The day after the Arima Kinen.
I wasn't doing something leisurely like my usual morning coffee break in the clubroom while reading the sports newspaper.
The Arima Kinen race ended, and as soon as the Winning Live was over, I immediately drove Rice to the hospital affiliated with the Tracen Academy to confirm the extent of her injury, and it was late last night when we finished.
I told Urara and King that it wasn't a serious injury and took them back to the dormitory. I also called Hishi Amazon, the head of the Miho Dorm, to explain the situation and asked Zenno Rob Roy, Rice's roommate, for help. I received Rice's change of clothes and underwear, and then I rushed back to the hospital. Since it was so late, I stayed with Rice, who was going to spend the night, and I spent the night in the hospital.
As I had confirmed, Rice's left foot had two broken metatarsal bones. The 2nd and 3rd metatarsals... I guess you could say the base of the index and middle toes. When we took an X-ray, that part was cleanly broken.
Breaking a metatarsal bone is quite common, even for humans. It can often be a stress fracture if you're a professional athlete. It's common in sports that put a lot of strain on the feet, such as track and field.
Although it's a fracture, depending on the symptoms, it's a place where you can walk or run without much pain. But this wasn't a case of a stress fracture that you just happen to find out about when you go to the hospital because you thought, "My foot hurts a little, something feels weird."
Rice, one of the top-class Uma Musume who can run at the speed of a car, broke her bones with the impact of putting all her strength into kicking the ground. It must have been extremely painful.
Fortunately, there were no other abnormalities. Just as the physical examination had shown, there were no broken or cracked joints or other bones; at most, her joints were warm because it was right after the race.
According to the doctor who treated Rice, the muscles around her joints were well-trained and flexible, so it was unlikely that she would have a sudden fracture like this unless she went beyond her physical limits.
However, considering the physical abilities of an Uma Musume, these kinds of injuries are unavoidable. A broken metatarsal bone is still relatively minor. The doctor, who had seen the Arima Kinen race footage, even said that she might have suffered an open or comminuted fracture.
That's how much Rice at that time had surpassed the limits of an Uma Musume. We should think of it as "she only broke her metatarsal bone" instead of "she broke her metatarsal bone."
After the race, she was cleaned up, and then she was examined.
(It's a relief that it's not as serious as I thought... or, to put it in a different way, was it a good thing that it broke there?)
She didn't need a cast, crutches, or a wheelchair. She just had to stop her daily training and go about her daily life without putting any stress on the broken bones, and it would heal naturally.
The break was apparently a clean one, and as long as she didn't run around or put unnecessary stress on it, the bones would connect naturally.
We got her a footplate that fits the shape of her foot, and she can wear it when she moves around. Rice is young and has a good recovery rate. If she leads a calm life without training, she should be able to go about her daily life without any problems in less than a month.
--Yes, she will be able to go about her daily life.
It will take about two to three months for her to be able to do light training, assuming her recovery goes smoothly. It will take at least three months to get back to her original training level while checking for pain and swelling.
And no matter how young Rice is and how fast her recovery is, it is dangerous to let your guard down until it's completely healed. If the fracture becomes a habit, it will happen frequently.
Furthermore, even if the bones connect smoothly and she can run again, how long will it take for her to retrain her body, which has deteriorated during the recovery period?
It's not just about balancing her distorted muscle strength and relieving fatigue as before. She has to rest until it's healed, and once it's healed, she has to retrain her weakened muscles and also be careful not to reinjure it. It's going to be tough.
How much will she deteriorate until she's fully healed? And how long will it take to retrain her weakened body while being careful not to reinjure it?
I pondered these things while looking at Rice, who was sleeping peacefully in the hospital bed.
(If she can train without any problems... it will take at least six months to get back to her original level... right? The race around that time is... the G1 Takarazuka Kinen.)
It's a rough calculation, but if everything goes well, her comeback race will be around that time. It would be too difficult to have her compete in a G1 race all of a sudden, and I think King will be competing in next year's Takarazuka Kinen.
