Blue Rose
"I hate bratty kids!"
Gold Legend stood in the middle of the children, expressionless, acting as a perfect wooden dummy.
The ignorant little brats were playing innocently, using Legend as a shield while chasing each other.
Laughter rang out, and the lively, cheerful children painted the scene with vibrant colors through their innocent playfulness.
It was just that the Uma Musume who stood out from the crowd, who should have been the main focus, was ruining the scenery with her dead-fish eyes.
I'm such a fool, really.
I shouldn't have come here.
Legend prayed silently in her heart, hoping for an angel to descend and save her from this sea of suffering.
"Um? Senior Legend?"
A timid voice came from behind her.
"Ah, it's big sister Rice Shower!"
A brat cheered, and then a whole group of them whooshed away from Legend and surrounded Rice Shower.
Ah, an angel has truly descended.
Legend thought expressionlessly.
"Thank you for your hard work," a kind old man approached. "I'm sorry, those children aren't very good at expressing their kindness."
"...It's fine, really." Legend shook her head.
"These children heard that the person who has been supporting them was coming to visit, so they've been looking forward to it and preparing for a long time," the old man said with a smile. "But I didn't expect it to cause you trouble."
"It's not that, I'm just not very good at dealing with this sort of thing."
It's my problem.
Legend finally managed a bitter smile.
"Thank you for everything you've done. If it weren't for your support, this orphanage might have closed down long ago. Honestly, I didn't expect our benefactor to be so young," the old man said with a smile. "You don't look like the type of child who would pay attention to these things."
"...It's just a trivial matter," Legend shook her head. "Besides, if it weren't for you, Director, keeping this orphanage running, it wouldn't have lasted until my support arrived."
So you should be thanking yourself.
"This orphanage was entrusted to me by my wife before she passed away. For whatever reason, I must keep it going," the Director said, looking at the playing children. "But what about you, child? Why do you do this?"
"...I just feel that since heaven has granted me the gift of remaining in this world, I should do something. That is all."
...
"Um, why is Senior here?"
Although looking a bit disheveled, Rice Shower, who had skillfully calmed down the children, asked Legend, who was standing to the side, with curiosity.
"A whim?" Legend said in an uncertain tone, then asked, "What about you, Rice, why are you here?"
"R-Rice?!" Rice Shower was startled and said timidly, "Um, I've always come here to help."
"Volunteering? That's truly impressive."
"...I'm just doing what I can," Rice Shower lowered her head. "After all, doing this is all I can do."
"Don't belittle yourself, Rice. Look, aren't those children very fond of you?"
Seeing Rice Shower suddenly become dejected for no apparent reason, Legend hurriedly comforted her.
"But Rice Shower can't do anything," Rice Shower shook her head. "Just like a few months ago, if it weren't for a kind person's support, this place wouldn't exist anymore, right? Rice Shower could only watch. Rice Shower is a useless child."
Ugh, this is troublesome. I'm not good at comforting girls.
The kind person thought with a headache.
"Hm? What is that?"
Legend noticed the book Rice Shower had placed to the side.
"Ah, this?" Rice Shower picked up the book. "It's a picture book, my favorite one. It's called 'The Happy Blue Rose'."
"Oh, what kind of story is it?"
Thank goodness, Gold Legend quickly changed the subject.
"The story takes place in a courtyard filled with many roses. The various roses in this courtyard bring happiness to those who visit."
"But one day, a blue rosebud, one that no one had ever seen before, appeared in the courtyard."
"The surrounding roses and the people who came to the courtyard to admire the flowers all said, 'The blue rose is so disgusting,' and 'It must be a flower that brings misfortune.'"
"Just like that, even the blue rose itself thought, 'I am a useless flower,' and began to wither away..."
Rice Shower said this, revealing a sentimental expression.
"Huh? What kind of dark fairy tale is this? Blue roses are beautiful, okay?" Gold Legend replied, speechless.
"Ah, that's not the end," Rice Shower said hurriedly. "Just at that moment,'Sister' appeared before the withering blue rose..."
"Sister?"
"Yes! A kind-hearted person with a very gentle smile!" Rice Shower crossed her hands over her chest, looking full of longing. "She saw the blue rosebud and said with a smile, 'Oh my, what a beautiful blue rose! I believe it will surely bloom into a beautiful flower. Please, let me buy it!'"
"And so, the withering blue rose was transplanted into a flowerpot. Sister greeted her every day, and just like that, the blue rose bloomed into a beautiful flower."
"The blue rose was displayed by the window in Sister's house, bringing happiness to the people passing by."
Rice Shower told this story gently.
"Hey, that's actually quite nice," Gold Legend said with a smile.
"...! Legend-san, you think so too? Hehehe, I'm so happy," Rice Shower said, pleasantly surprised. "When I first read this picture book as a child, I also wanted to become like the blue rose—not the child who brings misfortune to everyone... but to become a blue rose that can bring happiness."
"...Is that why you became an Uma Musume, Rice Shower?" Gold Legend asked, thoughtful.
"Yes! After I started having that thought, my mother took me to the racetrack," Rice Shower said with longing. "The Uma Musume I cheered for worked hard and won the race, and everyone had such happy expressions. So, I also wanted... I also wanted to become like that."
"Not the useless child who brings misfortune to everyone... but an Uma Musume who can bring happiness."
"...If it's you, Rice Shower, you can definitely do it."
Looking at Rice Shower's longing expression, Gold Legend said gently.
"Senior Legend..."
"You are shining right now, so you'll definitely be fine."
"Hehehe! Yes, thank you! Rice Shower will do her best!"
Rice Shower replied with a smile.
"Sister Rice Shower! Come over and play with us!"
In the distance, a little girl waved and called out.
"Ah, okay! Then, Senior Legend, I'm going over."
"Go ahead."
Not far away, the children were playing.
Laughter rang out, forming a happy scene.
The blue rose was in the center of the scene, blooming beautifully.
"What is this... hasn't she already done it?"
Gold Legend sat to the side with a gentle smile.
Watching over this beautiful scene.
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