The awakened Nakayama Festa, upon receiving the news of tonight's extra training from Gold Ship, when she came to the training ground alone, her mind was still lingering on that dream about herself, and the relationship between the "Nobuko" in her dream and Kitano.
The Nobuko in her dream, and the Kitano in reality, conveyed almost the same signal to her. This also made her begin to associate, especially in combination with the differences she had noticed in him from their first meeting.
"This guy... when we first met, he seemed to be very familiar with all of us. At first, I thought he was just a friendly person, but later I increasingly felt that he seemed to know everyone inside and out."
"Especially for me... he could see at a glance that I was the one with the highest upper and lower limits in the family..."
Could it be that he didn't see it with his own talent, but came to this conclusion based on his own experience? The reason he is familiar with me is because he has experience in teaching me?
The two of them, in fact, had known each other since she was still a beast in her dream?
"Yes, if that's the case, it seems to make sense."
When she thought of it this way, she increasingly felt that her guess was correct. Because many things she didn't understand in the past seemed to have been explained—his familiarity with her, his lack of fear of the Gold Family's "infamy," and his trust in her from beginning to end, no matter how badly she performed, seemed to be proving this point. They were definitely not meeting for the first time!
And what made her even more convinced of this was the premature death of "Nobuko" in her dream. After she had learned about his special characteristic, she couldn't help but start to guess...
"Could it be that in my previous life, it was because I failed to win the race that Nobuko passed away prematurely?"
"If in this life, he still only has me as his charge, will he also be like her..."
He definitely will. Now that she knew almost all of his secrets, she couldn't help but feel a little scared when she thought back. If not for the addition and perception of Gold Ship, Suzuka, and the others, she would probably still be in the dark, running on without knowing the truth.
If she didn't know that his life was linked to her performance, she probably wouldn't have felt such a strong sense of guilt for losing... until one day, he, just like the Nobuko in her dream, suddenly and forever left her.
And at this thought, her heart couldn't help but twitch. She also shook her head vigorously, only then barely coming back to her senses under the cold night wind, and murmured to herself:
"No, it won't happen again..."
"—What won't happen again?"
And at this moment, the sudden sound in her ear made her freeze in place for a long time. Only then did she remember something and turned around abruptly, right into the confused face of him, who had been standing here in his winter clothes for who knows how long.
Although he had already noticed her figure and saw her muttering to herself, because her muttering was very light, he had only heard such a headless sentence after getting close. At this moment, he also couldn't help but ask:
"Festa, are you worried about something? If you can, why don't you tell me, and I'll help you think of a way."
"...It's nothing."
And seeing him, but she did not act like a lovesick girl, showing her heartfelt words being heard by her crush, with a shy and angry expression, saying something like, "You, you heard everything? Hurry up and forget it!" Her personality was a bit awkward, but compared to those troublesome tsundere characters, she was much more normal.
And perhaps because she had had that dream and had made so many guesses, her attitude towards him had changed once again. She looked at the face she had seen countless times, but her heart was once again in turmoil.
"Kitano, squat down a little."
"Huh?" He, who had thought he could finally have a good talk with her, was a little confused by her sudden request, but he still obediently squatted down with his hands on his knees. And she, for the first time in a long time, could see his face so clearly at such a close distance.
What should I say... it was not at all similar to the woman named "Nobuko" in her dream. No, it was better to say that even the gender was completely different.
But that concerned look, that smile that seemed to never be angry with her... was really similar.
Thinking of this, she, as if guided by an unseen force, extended her hands. Under his gaze, she silently placed her hands on his cheeks and began to imitate the action of rubbing her beastly self in her dream, freely rubbing his cheeks.
Mm... the feel is not bad. I kind of understand why the person in my dream always liked to touch my face.
"Festa?"
"Be quiet. I just want to rub your face now." And faced with his confused voice, she did not stop her action at all. On the contrary, after her mood improved, she became even more willful, and even took the initiative to laugh and say:
"If you're not happy, you can rub me back now. I have no objection—hey! You're really rubbing me!"
And before she could finish her words, the touch from her cheeks was a little unexpected. Clearly, with their height difference, it was very easy for him to rub her face—but this was indeed the first time he had done such an intimate act with her.
She and Stay Gold were not quite the same. Although both of them were usually very calm and went crazy in races, in their private interactions, she did not act as spoiled as her, so she naturally did not have so much intimate contact with him.
But this time, faced with her rare interest, he realized that this might be a good opportunity for her to get over the gloom of her defeat in the Satsuki Sho. His body was still good now. If he could play with her for a while and make her laugh, it would be great.
And the facts proved that his initiative had an excellent effect. The Nakayama Festa whose cheeks had been rubbed by him, as if stimulated by something, her eyebrows stood on end, and a gambler's smile of interest appeared on her face as she said fiercely:
"You bastard, you still want to rub me? Haven't you rubbed me enough before? Now you want to get it back when I rub you?"
"I've only rubbed your hair before, but I've never rubbed your face like this." And when he felt the force on his face getting stronger, he was also unwilling to be outdone and did not stop his hands at all. Even though his face and mouth were a little deformed, he still continued to be stubborn and replied:
"If you're not satisfied, then retaliate. Let's see who can't stand it first."
"Huh? Do you think you can win against me, a horse girl?"
