"Achoo!"
A cute sneeze echoed in the training room.
"Look at you… the Yayoi Sho is in two days." Trainer clutched his head in despair. "Catching a cold from playing in the rain right before a race…"
"What on earth were you thinking!!!" He roared like Commander Olga.
"It-it's fine, Trainer-kun!" Gold Legend's voice rasped from the cold. "Even while battling illness, I, Gold Legend, remain Invincible under Heaven!"
"Beep—"
Gold Ship glanced at the thermometer in her hand.
"Hmm, 39.2°. To be so energetic with this temperature, as expected of my Oba-chan, truly awe-inspiring."
"...You obediently go back and rest!" The Trainer grumbled as he picked up the phone. "I'm going to apply to cancel the race."
After speaking, the Trainer walked out of the training room with a grim expression, muttering to himself as he went.
"Seriously, I thought you were a reliable fellow. Withdrawing from the race right before it, I can't even imagine how those damned reporters will slander me!"
"...This is my first time seeing the Trainer so angry."
Tokai Teio patted her chest, still a bit shaken.
"Eh? Is the Trainer rarely like this?" Special Week, the newcomer, asked.
Suzuka beside her also cast a curious gaze.
"Well, that guy is probably blaming himself and feeling scared. Don't let his appearance fool you, he's undoubtedly an excellent Trainer," Gold Ship said leisurely while taking care of the half-reclining Legend-san.
"…It's really unaccustomed to see you being serious," McQueen commented, looking at Gold Ship, who had suddenly become serious.
"Oh? McQueen, are you worried about me? That's so touching." The emotion McQueen showed made Gold Ship pull out a handkerchief and pretend to wipe away non-existent tears.
"...I take it back." McQueen felt her worry was unnecessary. "However, I didn't expect Legend-san to get sick either."
She focused her worried gaze on the half-reclining Legend. She had never seen Legend look so weak.
"Well, it's been like this since childhood," Gold Ship said, as if accustomed to it.
"...Was Legend often sick as a child?" Tokai Teio couldn't imagine Legend-san being sick before today.
After all, since they met, Legend had always seemed at ease; Teio had never even seen Legend pant heavily.
"Well, getting sick is normal, right?" Gold Ship tilted her head. "But Oba-chan has been frequently ill since she was a child."
After speaking, she turned to look at Legend-san.
"It's truly been a long time since I've seen her in this sickly CG state. It turns out Oba-chan is still the same."
McQueen refocused her gaze on Legend.
The sick Legend lacked her usual vitality and agility, but instead had a touch of delicate vulnerability. Her golden hair, without its usual brilliance, lay somewhat disheveled across her pale face, evoking pity.
For a moment, Mejiro McQueen wanted to take the beauty before her, imprison her in a place only she knew, and possess this beauty forever.
"Gulp."
The sound of swallowing saliva rang out, attracting the attention of those around.
"...Special Week? What's wrong?" Suzuka looked towards the source of the sound in a fluster, her eyes evasive, as if hiding something.
"...Nothing at all, just a little hungry!" Special Week said, inadvertently revealing her guilt.
"...You should eat well, Classmate Special Week." McQueen covered her mouth with her hand, secretly wiping away the drool from the corner of her lips.
Then she noticed Tokai Teio's actions were identical to hers.
"Why does everyone seem so strange?" Vodka, standing nearby, looked confused, her eyes pure.
"This is too early for you." Daiwa Scarlet gently covered Vodka's eyes with her hand.
"This is probably what they call'so beautiful you could eat her.' As expected of Oba-chan, her charm hasn't diminished over the years." Gold Ship clapped her hands.
The four Uma Musume with ulterior motives pretended not to hear.
"Water..."
A somewhat weak voice rang out.
The unfamiliar tone made the embarrassed quartet lose their composure for a moment.
"Okay, here you go, Sister Legend."
Daiwa Scarlet, who was off to the side, reacted immediately, hastily poured a glass of water, and handed it over.
"Holy crap, watch out!"
Gold Ship, the prankster, whose attention was on the quartet, reacted a beat too late and quickly warned Daiwa Scarlet after noticing her actions.
"Eh?"
Daiwa Scarlet, who was handing the glass of water to Legend, was confused.
Legend's fingertips lightly touched the glass.
Then, the glass shattered, sending fragments flying.
Fortunately, no one was hurt; only Daiwa Scarlet's skirt was splashed with water.
"Eh?!"
Daiwa Scarlet was stunned with fright.
"Akagi, are you alright?" Vodka quickly stepped forward to comfort her.
"Oh my, Oba-chan, how many times have I told you not to exert yourself when you have a cold!"
Gold Ship fussed, refilled a glass of water, and carefully fed it to Legend.
"Hmm? Sorry?" Legend mumbled groggily.
"What's going on?" McQueen regained her composure.
"It's not a big deal, really. It's just that Oba-chan doesn't have the energy to control her strength when she's sick."
"? Explain it clearly!"
"Simply put, Oba-chan instinctively suppresses her strength normally," Gold Ship said unhurriedly after feeding her water. "But a sick Oba-chan doesn't have the extra energy to control this, so she often causes some destruction."
"...Isn't Legend delicate and sickly?" Tokai Teio pressed.
"Who said that?" Gold Ship retorted.
"You said she was prone to illness since childhood."
"No, no, you misunderstood. It's true that Oba-chan was often sick as a child, but not because she was delicate. On the contrary, she got sick because she was too strong."
"? I don't understand." Teio was a bit confused.
"Well, this is a bit complicated, and you probably wouldn't understand if I told you. Anyway, don't worry, we'll handle it." Gold Ship waved her hand dismissively.
"You talk as if you're so professional." McQueen said indignantly.
"Of course I'm professional! I have a Medical Practitioner's License." Gold Ship pulled out her Medical Practitioner's License from her hat.
"Eh!!" x6
"For the Gold Family, how to protect one's body is the very first lesson. Uma Musume of the Gold Family must master some medical skills before becoming an Uma Musume." Gold Ship put her hands on her hips, looking proud. "By the way, Oba-chan's rank is higher than mine; she's at the level of a chief physician."
"..." The Uma Musume present fell silent.
"Is this what a big family is like? So amazing!" Special Week, the country bumpkin, exclaimed.
"No, no, the Gold Family is an exception!" Mejiro's young lady retorted.
"Anyway, I'll take Oba-chan back to rest first. Please ask the Trainer for leave for me." Gold Ship gently walked to Legend-san's side and slowly helped her up.
"Do you need help?" McQueen asked worriedly.
"It's fine, it's fine. Oba-chan in this state has no sense of her own strength, and you might get hurt if you're not careful. Leave it to me... Oh, oh, oh, oh! My hand, it's bent at an angle it shouldn't be!" Gold Ship demonstrated the consequences of carelessness on the spot.
"Hehe, Golshi! Come play!" Legend was already delirious.
"No! Not there!" Gold Ship exclaimed in horror. "McQueen, save me!"
McQueen and her group rushed over, flustered. "Teio, Special Week! Come help."
"...Is it really okay?" Suzuka watched the noisy scene quietly, silently complaining.
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