roundabout ways, tested that unique talent and its manifestation.

After all, she is a top student of spiritology, and ever since the fateful entanglement that began with a deceptive experiment, she has seen it more than once, been curious about it, and even tried various roundabout ways to test that unique talent of the other's ability and its manifestation.

Just this Saichang with continual drizzle and unending resentment is enough for her to display an unprecedented amiability and familiarity, and then, on the final stretch, to step out with strides that infinitely approach her own.

Why does such a dangerous individual now appear harmless and tearful? —Because she knows the answer to that question, which makes her seem even more perilous.

Why does this dangerous guy now look harmless and pitiful, on the verge of tears? — She, precisely because she knows the answer to this question, feels that she herself is very dangerous.

"Are you regretting it? Regretting that you didn't target me enough, regretting that not doing so caused you to ultimately fail to surpass me?"

"Are you regretting it? Regretting not having enough measures against me, regretting not doing so, which caused you to ultimately not surpass me."

At the very moment they were about to leave the examination room, her sudden remark left the other person completely silent, yet she did not miss the faint twitch of the other's pair of ears at the onset of that silence.

At the very exit of the examination room, her sudden remark left the other completely silent, but she would not overlook the slight twitch of the other's pair of ears at the onset of that silence.

Just as trainers can judge a horse girl's condition from her instinctive movements that are exactly like a horse's, if she pays attention, the horse girl herself can of course do the same.

Nobody understands horse girls better than she does.

All of that comes from countless instances of deception, 'kidnapping' drug trials, and the actual results that make it easy to understand them on a physiological level.

All of this is the actual result of countless deceptions, 'kidnappings', and drug trials, easily achieving a physiological understanding.

Just as Bourbon from Miura and Orihime from Ai‑Ai likely also review and reflect, eventually finding resignation in the inevitable, Manchester Tea Seat will surely do the same.

Just like Meipu Bopang and Aimu Zhiji, those two probably also have been reviewing and reflecting, and ultimately only find resignation in helplessness, so Mancheng Chazuo will surely also review.

It will surely be that, once defeat is certain, she feels sorrow, displeasure, and emptiness, then plunges into repeated review and self‑blame, discovering her shortcomings while blaming herself for not being adequate in certain aspects.

It is surely that, once the defeat is certain, one will feel upset, unhappy, empty, then repeatedly replay and self-blame, discovering one's shortcomings while blaming the self that is lacking in certain aspects.

Because she only lost half a month ago.

She also understands why, despite both having lost, the opponent's performance is worlds apart from that of those two‑timers.

It's not because those two‑timers have rich losing experience, nor because Tea Seat's mental fortitude is weak; rather, it's because this person, who usually sits silently brewing coffee and occasionally utters mystic‑sounding remarks, actually has plenty to say and is far from fragile.

It's not because they have rich defeat experience in their second playthrough, nor because Chazuo's mental resilience is weak; rather, this person who usually silently brews coffee and occasionally utters some mystic mumblings—actually quite talkative—is not fragile at all.

The reason this guy looks unable to accept, unable to move past failure, unable to face reality is not even because he feels sorry for the guinea pig!

She realized she could have won, discovered that the person most likely to break through her own scheme was herself, and she missed that opportunity!

She discovered that she could possibly win, discovered that the person most likely to break through her own schemes was herself, and she missed that opportunity!

By then, you will understand why Ailisuzhi is wary of Mancheng Chazuo.

Understand why she thinks Chazuo is such a dangerous guy.

She would even further sigh:

What a terrifying fellow.

When you see her looking very low-spirited.

Perhaps you'll think it's time to go comfort her.

Better not to discover……

She hadn't stabbed you before she became low-spirited.