"Last night, I received a phone call from Rice Shower-san... She said she would really like you to be her trainer."
"...Huh? What did you say?"
Something's wrong... I must have come down with sudden deafness. I feel like I just got a reverse offer to become Rice Shower's trainer, but it's probably just a hallucination.
I came to the chairwoman's office to talk about Rice Shower's trainer, so there's no way a reverse offer has already been made.
"You're aware that the person who was in charge of Rice Shower-san has taken a leave of absence, aren't you?"
"Yes... that was the email that came around yesterday, right?"
Jokes aside, when I asked to confirm, Sugikawa-san nodded firmly.
"Regret! We were unable to protect them! It's a matter of deep regret, even for the one who took a leave of absence!"
The chairwoman clenched her folded fan so tightly that it looked like it was about to break, and she cried out with genuine frustration. Seeing that, I realized that the higher-ups at Tracen Academy were also fully aware of Rice Shower and her trainer's situation.
Even though they were aware, why would I be approached about becoming Rice Shower's trainer? Even if Rice Shower wanted it, shouldn't they try to stop her?
"Therefore, we would like to prioritize Rice Shower-san's wishes and select her successor trainer."
"And that would be me...? With all due respect, I'm a rookie trainer who's only been doing this for about half a year, and the Uma Musume I'm training is a dirt sprinter, so I have nothing to do with Rice Shower."
It's natural to prioritize Rice Shower's wishes. But to be honest, I'm at a loss for words when I'm suddenly approached with this.
"Of course, it's up to you whether you accept or not. It's frustrating, but if you become Rice Shower-san's trainer, there's a risk of being dragged into unnecessary trouble, just like her predecessor."
"Certainly! If you accept, we promise to cooperate as much as possible! Interviews with Rice Shower can be largely controlled if they go through the academy!"
Sugikawa-san's expression was a little dark, as if she sympathized with Rice Shower. The chairwoman was banging on her desk with her small body, looking as if she were about to breathe fire out of anger.
(Me, as Rice Shower's trainer...?)
It was an appealing offer. Rice Shower's run in the Kikuka-shō was breathtaking, and I thought it would be a great honor for a trainer to be able to help that Uma Musume.
But I have no experience training an Uma Musume who runs on turf. On top of that, I'm currently struggling to train Urara, a dirt sprinter.
I learned the basics of turf training at the training school, but Rice Shower is the complete opposite of Urara in terms of training policy.
I don't think it would happen, but would she just want me to lend my name as her trainer, like her predecessor, and let Rice Shower train and race as she pleases? Could there be an intention to use me as a scapegoat for her out-of-control fans so a GI Uma Musume like Rice Shower can flourish?
(No, I'm getting suspicious... They wouldn't do something like that... right? Right?)
I came here to ask them to assign a skilled trainer to Rice Shower, but for some reason, the spotlight is on me, and I'm feeling confused.
Sugikawa-san must have noticed my wariness and confusion, and she looked at me with a straight gaze.
"I understand that it's an unbelievable offer... But we have a high regard for you."
Is that true? Is my heart so tainted that I'm doubting if they're just trying to flatter and deceive me? It's a phrase that makes me vaguely uneasy. Are they thinking, "Sorry to trick you, but you're going to be our scapegoat"?
"A high regard, you say...? I had to have my Uma Musume run in four races just to get her one victory..."
If there were a more skilled trainer, could they have gotten Urara to finish in 1st place in her debut? Even if she lost her debut, could they have gotten her to win in her second race?
Through training, I've come to know the potential of the Uma Musume named Haru Urara, and I now believe in her from the bottom of my heart. That's why I don't regret becoming Urara's trainer, but I do regret my lack of training skills and experience.
And you want me to be in charge of training a GI Uma Musume? It sounds like a bad joke.
"That's the very point we have a high regard for you."
"...What's that?"
I know it was rude, but I couldn't grasp her intention. So I asked with a tilt of my head, and Sugikawa-san stepped forward, looking a little excited.
"We have a high regard for your training skills that allowed you to get that Haru Urara to win in her fourth race. We also saw her fourth race on TV, as well as her winning live performance. And we have checked on your practice sessions many times. Seeing the trust you two have in each other, we decided it would be foolish to dismiss you just because you're a rookie trainer."
(Huh? They were checking on my practice sessions with Urara? Seriously?)
I was curious about what kind of scenes they had seen, but I noticed something else that was more concerning.
"Excuse me, but what do you mean by that Haru Urara...?"
Does Sugikawa-san also have knowledge of modern horse racing? No, in my case, it's not even knowledge of horse racing, but does she know about the horse named Haru Urara? But the horse named Haru Urara that I know of is famous, so Sugikawa-san's reaction is strange.
The way Sugikawa-san said it, it sounds like there was something wrong with the Uma Musume named Haru Urara.
