Moonlight filled the training ground. The distant forest, crowned with silver light, cast deep, dark shadows, pressing down silently and solemnly.
The fountain's spray and the ripples in the pond all reflected the bright moonlight, shimmering there. The green grass beneath her feet and the nearby flowers and plants were also bathed in moonlight, softly and silently enduring her footsteps.
Silence Suzuka looked at the scene before her, speechless.
"Silence Suzuka?"
The greeting went unanswered, and Classmate Gold Legend, a little puzzled, moved a bit closer.
This slight movement startled the frozen girl, and she took half a step back.
Are you serious about taking half a step back? Classmate Gold Legend was speechless.
"Ah, I'm sorry, good evening, Gold Legend-san."
Suzuka finally came to her senses, then said with a blush.
"What has you so engrossed?" Legend asked curiously.
It's you.
Silence Suzuka opened her mouth but said nothing, just shook her head.
"It's so late, why is Classmate Gold here?"
"Just call me Legend, we're all classmates, no need to be so formal." Classmate Gold Legend waved her hand. "As for why I'm here, I just thought the moonlight tonight was beautiful, so I came out for a walk."
This was a lie. This scoundrel woman came specifically for Suzuka.
"Is that so? Indeed, the moonlight tonight is beautiful." Silence Suzuka didn't doubt her.
"But you, Classmate Suzuka, are still training so late. Aren't you overdoing it?" Classmate Gold Legend surveyed Silence Suzuka's attire, and incidentally changed her address to draw closer.
"Not at all." Silence Suzuka didn't mind Legend's address and said naturally, "I'm always like this. I want to run more. Keep running, always."
"Why?" Classmate Gold Legend smiled as she looked at the girl before her.
"Because I really like it. For me, running is my everything." Her words were natural, self-evident.
...That's truly amazing." Classmate Gold Legend praised from the bottom of her heart, "But your expression doesn't say that."
"Eh? My expression?" Silence Suzuka was puzzled.
"How should I put it? You should see for yourself." Classmate Gold Legend took out the cosmetic mirror given by Gold City and handed it to Silence Suzuka.
Silence Suzuka took the mirror, which reflected a somewhat dejected face.
...How could this be? Running is clearly a very happy thing for me…"
But the face in the mirror seemed to disagree.
"Compared to when we last met, you don't look happy now." Classmate Gold Legend said with a smile from the side.
"…"
"I watched Suzuka's race two days ago."
"!?"
"You don't seem to like that style of running." Classmate Gold Legend said calmly, Suzuka's reflection in her eyes.
"Running with planned speed control is just the correct way to run." Silence Suzuka turned her face away, avoiding Legend's eyes.
"It seems you really don't like it." Legend's tone became certain.
"!!"
"Interested in trying a different running style?" Classmate Gold Legend's smile was somewhat strange. "Like Great Escape?"
"Great Escape…" Silence Suzuka's tone was somewhat inexplicable.
"Yes, the scenery ahead is very beautiful." Classmate Gold Legend's tone was full of temptation.
...The scenery ahead?"
Silence Suzuka looked up and saw that figure under the moonlight. The silver moonlight dyed her golden hair, turning it silver. Under the moon, she was as beautiful as a descending moon goddess, breathtaking.
Silence Suzuka suddenly came back to her senses.
...What is your purpose?" Silence Suzuka took a deep breath, calming her racing heart.
"Eh?" Classmate Gold Legend blinked.
She actually reacted, even though it always worked perfectly on McQueen.
Using her domain to harmonize the surrounding field, this was the basis of advanced aura techniques.
After learning the basics from Rudolf, Classmate Gold Legend occasionally tried to develop related skills.
Rudolf once taught that the aura technique is essentially a form of interference, but because of individual traits, the way this interference manifests can be very different.
The Emperor's aura is pure, overwhelming pressure.
Gold Legend had assumed she was the same, yet after trying it she found she was better at Induction.
