To Make Ends Meet, an Umamusume Takes to the Track! [15]

Focused on training Sunset, Okino did not notice someone approaching from behind.

“Trainer Okino, has the special training already begun? I see. So that child is the Lord Sunset you spoke of.”

A calm, steady voice came from behind him. Okino turned to look and saw Symboli Rudolf standing in the stands, gazing down at Lord Sunset in the distance with great interest.

“Her stride is powerful. She certainly is a talented Umamusume. However, her running form still seems unstable. Are you correcting her running habits right now?”

“Rudolf-san… Yes. Sunset’s Power and Stamina are already basically enough for a debut race. Our current main goal is still to correct her flawed running form. Only after she gets used to the Turf training grounds and her running posture can we begin special training for Speed.”

The student council was currently the direct party Sunset and Okino had to answer to. Okino could not afford to offend them, so he explained his entire plan honestly.

Originally, Mr. C.B. had said today that she wanted to come see the Umamusume Okino had acknowledged. However, because she had slacked off in the student council room again yesterday, Rudolf had punished her by making her clean the hallway, so Okino had lost another comrade he could rely on. Symboli Rudolf was truly terrifying.

“However, it looks like her focus isn’t very concentrated.”

Seeing Sunset get distracted by the commotion Gold Ship had caused not far away, her form becoming less standard as well, Rudolf frowned slightly.

“Mm, well, it’s only the first day. It can’t be helped if her attention wanders a little. Once she gets used to it, she should be much better.”

At that, however, Rudolf did not seem entirely convinced.

“While some things cannot be accomplished overnight, there are times when progress requires a necessary catalyst.”

As Rudolf spoke, the atmosphere around her changed. The air pressure around them seemed to drop. From her eyes, Okino saw a murderous intent like that of a beast. Though she had no intention of affecting him, being so close still made a chill rise in his heart.

Sensing Rudolf’s aura, quite a few famous Umamusume within the area centered on her looked up toward where she stood. Then, one after another, they looked toward the destination that aura was aimed at.

That aura crossed half the Turf training grounds and arrived directly upon Lord Sunset.

“What is this—so heavy!”

Lord Sunset, who had originally been distracted by the commotion nearby, suddenly felt a bone-chilling sensation, as if she were sitting on pins and needles. It was like being stared down by some wild beast. For some reason, fear welled up inside her, and she unconsciously raised her speed slightly.

Her steps seemed somewhat heavier, but it was still within a range she could endure. Under that inexplicable pressure, Sunset’s focus sharpened more than ever before.

As her focus gathered, Sunset did not grow agitated from the pressure. Instead, her mind became free of distracting thoughts. She also completed the training requirements Okino had given her even better than before.

Seeing Sunset’s change, surprise flashed through Okino’s eyes.

“Rudolf-san, you can already control your aura to this degree?”

He had heard that outstanding Umamusume could release their aura to interfere with their opponents, but he had never heard of any Umamusume being able to control her aura so freely. As expected of the Emperor, perhaps?

“…”

Rudolf did not answer. She only stared fixedly at Lord Sunset in the distance. For some reason, Okino felt that the oppressive force radiating from around her had grown even stronger.

But nothing seemed to change on Sunset’s side, making Okino wonder if he had imagined it.

After a long time, when Okino was already beginning to feel somewhat stifled, Rudolf finally withdrew her aura. However, under the pressure she had released earlier, Lord Sunset had completely entered a state of perfect calm, and even now, she did not change. She continued her training movements as if she were cut off from the world.

Even for Rudolf, known as the Emperor, releasing her aura for so long across such a distance had truly taken a toll. She leaned against the railing and rested for a short while.

“That was a huge help, President Symboli Rudolf! If she can keep up this level of focus, Sunset’s body should memorize the correct gait in just a few more days, right?”

Though he still felt lingering fear from Rudolf’s aura just now, seeing Sunset’s state left Okino quite excited. If she could maintain this, perhaps they could move the next phase of training even earlier.

Rudolf did not respond to Okino’s words. She only kept her gaze locked tightly on Sunset, who was still training.

After watching her for a long while, Rudolf suddenly seemed to be in a much better mood.

“Trainer Okino, I must admit that the Umamusume you chose is indeed exceptionally talented. I will come again next time. I hope the two of you will make me see you in a new light once more. Now then, I have matters to attend to, so I will be leaving first.”

“Oh, then please go ahead.”

Though he did not know why Rudolf had suddenly taken an even greater interest in Sunset, Okino still watched her leave the training grounds.

…

After walking to a place with no one around, Rudolf looked at her own arm.

“No matter the degree of interference, it had no negative effect on that Umamusume…”

At first, she had only intended to startle the other girl a little, to make that Umamusume focus more on her training. But though it was her first time being interfered with by another’s aura, the girl’s composure had exceeded Rudolf’s imagination.

Perhaps she hadn’t felt the pressure from me at all.

When Rudolf noticed that, she had unconsciously strengthened the pressure she was applying, but it still had no greater effect on the girl. Even in the instant when she tried to overwhelm Sunset with the full force of her aura, Sunset had maintained her original state.

Though it was hard to believe, Rudolf arrived at a strange conclusion.

“Interference-type auras don’t have much effect on her?”

How interesting. Perhaps that Umamusume truly did have the talent to challenge the peak.

Previously, out of curiosity and for certain reasons she found difficult to say aloud, Rudolf had already made a wager with Lord Sunset before ever meeting her. But now, when that Umamusume had truly appeared before her, she finally truly took her seriously. Perhaps one day in the future, she too would grow to a frightening height.

I need to become stronger.

How long had it been since she had felt such an urgent thought? Rudolf felt the hot blood in her chest boiling once more.

“I still need to develop my aura further. Let’s make frightening that child to tears the goal… An aura that can scare opponents into crying—‘cry aura’… Heh-heh…”

For some reason, she laughed softly.

T/N: rudolf………. HUEHUEHUEUEH

This is a fan translation of 迫于生计，赛马娘登上赛场！ by 扶风三尺 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!