"Looks like it turned out like this again..."
That night, after the afternoon's coaching session had ended, Takeda Bungo walked out of Tracen Academy with his trainee—the academy she had not returned to in a very long time. As they walked, he casually asked the question that had not been convenient to raise in front of Tojo and the others that afternoon.
"So, Shinzan, how did it feel? After running a lap with Tojo-san's trainee, the two of you were both left panting for breath. It looked like quite a fierce contest."
"Exhilarating... absolutely exhilarating! That was real competition! It's been a very long time since I've felt pressure that strong!! That little one—she hasn't even reached honkaku yet, and she still forced me to use my full strength. That child's future is limitless!"
Even though the victory had been a very narrow one, Shinzan still looked thoroughly excited when she spoke about the afternoon race. Takeda had not seen that expression on his trainee's face in a very long time. It was clear that she had truly enjoyed that race.
"In the end, you only won by a single length. And you're saying you really did use your full strength... is that true?"
"It is. If the distance had been just a little longer, I'm certain I would have lost that race without question. My mistaken judgment put me at a disadvantage by the middle stretch already. The only reason I managed to hold on at the end was because, as the senpai, I had a few more techniques at my disposal."
"I see..."
Takeda knew his trainee well. When it came to racing, she never lied. For someone as proud and battle-hungry as Shinzan to give that kind of evaluation meant that little Umamusume truly did possess the corresponding strength.
"With Mr. C.B. and Rudolf ahead of her, and Inari Kagura coming up behind... in one of these next two Japan Cups, surely we'll finally bring one home..."
Recalling the two trainees of Tojo he had seen during the day, Takeda lifted his head and murmured to the sky.
Though he had already retired from Tracen, he had never stopped paying attention to Japan's Umamusume. It was not just him hoping for the birth of a genius. Everyone who followed the races and understood the Japanese circuit was waiting for a homegrown prodigy to appear. And now, all eyes were fixed on the Japan Cup.
Because up to this point, not a single Japanese Umamusume had ever won it.
Every year, the American Umamusume who came over from across the ocean—even when they were not top-class by the standards of their own country, even when they were arguably second-tier—could still crush the first-rate Japanese Umamusume who had fought their way through layer after layer of selection here. The best result Japan had managed so far was Kyorou Promise's second-place finish last year—and she retired on the spot after the race.
That was why the dazzling performances of Rudolf and Mr. C.B. had drawn such enormous popularity.
Japan needed geniuses like that far too badly.
"Now that I think about it, Trainer... didn't that little one look kind of familiar to you?"
Shinzan's words pulled Takeda out of his thoughts. She had suddenly brought up something he himself had been wondering about all afternoon.
"Hm? Strange. You felt that too?"
"Yeah. I feel like I've seen that little one somewhere before... I remember you saying she only enrolled at Tracen last year, and that she's a girl from Japan, right?"
Part of the reason Shinzan had taken an interest in Kagura was because she had seen her race and had some sense of her ability. But another reason was that Kagura looked strangely familiar. She just could not place where that sense of familiarity came from.
"That's exactly why it's odd. I'm certain I never saw a genius like that in Japan. But other than Japan, the only place we ever went was Europe on those trips... could it be we saw a Japanese Umamusume that strong somewhere in Europe?"
"I've got no idea... Hah! Why think so hard about it? Let's head back and rest~! I used up a lot today, so, Trainer, give me a massage later!"
"All right, all right..."
"Kagura, thank you for your hard work today as well."
...
Elsewhere, that same evening, Rudolf finally voiced her thanks as she walked Kagura back to the dorms after leaving the student council office.
She knew Kagura had gone all out against Shinzan to help her secure the chance to receive that guidance. But that race had genuinely scared Rudolf. It had not looked like some friendly senior-versus-junior coaching session at all—if anything, it had looked as though her senpai had nearly been driven into a corner by Kagura.
At the very end, Rudolf had even seen the unmistakable flash of a field bursting from Shinzan's body. That meant Shinzan had gotten serious.
And even then, she had only managed a one-length edge.
"No, no... your Kikuka Sho is only a few days away. And it's your first time tackling a distance that long, Rudolf-ojousama. If I can help you get some race experience, that matters more than anything."
"Your own race isn't far off either, is it? And even so, I keep making you look after me. Is your own training really going to be all right?"
"Don't worry. I can plan my own training schedule just fine."
Kagura shook her head with a smile. Even so, out here beyond the school building, where there were no streetlights, Rudolf could still make out the weariness on Inari Kagura's face.
There was no helping it. Rudolf understood why.
That afternoon, Kagura had gone head-on against Shinzan's field, and had likely spent the entire race enduring the pressure of Shinzan's aura. Even under those conditions, she had still nearly run her down. The strain on her stamina had to have been immense.
Thinking of that, Rudolf could not help but reach out to pat Kagura on the head.
"Don't do that. I'm already short enough as it is. If you keep patting my head like that, I'll never grow any taller."
That was what she said, but Kagura did not slap Rudolf's hand away. She only put on a slightly dissatisfied look.
The two of them strolled along slowly, leaving the school building behind and making their way onto the broad path between the classroom building and the dorms. A chilly night wind came sweeping through, and Kagura could not help sneezing.
Ah. I was so tired from running this afternoon that I forgot to bring my coat...
It was already late October now, the height of crisp autumn weather, and the wind at night carried a definite bite. Normally, Kagura would have brought a coat when she came out in the afternoon, but the fatigue from today's race had made her forget a habit she usually never missed.
As Kagura wiped her nose with a tissue, she suddenly felt something warm and slightly heavy draped over her shoulders.
Opening her eyes, she saw Rudolf crouching down in front of her, her hands coming around from behind Kagura's arms as she settled her usual coat over her shoulders and buttoned it up for her.
"The weather's getting colder lately, and I haven't seen you add any layers. And now you're not even wearing a coat. Be careful not to catch a chill."
"Ah... thank you... Rudolf-ojousama, are you going to be okay?"
"My body's perfectly fine. You're the child here—you're the one who needs protecting... and besides, why are you thanking me so formally? When I thanked you, you told me not to be so polite. So why are you acting this polite with me?"
Rudolf smiled, lightly flicked Kagura's cheek with a finger, and tugged the coat tighter around her, as though afraid she might freeze.
Wrapped in Rudolf's coat, still carrying her lingering warmth, Kagura's whole body quickly began to warm up. She looked at Rudolf with gratitude.
"Huh. So you really are pretty dependable once in a while, Rudolf-ojousama."
"What, just because I'm usually the one being taken care of by you, you think I'm some useless young lady who can't do anything?"
As she spoke, Rudolf pinched Kagura's cheek again, then caught her by the shoulders and leaned in until their faces were pressed together, rubbing her cheek against Kagura's for a while.
"All right, enough. You look so tired you can barely keep your eyes open. I'll take you back to the dorms. Want me to carry you?"
"No, it's fine, I can walk on my own—wah!? Rudolf-ojousama, don't just pick me up all of a sudden!"
"You're obviously forcing yourself. Stop trying to tough it out and hold on."
"Mm... honestly... then thank you, Rudolf..."
---
T/N: OOOOOOOOOOH OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH OOOOUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
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