Uma Musume Pretty Derby: To The Basement Chapter 262: Uma Musume Pretty Derby: To The Basement [262]

Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka weren't just dormmates—they were fierce rivals on the racetrack, too.

Though they never truly hated each other, their clashing personalities and worldviews ant they could start an argunt anyti, anywhere, over practically anything.

Take dessert, for example. In the cafeteria, Daiwa Scarlet chose sweet tofu pudding, while Vodka went for the salty version. What began as a friendly discussion about taste quickly exploded into a full-on debate.

By the ti they'd finished arguing, their pudding had already gone cold—so they imdiately launched into round two, this ti arguing over whether tofu pudding was better hot or cold.

Another ti, while talking about bicycle dates, Daiwa Scarlet claid the girl should ride on the back seat while her boyfriend pedaled. Vodka disagreed—she said the girl should do the pedaling, letting the guy enjoy the breeze behind her.

To settle it, they borrowed a bike—Vodka in front, Daiwa Scarlet on the back—and toured all the local date spots, still arguing nonstop as they went.

So caught up in trying to prove their points, neither noticed the tree until—crash!—they both went flying.

To this day, no one knows who was right.

They never stopped bickering, constantly clashing over the tiniest things. But for all their noise, neither ever held a grudge. If one was in trouble, the other would always step up without hesitation.

They were the classic pair—always arguing when tis were calm, but quick to encourage and support each other when things got tough. Everyone at Tracen Academy knew about their fiery rivalry.

But what no one knew was this:

Daiwa Scarlet… had always envied Vodka.

To her, Vodka was effortlessly cool—radiating charisma with every move. That short, slick hair, her lean build, her confident grin, and that carefree attitude… she was like a dashing prince straight out of a romance manga.

Vodka didn't care about acting "feminine" or "proper." She just did whatever she wanted—bold, straightforward, and free. No wonder the younger students adored her.

If Vodka was the brave heroine who fought evil head-on, then Daiwa Scarlet saw herself as the timid villager hiding behind her, too bound by rules and expectations to ever shine.

Yet what Daiwa Scarlet didn't realize was that Vodka envied her just as much.

In Vodka's eyes, Daiwa Scarlet was the very definition of femininity—beautiful, graceful, and irresistibly charming.

Her silky red twintails, that cute, expressive face, her perfect figure… and that chest—soft, bouncy, and, well, generous enough to feed eleven kids if necessary.

Sure, bigger wasn't always better, but when you're stuck at an A-cup, even a G looks like divine blessing.

Daiwa Scarlet's adorable tsundere personality, her bashful reactions, her confidence when racing—all of it made her the ultimate dream girlfriend.

If Scarlet was a pampered princess in a shining castle, then Vodka saw herself as a dusty farm girl from so forgotten countryside village—covered in soot, lacking grace, utterly unladylike.

That mutual envy was the root of their endless friction.

On the surface, they were annoyed by each other's existence. But deep down, both were really just frustrated with themselves—for not being able to be like the other.

Unable to admit those feelings, they stayed trapped in their cycle of argunts, too proud to open up.

Everyone thought their bickering would last forever—including them.

Until one day, soone unexpected changed everything.

They were sitting near the Three Goddess Statues, arguing as usual over sothing petty, when a voice suddenly rang out—a magnetic, confident male voice that hit them both like lightning.

"Attention, everyone! Eyes on ! Look here, look here! I've got sothing to announce—I'm hella handso!"

That voice struck straight into their hearts like a fishhook, pulling out emotions they didn't even know existed.

Though they heard the sa words, their hearts painted very different pictures.

Daiwa Scarlet, who envied Vodka, imagined a dashing, gallant hero.

Vodka, who envied Daiwa Scarlet, envisioned a gentle, elegant gentleman.

Each saw her ideal man—the embodint of everything she secretly longed for.

From that mont, sothing inside them changed.

Daiwa Scarlet decided to act more carefree and blunt—like Vodka.

Vodka decided to beco more refined and tsundere—like Scarlet.

But neither expected the result: now, each of them acted like the exact type of person they used to find annoying.

And since neither wanted to admit they'd beco what they once disliked, the argunts only escalated.

Desperate to prove "my old self was wrong, yours was right!" they camped by the Three Goddess Statues every day, waiting for that mysterious man to reappear.

But he never did. Not a trace, not a whisper—it was as if that scene had been an illusion.

Still, their hearts refused to believe it was fake.

So Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka waited, arguing all the while.

A whole month passed. Their rivalry drained them ntally and physically, yet neither backed down.

Until yesterday—when Agnes Tachyon-senpai and Tanino Gimlet-senpai brought over a man in black, claiming he could find the mysterious stranger. All they had to do was voice their desires.

"Um…" The two rivals exchanged looks, then said at once:

"To prove that I'm right!" ×2

"The mysterious man is a gentleman/hero!"

"?"

Realizing their wishes clashed again, they imdiately launched into yet another shouting match.

By the ti they stopped, the man in black was gone—vanished without a trace.

Regret hit them hard. If their arguing had scared away their only lead, they'd never forgive themselves.

Fortunately, Tachyon-senpai reassured them. The man in black was reliable. Within seven days, he'd definitely find that mysterious man. All they needed to do was wait patiently.

"Whew… thank goodness."

They both sighed in relief—then imdiately glared at each other.

"He's a gentleman!"

"He's a hero!"

The next day, under a clear blue sky, the fountain before the Three Goddess Statues sparkled under the sun.

As usual, Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka were there, still at it, still arguing.

"Gentleman!"

"Hero!"

Their voices echoed across the plaza—until a quiet, deliberate cough cut through the air.

"Ahem."

"?" Both paused, glancing around.

But whoever coughed seed to have a strangely low presence; they couldn't spot him right away.

"AHEM!"

"!" They finally noticed—a man in black standing right in front of them.

"It's you!" they both exclaid. The sa man Tachyon-senpai had brought yesterday!

But sothing about him was… off.

Gone was the shy, reserved man from before. In his place stood a grinning figure hunched forward, rubbing his palms together in an exaggeratedly sleazy way.

"Hehehe~" He leaned closer, flashing a crooked grin.

"You two pretty ladies~ Wanna grab a drink with this big bro?"