Though she was clever as Seiun Sky, for a moment she had no idea what Barbatos was talking about.
A slow, visible question mark seemed to hover above her head.
Practicing together tomorrow... at first glance, it didn't seem to have any issues. But how could Barbatos, who had just suffered a leg injury and still relied on a wheelchair to get around, possibly train with her tomorrow?
It was clear that the 'practice' Barbatos mentioned wasn't something like lifting weights or strength training.
Even though she didn't spell it out, Seiun Sky could tell—Barbatos meant running practice.
The kind of practice they did before the Dream Cup.
But was that even possible?
According to the diagnosis from the Tokyo Racecourse doctors, Barbatos needed at least three months to recover. Only if things went smoothly would she be able to participate in the Oka Sho, the first leg of the Triple Tiara, and even then only with some rehabilitative training.
Three months of recovery time. Even with some special methods, she might fully heal a few days faster.
But wanting to practice tomorrow was pure fantasy…
As this thought crossed her mind, a memory from her time with Barbatos surfaced.
During the Tracen Academy cultural festival, she and Barbatos had done some weight-training exercises at Minamizaka's suggestion. But because of the added weight, her ankles had become slightly red and swollen.
Back then, Barbatos had used a so-called 'family massage technique' to help. Almost immediately after the massage, the redness and swelling in her ankles had completely disappeared.
Swelling like that wouldn't normally keep a Uma Musume from racing; it might only become an issue when pushing to the limit during a race.
But even for a minor issue like that, to be completely cured just through massage…
That seemed a bit too miraculous.
At the time, she'd been too flustered by Barbatos massaging her ankles to really focus on that aspect.
Now, thinking it over carefully, something felt off.
And then there was after the Tokyo Sports Hai Junior Stakes. Even after learning her body couldn't handle her full-power sprint, knowing that running all-out might mean she couldn't compete in several races… Barbatos hadn't shown any sign of despair.
In other words… Barbatos's 'massage' skill had the ability to rapidly recover from injuries and achieve full healing.
But she had never spoken a word about it.
Whether it was when Minamizaka and their friends were worried about her injuries, or when she was massaging her own ankles, it was clear Barbatos was deliberately hiding this ability.
She didn't want others to know she could recover quickly.
As for why she would hide it…
The answer was easy to guess. As the saying goes, 'He who holds a treasure is guilty.'
If Barbatos could rapidly heal her own injuries and use massage to fix swelling issues for others…
For Uma Musume like them, such an ability might just be considered unusual. Throughout history, there had always been Uma Musume with strange traits—like the dormitory legend, Manhattan Cafe.
But if her guess about Barbatos was correct, this ability would directly impact the interests of powerful figures. What might happen then was completely unknowable.
To tell someone else about this would be no different than handing over her life and future into their hands.
This was the conclusion Seiun Sky reached in an instant.
It might not be entirely accurate, but if it were true… then this was Barbatos placing her trust in her.
The next moment, before her eyes, Barbatos stood up from the wheelchair, her leg still in a cast. She took a few slow steps, movements awkward due to the cast's restriction.
But it was clearly visible—the injury from after the Dream Cup was no longer a serious issue.
Even though she had suspected it, actually seeing it with her own eyes made Seiun Sky's mouth fall slightly open, struck by the visual impact.
Looking at the 'dazed' Seiun Sky, Barbatos forced a playful giggle.
"What if I said your wish just now was granted by the gods? Would you believe me?"
This was the matter she had been wrestling with. This was the choice and answer she had arrived at.
Seeing Seiun Sky still standing there dumbfounded, without much reaction, Barbatos scratched her head awkwardly.
The moment she decided to recover from her injury and stand up in front of Seiun Sky, she knew she couldn't just brush it off with 'a god granted your wish.' Seiun Sky would surely piece something together from their past experiences.
"Actually, I have…"
She was about to continue, to explain her healing ability.
She didn't know how to talk about the 'system,' or how to admit she was a Uma Musume who had only relied on it.
But at the very least, she had decided to tell Seiun Sky about her ability to heal. She didn't want Seiun Sky worrying about her injuries anymore.
"You idiot!"
Seiun Sky's words cut Barbatos off sharply.
"You're… such an idiot!" she whispered, biting her lip. "Something like this… you should have kept it to yourself. You could have just brushed me off with any excuse!"
One more person knowing meant one more layer of danger for Barbatos. Her freedom could be snatched away at any moment.
Seiun Sky let out a soft 'hmm,' then felt Barbatos's hand gently stroking her cheek.
"I could lie about other things, but not this one."
"Because if this went on, you'd keep worrying about my injuries. You'd worry I couldn't race anymore, worry I was unhappy."
"Urara probably feels the same, and Minamizaka, and my supporters…"
"I'd feel guilty making them worry, but I wouldn't tell them I can recover quickly."
"The truth is, I'm selfish. I don't want my life or freedom threatened. I don't want to be taken away for experiments, to become a lab rat."
"But you… you're my girlfriend. You're Seiun Sky."
"I believe in you. I believe in the Seiun Sky I love, who loves me back."
She remembered a saying she'd once read: Draw a circle with yourself at the center. The closest is your wife, then your parents, then relatives and friends.
It wasn't universally true, and might not even be accurate, but that's how she felt right now.
Maybe 'wife' was too strong a word for now—they had only just started dating. But the feelings of a first love were like that.
Right now, she was certain she would walk this path with Seiun Sky to the very end.
"Mhm."
Seiun Sky gave a slight nod.
That tender place in her heart had been deeply touched. "I won't tell anyone," she murmured softly.
Not even her grandfather.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 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.