The Trainer With Little Time Left Just Wants to Live [27]

However, the small commotion around Special Week and Silence Suzuka did not affect anyone else. By the time Rudolf and the others hurried over, they found that on the interview platform inside the racecourse, Ryuichi Kitano and Stay Gold had already been surrounded by reporters so tightly that not even water could get through.

“Ah, Rudolf, you came too.”

“…I thought you’d already gone back.” Rudolf was slightly surprised to find Mr. C.B. watching the scene from not far away. After all, ever since the race ended, C.B. had seemed rather down, saying she felt unwell and wanted some time alone… Rudolf had thought she would have left by now.

“It’s Trainer Kitano’s first interview, after all. Of course I wanted to see it.” C.B. glanced briefly at Teio and McQueen, who had followed along, before focusing once more on Kitano and Stay Gold. She said lightly, “Still, for his first interview, Trainer Kitano has the head of the Gold Family beside him instead of his own trainee? That really is a first.”

“…That is precisely why I’m here.” Rudolf nodded solemnly. Her gaze, filled with authority and a trace of vigilance, fixed firmly on Stay Gold, who had spoken so rudely to her earlier. Word by word, she said, “Stay Gold is an Umamusume who fears nothing. With how forceful she’s being this time, she may say things that are extremely disadvantageous for Trainer Kitano. We need to keep watch and control the situation as much as possible.”

Rudolf’s words also gained C.B.’s agreement. Although neither of them understood Stay Gold very well, they both knew one thing clearly: an Umamusume capable of keeping all those oddballs in the Gold Family in line and becoming its head had to be the one with the greatest combat power among a group of oddballs. They did not dare underestimate Stay Gold’s nerve.

And now, under their watch, the person interviewing Kitano and Stay Gold was a rather attractive human reporter named Etsuko Otonashi. She clearly possessed far more enthusiasm and professionalism than her peers, and so she had been chosen to represent the reporters in asking the two of them questions.

“I see. So, Trainer Kitano, back when you were still down on your luck, Stay Gold-san helped you, brought you into the Gold Family, and you lived together for several years. Is that correct?”

“That truly is an interesting story. In that case, does that mean Nakayama Festa and Gold Ship, who both performed so brilliantly in today’s wonderful race, are Umamusume you personally taught?”

“That’s right.” Before Kitano could speak, Stay Gold answered one step ahead of him. Yet when it came to these family secrets, she did not hide anything at all, sharing them with the reporters as if she were not the least bit worried about how far they might embellish her words.

Especially in this world, where any news related to Umamusume was almost always what people cared about most. At this point, Kitano vaguely sensed that something was wrong. After a dry cough, he still said to Reporter Otonashi in front of him:

“Those are all things from the past, Otonashi-san. Do you have any other questions?”

“Of course!” Otonashi sensibly changed the subject. As she kept writing in the notebook in her hands, she could barely conceal her excitement as she asked Kitano, “Then for the next question: Gold Ship and Nakayama Festa’s duel this time was extremely exciting. Trainer Kitano, in your heart, just how high are your expectations for your two trainees?”

“Gold Ship isn’t officially my trainee Umamusume yet… However, as for the heights they can reach, I can tell everyone very clearly.”

Otonashi’s question immediately drew everyone’s attention. This included Rudolf and the Umamusume around her, all of whom stared intently at Kitano. They too were extremely curious: in the eyes of Trainer Kitano, who had such sharp judgment that he could see Nakayama Festa’s talent at a glance, exactly what heights could the formerly obscure Umamusume of the Gold Family reach?

Yet in the next moment, Kitano, faced with that question, revealed a certain smile. His attitude was gentle, but the words he spoke shocked everyone present.

“Gold Ship and Nakayama Festa, as well as the other Umamusume of the Gold Family, all possess potential that absolutely does not stop at what they’ve shown so far. Their true goal is not to dominate Japan, but to break out of Japan and challenge races on the level of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.”

The Arc, whose full name was the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, was a race known to everyone in Japan. It was also a heavy shadow hanging over the heads of Japanese Umamusume. Throughout the history of Japanese Umamusume, generations of their finest had charged forward one after another, all for the sake of winning this overseas G1. Yet what was hardest for every Japanese Umamusume to accept was that the result for even the very best among them in this race had always been the same—returning in crushing defeat.