And she was also amused, but even so, the unwillingness in her heart still came up, and she began to rub his cheeks even more retaliatorily—and even began to use her horse girl strength.
Under the dark night, under the light of the training ground's streetlights, a horse girl and her trainer were laughing and playing in an empty environment. It seemed a bit silly, but at this time, both of them were immersed in this silly atmosphere, neither willing to let go of the other.
Until, the unbearable horse girl seemed to want to end this tug-of-war. Under her force, the trainer's body lost its balance slightly, and his body fell straight onto the grass of the training ground.
And she also took the opportunity to press on his body. The two, who were still enjoying themselves, had flushed cheeks and were panting heavily, their faces still showing the joy of their previous play...
"—So, are you happy now?"
"When was I not happy?" And knowing that he was trying to make her laugh, she chose to play dumb at this time. She selectively forgot about a few days ago, when she was worried that he would talk about her terrible performance in the Satsuki Sho, and was afraid that he would see her lack of desire to win and be disappointed and kick her out of the team.
Now she was sure that she would not be kicked out. No matter whether he in his previous life was the Nobuko in her dream, she believed that he could not drive her away.
"Whether you're Nobuko or Kitano... it doesn't matter."
"Now, you are my Nobuko in this world. I can be sure of that."
She attached her horse ear to his chest, listening to the beating of his heart that represented life, as if it was the most beautiful music she had ever heard in this world.
And he, who let her show her affectionate side in his arms, also couldn't help but enjoy this scene—however, just as his gaze subconsciously glanced elsewhere to distract himself a little, so as not to be mesmerized by the scent of the soft-bodied horse girl in his arms, he keenly noticed a subtle change in a building not far away.
There... he remembered, was the student council's location. The student council's building was not far from the training ground. When Rudolf was occasionally busy, she would look out the student council's window to check the situation on the training ground. If anything unusual happened, it would be convenient for her to get there in time.
And at that moment, he noticed the suddenly extinguished lights of the student council—no, it was more like the curtains had been drawn.
It's so late, and Rudolf still hasn't left the student council? He couldn't help but think. A bad premonition suddenly welled up in his heart...
Rudolf, did she accidentally discover his and Festa's current posture?
...
In the student council office, Symboli Rudolf, who had drawn the curtains, was tightly gripping both sides of the curtains with her hands, as if she was about to tear a hole in them with a little more force...
He had guessed correctly. She had seen it, and she had seen it very clearly—the reason was that to keep an eye on his physical condition at all times and prevent any accidents, the Symboli family's horse girls she had interspersed in Tracen had sent her the message that "Nakayama Festa appeared on the training ground at night."
So she had stayed in the student council office at night. Because of her current heart disease, she was not very brave to talk to him face to face... she was worried that her mood would become active again because of the other party's little bit of kindness. She was even more worried that she was asking for too much now, and that in the end, it would all be just her fantasy...
So she just wanted to take a look from a distance... that was enough, to not let her fluctuating mood fluctuate so much again. She just needed to see that he was healthy.
And she had never expected that she would witness this scene—when she saw him and Nakayama Festa laughing and playing, and her pushing him down and lying on him so naturally, her emotions finally could not bear it and erupted.
But this time, her eruption was different from the previous暴怒 and wanton smashing. The moment she drew the curtains, so that no one would notice her wretched scene, it was as if all the strength in her body had been exhausted...
The next second, tears filled her eyes. She slid helplessly to the floor, and even her crying was as if she was afraid of being discovered. While forcing herself to swallow this bitter fruit, she sobbed with teary eyes...
Nakayama Festa's play and laughter with him became the last straw that broke her spirit. She had repeatedly numbed herself, repeatedly persuaded herself, but in the end, she had to accept this fact.
She was probably no longer the most important person in his heart.
"They're right... they're right..."
"I'm already not... his favorite in his heart. From beginning to end, I've been trying to numb myself... I'm not willing to accept this fact..."
"In his heart, who has been reincarnated countless times... how could I be his only concern? His current life has people far more important than me... many, many..."
I clearly understand, I understand all of this, but why am I just not willing to accept it?
Because he was the only beauty in her heart... if she had to let go of even this bit of beauty, what would she have left? What was there for her to be attached to in her dark life...
The day she lost him, her beauty died, and her heart also died with it. Now... does she have to watch herself lose him again? Even if he is standing right in front of her.
"Ah... ahhhhhh..."
Rudolf covered her mouth tightly, but she could not control the tears falling from her eyes, nor her mournful wail like a small animal. This extremely strong horse girl, not even wanting people to hear her painful screams, was struggling to support her pride.
But in the end, this fragile string called "pride" completely broke. Rudolf seemed to have been drained of all her strength. Under the heavy pressure and blows of the past few months, she had lost the last bit of consciousness that supported her...
Outside the student council, the sound of slow footsteps came slowly. And the horse girl named "Emperor" finally failed to protect her last bit of dignity... her vulnerability and collapse would eventually be made public...
-------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get access to early chapters by joining my Patreon!
Find me at My : pat*eon*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 (390 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 (166 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(80 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (200 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (190 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! (150 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 (168 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 (170 Chapter)
Uma Musume : My other self is a Horse Girl (110 Chapter)
Jujutsu Kaisen : All Affection Stats Maxed Out (150 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it