Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live

The small commotion with Special Week and Silence Suzuka didn't affect the others. By the time Rudolf and the rest arrived, Kitano and Stay Gold were already surrounded by a sea of reporters on the interview stage.

"Ah, Rudolf, you're here too," Mr. C.B. noted from nearby.

"...I thought you had already left." Rudolf was a bit surprised. After the race, C.B.'s mood had been low, and she had said she needed to be alone.

"It's Trainer Kitano's first interview, after all. Of course, I had to watch," C.B. said, her gaze sweeping over Teio and McQueen before settling back on the stage. "But it's strange. For his first interview, his charge isn't by his side, but the head of the Gold Family is. That's a first."

"...That's why I'm here." Rudolf nodded gravely, her eyes fixed on the insolent Stay Gold. "Stay Gold is a fearless horse girl. She might say something detrimental to him. We need to supervise and control the situation."

On stage, a well-known reporter named Etsuko Otonashi was leading the questions.

"So, Trainer Kitano, when you were down on your luck, you were rescued by Ms. Stay Gold, taken into the Gold Family, and lived with them for several years, is that correct?"

"That's a very interesting story. So that means the two stars of today's race, Nakayama Festa and Gold Ship, were both taught by you, right?"

"That is correct." Before Kitano could speak, Stay Gold answered for him, sharing these family secrets without any hesitation, seemingly unconcerned about how the reporters might twist her words.

Kitano began to feel something was amiss and, after a dry cough, said to the reporter, "That's all in the past, Ms. Otonashi. Are there any other questions?"

"Of course!" she said, moving on. "The next question: The showdown between Gold Ship and Nakayama Festa was spectacular. Trainer Kitano, in your heart, how high are your expectations for your two charges?"

"Gold Ship isn't my contracted horse girl yet... but as for the heights they can reach, I can tell you all very clearly."

This question grabbed everyone's attention. All eyes, including Rudolf's, were on him, curious to know how high the unassuming Gold Family could climb in the eyes of this sharp-witted trainer.

A confident smile appeared on Kitano's face. His tone was gentle, but his words shocked everyone present.

"Gold Ship, Nakayama Festa, and the other horse girls of the Gold Family all have potential far beyond what they've shown today. Their true goal is not to dominate in Japan, but to break out and challenge races at the level of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe."

The Arc. A race that cast a long, dark shadow over Japanese horse racing history. Generations of their best had tried and failed to win this overseas G1, always returning in defeat. The Arc was a nightmare.

And now, this rookie trainer was declaring to all reporters that the previously unknown Gold Family would be the next to represent Japan and challenge it!

The implication was that they would be the best of their generation!

This wasn't baseless boasting from Kitano. He knew very well that in his original world, both Nakayama Festa and the not-yet-debuted Orfevre had come agonizingly close to winning the Arc, finishing second! They had a real chance but had just fallen short. He believed that with the right approach, that small gap could be closed.

"Is that... confidence, or is he just overhyping them?"

Hearing this declaration, Rudolf felt a surge of indignation and unwillingness. After all, everyone knew that she, as Japan's strongest, had led a disastrous overseas expedition. And now, this man held such high hopes for the unknown Gold Family... a new wave of jealousy washed over her.

"But I don't think he's exaggerating," C.B. said, choosing to believe him after a moment of surprise.

Even Stay Gold was taken aback. For the first time, her stoic expression showed surprise and wavered. "...Do you really think so?"

"Of course. I will never take that back. And I believe that in the future, Festa and the others will prove me right."

At his resolute reply, Stay Gold fell into a brief silence. Then, she took a deep breath, a solemn look in her eyes.

At this moment, she made a decision she had long wanted to make but had worried he wouldn't accept. But now, she had to act quickly—before more horse girls took notice of his talent.

"Kitano, there's one thing you said that I must correct."

"Hm?" He was taken aback, but her expression remained serious as she said, for all to hear:

"Festa is your charge, and that girl, Gold Ship, is also your charge. And not just them. From now on, all horse girls of the Gold Family are your charges. You are the Gold Family's one and only trainer."

Her words immediately caught the attention of Rudolf, C.B., and the others. Kitano himself was a bit confused. "But wasn't I already your trainer?"

"It's different," she said stubbornly. "When you were with us, you were just a training advisor. What I mean is that from now on, every member of the Gold Family will designate you as their future trainer."

"And not just them. Every horse girl of the Gold Family, every future descendant, will have only you as their trainer. You will be the sole trainer for all horse girls of the Gold Family!"

"WHOA!" xN

Her words caused an uproar. Before anyone could react, countless camera flashes went off, capturing this historic moment!

"P-please, what exactly is happening?!" Reporter Otonashi was nearly ecstatic, her face flushed with excitement.

Stay Gold glanced at her and, without any attempt to hide her intentions, said:

"Our family has always had a curse... a weakness. And if our horse girls cannot overcome it, their talent can never be fully realized."

"And now, after years of observation, I am certain—Trainer Kitano Ryuichi is the only person who can help them break free from their bonds and unleash their full potential."

As she spoke, she looked at Kitano again, who now understood she was serious. She was truly entrusting the next generation of her family to him.

And for Kitano... this was fantastic!

He didn't want to go through the cycle of dying from illness again. His limited energy meant he could usually only train one horse girl at a time. This had often led to a frantic search for his next charge, a race against his own dwindling time.

But now, Stay Gold was entrusting the entire Gold Family to him, solving his biggest problem! He knew their potential all too well! Just Festa and Gold Ship alone could buy him a lot of time, not to mention the heavyweight "Orfevre"!

As for them all being quirky and difficult—he laughed. He, Kitano Ryuichi, was not afraid of difficult horse girls! The non-quirky ones would never choose him anyway. He was used to it.

Thus, faced with such a great responsibility, he straightened his face and, under the trembling gazes of Rudolf and the others, nodded solemnly and promised, "I will not fail your expectations, Stay Gold."

"...I know you won't, Kitano."

"Ah, no, I should call you... Trainer, now."

For a moment, even Stay Gold's face showed a hint of emotion. However, she didn't forget to glance at Rudolf and C.B. in the distance. Noticing Rudolf's expression, which looked like she wanted to eat her alive, the all-knowing horse girl provocatively mouthed a message to her:

"I was faster this time, President Rudolf."

"—!"

The moment Rudolf understood the taunt, her hands clenched into fists. The "Emperor" bit her lip, her eyes practically shooting fire at Stay Gold.

A strong sense of defeat and a backlash of anger instantly consumed her. And the reason this feeling was so unbearable was because it was—familiar!

In a daze, the image of Stay Gold standing before Kitano with a gentle smile morphed into another face.

Rudolf saw... it was Mr. C.B. standing before him. This intense feeling of defeat became even clearer, even stronger.

"Rudolf?"

The next moment, C.B., standing beside her, saw Rudolf turn and storm away like an angry lion, not staying a second longer, as if one more moment would cause all her pent-up anger to erupt and consume everyone she found displeasing.

And what C.B. didn't know was that the object of Rudolf's anger in that moment was not Stay Gold, but the vision of herself... But Rudolf couldn't care less about that now. The only thing she wanted to do was to calm down and sort out her thoughts.

She had to solve this mystery. Kitano and her, C.B. and her, all of it... what on earth was going on?

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