When I asked with a question in my voice, Sugikawa-san looked at the chairwoman. The chairwoman nodded firmly in response and had Sugikawa-san bring her a file. She then took out a document from the file and handed it to me.
"This document is classified, so please do not reveal its contents to anyone outside the academy."
(When you say that and hand me something, it's hard to accept...)
I wanted to protest out loud, but since she was my superior, I kept it to myself. After a few seconds of hesitation, I took the document and looked at it—
"Um... is it just me? This document about Urara's enrollment seems to show that she passed the Tracen Academy exam with just an interview..."
The document was about the results of the exam Urara took when she applied to Tracen Academy.
It made sense that it was classified since it showed the passing criteria, but the problem was that Urara clearly didn't meet the passing criteria.
(N-no way... Did Urara get into this academy through some kind of back door?)
Have I just found out some information that I shouldn't have? Is this a threat, like, "Accept our offer, or Urara will be expelled"? If so, I'll surrender immediately.
(No, no, no, that can't be it... Right?)
I couldn't read the intentions of the chairwoman and Sugikawa-san and looked at them. Then, Sugikawa-san smiled wryly and nodded.
"I think your question is a valid one. However, while Haru Urara-san didn't get a good evaluation in the academic and physical ability tests, she received a great evaluation in the interview and was accepted."
"Approved! We judged that she had a rare power that other Uma Musume don't and allowed her to enroll! There is no problem!"
If the chairwoman approved it, then there's no problem—or is there? I was feeling uneasy, and Sugikawa-san's wry smile deepened.
"Haru Urara-san said that she wanted to enroll in this Tracen Academy because she thought she could have more fun and exciting races here."
"So moving! We were happy that she thought of this academy in that way! And we thought her brightness would become a light that illuminates other Uma Musume!"
"So... even though races for Uma Musume can be tough, you judged that Urara's bright personality would have a good influence on others...? Is that what you mean?"
"Precisely! That's right!"
It's not like she's a one-trick pony, but her natural brightness was what got her a good evaluation. As someone who interacts with Urara on a daily basis, I agree with that opinion.
But still.
"So... you didn't think Urara would do well in races?"
As her trainer, I couldn't just ignore that. They accepted her because she would have a good influence on others, but it was almost as if they didn't have any expectations for her as an Uma Musume.
"We can't deny that, nor do we intend to... Do you remember that we called you in right after you were assigned to this academy and you applied to become Haru Urara-san's trainer?"
"Yes... of course."
At that time, I remember being defiant and putting up a brave front, thinking that they were going to take me off of Urara's case. The chairwoman also asked me about it repeatedly, but now I understand why.
(A rookie trainer who had just been assigned here applied to train Urara... Of course they would try to stop me...)
I was angry at the chairwoman and Sugikawa-san's words, but when I thought about Urara's abilities when I first started training her, it couldn't be helped. A rookie trainer who had never trained an Uma Musume before chose Urara, of all people, to be his client.
"Do you understand now? As a rookie trainer, you raised Haru Urara-san to a level where she could win a race, even if it was a maiden race, and you even got her to set a race record. Furthermore, the trust you two have in each other is comfortable and enviable for an Uma Musume... Ahem, any Uma Musume would think so."
"I'm happy to hear that, but... huh?"
The end of Sugikawa-san's sentence sounded strange, but I concluded that it must have been a slip of the tongue. At the same time, I was surprised that my work with Urara was so highly regarded.
Certainly, my performance review in the summer was also better than I expected, but it made sense when I knew about Urara's entrance information.
"Petition! There are certainly many trainers with better training skills than you! But what Rice Shower needs right now is a trainer who can stay by her side, like you can! In that regard, we think you surpass the average trainer!"
(It's a trainer's job to stay by their Uma Musume's side... No, I can't say that out loud.)
When I thought about the Uma Musume Urara had raced against in her maiden races, I couldn't say that all trainers were by their Uma Musume's side. But there must be trainers who have better training skills than me and are also more supportive of their Uma Musume.
"With that condition, Trainer Spica would also fit the bill, right? He's a senior, and he's trained GI Uma Musume. He also thinks about his Uma Musume's well-being."
I immediately thought of a senior trainer's face. He's a senior who has a great reputation for his training skills and for thinking about his Uma Musume. And he's also tough.
"Rejected! A few of Team Spica's members have races that overlap with Rice Shower's! We can't allow that!"
"Ugh... that's definitely not good."
It might be acceptable if two members of the same team were in the same race, but you can't have a large number of Uma Musume from one team in a single race. It's unlikely given the number of members in a team, but if a large number of Uma Musume from one team were to dominate the top ranks of a GI race, it would affect the other teams.
I was about to suggest Trainer Tojo, but now that I think about it, I'm not sure if she and Rice Shower would get along well in terms of personality.
