Platinum Nearl remained completely unaware of the turmoil on Rudolf's side—or perhaps, even if she had known, she would have merely dismissed it with a light laugh.
For her, a single race was nothing to agonize over.
And what about Kitahara? Well, he was currently in the trainers' office, buried in paperwork—specifically, reimbursement forms for training supplies.
"Ah, as expected of the prestigious Central Tracen Academy. They really don't hold back with the funds. Even something like reimbursing most training expenses is something local branches could never hope to match."
His pen moving nonstop, Kitahara racked his brain trying to recall everything Oguri Cap had recently worn out or broken.
"You've been here a whole year and you're still going on about this?"
Someone slid over in a chair from the side—none other than Trainer B.
"Well, I grew up poor out in the sticks. Back in the local branches, trainers had to cover all the Uma Musume's sports gear out of pocket. You can't imagine how tight things were back then."
Recalling those days, Kitahara nearly buried his face in his hands.
"Especially when I was raising Oguri Cap. She loved running, and she ran so much—sneakers, socks, workout clothes—they'd wear out like everyday essentials. The only saving grace was that the academy covered all meal costs. Otherwise, I might've had to sell a kidney just to get by."
"Huh? Sell what?"
Trainer B, unfamiliar with the local slang, looked genuinely confused.
"Never mind, it's nothing."
Just as the two were chatting and laughing, a sudden 'knock knock' came from the door behind them.
"Hello, may I come in?"
A voice Kitahara would never forget—a voice whose owner had guided him day after day a year ago. Without her, he never would have made it into Central.
But before Kitahara could even react, Trainer B spoke up first.
"Of course! We never turn away Uma Musume here. After all, we trainers are here to support them."
"Thank you."
The Uma Musume at the door nodded and stepped inside. Only then did Trainer B get a clear look at her.
"Holy—! Nearl!"
His exclamation echoed throughout the office, and in an instant, countless heads popped up from behind their desks.
Along with those heads came a mix of stares and hushed whispers.
"Speak of the devil... But if you think about the timing, she really should be enrolling at Central around now."
"That posture, that aura, and that tall, athletic build—you can tell at a glance she's undefeated for a reason. She just radiates strength."
"I'd kill to have her as my partner. She's exactly the type of Uma Musume who trains diligently on her own, isn't she? I'm so done with the handful of divas I have now."
Though the chatter continued, they at least had the decency to keep their voices low—so low that most Uma Musume wouldn't have been able to hear.
Not that Nearl missed a word of it.
"Kitahara, it's been a while. You've changed quite a bit since the old days."
Nearl greeted the middle-aged man warmly.
"Likewise, it's been too long, Nearl. You've grown so much taller, and your presence feels even more formidable than before."
Wiping away nonexistent tears from the corner of his eye, Kitahara's face twisted into a messy blend of nostalgia, emotion, and joy—making his already less-than-handsome features even more awkward.
"Time marches on relentlessly, but I've finally made it to Central."
Looking at her old partner, Nearl extended her hand to him.
"Kitahara, on these tracks at Central... would you still be willing to support me?"
"!"
"Hah..."
"You've got to be kidding me!"
A wave of quiet groans filled the office. Seeing that scene and hearing those words, everyone knew—the highly sought-after Nearl had already chosen her trainer.
In that moment, a surge of sheer envy and resentment washed over Kitahara. How many of them were secretly—or not so secretly—seething with jealousy?
"Damn it, first Oguri Cap, and now another incredibly gifted Uma Musume? What does Kitahara even have going for him?!"
"I'm having dumplings for dinner. No way I'm letting this sour taste go to waste."
"Sniff... A direct request... Every one of the prima donnas in my team was won over through blood, sweat, and tears. How does this guy keep stumbling into such luck?"
The collective intensity in the room sent a chill down Kitahara's spine. His face darkened as he stood up, grabbing his phone, wallet, and other essentials.
Then he bolted!
As he ran, he called back, "Nearl! Let's meet at the training room—you know where it is!"
And just like that, he vanished in a cloud of dust, leaving Nearl behind with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
"Well, that was..."
--+--
"Huff... huff... That scared me half to death. I really thought my colleagues were going to eat me alive."
In the training room, Kitahara slumped into a chair, catching his breath. Beside him, Nearl sat poised and proper.
"Nearl, you nearly gave me a heart attack. Because of Oguri Cap, I'm already a target among the trainers. They'd love nothing more than to roast me over a spit. With that stunt of yours, my life might as well be hanging by a thread."
"You seem to get along well with them, Trainer—comfortable enough to joke around like that."
Yes, Nearl had reverted to calling him "Trainer" again.
"Sigh! I just don't know if I can handle that kind of 'good relationship'."
After resting a bit, Kitahara straightened up and looked at his long-lost partner, feeling a surge of emotion.
"Nearl, forget the small talk. What events are you aiming for here at Central?"
His expression turning serious, Kitahara prepared to do what little he could as a trainer—because, truth be told, that was about all he was good for.
"Kitahara, I don't have one specific goal. Or rather, everything is my goal. I want to run in every single Grade 1 race."
Nearl met her trainer's gaze and stated her plan as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
"..."
Kitahara was stunned. It took him a long moment to find his words.
"Only you would come up with something like that. The sheer audacity of that goal is unheard of."
And he meant it. He truly believed this goal was on another level of difficulty.
For starters, Grade 1 races were divided into dirt and turf—two surfaces that demanded completely different skill sets. Very few Uma Musume could adapt to both.
But that part didn't worry him about Nearl. The previous Spring Cup had already shown that her turf adaptability was just as strong as her dirt skills.
The real challenge would be distance adaptability.
If she wanted to run every G1 race, that meant she might only get one shot at some of the major stakes races.
While others could challenge a race two or even three times, Nearl might only compete once—because race schedules would inevitably clash.
Unless she could run major stakes races without even a month's rest in between.
"Nearl, you've set yourself an unbelievably ambitious goal."
Kitahara's hands trembled slightly—not from fear, but from excitement.
"But if you somehow manage to win every single one of those races... then even the title 'Legendary Uma Musume' wouldn't be enough to capture your status."
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.