Chapter 619: NO.200: That's also your flaw

NO. 200: That's also your flaw

"Do you need me to pause for a moment? You seem to have run into trouble."

Central Telesen, the library's audiovisual room, Miss Ryusei noticed Aomo's gaze fixed on the mid-air throw.

It's hard to imagine that Telesen's library even has an audiovisual room, but it does indeed exist.

Not only does it rent out various visual media including Mewtwo, but it also has the race records of all horse girls.

That is precisely why it was designed to be included within the library and adjacent to the archives.

These two obviously weren't using an immersive-experience visual medium like Mewtwo; they were simply watching a regular screening, the only difference being that the screen was showing the previous match record of Aimu Zhiji.

Racecourse: Regular

Distance: 3000m

Track type: Grass

Weather: Cloudy

Track condition: Good

The Kyoto Hai Cup, a G2 race held the same month as the Kikuka Sho, the final leg of the classic Triple Crown, can be considered a sort of prelude.

Right now, at the start of the gate opening, the host and commentator are still energetically introducing the contestants; among them, the most prominent are clearly Aimu Zhiji and Narita Road.

Among the eighteen contestants, only these two are Central horse girls.

If this were a detective drama, one could usually guess the culprit from the segment where these contestants appear, and Miss Narita Road would be the most suspicious.

She has the energetic optimism typical of a contrasting suspect, and moreover she defeated Aimu Zhiji to win in the previous Jidong Derby; she had been an old rival of Aimu Zhiji since the Satsuki Sho and Yayoi Sho, though back then she hadn't really noticed her.

Of course, not having noticed her only adds to the suspicion.

Being overlooked can also be a motive; looking at her now, with her outgoing, enthusiastic demeanor, the image of her kneeling on the ground and crying seems all too real—if this were a Conan set.

Of course, not being a Conan set doesn't hinder her crying (x).

Although Aomo has indeed seen Officer Megure in this world, the rules of Conan's law have not infiltrated this world.

Moreover, on a Conan set there exists the phenomenon where 'the more suspicious, the less likely the culprit'—a common trope in detective stories where they plant red herrings to build suspense.

So Aomo has no reason to suspect Miss Narita Road, especially since she is also one of the horse girl idols he supports; given his grasp of the relevant information, he wouldn't wildly suspect her.

If it really were her, Aomo would think he had just experienced an idol's downfall.

But before it even started, he first noticed the contact of Chazuo appearing on the screen.

Then came Miss Ryusei's especially keen and attentive greeting.

She obviously didn't come just to reminisce with Aomo about how her favored child performs on the field.

Precisely because she hopes Aomo can improve Aimu Zhiji's condition, her focus has always been on the former.

After all... she herself has already watched this race several times.

The reason for watching it again is nothing else; it's precisely because Aomo raised several questions about official duties—he really is inquiring about Aimu Zhiji's work status on the General Affairs Committee!

Then she traces the corresponding matches from those status changes, and then proactively proposes to interview the records from that time.

This is the situation now.

Frankly speaking, she is quite satisfied that the other party can pay attention to Aizhi's academic situation from an elder's perspective, but this is merely adequate in attitude.

She met that child because they share the same position; they have some common topics due to the child's name and their shared hope for the stars; moreover, because of the child's 'frailty', she has taken on many of the child's official duties...

With so many intersections, even she, who once was a jungle hunter, can easily perceive—that child always presents a cool, aloof exterior, like a tense young beast, merely a hollow show of strength.

But she cannot counsel the other party.

She merely chats with the other party about stars and past events, thereby learning that the other party's sister was abandoned by their parents.

She learned that the child likes Gemini and the Southern Cross—these celestial bodies, whose meanings she has newly understood in this world, are explained to her in the child's gentle tone, both reviewing her constellation knowledge and surprising her with the child's rare gentleness.

