"Senior Takamine... why did she take Mr. Trainer away? And she wouldn't let anyone else come along. It feels so secretive."
Meanwhile, Suzuka, who had proactively left, wasn't feeling as magnanimous as she had appeared. She knew that a request from someone as forceful and prestigious as Mejiro Takamine was practically impossible to refuse. She had only stepped back to save Kitano from an awkward situation.
But the more she thought about it, the more something felt wrong. Her trainer and Senior Takamine should have had no connection. What secret could Takamine possibly need to discuss only with him?
Could it be... that Senior Takamine is like me? Another girl my trainer once entangled himself with? But from the trainer's expression, that didn't seem to be the case. He looked almost... afraid of her.
Suzuka was at a loss, but she was sure of one thing: if Mejiro Takamine was indeed one of them... her advantage was immense.
Though not well-acquainted with Takamine, Suzuka knew that someone as dominant as her, whose words no one dared to defy, would not be content with merely occupying an "important position" like she was. Takamine wouldn't want to "join"—she would want to "possess."
"This won't do... but who could possibly stop Senior Takamine? Senior C.B.?" A sense of crisis growing, Suzuka began to ponder the problem. But honestly, she knew she wasn't good at "confrontation." A straightforward, all-out "great escape" was more her style.
But there were always horse girls with a powerful "late-stage kick" who could surpass her. Suzuka didn't think she was a match for Mejiro Takamine. She began to consider if she should find an ally, someone to specifically counter Takamine.
Her first thought was Mr. C.B., but she quickly dismissed it. She knew C.B. also held a special place in her trainer's heart. While a scenario where C.B. and Takamine wore each other out was appealing, Suzuka didn't want to drag C.B. into this mess.
So, who could stand up to Senior Takamine, and who would have the reason and inclination to do so for the trainer's sake?
"...Perhaps there is someone."
After some deliberation, Suzuka took out her phone with a pleased expression and logged into the Tracen Academy... campus forum.
This forum was the hub for all campus news. Even information about horse girls and trainers "scoring" was spread here. Some horse girls even announced their intentions to use force on the forum beforehand. The topics were a mixed bag, but almost every horse girl at Tracen Academy posted here at some point.
And the president, Symboli Rudolf, was no exception.
Suzuka was one of the few who wasn't very interested in posting, but her frequency had increased lately. Ever since Kitano became her trainer, her slight desire to show off had grown, so her recent posts had garnered quite a few comments and followers.
Now, Suzuka chose to post a new message. After attaching a selfie, she typed:
"I made my comeback today and actually won the Mile Championship. It seems my choice was the right one. My trainer gave me back my courage. I'm so lucky.
I was hoping to ask Mr. Trainer to help me pick out some clothes, but Senior Mejiro Takamine picked him up. Luckily, we already made a promise. I'm so excited for our shopping trip together."
Finally, after reviewing her words and finding no issues, Suzuka made one last small adjustment before posting—
She changed the message's visibility from "Public" to "Visible to one person only," and then selected the friend named "President."
"The President asked me who bypassed her... even if I didn't say, she would probably suspect Senior C.B."
"So for now... let's have Senior Takamine draw some of the President's fire. Senior C.B. might stand with us, but the President and Senior Takamine... they both seem to be the type who excel at confrontation."
Muttering to herself, Suzuka saw that her message had been sent. Feeling slightly better, she closed her phone and headed towards Kitano's dormitory.
I wonder how Mr. Trainer has been living alone without me looking after him. Should I go tidy up his room?
"Huh? President, are you saying you want me to join Mr. Trainer's team?"
Back in the Student Council office, Tokai Teio had arrived, thinking the President had summoned her for something important. She never expected it would be about finding a trainer.
"Why, President? I haven't been looking for a trainer, and you've never pushed me before. Why now? And why are you recommending Mr. Trainer specifically?"
"Because I see a certain possibility in him, Teio." Symboli Rudolf, seated, looked at the "crystal" she and Kitano had once nurtured together. Her expression held more undisguisable tenderness than usual, and her persuasive tone lacked its typical authority.
To Rudolf, Tokai Teio was more than just a promising junior; she was a girl she and Kitano had spent ten years raising in a previous life. One could say Rudolf loved Teio like her own "daughter."
