"Goodnight, Ms. Tazuna!"
Maruzensky waved enthusiastically at the retreating figure of Hayakawa Tazuna, who was dressed in her signature green hat and outfit, stumbling slightly as she walked away. Turning on her heel, the chestnut-maned Uma Musume made her way back into the grounds of Tracen Academy.
'...That child should be home by now, right?'
Thinking of the white-haired young Uma Musume she'd encountered earlier that day, Maruzensky, who was carrying a middle school textbook, murmured to herself.
'Maruzensky, oh Maruzensky, what's gotten into you today? How could you put your foot in your mouth twice in a row? Even if that kid didn't seem to mind, I should be ashamed of myself.'
She let out a heavy sigh.
'Well, at least she's decided to enroll at Central Tracen... I'll just have to keep an eye out for her once she arrives.'
With these thoughts running through her mind, the brown-haired Uma Musume stepped through the school gates.
The Central Tracen Academy at night was as quiet as ever, the silence broken only by the chirping of insects.
Streetlights placed at regular intervals illuminated the main paths, ensuring that anyone walking at night wouldn't stumble into anything in the dark.
...Hm? Since when was there a new light installed near the Three Goddesses statue?
Noticing something different about the familiar scenery, Maruzensky scanned the area until her eyes landed on the Three Goddesses statue, which was emitting a faint, soft glow.
Wait, that wasn't an external light—the statue itself was glowing!
...Are the Three Goddesses manifesting?!
As the light emanating from the statue grew steadily brighter, a look of sheer astonishment spread across Maruzensky's face.
--+--
[Bless the Moment (Nakatsuru Aya)]
[Speed: 92]
[Stamina: 89]
[Power: 89]
[Guts: 80]
[Wit: 100]
[Condition: Frail, Practice Poor, Slow Metabolism…]
[Character Status] [Quest List]
--+--
After a few seconds, the light from the Three Goddesses statue faded completely, as if it had never been there at all. The moment the glow vanished, a strange, translucent screen popped into existence, completely filling Maruzensky's field of view.
'Bless the Moment'... and Trainer...?
As Maruzensky read the name following the 'Bless the Moment' title, her expression unconsciously turned serious.
How are these two connected? Even judging by age, there's no way Bless the Moment could be the Trainer's daughter, right?
Surely the Trainer hasn't been reincarnated as a little white-haired Uma Musume?
Maruzensky stopped in her tracks, turned around, and quickly headed toward the dormitories across from the school.
She could always pick up the things she'd left in the student council room tomorrow. Right now, the more important matter was figuring out what this screen displaying such information was all about!
This was related to her Trainer, after all!
--+--
"Whoa... Trainer, you look awful."
The next morning, Special Week looked puzzled upon seeing the exhausted state of Trainer Okino. "I heard from Grass that she saw you leaving with the Trainer from their team after school yesterday... What were you two up to all night?"
...Okino left with Toujou Hana, the Trainer of Team Rigil, and now he's showing up looking completely drained?
Exchanging glances with the other members of Team Spica, Special Week wasn't the only one curious.
Had their Trainer finally had some kind of revelation?
"Congratulations, Trainer."
Gold Ship walked over to Okino, patting him on the shoulder with a tone of mock gravity. "You've finally become a man."
"...What are you all misunderstanding now?"
Okino cracked his eyes open just a slit, his voice weak as he looked at the circle of Uma Musume applauding him. "We just went out for a few drinks last night, that's all."
"A few drinks left you in this state?"
No one in Team Spica bought his story. "Who are you trying to fool?"
"How should I put this..."
Okino fell silent for a long moment, before finally squeezing out a sentence under the collective gaze of the Uma Musume. "...Do you believe in reincarnation?"
"?"
The members of Spica exchanged bewildered looks.
"What in the world happened to you last night?"
In the end, Vodka was the one who voiced the question they all wanted to ask.
"..."
Instead of answering, Okino simply held out his phone.
Curious, they glanced at the screen and saw it was a chat log between their Trainer and someone online.
"Nakatsuru Aya? Why does that name sound so familiar?"
After reading through the messages, Special Week was the first to break the silence.
"...Wasn't she that person from the textbooks?"
The ever-diligent Daiwa Scarlet couldn't help but complain. "Special Week, were you even paying attention in class?"
"Eh? Really? Ahaha..." Special Week rubbed her head and laughed sheepishly.
"So what does this have to do with that 'reincarnation' stuff you mentioned earlier?"
The still-confused Spica members pressed for answers.
"I... No." Okino started, then shook his head vigorously. "Hana and I think the person using this account is Nakatsuru Aya."
"Eeeh?!"
Daiwa Scarlet shivered involuntarily. "But Nakatsuru Aya, she's already..."
"That's why the Trainer asked us if we believed in reincarnation earlier," Gold Ship cut in before Daiwa Scarlet could finish. "So you think she's Nakatsuru Aya, reborn?"
"Mm." Okino nodded, his tone firm. "It's her."
"Want me to help you lure her out then?" Gold Ship rubbed her hands together, eager and ready for action.
"I'm begging you, please keep your 'talents' to yourself." Okino slumped over the desk, his eyelids drooping. "I really don't want to end up in the police station again."
"Trainer, don't you want to see your reincarnated friend?" Gold Ship leaned in close to Okino, her voice a tempting whisper, like a demon's murmur. "...You haven't seen her in over twenty years, right? Don't you want to meet her again?"
"..."
The conflict was plain to see on Okino's face.
Did he not want to see her? Of course he did.
If only he had left a little later that day... would she still be alive?
"No, it's better to leave it be." Despite being tempted, Okino shook his head. "...I really, really don't want to visit the police station. I'm begging you, please let this go."
"Tch, boring." Gold Ship clicked her tongue in disappointment.
...What bad intentions could little Golshi-chan possibly have? She just wanted to see what a living Nakatsuru Aya looked like, that's all.
"Alright, alright, chit-chat time is over." Okino forced himself to perk up after downing an energy drink. "It's training time, everyone. Get ready and assemble at the training field."
"...Trainer, are you sure you're okay in this condition?" Tokai Teio asked, concerned, as their Trainer approached them.
"No problem, no problem at all." Okino grinned widely, giving a thumbs-up. "I'm perfectly fine!"
--+--
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.