In Tracen, Good at Prison Chapter 49

When Zhou Yuang entered dreamland, he found himself standing by the edge of the racetrack.

The commentator's voice almost echoed across this entire area.

"Where is this?"

This is a dream, right?

Silence Suzuka found herself arriving at a trial race.

She remembered very clearly that she was an Uma Musume without a trainer yet.

In reality, she got to know AT by watching livestreams, and in her impression, AT was a talented and gentle person.

Unfortunately, though, his voice couldn't compare to Teacher Z.

And in the reality that followed, Silence Suzuka met a trainer.

He brought along an Uma Musume named Oguri Cap, and he... was named Zhou Yuang.

Eh? Come to think of it, why do I feel a bit strange?

Silence Suzuka seemed to have discovered a problem, but she couldn't quite figure it out.

Because she found that she had already entered the starting gate, and what did that mean?

She definitely wouldn't crawl out of the starting gate now, because she intended to run a joyful race.

She was truly a hopeless running idiot.

The moment the starting gate opened, Silence Suzuka sprinted out.

She wanted to try the knowledge AT imparted to her in the livestreams, as well as the running knowledge Zhou Yuang taught her in reality.

Her feet constantly pounded against the turf, and that soft tactile sensation along with the surrounding wind made Silence Suzuka feel incomparably real.

Without a doubt, this was her first time trying a Front Runner strategy.

"Is this the scenery seen through the eyes of that me in the game?"

Silence Suzuka ran happily while also appreciating everything around her.

Everything made her heart incomparably joyous.

She seemed to have found the meaning in her life.

"This is amazing! I finally know why the me in the game could be so happy!"

Was this the scenery exclusively hers? How cunning...

No.

Extremely wrong.

Silence Suzuka felt as though she had forgotten something.

What was different between the current her and the one in the livestream?

Was it simply the Front Runner strategy?

No.

Was it rich racing experience?

No.

The difference between her and that her was whether or not there was someone by her side who had made a vow.

That her had already found her belonging, but the present herself hadn't found a trainer to whom she could entrust those three years.

"My trainer, where are you?"

That trainer who said that no matter where she ran to, he would keep his eyes on her—he must be right here, right?

You made a promise, and that wasn't a lie, right?

Silence Suzuka turned her head to look at the spectator stand not far away.

Quite a few trainers were standing over there, varying in appearance and build.

Silence Suzuka didn't spot AT's conspicuous appearance at first glance.

Even so, she still looked over earnestly, trying to find the wheat ear she wanted.

"Not there... Ah?"

Just as Silence Suzuka was about to feel disappointed, she caught sight of a familiar figure.

She saw Zhou Yuang in the crowd.

Silence Suzuka couldn't describe what kind of feeling that was.

It felt like a casual glance, yet it could also be like a destined encounter.

Out of the vast sea of trainers, she bumped into the one she was familiar with.

"That person is?"

Could it be?

Silence Suzuka wavered for a moment, then recalled Teacher Z's admonition.

Without hesitation, she turned her head back.

Looking at the scenery right ahead, she charged forward without any hesitation.

She knew she should run, should use the Front Runner strategy.

Run onward, and then wait for that fated trainer to catch up.

"Crossing the finish line! Silence Suzuka crosses the finish line first in a Front Runner stance!"

The commentator's voice announced the end of this trial race in the dream.

Having finished this Front Runner run, she stopped in her tracks and looked back over her past path.

She gazed at her own runaway route.

Waiting for someone to come and chase down this running Uma Musume of theirs.

Just like in other trial races, upon seeing this Uma Musume win the match, and with such terrifying strength at that, that group of trainers desperately crowded over intending to extend invitations.

When had Silence Suzuka ever been treated like this?

Watching the surrounding trainers swarm around her until they almost formed a wall, Silence Suzuka was instantly at a loss.

The surrounding trainers were beaming with excitement one by one, looking very much like salespeople.

She had no intention of choosing anyone; all she wanted was to escape this place that made her uneasy.

"...How come trainers are mostly like this everywhere?"

