For anyone else, the Cycle's End was a place of terror and danger. Just one look at it could leave you plagued by nightmares for nights on end. But for Seiun Ryoka, this power was absurdly convenient.
Even if she got drenched to the bone by freezing rain, there was no need to worry about catching a cold. Even if her clothes were splattered with mud, she never had to think about how to wash them clean.
Even if she rolled around in the muck and came out looking like a living mud statue, the moment she left the Cycle's End she would be restored to the same lively horse girl as ever, without a trace of exhaustion, sweat, or grime.
After checking the time, Ryoka prepared another dose of medicine for Chihaya Yui and used the same method as before to help her take it.
This time, Yui was much more awake. She could feel the "foreign object" entering her mouth far more clearly now, and she was even more acutely aware of Ryoka's presence.
Which meant she choked on it all over again and nearly rolled straight off the bed.
While Ryoka patted and rubbed her back, Yui forced herself upright so she could face her properly.
The moment she realized exactly what they had just done, the faint blush already on her pale face deepened into a vivid red. She still looked a little weak, but that fragile, willow-in-the-wind look had its own charm.
Ryoka gently stroked the girl's head and said, "Yui, you're still sick, so don't push yourself. Be a good girl and drink this medicine. You'll feel better soon."
In truth, she could have made her recover instantly. But Ryoka thought that would be boring, so she had deliberately watered down the effect. She really wanted to see Yui's face once she realized what sort of feeding method had just been used. Surely it would be adorable.
And now, it was time to savor the tangle of emotions in the girl's heart.
Just as Ryoka had expected, Yui grew so flustered that her face turned red and her body trembled. Her round little toes curled tightly together. After hesitating for quite a while, she suddenly burrowed into the blankets and wrapped herself up from head to toe, like a silkworm cocooning itself.
Probably because she was far too embarrassed, and because the Winx Stakes were so close at hand, Yui did not want to make Ryoka worry. She rolled over so her back faced Ryoka, then wriggled even deeper beneath the covers before speaking in a tiny voice.
"L-Little Ryoka, shouldn't you be getting ready for the race? The seasons in the Southern Hemisphere are completely opposite from the Northern Hemisphere, s-so… are you really okay?"
She wanted to be the one worrying about Ryoka, not the other way around. No, that was not quite right. More precisely, she did not want Ryoka fretting over her at a time like this. Of course, being cared for felt wonderful, and she did want to keep bathing in that warmth.
If possible, she wanted Ryoka to keep caring for her in the days ahead, to let her feel even more of that warmth.
But after only a moment of indulging the thought, Yui started berating herself in her own head. No, this is all wrong. I'm the trainer here. I'm supposed to be the one looking after Little Ryoka. Wanting her to look after me instead… what am I, a child?
Yui had long been haunted by the feeling that, when it came to this overseas campaign, she had not been useful in the slightest. How could she possibly accept being dead weight now, of all times?
What she wanted was for Ryoka to focus on the race, not waste energy fussing over her.
"I'll be fine, I'll get better soon. Little Ryoka, you should go and practice…"
As she spoke, her mood suddenly sank. "Sorry… it's going to be you fighting alone again this time."
Perhaps because she really was ill, Yui's emotions were unstable. She felt she had never been of any real help, and suddenly she wanted to cry.
If Little Ryoka's trainer were some seasoned Central trainer, she'd never have to fight alone like this. I really am useless…
Ryoka had no idea where this wave of sadness had even come from. Folding her arms, she thought seriously for a moment, then abruptly turned Yui back around and kissed her.
Not to feed her medicine. Not as a prank. Simply out of concern and affection for her trainer.
The sensation that spread between their lips was wet, warm, and gentle, blooming outward in an instant.
Yui's eyes flew wide. Clearly, she had never expected Ryoka to make such a bold move. She felt like a tiny boat, powerless before the storm named Seiun Ryoka, only able to drift wherever the girl guided her.
At that point, the only thing left for her to do was yield.
Her eyes soon fluttered shut.
