Well then. To turn it around, did Platinum herself have any desire to speak her mind?
Of course she did, and it was incredibly strong!
Platinum had no idea how long it had been since she'd been able to have a normal conversation with someone.
As her condition steadily worsened, patients with Soul Dissolution Syndrome would gradually become detached from the outside world, losing the ability to communicate effectively with it.
Under these circumstances, Platinum had even developed the habit of talking to herself, just to offer herself some meager comfort.
She felt that if Stage Three had lasted any longer, she might have genuinely developed multiple personalities.
She didn't just want to talk; she was bursting to, desperately wishing she could pour out every single word she'd held inside over these past few years without a moment's pause.
But then, the question circled back: would speaking up even do any good?
This brought her right back to the initial problem.
It wasn't that Platinum didn't want to explain herself; it was that no one would believe her explanation.
Claim she'd crossed over from another world and brought a pathogen with her? They might as well believe she was John Cena.
Platinum's eyes darted away, and she stole a glance at Symboli Rudolf's face. It was then she noticed that Symboli Rudolf was staring right back at her, unblinking.
"If you don't wish to speak, then I'll start with my story," Symboli Rudolf said, gently smoothing the hair at her temple.
Perhaps Platinum's reluctance to talk stemmed from shyness and distrust—that was only natural. She was new to this country, still unfamiliar with everything.
So, rather than pretending to be a silent confessional, it was better to turn this conversation into a genuine heart-to-heart.
"Don't judge me solely by how I am now, but I used to have a very fiery temper."
The ears on top of Platinum's head twitched. She was still mulling over Symboli Rudolf's earlier question, puzzled by this sudden shift in topic.
"Going back about four or five years, I was right in the throes of adolescence then," Symboli Rudolf mused, rubbing her chin.
"You know how it is—the rebellious phase. You think you're the hottest thing under the heavens, second only to the sky itself."
"Especially someone like me... I don't mean to boast, but I was truly in a league of my own back then. The arrogance and confidence from winning all my major races went straight to my head, and nobody was around to pop that bubble."
Symboli Rudolf summed up her entire racing career up to that point with that single, understated phrase—"winning all my major races."
But Platinum understood the weight of those words. Four or five years ago was precisely when Symboli Rudolf had achieved her unprecedented feat—becoming the Undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume.
"So you can understand, when someone doesn't know their own limits, they start using their achievements to criticize others, even to bully them."
'I'm the Undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume. What are you?'
It was probably something like that, using that kind of line to leave the other person speechless.
"And when that inflation reaches its peak, it's hardly surprising that you end up doing something utterly foolish. No matter how dazzling your achievements, you're still just a middle schooler at heart, easily getting carried away."
"So, doing something like you did—pressuring the loser after a victory, even driving them off the Winner's Stage—is something I've actually done too."
Remembering it now still filled her with shame... Symboli Rudolf herself felt so awkward she instinctively pulled up the collar of her coat.
"...So, why are you telling me all this?" Platinum frowned, looking at Symboli Rudolf. "To show me we're the same kind of person?"
"...What kind of interpretation is that!" Symboli Rudolf nearly laughed in exasperation. She reached out and firmly ruffled Platinum's hair.
"What I mean is, the journey of a lifetime is very, very long. Across this long stretch of life, the person you are at each different stage can be completely different from who you were before."
"Perhaps, looking back from your future self, the obstacles that seem insurmountable today might appear trivial."
"Today, you might fret over having hurt someone, or regret harsh words spoken in a moment of impulse. That doesn't mean you're a bad person, or scum. Leave it all to time. Time will decide what kind of person you become, and whether the things you did were right or wrong."
Looking at Symboli Rudolf's hand resting on her head, Platinum fell silent for a moment before timidly saying, "But wasn't the reason you changed because you got completely crushed by foreign horses later on?"
While her own injuries played a part, Symboli Rudolf's performance in her overseas campaigns was... not good.
It was a crushing defeat the likes of which her entire career had never seen before.
"After getting utterly schooled, you finally realize there's always someone better, a sky beyond the sky."
"Someone popped that bubble for you, so you understood how much of a jerk you'd been before, and you started changing your image, gradually becoming the person you are now... Oww, ow, ow!"
Platinum felt like her very brain was vibrating. Symboli Rudolf's hand, which had been gently ruffling her hair, now gripped her skull, applying slight pressure.
Sitting across from Platinum, Symboli Rudolf's expression hadn't changed, but the vein throbbing on her forehead unmistakably revealed her inner turmoil.
No way. Surely no one was so narrow-minded they'd try to silence someone for hitting a sore spot?
What happened to the promised casual girls' talk, the heart-to-heart over oden?
"Heh... You... you're quite knowledgeable about me, aren't you..." Symboli Rudolf's smile was strained as she leaned her face closer.
President Rudolf, are you trying to silence me?
Aren't you afraid of dirtying your hands?
Trembling as she felt her brain rattle, Platinum, faced with mortality, suddenly felt that life was quite beautiful and she'd like to live a few more days.
"Aaaaah, President! Aaaaah, murder is illegal, aaaaah...!" Platinum's head was shaking so much from Symboli Rudolf's grip that her words came out with a wobbly tail.
Crap. She was a refugee now. The police wouldn't care.
This was it, Symboli Rudolf could do whatever she wanted!
All she felt was regret, intense regret for not running away earlier.
Just as Platinum felt her head was about to be crushed by Symboli Rudolf's grip, Rudolf released her hand.
"...Well, you're not wrong. Doing terrible things doesn't make you a terrible person, but the traces of those terrible actions don't just disappear."
Sighing, Symboli Rudolf didn't withdraw her hand entirely.
"That's exactly why I can't let you run away. You need to properly atone for the bad things you've done. If you just flee out of guilt, you'll carry that regret with you for the rest of your life."
On the contrary, Symboli Rudolf placed her hand open in front of Platinum.
"This is an invitation."
"Platinum, I've told you my story. Will you tell me yours now?"
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 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.