On the car ride from the Mejiro estate back to Tracen Academy, an incredibly awkward silence fell. Everyone—Kitano, the three Gold family horse girls, and the accompanying Mejiro Ardan and Takamine—stared with strange expressions at the small horse girl named "Muteki" sitting quietly between Kitano and Ardan.
An hour ago, this little horse girl had been anything but quiet... Her debut had left a deep impression on everyone present—not just because of her straightforward name, but also because her personality was a world away from the other Mejiro horse girls.
When she was brought out from her room by the Mejiro matriarch's order... no, to be precise, dragged out, the little horse girl's face was full of reluctant annoyance, a stark contrast to the elegant, dignified demeanor the Mejiro family was known for.
"Oh? This one has quite the personality. Doesn't seem like a Mejiro at all."
For some reason, Nakayama Festa had taken a liking to Muteki from the moment she saw her. Perhaps she sensed a familiar spirit, similar to the Gold family, or... a spirit she knew very well.
Of course, a large part of it was that Muteki, besides being different from the elegant Mejiro mold, was also physically different. She was even smaller than Nakayama Festa. The only one in the Gold family who could match her small frame was probably the fiery "Dream Journey."
"She's even smaller than me. Hmm, if she joins the team, Gold Ship and I can look out for her." Seeing a horse girl smaller than herself put Nakayama Festa in a great mood, and she completely forgot her previous annoyance about the Mejiro family forcing a member into their team. She even turned to ask for Gold Ship's opinion.
But Gold Ship didn't answer. Her entire attention was fixed on Muteki. She, too, had sensed the same spirit as Nakayama Festa—but she seemed to have noticed something more, her pupils dilating in shock.
Eventually, Gold Ship's eyes trembled, and her hands unconsciously clenched into fists. An incomprehensible anger began to surface in her gaze.
"So, does that mean the Gold family has no objection to this child joining?"
Just then, the Mejiro matriarch, seeing the opportune moment, broke Nakayama Festa's daydream with a faint smile. "This child came to us from China some time ago. She has not yet fully matured, but as you can all see, her talent as a horse girl is exceptionally outstanding."
"What?! Not fully matured?!" The matriarch's words shocked both Gold Journey and Nakayama Festa. The two petite stallion-line horse girls glanced at the cold-faced Muteki, whose frame was already nearly as large as theirs, and couldn't help but wonder.
—If she's already this big before maturing, what will she be like when she's fully grown?! She might be as tall as Gold Ship!
This news didn't just startle the Gold family. Ardan, Takamine, and the other Mejiro sisters eavesdropping outside were all stunned by this unexpected guest—they had no idea such a mysterious person was living in their home!
What shocked them even more was the matriarch's next revelation about Muteki's surprising origins. "Though... I don't quite understand how, this child undoubtedly has Mejiro blood in her veins."
"She is a true descendant of the Mejiro family. However, she does not currently use the Mejiro surname, so... the situation is rather special."
An illegitimate child?! At that moment, though no one spoke, the matriarch's meaning was clear. This child named Muteki was an illegitimate child of the Mejiro family from overseas?
This... was a huge shock to everyone. Such a thing would be a major scandal for the Mejiro family. It was unthinkable that the matriarch would reveal such a secret to them, to an outsider like Kitano... The reason, perhaps, was known only to her.
"—Mejiro is my mother's surname," the little horse girl named "Muteki" finally spoke in a flat tone, revealing the most explosive piece of information, a bombshell that fell on the ears of the only person who knew the truth—Kitano.
"But my mother loved my father deeply and gave me his surname... but I have no memory of my father, so I now go only by the name Muteki."
"Then, what about your parents?" Takamine, her heart stirred, subconsciously asked.
When she finished speaking, Muteki's calm, sea-blue eyes turned to her. In that instant, Takamine saw a flicker of warmth... and loss.
"...My parents have both passed away. My mother cared for me for a few years, but she also succumbed to a serious illness. Now, I am just myself."
Muteki's tone was flat, as if she had long accepted her circumstances. But it was precisely this lack of emotion that made everyone's heart clench, a pall of sorrow hanging in the air.
"...Then, do you remember your mother's name?"
At this moment, Kitano, who had been silent, stepped forward. For the first time in his life, he felt a strange, new sensation... the feeling of not just living for himself, but of his life being connected to another's.
Of course, Kitano recognized her. This was the girl from his previous playthrough, his and Ardan's daughter, the one he had named "Mejiro Muteki"—though in this timeline, she lacked the "Mejiro" name, he knew at a glance that this was his daughter, all grown up.
How could a father who has seen his own daughter not recognize her in the future? This blood connection was strange, but his intuition screamed that this was his daughter.
But... why was she in this timeline? He and Ardan hadn't even... how did she get here?
Is this another trick of the Three Goddesses? Like this special playthrough, where traces of my past are everywhere... Is Muteki also one of the special existences in this timeline?
