Ardan did not tell him that before she had come to find him at her grandmother's request, she had actually dreamed a part of what seemed to be her and his past, a time when she had become his contracted horse girl and was running for him.
She still remembered the content of that dream... it seemed to be when she had just participated in the Japanese Derby.
She had dreamed that she and he were standing together, facing her most beloved grandmother. What entered her ears was her grandmother's extremely rare angry scolding. She also clearly heard from those reprimands the words "Japanese Derby."
Of course, the Mejiro matriarch could not possibly scold her precious granddaughter. The object of her anger was her trainer in the dream, Kitano Ryuichi.
This also made her, who had just reacted to the content of the dream, a little unable to react. After all, for her, this was actually equivalent to experiencing her own life journey again. It's just that she had been jointly guided by the family trainers from the beginning, and now she had a trainer of her own to accompany her all the way. Her career should not have changed.
But because of this, she could not understand her grandmother's anger in front of her. After all, in her impression, with her constitution, to be able to represent the Mejiro family in the Japanese Derby was already a miracle. After all, even her own sister, Mejiro Palmer, had only participated in the Filly Triple Crown races. For the weak her to be able to successfully participate in the Japanese Derby, which was full of strong competitors, could be said to be a double affirmation of strength and luck.
She still remembered that the era she was in at that time was considered lucky. The "Heisei Three Strongs," Oguri Cap, Super Creek, and Inari One, who had later reignited the entire Japanese horse girl world, had not appeared in this race. The pressure of this Japanese Derby was naturally much smaller for her.
But even so, for the naturally weak her to win the Japanese Derby was undoubtedly a matter of great luck. But coincidentally, she knew very well that from the moment she was born into this world and became the one who survived, she might have already used up all her luck in this life.
According to her experience, she should have been in the last 200-meter position, just about to win the first Japanese Derby championship for the Mejiro family, when she was overtaken by her strong rival in the race, Sakura Chiyono O, who had burst out with a power beyond her limit.
To miss the championship of the Japanese Derby was certainly regrettable, but considering her own weak constitution, a second-place finish could be said to be a rare and valuable achievement. She even remembered that when she returned to the Mejiro home that day, the scale of the welcome banquet her family held for her, and the enthusiasm of her family members towards her, made it seem as if she had won the Japanese Derby. How could they blame her?
And in this dream, he had become her trainer. It seemed that she had not had any accidents. Why would her grandmother blame him? And even scold him so severely.
Ardan, who did not understand this scene, did not react slowly. Unlike being a bystander, her immersive experience allowed her to react in the dream. She immediately opened her mouth to her grandmother in front of her:
"Grandmother, please don't blame him. He didn't do anything wrong."
"No, Ardan, this matter is definitely related to him. You don't speak."
However, to her surprise, her grandmother's attitude in the dream was particularly tough, and she even got angry with her for the first time. And just as she was a little startled, she only heard her grandmother's particularly serious gaze glare at him and ask, word by word:
"Trainer Kitano, you were brought to the Mejiro family by Palmer back then. We all had high hopes for you. This old woman admits that your talent is really strong. To be able to let this child, Ardan, win the Japanese Derby under the minimum training conditions, you are truly talented."
"But you shouldn't have taken my advice as a deaf ear. How did I tell you?"
"All training and racing arrangements are to be carried out on the premise of ensuring that Ardan's body is not damaged." And in front of the Mejiro family head, the well-behaved standing Kitano, his tone was much more relaxed than his behavior, and he immediately answered her question.
However, whether it was because his seemingly unaware of the seriousness of the matter relaxed tone had once again angered this old woman, he only saw the Mejiro family head immediately stand up and question him again:
"Then you still told Ardan to go all out without any restraint before the Japanese Derby? Don't you know how dangerous this is for her?!"
...Eh? I... won the Japanese Derby?
And Ardan, who had just received this news, had not even reacted yet. She stood on the side in a daze, her pupils slightly constricted as she stared at him, clearly a little in disbelief that in the lifetime she had met him, she had actually won the Japanese Derby?
