Quiet Princess and Foolish Peasant
The crowd cheered.
"Minami More takes the lead!"
"Minami More wins!"
The race had ended exactly the way everyone expected.
A front-running genius.
Fast.
Explosive.
Brilliant.
The sort of horse girl people pointed at and immediately said:
"Future champion."
Kaiya watched from the edge of the track.
Then sighed.
"...Not her."
Because he already knew.
Minami More would never need him.
The truly talented runners always attracted trainers.
Sponsors.
Support.
Opportunities.
By tomorrow there would probably be a line of people trying to recruit her.
Kaiya had nothing to offer compared to them.
No reputation.
No team.
No money.
Barely enough food for himself.
His stomach growled.
He ignored it.
Instead he looked down at the race results again.
One name stood out.
Not because of her placement.
Because of what he remembered.
Saint Light.
The future Triple Crown winner.
The horse girl history would eventually remember.
At least... if his memories were right.
Which was becoming less certain every day.
Kaiya looked around.
Then finally spotted her.
She wasn't celebrating.
Wasn't upset.
Wasn't discussing strategy.
She was simply leaving.
Drying her dark bay hair with a towel.
Walking with the relaxed pace of someone heading home after finishing an ordinary chore.
Like the race had never mattered.
Like losing had never happened.
Kaiya stared.
Then stared harder.
"...How?"
Minami More had just won.
Saint Light had just lost.
And somehow the loser looked more relaxed than the winner.
Saint Light noticed him watching.
She blinked.
Then continued walking.
Kaiya panicked.
If he let her leave now he might never get another chance.
So he hurried after her.
"Wait!"
Saint Light stopped.
Turned.
Looked at him.
"...Yes?"
Kaiya immediately forgot everything he planned to say.
His brain crashed.
Hard.
What came out instead was:
"Would you please be my horse girl trainee?"
Silence.
Saint Light blinked once.
Twice.
Then tilted her head.
"...Why?"
Kaiya froze.
Good question.
He hadn't expected that.
"Uh..."
Think.
Think.
Think.
"Because I want to prove myself and win!"
Saint Light stared.
"What does that have to do with me?"
Kaiya immediately wanted to disappear.
That was fair.
Very fair.
He tried again.
"You're talented."
"Hm."
"You could be one of the best."
"Probably."
"You just lost."
"I did."
"And that doesn't bother you?"
"Not particularly."
Kaiya stared.
Saint Light stared back.
The conversation felt like punching a wall.
A very polite wall.
Eventually he blurted out:
"Do you want to be forgotten?"
Saint Light considered the question.
Actually considered it.
Then answered:
"Sure."
Kaiya nearly fell over.
"Sure?!"
"Yes."
"That's a terrible answer!"
Saint Light shrugged.
"Is it?"
Kaiya grabbed his head.
Everything he had prepared relied on the assumption that she cared.
About winning.
About losing.
About something.
Instead she looked completely content.
It was terrifying.
"I promise if you give me a chance I'll take care of everything."
Saint Light looked down.
Then at herself.
Luxury towel.
Imported tea bottle.
Perfect uniform.
Then slowly looked at Kaiya.
Street-stall clothes.
Worn shoes.
The appearance of a man who had skipped multiple meals.
"...Do I look like I lack anything?"
Kaiya immediately looked away.
His face turned red.
Saint Light's lips twitched.
Just slightly.
The first sign of life he'd seen from her.
"No..."
"No."
Another pause.
Kaiya deflated.
This was hopeless.
She had money.
Talent.
Status.
Education.
What exactly was he supposed to offer?
His stomach growled again.
Loudly.
Saint Light heard it.
Of course she did.
The corner of her mouth rose slightly.
Kaiya wanted the ground to swallow him.
Then something unexpected happened.
Saint Light laughed.
Not loudly.
Not rudely.
Just a small amused sound.
The kind someone makes when encountering something genuinely strange.
Kaiya blinked.
Saint Light looked at him.
Really looked at him this time.
Not as a recruiter.
Not as a trainer.
As a person.
And what she saw was ridiculous.
A starving trainer trying to recruit elite runners.
A nervous boy pretending to be confident.
Someone who obviously had no idea what he was doing.
And yet...
He hadn't complained.
Everyone else complained.
Her family.
Her instructors.
Other trainers.
Other runners.
Everyone wanted more effort.
More ambition.
More drive.
More passion.
Kaiya hadn't said any of that.
Instead he looked worried.
Like he genuinely thought she was wasting something important.
Not because she disappointed him.
Because he thought she deserved better.
That was new.
Interesting.
And very, very funny.
Saint Light smiled.
A real smile this time.
"Hey."
Kaiya looked up.
"...Yeah?"
"You're the first person who hasn't spent the entire conversation complaining about me being lazy."
Kaiya blinked.
"I haven't?"
"No."
Saint Light folded her arms.
Then spoke casually.
"As far as reasons go, that's probably enough."
Kaiya stared.
"...Enough?"
Saint Light nodded.
"Sure."
Kaiya's brain stopped functioning.
"Sure?"
"Yes."
"That's your answer?"
"Yes."
"Just like that?"
Saint Light's smile widened slightly.
Watching him panic was unexpectedly entertaining.
"I choose you."
Kaiya pointed at himself.
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Saint Light turned and started walking again.
Then answered over her shoulder.
"Hehe."
A pause.
"Because you're interesting."
And for the first time since arriving at Central Tracen, Kaiya Sora felt like he might actually have a future.
Not because he had recruited a future champion.
But because he had somehow convinced a genius to follow him without understanding how he had done it.