The Arc hovered over Japanese Umamusume like a nightmare. No matter how excellent they were, no matter how many G1 races they could win within Japan, once they reached the Arc, once they stepped onto that world stage, their ending was always defeat.

Over time, Japanese Umamusume’s hopes of challenging the Arc had grown smaller and smaller, to the point that it had practically become accepted by default that they could not possibly win it. And now, at this moment, this rookie Trainer named Ryuichi Kitano was telling all the reporters that the formerly unknown Umamusume of the Gold Family would be the next group to represent Japan and challenge races on the level of the Arc.

The implication of those words was that the Umamusume of the Gold Family would be the finest Japanese Umamusume of this era. Their potential was enough to shoulder such a heavy duty, enough to bear everyone’s expectations.

And this was not something Kitano had made up out of nowhere. He knew very clearly that in the historical record, Nakayama Festa and Orfevre, who had yet to fully mature within the Gold Family, had both achieved second place in the Arc, the result closest to victory. And in truth, both of them had had the chance to win, yet they had fallen just that tiny bit short. But that tiny gap, Kitano believed, might not be impossible to make up if they found the right method.

“This really is… Should I say he’s confident, or is he overpraising the Umamusume of the Gold Family?”

At that moment, when Rudolf heard Kitano’s declaration, the unconvinced and unwilling emotions rising in her chest made her mood unstable as well.

Rudolf could hardly be blamed for feeling unhappy. After all, everyone knew that Symboli Rudolf, once she had become Japan’s strongest, had gone on an overseas expedition representing Japan in high spirits. That had been the first time Japanese Umamusume connected with the international stage, and Rudolf had represented the strongest of all Japan—yet the results of that expedition had been extremely harsh.

And now, what even Rudolf had failed to do, Kitano was placing such expectations for on the formerly obscure Umamusume of the Gold Family… The moment Rudolf thought of this, even more jealousy filled her heart.

“But I don’t think Trainer Kitano is bragging.” However, after a brief moment of surprise, Mr. C.B. was the first to choose to believe Kitano’s judgment—even though at this moment, there was also some jealousy in her heart similar to Rudolf’s. Subconsciously, she still did not think Kitano’s words were exaggerated.

“Kitano…” This time, even Stay Gold herself was slightly startled by Kitano’s words. For the first time, surprise and wavering appeared in the expression of this head of the family, who had previously shown none at all. She looked at Kitano beside her, and only after a long moment did she ask, “…Do you really think that?”

“Of course. I will never take those words back. And I believe that in the future, Festa and the others will definitely prove what I said.”

“…”

Yet when Kitano’s incomparably certain answer fell once again, Stay Gold sank into a brief silence. Under everyone’s gaze, she took a deep breath, and for the first time, a solemn look appeared in her deep eyes.

At that moment, Stay Gold made a decision she had always wanted to make, yet had been afraid Kitano would not accept. But now, Kitano’s answer made her feel that she ought to act as soon as possible—before even more Umamusume took notice of Kitano’s talent, she had to seize the initiative.

“Kitano, there is something you said earlier that I must correct.”

“Hm?” Kitano was slightly taken aback. But Stay Gold’s face remained serious as she looked at him under everyone’s gaze and said, word by word:

“Nakayama is your trainee. Gold Ship is also your trainee. And not only them—from now on, every Umamusume of our Gold Family will be your trainee. You will be the sole Trainer of our Gold Family.”

Stay Gold’s words immediately drew the attention of Rudolf, C.B., and the others. At this moment, Kitano also did not quite understand what Stay Gold meant by saying such a thing without warning. He only answered instinctively, “But wasn’t I already your Trainer?”

“It’s different.” Stay Gold shook her head stubbornly and answered solemnly, “When you were with the Gold Family, you were only the Trainer guiding those children. What I mean is, from now on, every member of the Gold Family will name you as their future Trainer.”

“And not only them. Every Umamusume of the Gold Family, every future descendant, will have only you as their Trainer. You will be the only Trainer for all Umamusume of our Gold Family!”

“”“Whoa!”””

The instant Stay Gold said this, an uproar swept through the entire venue. Before Rudolf, C.B., and the others could even react, countless camera flashes had already gone off in response, recording this truly epic moment on film.

“C-Could you please explain exactly what is going on?!” Even Reporter Otonashi herself nearly short-circuited from excitement at this sudden development. Her entire face was flushed, as if she were showing signs of about to pull an Agnes Digital and ascend from preciousness, yet she still tenaciously held herself together so she would not miss this enormous piece of news.