Trainer Tojo has a reputation for her training skills being second to none at Tracen Academy, but she's also known for being strict.
Rice Shower's talent is top-notch at Tracen Academy, but she also seemed timid even after talking to her for a short time.
They might get along well, but there's also a risk that Rice Shower might break down.
As I was wondering what to do, Sugikawa-san spoke with a gentle smile.
"It's precisely because you're thinking about this so seriously that we've decided we can trust you with Rice Shower-san. You encouraged her last night, didn't you?"
"I mean... yes. But it was also a coincidence..."
Am I really the right person for this? I'm already struggling to train just Urara; can I handle training Rice Shower, too? Will I end up ruining Rice Shower's future?
A trainer in a similar position to me might jump at the chance, but I'm not confident that I can actually train this girl.
Sugikawa-san must have noticed my hesitation and her expression became serious.
"I'm going to say something a little harsh, if you don't mind?"
"...What is it?"
"Then please excuse me... To be frank, when you were first assigned to this academy, we didn't think we could entrust you with Rice Shower-san. More than just being a rookie trainer, it's because you didn't have the face of a trainer. The reason you failed to scout Uma Musume at first was probably because they sensed that."
At Sugikawa-san's unexpected words, I instinctively touched my face in silence. She wasn't talking about the shape of my face, but her words were surprising rather than harsh.
Sugikawa-san continued to speak while looking at me intently.
"However, you changed while training Haru Urara-san. The person you are now—you have the face of a true trainer."
"..."
I was surprised by Sugikawa-san's words—and Urara's smiling face came to mind.
If I now have the face of a trainer, it's definitely because of Urara.
"That's why we wanted to accept Rice Shower-san's request. Please, would you help Rice Shower-san?"
"...That's a dirty trick."
If she asks me to help that girl, of course I want to help her. She's an Uma Musume who can run like that. As a trainer, the desire to polish that power wells up within me.
"Before I accept, I have one condition."
But still. I want to train Rice Shower, but there's something that I have to prioritize above all else.
"I'd like to have Urara and Rice Shower meet, and if their compatibility isn't good, I'd like to refuse."
I'm sorry to Rice Shower, but Urara is the most important thing to me. If I think that training Rice Shower, who is a different age and in a different position, at the same time might have a negative effect, I can't make a decision here and now.
"Hmm... no, accepted! That's a natural consideration for a trainer!"
The chairwoman frowned a little, but then she nodded in agreement.
With those words, the discussion was over. But at that moment, I had a feeling that I would become Rice Shower's trainer.
I hadn't had Urara and Rice Shower meet yet, but somewhere in my heart, I had a feeling that those two would get along well.
-------------
After school that day.
I was at the practice course to greet Urara, who had come for her usual training, but Rice Shower was standing next to her.
"Huh? Hey, Trainer, who's that?"
Urara immediately noticed Rice Shower and ran over to her with a look of curiosity. Rice Shower must have been meeting Urara for the first time because she hid behind me.
"Ah... well, Urara, this girl's name is Rice Shower..."
What is this? It's kind of hard to introduce her. How should I explain it? I had thought about it a lot, but now that Urara was in front of me, it was hard to say anything.
Is this what it feels like to introduce your stepchild to your biological daughter? No, I've never been in a situation like that, even in my past life.
But her curiosity about Rice Shower must have won out over her shyness. Urara smiled happily, ran to Rice Shower's side, and took her hand.
"Rice Shower... so your name is Rice-chan! I'm Haru Urara! Call me Urara!"
"U-um... Nice to meet you, Urara-chan."
"Hehe... I made a new friend, Trainer! Yay!"
Urara gave me a peace sign. To Urara, if they call each other by their names, they're friends. Her purity is blinding for someone with the heart of an old man.
"So, so? Why is Rice-chan here? Are you my practice partner like Meek-chan?"
Rice Shower was also wearing her practice jersey, so she probably thought she was a rival like Happy Meek.
I smiled wryly and briefly explained Rice Shower's situation to Urara.
That she was a GI Uma Musume who won the Kikuka-shō, that she didn't have a trainer right now, and that she was unfairly treated because of her 1st place win in the Kikuka-shō.
I explained all of that in a simple way that Urara could understand. During that time, Rice Shower was looking down in silence. She was probably scared because she didn't know how Urara would react.
But her worries were for nothing. It was easy to predict how Urara would react, as obvious as something falling to the ground.
"What!? That's so mean! Do something about it, Trainer! Rice-chan is so sad!"
Urara's eyes were filled with tears, and she pulled on my jersey. She was genuinely sad about Rice Shower's situation.
"I want to do something about it, too. The chairwoman and Sugikawa-san have asked me to be Rice Shower's trainer."
"Really?"
I smiled wryly, knelt down, and got on eye level with Urara. And I asked her as if to confirm.