Using her aura to lure and amplify a certain emotion—while it can still interfere…it's subtly useless. As long as the target stays a little rational, the skill is basically nullified. How should I put it? A chicken rib? And it feels like a pain to use.
She never realized that most people aren't rational at all, especially Horse Girls.
Feeling the mismatch, Legend didn't dig deeper into aura; she simply dropped it.
She disliked skills of that type.
Still, one thing is one thing—this trick is great for pranks, like tempting McQueen into eating sweets.
But in a moment like this, a half-baked skill is best left alone; it's unreliable.
Seeing Suzuka's puzzled look, Gold Legend switched tactics.
"No special reason. Classmate Suzuka, are you free tomorrow?"
"Huh? I don't have anything tomorrow…"
"Perfect. There's somewhere I want to go—let's go together!"
"Huh?"
"Twelve noon tomorrow at the school gate. No refusing. That's final! Ciao~"
Silent Suzuka barely had time to reach out her "Erkang" hand before Gold Legend slipped away.
Gold Legend knew she'd show up; that's just the kind of girl she is… At noon the next day, humming a tune, she reached the gate and spotted Silent Suzuka with faint dark circles under her eyes.
"Morning, Classmate Suzuka." Gold Legend greeted naturally.
"…" Suzuka said nothing.
"…Don't look at me like that, it's scary," Gold Legend muttered awkwardly.
"So, what exactly do you want, Classmate Gold Legend?" Suzuka sounded both shy and irritated.
No one knew what sort of night she'd spent, what the beauty beneath the moon had left in her heart, keeping her tossing until dawn.
"I just want a date with Suzuka, somewhere else." Gold Legend nonchalantly dropped the bombshell word.
"Somewhere else?" Suzuka's focus seemed off.
"Yep, a place with gorgeous scenery."
"Scenery? What kind of place?"
"Look forward to it."
"…Wow… the sky is so clear, green and white all bathed in sunlight… beautiful…"
Two hours by train from Tracen, they reached their destination.
Leaves fluttered in the breeze, sunlight scattered, a blooming cloud drifted slowly across the sky.
Silent Suzuka gazed, entranced.
"Heh, pretty great, right?" Gold Legend beamed. "Found it by accident while out with Oguri last time."
"Accident?"
"…Well, accident."
Specifically, getting lost and stuff.
To wander here by map—Oguri Cap, amazing, huh?
"Where does this path lead?" Suzuka murmured, eyeing the side trail.
"Want to find out?" Gold Legend asked. "Let's run."
"Huh?" Suzuka turned, saw the smile on her face.
"…Right, then I'm off!"
The girl spun and sprinted away.
"That's the spirit." Gold Legend watched her go, shook her head with a smile, and strolled to a big tree to enjoy the quiet afternoon.
After a while Silent Suzuka returned.
"Ha… ha… phew." She stopped beside Legend, catching her breath.
"You look super refreshed. Perfect!" Gold Legend stood and brushed off her pants.
"…Yes, it feels amazing." Suzuka smiled. "Thank you."
"Why thank me?"
"I've found it again—those quiet, empty vistas. I've reclaimed them!" She pressed a hand to her chest. "I need to be at the very front. This time, I won't yield!"
"Is that so? Congrats."
"I want to talk to my Trainer. I can't keep running without escaping." Suzuka said firmly. "So, um… could you come with me? I'm not good at talking."
"No Way must die," Gold Legend quipped with a wicked grin.
"Eh!? N-no, you can't?"
"Of course I can't. I'm just a student—how could I sway a Trainer?"
"O-oh, right… makes sense…" Suzuka drooped visibly, ears wilting.
"But maybe another Trainer could convince him."
"!?" Her ears shot up again.
"So, Classmate Suzuka, interested in meeting my Trainer?"
Gold Legend grinned like a fox who'd stolen a chicken.
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