"Dohh!"
It happened by pure chance—Viola bumped into someone at the corner of the hallway.
At Tracen Academy, there's a peculiar rule: students must run quietly in the halls. Not "don't run"—just "run quietly." Strange, but typical of a school full of horse girls.
Still, Viola had always avoided running indoors. With so many people around, she feared causing an accident. The other girl wasn't running either. Neither of them had noticed the corner ahead, and so—bam—they collided.
Viola, barely over 130cm tall, was knocked to the floor. The other girl, around 145cm, had long dark brown hair like a deer's coat, large ears, and striking pink eyes. She looked delicate, but the impact told a different story.
Viola landed on her backside with a thud, while the other girl's face twisted in panic.
"Ah! I-I'm so sorry! Are you okay?!"
"It's okay～" Viola replied, brushing it off.
"Oh no… auuu…"
The girl kept apologizing, her voice trembling. Viola couldn't help but think: she's a bit of a worrier, isn't she? Maybe even a little too serious.
Despite her slender frame, she hadn't budged much from the collision. Viola, younger and untrained, knew she was physically weaker—but still, the strength hidden in that slim figure surprised her.
As Viola sat there, rubbing her sore backside, the girl's flustered words escalated.
"Y-you're really okay? I'm so sorry! I'll do anything to make it up to you!"
"Hm? You said 'anything,' didn't you?"
"Eh?"
"Alright then. I've decided. Rice, was it? I'm Viola Regina. First-year, skipped a grade."
"R-Rice Shower… fellow freshman…"
Rice Shower stammered out her name, clearly overwhelmed. Viola stood up, smiling.
She continued speaking to Rice Shower, who had a mysterious, melancholic aura.
"Even like this, I'm still a certified trainer."
"Uh… wow?"
"So, Rice Shower, you said you'd do anything, right?"
"Eh? Eh? U-U-U-U-U…"
"Then let's sign a trainer contract. Right here, right now."
"Eh?!"
"I'll be your exclusive trainer. No escaping now."
"H-Huh?!"
Rice Shower's startled scream echoed through the hallway.
Maybe their collision wasn't just an accident—it was fate.