You know, she had personally experienced the brutality of that race. Even without the participation of any of the "Heisei Three Strongs," Sakura Chiyono O, Yaeno Muteki, and Soccer Boy were all definitely strong opponents. The clash of a total of twenty-four horse girls in the Japanese Derby could be said to be quite cruel.
In this race, everyone had gone all out with the idea of burning everything—especially Sakura Chiyono O, who had inherited the regret of her admired senior "Maruzensky" for not having participated in the Japanese Derby. The strength she had burst out with at the end, Ardan knew very well, without the determination to break this leg, it was simply impossible to win against the Sakura Chiyono O of that time.
In fact, Ardan had also paid the price of a fracture in the end, but in the end, she had not been able to surpass her.
And after the race, Sakura Chiyono O, who had burned everything, had ultimately paid the price of a career slump for the victory of this Japanese Derby, an incurable severe tendonitis.
How on earth... did I manage to defeat her?
She thought of countless possibilities in her mind, but in the end, she still fixed her gaze on him beside her.
The only variable could only be this trainer of mine... but how on earth did he do it?
"Family head, regarding this question, I am willing to bear all the responsibility." And he also knew very well that his actions had violated her bottom line. However, he still maintained his own point of view and answered with particular solemnity:
"I have promised you that I will do my best not to let Ardan suffer any harm. On this premise, I will do my best to fulfill her own long-cherished wish as a horse girl—to let her run carefree on the racetrack."
Saying this, he also raised his head again and looked straight into her eyes, saying, word by word, "Now I have done it. The Japanese Derby was won by her, and she has also returned without any illness or disaster. If you feel that my method is too radical, I will accept any punishment."
"No need for any punishment. I will punish you now."
Perhaps it was because her granddaughter's performance in the Japanese Derby had made her too scared, or perhaps it was because she was terrified by the price that Chiyono O had paid after the race. The usually very rational and gentle Mejiro family head, this time driven by her protective heart for her granddaughter, for the first time showed the authority of the head of the family and immediately said:
"I'm going to transfer you to other horse girls of the Mejiro family. You are not suitable to be her trainer, so you can—"
"—Please wait, Grandmother!"
And in that instant, Ardan, whose head had flashed with a glimmer of insight, her heart almost instantly tightened by half, and she immediately spoke up to stop her grandmother's words.
And in the next moment, under the gaze of him and the family head, she saw her fragile body slowly descend. On the cold tiles, she knelt down in a particularly regular manner in a dogeza.
And her action also startled both of them. Just as the closest him was trying to pull the weak her up, she stubbornly, with her horse girl strength, refused his kindness and said solemnly to her startled grandmother:
"Grandmother... Trainer-kun, he didn't do anything wrong. Everything he did was supported by me. It was I who hoped that he could help me fulfill my wish."
"Grandmother, I know I'm fragile, and I also know that everyone treats me like a fragile glass. I also know that you dote on me particularly."
The next moment, Ardan's bright and spirited gaze looked straight at her beloved grandmother in front of her. Her voice was gentle, but particularly penetrating as she said:
"But even if it's just for a moment, I also want to, as a horse girl of the Mejiro family, fight for the glory of the family on the racetrack."
"I don't want to be the exception. I don't want to just become a beautiful handicraft, or a breeding bag to continue the orthodox bloodline of the family. I want to, as a horse girl, realize my own value."
"So, all of this was my own decision. I support my trainer's idea."
With that, she bowed her head deeply with almost perfect etiquette. And at this moment, she discovered that at the same time as she was doing this, he, who had not been afraid of her grandmother before, had, after trying to pull her up to no avail, immediately made almost the same action as her.
"Trainer-kun?" She asked him beside her with some surprise. And he seemed to know that she was worried about his physical condition, but he did not even turn his cheek and answered with a light laugh:
"You are so weak, yet you are willing to plead for her forgiveness in this posture. Then, as your trainer, I can naturally use the same posture."