Thinking about that, I remembered what I had talked about with Tazuna-san before.
'That's right. One year after forming the team... next year, Rice Shower will also be thinking about retirement, and by that time, will you be able to add new team members?'
I think we had that conversation right after Urara's Tango Stakes and Rice's Spring Tenno Sho. The retirement we were talking about was a complete retirement from racing as an Uma Musume and retirement from the Senior class.
Rice has a path to aim for the Dream Series, like Symboli Rudolf and Air Groove-san, after graduating from the Senior class. In terms of her achievements, Rice is second only to Symboli Rudolf among the Uma Musume currently enrolled at Tracen Academy.
Six G1 victories. Both Spring and Autumn Tenno Sho titles. A long-distance G1 victory. The Autumn Senior Triple Crown. Two consecutive Arima Kinen victories.
When you list them, she has so many achievements. She will definitely be able to aim for the Dream Trophy.
The entry requirements for the Dream Series are a secret. But with Rice's achievements and popularity, it should be fine. If Rice can't do it, then no other Uma Musume probably can.
Summer Dream Trophy.
Winter Dream Trophy.
The race is held only twice a year, in the summer and winter, but if they have a six-month training period between races, unlike the Senior class, they won't accumulate fatigue.
There's also the path of simply retiring, but... well, that's not for me to decide. That's for Rice to decide.
I look at Rice's sleeping face on the bed. She's also good at school, so it would be a good path for her to retire from racing and go to a university or a vocational school if she wishes. With her current fame, she might even be able to debut in the entertainment world. I, her brother, guarantee her cuteness... huh? No, there's nothing wrong... huh? I'm her onii-sama, but I'm not her brother.
Anyway, Rice is cute, can dance, and is good at singing. So there are those paths for her, too.
She has earned hundreds of millions of yen, so even if she goes on to higher education, there will be no financial problems at all. Oh, wait, even if there are no financial problems, the application deadline for some schools might be... well, the priority is to heal her leg first, and it's okay to go on to higher education next year.
I stroke the head of the sleeping Rice. Then, Rice's expression softens as if she's being spoiled. Her Uma ears are twitching.
(Retirement, huh...)
Rice got injured, and that word came to me with a strong sense of reality. How many Uma Musume can retire with as many achievements as Rice?
Even I, who haven't been a trainer for two years, have seen Uma Musume retire without even getting one win in their debut race or their maiden race. Compared to them, she's blessed... of course, it's thanks to Rice's efforts, but it will be a blessed retirement.
But, again, Rice's will is what's important... I'll wait until her leg is healed. Her condition isn't one where we don't know if she will ever recover, like a comminuted fracture, a shattered joint, or a torn ligament. It's not too late to make that kind of judgment after her leg is healed.
As I was stroking Rice's head, her eyes slowly opened. After blinking a few times with sleepy eyes, she tilted her head curiously.
'Huh... onii-sama... why are you in Rice's room...'
'Good morning, Rice. I've been here the whole time. Is it not okay for me to be in your hospital room?'
'N-no... if it's onii-sama, it's fine...'
Saying that, she grabbed the hand I was stroking her head with and brought her cheek close to it as if she was being spoiled. Hmm, she's so cute. But it's a little ticklish.
Rice rolled over to get closer to my hand--and her body twitched.
'Ow... huh... why does my leg... huh? Onii-sama?'
She must have accidentally pushed her left leg against the bed when she rolled over. Rice's consciousness was awakened by the pain, and she opened her eyes wide when she saw my face.
'Ehh?! O-onii-sama?! W-why? How did you get into the dorm...'
She was confused from just waking up and was panicking. She was busy checking the pajamas she was wearing and the thin blanket she was under.
'Rice, this isn't the dorm. It's the hospital. Don't you remember last night?'
Well, she went beyond her limits in the race and performed a Winning Live with a broken bone. After that, she was examined until late at night, so it's understandable that she's a little dazed.
