"Slap!" A heavy slap echoed crisply in the room, followed by the enraged roar of Tamamo Cross. "Aaargh! I'm so mad! I really want to take a knife and fight these bastards!"
"They praised her to the skies when she was glorious! Now that Oguri's condition has declined, they're dragging her through the mud! These guys really deserve to die!"
On the table that Tamamo Cross had slapped was a freshly printed, still-warm newspaper. Besides that, there were several other newspapers and magazines on the table, all of which had one thing in common: they were all media related to the horse girl column.
And the particularly eye-catching headlines on these newspapers and magazines were also the reason for her anger. Undoubtedly, they were all related to Oguri Cap, who had underperformed in the year-end Arima Kinen—but the target of these headlines was not her.
—News with such headlines appeared one after another in front of them. After the Arima Kinen, almost overnight, the "popularity king" Oguri Cap had changed from the general who defended the dignity of Japanese horse girls to a poor horse girl whose remaining value was being squeezed out by an unscrupulous trainer.
And Kitano was that "unscrupulous trainer" who was being smeared.
Actually, this kind of situation had happened before. When he was in the local area, he had not been the trainer of any famous horse girl. Although with his efforts, many local horse girls who could have only struggled for a lifetime had had the opportunity to step onto the central stage, they had not made much of a splash in the central league due to their talent.
It could be said that his good reputation was only known to everyone in Kasamatsu. And in the local area, no matter what he did, it would not attract any attention—after all, how could small local races and small figures attract everyone's attention?
Especially since he was known to have become a central trainer through a "special regulation," this made people who did not know the truth and did not intend to find out the truth have to let their imaginations run wild—his entry into the central league was entirely due to Oguri Cap's fame. Otherwise, with his ability as a local trainer for so many years, he was not worthy of the position of her trainer.
This kind of voice had been spread since he had entered the central league and she had won the Japanese Derby. This kind of voice had never stopped since then, but because she herself had been on a killing spree in the central league, this kind of remark was quickly drowned out and did not cause any waves.
But now, her condition had suddenly declined a month later. No one could explain why she, who could have defeated the queen of New Zealand, had suddenly achieved her lowest result in history. And all the blame was naturally directed at him, who had planned her training and races.
As for why he didn't tell everyone that he was wronged... would anyone believe him if he said so? Especially in a situation where he was already the target of public criticism. If he said that "her condition had declined in a month," would anyone believe it?
Even if there were, it would definitely be his responsibility for lax management. Therefore, he could not escape this blame, because he himself could not explain it.
"Maybe there really is my responsibility in this. I made her race schedule. I should have let her avoid the Arima Kinen and not let her go on the track tired."
"Why are you saying that too?! Don't be led by the nose by public opinion, hey!"
And faced with his soft whisper on the side, Tamamo immediately stood up and slapped his head, as if doing so could slap away his wild thoughts. She immediately stood up and cursed, "Are you stupid? Do you think that if you had let her not run the Arima Kinen, all of this would be fine? How high was her popularity at that time, how great was the temptation of winning the Arima Kinen for several years in a row, don't you know?"
"If at that time, you had announced that she would avoid the race, you would definitely have been flamed too! Anyway, you're wrong no matter what! Don't we know what these people are like?!"
In competition, losing is the original sin. No excuse can avoid this fact. Therefore, the loser will almost inevitably face the pressure of public opinion. But a situation like his, where the charge, because of her high popularity, was fine even if she lost the race, but he was flamed instead, was indeed quite rare.
"Kitano... I'm sorry, I..."
And at this time, Oguri, who had been in a particularly low mood after her defeat in the Arima Kinen, also drooped her ears and timidly walked up. Like a small dog that was very afraid of angering its owner and being abandoned, all of her actions were extremely cautious.
But even so, she did not receive an annoyed response from him, not even a single word of complaint. She soon felt a familiar warmth slowly coming from the top of her head. He gently stroked the head of the lost daughter in front of him and said with a light smile, "You don't have to say anything, Oguri. This was not your fault to begin with. The peak and decline of a horse girl are silent. This is not something you can control."