"But if I become Rice Shower's trainer, the time I can spend on your training will be shorter. Is that okay?"
I didn't want to say anything bad about Rice Shower, but that's what becoming her trainer would mean. No matter what I do, the time I can spend on Urara's training will be shorter. I plan to improve the quality of her training, but it's unclear how much I can do at this point.
"Huh? It's totally okay."
But Urara tilted her head as if she was puzzled by my question. My eyes went wide in surprise at her unexpected reaction, and Urara gave me a big smile.
"Because Trainer is amazing! So it's okay!"
What I saw there was her innocent trust in me. Urara was confident that I could do it.
"And besides, it'll be so much fun to train with Rice-chan!"
What Urara said next was something she had been saying all along.
Urara's origin—she wants to have fun and be excited. But I also know that it has changed a little compared to when we first met.
I don't know if Urara is aware of it or if she's aware of it and is trying to have fun with it all.
What kind of influence will Urara receive and give while interacting with Rice Shower? I won't know until I let them spend time together.
—Well, you know. I've been looking for all sorts of reasons, but it looks like it all comes down to my decision and my future efforts.
I'm going to train Urara and Rice Shower at the same time and make them stronger. The difficulty might not be twice as much but squared compared to when it was just Urara.
But still.
"Um... I-I'm sorry, Rice will just be a nuisance..."
Maybe she saw me agonizing over it and felt she was a bother. Rice Shower looked down sadly. I couldn't help but sigh when I saw her like that.
"That's not it... As I said last night, you're an amazing Uma Musume. So, it's the other way around; we're the ones who might cause you trouble. I might not be able to bring out your full potential... That's what I'm scared of."
The chairwoman and Sugikawa-san think highly of me, but I think it's a joke to be suddenly entrusted with training a GI Uma Musume.
It's like an active Major League Baseball player suddenly transferred to a rural amateur baseball team. And I'm the coach. This is more than just a stroke of luck.
Rice Shower must have taken my words the wrong way, and her face looked even more downcast. Urara then jumped onto my back and hung on with her arms around my neck.
"No way, Trainer! I want Rice-chan to be with us!"
"You're too loud, and why are you hanging on with your arms around my neck!?"
My airway was getting cut off, and I quickly tapped her. After a slight cough, I grabbed Urara's head and ruffled her hair.
"We're in the middle of a conversation, so behave... And, Rice Shower."
Rice Shower was looking at my interaction with Urara with a hint of envy. When I noticed her expression, I thought, "Oh, no," and said:
"I'm a rookie trainer who's only been working for about half a year. I've only trained this Urara, and I don't know anything about training a turf stayer beyond what's in the textbooks. To be honest, I think I have more to learn from a GI Uma Musume like you."
Rice Shower is an active stayer and an Uma Musume who wears the Chrysanthemum crown. She's one of the best and a great Uma Musume at Tracen Academy.
But still, the person in front of me is an Uma Musume who is heartbroken because the honor she deserved was unfairly taken away from her.
"If a rookie trainer like me is good enough for you, let's work together."
The offer came from Rice Shower, but I held out my right hand as if to give her the choice. It was as if I was saying, "If you want to walk with me, take this hand."
"I'm with you, too! It's a great deal!"
"Hey, Urara, that's what a greengrocer says..."
And as if she understood my feelings, Urara, who had been grabbing my clothes in protest, held out her right hand with a smile.
"...Are you sure? Rice will be a nuisance, you know?"
Rice Shower looked at my and Urara's outstretched hands and her eyes wandered. Did she get cold feet after making the reverse offer and being accepted?
"I don't care about being a nuisance. As I said before, Urara and I will probably cause you trouble, too. Listen, Rice Shower, what you have to do is simple. Take my hand and Urara's, or don't. It's a choice between two."
I think it would have been easy to just push her to accept here. But I didn't.
Rice Shower was saying things like she would be a bother or make others unhappy, but anyone would say similar things when they're feeling negative. Rice Shower's emotional wounds are probably not comparable to an average person's, but that's why I thought this choice would be her first step forward.
Because making a choice for yourself is that important and meaningful.
"..."
Rice Shower looked at my face and Urara's in silence. Then, she slowly raised her trembling right hand and hesitantly took my hand.
"Nice to meet you, Rice Shower."
"Sniff... Yeah... Yeah!"
When I smiled, Rice Shower nodded with tears welling up in her eyes.
"Yay! Nice to meet you, Rice-chan!"
Then, Urara hugged Rice Shower with a smile. Rice Shower, who was hugged by Urara as if she was going to rub her face against her, was confused but smiled happily.
Watching Urara and Rice Shower's interaction, I gently changed Rice Shower's hand, which was holding mine, into a fist.
(Training a GI Uma Musume, huh...?)
I don't know how well I'll do. But I still want to be Rice Shower's strength as much as I can.
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