"T..."
Rudolf glanced sideways at T, whose face was an impassive mask of shadow. T remained silent, merely observing the scene before them as if watching a film.
Seeing this, Rudolf didn't press further and silently stayed by T's side until the absurd drama reached its bitter conclusion.
Rudolf was disguised, and lingering risked exposure.
T spared Rudolf the dilemma. He rose to his feet, standing like a traveler from another world. Turning, he walked slowly toward the exit, step by step. Sirius emerged from the shadows, revealing half her face, her cold, vertical pupils brimming with fathomless hatred.
"Trash."
Mejiro Estate
"Ryan!"
The door burst open as McQueen stormed into the room, her expression frantic. The Mejiro family had gathered around Ryan's sickbed. McQueen rushed to the bedside, her eyes filled with panic. Ryan offered a weak, apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, McQueen, I—"
Before Ryan could finish, McQueen threw herself into Ryan's arms, hugging her tightly.
"I'm so sorry! It's all my fault! If I had participated in the Takarazuka Memorial instead of you, none of this would have happened! Are you okay?"
Hearing McQueen's words, Ryan's smile faltered slightly, and Palmer lowered her gaze beside her.
"It's alright, McQueen. I was just caught in the clash between Kousei and Tachyon. The doctors have checked me over—a few minor injuries, but nothing serious."
Ryan reassured McQueen, who only began to consider other matters after Dr. Mejiro confirmed Ryan's condition was stable.
"Kousei..."
The accident had been too sudden. Just thinking about it made McQueen's head ache. An incident that had swept up all the participating Umamusume, a catastrophe unprecedented in racing history.
"Ramonu onee-san! How's Tachyon doing?!"
Agnes Tachyon had been the most severely affected by the disaster. McQueen had watched the replay, and Tachyon's condition appeared far worse than anyone else's. If Tachyon could recover safely, there might still be hope for a resolution.
"Miss Fujino and Dr. Fujino have already taken her to Central Hospital for treatment. We won't know the results until tomorrow at the earliest."
Silence descended, as still as the night.
On the hospital bed, Tachyon slowly opened her eyes. For the first time, her usually sharp, intelligent gaze was filled with confusion and bewilderment.
"You're awake."
Tachyon turned her head and saw Dr. Fujino's face beside her.
"Teacher, have you gotten this old already?" Tachyon quipped, her usual flippant demeanor still intact despite the gravity of the situation.
"Don't push yourself," Dr. Fujino sighed. "I feel like my already dwindling lifespan is being drained completely just to keep you going."
Tachyon knew all too well that given their breakneck speed at the time, coupled with her own frail physique, Dr. Fujino must have been utterly exhausted from rescuing her.
"Doesn't this just prove how skilled you are, a miracle worker bringing life back from the brink?" Tachyon retorted, forcing herself upright. Dr. Fujino didn't stop her; instead, she helped Tachyon lean fully against the backrest.
"Isn't your precious daughter here?"
"She's in another ward. A catastrophic accident has all of us doctors running ragged."
Exhaustion was etched into Dr. Fujino's eyes, and her aging body bore a patchwork of pressure marks.
"In that case, how's my leg?" Tachyon asked calmly, her gaze unwavering, her expression utterly composed.
"Just a hair's breadth away from complete recovery," Dr. Fujino replied.
Tachyon shook her head with a smile, then suddenly covered her face, her chest heaving. She began with soft, suppressed giggles that gradually escalated into unrestrained, booming laughter.
The louder Tachyon laughed, the darker Dr. Fujino's expression grew.
"Hahaha—"
The laughter turned manic, beyond control. In the brightly lit hospital, the crazed sound under the crescent moon echoed like a demonic chant.
-
Bang!
"Do you think I'm an idiot?! What's this 'the horseshoe came off due to excessive stress during the race'?! I specifically instructed you to pay special attention to Kousei's horseshoes! Increase the weight and ensure they're nailed on with meticulous precision! Such negligence would never occur under my absolute management! Which farrier shod Kousei's horseshoes?!"
Kashimoto Riko rarely erupted in such fury. Under her fiery gaze, one representative after another stammered, refusing to speak.
"Um... the master has already been dismissed," one representative finally blurted out, unable to bear the tension any longer.
"Dismissed? Why was there no report to me?"
"It was a direct order from the Central Committee. We needed to provide an explanation to the public, as well as to the affected Umamusume and Trainers."
Hearing "Central Committee," Kashimoto Riko's eyes grew deep and thoughtful.
"I see. Then let it be so."
Kashimoto Riko calmed abruptly, the strange shift as sudden as a dream.
The next day
The Takarazuka Memorial incident indeed triggered a massive uproar. Public condemnation surged relentlessly, filling newspapers and social media with scathing criticism.
"I told you! Running like that, she was bound to cause an accident sooner or later! She never should have been allowed to stay here!"
"My Dedicated Umamusume is still lying in the hospital! How can you expect me to stay calm?!"
"Just as I suspected—she's a jinx! I was too naive! I actually thought someone like her might be okay! The Central races don't need athletes like her!"
Unsurprisingly, Kousei became a public pariah. Unlike previous incidents, the Academy's stance was unusually firm this time. Kousei was suspended from racing, with the exact reinstatement date to be determined based on future circumstances.
The Spring Triple Crown was now impossible, and her promise to McQueen would inevitably go unfulfilled.
Beyond the suspension, Kousei was required to undergo an Emotional Test—a test to prove that Umamusume could control themselves and abide by the rules.
She wouldn't be allowed to leave until the examiners were satisfied.
No outside contact was permitted, and she was forbidden from leaving—a form of de facto confinement.
In the bare, square room, Kousei sat cross-legged on the floor. Her starlike eyes had dimmed, and she sat motionless, lost in thought.
She was unaware of the situation outside, but she knew her dad must be facing immense pressure on her behalf. Even though she was the one who had made the mistake, she now found herself hiding in this square room, like a fugitive.
A faint click-clack echoed down the silent corridor. Kousei lowered her head as a shadow appeared on the floor.
"Long time no see. What happened to you? You look so disheveled."