In fact, Kitano's worries were validated quickly, yet it all developed quietly. It wasn't until the day before Christmas that Kitano's briefly peaceful life was finally disrupted… and the signal came from the Mejiro family.
"An invitation to a banquet at the Mejiro estate? So suddenly?"
The day before Christmas, just as most of Kitano's team had gone home for the holidays and only Festa and Goldie from the Golden Family were with him for final preparations, a formal invitation from the Mejiro family threw his plans into disarray.
"It seems to have been decided recently. According to old Mrs. Mejiro, she wants to thank you for your guidance of me during this time. And also, she hopes the other members of the Mejiro family can take this opportunity to get to know you."
The person delivering the invitation was none other than Kitano's own daughter, Invincible. Of course, even though Kitano could guess from her attitude that his daughter was feigning ignorance, their emotional barrier hadn't been completely removed, so Invincible's attitude towards him was not yet intimate.
Interestingly, though, ever since that shopping trip where he had spoken his heart out to Suzuka, Kitano felt that Invincible's opinion of him had changed. While she was still mostly cold, he could detect a faint smile she occasionally showed him, as if she had let go of something.
Kitano was sure that Invincible's attitude towards him wasn't disgust. At most, it was just not knowing how to adjust to this "father" she had never spent time with. After all, from the moment she could remember, he was already gone. Ardan had raised her all by herself. In a way, he was an irresponsible father, though it was due to circumstances beyond his control.
Kitano, who had been abandoned by his parents due to a congenital disease, understood Invincible's mindset very well. He knew he couldn't make up for her fatherless childhood… but at least his current efforts were having some effect.
Although his relationship with Ardan hadn't progressed and seemed to have soured slightly, being able to get closer to his daughter, who seemed to have her memories, was more important to Kitano than Ardan, who had no memory of their past.
Of course, Invincible probably still hoped that he and Ardan would become a couple, just like in her memories. But that was a bit troublesome…
"So? Are you going?" Invincible handed the invitation to Kitano, her tone laced with a deeply hidden expectation, though her expression remained flat. "I don't really care. If you don't want to go, I won't force you."
"—Of course, I'm going."
Under Invincible's gaze, Kitano agreed without a second thought. He felt this might be a good opportunity to repair his relationship with both Invincible and Ardan.
Even if he couldn't get closer to Ardan, he couldn't possibly miss an event that was essentially announcing to the entire Mejiro family that he was Invincible's trainer. What kind of parent would miss their child's parent-teacher conference?
Having made up his mind, Kitano accepted the invitation. Noticing the slight glint in his daughter's eyes, he replied gently, "I'll let everyone in the Mejiro family know what kind of person your trainer is. Don't worry, I won't embarrass you."
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about in the first place…" Invincible scanned Kitano's current appearance. Due to his increased lifespan, he had put on a little weight and no longer looked frail. He could even walk freely without a wheelchair, just like a normal person.
As for his looks… Invincible had no complaints about Kitano's appearance. But compared to Ardan… her mind couldn't help but picture Ardan's elegant and graceful image. Looking at Kitano, who, despite wearing new clothes, was dressed in a rather casual style, she felt something was off.
Especially the scarf Suzuka had given him, which Kitano had been wearing ever since winter started. It was an eyesore to Invincible.
"But you can't go looking like this. I'll take you to pick out a suit and help you get properly dressed." Perhaps driven by a subconscious desire to pair her parents, Invincible immediately made the suggestion, her gaze then focusing on the scarf that matched Suzuka's hair color. She said coolly, "Don't wear this scarf today. It's too flashy, and it doesn't match your style."
"But Suzuka gave me this… Alright, I'll listen to you this time."
Kitano knew what Invincible was thinking. Fortunately, Suzuka had already gone home, so he chose to indulge his daughter's whim and obediently unwrapped the scarf from his neck.
But just then, an arm suddenly wrapped around his neck. As Kitano instinctively turned his head, he found Gold Ship's handsome face just inches away. Gold Ship, who was used to slinging her arm around his shoulders, was so close that her warm breath tickled his face. She whispered, "Kitano-chan, Festa and I will go with you this time."
