"From now on, Agnes Tachyon will be our assistant trainer."
"Hello~~"
"..."
Everyone in the Minaz team room was completely taken aback when Agnes Tachyon walked into the room. They were more flabbergasted when their trainer introduced her as their new assistant trainer. Everyone knows Agnes Tachyon's infamous reputation. She is very much a legend in the Uma Musume's sphere, as she was in the trainer's sphere.
"When you said you were looking for an assistant trainer, I didn't expect you to recruit Tachyon of all people. Isn't Tachyon still an active runner?"
"Her trainer said that it's okay. She runs once in a blue moon anyway. At least with this, she gets to train every so often."
"Alright, as my first order as your new assistant trainer, everyone has to drink these potions."
Tachyon pulls up one of the few vials she has on her and pours it into the teapot.
"Uuuh… Trainer…?"
"Don't worry. If any of you get sick, she is going to lose her monthly paycheck."
"She is getting paid?!?"
"Yeah… She is working for me. Of course, she is getting paid. Do I look that heartless to you?"
"Yes."
The young man flicks McQueen's forehead for daring to talk back to him.
"Now go drink the tea as I explain our future course of action."
McQueen, with extreme caution, poured the tea into the cups. There seems to be nothing wrong with the tea, but she is still cautious since this is Tachyon that we're talking about. Her potions are infamous for a bad reason.
"For Urara, I'm planning on enrolling you in several dirt-ground type sprint-length G-three and G-two races. Once I'm confident in your abilities and skills, we'll start to have you run in G-one races."
"Ookay!! Urara understands!!"
Urara's aptitude for that particular combination of race might be both A, but this Urara that we're talking about. The shining star of losers around the world. The young man doesn't want to take chances now that he also has to pay for Agnes Tachyon. The prize money for winning G3 and G2 races might not be as much as G1, but it will still be higher than not winning at all.
"For Teio, I'm planning on you to start taking turf-ground type medium-length G-one races. You'll also be taking several long-length G-three races to train your long race aptitude. You still struggle with portioning your stamina in a long race."
"Leave it to me!! I'll start winning!!"
Teio is a genius. The young man is confident that Teio can win in G1 races, or at least finish in second or third. The more G1 races she participates in, the more experience she gains, which makes her genius side come out even more. If she keeps running in hard races, the more she'll improve, and soon enough, she'll become unbeatable. Except for fractures, of course.
"Suzuka, you'll be participating in mile-length and medium-length turf-ground type races. You might meet Teio, so prepare for that. I'm planning on rolling you in G-one and G-two races. We can start training you for either sprint-length or long-length races. I'm thinking about sprint type since we don't have any turf-ground type sprinters in our team."
"I understand. I'll try my best."
Suzuka has A aptitude for both medium and mile length races, so the young man doesn't need to worry about her in those areas. Not only that, her S aptitude for front-runner running type has basically juiced up her already broken aptitude for medium and mile length. Her D aptitude for sprint-length races might need some work, but her being a front-runner will make it easier for the young man to train her.
"Goldship. I have three six-sided dice with me. I'll throw it every day, and if all dice show the same number, you'll be running on that day. Whatever it is G-one, G-two, or G-three races. As long as it's a long-length or medium-length turf-ground type race, you'll be running on that."
"Oooohh!! I like that!!"
Asking Goldship to run is a nightmare, so the young man had to make it into a game so that Goldship would listen to him. Of course, the young man has rigged the dice so he can 'control' fate if he ever needs to.
"And as for you, McQueen."
"Hmm~~"
"You'll be trying to get the classic triple crown."
"PFFFFTTTTT!!!!"
"AAAAAHHHH!! MY EYES!! MY EYES!! IT BURNS!!!"
McQueen was taking a sip of her hot cup of tea when the young man dropped the bombshell. She promptly sprays the contents of her mouth forward at Goldship's face, having the hot tea spray into Goldship's eyes. The poor Goldship rolls on the ground while holding her face.
"Cough… Cough… A classic triple crown?! When I had just debuted?! I thank you for your confidence in me, but don't you think that's a little bit too soon?"
McQueen's reaction was understandable. The classic triple crown is one of the most prestigious achievements a JRA Uma Musume could obtain in their career. The classic triple crown races are held annually, but a triple crown champion isn't produced every year. That is due to how intense the battle for even a single crown is. It's not uncommon for someone to win the first leg of the classic triple crown, only for someone else to win the second leg, and then someone else to win the third leg, basically nullifying the chance of anyone becoming a classic triple crown champion that year.
"That's what Tachyon is here for. If our progress is the same as the team with no Tachyon on it, then what's the point of having her? I paid Tachyon to boost your girls' training output, and I'll use her for that."
"And the more races all of you win, the more bonus I get. Let's work together for our own goal, yes?"
"I–I see… Why me? Why did you choose me for your first try at the classic triple crown?"
"Since you're the only one with a good aptitude for both long and medium-length races. Goldship is stupid, so I can't expect anything from her."
"No one ever expected anything from her anyway."
"Hey! That actually hurt, McQueen!!"
"Since that's the case, you're the only one I can put my hopes on to win the classic triple crown. This is the fate of those that is assigned under me. We're climbing Everest, McQueen. Even if we fail, we're still at a higher elevation than when we started. And when we try again, we're closer to the top than the first time."
"..."
McQueen watched as the young man explained his reason with full confidence. Both in himself and in McQueen. McQueen couldn't deny the feeling of nervousness in her heart, but having someone expect so much of her feels wonderful. It feels as if she is living up to her Mejiro name. And it's not just some random person who put such a big expectation, it's her own trainer. The man with whom she had made a contract. The man who had believed her when she had only had rumors behind her.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure your confidence isn't misplaced."