At the school gate, Kitano Ryuichi and Hayakawa Tazuna stared at each other blankly, both stunned by the exchange. A long moment passed before they reacted.
"Um… Ms. Hayakawa, this should be our first time meeting, right?" Ryuichi forced himself to suppress the twitching at the corner of his mouth and asked patiently, "How do you know my name? Have we… met before?"
Ryuichi had already made up his mind. If Hayakawa Tazuna couldn't provide a reasonable explanation, he would immediately go jump in a river and restart. Yes, restarting for him wasn't as simple as quitting a run in a mobile game. If he wanted to restart quickly, his only option was suicide. The method didn't matter, as long as death was guaranteed.
He'd had several loops end due to various accidents, so he was quite experienced in that regard. The process might be painful, but compared to his "painful" life, the ability to trade death for a fresh start was a pretty good deal.
And Ryuichi had a very good reason for wanting a quick restart… After all, if the reset hadn't been successful, wouldn't that mean the Uma Musume he was in charge of in the previous loop still remembered their time together? He had failed to help her achieve her goals, then vanished after falling into despair…
Having done something so terrible, Ryuichi didn't need to think twice. If he had to face the Uma Musume from his last loop, he would surely be met with a furious beating.
A normal horse girl's physique was over three times stronger than a human's… and a racing Uma Musume's was even more formidable. A beating from such a being would be a fate worse than death. He'd rather take the quick way out.
Therefore, Hayakawa Tazuna's answer was crucial in determining whether he needed to restart immediately. However, Tazuna herself didn't know why she had blurted out the handsome young man's name as if by muscle memory.
Looking at him now, Hayakawa Tazuna couldn't help but feel that the young man before her looked familiar… She was certain she had never met him before, so why this feeling of familiarity?
It was as if… this wasn't the first time they'd met, as if they already knew each other very well.
But despite her surprise, Tazuna was an experienced assistant. She quickly composed herself, her eyes flickering slightly before she offered a smile.
"Ah, my apologies. I know of you, Trainer Kitano, because we received a notice in advance. A new trainer was to join Tracen Academy, and I had already reviewed your file. That's why I was waiting here."
Tazuna maintained her smile. It wasn't exactly a lie, as part of her duty at the gate was indeed to welcome the new trainer, Kitano Ryuichi. She just hadn't been certain the man in front of her was him. Now that it was confirmed, her explanation was plausible.
Feeling this wasn't quite enough, Tazuna even blinked and added a playful, curious tease. "On the other hand, Trainer Kitano, this is our first time meeting, isn't it? How did you know my name?"
"Could it be… we've met before? Or perhaps we were acquaintances?"
"Ah… well…"
Put on the spot by Tazuna's counter-attack, Ryuichi didn't know how to respond. Of course, this wasn't his first time meeting her. Whether it was in the mobile game before he was transported or in this world after, Hayakawa Tazuna and Kitano were old acquaintances.
As the Chairwoman's assistant, Tazuna provided a great deal of support to Tracen's trainers. Since Ryuichi almost always acted alone outside of training his assigned Uma Musume, over time, he had formed a friendship with the similarly friend-starved Hayakawa Tazuna in several of his loops.
In a few of those loops, their relationship had even developed into something ambiguously more… Of course, that was just Ryuichi's private opinion. He didn't know what Tazuna thought, nor did he dare to ask.
What if he asked and lost his only friend and drinking buddy? If Ryuichi were that socially bold, he wouldn't have gone through so many loops without a single one of his assigned Uma Musume confessing to him.
Regardless, their friendship was a thing of the past. In this loop, Ryuichi and Tazuna were supposed to be strangers. Breathing a sigh of relief internally, Ryuichi stammered out a reply.
"Well, you see, I did some research on everyone at Tracen Academy before coming. Since I'm joining this new big family, I thought it would be good to get to know the senior staff in advance. If we get along, it'll be easier for me to fit in at the academy, right?"
"...Is that so?"
Hayakawa Tazuna fell silent for a moment. She could tell that Ryuichi, who wasn't very good with words, had clearly averted his gaze just now. It was a sign of lying. He definitely knew her.
But why can't I remember? And if I really don't know him, why did I recognize him at first sight?
I'm acting really strange today, Hayakawa Tazuna thought. But for some reason, when she heard Ryuichi's words implying he didn't know her, she felt a pang of disappointment.
This feeling prompted Tazuna to purse her lips slightly and say, in a subtly charged tone, "So, since you know me, Trainer Kitano, does that mean you also want to 'get along' with me?"
"...?"
Was she always this forward? Joking with someone she just met? After so many loops, Ryuichi felt as if he was getting to know his old friend all over again.
"I'm sorry, I think my joke went too far." But Tazuna quickly realized her words were inappropriate. She immediately bowed in apology to Ryuichi, a faint blush creeping up her pretty face. Near her hips, something like a tail even began to sway uncontrollably.
Calm down, Hayakawa Tazuna, what's gotten into you today? This is your first time meeting Trainer Kitano, you have to be more reserved!
Taking a deep breath, Tazuna managed to compose herself. Her professional smile returned, though it looked a bit strained and tinged with disappointment.
"Welcome to Tracen Academy, Trainer Kitano. From now on, you are one of us."
"I hear you're not only the sole trainer to pass the exam this time but also the youngest trainer to ever be hired at Tracen. I believe we have welcomed another genius trainer today."
"A genius, huh… I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed."
Ryuichi felt nothing at such praise. Anyone who took exams from the same question bank for several lifetimes could be called a "genius" sooner than him. While it was true that this was the fastest he had ever entered Tracen Academy, Ryuichi knew it was a sham. He had simply memorized his way through.
Besides, so what if he was the youngest? Theory and practice are two completely different things in training Uma Musume. If his theory was based on memorization, then his practical training skills were, in his own estimation, a disaster.
So he had no intention of becoming an outstanding trainer. As long as he wasn't a total screw-up, that would be fine. Although Ryuichi was used to being called a "hack," it didn't mean he was completely unaffected by it.
"Is that so? But Trainer Kitano, you—"
"—Whether I'm a genius or a hack, everyone will form their own opinion. I can only say, Ms. Hayakawa, it's best not to have high expectations of my abilities."
Ryuichi shrugged with a self-deprecating smile, then asked, "By the way, Ms. Hayakawa, where are we heading now?"
"Ah, according to regulations, new trainers must first report to the Chairwoman's office. After that, you'll meet the Student Council President to complete your induction."
Hayakawa Tazuna opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to comfort Ryuichi after his self-mockery, but ultimately swallowed her words. She replied with a smile, "Don't worry, the Chairwoman is a very kind person. As for the current Student Council President… while she used to have a bit of a temper, she's become a very gentle and magnanimous Uma Musume now."
"So, who is the current Student Council President?" Ryuichi nodded and asked. This was to confirm the current timeline. Though he had only gotten a different answer once, in his very first loop, there was no harm in asking.
Without a second thought, Hayakawa Tazuna replied, "The current Student Council President is Symboli Rudolf. Why? Do you want to get to know her too, Trainer Kitano?"
...No, that won't be necessary. I already know her a little too well. Hearing the expected answer, Ryuichi still felt a wave of emotion.
Symboli Rudolf, huh… Well, this will probably be the only time I see her. Better not to overthink it.
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