The Trainer With Little Time Left Just Wants to Live [26]

“Well, whatever the case, Festa gave everyone a scare, but she won safely in the end. It was risky, but it was a beautiful victory.”

“Congratulations, Trainer Kitano. Nakayama really is an incredibly strong Umamusume, just like you said.”

Kitano had already returned from the track to the Umamusume waiting area at the racecourse when a crowd of Umamusume soon came over to congratulate him.

The first to praise him was Special Week. She had come to Tracen Academy from the countryside of Hokkaido and earned the title of General of Japan through her own ability and talent. At first, she had been curious about the strange sense of familiarity she felt toward Kitano, but the straightforward Umamusume soon stopped thinking about it and chose to follow her feelings instead, making no attempt to hide the closeness she felt toward him.

For Special Week, this was nothing unusual. After all, when she first entered Tracen Academy, she had also been inspired by Silence Suzuka’s running form and “fallen in love at first sight.” Now, after three years in the Junior Division, she had grown into an Umamusume who was no longer shy or afraid of strangers.

And in Kitano’s eyes, seeing Special Week—who had once been so small in his memories—grown into the General of Japan, capable of standing on her own, gave him the feeling of having watched her grow up, even though he knew her growth in this timeline likely had nothing to do with him.

After all, in that timeline, most of his energy had gone into Suzuka. His meeting with Special Week had really only been an accident. Back then, he had never imagined he would end up involved in her growth, much less become, for quite a long time, an indelible figure in her life…

Of course, that was not Kitano bragging about himself. It was what Special Week’s adoptive mother had told him. That was also the first time he had heard that a child looked up to him as both “an older brother and a father.”

But none of that had anything to do with Kitano now. Even in that timeline, he had never truly had the chance to see Special Week enter Tracen Academy as an Umamusume. That point seemed strange to him too. In the first season of the anime, Special Week had clearly enrolled while Silence Suzuka was still active on the track… Had the influence brought by this little butterfly really been that severe?

Fortunately, although this timeline was a little special, aside from Oguri Cap, Kitano had yet to see anything that exceeded his expectations. As for Oguri Cap’s situation… the next time he saw the Three Goddesses, he would absolutely ask them for a clear explanation and find out what those three mischief-loving goddesses were up to.

“Ugh. It’s frustrating, but Nakayama and Gold Ship are both really strong. They might actually become serious threats to Teio-sama.”

Unlike Special Week, Tokai Teio had looked unhappy ever since she saw Nakayama Festa and Kitano embrace. Still, Teio was clearly hiding her emotions well. She did not show any dissatisfaction toward Kitano, instead regarding Nakayama Festa as a major future rival.

Teio did not understand what this feeling in her heart was. Nor could she possibly share it with anyone else, not even the Prez. Because this feeling really was strange. How could she be unhappy with someone she had only just met because he was close to his own trainee? It made her seem like some kind of female creep.

Yet precisely because of that, Teio missed an opportunity to understand everything. If she had frankly told Rudolf how she felt, the two of them would have been surprised to discover that their emotions regarding this matter were highly consistent—and that there was far too much there worth examining.

While the atmosphere was peaceful, however, one figure among the group seemed somewhat out of place… Silence Suzuka’s slender figure stood a short distance away from Kitano, as though she were someone lonely and unable to blend in, consciously shrinking back toward the edge.

Even so, that did not stop Suzuka from occasionally raising her head and looking toward Kitano with a trace of longing in her eyes. The way she stretched one foot out several times only to pull it back, as if she wanted to say something but ended up closing her mouth again, made one think of a shy middle schooler with a crush on the classmate beside her—full of things she wanted to say, yet unable to get the words past her throat.

At that moment, Stay Gold, who had remained silent behind Kitano all this time, occasionally shifted her gaze toward Suzuka not far away. In her dark, deep eyes, not a single emotion could be read. No one knew what the head of the Gold Family was thinking.

“Congratulations, Trainer Kitano. It seems you and your trainee Umamusume have already taken your first step.”

At that moment, another voice from not far away broke the previously harmonious atmosphere. When everyone turned to look, they discovered that Symboli Rudolf, who had regained control of her emotions at some point, had also arrived before them with a smile, looking at Kitano with a gratified gaze.

“I only did what I should.” Seeing Rudolf arrive, Kitano, who had returned to his wheelchair, answered gently, “This victory was won by Festa’s gamble.”

“It also could not have happened without your guidance. Gold Ship and Nakayama Festa were both trained personally by you. Their performances have proven your ability, and you are fully worthy of being called a Central Trainer. I believe that after this, the other Trainers at Tracen Academy should no longer have any misunderstandings about you.”

Rudolf held nothing back in her praise. At that moment, her gaze immediately fixed on Kitano’s face, which seemed a little more flushed than before. Now, she once again recalled the contents of that notebook. Suppressing the excitement in her heart, she pretended to ask casually:

“Is it my imagination? After this race, your complexion seems much better than the last time we met.”