That perhaps is the child's true nature... she thinks so, but she clearly knows that Aizhi this child cannot accept any counseling words.

Speaking lightly will only make her become 'ordinary' in the other party's heart.

Becoming like those trainers who care about and pester her, it will become part of her habitual complaints.

Those trainers also haven't failed to notice the fact that she and Aimu Zhiji can talk quite a bit, and thus they have come to 'seek scriptures'.

Miss Ryusei also always tirelessly exchanges with them, answering their questions.

To be frank, it's not much different from the work content when serving on the General Affairs Committee, except that most of the content is replaced with Aizhi-related matters.

But the difference is that the work content always yields some positive feedback.

Those trainers, however, always return empty-handed.

There is some disappointment, and over time it even feels numb.

But even so, she has no reason to stop.

Kuranta will never stop running; in her hometown she always guarded that patch of star-mulberry forest, and she has also become accustomed to guarding the specks of light that flutter alongside the star-mulberry.

Even those points of light that are forever out of reach still shine brightly, and their twinkling demeanor is far more 'patient' than that of humans.

The forest keeper, having spent countless days and months together with those specks of light, thinks that perhaps she too can guard the child who shines like a distant Weaver Girl.

So she today will still rush to meet a new trainer.

This trainer undoubtedly has recently become famous; even on her former employer's forum and among old colleagues in the same dormitory area, discussions about him have been heard.

Discussions about monsters, gaze, and conduct style have given her considerable understanding of him, yet she cannot see any decisive difference between him and other trainers.

Until now, when he was about to look, he zoned out, was noticed by himself and the pause affected him, and he reacted belatedly:

"Well, ah, of course, thank you."

"However, no need to wait long; just a few moments to reply."

"Is it about that Aizhi child?" she asked.

The other party answered quite candidly: "Yeah, my assigned horse girl plans to use some radical therapy, and the other horse girl I'm temporarily looking after is somewhat worried about it, sending a message presumably hoping I can persuade her."

"Temporarily looking after?"

She, who originally had a hint of an auditing tone, naturally wasn't referring to the term 'radical therapy'.

It might become a new duty; we'll see if I can become an official trainer within a year.

"I thought you were already an official trainer." Although she'd only worked at the academy for half a year, Liuxing got along well with most colleagues, including some trainers.

She knew the academy had no such thing as temporary or permanent trainer positions.

As long as you have the trainer badge, you are indeed a trainer.

But…

This place is ultimately an academy with a Jidong atmosphere—that is, the Eastern State type—where qualifications and achievements are the credentials for expanding one's duties.

That's also indeed…

This fact cannot be ignored; Liuxing also indeed sensed, at some gatherings and parties, the subtle class atmosphere different from her hometown Kasimi'er.

Although it doesn't hinder daily interaction, it indeed causes many inconveniences at work.

But since you can calm that radical horse girl in just a few words, I believe you can definitely achieve results worthy of everyone's recognition!

That's not just polite talk; although she's only worked here half a year, she's already summed up considerable experience.

After all, as a forest ranger who walked out of the woods and grasslands, she had always needed to learn to accept new things since her hometown—whether it was the landship named Rhodes Island or the newly established school called Central Trésen.

These staff members dispatched elsewhere, seeking work they prefer over combat, all need to learn to accept new tasks.

Unlike knightly competitions, the horse girls who can be adored by countless people just for running are Liuxing's choice.

Driven by unmatched curiosity and interest, she has already fully understood within half a year the function of the 'two-person three-leg' concept between trainer and horse girl.

The mutual understanding and consideration between trainer and horse girl, and the heart that advances toward the same goal, indeed serve as a model for present-day publicity and practice.

But she never expected that when she spoke those sincere words, she would receive a stunned gaze from the other party.

……I didn't persuade that radical responsibility of mine……

Huh?

I was advising the horse girl I was temporarily looking after; steadiness and conservatism are her strengths, but in this situation they are also her weaknesses.