"On the contrary, it's me. I should have noticed the changes in you earlier. It was I who was derelict in my duty as a trainer."
That's not it... his words, let alone Tamamo Cross, even she could not be fooled. As he himself had said, the changes in a horse girl were silent. A horse girl who was invincible for a year and then fell from grace the next year, such things were common in Europe. It was just that Japan did not promote horse girls with a premature decline bloodline, so most Japanese fans had no experience with this situation.
But for her, a commoner horse girl who had already broken through the limits of her bloodline in terms of public opinion, on the contrary, because of the previous momentum, "bloodline" could not be an excuse for her decline... The glory and honor of her peak period seemed to have suddenly turned into arrows刺ing at her, making her unable to adapt to such a drop for a moment.
The strong-willed Oguri would not show her hesitation and injury to outsiders. Even when facing Tamamo, she would not show a vulnerable side—but only here, with him, she acted like a bullied child, just snuggling in his arms, asking for the warmth and protection that he could bring her.
She believed that he could help her through the difficult times. As long as he was there, her heart would not waver... they could definitely create brilliance again.
"So, Oguri, do you think you want to retire?"
"—No." Upon hearing his inquiry, the snuggling her also stubbornly shook her head. Her little head, which had been buried in his chest, also lifted slightly, her expression plain but revealing a deep stubbornness as she answered, "I can still continue to run. Even if my strength has weakened, I can still win races. I will use my own strength to prove that what they said about him is all wrong."
"He is the most suitable trainer for me. I will go and prove this... believe me."
She tried her best to convey her inner voice to him—she did not want to cause him any burden at all. She wanted to share his worries more than anyone else, but she had no idea what to do.
The job of taking care of him was with Tamamo. With her way of taking care of people, not only could she not share her worries, but she might even cause trouble. The only thing she could do by his side was to, as the most outstanding horse girl under him, strive for more glory and achievements, to make her weight in his eyes become heavier and heavier.
Only when she won a race would he be happy; only when she won a race would he recover more healthily because of his improved mood...
Now, only by winning a race could she make the outside world's misunderstood remarks about him completely disappear. This was the only thing she could do to help him.
She desperately wanted to convey this heartfelt message to him—don't treat her as a burden, and don't ever think she is a drag. She could still help him... she had clearly promised Fujimasa March not to make him work any harder.
"...I understand."
However, faced with her, who was constantly trying to convey her heartfelt message, he also naturally knew her meaning. Therefore, when he heard her idea of wanting to continue running, he did not stop her. Instead, he gratifiedly ruffled her head and affirmed her choice.
"Then, go and run freely—but you have to do it after you've recovered, understand?"
"I've already received a request from the JRA about your comeback. They hope you will announce your comeback in the upcoming Yasuda Kinen... I've refused this matter. The JRA may not be reconciled. After all, the popularity you can bring is simply irreplaceable. If you can't participate in races, it will be a huge loss for them."
"So, Oguri, what I'm about to say, you must remember clearly. Whether I'm there or not, if anyone asks you about your comeback, don't answer. The only thing you need to do now is to rest well."
This time, his expression was more solemn than ever before. He knew very well how much external pressure she was facing in this situation. And everything he was doing with all his might was to prevent her from facing all of this alone, and even more so, from being crushed by public opinion.
And in her eyes, she, for the first time, saw "fear" in his eyes... he seemed to be afraid, afraid that some tragedy would happen, and that this tragedy was very likely to be verified on her. She had never seen him so flustered before.
"During this period of recuperation, no matter what changes happen to your legs and feet, as long as you feel a little uncomfortable, you must tell me immediately. Do you remember?"
"I remember..." Not wanting to worry him, she also nodded quickly. But soon, looking at him in front of her, whose face was slightly pale and much weaker than before, she still felt her heart being fiercely squeezed.
