The next day, Yayoi Natural didn't accompany Tokai Teio for her preliminary aptitude test.
Instead, two others went with Teio:
Yayoi Mochizuki and Tokai Roman.
As for Yayoi Natural herself...
She had something much more important to do.
"So here's the key to the old school building. Natural, what do you even need it for?"
Mr. C.B. asked, giving Yayoi Natural a curious look.
Yayoi Natural only offered a slightly embarrassed smile in response.
Seeing her reaction, Mr. C.B. paused thoughtfully for a few seconds, then raised the hand holding the key. "In exchange, you have to go out with me later~"
"Sure! Just call me up, and I'll be there~" Yayoi Natural happily took the key from Mr. C.B.'s hand. "Thanks a bunch~"
As she turned away, she added, "Don't tell Teio or Mochizuki, okay?"
"Got it."
Satisfied with Mr. C.B.'s response, Yayoi Natural didn't linger and quickly left the gates of Tracen Academy.
The old school building was a bit distant from Tracen Academy itself.
Though it remained within the academy's purchased land, it still took about half an hour of walking before Yayoi Natural reached it.
The area around the old building had become mostly abandoned.
Some of the academy's private farmland remained nearby, supplying special internal provisions, but from the looks of things, the old building itself had clearly been neglected for a while now.
This didn't particularly bother Yayoi Natural, however. She continued walking until she found the building's entrance.
Stopping briefly at the entrance, Yayoi Natural looked at the ivy that had overtaken the walls. Despite its obvious state of neglect, it still had a certain charm.
Yet a sense of vague familiarity tugged at her memory.
She brushed aside some vines and saw the wooden sign bearing the academy's name.
The white paint had largely peeled away, yet the letters were still legible enough.
Confirming that this was indeed Tracen Academy's old school building, Yayoi Natural grew even more curious about where her déjà vu came from.
Lowering her hand, she allowed the vines to fall back into place, covering the sign again, before stepping inside.
Unlike the current campus, the old school building included its own running track. Although it was relatively small—only about four to six hundred meters around—it was sufficient for morning or extra training for any Umamusume.
Crossing over the track, Yayoi Natural approached the main doors of the building.
The entrance consisted of two large glass doors. Through the layer of accumulated dust on the glass, she could still see some of what lay beyond.
For instance...
"Charcoal…" Yayoi Natural murmured quietly, looking at a pile scattered on the floor. She shifted her gaze to the door lock, pulling out the key given to her by Mr. C.B. and unlocking the door.
Once the doors were open, Yayoi Natural stared at the charcoal again, thinking for several seconds. Then she turned 180 degrees and sat down on a slightly elevated step nearby.
From her seat, Yayoi Natural again observed the scattered charcoal for a moment before reaching out her hand.
She carefully gathered the charcoal together and gently moved it to another spot.
"This… should go here…"
Her voice trailed off, confusion clear on her face.
She didn't know why she was certain about this charcoal's proper place. Yet, as fragments of lost memories flickered through her mind, Yayoi Natural bit down on her lower lip.
Clearly, she'd already guessed how things had unfolded here.
After all, Mejiro Ramonu had mentioned yesterday that Rudolf once lived in this place.
Though Mejiro Ramonu didn't know why Rudolf stayed here, Yayoi Natural could already guess some of it.
Standing up slowly, Yayoi Natural decided that even if she'd pieced things together, she still needed to confirm it fully.
She turned her gaze to the interior of the old building.
Without even glancing toward the second floor, Yayoi Natural immediately focused on a particular spot.
"This way, huh?"
Following nothing but that faint yet growing familiarity, Yayoi Natural moved decisively in one direction.
The closer she got, the stronger her memories became.
Finally, guided entirely by instinct, Yayoi Natural pushed open a certain door.
And then...
She found only empty space.
As she gazed into the room, though a sense of familiarity lingered, no new memories emerged.
The irreversible brain damage from the prolonged high fever she'd experienced meant that anything she'd lost was likely gone forever—unless she could somehow rewind time.
Recognizing that only a faint familiarity remained, Yayoi Natural stood in silence for several seconds before entering the room.
Everything within felt vague, almost dreamlike. Yet, beneath the haze, there was something more…
"Where was it…?"
Murmuring to herself, Yayoi Natural bent slightly and began searching for the marking Mejiro Ramonu had shown her.
Soon enough, she found it.
The marking was low on the wall, only about one meter above the ground, forcing even Yayoi Natural to crouch or bend down to inspect it.
Gently running her fingers over the mark, Yayoi Natural frowned.
"This isn't right…"
Despite clearly recognizing this mark, she couldn't pinpoint what exactly felt off or why she remembered it at all.
"Where exactly does this memory come from…?" she whispered quietly.
Her expression shifted subtly.
Standing up, she turned to survey the whole room again.
Every corner held that same vague feeling—but little else.
Realizing this, Yayoi Natural finally turned away.
The aptitude test wouldn't take much longer, after all.
It was time for her to head back.
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T/N: DONT MISS TOKAI TEIOS TALENT TEST!!!! hmmm should i change talent test to aptitude... since this is prob the test which tests an umamusume's aptitude right? hmm okie