"Gold Ship?" The sudden action startled Kitano, but the next moment, Gold Ship extended a slender finger and placed it on his lips. She showed no awkwardness or hesitation in her intimate gesture and just laughed. "It's okay, Kitano-chan, don't worry. We're actually quite familiar with the Mejiro family. This time, we'll just treat it as a visit to McQueen's house."
"Besides, it would be too pitiful if Kitano-chan didn't know anyone at the banquet. Festa and I will go with you and back you up if needed!"
As if worried Kitano would hesitate, Gold Ship, under the cold gaze of Invincible and the accustomed indifferent look from Nakayama Festa behind them, deliberately leaned in close to Kitano's ear. With her lips moving slightly, she whispered in a voice only he could hear, "With me and Festa there, the Mejiro family members who know our tempers will definitely not dare to ask you any nosy questions about Invincible's parentage."
The warm, moist air from Gold Ship's mouth tickled Kitano's ear. However, her words caught his attention. He suddenly remembered that in this lifetime, Invincible's identity was that of an illegitimate child of the Mejiro family.
Since old Mrs. Mejiro was planning to have Invincible appear at such a banquet, she must have already prepared a cover story for her. But that wouldn't stop people from being curious about this mysterious existence who had appeared out of nowhere. With Gold Ship and Nakayama Festa there, they could indeed serve as an effective "deterrent."
After all, the "infamous" reputation of the Golden Family was well-known in the Japanese horse girl world. The members of the elegant and dignified Mejiro family would probably steer clear of them on sight.
Realizing this, Kitano's eyes lit up, and he nodded at Gold Ship with a smile. "You're always so thoughtful, Goldie. Alright, you two can come with us to pick out clothes?"
"Hehe, no need this time. Festa and I will arrive on time tonight. We'll definitely be there for the banquet~"
Having communicated her message, Gold Ship let go of Kitano's neck without hesitation and intimately clung to a disgusted-looking Nakayama Festa. Her spirits were unusually high. "Kitano-chan, prepare to be amazed! Don't let us scare you then!"
"...Please don't show up in some bizarre costume. It would be bad if you got thrown out for disrupting the party."
However, watching Gold Ship's troublemaking expression, Kitano suddenly regretted agreeing to let her come. Thinking about her "pranks" on Mejiro McQueen, he even suspected that Gold Ship might cosplay as Godzilla and become the most dazzling horse girl at the banquet.
Especially since Gold Ship was daring enough to do it. After all, a banquet was no big deal to her… she hated boring parties the most.
"—Alright, let's go pick out clothes. We're short on time, let's not wait here."
Before Kitano could give Gold Ship another warning, Invincible, who had run out of patience, grabbed his sleeve and started pulling him away.
Before leaving, she didn't forget to turn and glare at Gold Ship. However, to her surprise, in that fleeting moment, she noticed a completely different expression on Gold Ship's face.
For that instant, Gold Ship made no effort to hide her disdain for Invincible, coupled with a triumphant, cold smile. Although it was just for a moment before her expression returned to its usual playful self, the image of it left Invincible feeling dazed.
In that moment, she seemed to see a hint of… Mejiro Ramonu's shadow in Gold Ship?
No, it wasn't just Aunt Ramonu's shadow. It was the pride ingrained in the bones of every Mejiro horse girl. But how could she have Mejiro blood?
And what was Gold Ship so smug about? Was she showing off her closer relationship with Kitano?
Wait, showing off?
In that instant, a spark of insight flashed through Invincible's mind. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Gold Ship, then turned to look at Kitano's handsome face. When she found no resemblance between them, from hair color to facial features, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness… the worst-case scenario she had imagined wasn't true… after all, they didn't look alike at all. Not with Kitano, and not even between her and Gold Ship.
With that thought, Invincible relaxed. However, she forgot to consider one thing—she hadn't fully matured yet, so her features hadn't completely developed. She had never experienced the transformation of growing up, so she had no idea what she would look like in the future.