And at this very moment, she, for the first time, cautiously refuted his words. Her voice was filled with incomparable concern, and she answered with a trembling voice, "But... Kitano, you look very bad during this period... I want to win a race for you. Only when I win a race... are you the happiest."
"I want to see you smile, Kitano... I don't want to see you looking so worried... I just hope you can be the same as before... can we go back to the way we were before?"
"..."
However, her trembling words did not receive an immediate reply from him. She noticed his slightly lowered eyes, and Tamamo's averted gaze on the side. Every move of the two of them made her heart beat wildly at this moment.
He hesitated, but he knew that he should not make her anxious. After a brief silence, he chose to lie to the girl in front of him for the first time, making a promise that he might not be able to keep.
"Of course we can, Oguri. As long as you listen to me, we can definitely get through this difficult period together."
"So, can you do as I say now? Go back and rest. But remember not to leave Tracen as much as possible."
"Mm..."
After getting his promise, the vaguely uneasy her finally nodded hesitantly. Under his gentle gaze, she slowly left the room.
And just as she stepped out of the room and had just closed the door, a violent cough came from the room as if it could no longer be suppressed. Soon, she, outside the door, with her extremely strong five senses, clearly heard his undisguised weakness in the room, and immediately after, the sound of Tamamo Cross patting his back and her worried complaints.
She was very slow, but she was not a fool... she knew he was comforting her. She also knew that his gradually recovering body was now, just like her, who had entered a low point, starting to go downhill again... and it was getting worse day by day.
Only by winning a race again could there be hope of changing all this... this was the only way she could help him... the only way.
The aimlessly walking her noticed the noisy sounds from her ears. When she looked up in a daze, she found that she had unknowingly come to the main gate of Tracen—and in her line of sight, there was a sea of people blocked outside the school gate...
The dark mass of reporters, coupled with the dazzling flashes, were constantly making extremely noisy sounds outside the gate—and Hayakawa Tazuna, in her green clothes, was doing her best to block these uninvited guests.
"Friends from the press—the academy has not received an appointment! The director has also not approved your visit! Please go back as soon as possible! Do not affect the daily life of the horse girls of Tracen!"
However, even if she had the strength to crush anyone, she was still a little thin in the face of the sea of reporters. And even if she closed her eyes tightly, the flashes, which seemed to be able to penetrate her eyelids, were still flashing non-stop.
"Miss Tazuna! Please allow us to interview Oguri Cap!"
"Miss Tazuna, do you have any inside information about the rumor that Trainer Kitano has been lax in her daily training?"
"Hey—look! Isn't that her over there?!"
And these reporters also seemed to have noticed her blurry figure not far away. In an instant, the pressure on Tazuna became even greater. Even the main gate of the academy was slightly deformed by the squeeze of these crazy reporters...
And faced with this scene, she, in silence, clenched her fists. Her heart had already made this decision—she would use her absolute victory to change her and his life back to the way it was before.
Mm, I... can definitely do it! Even if I've become weaker and not as strong as before, I'm sure I can still win a G1 race. I still have the strength to prove my ability!
At this moment, the determined Oguri did not know... that the low point she thought she was in now was not the lowest point of her life at all... what she was facing now was still relatively mild.
The real abyss was far from coming. What she would face next would be a world of true despair...