"We are in an equal relationship, Ardan. I am your partner. We are both fragile beings. There is nothing we cannot do."
The answer from the him in front of her, his tone was so light, but she knew too well that he, who was seriously ill, was much more fragile than her—if she was said to have legs as fragile as glass, then there was not a single part of him that was not like glass.
But he still chose to stand with her in this posture, not letting her bear all the responsibility... but she knew very well in her heart that she had not thought so much at the beginning.
She just felt... although all of this was just a dream, it was probably also a re-enactment of the past. But if in the lifetime she had met him, he had really helped her achieve this dream, let alone her being intact now, even if she was still facing a fracture like before, she, lying on the hospital bed, would probably cheer with excitement when she recalled this achievement.
This could prove her value as a horse girl of the Mejiro family. She was no longer the glass that everyone talked about. This proved that her achievement was no less than that of her admired sister! The first Derby horse girl of the Mejiro family, such an achievement was by no means inferior to the Mejiro family's mission, the "Tennō Shō."
Especially now that she had future memories, she knew very well that this achievement, even with the appearance of the strongest genius of the Mejiro family—Mejiro McQueen, had never been achieved. This would only make her victory in the Japanese Derby seem even more precious.
She felt from the bottom of her heart that he, who had helped her achieve such an unprecedented, and possibly unrepeatable, achievement, should not be treated like this.
He had already been transferred from her sister's hands to hers. This was already a huge blow to him. She should not let him suffer such a blow again.
She had to walk with him, in the posture of a victor. The two of them, two pieces of "glass supporting each other forward," could reach a higher achievement! She believed so from the bottom of her heart.
Although she didn't know how he had done all this... but she would absolutely not let her grandmother transfer him to another horse girl. For both emotional and logical reasons, she could not!
"You two—sigh..."
However, with both of them in a kneeling and pleading posture, this family head, who doted on her granddaughter and also sincerely admired his ability, was suddenly in a dilemma. But her entanglement did not dare to last too long. She was afraid that her precious granddaughter and this excellent trainer, who was even more fragile than her granddaughter, would kneel out of some trouble. She quickly relented and said:
"...You two get up. I'm not angry anymore."
"Yes." X2
And with her signal, the two, who had overcome the difficulties together, also smiled at each other. With each other's help, they stood up carefully—they were both afraid of causing a little bit of harm to the other due to their own carelessness.
And watching this scene, the family head, although her expression was a little helpless, her mood seemed to have improved a little. After the two had helped each other up, she did not say much and left the hall on her own.
But before leaving, she did not forget to instruct the two, whose hands had not yet been released from helping each other, one last sentence:
"For you to be able to support each other and walk on like this... then this old woman can rest assured."
"From now on, just keep supporting each other and run. Ardan, and you, boy. Just don't forget this old woman's instructions and bottom line."
"—We definitely won't, Grandmother (Family Head)." X2
The moment her words fell, he and she responded to her almost in unison. And perhaps because of this tacit understanding, the two looked at each other with a slightly surprised look.
And under this gaze, the two couldn't help but smile at each other, both showing a heartfelt smile of relief and joy.
Perhaps... this kind of Trainer-kun is not bad. Such a thought appeared in her heart. She seemed to understand now why he would attract so many horse girls to gather around him, even Symboli Rudolf was like this...
But what she did not notice was that their hands, which had not yet been released from each other, seemed to have quietly held a little tighter...