It's a little past 7 a.m., so it's a good time to wake up. Rice has had seven hours of sleep, so it should be fine.
I, by the way, haven't slept. 20% of my time was spent on reporting to Tazuna-san, 60% on various thoughts, and the remaining 20% on constant calls from Otonashi-san and other journalist acquaintances, even though it was late at night.
It seems they concluded that I wouldn't be sleeping because Rice was injured. Well, the people whose contact information I had properly registered were the ones who seemed decent, so the calls I received were about whether Rice was okay.
They weren't trying to write an article; they were just genuinely worried. Well, they make a living by writing articles about Uma Musume races, so of course they would be surprised and worried when an Uma Musume gets injured... They told me they wouldn't write an article until we made an official announcement, so I just told them for the time being that she was on rest.
It would be a bother to make frequent calls in the hospital, so I sent a message to Urara, King, and Tazuna-san that I would be turning off my phone, and then I turned off my phone and left it alone.
I took my phone out of my pocket and turned it on... and there it was, a storm of missed calls. I also received some messages... oh, I just got a message from Urara.
'Trainer, are you awake? How's Rice-chan?'
'Good morning, Urara. Rice just woke up, too. She doesn't seem to be in bad shape.'
I sent a reply to Urara while watching Rice, who was for some reason checking the bedsheets. Oh, right. I have to go back to Tracen Academy and watch Urara and King's training, too.
Since it's the end of the year, I won't have them do any seriously tough training, but I have to give them some kind of load, or their bodies will get dull.
As I was wondering what to do, Rice, who seemed to have finished her investigation, was staring at me. And when our eyes met, she quickly looked away.
'Onii-sama... are you, are you angry? Are you angry because Rice was reckless... right?'
And she asked me like a child who was afraid of being scolded.
Angry, huh? ...Hmm, am I angry? ...No, I thought about a lot of things to scold her about when she continued to run right after her metatarsal bone broke, but now that a night has passed and there's a good prognosis for her injury, my anger is... no, yes, I'm still angry.
I got up from the chair I was sitting in and sat on the bed Rice was using. My expression was serious, by the way.
'Listen, Rice. I am very angry right now.'
'I-I knew it...'
When Rice heard my words, tears began to well up in her eyes... wait, what?! Rice?! Why are you crying?! And isn't it too early for you to start crying?!
At Rice's unexpected reaction, I wanted to retract what I had said. I'm angry, but I'm not as angry as Rice thinks I am.
I dropped my serious expression and gave a wry smile. And I hugged Rice, being careful not to put any stress on her left leg.
'I'm not lying about being angry... but I'm not that angry. More than that, I was worried... I was incredibly worried...'
Saying that, I gently stroked the back of Rice's head.
After leaving the Nakayama Racecourse, I was only thinking about getting to the hospital as soon as possible... I didn't have much time to talk after we got to the hospital, and I also had to drop Urara and King off at the dorm... and Rice fell asleep early from the exhaustion of the race.
So, I didn't get to have a proper talk with her like this. In that case, I'd say the words 'I was worried' sum it up perfectly.
No matter how minor the injury is, a fracture is a fracture. If she had fallen during the race while running with a broken bone, there was a possibility that her career as a runner would have been over. In the worst case, she could have lost her life.
So I was worried--and at the same time, I was scared.
'...I'm sorry.'
Rice, who heard my words, apologized with a tearful voice. Hearing her voice, knowing that she was alive, I let out a sigh of relief.
Before a race, there is a lot a trainer can do. But once a race starts, there's almost nothing a trainer can do. I can only watch an Uma Musume run; I can't stop her or run with her.
'Listen, Rice... this time, you were lucky. It only ended with a broken bone. But you might have fallen during the race. If that had happened, you might have suffered a worse injury. You might have even injured other Uma Musume if they got caught up in your fall.'
All of this is "what if." But the possibility is not zero. Although it's a possibility, I never wanted to say that she might have died.
