Ardan hadn't been feeling well for the past few days, a result of poor sleep. She had been plagued by a series of bewildering dreams that still echoed in her mind...
She dreamt of her past as an active racehorse. But what was strange was that in the dream, she had her own exclusive trainer. In reality, due to her frail health, she had always followed a "minimum effort" training plan designed by the family's trainers.
And the trainer in her dream... seemed to be one that her older sister, Takamine, had transferred to her.
"This is my trainer... or rather, he was," the Takamine in the dream said. Though she couldn't see her eyes, Ardan recognized her hairstyle and voice. Her sister wore a perfect smile, but her tone held a hint of reluctance. "From now on, he's your trainer. Just think of it as me, your older sister, having figured out all his talents and deciding he's of no more use to me, so I'm giving him to you."
"Mr. Trainer, from now on, assist my sister as you once assisted me. I think she needs your help more than I do."
"I'm curious to see if the two of you can create a brilliance that even I would acknowledge. Work towards that goal together. This is the trial I set for you."
—Despite her words, Ardan had caught the slight downturn of her sister's smile as she left. To others, it would have been an imperceptible micro-expression, but for Ardan, who had always admired her sister and yearned for her approval, it was a clear sign of her true feelings.
Her sister was clearly reluctant to give up her trainer. And since her sister never lied... Ardan believed she had deliberately given him up for her sake, because she needed a trainer's guidance more.
My sister... she really does care for every one of her younger sisters, doesn't she? To even give up her own trainer. In the dream, this was the first time Ardan had felt such direct concern from her untouchable, aloof older sister.
After a moment of feeling touched, the only thing that frustrated Ardan... was her sister's clumsy execution. She had considered everything except the feelings of the trainer she had "abandoned."
Ultimately, it was the poor, abandoned trainer who broke the awkward silence. Even though Ardan couldn't see his eyes, his expression was visibly downcast. Yet, he pushed through, showing no resentment for what had just happened. He extended a hand to her.
"...So that's how it is, Miss Ardan. Since Takamine wants us to prove ourselves, I will devote myself to training you with the same effort I gave her."
"Are you willing to move forward with me? Not for anything else, but to prove our own worth. Let's work together."
"I will use every skill at my disposal to make you a horse girl that even Takamine will acknowledge. I only wonder if you're willing to trust a cast-off trainer like me."
A cast-off trainer...
Well, how fortunate. I'm a "cast-off" horse girl myself.
A combination of two cast-offs... perhaps that's not so bad.
Ardan clearly remembered her feelings at that moment. She suddenly had a premonition of destiny—this trainer, aside from his gender and frail health, seemed tailor-made for her, as if everything about him was identical to her. He was perfect.
Their circumstances were the same, their ambitions were the same... Perhaps they weren't perfect individuals, but they could be understanding partners who walked the same path. This was exactly the person, the trainer, she needed most.
Having figured this out, Ardan remembered not hesitating. She had reached out and taken the trainer's hand, as if afraid her sister would change her mind, and replied with unconcealed joy.
"...Of course, I'm willing, Mr. Trainer."
—That's how it should have been. In the dream, she had readily accepted this trainer.
And now, that dream felt like an omen. Seeing her sister actually recommend a trainer to her, one whose posture and face seemed to have stepped right out of her dream, everything matching the content of her vision...
But why am I so nervous now?!
Under the pavilion, Ardan and Kitano looked at each other... no, to be precise, only Kitano was staring intently at Ardan. The female protagonist of this event, Ardan herself, kept her head bowed the entire time, looking like a shy girl on a first-time offline date with her online love interest.
Honestly, if Kitano hadn't spent several years with Ardan in the past, her current demeanor would have made him shy as well.
This is not how our first meeting went... Back then, Ardan was so graceful and composed. What's with this blind-date feeling now?
"...Hmm? Don't mind me. I'm just watching from the side."
When Kitano glanced at the nonchalantly tea-sipping Takamine, the young lady acted as if she wasn't in the way at all, smiling casually. "My sister has been shy since she was little. She often needs me by her side to talk to people properly."