-------
Enjoy 20% off our Patreon membership to celebrate Christmas. You can join starting today
My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
I, Herta's Fiancé, the Universe's Number One Male Fist (114 Chapter (Simulpub-Full) )
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Succubus in Sixth Street (400 Chapter)
Reborn in Type-Moon, My Sister is Aoko Aozaki (254 Chapter)
MyGO!! A Story Voiced by Me (140 Chapter)
BLEACH: Blade of Purification (158 Chapter)
Konoha: Starting the Game as Yoriichi (400 Chapter)
My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage (140 Chapter)
The Pinnacle of the Navy! Starting from Being Captured by Garp (172 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(80 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (200 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (200 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: It All Began With Me Being Stepped On by Arlecchino (120 Chapter)
Naruto: I Can Synthesize Summoning Beasts (96 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: The Great Swordsman's System, Disciple of Yoriichi (140 Chapter)
My Wife is a General, but I'm an Emanator of Abundance! (160 Chapter)
Type-Moon: My Nine-Fold Path (140 Chapter)
Uma Musume: They're Peeking at My Diary, and All of Tracen is Panickin (Ending)
The Wild History of Type-Moon world (70 Chapter)
Reborn in Conan, But I Refuse to Be the Bad Guy (80 Chapter)
Ruan Mei is begging me to go back? But there's no going back anymore (140 Chapter)
Just a Slacker at Tracen Academy (165 Chapter)
Survival in Blue Archive (70 Chapter)
Kimetsu no Yaiba: Doma Wasn't Hated Today, Either (100 Chapter)
The Vibe of This Chat Group is a Little Off (100 Chapter)
Heartbreak Simulator: I Broke Them and Made Them Cry (80 Chapter)
The Talentless Trainer Doesn't Want to Restart (80 Chapter)
A Journey Starting as a Quincy (80 Chapter)
Uma Musume: The Master of Romance Obstruction (80 Chapter)
Uma Musume: You Can't Be a Hero Without a Little Chemical Enhancement (40 Chapter)
Honkai Impact 3rd Your Boyfriend is Really Amazing (40 Chapter)
Warhammer 40K: My Fiancée, Fulgrim (180 Chapter)
Classroom of the Elite: Trying to Capture Me! (120 Chapter)
Genshin Impact My Named Senji Muramas (150 Chapter)
A Chef, the Vice-Captain of the Rocks Pirates? (160 Chapter)
Naruto : My Uchiha Girlfriend is Too Tsundere (130 Chapter)
Type-Moon: Reincarnated in a Lostbelt, I Became the Alien God (90 Chapter)
The Way These Horse Girls Look at Me Is Terrifying! (160 Chapter)
Naruto: Tsunade's Deskmate (130 Chapter)
I Just Want to Live a Normal (50 Chapter).
Genshin Impact: A Hundred Confessions? It's Just a System Task (70 Chapter)
OnePiece : Starting as a Veteran of the Roger Pirates (60 Chapter)
Uma Musume : I Have Special Horse Taming Techniques (180 Chapter)
Uma Musume : My other self is a Horse Girl (110 Chapter)
Jujutsu Kaisen : All Affection Stats Maxed Out (190 Chapter)
Satou Kazuma's Decision to Live by Swindling, Starting from Re:Zero (60 Chapter)
Bleach : Ichigo! Take Over the Soul Society (78 Chapter)
Crossover Anime: The Master of Plagiarism with a 'Love Obstacle (130 Chapter)
Arknights Succubus Nurturing System, But I'm a Quiet Office Worker (80 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: Using My Personas to Break the Hearts of Players (50 Chapter)
One Punch Man : i am King? (140 Chapter)
Genshin: My Stats Are Irresistible (50 Chapter)
Naruto: Master of Dream Fulfillment! (60 Chapter)
Why Are All My Chat Group Friends Spin-Off Characters? (100 Chapter)
Arknights : Batman System (30 Chapter)
Chat Group: Swapping Bodies with the Bad-Ending Herta from the Start (49 Chapter)
DanMachi: Why Did My Dungeon Turn Into a Soulslike Game? (55 Chapter)
Losing Money on Uma Musume...What Do You Mean You Actually Won? (72 Chapter)
I'm Gotou Hitori—Who Are You? (40 Chapter)
Were You Ever Even a Uma Musume? Stop Making Things Up! (51 Chapter)
Moon Project: A Full-Time Love Adventure for the Lobotomy Corporation (50 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it