-------
April Special Days *Sale 20%*
patreon.com/RuneA
-------
I, Herta's Fiancé, the Universe's Number One Male Fist (114 Chapter (Simulpub-Full) )
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Succubus in Sixth Street (400 Chapter)
Reborn in Type-Moon, My Sister is Aoko Aozaki (254 Chapter)
MyGO!! A Story Voiced by Me (140 Chapter)
BLEACH: Blade of Purification (158 Chapter)
Konoha: Starting the Game as Yoriichi (400 Chapter)
My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage (140 Chapter)
The Pinnacle of the Navy! Starting from Being Captured by Garp (172 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(80 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (261 Chapter) (Ending)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (200 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: It All Began With Me Being Stepped On by Arlecchino (120 Chapter)
Naruto: I Can Synthesize Summoning Beasts (96 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: The Great Swordsman's System, Disciple of Yoriichi (140 Chapter)
My Wife is a General, but I'm an Emanator of Abundance! (160 Chapter)
Type-Moon: My Nine-Fold Path (140 Chapter)
Uma Musume: They're Peeking at My Diary, and All of Tracen is Panickin (Ending)
The Wild History of Type-Moon world (70 Chapter)
Reborn in Conan, But I Refuse to Be the Bad Guy (80 Chapter)
Ruan Mei is begging me to go back? But there's no going back anymore (140 Chapter)
Just a Slacker at Tracen Academy (165 Chapter)
Survival in Blue Archive (70 Chapter)
Kimetsu no Yaiba: Doma Wasn't Hated Today, Either (100 Chapter)
The Vibe of This Chat Group is a Little Off (100 Chapter)
Heartbreak Simulator: I Broke Them and Made Them Cry (80 Chapter)
The Talentless Trainer Doesn't Want to Restart (80 Chapter)
A Journey Starting as a Quincy (80 Chapter)
Uma Musume: The Master of Romance Obstruction (80 Chapter)
Uma Musume: You Can't Be a Hero Without a Little Chemical Enhancement (40 Chapter)
Honkai Impact 3rd Your Boyfriend is Really Amazing (40 Chapter)
Warhammer 40K: My Fiancée, Fulgrim (180 Chapter)
Classroom of the Elite: Trying to Capture Me! (120 Chapter)
Genshin Impact My Named Senji Muramas (150 Chapter)
A Chef, the Vice-Captain of the Rocks Pirates? (160 Chapter)
Naruto : My Uchiha Girlfriend is Too Tsundere (130 Chapter)
Type-Moon: Reincarnated in a Lostbelt, I Became the Alien God (90 Chapter)
The Way These Horse Girls Look at Me Is Terrifying! (160 Chapter)
Naruto: Tsunade's Deskmate (130 Chapter)
I Just Want to Live a Normal (50 Chapter).
Genshin Impact: A Hundred Confessions? It's Just a System Task (70 Chapter)
OnePiece : Starting as a Veteran of the Roger Pirates (60 Chapter)
Uma Musume : I Have Special Horse Taming Techniques (190 Chapter)
Uma Musume : My other self is a Horse Girl (130 Chapter)
Jujutsu Kaisen : All Affection Stats Maxed Out (200 Chapter)
Satou Kazuma's Decision to Live by Swindling, Starting from Re:Zero (60 Chapter)
Bleach : Ichigo! Take Over the Soul Society (89 Chapter)
Crossover Anime: The Master of Plagiarism with a 'Love Obstacle (140 Chapter)
Arknights Succubus Nurturing System, But I'm a Quiet Office Worker (90 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: Using My Personas to Break the Hearts of Players (50 Chapter)
One Punch Man : i am King? (150 Chapter)
Genshin: My Stats Are Irresistible (70 Chapter)
Naruto: Master of Dream Fulfillment! (70 Chapter)
Why Are All My Chat Group Friends Spin-Off Characters? (130 Chapter)
Arknights : Batman System (30 Chapter)
Chat Group: Swapping Bodies with the Bad-Ending Herta from the Start (80 Chapter)
DanMachi: Why Did My Dungeon Turn Into a Soulslike Game? (130 Chapter)
Losing Money on Uma Musume...What Do You Mean You Actually Won? (120 Chapter)