Stay Gold’s eyes shifted slightly, and she made no attempt to conceal anything… No, rather, it would be better to say that she had deliberately chosen not to hide it, wanting to announce this matter to the world. Word by word, she answered:

“The Umamusume of our Gold Family have always carried a certain karmic burden… or rather, a weakness. If our Umamusume cannot overcome their own weaknesses, then they cannot bring out their talents to the fullest. They will only be dragged down by those weaknesses and be unable to run perfectly as Umamusume.”

“And now, after so many years of observation, I can say with certainty—Trainer Ryuichi Kitano is the only person who can help the Umamusume of our Gold Family break free of their restraints and bring out their full strength.”

As she said this, Stay Gold turned her gaze toward Kitano again. At that moment, she could also sense Kitano’s expression becoming solemn. Clearly, he too knew that Stay Gold was not joking. She truly intended to entrust the next generation of the Gold Family entirely to him.

And for Kitano… this was simply too good!

Kitano did not want to go through the cycle of dying from illness again, but unfortunately, his energy was limited. Every time he became a Trainer, he could almost only teach an Umamusume one-on-one. This also meant that after Kitano finished teaching one Umamusume, if he could not find a second trainee within a short period of time and have her achieve results, he still could not escape the fate of looping.

And now, Stay Gold entrusting an entire Gold Family’s worth of Umamusume to him had solved Kitano’s greatest problem. He knew the potential of the Gold Family’s Umamusume all too well. Festa and Gold Ship alone, who were currently in his hands, could already buy him a very long time, let alone the fact that the Gold Family still had an even more heavyweight figure—Orfevre!

Although several Gold Family Umamusume Kitano was familiar with had yet to appear, he believed that if he truly took charge of every Umamusume in the Gold Family, he would absolutely no longer need to worry about his lifespan in this timeline.

As for the entire Gold Family being full of oddballs and difficult to get along with—what a joke. The thing he, Ryuichi Kitano, feared least was an Umamusume with a troublesome personality. What kind of Umamusume without an odd personality would come looking for him? He had gotten used to it long ago.

Therefore, faced with such a heavy responsibility from Stay Gold, Kitano also composed his expression. Under Rudolf and the others’ slightly trembling gazes, he nodded solemnly and promised Stay Gold:

“I absolutely won’t betray your expectations, Stay Gold.”

“…I know you won’t, Kitano.”

“Ah, no. Now I should call you… Trainer.”

At that moment, facing Ryuichi Kitano before her, even Stay Gold showed a faintly moved expression. Yet she still did not forget to glance toward Rudolf and Mr. C.B. not far away. Especially when she noticed Rudolf’s expression, as if Rudolf wanted to swallow her alive, this Umamusume, who had already understood everything, mouthed a provocation toward Rudolf:

“This time, I was faster, President Rudolf.”

“—!”

The next moment, after Rudolf read the meaning of Stay Gold’s provocation, her hands clenched into fists despite herself. At that moment, the “Emperor” gritted her teeth, her eyes seeming as if they could spit fire as she glared at Stay Gold.

A strong sense of defeat, along with backlash-like anger, almost instantly occupied Rudolf’s mind. And the reason this sense of defeat was so unbearable for Rudolf was because she felt that this sensation—was familiar.

In a daze, as Rudolf stared at Stay Gold standing before Kitano with a gentle smile on her face, Stay Gold’s appearance suddenly changed into another face.

Rudolf saw it… The person standing before Kitano had become Mr. C.B. The intense sense of defeat became even clearer and stronger the instant Rudolf recognized the person in front of her.

“Rudolf?”

In the next moment, Mr. C.B., standing beside Rudolf, only saw Rudolf turn and leave like an enraged lion. She did not linger at the scene for even a moment, as if staying even one second longer would make all the anger she had accumulated for so long explode at once and devour everyone here she found unpleasant.

What C.B. did not know was that the person Rudolf was vaguely angry at now was not Stay Gold, but C.B. herself, who had appeared in Rudolf’s hallucination… Yet Rudolf had no room to care about that now. The only thing she wanted to do was calm down properly and sort through her thoughts.

She had to unravel this mystery. Kitano and her, C.B. and her, all of this… What exactly was going on?

T/N: ophhhh stay gold remembered earlier and figured it out earlier since she met kitano earlierrrrrr heh

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!