Kitano had actually met Symboli Rudolf very early on, even earlier than Mr. C.B.
It was just that at the time, Kitano didn't recognize the little roan-haired horse girl as the future first undefeated Triple Crown horse girl of Japan, the one known as the "Emperor," Symboli Rudolf.
As Kitano had mentioned before, his rebirth wasn't just about reviving in a different timeline; his life started over from the beginning. He had to re-experience the entire journey from birth to childhood to adulthood.
And it was during that time that Kitano first met Symboli Rudolf, or rather, the childhood version of her.
Kitano still remembered it clearly. It was in the stands of the Tokyo Racecourse. It was his second time starting his life over. He was at the racecourse mainly to see if he could find any familiar horse girl names, hoping to determine the era he was in, so as not to be completely in the dark like the last playthrough.
It was then that the young Kitano met the equally young Rudolf, who at the time acted less like a horse girl and more like an arrogant little tiger.
"What's a little kid like you doing at the racecourse? Do you even understand horse girl racing? If you got separated from your family, big sister here can take you to find them, okay?"
Yes, that was the first encounter between the then eight-year-old Symboli Rudolf and the eleven-year-old Kitano.
This future Emperor had none of the majestic presence Kitano remembered from the anime, nor the feeling of a top-tier horse girl filled with ideals, who was always kind but principled towards her trainer, as depicted in the game.
If Kitano had to find one word to describe the Rudolf of that time, it would be "smug little brat" (雌小鬼).
However, Kitano didn't choose to react like a protagonist from a doujinshi and teach the brat a lesson about respecting her elders. Although he was a few years older, he was just an ordinary person; he was no match for a horse girl in a contest of strength.
Even though Rudolf was a little horse girl back then, Kitano was fully confident she could take on a grown man. If he tried to teach her a lesson, he'd probably be the one pinned to the ground.
So, Kitano chose a better method. He still remembered how he faced the arrogant little Rudolf, a look of serene acceptance on his face, and replied softly:
"I'm sorry, but my family has already passed away. Can you really take me to find them, big sister?"
—From that day on, Symboli Rudolf never spoke to Kitano like that again.
Furthermore, Kitano was surprised to find that he and little Rudolf started seeing each other more and more often. He would often step outside his house to find her already waiting at his doorstep, complaining that he was "too slow."
Yes, strictly speaking, in that playthrough, Kitano and Rudolf could be described as "childhood friends"—at least, their relationship could be described that way until Rudolf had to leave for formal training as a horse girl.
A child doesn't know how precious each meeting is, because she doesn't know that separation could mean forever. But thankfully, during their time together, Rudolf and Kitano talked about everything and had already made a "promise" long before they parted.
"Then let me do it! I'll become Japan's first undefeated Triple Crown horse girl! I'll lead all of Japan's horse girls onto the international stage! The expedition that the old lady couldn't complete, I will!"
"And you! Kitano, you will be the trainer for me, the undefeated Triple Crown horse girl, Symboli Rudolf! Even my old lady says you have a lot of talent. You can definitely get into the central league and become a trainer at Tracen Academy!"
"When that time comes, let's move forward together! Towards the pinnacle of Japan!"
The childhood Rudolf, not knowing how high the sky was, blindly set such a goal based on the talent she was showing. And Kitano, standing beside her, knew this better than anyone. He knew that the horse girl before him would one day stand at the pinnacle of Japan, but would never be able to stand on the world stage.
But he didn't shatter the dream of this budding horse girl. Instead, he chose to encourage her, to acknowledge her talent.
"I believe you will definitely do it."
"It's not that I will do it—it's that we will do it!" Rudolf unhappily corrected the error in Kitano's words. To be honest, looking at this young Emperor, for a moment, Kitano felt his own dark life being illuminated by her confidence.
—That is, until later, when Kitano, with Mr. C.B.'s help, entered Tracen Academy and became her trainer. He took C.B. to find the newly enrolled Rudolf, but before he could even speak, Rudolf rejected his offer to join her team.
"Rudolf... probably doesn't remember me anymore..." After confirming this repeatedly throughout a playthrough, Kitano came to this helpless conclusion. But the result wasn't entirely unexpected. After all, nearly ten years had passed. The huge transformation Rudolf had undergone proved that in those ten years he didn't know about, she had experienced many trials.
If it weren't for that one sentence that kept Rudolf awake for several nights, he probably wouldn't have even had the chance to be a passerby in her life. Ten years had passed; it wasn't unacceptable that she had forgotten him.
Returning to the present, Kitano's thoughts came back. Looking at this most familiar of strangers, who surely had no memory of him, the wheelchair-bound Kitano showed a generous smile and said softly:
"It's a pleasure to meet you for the first time, President Rudolf."
"Ah... yes, a pleasure to meet you."
Suppressing the strange feeling in her heart, even though she was the one who had requested the meeting, Rudolf felt incredibly awkward—as if she was guilty, or maybe a little bitter. A myriad of complex feelings welled up, leaving her at a loss.
Fortunately, the authority she had cultivated over the years allowed her to regain her composure after only a moment's lapse. Her gaze quickly locked onto Nakayama Festa, who was stepping forward from behind Kitano's wheelchair.
"...Is this your contracted horse girl, Trainer Kitano?"
"Yes, you should all know her." Kitano smiled and introduced Nakayama Festa to Rudolf and the others again. Although in private Kitano always said Festa was difficult to manage, calling her one of the more "human-like" members of the Gold Family, in a public setting, he gave plenty of face to the girl who had taken care of him for so long.