"I... I'm all grown up now, sister," Ardan finally managed to suppress her indescribable feelings and retorted softly, hearing Takamine's teasing. "I can talk to people just fine now. I am a Mejiro, and I will not bring shame to our family name."
"Oh? Then why has my dear sister not said a single word in the last half hour, nor initiated a single topic? If I hadn't spoken up, anyone from the family who saw this awkward atmosphere would have thought I'd arranged a marriage meeting for you."
Takamine, in a rare display, continued to tease her sister. As expected, Ardan, who had just managed to stand up to her, fell silent in embarrassment again. Seeing this, Takamine became more certain of her suspicions.
...Could the "person he likes" that Mr. Trainer dreamt of really be Ardan? But have they met before? Why do I know nothing about it?
Or does Mr. Trainer have other secrets besides his lifespan? Are these secrets connected to the horse girls surrounding him?
Takamine pondered but found no answer. However, she was sure of one thing. Even though she had recommended Kitano to Ardan, she couldn't just leave them alone... She had a feeling that if she did, something significant would happen within a year. Her goal wasn't to introduce a husband to her sister.
And even if it were, it wouldn't be Ardan's turn. The matriarch's marriage-pushing followed a strict order, and she would be first... Wait, why am I thinking about this?
"—In that case, allow me to start a topic," Takamine said, her thoughts wavering slightly. She put down her teacup and turned to Ardan. "Ardan, you probably don't know why I recommended Mr. Trainer to you. Actually..."
"...Is it because Mr. Trainer and I are very similar?"
To Takamine's surprise, before she could even explain, Ardan, influenced by the similarity between her dream and reality, voiced the information she had gained from her dream, albeit with some uncertainty. "You said before that you hoped Mr. Trainer could help me overcome my fear and anxiety. It must be because he, like me, has been lost and afraid, but he eventually overcame those emotions. That's why you made him my trainer, right?"
"...Seriously, have you two known each other all along and are only telling me now?" Takamine was shocked. A conclusion she had reached after observing Kitano for so long was seen through by her sister in an instant. It made her wonder... had her sister been interested in Kitano for a long time? Secretly investigating him?
However, Ardan denied it, shaking her head gently. "This is the first time I've met Mr. Trainer..."
"But I can feel it. We're the same kind of person. But... in Mr. Trainer's eyes... there's a resilient spirit that refuses to lose, a strength that persists even when neglected or questioned. These are qualities I lack."
Ardan recalled the dream, how Kitano, even after being abandoned by her sister, didn't resent her or fall apart. Instead, he immediately stood with her.
Although Ardan hadn't dreamt of what happened next, the events unfolding before her, matching her dream so perfectly, made her feel... could her dream be some kind of premonition? Had her long-held, unspoken anxiety, unwillingness, and sorrow finally moved the Three Goddesses?
Belatedly, Ardan realized her words had been a bit too intimate. The moment the thought struck her, her cheeks burned, and she quickly lowered her head even further. "I... I just had a feeling... don't take it too seriously..."
"—No, Miss Ardan's feeling is very accurate."
At that moment, Kitano, praised so highly by Ardan upon their first meeting this time, couldn't help but agree with her, just as he had in the past. "However, the only difference is that I believe you don't lack any of the qualities you mentioned. You just haven't discovered them, or for various reasons, they haven't been brought out yet."
"But I believe that one day, you will see a stronger version of yourself, just as you wish. I'm sure that day will come."
"Th-thank you..."
It was strange. They were ordinary words of praise, but they shook Ardan to her core. The young lady, shy from the very beginning, finally looked up at him after receiving his approval. The stunning smile on her exquisite face was enough to melt a heart of diamond.
"..." Nearby, Mejiro Takamine watched their interaction with a cold gaze. She didn't even notice her own slender fingers, gripping the teacup handle, trembling with unconscious force. The ceramic cup seemed to be on the verge of cracking.
And Takamine failed to notice that this scene was being watched by several pairs of curious eyes. Not far away, a few Mejiro horse girls peeked out cautiously. Tipped off by a call from Tokai Teio, they were curious about the purpose of this "guest's" visit.
But... the situation over there with Sister Ardan and Sister Takamine... made them feel as if they had stumbled upon a shocking secret.
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