A week and a half after the [Japan Cup], I finally regained consciousness to find myself laying in Tracen Central's infirmary.
It was the first time I'd genuinely been here, and I had to say that the whole thing felt discomforting. The pastel blue patient gown I wore, the white blanket laid over me, the IV drip attached to my arm, the electronic beeping from the heart monitor—it was just a strange experience all around.
And even more strangely was the odd familiarity I felt about this whole scenario, as if I'd somehow seen this before. It reminded me of ████ for a reason I couldn't ex…plain…
…what was I thinking again?
Oh, right.
A nurse entered not long after I woke up, and soon after, a whole platoon of nurses and doctors came into the infirmary. They performed a standard health checkup on me, and they were astonished at the results they saw.
See, compared to Oguri, I was far more injured by the end of the [Japan Cup]. Aside from enduring the pressure of three clashing Domains without a Domain of my own, I also activated eight Skills during the final straight of the race. Suffice to say, I completely overloaded my own body, and when they wheeled me into a hospital, they were horrified to see the extent of the damage I suffered.
Torn muscles in my calves, bruised bones, injured lungs, and an overall dangerous concentration of cortisol. Just bruising my bones could've easily been a career-ending injury, but combined with everything else, the doctors were unsure if I'd even be able to walk when I next awoke.
In fact, this was why Director Akikawa had been so cagey about Oguri and I. She just wasn't sure if I'd manage to recover at all.
But apparently I could. I didn't remember it myself, but they said that I'd woken up just days after the [Japan Cup], and had enough strength to overpower the group of nurses that'd tried to push me back onto my bed. It was only when Hayakawa Tazuna came in that I was subdued, which spoke volumes on how much strength I had despite all my injuries.
And now my injuries had recovered even more. My legs still felt pretty horrid, and I was forbidden to run at all, but I would completely recover.
The speed and extent of my recovery was incredible—downright miraculous, even. Had any other umamusume suffered those injuries, their career would immediately be over. On the other hand, the doctors simply told me that I had to rest for two months or so, and only once I fully recovered would I be able to return to the racetrack.
In fact, the whole thing was so miraculous that a few of the doctors who'd treated me asked if I could donate a few samples of my cells for study. They wanted to see if they could replicate the incredible healing prowess my body had, and perhaps even apply that same miraculous healing for other umamusume.
I agreed and wished them luck, though I wasn't optimistic they'd find anything.
I had a suspicion that my incredible healing had less to do with my own body, and was more a product of the game-like System attached to me. Because while injuries like these were pretty horrific, in the game, a single trip to the infirmary could heal them without issue. Heck, injuries in general weren't as dangerous in-game compared to the manga—with umamusume like Teio outright ignoring her fracture in her game career.
Regardless, I'd learnt my lesson. Even with my miraculous recovery, activating all my Skills at once in such a dangerous situation couldn't be done again. I'd either have to spread them out a little more, or develop a Domain of my own to better protect myself against the Domain of others. The latter was a still on-going project, but I'm slowly getting there.
Though, speaking of recovery,
"Oguri."
"Nn?"
I raised an eyebrow. "You know I can still use my hands, right?"
She tilted her head. "So?"
I smiled wryly as I glanced at the spoonful of fried rice she was holding up to my mouth, clearly intent on feeding me. For a moment, I wanted to mention that we were out in public, but I eventually sighed and ate the spoonful of rice, and Oguri's lips curled up with satisfaction.
I could only chew as I did my best to ignore all the eyes turned our way.
If my healing was miraculous, then Oguri once again showed why she was called the Beast. Despite also not having a Domain to protect herself during the [Japan Cup], she'd come out of it practically untouched. Unlike me who was forced to use crutches to walk, the only thing Oguri suffered was a minor sprain on her right ankle, and even that wasn't too problematic.
The sheer endurance of her body was ridiculous, and it suddenly made sense why she was able to continue to race in the manga while many of her rivals began retiring.
That aside,
I couldn't help but sneak a few glances at Oguri as I chewed. Nothing seemed out of place—Oguri was like she usually was. She didn't look like someone who'd just recently woken up after collapsing after the [Japan Cup], and she gave no care to the many eyes that stared at us.
But my gut told me otherwise. Sure, nothing looked wrong, but I couldn't help but feel like something had changed.
The first odd thing was how Oguri had woken up just minutes after I did, and when she saw me, she'd stared at me like she was seeing a ghost. Not only that, when the doctors mentioned that I wouldn't be able to run for two months or so, Oguri had only nodded.
That was already alarming enough, and her lack of a reaction was even more telling. While Belno and Kitahara were saddened by my state, and Musaka relieved that I'd make a full recovery, Oguri barely reacted at all. She was the one who should've had the most volatile reaction, considering how much she loved running, but she just didn't.
Then there was the whole thing about Oguri constantly shadowing me. Wherever I went, Oguri would make sure she was there as well. There was barely a minute when I wasn't with Oguri.
And then there were those moments. The occasional moment when I'd catch Oguri staring at her legs in silence, with an emotion I could only describe as pleasant confusion. She would stare at her own legs for minutes on end, though she'd immediately stop when she noticed I was there.
It was just…strange. Nothing should've happened to her. Nothing could've happened, considering she didn't wake up at all during our time in the infirmary.
Yet I couldn't help but feel otherwise.
"Star?"
"Hm?" I turned to her, and saw her holding up another spoonful of fried rice. I restrained the urge to sigh as I took a bite, and Oguri nodded as she moved to grab another spoonful. I felt my cheeks twitch a little, and I decided to quickly swallow my food and speak. "Hey, Oguri."
She paused just moments from grabbing another spoonful of rice, and then tilted her head at me, "Nn? What is it?"
"You'll be missing out on the [Arima Kinen] as well, right?" I frowned slightly. "You okay with that?"
It couldn't be helped. Although Oguri's injuries were minor compared to mine, the doctor had also forbidden her from racing for at least a month. And unfortunately, that meant that they'd both be missing out on the [Arima Kinen]; a race we'd also been eyeing.
Yet Oguri showed no sadness, only mildly shaking her head. "It's fine." She said, before she smiled slightly. "We can race again later."
I shrugged. "Well, that's true." And she was. The [Arima Kinen] was held once a year in late December—there was nothing stopping us from running it next year.
But again, this was weird, wasn't it!? I knew Oguri had grown calmer after the summer camp, but this was a little much, wasn't it!? Shouldn't this whole 'mellowing-out' phase happen after she retired!?
"Here." Oguri said as she held up a spoonful of fried rice, oblivious to my growing suspicions.
I stared at her for a moment, before I sighed and obediently ate the spoonful of rice she was feeding me. And as Oguri moved to grab another spoonful from the massive mountain of fried rice she'd received from the cafeteria lady, I narrowed my eyes at her with growing determination.
I'm onto you, Oguri Cap.
Mark my words, I'll definitely find out what's changed!