What, exactly, was a new era? The answer varied from person to person.
For Eclipse, although she had said Tokai Teio would usher in the new era, she herself did not really understand what a new era was, nor did she care.
She had done what she did not because of some grand scheme, nor because she possessed any world-shaking wisdom—in fact, one could even say she did not much like using her head.
It was simply that, after learning the truth, she felt Kitahara would choose this path, so she had laid some groundwork in advance.
Then there was Shanish. In her original plan, only a future without Umamusume could be called a new era.
As long as Umamusume still existed in the human world, as long as the Three Goddesses still hung over humanity's dome, then no matter what changed, everything would eventually return to where it had begun.
Even now, she still did not trust the Three Goddesses. It was only because of Kitahara's existence that she had, for the time being, chosen to wait and see.
As for the new era in the eyes of the Three Goddesses...
"Maybe we should make race car girls? After all, in plenty of other worlds, cars replaced horses."
"Feels less... popular than shipgirls."
"Want to try holding a Steel Ball Run race?"
Clearly, not one of these three clowns had managed to offer a reliable suggestion.
It was not that none of them had any feasibility whatsoever, but the new era had only just begun. Taking too big a step right out of the gate was bound to cause problems, and the details still had to be discussed.
As for Kitahara, last of all...
After confirming that Tokai Teio's condition was stable, he did not linger there for long.
After all, this was the Umamusume dorm. Staying too long would reflect badly on him—of course, not in the eyes of the Umamusume, but in the eyes of the Trainers.
For once, Eclipse did not leave with him. Instead, she said she wanted to stay with Teio for a while.
With so much information dumped on him, Kitahara had been planning to spend some time alone and clear his head anyway, so after nodding, he left by himself.
Originally, he had wanted to return to the dorm, but after thinking about the pile of Umamusume who might be waiting there, he changed course and went to the old Umamusume's clothing shop instead.
Although quite some time had passed since he entered Tracen, and many things had happened along the way, the old Umamusume's clothing shop remained exactly as it had been the first time Kitahara came. It had never really changed.
Because she had class today, Tamamo Cross had not come in to work. The old Umamusume was alone behind the counter, studying something on the table, and she did not look up even after Kitahara entered.
Had this been some time earlier, she probably would have shown interest in the "marks" on Kitahara's body, which had only grown heavier, and wondered curiously what he had provoked this time and why he had come alone today.
But just as someone soaked in a jar of honey for too long would lose their sense of sweetness, after seeing too much of this sort of thing, the old Umamusume gradually grew a little tired of it.
Repeat the same routine a hundred times, and even the best bit turns stale. Besides, the old Umamusume had once been quite the legend herself. She had seen her share of storms.
So recently, after adjusting to it, even though the scent on Kitahara kept growing stronger and the marks kept piling up, she was no longer as shocked as before. From time to time, she would even sigh and mutter, "That's it?"
After all, when she thought about it carefully, Kitahara had already provoked every terrifying existence he possibly could.
The Symboli family, the Mejiro family, and the Satono family she had personally sent his way...
He had already provoked all the heaviest hitters. Compared to those few, everyone left was just a drizzle. Naturally, her interest gradually faded.
It was legendary enough already, but this kid had probably reached his limit.
After all, he had practically cleared all of Tracen Academy. Even if someone told her he had bagged the Chairwoman too, the old Umamusume would not be all that surprised.
But...
"Granny, what do you think the future of humans and Umamusume should look like?"
Kitahara's question made the old Umamusume's brow twitch. She lifted her head in some surprise.
"Did an Umamusume kick you in the head?"
Her surprise was not without reason. Kitahara was exactly the type to take things as they came, even somewhat afraid of trouble.
It was not that he rarely brought up grand yet hollow topics in front of her, especially ones unrelated to himself—it was that he never had.
Kitahara fell silent for a moment, then let out a deep sigh.
"I honestly wish an Umamusume had kicked me in the head. Or that all of this was just a nightmare..."
That immediately piqued the old Umamusume's interest. She caught the scent of entertainment and even stopped what she was doing.
"What happened?"
Kitahara thought for a moment.
"To put it simply, I just communicated with the Three Goddesses..."
The old Umamusume: "...?"
Because he trusted the old Umamusume very much, Kitahara did not hide anything. He simply gave her a brief account of what had happened earlier.
When she first heard the beginning, the old Umamusume had already picked up her phone, intending to call Tracen's affiliated hospital and have psychiatry come take him away.
But as she listened on, especially once Eclipse became involved, the old Umamusume silently put down her phone. Some of the questions that had troubled her for years were also answered.
The Three Goddesses, malice, the future of the world...
She had once thought that, as a legend of the past, although she had never galloped across the racetrack herself, she had at least come into contact with, and become familiar with, people at the very top. No matter what Kitahara said, she would not be surprised.
But she truly had never seen anything like this.
"Wait. Let me sort this out..."
For the first time, the old Umamusume held her head, wearing an expression of genuine distress.
"This isn't something a mere little Trainer like you needs to worry about... Forget it. Pretend I didn't say that."
The old Umamusume had originally wanted to say that he might be overestimating himself a little. After all, he was just a Trainer. A subject like the future of the world was not his to worry about.
But when she thought about his relationship with Eclipse, as well as the terrifying influence he currently wielded without even realizing it...
"Have you told anyone else about this?"
"Not yet. After all..."
"Then I suggest you go discuss it with that Symboli girl."
The old Umamusume had a very clear understanding of her own limits. Although she had once been legendary, she was just a tailor. Designing Racewear was one thing. Designing the future of the world? Spare her.
And the reason she recommended that Kitahara go to Symboli Rudolf was not because she thought Rudolf would be especially impressive. Quite the opposite, in fact. She felt that, in this area, that still-young girl might have even less experience than she did.
But that girl's surname was Symboli.
Which meant that if Kitahara went to talk to her, a certain old woman from the Symboli family would definitely hear about it too.
She did not expect that old woman to actually be able to do anything about this, but if the news reached her, she would definitely have a worse headache than she did.
After all, the old Umamusume was on her own now. But that old woman had a great household and a great business behind her. If she learned of something like this...
Just thinking about it made the old Umamusume want to burst out laughing.
Hm? You ask how to solve the problem?
She did not care about that. She was just a tailor. Being able to properly sew the Racewear in her hands was already enough.
"So just do what you can."
She tapped Kitahara on the forehead with the measuring ruler in her hand, and the old Umamusume regained her usual expression.
"As for the rest, why think so much about it? What use is that?"
Kitahara thought about it.
It seemed, probably, that she was right.
Then a new question came up. What could he do?
No matter what Eclipse was, he himself was just an ordinary human Trainer. He—
'You can actually do a great many things, can't you?'
Shanish's voice suddenly rang out.
Kitahara instinctively thought he had been pulled into Shanish's Domain again, but when he raised his head, he found that he was still in the old Umamusume's shop. Even the old Umamusume seemed to have heard that voice.
The next second, the pure-white Umamusume sat down beside him and very naturally took his hand. Ripples shimmered in her pink eyes.
But Kitahara's attention was not on her face. It was on the sensation coming from his hand.
No longer an ethereal touch, but the unmistakable feel of flesh and blood.
And with it, the warmth of a living person.
---
T/N: honestly i have no idea what the frick is going on....
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