The day after the race ended, Kitano got up a little earlier than usual.
It was not because he was bitter over the loss, nor because he was feeling down.
He simply had a scheduled house call that morning.
Grandma Takamura's farm, like Nishiken Farm, lay in the direction of Urakawa.
As they drove across Minowa Bridge, lush green stretched out on both sides.
As they neared the intersection, Kitano gradually slowed the car.
An elderly woman stood beneath a red torii gate.
"Grandma Takamura?"
He stopped the car and called out through the window, somewhat uncertainly.
"Oh! Mr. Kitano—"
Taking small steps over the roadside ditch, Grandma Takamura covered her mouth somewhat sheepishly.
"I'm so sorry. I thought you would be coming later."
"It's all right. Please get in."
Kitano unfastened his seat belt and opened the front passenger door for her.
Without needing any help, the elderly woman easily climbed into the pickup, though it looked somewhat difficult for her.
"Did you come here to pray for Aru?"
Kitano asked on the road.
"Yes. I know Yagokoro-Omoikane-no-Mikoto doesn't handle such matters, so I'm sorry to have made you laugh."
In the rearview mirror, the red torii gate gradually receded into the distance.
Minowa Shrine enshrined Omoikane-no-Kami, also known as Yagokoro-Omoikane-no-Kami, a deity of wisdom and learning.
"And when it was really you and Mr. Shimura who did all the work... I must truly be getting senile."
Grandma Takamura patted her forehead, looking somewhat haggard.
"That isn't true. Mr. Shimura and I merely did what we were supposed to do."
Mr. Shimura was an experienced farrier. Kitano had briefly met him a few times at Nishiken Farm.
He was also responsible for correcting Aru's affected hoof.
After arriving at the farm, Grandma Takamura led Kitano to the stable.
The stall at the very end had been bedded with thicker padding than usual.
Seemingly hearing the movement, the chestnut horse lying on her side slowly rose.
Aru looked listlessly at her visitor.
"Please, I'm counting on you!"
Grandma Takamura bowed deeply, then stepped back a distance and watched anxiously.
Kitano walked straight up to Aru and set down his bag.
In her usual standing posture, the chestnut horse's forelegs were slightly forward, while her hind legs stretched beneath her abdomen, as though she were stretching her body.
It was a typical laminitis stance.
He reached out and felt both front hooves.
Though they still felt slightly warm, the digital pulse had become quite faint.
Kitano breathed a sigh of relief.
"She should have entered the subacute stage already."
He turned to explain to Grandma Takamura.
If the digital pulse was no longer obvious forty-eight hours after treatment ended, it meant the laminitis might have transitioned from the acute stage to the subacute stage.
At this stage, the damaged tissues inside the horse's hoof slowly healed themselves, so it could also be considered the recovery period for laminitis.
The condition had passed its most dangerous phase.
"But to be safe, we should still have Mr. Arakawa take an X-ray."
Kitano said as he set down the hoof testers.
"All right, all right!"
Grandma Takamura nodded repeatedly.
Mr. Arakawa was the director of the Hidaka Central Branch of the Veterinary Association and had spent many years studying equine illnesses.
Aru was no longer as sensitive to pressure on the toe as she had been last time. She only struggled slightly before ceasing to resist.
However, such a simple test could not guarantee complete accuracy. Whether the laminitis had truly changed still depended on the state of displacement in the coffin bone.
Still, judging from her current condition, Aru had at least improved.
"If the X-ray results confirm it, the rest will be much easier."
Kitano put away his tools, clapped his hands together, and stood up.
Mr. Shimura's trimming of the affected hoof had been timely and professional, which had also greatly helped her recovery.
"Grandma Takamura, do you remember what I told you?"
After prescribing medicine for Aru, Kitano asked.
"Of course I remember. My memory is still quite good."
Grandma Takamura counted on her fingers seriously. "A low-sugar, high-fiber diet, supplements on schedule, and cold compresses three times a day for twenty minutes each... See? I still remember everything!"
"That's right. Even if she seems to be getting better, you must keep it up... Though there's no need to apply cold compresses every day anymore."
"Also, if the coffin bone displacement has truly stopped, you can occasionally take her out for a little walk."
Kitano said, patting Aru on the head.
The duration of the subacute stage of laminitis varied greatly from horse to horse.
For a small number of fortunate horses, it would only be a seventy-two-hour ordeal in their lives.
But for some unlucky horses, the threat of laminitis could remain with them for life.
Even after entering the subacute stage, they still could not let down their guard.
"Thank you so very much."
Grandma Takamura bowed again, her eyes faintly reddening.
Aru gently rubbed her huge head against the elderly woman's face, making soft snorting sounds.
"See? Aru is thanking you too."
Grandma Takamura said, gently patting the chestnut horse's cheek.
"Well then, goodbye, you two."
"I hope you recover soon, Aru."
Kitano bent down and waved farewell to Aru.
"You too, Grandma Takamura."
He added immediately afterward.
Back in the car, Kitano finally opened the system panel.
[Health Management: B+ → A-]
His ability had improved during the examination.
But with the situation at the time, Kitano had not had much attention to spare.
After only giving it a hurried glance, he closed the panel and continued examining the horse's hooves.
[Improve personal abilities ten times: 10/10 (Completed)] [Reward: Silver Amulet ×1]
He had also completed another task while he was at it.
"Still, when exactly am I supposed to use these Bronze Omamori and Silver Amulets...?"
He scratched his head in frustration.
By now, he had accumulated a certain number of Bronze Omamori, and he had even received two of the higher-tier Silver Amulets.
Yet the shop still only offered the few items purchasable with Green Omamori.
As for exchanging Upper-Tier Amulets for cash, Kitano dismissed that option without even considering it.
At least, not until he was reduced to living on bean sprouts.
So he could only keep saving them for now.
"In this northern land... even splashed water turns to frost..."
On the way back to the clinic, he hummed an out-of-tune enka tune.
The July sunlight of Hokkaido fell on his fingertips like butter slowly melting in a stone pot.
Kitano seemed delighted by everything before his eyes.
Perhaps it was because he had saved another life.