As Nearl and Trainer Komiyama were deep in discussion, the inner door suddenly slid open with a sharp whoosh.
A gray-maned Uma Musume with a somewhat childlike build stepped out—none other than Tamamo Cross.
"Listen, you two, goin' on and on about me like this—anyone'd think I was dyin' of some incurable disease."
Tamamo Cross, drenched in sweat, wore a simple tank top and a pair of red training shorts that loosely hugged her small frame.
She wiped her forehead with a pink towel draped around her neck, her blue eyes—fierce yet soft, like a kitten's—fixed on the trainer and Nearl.
"But Tama-chan, you're really not well. You skipped breakfast this morning, and for lunch, all you had was one rice ball."
Komiyama's fists were clenched, her fine teeth biting into her lower lip hard enough to leave marks.
"On top of eating so little, you're still pushing yourself through such intense daily training. You're running on fumes—this is unsustainable."
Tamamo fell silent.
Deep down, she knew this lifestyle was a slow form of self-destruction. But knowing and doing were two different things.
The uncertainty of the future, her looming retirement, and the pressure of her final race—all of it weighed heavily on her.
No matter how much she claimed not to care, no matter how hard she forced a smile, the stress kept piling up inside with no way to release it.
The mental strain was taking a toll on her body, too.
If nothing else, her hormone levels were all over the place.
Combined with insomnia and anxiety, it was a miracle she hadn't collapsed already.
But she couldn't tell Komiyama any of this.
If she did, her trainer would never allow her to run in the Arima Kinen.
"Don't make it sound so serious, Komiya. I know my own body. I'll be fine for a little while longer. Once the race is over, everything will go back to normal."
She forced a cheerful smile and flexed her slender arms, trying to reassure her trainer.
"But—"
Komiyama hesitated, words failing her.
Seeing this, Tamamo quickly cut in, talking faster to stop her from continuing.
"Alright, alright, I'll go rest, okay? No more lecturing."
With that, Tamamo made a quick exit, leaving her trainer stamping her foot in frustration.
"Sigh…"
In the end, all Komiyama could do was let out a heavy sigh. She felt utterly powerless.
"What should I do, Nearl? Tama-chan is pushing herself like this. I know she's overdoing it, but I just can't bring myself to stop her."
"As a trainer, I'm supposed to take care of the Uma Musume under my wing. But when my hopes clash with Tama-chan's own dreams… What am I supposed to do? I just don't know."
Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. Komiyama tilted her head back, eyes squeezed shut, sobbing quietly.
Tap.
A gentle hand rested on her shoulder. The distraught trainer turned and saw Nearl's kind expression.
It was only then she realized she'd left Nearl standing there all this time. Flustered, she quickly wiped her tears and began apologizing profusely.
"I'm sorry, I just—"
"It's alright, Miss Komiyama."
Nearl gave the trainer's shoulder a comforting pat. She'd never met a trainer so emotionally delicate before.
Thinking back on her own trainer, Oguri Cap's trainer, and even the ones she remembered like Tokai Teio's—each and every one of them had been thick-skinned and resilient.
"No one can handle everything perfectly. Regrets are a part of life. But we overcome them with the support of others."
As Komiyama looked up at her, Nearl placed a hand over her own chest.
"So please, let me help you. An obstacle one person can't overcome alone might be possible for two."
"…Please help Tama-chan, Nearl."
"Understood."
--+--
"Ugh—cough!"
Back in the gym, Tamamo Cross wasn't resting as she'd promised. Instead, she'd resumed her muscle training.
But it was clear she'd hit her limit.
"Dammit. My stomach's empty, but this nausea just won't go away."
She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and lifted her head at the sink. The mirror reflected her image all too clearly: a pale complexion, lifeless blue eyes, and a network of bloodshot veins.
"Seriously? Do I really look that awful?"
Letting out a self-mocking laugh, she bent down and splashed handfuls of water onto her face.
"Here's a towel."
Just as she raised her head, a warm voice spoke beside her, and her hand brushed against something incredibly soft.
A towel—so plush it felt unreal.
"Ah, thanks."
Tamamo took it almost automatically and began drying her face. The fluffy texture and sun-like warmth were strangely soothing.
'If my bed felt like this, I could sleep for three days straight. This soft, sinking feeling is amazing.'
Even after her face was dry, she kept rubbing the towel against her cheeks.
"Wait a second—where did this towel come from?!"
She flung the towel away abruptly, her voice rising in surprise.
"Your reaction is a bit slow, Tamamo-senpai."
Nearl, who had watched the whole scene—from Tamamo's blissful expression to her sudden shock—couldn't help but chuckle.
"Ahem, stop laughing, Nearl."
Tamamo coughed awkwardly and straightened her face, trying to salvage a bit of her dignity as the senior.
"Why are you in here? If you're here to lecture me, save it. I know you mean well, but I've got this under control."
"Not at all. I only came to ask you to taste the lunch box I prepared for Oguri."
Nearl shook her head and held out the insulated lunch container she was carrying, offering a simple excuse.
"Me? Couldn't you ask someone else to taste-test it?"
"Well, I thought since you're both Uma Musume, both gray-maned… your tastes might be similar."
Tamamo shot her a look that screamed "What kind of logic is that?", her expression practically spelling out how ridiculous she found the idea.
"That's your reason? That's way too random."
Still, she opened the lunch box despite her words.
"Just a tiny taste, okay? And my opinion is only for reference—"
The moment she lifted the lid, her hand froze mid-air.
"Gulp…"
A distinct swallowing sound echoed through the gym.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.