After all, she couldn't exactly tell Cherry she got hurt because of racing; it might scare the poor girl even more, especially when Cherry had just confessed how much she wanted to experience the thrill of racing herself.
"Someone tried to hurt her, but luckily, she was quick-witted enough to escape the danger. Still, she got injured in the process… but this is the best outcome we could hope for," Rafael said, coughing lightly as he cleared his throat.
He couldn't think of a better excuse at this point, so he settled for something vague, letting their imagination do the rest. That way, Cherry would feel sympathy for Hera and drop the subject altogether.
At the same time, it might serve as a quiet warning, a reminder for Cherry not to be too trusting, that not everyone around her had good intentions, and what happened to Hera could just as easily happen to her.