To figure this out, Kitano suppressed the trembling in his heart and didn't immediately call her "daughter." He wanted to confirm first if this girl had any memory of him, whether she was a special product of this timeline... or the real daughter he had with Ardan.
However, the moment his eyes met hers, a rare flicker of unease crossed her placid expression. She unceremoniously pushed him away. "You... don't stand so close. I'm not used to contact with strangers."
"As for my mother... I'm afraid I can't tell you. Her reputation, and many other things, are the only secrets I can keep for her."
Her words were blunt, and everyone understood. As an illegitimate child, if her parents were gone, she would naturally want to protect her mother's last shred of dignity from the Mejiro family's judgment.
But her answer sent Kitano into a deep silence. As the only one present who knew her true story, he heard another meaning in her words.
Is she... truly unwilling to say, or does she just not want to tell me?
Kitano wasn't sure, but he felt he was getting closer to the answer.
Just as he was silent and Ardan was in a state of turmoil, an unexpected figure broke the silence.
"—It's okay, Muteki, right? The name's a bit chuuni, but I think choosing this guy as your trainer is definitely the right choice."
Nakayama Festa, who had been strongly against the Mejiro's forced arrangement and was the most protective of her position, surprisingly stepped forward to stand with Kitano. Patting his shoulder in front of Muteki, she said, "Your parents passed away, but you're still standing strong—did you know? This guy is just like you."
"Kitano's parents gave up on him long ago. He was born with an incurable disease, and the moment it was diagnosed, they abandoned him. If it weren't for the house and assets they left him in Japan (actually a gift from the Three Goddesses after his transmigration), he would have been dead long ago."
"But he survived. He's living well, and the fact that he's here today, alive and accomplished, is the best comeback to those who abandoned him. That's why I was willing to be his charge."
Nakayama Festa, in a rare moment of sincerity, spoke from the heart. Her voice wasn't loud, but it was firm. Her gaze shifted from Kitano to Muteki, and she patted the slightly stunned girl's shoulder. "I don't know the details of your family, but if your parents both died of illness... then at least they didn't leave you willingly. Their spirits in heaven must want you to grow up healthy. The best you can do now is show them that they can rest easy."
"And this guy, Kitano... he may be sickly, but he can definitely help you achieve that wish. What do you say? I don't think you'll find a more suitable trainer for you in all of Japan."
"—Yes! Muteki, this time, I will also watch over you as a member of the Mejiro family."
At this moment, Mejiro Ardan also came forward. Upon seeing Ardan's face, Muteki's eyes visibly glazed over. But Ardan smiled encouragingly, urging her to take the first step.
Ardan didn't know why her heart had been so shaken the moment she saw Kitano. But she knew she desperately wanted to see this child gallop on the racetrack. This parentless but resilient child, if she could grow into a new star under Kitano's guidance—the thought filled Ardan with an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.
The silent Muteki glanced at Kitano, then at Ardan. After a long pause... she took a deep breath, barely managed to calm herself, and turned her head slightly, her tone flat. "...I came to the Mejiro family for my future. Since you've all arranged it this way, I have no objections."
"That's wonderful," Ardan said with a relieved smile. She placed her hands on Muteki's shoulders, resisting the urge to hug her. Turning to Kitano, she smiled. "Mr. Trainer, I'm sure you will give her your all, won't you?"
"—Of course. I will do everything in my power."
I will raise her as if she were my own daughter, no matter who she is. Kitano made a silent vow, a powerful desire burning in his heart.
And all of this... was witnessed by another roan-haired horse girl. But now, in her unusual silence... a lock of her roan hair, which had been missing, unknowingly grew back, falling like a waterfall.
But what this transformation reflected about her feelings... perhaps only she herself understood.
-------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get access to early chapters by joining my Patreon!
Find me at 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 (250 Chapter)
Reborn in Type-Moon, My Sister is Aoko Aozaki (225 Chapter)
MyGO!! A Story Voiced by Me (90 Chapter)
BLEACH: Blade of Purification (100 Chapter)
Konoha: Starting the Game as Yoriichi (270 Chapter)
My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage (98 Chapter)
The Pinnacle of the Navy! Starting from Being Captured by Garp (120 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(59 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (160 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (120 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: It All Began With Me Being Stepped On by Arlecchino (80 Chapter)
Naruto: I Can Synthesize Summoning Beasts (50 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: The Great Swordsman's System, Disciple of Yoriichi (80 Chapter)
My Wife is a General, but I'm an Emanator of Abundance! (90 Chapter)
Type-Moon: My Nine-Fold Path (80 Chapter)
Uma Musume: They're Peeking at My Diary, and All of Tracen is Panickin (65 Chapter)
The Wild History of Type-Moon world (50 Chapter)
Reborn in Conan, But I Refuse to Be the Bad Guy (60 Chapter)
Ruan Mei is begging me to go back? But there's no going back anymore (60 Chapter)
Just a Slacker at Tracen Academy (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.