"How old are you this year?"
Mejiro Ardan, who was strolling around Central Tracen Academy with Bless the Moment, asked casually.
"Fourteen."
"Fourteen?" The blue-haired Uma Musume instinctively replied, "Are you planning to apply to our Central Tracen next year?"
"..."
Bless the Moment didn't answer. Her head slowly drooped.
"I… can't apply to Central Tracen." Just as Mejiro Ardan realized she'd unintentionally said something wrong and wanted to make amends, the white-haired Uma Musume, whose face was hard to make out, spoke in a low voice.
"My body is too weak. I can't handle the physical strain of training or high-intensity races."
"…I'm sorry."
Mejiro Ardan watched the white-haired Uma Musume walking beside her, as if seeing a shadow of her past self in the girl.
Unsure of what to say, she hesitated for a long moment before finally uttering an apology.
"It's alright, really."
The white-haired Uma Musume shook her head, awkwardly steering the conversation away. "Where are we headed next?"
"…How about we go see the statue of the Three Goddesses?"
Mejiro Ardan thought for a moment, then dismissed her initial idea and said to the white-haired Uma Musume, "If you make a wish sincerely, they will hear you."
"If I wish to the Three Goddesses, will my body become like a normal Uma Musume's?"
"…Yes."
Mejiro Ardan looked at the white-haired girl beside her, a heavy sense of guilt sprouting in her heart.
I'm sorry…
The blue-haired Uma Musume apologized silently to Bless the Moment.
Tsk, tsk, tsk… You're still no good at this, are you, little clumsy Ardan.
Bless the Moment, who had deliberately fallen a step behind, watched Mejiro Ardan's back and shook her head with a sigh.
After all this time apart, you're still as simple and easy to read as ever.
Without even needing to guess, Bless the Moment could tell exactly what was going through the other's mind. She took the opportunity to glance around.
When she'd first arrived, Satono Diamond and Kitasan Black had walked too fast for her to get a proper look at the surroundings.
Now, whether intentionally or not, Mejiro Ardan had slowed her pace, giving Bless the Moment a chance to observe.
Nothing's really changed all that much, just all the old buildings have been renovated… Hm? When was this turned into a flower bed?
"We're here."
Mejiro Ardan, walking ahead, came to a stop and stepped aside to make way for the white-haired Uma Musume.
A stone statue carved with three Uma Musume came fully into view. Clear water continuously flowed from the jar they carried on their shoulders.
Even though Central Tracen Academy had been completely renovated inside and out, the Three Goddess statue looked just the same as it always had.
Taking a few steps forward, Bless the Moment noted the statue was exactly as she remembered and couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia.
Under Mejiro Ardan's gaze, Bless the Moment stepped before the Three Goddess statue, pressed her palms together, and put on a show of praying reverently.
—I'm back.
Bless the Moment whispered in her heart.
Am I seeing things?
While the white-haired Uma Musume was praying, Mejiro Ardan, who had glanced casually at the statue, froze.
Is the Three Goddess statue… glowing?
Thinking she might be hallucinating, the blue-haired Uma Musume blinked, but the light emanating from the statue only grew brighter.
…Are the Three Goddesses truly answering prayers?!
"That should do it, right?"
After praying a few times, Bless the Moment turned to look at Mejiro Ardan, who was staring intently at the statue, and asked.
"Huh? Ah, yes."
The blue-haired Uma Musume responded vaguely, only now noticing the white light had vanished as suddenly as it appeared, as if it had never been there.
"Ardan…senpai?"
Noticing Mejiro Ardan was still staring fixedly at the statue, Bless the Moment followed her gaze. "What's wrong?"
"Sorry… I just remembered something."
Mejiro Ardan shook her head, making up a quick excuse for her lapse, but when her focus returned to the white-haired Uma Musume, her mind drifted again.
She saw a transparent screen appear suddenly before her eyes.
On the left side of the screen, a small chibi version of Bless the Moment stood perfectly still. On the right, a large set of data was displayed.
--+--
[Bless the Moment (Nakatsuru Aya)]
[Speed: 92]
[Stamina: 89]
[Power: 89]
[Guts: 80]
[Wit: 100]
[Condition: Frail, Practice Poor, Slow Metabolism…]
--+--
The moment she saw the name [Nakatsuru Aya], Mejiro Ardan's attention was completely captured by it.
Trainer's name?
Why is it showing up here? And placed right after Bless the Moment's name?
What connection does she have with trainer?
"Um… Ardan-senpai?"
Noticing the blue-haired Uma Musume staring intently at her, Bless the Moment looked puzzled. "Is there something on my face?"
Could Little Clumsy Ardan have figured something out?
But that can't be… What flaw could I possibly have right now?
Bless the Moment wondered inwardly.
"…It's nothing."
Mejiro Ardan fell silent for a long while, then finally shook her head.
That trainer had passed away years ago. And judging by Bless the Moment's age, she couldn't possibly be the trainer's daughter.
Better to first figure out what this transparent screen the Three Goddesses dumped on me is actually for.
"Finished praying? Do you feel any better?"
Setting the matter aside for now, Mejiro Ardan asked with a smile.
"Feel better…? No."
Bless the Moment shook her head. "I don't feel any different."
"I see…"
Forcing down the questions already rising to her lips, Mejiro Ardan struggled to keep her expression neutral as she smiled and responded.
--+--
"Trainer? What's on your mind?"
In the Spica team lounge, Daiwa Scarlet, watching Coach Okino sit propping his chin after Tokai Teio and the others had left, couldn't hold back her question.
"I'm thinking about Bless the Moment."
Okino answered without thinking.
"You've got your eye on her?"
Daiwa Scarlet understood immediately.
Seems like once Bless the Moment enrolls, our Spica team will have another new member.
"No, I was thinking her physical condition might not be very good."
"?"
Daiwa Scarlet looked at Okino sitting behind his desk, her expression turning odd. "You figured that out from feeling her legs?"
"Yes."
Okino nodded, his expression serious. "As much as I hate to say it… she isn't suited for the racetrack."
"If she pushes herself too hard, she might…"
Okino didn't finish, but every Uma Musume in the team lounge knew what he meant.
"Is it more serious than Ardan-senpai's condition?"
Gold Ship asked.
"Compared to her, Ardan's situation was relatively mild."
Okino replied.
The fact that Ardan could retire peacefully was partly thanks to her trainer—Nakatsuru Aya.
If only Nakatsuru Aya were still here…
Okino sighed, shaking the thought from his head.
Ah… what am I thinking.
--+--
T/N: This is a pretty interesting concept, also idk how one gets frail and overweight, but that's how it's translated.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.