I'm Gotou Hitori—Who Are You? (40 Chapter)
Were You Ever Even a Uma Musume? Stop Making Things Up! (78 Chapter)
Moon Project: A Full-Time Love Adventure for the Lobotomy Corporation (75 Chapter)
The Leisurely Days of the Hyuga Main House (65 Chapter)
Arknights : A Draco Surviving in a Matriarchal Terra (189 Chapter)
Arknights: What if My Luck Is Too Good? (135 Chapter)
Honkai: The Romance System Only Shows Up After I Marry Mei (55 Chapter)
Arknights: Who Are You Calling Repressed, X?! (145 Chapter)
The Chat Group Only Arrived After I'd Cleared the Game (102 Chapter)
Gojo Satoru Flat-Out Refuses to Admit He's a Supporting Character (40 Chapter)
Chat Group Isn't Supposed to Be Like This! (30 Chapter)
If You're Moriarty...then Who Am I? (140 Chapter)
Uma Musume: Since I "Can't See," They Take Turns Stealing My Underwear (50 Chapter)
Arknights: Why Are All My "Brothers" Girls? (54 Chapter)
Danmachi: Start Training Haki (59 Chapter)
Emiya Shirou's Rebirth (30 Chapter)
I Can Get Stronger Just by AFK'ing—So I Joined a Chat Group (50 Chapter)
Endfield: I Can Always Pull Out One Yuan (65 Chapter)
Limbus Company : I Started a Company in Project Moon (50 Chapter)
Lobotomy: Do Cooks of Alley 23 Dream of Bloodfiend Knights? (50 Chapter)
DanMachi: Freya Familia's "One-Blade Shura" (60 Chapter)
DanMachi: Emiya, the Great Hero Becomes the Protagonist (90 Chapter)
TYPE-MOON: One Special Instance Every Week (40 Chapter)
From Danmachi: The Abundance Apothecary (70 Chapter)
Lord Shadow Descends on DanMachi (90 Chapter)
Fuse with Me, Exusiai! (41 Chapter)
Honkai: Star Rail — After I Die, I Forge Their Madness (60 Chapter)
DanMachi: The Last Zeus Familia (95 Chapter)
Endfield: Arknights Heroic Spirit Summoning (75 Chapter)
Toyokawa Family Finances (105 Chapter)
Starting From DanMachi to Become Stronger (90 Chapter)
DanMachi: My Familia Is Made Up Entirely of Heroines from Every World! (75 Chapter)
Arknights: My Intel Refreshes Daily (110 Chapter)
Digimon : I Never Meant to Do Evil, Even Though I Wasn't Chosen (40 Chapter)
Miss Holmes Could Never Be the Losing Heroine! (40 Chapter)
Takayama Gamu at Tracen Academy (40 Chapter)
Legendary Trainer Takes on MYGO (40 Chapter)
Arknights : Yandere Game: The Operators Have Come Knocking (100 Chapter)
Arknights: This Dating Sim Is Seriously Wrong! (120 Chapter)
Arknights : Ch'en Hui-chieh, I'm Done Being the Good Guy! (50 Chapter)
Type-Moon: Wasn't This Supposed to Be a Family Simulator? Why Am I the Family Heirloom? (40 Chapter)
Honkai: Star Rail : The Trailblazer Only Wants a Peaceful Life (45 Chapter)
Arknights: The Unlucky Dad? But I've Got the Chronicle of Time! (55 Chapter)
The Wheelchair War God Is Speedrunning Hogwarts (50 Chapter)
DanMachi: The Elemental Blaster of Orario (45 Chapter)
Playing Honkai in Star Rail (30 Chapter)
As an Alien, I'm Solo Leveling in Warhammer 40K (30 Chapter)
Arknights: A Symbiote's Survival Guide (70 Chapter)
My Yu-Gi-Oh! Deck Is Built Entirely from Stuff I Picked Up (30 Chapter)
I Can Hear the Thoughts of Uma Mutsume (30 Chapter)
Dead-Men Chat Group: Winning the Resurrection Bracket (40 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero: Saving the World While Falling in Love! (40 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: My Breathing Techniques Can Be Leveled Up (50 Chapter)
Type-Moon Age of Gods: Starting with a Simulation as Heracles (10 Chapter)
Terra Love Trap: They All Want Me to Themselves (30 Chapter)
Dimensional Ranking: Top Ten Saviors (30 Chapter)
Jujutsu Kaisen: Naoya Zen'in Wants to Stay Alive! (30 Chapter)
Bleach: This Everyday Multiverse Is Seriously Falling Apart! (30 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it