Chapter 235: Getting the Wrong Idea
Feeling that he had explained things clearly, Makoto found himself speaking more and more smoothly. He couldn't help but feel relieved and looked back at Kitasan Black.
Then he noticed that the Kitasan Black who had just been blushing—looking excited and a little shy—seemed to have a hint of disappointment flash through her eyes.
Kitasan Black hadn't realized it at first.
But now she vaguely understood that the strange embarrassment she had felt earlier came from thinking that her Trainer had specially ordered a set of pajamas resembling her Signature Racewear just to support her.
And as her thoughts wandered, the mishap in the kitchen last time briefly surfaced in her mind.
Even though Bamboo Memory-senpai had comforted her afterward, the scene from that day had still left a deep impression. Whenever she accidentally thought of it, her face would still flush red.
Normally, she was rather carefree and didn't dwell on things like that.
But seeing a similar situation now had unintentionally brought those memories back.
If her Trainer had really ordered those pajamas specially to support her, it would have been an incredibly happy thing.
And knowing that someone wholeheartedly supported her was one thing—but actually seeing that support embodied in the pajamas he wore would certainly feel different.
Yet after hearing her Trainer's explanation, she suddenly realized that she might have misunderstood and gotten carried away with her own assumptions.
Still, the disappointment lasted only a moment.
Even if the pajamas weren't specially ordered, from what he had just said it was clear that her Trainer had been busy handling many matters related to her, while she herself had barely known anything about them.
Things like the pajamas, collaborations, endorsements—she understood none of it and had never really paid attention.
Thinking about it now, even if the reason wasn't what she had imagined, it still proved that her later thoughts were correct: her Trainer truly had put a great deal of effort into supporting her.
With that realization, Kitasan Black quickly regained her energy and finally remembered the real reason she had come tonight.
"Trainer, you…"
She opened her mouth, but realizing her heart was still beating fast, she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself.
"Actually, the reason I came today is because there's something very important I want to tell you…"
Makoto couldn't quite understand what was going on with Kitasan Black. Her emotions seemed to change wave after wave.
When he first opened the door, she had looked somewhat shy.
Soon after, disappointment seemed to flash in her eyes.
But in the blink of an eye she returned to her usual cheerful self, and now she suddenly looked extremely serious.
Seeing her like this—and recalling that moment of apparent shyness earlier—Makoto's thoughts began drifting elsewhere without his realizing it.
Outside the window, the bright moon hung high in the sky. Silver-white moonlight spilled across the ground, draping the world in a dreamy veil.
At such a quiet late hour, when everything was silent, a lively and energetic girl stood outside his door. After her expression had shifted several times, she now said seriously that she had something important to say.
At this moment, in this situation…
Was it really that strange for slightly romantic thoughts to appear?
But very quickly, after unconsciously holding his breath and listening to what Kitasan Black said, Makoto felt a wave of disappointment he couldn't control.
"Gold Ship… her strength declining? So that's what you meant. I thought…"
He muttered involuntarily, then suddenly noticed the disappointment in his tone and hurriedly shook his head.
Isn't this something important? I was just thinking about it earlier. So what exactly was I thinking about…
Pushing away the messy thoughts in his mind—and also realizing that he still hadn't invited Kitasan Black inside—he quickly walked toward the room as if casually and said apologetically,
"I was actually just thinking about this too. It's just… anyway, come inside first and we can talk."
Kitasan Black blinked, bit her lip, and gave a slightly dejected "Oh," before obediently walking inside and closing the door.
The reason she had hesitated to talk about her guess regarding Gold Ship-senpai, and the feelings that followed from it, was precisely because she feared her Trainer might be disappointed.
After all, placing hope for victory on an opponent becoming weaker felt far too cowardly.
No matter how she thought about it, that wasn't the kind of thought a runner—or especially herself—should have.
Her Trainer probably wouldn't want her to have thoughts like that either… would he?
She had vaguely felt just now that her Trainer seemed a little disappointed. Thinking things might really be heading toward the worst possibility, her heart tightened.
But soon she realized she had been overthinking.
After they entered the room, Makoto pointed to the sofa, signaling for Kitasan Black to sit down. He himself walked to the nearby desk and picked up a stack of documents along with a tablet.
"Actually, I've also been paying attention to Gold Ship's situation during this time. Of course, not just her—I've been observing all the opponents for the Arima Kinen lately."
As he spoke, he flipped through the documents.
"It's just that I'm more familiar with Gold Ship."
"And…"
He paused.
"Because of the losses at the Takarazuka Kinen and the Japan Cup, Orfevre even came to ask me personally about my opinion on Gold Ship's current condition."
Kitasan Black had still been worrying about her Trainer's reaction to her thoughts, but hearing this made her instantly forget her little concerns.
Sitting on the sofa, she leaned forward slightly, eyes fixed on her Trainer as she listened carefully.
Hearing that Orfevre-senpai had even come to consult her Trainer made her frown lightly, feeling even more worried about Gold Ship's situation.
"From what we've observed, combined with the information Orfevre provided, I think there's nothing wrong with Gold Ship's physical condition."
Makoto raised his head and met Kitasan Black's gaze.
"You know that you all undergo regular physical examinations every year, and sometimes additional ones if necessary."
"And when we trainers prepare for races, we can apply to review those medical records."
As he spoke, he pulled out a stack of papers from the documents, walked over, and handed them to Kitasan Black.
"How should I put it… judging from Gold Ship's medical reports, her physical health…"
He paused briefly.
"…is astonishing."
"From her debut race until now, she's been racing for a full four years. That's much longer than the average racing career for an Umamusume, which is about two years."
"And so far, she has run 27 races, and about ninety percent of them were high-level graded races with intense competition."
"But throughout all that, she hasn't had any major injuries. You could even say she hasn't had any minor issues either."
Taking the report and quickly scanning it, Kitasan Black's eyes widened with growing surprise.
"You're right… I always thought Gold Ship-senpai had incredible physical ability, but I didn't expect… there's not even a single hospitalization or medical visit recorded?"
She looked up in astonishment and exclaimed.
"No. Not a single one."
Makoto nodded again, a strange expression flashing in his eyes.
"To be honest, when I look at a report like this, it even makes me suspect something…"
"Suspect… what?" Kitasan Black asked, startled.
"Suspect…"
Makoto gave a wry smile.
"Whether Gold Ship has actually ever gone all out in a race since her debut."
"Because all of her physical data is just too healthy. Her physical condition is so good that it almost looks like she's never raced at all…"
He paused.
"Brand new."
"Yeah, brand new. That's the only word I can use to describe how it feels."
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Tn: I updated the story daily, but if you want to see more chapter of this story ahead of time, please go to my Patreon.
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