Okino stared at the friend request, his face etched with confusion.
…Who in the world is this?
That single, brief line in the bio sent his mind into overdrive.
Someone he knew? Or was someone playing a prank on him with a fake account?
But the account level didn't seem like a throwaway.
Muttering to himself, Okino accepted the request.
[SilentGazer: ?]
The moment he accepted, before he could even switch to the chat window to ask who it was, the other person beat him to it—sending a single question mark.
[SilentGazer: You're still up this late? Don't tell me you're pulling another all-nighter at the office?]
You're one to talk, you know how late it is? Okino instinctively retorted in his head.
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: Who is this?]
[SilentGazer: It's been over a decade, and you've already forgotten me?]
Over a decade?
That key phrase put Okino on alert.
…This isn't someone coming to borrow money, is it?
[SilentGazer: Hey, hey, hey? You still there?]
Just as he was considering blocking the person and closing the chat, the other user—whose avatar was a chibi version of Mejiro Ardan—typed out another line: [In these ten-plus years since I died, have you and Hana made any actual progress?]
Died over a decade ago?
Reading the words on the screen, Okino's hovering finger froze mid-air.
What do you mean, 'died over a decade ago'? Do you even hear yourself?
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: Just who are you?!]
[SilentGazer: I've made it this obvious and you still haven't figured it out? I thought we were friends?]
Who's friends with you… Wait, over ten years ago?
Okino's expression grew significantly more serious.
A friend who died over a decade ago… There was indeed someone in his memory who fit all three of those keywords.
But how could it possibly be her? It absolutely couldn't be her!
He had seen the coffin carrying her body lowered into the ground with his own eyes!
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: You think it's funny to use a dead person's identity like this?]
[SilentGazer: You think I'm impersonating your departed friend?]
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: You're definitely not her!]
[SilentGazer: I see… Well then, let's talk about something only the two of us would know.]
Tch… Still struggling even now? How pathetic.
Having completely forgotten about his work, a scornful smile twisted Okino's lips.
Let's see what other nonsense you can come up with.
[SilentGazer: You left the training industry for a while due to certain reasons. Also, 'Okino' isn't your original name. Your real name is Ryosuke Nishizaki.]
Cough, cough, cough!
Seeing that line, Okino choked on the energy drink he hadn't yet swallowed, his face rapidly turning a visible shade of red.
Hold on a second?! How does this person know about that?!
Fewer than five people knew about that. Where did she learn it?!
[SilentGazer: On my 24th birthday, you invited me out for drinks. You got so drunk you started shouting about proposing to Hana once your team became the best in the country… It's been so long, don't tell me you two still haven't made any headway?]
Ugh… The dead memories, they're attacking me!
Okino's face contorted.
[SilentGazer: So? Is that enough? If not, I also know where you live, you know~]
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: Enough, enough!]
Okino rubbed his arm, feeling goosebumps rising, as his fingers flew across the keyboard: [Where are you right now?]
[SilentGazer: I'm at home, of course.]
Home?
Okino couldn't suppress a shiver.
Wasn't your old place torn down and replaced with a new building?!
No… At this point, no matter what, I have to go and see for myself!
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: Stay right there. I'm coming to see you right now!]
[SilentGazer: What if I told you… you've already seen me?]
"…"
Okino, who was in the middle of putting his jacket on, froze solid.
We've already met? When?
Last week? Yesterday?
…It couldn't be just now, could it?
The moment that thought crossed his mind, Okino's hair stood on end.
No, no, no. Can't overthink this, can't overthink this.
Okino shook his head vigorously, trying to dislodge the terrifying thoughts flooding his mind, then started typing again on his phone's virtual keyboard.
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: Are you human or a ghost? Where are you really?]
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: Hey? Are you still there? Don't go silent on me?!]
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: Hey? Hey?!]
--+--
"Sis, I'm heading to bed now."
"Ah… alright."
Mejiro Ardan, her attention completely absorbed by the transparent screen only she could see, was slow to respond.
It's already this late…
The blue-haired Uma Musume glanced at the time and stood up, heading towards the second floor.
…This transparent screen that had suddenly appeared in her vision seemed to simplify that child, Bless the Moment's, various abilities into more intuitive data.
After closing her bedroom door, Ardan sat on the edge of her bed and summoned the transparent screen once more.
She had already figured out all the functions of this screen. If there was anything she still didn't understand…
Her eyes scanned the character data panel and the task log in the lower right corner, finally settling on the name field at the very top.
[Bless the Moment (Nakatsuru Aya)].
The former was a young Uma Musume she had just met today. The latter was her trainer, who had passed away long ago.
Why was her trainer's name listed after her own? Could there be some connection between them that she wasn't aware of?
But judging by age, she didn't seem like she could be the trainer's daughter…
…I should have asked that child for her contact info.
Ardan felt a pang of regret.
She could only hope they would meet again someday.
With a sigh, the blue-haired Uma Musume burrowed under her covers.
With a soft click, the room fell completely silent.
Ah… Trainer.
Lying in bed, Ardan's thoughts drifted to the past.
Her meeting with her trainer had been an accident.
One accident, one meeting; one promise, and then another accident.
Trainer, we made a promise together…
We agreed we'd go see the ocean together once things settled down. How could you just leave like that?
You didn't even give me a chance to tell you how I felt.
--+--
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.