She had surrendered just like that.
But what else was she supposed to do? The sensation was not entirely unfamiliar, after all. She had felt it before in her dreams. Which meant Ryoka must have done this once already while she was asleep.
And if there had already been a first time, then resisting a second or third felt pointless.
Besides… it really did feel rather…
How to put it?
Like basking in sunlight. Like breathing in the scent of fresh grass. Like being dropped into nature itself, where life pulsed all around you in its purest form.
Eventually, their lips parted.
Ryoka held Yui through the blankets. Yui did not move, but the slight tremble of her lashes gave away how unsettled she was inside. At last, after a long silence, she whispered, "Little Ryoka… do your best in the race, okay?"
There was a tiny swallow in her throat before she pressed her lips together again. She was too embarrassed to say anything more, so all she could do was steer the conversation back toward the race.
There was one thing that would never change: she wanted to help Ryoka achieve her dream. So this was no time to talk about feelings. Better to think about the race.
But Ryoka, utterly tone-deaf as ever, said, "That's all? I thought Yui might say something else. Like, 'Don't leave me,' or 'Please, I'll do anything,' something along those lines."
Ryoka rubbed against her through the blankets, making Yui shrink further beneath them from sheer embarrassment.
And so, wrapped in a fragile but gentle calm, race day arrived.
The weather that day was awful. There was no rain, but dark clouds choked the sky, and cold winds blew in sharp gusts, the kind of day that made you want to hole up in a warm room and refuse to leave for a week.
"It's freezing out here today. Yesterday's forecast even said it might snow. This kind of wild weather really is impossible to guard against," the commentator began in a thoroughly dispiriting tone. If you heard him without context, you might have thought he had hit a full-blown midlife crisis. But he immediately brightened and continued, "But that's fine! The passion of the crowd will surely drive off the clouds and let the light of victory shine over the earth!"
So that was his angle: start low, then lift.
"And speaking of light… today, here, we welcome a very special guest, one said to hail from the Land of the Rising Sun."
"Her footprints stretch across Asia, Europe, and North America. She is the unprecedented undefeated five-crown queen, advancing toward the impossible dream of becoming a dual Triple Crown champion. Whether it is sprint races, mile races, or middle-distance contests, there seems to be no event that can halt her march to victory. My word, is she the illegitimate daughter of the Goddess of Victory herself? Can anyone truly defeat her? Let us watch and see—and whatever you do, don't blink."
"But before that, let us all call out her name together! That's right—she is…"
"Seiun Ryoka!"
join here to read ahead.
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 210)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl 285
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Completed)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Completed)
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa (Completed)
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 240
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 305
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer (Completed.)
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume5/8
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 135
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 160
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 125
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 180
My Harem Is Indescribable 110
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 115
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 120
Still playing traditional Honk 105
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 120
What Should I Do After Switchi 70
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 80
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 140
Checking In in Demon Slayer 100
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 115
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 95
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 90
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel (Completed)
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 95
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 90
Why did they assign me to Uma 95
MYGO Beauties 80
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 100
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 135
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 150
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 70
The Uma Musume Who Became 75
I'm Definitely Not the King of 130
After Maxing Out Every Class 135
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 120
I, the Elden Sword Saint 70
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 65
No One Knows Pokémon Better 65
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 69
From Trilobites to Titans 65
Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 105
DanMachi: My Party Members Are 120
An Anime Heroine Darkened 60
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Links 80
Honkai: The Fire Devil 115
Honkai Transformation Cards Volume2/70
Age of Heroes, I'm Just a Back 85
Uma Musume Has No Weird Fan Le 80
At age 8, she co-starred with 80
Honkai: Schicksal Media 81
An Extremist in a Slice-of-Lif 70
Chainsaw Man, but I'm Aatrox 60
Honkai Apocrypha: Are the Valk 60
An Extremist in a Slice-of-Lif 45
Morgan Shirou's Journey in Dan 43
DanMachi: Get to Work, Dimensi 70
Honkai: Star Rail—Kiana Cried! 36
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