In the end, Bless the Moment still told Admire Vega her home address.
...Was this kid always like this?
Watching Admire Vega's tail wagging frequency noticeably increase after getting her address, Bless the Moment's face twisted into the strangest expression.
In her memory, Admire Vega was a remarkably diligent and hardworking girl.
She wasn't good at expressing her emotions, pushing her body's limits relentlessly, all just to achieve her goal.
This was that same girl... and now I get to hear her say such utterly shameless things?
Who?! Who corrupted the Uma Musume I used to mentor?!
Bless the Moment clenched her fists, recalling the time she'd charged into the Uma Musume Racing Association alone to debate a room full of scholars.
"Trainer."
The petite white-haired Uma Musume looked at the girl before her. Admire Vega asked, "Did you come here to retake the trainer certification exam?"
"No, this time it's for the Logistics Uma Musume exam."
"'Logistics Uma Musume'?"
Hearing this, Admire Vega blinked several times in succession, her tail starting to sway from side to side again. "Trainer, you want to become a Logistics Uma Musume?"
"Don't call me 'Trainer'."
The white-haired Uma Musume first corrected Admire Vega's form of address, then continued answering the question. "Yes, I promised two little ones that I'd be their Logistics Uma Musume."
"Which school will you be going to next year, Trainer?"
"Tracen Central."
"Trainer, you're returning to Tracen Central next year?"
Hearing this, Admire Vega's tail wagged even faster.
"It's next year... and Vega, please stop calling me Trainer."
Bless the Moment sighed helplessly and said again, "Nakatsuru Aya is dead. The one standing before you now is just an Uma Musume named 'Bless the Moment'."
"Besides, if the other Uma Musume from Team Venus heard you calling an Uma Musume they don't know 'Trainer', what do you think they'd assume?"
"Understood."
Admire Vega nodded. "...Then I'll call you 'Bless'?"
"Okay."
The white-haired Uma Musume nodded. "Then I'll call you Senior Admire?"
"Senior Admire..."
Hearing Bless the Moment's chosen form of address, a briefly uncomfortable expression flashed across Admire Vega's face.
Although she'd heard many Uma Musume call her 'Senior', she was probably the first to hear her former trainer use that title.
"Trai... Bless."
After being glared at by the white-haired Uma Musume, she corrected herself and asked, "Where are you heading next?"
"I'm planning to go home now."
"Then I..."
"No."
Bless the Moment saw right through Admire Vega's little scheme and refused outright. "I came here with my father. If you want to come with me, you'll have to convince my dad first."
"I... could say I'm your classmate."
"Do you really think he wouldn't know who you are?"
Bless the Moment was exasperated. "And you're not a kid anymore, why are you still so clingy?"
"..."
Admire Vega fell silent.
Why am I still so clingy?
Isn't it obvious?
Even if you deliberately maintain distance from us, Trainer, you don't actually think that's enough to stop us from developing... inappropriate feelings for you, do you?
"What is it? Why are you staring at me like that all of a sudden?"
Bless the Moment asked, noticing Admire Vega's unwavering gaze.
"...It's nothing."
The brown-haired Uma Musume sighed. "Trainer, can I have your contact information?"
"You can, but..."
"'Don't tell anyone else,' right? I know."
As she spoke, Admire Vega pulled out her phone.
Good heavens... Isn't this the same social media account that Ardan got from Trainer Okino the other day, the one someone used to impersonate the trainer and send her messages?
Oh no. Trainer's mischievous side is starting up again.
Admire Vega suddenly felt a pang of relief.
...Good thing I was the first to recognize her.
"I should get going," Bless the Moment said.
"I'll go with you—"
"Alright, that's enough."
The white-haired Uma Musume cut her off, imaginary sweat drops appearing on her forehead. "Don't you have anything better to do?"
"Mhm."
Her offhand remark was met with a soft, affirmative nod.
"...Then why did you come here?"
"To find you, Trainer."
The brown-haired Uma Musume's reply was delivered with such matter-of-factness that Bless the Moment's eye twitched.
"You... forget it."
The white-haired Uma Musume initially wanted to say more, but seeing the look in Admire Vega's eyes, she held her tongue. "...Let's just go."
"Okay."
Admire Vega nodded, naturally reaching for and holding the white-haired Uma Musume's hand.
Feeling Bless the Moment only twist her wrist slightly before ceasing resistance, the brown-haired Uma Musume allowed a small, triumphant smile to touch her lips.
Patience, Admire Vega, patience.
Everything you want will come, but the prerequisite is not to scare the Trainer.
You're already ahead of everyone else now. All you need to do is proceed gradually, let the Trainer, reborn as a white-haired Uma Musume, gradually get used to intimate contact with you, and then, before anyone else realizes what's happening, secure your victory and win the Trainer over in one fell swoop!
Win everything, or end up with nothing!
"Aren't you going to let go?"
Reaching the stairwell and hearing the noisy sounds from below, Bless the Moment lifted the hand held by the brown-haired Uma Musume. "Have you figured out how you'd explain this if my dad sees us?"
"..."
Admire Vega didn't reply. Instead, after a few seconds of silence, she reluctantly released Bless the Moment's hand.
...If only this path were a little longer.
Watching the white-haired Uma Musume's back as she walked a few steps ahead, the brown-haired Uma Musume thought with regret.
To avoid suspicion, Admire Vega deliberately waited a bit before descending the stairs.
Before she'd even finished walking down, her eyes were instinctively scanning the crowd on the bookstore's first floor for that familiar figure.
That middle-aged man walking beside the Trainer must be her father in this life, right.
Watching the middle-aged man chatting and laughing with the white-haired Uma Musume as they headed towards the bookstore exit, Admire Vega mused.
In her previous life, the Trainer had no parents; she was an orphan.
Judging by things the Trainer had let slip before, her life was quite harsh before she tested into Tracen Academy to become a trainer.
While other children were still clinging to their parents, the Trainer, as the oldest child in the orphanage, had already shouldered the burdens of life.
Being reborn and gaining things she couldn't enjoy in her last life... surely that's a good thing for the Trainer, right?
Watching the father and daughter disappear from view, Admire Vega felt happy for Bless the Moment.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.