'I won't say that it's okay just because you won the race. I think winning was important to you, Rice. But for me, while winning the race is important, you are more important. I really wanted you to stop running the moment something went wrong...'
After saying that, I put more strength into my arms that were hugging Rice.
'You were amazing at that moment, Rice... The most amazing I've ever seen. There's no Uma Musume who can beat you. You are the strongest. Not Symboli Rudolf, not Shinzan, no one could have beaten you... It was that good of a run.'
'Onii-sama... really? Was Rice that amazing?'
'Yes... it was the best run... if only you hadn't gotten injured, I would have been so happy.'
While talking, I let go of Rice. Truly, if she hadn't gotten injured, I would have been overjoyed with the result. Still, because her injury is minor, there's still room for joy.
'Rice.'
'Yes...'
'As the doctor said yesterday, you're not allowed to train for a while. At least until your bones are properly connected and you can go about your daily life, all training is forbidden. Can you promise me you'll follow that?'
I said while staring into Rice's eyes. This girl is reckless no matter what, and she might secretly train... no, she'll be okay. She should understand what will happen if her injury lingers.
'Yes, I understand.'
Rice nodded without hesitation. Staring at her, I gave a wry smile.
'If you're reckless in your current state, I think I'll be truly angry.'
I don't know what would happen unless I was there, but if I found Rice training with a broken bone, I would definitely be truly angry.
'Yes... Rice will make sure to heal properly first. If I heal properly without being reckless, I think I can make a faster comeback...'
'That's right, Rice. There's no point in being reckless now.'
Rice understands properly. Or rather, she has broken a bone once before, so she understands the importance of quietly healing. As for her comeback... well, first, she has to heal properly. I concluded.
Ah, but I have to decide on her future career path, or Rice might end up wasting a year.
I look at the calendar on the hospital room wall. Yesterday was the Arima Kinen, and there are about four days left in the year. Hmm... since the New Year's holidays are coming up, it might be a good opportunity for Rice to go back to her parents' home and talk to them about various things.
However, she has a leg injury, and I'm a little worried about having her go back by herself...
'I heard you can be discharged as soon as the footplate is made... Rice, what are you going to do during the New Year's holiday this year?'
'...What should I do? I thought I'd be training...'
Rice said, looking away. Wait a minute, I would at least have her go back home for the New Year's holiday... it might be a shorter break than other teams or trainers...
I mentally defended myself and brought up the topic with Rice.
'It's about your future, too, so why don't you go back home and talk to your parents? I'll come with you.'
'I can't train, and go home... my f-future?! With onii-sama?!'
Rice nodded once, and then her eyes widened in surprise. Huh? Was there anything surprising about what I just said?
'I can't just call or email them... it's an important conversation.'
'An important conversation?!'
Even if she decides to continue racing, her parents would probably be worried if she's going to be okay making a comeback after breaking a bone. If she retires from racing and goes on to higher education or gets a job, she can't do it without talking to her parents. She'd need a co-signer if she's going to rent a house, and a guarantor if she's going to get a job...
And above all, not only her future but I also want to check what kind of people her parents are. I think they're probably good people since they're Rice's parents, but... although it's rude, if they're the kind of people who would take her prize money, I have to talk to Tazuna-san and take some measures.
(Well, if I look at Rice, I can tell her parents are good people, but just in case... and even if she goes back home, I'm worried because her injury isn't healed. It's like a home visit. Going during the New Year's holiday is pretty unconventional, but...)
In any case, as her trainer, I have to talk to them about the extent of Rice's injury and her future comeback schedule.
I thought about those things while looking at Rice, who was writhing on the bed for some reason.
--------------------------------------------
🚀 Want INSTANT Access & Bonus Content?
"Loving this story so far? You can read ALL chapters RIGHT NOW by joining my P4tr3on!
✨ Unlock instant access to the full completed novel
✨ No waiting for daily updates
✨ Support your favorite degenerate author (that's me!)
Only $5.99 for the full experience!
đź”— Check my profile for the Link!!