One Day, My Dad Disappeared - Chapter 35

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 35
Loved by everyone.
The owner’s daughter rode him often, and that day was no different. The girl had galloped without even properly fastening the reins, and when she nearly fell from his back, he’d tried to catch her—only to have a jutting branch pierce his ear, stealing his hearing.
The girl’s life was saved, but her leg was left crippled, and the owner sold him.
In a world where no sound reached him, he became as skittish as a creature could be, bought and sold from one hand to another.
For years, each time he failed to perform, the whip came down.
By now, he was tired of it all—he wanted it to end.
He’d thrown a man to the ground whom even most humans bowed to. Perhaps this time, instead of being sold again, he might finally be freed from this exhausting life.
But the choice given to him was to run once more.
And to carry a girl who seemed awkward in the saddle and showed no particular athletic skill.
‘What is she chattering about?’
Not knowing he couldn’t hear her, she babbled constantly and kept trying to touch him. When he snorted in irritation, she’d tense, yet he couldn’t understand why she insisted on sleeping beside him so uncomfortably.
It was a day of heavy rain. Though he heard no sound, the humidity woke him.
The girl woke too—or perhaps to sound alone—and suddenly grabbed her umbrella, heading outside.
Did she leave because of the heavy rain?
Or had this girl, too, finally given up on him?
His mood sank with the damp.
It was strange how much her absence troubled him—this human who’d been so bothersome, fidgeting beside him.
‘What are these men about now?’
He could see the sharp blade in their hands. He felt little attachment to life, but—wouldn’t the girl be startled when she returned?
‘Or perhaps it’s time. Time for her to discard me now that I’m useless.’
Like his first owner. Like that young girl whose face he could no longer remember.
He closed his eyes quietly. But no pain came.
Puzzled, he cracked his eyes open to see the men scrambling to flee.
What in the world was happening? He’d thought this was the end.
‘Huh?’
Bewildered, the door burst open, and drenched silver hair came rushing in.
‘What is she saying?’
He couldn’t understand her words at all. But in a life that was long if you counted it kindly, short if you didn’t, one thing was certain: those silver strands shone brighter than any moonlight he’d ever seen.

* * *

“That happened? Why are you only telling me now?”
“Well, I fell asleep while holding Star, that’s all.”
When I came to my senses, we were both asleep. Meliot, who’d come to feed Star in the morning, was quite startled too.
“If what Cynthia says is true, then those men might have had a hand in your father’s fall from the horse during the competition as well.”
Meliot’s fists trembled.
“I’m sorry, Meliot. I wish I’d caught them red-handed.”
“No, that could have been dangerous for you.”
“So who are these criminals?”
At Aidan’s question, Meliot shrugged and spoke.
“I know exactly who they are.”
Meliot picked up a twig and drew a picture on the dirt floor.
“Roughly like this—the shorter man is Renol, and the taller one is Drodans. He’s the youngest son of the village lord, and his pair of horses has been on the same team for seven consecutive Horse Racing Competition victories.”
“And they’ve taken the Champion Horse Breeding Rights each time.”
Aidan rubbed his chin lightly.
“I’ll have the knights guard the area around Star, so don’t worry. And Cynthia, you’ve grown close to the horse now, so sleep in the quarters.”
“That’s right. You never know what might happen—it could be dangerous.”
Since I couldn’t sleep in the stable until the competition either, I nodded in agreement.
“Still, these people have been winning through such cowardly means all along.”
As I swept away the drawing on the ground with my foot, Meliot nodded.
“To injure a horse for victory? Such people don’t deserve to be called citizens of Turtle!”
She turned to me, her voice trembling with indignation.
“So this time, we’re going to win for sure! Let’s flatten their noses!”
“I’m with you! And it seems Star has already opened his heart to me.”
At my words, Meliot smiled broadly in return.
“That’s exactly it. Star seems to understand now that you won’t hurt him.”
“Really? Then could we start practicing Obstacle Jumping with Star starting today?”
“That might be pushing it, but I think running should be manageable.”
“Really?”
Excitement bloomed unbidden. At last—I was riding Star, truly riding.
“Star, I’m counting on you today.”
I stroked her neck gently, just as I had yesterday, and she responded with a calm swish of her tail. We’d definitely grown closer.
“Shall we begin?”
The vantage point from Star’s back was considerably higher than the practice horses I’d ridden before—but the saddle was equally more stable. I took up the reins carefully and began to walk.
“Wow, wow! Did you see that?”
Star turned direction smoothly, following my lead.
“That’s quite impressive.”
“Certainly better than last time.”
Star and I have gotten much closer, and Cynthia’s Horseback Riding has improved tremendously—the horse seems more at ease now.
The problem is, the competition isn’t just about taking a leisurely ride.
“How about we try some Obstacle Jumping practice right now?”
“Won’t that be exhausting?”
“I’ll be fine!”
Following Aidan’s suggestion, we moved straight into Obstacle Jumping training.
“Star, let’s run well together.”
I reached out carefully and tapped her neck. The fact that Star didn’t resist still felt strange somehow, but wonderful all the same. There was something profoundly moving about a creature that couldn’t speak expressing trust in me this way.
When I pressed my heels to her flanks, she broke into a gallop—and it was breathtakingly fast. Nothing I’d experienced on horseback before could compare. I’d heard Star was fleet of foot, but I’d never imagined anything like this.
The obstacle loomed ahead. The first one barely reached my knee height, so we’d clear it easily enough, wouldn’t we?
But at this speed, maybe it would be a little frightening? Would I lift out of the saddle when Star jumped?
My body went rigid all at once. Without meaning to, my hands tightened on the reins.
“……Huh? Wh—?”
Star, who’d been running smoothly, suddenly began to slow. She came to a complete stop just before the obstacle.
“What? We were going so well—why did you stop?”
“I—I didn’t stop on purpose, I didn’t choose to stop.”
Cold sweat broke out across my skin.
“Star, what’s wrong with you?”
It was strange. We tried several more times, galloping and attempting the jump, but Star always slowed down before the obstacle and came to a halt.
“What could be causing this?”
I don’t know either. I’ve never seen anything like it. She walks and gallops beautifully, but she stops dead before the obstacle……
If even Meliot doesn’t know, then it truly is a mystery.
“Could she be injured somewhere? Maybe a muscle that only gets used when jumping is sore……?”
“Or perhaps yesterday’s incident frightened her.”
Aidan clicked his tongue.
“There’s definitely something wrong. Who knows what those people might have already done to her. If we formally request it, we could ask to switch to a different horse……”
“Let me try once more.”
I mounted Star again and we began to run. Her pace remained swift as ever. After all these attempts, she should have been tiring, but as a racing horse, her endurance was extraordinary.
And after several more tries, I finally understood.
Because of the sheer speed, I’d been holding my breath without realizing it. My thighs had gone rigid with tension.
Star hadn’t failed to jump—she simply wouldn’t jump, afraid I might fall.
I loosened my grip on the reins and patted her neck gently.
Reassuring her that I was all right.
Neigh—
As if she’d been waiting for permission, Star let out a powerful whinny and surged forward. The speed was far greater than before. Wind tore past my ears, and the obstacle rushed into view.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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