Watching these colleagues in the dream, Zhou Yuang couldn't help but chuckle.

After letting out a sigh, Zhou Yuang looked toward the crowd.

The crowd wasn't worth Zhou Yuang's attention, but a certain someone within the crowd simply couldn't be ignored.

"I've said it before, no matter where she runs to, I will be watching her."

Though he harbored many doubts and questions about this dream, as a trainer, Zhou Yuang couldn't just stand by and watch.

Walking over with brisk steps, Zhou Yuang squeezed his way out of the crowd.

The right person, the right time, the right thing.

As long as it was the right person, even with obstacles in between, they would ultimately arrive by that Uma Musume's side.

Ignoring the complaints of the people around him, he reached out his hand toward Silence Suzuka.

"Miss Silence Suzuka, may I ask, do you need a trainer who can let you run as a Front Runner without a single worry?"

Perhaps it seemed ordinary to Zhou Yuang, but to Silence Suzuka, this extended hand was undoubtedly the straw that would save her from this bustling sea of bitterness.

"You are?"

Seeing a hand reach out before her, Silence Suzuka froze instinctively.

Yet when she raised her head, she locked eyes with Zhou Yuang.

It's him.

That trainer.

Seeing Zhou Yuang extend his hand just like a dance partner invitation at a ball, Silence Suzuka's cheeks flushed red.

As expected, you're that AT, right?

Geez, why didn't you come a little earlier.

"Let me introduce myself, my name is Mysterious Trainer A."

Without thinking much, Zhou Yuang reported the pseudonym he used for livestreams, but he never expected it to be met with Silence Suzuka's laughter.

"Huhu--"

Silence Suzuka covered her mouth with a very ladylike smile, and the pair of carrot leaves atop her head trembled along with their owner's joyful mood.

Those ears first curved inward, and then stood straight up.

"Isn't a fake name like this way too terrible?"

She looked at Zhou Yuang, feeling helpless at his casualness.

Couldn't you pick a cool name?

Something like Strawberry Daifuku, for instance?

"Besides, it's not polite to tell fake names to the person you want to invite."

Spit it out, your real name.

You have to be serious when introducing yourself, right?

"Alright, let me introduce myself properly. My name is Zhou Yuang, and I am a trainer—a trainer who will fulfill his responsibilities no matter where his charge runs off to."

Zhou Yuang's hand reached toward Silence Suzuka once again.

And this time, Silence Suzuka didn't hesitate at all as she placed her hand atop his.

"I run really fast, you know, and I'll run very far too, so please make sure to keep a close eye on me. Both my Front Runner style and my very self might slip away to somewhere you can't notice if you're not paying attention."

"Do you really think you can escape the palm of my hand?"

Seeing this, Zhou Yuang laughed as well, gripping Silence Suzuka's hand tightly without any hesitation.

"You can run, but you definitely won't get away!"

The human and the horse clasped each other's hands tightly amidst the crowd, and at that moment, they seemed to have confirmed each other's souls.

"That's not necessarily true! You have no idea how fast I can run!"

After a brief exchange, Silence Suzuka suddenly started acting like an idiot.

She looked at Zhou Yuang, looking eager to do something as if itching for a challenge.

"Huh? Wasn't that a trial race just now?"

Zhou Yuang wanted to say something, but who would have thought that the girl who was just helpless against the crowd had now grown bold.

She grabbed Zhou Yuang and rushed right out of the crowd, then ran off into the distance.

After that...

"Trainer-san! Please stand still for a moment!"

After bringing Zhou Yuang to a place where no one would disturb them, Silence Suzuka instructed Zhou Yuang to stay put, and then suddenly pressed her back against Zhou Yuang.

She hoisted Zhou Yuang straight onto her back.

"Ah?"

"Trainer, please hold on tight!"

Grabbing one of Zhou Yuang's legs with each hand, Silence Suzuka looked forward with a challenging smile.

"Next, I'll prove that I run a lot faster than other Uma Musume!"

Feeling Zhou Yuang helplessly grab onto her shoulders, Silence Suzuka immediately started to run.