“This? Ah, it’s probably because I was too excited after seeing Festa win. When my mood improves, my body feels a little better too.”

Facing Rudolf’s question, Kitano once again used the worn-out excuse he had used across who knew how many timelines. After all, he truly had no way to explain how a dying man like him could extend his lifespan, so he could only steer the issue in a more metaphysical direction. After all, didn’t plenty of doctors say that cancer patients lived or died by their mindset?

But Kitano did not know that his words had now thoroughly confirmed Rudolf’s suspicions, finally allowing her to be certain that everything recorded in the notebook Mejiro Ramonu had found was true.

Ryuichi Kitano really was someone who could extend his lifespan by having his trainees win races.

Rudolf did not know why she needed to verify this point so badly, but the voice in her heart told her that this matter was extremely important. It was an important basis for piecing together the truth. The fragmented dreams she had been having lately might be explained through this crucial clue.

The moment she thought that she would soon have a chance to uncover the mystery surrounding Kitano, Rudolf could not help breathing a little more heavily, and a faint flush appeared on her face. Her strange expression naturally drew the attention of Kitano and the others, but to everyone’s surprise, the first one to break the silence was actually Stay Gold.

Facing Symboli Rudolf, the “Emperor,” the head of the Gold Family showed her no kindness whatsoever. Instead, she took the initiative to step into the gap between Kitano and Rudolf, then said coldly to Rudolf in front of her, enunciating every word:

“—Kitano is the Trainer of our Gold Family, Rudolf. Please keep a little distance from him, and don’t stare at him like some mare in heat at Tracen Academy. His body can’t withstand being worn down.”

After saying that, Stay Gold did not even give Rudolf or anyone else time to react. She immediately turned and pushed Kitano outside, saying at once to the somewhat bewildered Kitano:

“Let’s go, Kitano. We still have to deal with the reporters. Besides, there’s something I want to ask of you.”

“Hm? We’re not waiting for Golshi and Festa?”

“They’re still in the baths. Waiting for them to come out would take too long. It’s just dealing with reporters. I’ve raced overseas these past few years, so I’ve handled plenty of this.”

Pushing Kitano along, Stay Gold soon slowly headed toward the exit. Only after the group had gone far away did Rudolf, finally reacting fully, stride wordlessly in the direction Stay Gold had taken.

Rudolf’s instincts told her that although Stay Gold had not fit in well at Tracen Academy even in the past, and many Umamusume had accused her of seeming to have violent tendencies, the aggressiveness Stay Gold was displaying now, if it was for the sake of protecting Kitano, could not have such a simple reason.

Could it be that Stay Gold… was the same as her?

“Huh? Suzuka…”

On the other side, Special Week, who had originally wanted to follow everyone else and watch Kitano’s victory interview this time, noticed that Suzuka, who had never joined the conversation, had for some reason turned and run off in another direction. That seemed to be the direction of the participating Umamusume rest area and the baths.

Special Week stopped and watched Suzuka secretly turn and run away. She also knew that the direction Suzuka was heading could only mean she was going to find Nakayama Festa and Gold Ship… But why would Suzuka do that? Out of all of them, Suzuka had clearly had the coldest reaction to Kitano.

Or was it… exactly the opposite, and Suzuka was actually the one most curious about Trainer Kitano?

Special Week wavered. Faintly, her intuition gave rise to a strange idea—perhaps that sense of familiarity she felt toward Trainer Kitano was also connected to Suzuka?

And the moment Special Week thought of this, she suddenly felt dizzy. The abrupt sensation nearly made her lose her balance, and she instinctively clutched her head and crouched down.

Soon, a voice suddenly echoed in Special Week’s mind. It was not the voice of anyone she knew. It sounded more like a professional broadcaster speaking. That person was sharing a piece of news—a piece of news that seemed to come from the future, yet also seemed to come from the past.

“The day before yesterday, tragedy struck at the site of the highly anticipated Tenno Sho (Autumn). During the race, the famous Umamusume Silence Suzuka suddenly suffered a fracture and fell on the track. Her Trainer, Ryuichi Kitano, rushed onto the track immediately to save her, pushing Silence Suzuka off the course and preventing a potential trampling incident by the Umamusume behind her.”

“Afterward, however, Ryuichi Kitano, who had already been seriously ill, suffered a worsening of his condition. Yesterday, he was taken to the hospital for emergency treatment, but unfortunately passed away—”

“Hah!”

All at once, Special Week violently broke free from that nightmare-like voice. Yet at some point, she had already become breathless and drenched in sweat. The horrified expression on her face had not changed from the beginning, all because of the voice echoing in her mind.

Why… Why is there a voice in my head…? And why would Trainer Kitano die? And for the sake of saving Suzuka?

What on earth is going on? These memories… which side is the real reality?

T/N: HOW WAS HE ABLE TO OUTRUN THE UMAMUSUMES? TO TWHERE SHE WAS AT?? im guessing he was already at that spot and he just had to jump the barrier

This is a fan translation of 时日无多的训练员只想活下去 by 许氏子谦 Rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!