Of course, the reason for this was that Teio had been raised by Kitano, a person he couldn't let go of even after death. In that playthrough, after Kitano died, Rudolf had poured everything she had into caring for and training Teio to fulfill his last wishes.
And Teio did not disappoint Rudolf or the deceased Kitano. In that timeline, she became the third Undefeated Triple Crown horse girl, following Mr. C.B. and Rudolf herself. Rudolf still remembered the day she finally fulfilled all of Kitano's wishes and broke down in tears, overwhelmed by the hardship and effort of the journey.
Teio herself had sobbed uncontrollably after achieving her goal, crying out to the sky again and again, "I did it, did you see? I did it, Mr. Trainer!"
Rudolf knew that although Kitano had only been with Teio for a short time, he had left a profound impression on her. She revered him like an older brother, or even a father. Kitano's death had been a devastating blow, transforming her from a sunny girl into the aloof and proud "Emperor" she later became.
Seeing Teio now, without having suffered those immense blows and thus not having undergone such a drastic transformation, Rudolf felt a sense of relief. She would rather Teio grow up freely, without being burdened by a mission from a young age. The pressure was simply too much for a child.
But now, Rudolf wanted Teio to join the team. She hoped Teio could monitor the situation within Kitano's team, making it easier for her to eventually win her "father" back for Teio. Furthermore, knowing Teio's future achievements, having her on the team would provide a solid guarantee for Kitano's lifespan.
However... to Rudolf's surprise, Teio seemed quite resistant to the idea of becoming Kitano's charge.
"Teio, why don't you give me a reason? Why are you unwilling to join Mr. Trainer's team?" Rudolf changed her approach. Teio, without hiding her opinion in the slightest, flashed a naive smile and said matter-of-factly:
"Isn't it obvious, President? I am the invincible Teio-sama! I can win even without a trainer. Didn't you become an Undefeated Triple Crown horse girl without a trainer, President?"
"...Teio, I didn't find a trainer back then because I couldn't find one who was suitable for me. You can't use that as a reference."
Rudolf felt a bit helpless. She knew Teio admired her and emulated her in many ways. Even Teio's forward-running style and many of her techniques were learned from Rudolf. At first, Rudolf hadn't seen a problem with it, but she never expected Teio to imitate her in not finding a trainer... Suddenly, Rudolf didn't know how to convince her.
What Rudolf didn't know was that Teio had only told half the story. There was another reason she didn't want to become Kitano's charge.
Tokai Teio knew that even if she joined, she wouldn't be the center of Kitano's attention. In his team, whether it was Nakayama Festa, Gold Ship, or the newly joined Suzuka, they all had close relationships with him. The thought of joining only to be a peripheral member filled Teio with an inexplicable anger and a refusal to lose.
She would never join a team that wouldn't make her its core. If possible, Teio only wanted a trainer who would train her and her alone. Unfortunately, she looked down on every trainer who met that criterion.
An impasse settled over the Student Council office. Just then, Rudolf's phone buzzed. She subconsciously picked it up and saw a "Special Follow" notification.
"...A forum post from Silence Suzuka?"
Since regaining her memories, Rudolf had set every horse girl around Kitano as a "Special Follow" on the forum to get firsthand information. She had just added Suzuka a few hours ago and was surprised to see a notification so soon.
However, when Rudolf clicked on the post and saw the few clear lines of text, her eyes widened significantly. In an instant, a sharp glint flashed through them, her expression turning fierce.
But she quickly controlled her emotions. Taking a deep breath, Rudolf put down her phone and looked back at Teio, her tone now more serious.
"—We'll talk about this later, Teio. Do you know where Mejiro McQueen is right now?"
"Huh? McQueen? I think she went home today..."
"Good. Help me contact her. And Teio, do me a favor. Go and bring Nakayama Festa and Gold Ship from Mr. Trainer's team here. I have something to tell them."
Takamine... so it was you. Rudolf was surprised. She had thought Mr. C.B. was the only one audacious enough to approach Kitano behind her back. But Mejiro Takamine had suddenly swooped in and taken Kitano to the Mejiro estate. Alarm bells screamed in Rudolf's mind! She immediately designated Takamine as the prime suspect!
I don't know what you're planning, Takamine... but when it comes to Kitano, I will not let you have your way!
-------
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