And Gold Ship didn't look like this when she was a child either. If Invincible had a childhood photo of Gold Ship in her hands right now, she would be shocked to discover—that she bore a striking resemblance to the young Gold Ship.
"Hm? A Mejiro family car entered the academy? And Trainer Kitano got in with Invincible?"
"I understand. Thank you for your hard work."
In the student council office, just as Kitano and Invincible stepped into the Mejiro car, Rudolf, who was handling the final documents of the year, received the news from her informant. The student council president's expression grew increasingly serious after a brief silence.
Ever since Suzuka had joined the team by bypassing her authority and Mejiro Ramonu had taken Kitano to the Mejiro estate behind her back, Rudolf had felt her intelligence on Kitano was severely lacking. To remedy this, she had stationed some Symboli family horse girls in Tracen Academy as her eyes and ears.
These horse girls had no other duties than to pretend to be passing students while keeping a constant watch on the happenings within Kitano's team at the academy… and to monitor the movements of those Rudolf considered threats, like Chinami Representative and Mejiro Ramonu.
This sudden news put Rudolf on high alert again. All signs seemed to point to Mejiro Ramonu, her former childhood friend.
"A sudden invitation for Kitano to a banquet at the Mejiro estate? Ramonu must be involved. What is she planning?"
"Could it be… she really has some connection to Kitano? Was everything she said before just an act?"
The thought made Rudolf anxious and uneasy. She knew Mejiro Ramonu's demonic charm all too well. She was afraid that Ramonu might also have past-life memories like her. If so, could her Kitano resist Ramonu's charm?
Rudolf hesitated, even picking up the phone, ready to call home and have a formal dress sent over. She had to go to the Mejiro estate and see for herself!
But in that instant, a voice echoed in her mind again—it was Mejiro Ramonu's voice.
"Rudolf, do you love him, or are you merely obsessed with the memory of the man he used to be?"
"You're afraid that if you learn the truth, you'll discover that the most important person in his heart is not you."
"..."
In that moment, as Ramonu's questions, which had plagued her for days, echoed once more, Rudolf's actions came to a screeching halt. She silently moved her finger away from the dial button, grabbed her head with both hands, and fell into a long, troubled silence.
Mejiro Ramonu had underestimated the impact of her soul-searching questions on Rudolf. Rudolf had been obsessing over this question, so much so that she had lost her appetite and was filled with self-doubt.
Do I… really love Kitano? Do I long for the man he was, or the man he is now?
Do I… really know anything about him now?
Rudolf repeatedly asked herself these questions, but the conclusions she reached were chilling. She suddenly realized that almost all of her heart-to-heart conversations with Kitano had taken place during their childhood.
Ever since they grew up, even during the time they raised Tokai Teio together… she and Kitano had never had any deep conversations. She only remembered that he was as gentle as he was in their childhood, but beyond that, she had never learned anything more about him.
Even her self-proclaimed role as Teio's "mother" was something she had silently adopted after Kitano's death, simply because he had once taught Teio like a father.
But if it were him, he probably wouldn't have wanted her to join him so soon, right? He would have wanted her to stay with Teio until the end. He didn't want to leave Teio… but she…
"Could it be… that all of this was just my own wishful thinking?"
Trapped in a vicious cycle of mental turmoil, even Rudolf's murmurs were filled with exhaustion. After a long silence, she finally collapsed onto her chair, utterly drained, and closed the eyes that hadn't been able to rest peacefully for days.
She was so tired… so cold… Right now, all she wanted was a warm chest to lean on.
But that warm chest… why was it getting further and further away from her… why…
A single tear, filled with infinite sorrow, silently slid from the corner of Rudolf's eye. At this moment, she was not an emperor… just a young horse girl trapped in a beautiful childhood, unwilling to move on.
"Kitano, just watch! For your dream, I will become Japan's first undefeated Triple Crown horse girl!"
"So, you have to wait for me! You are my only trainer, and I can only be your Tantou! Don't you ever forget!"
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