"Nakayama Festa, a horse girl born into the Gold Family. Some say she has a bad temper, but I think her personality might give her a stronger competitive spirit than other horse girls in a race."
"And I believe Nakayama Festa's qualities as a horse girl are superior to most of the current central league horse girls. She has the potential to win a G1, and even achieve victory in overseas expeditions. I believe she can do it."
"...Kitano?"
Although it was the second time he had introduced her, this time, in front of Rudolf and the others, Kitano's praise for Nakayama Festa had risen to a new level.
This time, his evaluation surprised not only Rudolf's group but even Nakayama Festa herself couldn't help but turn her head in astonishment, looking at the man she had lived with for several years, her eyes filled with surprise.
This was the first time she had ever heard praise from Kitano's mouth, and so much of it. From the day Stay Gold had picked him up, they had treated him like family, and the Gold Family horse girls treated family with nothing but sincerity.
But not everyone could handle the Gold Family's sincerity, especially when the entire family, from top to bottom, had explosive tempers. Clashes were common. The sisters often fought or challenged each other to races at the slightest disagreement, showing their bad tempers without reservation.
Take Nakayama Festa herself. Despite her usually lazy appearance, when she got angry, no one could hold her back. None of her sisters who provoked her ever got off easy. It was only after Kitano arrived that their conflicts lessened somewhat.
There was no helping it. You couldn't ignore a man who might die at any moment, dragging his sick body to stand between you. Especially in the last few months, when Kitano's mobility had worsened. The fact that he still tried to stop them from fighting, even from his wheelchair, made it impossible for them to escalate things.
This was the first time she had heard this man say anything other than complaining about their tempers. He was actually praising them. Festa was only now learning that Kitano thought so highly of her... and hadn't just taken her on because of Big Sis's influence.
Thinking this, Nakayama Festa's expression wavered slightly, but as a horse girl who loved to gamble, her mental fortitude was excellent, and she quickly controlled her emotions.
Only, her usually slightly stooped posture straightened a little, and the lollipop she always held in her mouth seemed to have a hint of sweetness. She took a step forward, looked directly at Rudolf, and said, word by word:
"Kitano is my partner. My sisters and I all trust his abilities, and he is the only trainer I will recognize."
"So, President, if you don't agree to his employment at Tracen Academy, I won't enroll either. I don't think training under him would be any worse than at Tracen."
As she spoke, Festa naturally slung an arm around Kitano's neck, draping it over his shoulder in a "we're best buds" manner, whether to give him courage or to give herself courage was unclear.
But her action was now in full view of Rudolf and the others. Rudolf's eyes lingered on Festa's intimate gesture for a moment before she replied in a flat tone:
"...I never said I disagreed."
"Since you and your contracted horse girl have such a harmonious relationship, and you have passed the test, Tracen Academy naturally welcomes your arrival."
"It's just... about your health..."
"I will take care of Kitano. No one else needs to worry." Before Rudolf could finish, the extremely intuitive Nakayama Festa immediately cut in on the topic she cared about most and declared decisively:
"I've been taking care of him for years at the Gold Family's home before bringing him here. No one knows him better than I do. Don't worry."
"...Is that so."
Nakayama Festa's words made Rudolf's face twitch again. For some reason, Festa's words made her increasingly irritated. She forced her tone to remain patient and finally managed to hold back.
And now, the irritated Rudolf didn't notice that Mr. C.B., who had been smiling quietly on the side, had a subtle change in her expression... She was still smiling, but her eyes, fixed on Kitano and Festa, now held a deeper look.
For some reason... Mr. C.B. found this scene very familiar... Although she had never experienced it, it felt familiar, as if such treatment should have been hers.
But before C.B. could figure it out, the composed Rudolf finally spoke, her mind even more chaotic than C.B.'s. She said softly:
"Then, on behalf of Tracen Academy, I welcome you, Trainer Kitano and Nakayama Festa."
"I will have your contract delivered to you in a few days. Please..."
"—Excuse me, President. If possible, I'd like to sign the contract with Nakayama Festa right now."
This time, however, it was Kitano who interrupted Rudolf. And to the varying expressions of Rudolf and the others, Kitano's face showed a look of... eagerness? His eyes lit up at the words "sign the contract," as if he had been waiting to do this for a long time.
In fact, Kitano was very anxious. He knew that only after signing the contract would Festa's victories add to his lifespan. But of course, he wouldn't say that. Facing their puzzled looks, he explained:
"I registered Nakayama Festa for her debut race a month ago. So I'd like to sign the contract early. That way, when she wins, I, as her trainer, will have officially achieved something... Is that okay?"
"...Of course."
This time, Rudolf's tone became even lower, and her heart grew more irritated by Kitano's eager expression. She knew it was an excuse, but she was unwilling to think about the meaning behind it, even though everyone else could guess it immediately.
For example, Nakayama Festa herself. Seeing Kitano's eagerness, the horse girl's mood improved considerably. She deliberately pulled her knit cap down, as if to hide her unnatural expression.
And soon, after both she and Kitano had signed their names on the contract, under Kitano's intensely expectant gaze, Rudolf very "deliberately" stamped the official seal.
Great! The first step is finally taken! Kitano stared at the contract, now bearing the red official seal, once again unable to hide his joyful expression. He finally had a hope of survival!
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