The next day, the new year began.
In the end, I didn't go back to my parents' house and just relaxed in my apartment. My parents' place was in the city anyway, so I could always go back whenever I wanted. With that thought, I took a good rest at home and went to meet Urara and Rice for the first time this year.
"Happy New Year. I have a big announcement for you two."
"A big announcement?"
"Big brother, what happened?"
I had gathered the two of them at the training course for a light workout to start the new year. I cleared my throat and was about to make a big announcement—but before I did, I took a small envelope out of my pocket.
"Ah, before that, here are your New Year's allowances. Urara, you can use it on snacks, but only three carrots a day. Rice... yeah, buy whatever you want."
The New Year is all about New Year's allowances. With the prize money from the Arima Kinen, I thought about putting in a stack of 10,000 yen bills, but I decided on 5,000 yen for each of them, considering their age. In Rice's case, 5,000 yen was just a small amount, but the thought was what mattered.
"Yay! A New Year's allowance! Thank you, Trainer!"
"Wow... thank you, big brother. Rice is so happy."
Both Urara and Rice smiled and were happy. Their genuine reactions made me feel like it was worth it.
After the traditional New Year's exchange, I cleared my throat again and made my big announcement.
"Ahem... I have decided to form a team. Now, let's have a round of applause!"
"Yay! I don't really get it, but clap, clap!"
I clapped for myself with a sense of desperation, and Urara immediately clapped with a smile. She probably wasn't thinking about it at all, just doing it out of reflex. But that's what made her so cute.
"A team? Big brother, does that mean a new girl will be joining Rice and Urara-chan?"
Unlike Urara, Rice seemed to know what a team was. She looked at me with a skeptical expression—no, she looked a little moody. Was I imagining things?
"A new girl... so Rice knows you need five members to form a team. But, well... there's no talk of that right now. I couldn't handle it anyway."
When I said that, Rice let out a sigh of relief.
In the end, I decided to accept the offer to form a team. After weighing the pros and cons, I chose the pros. The cons were basically all about me, and the pros were all for Urara and Rice, so I had no choice but to accept.
I also told the Director that I couldn't handle any new Uma Musume for at least a year, and she surprisingly agreed. Maybe it was because she understood the difficulty of giving a rookie a team.
I had already applied for a team name, and it had been approved.
"The team name is Kitalpha... Team Kitalpha."
All the teams at Tracen Academy are named after stars. So during the New Year's holidays, I had been lying in bed, looking up names of stars, and I found one I liked.
"Kitalpha? Trainer, what's that?"
"It's the name of a star... from a constellation called Equuleus."
Kitalpha is the brightest star in the Equuleus constellation. However, the stars that Team Rigil, Team Spica, and Team Canopus are named after are all first-magnitude stars. Kitalpha is the brightest in its constellation, but it's only a fourth-magnitude star.
I'm a rookie trainer and I'm probably inferior to first-magnitude trainers like Trainer Tojo in many ways. That's why I purposely chose a fourth-magnitude star.
When I explained this, Urara just said, "Oh, I see," but Rice puffed out her cheeks.
"To Rice, big brother is a first-magnitude star!"
"Thank you, Rice... just hearing you say that is enough to make me cry..."
Rice's genuine words were almost enough to bring tears to my eyes. My mental state, which had been crushed by my classmates who contacted me after they found out about my prize money from the Arima Kinen, was starting to recover.
But I couldn't say that. Rice would probably worry about me. Also, another reason I couldn't tell the two of them was that if a senior trainer ever said anything, I could just say, "Oh, I'm still a rookie. It would be disrespectful to name my team after a first-magnitude star, haha," to suck up to them.
"But Rice, Kitalpha is a fourth-magnitude star, but I said it's the brightest star in Equuleus, didn't I?"
"...? Yeah."
"Equuleus means 'little horse,' so I chose it because I want to make the Uma Musume I train the strongest. Urara is about to start the real thing, and I want to make Rice even stronger... and I want them to shine the brightest someday."
I also chose the name with the wish that the team, like a little horse, would grow to be big and strong. Of course, I'd have to get used to managing the team first before I could make it big.
"Big brother!"
Rice, who understood my intentions, hugged me with a happy expression. I hugged her back, but Rice-san, since you started calling me big brother, you've been a lot more affectionate, haven't you? It's not very lady-like.
"Shine the brightest... does that mean being the center of the victory live?"
Urara tilted her head, poking it with her finger. Being the center of the victory live meant winning first place in the race.
"That's right. You could say that's shining the brightest."
"Winning first place in a race... being the center of the victory live just like Rice-chan..."
I couldn't quite tell if she understood, but her mumbled words made me widen my eyes slightly.
(Urara... she just showed interest in race rankings... didn't she?)
After her maiden race win, Urara went back to her usual relaxed self. She went back to wanting to have fun and be excited, rather than wanting to win. But it seemed that watching Rice run in the Arima Kinen had changed her.
It might have been a small change that Urara herself hadn't noticed. She had always said she wanted to dance in the victory live, but she had never said she wanted to be in the center.
(Having a rival to push you is a big deal... especially for someone like Urara.)
If Urara and Rice had the same age and race style, they would have been rivals. But Urara was in junior high, and Rice was in high school, and their race aptitudes were completely different. Still, Urara and Rice got along well, so they were having a positive effect on each other. I felt a little left out sometimes, but it was common for a father to be left out by his loving daughters... right?
While I was thinking about that, Rice, who had let go of me, tilted her head with a worried expression.
"But big brother, Rice doesn't know much about managing a team, but won't it be hard on you? I... no, I would really hate that."
"Ah... thank you for worrying, Rice. But it's okay. Ms. Hayakawa will be guiding and supporting me until the team is stable, so it might even be easier."
"I see. That's a relief... Ms. Hayakawa?"
"Yeah, Ms. Hayakawa. You know, the Director's secretary."
We would be working together from now on, but she had told me to "just call me Taduna." Since she was going to be helping me with the team, it couldn't hurt to get a little friendly with her. If I got close to Ms. Hayakawa, who was the Director's right-hand person, she might even be able to cover for me if something happened... I hope.
"...Ms. Hayakawa?"
"Ms. Hayakawa... Taduna Hayakawa. You know her... right?"
Huh? Is the Director's secretary not as well-known as I thought? Everyone probably knows the student council president, Symboli Rudolf, but maybe the Uma Musume don't really pay attention to the Director and her secretary. Or maybe they just don't have the opportunity to get to know them, unlike us trainers.
"She's the Director's secretary, so she's probably great at paperwork. It's reassuring to know I can talk to her if I need anything."
"...Rice will help you with your work, big brother."
As I was explaining things about Ms. Hayakawa, Rice said that. I was surprised at first, but then I smiled.
"I appreciate the thought, but I'd be happier if both you and Urara just trained hard and didn't get hurt."
I patted Rice's head and looked at Urara.
"I still need to see how you are, but Rice's next G1 is the Osaka Hai... she might have one race before that. Urara's is the Hyacinth Stakes, which is an open race. I'm sorry to put this on you, Rice, but it would be a big help if you could help with Urara's training while you're training for your own race... She might be up against some G1-class opponents."
If my eyes weren't mistaken, the Uma Musume Urara might be up against were quite strong. I might be overestimating them right now, but I think they have talent that is just as good as, if not better than, G1-class Uma Musume—or at least, they have top-class talent among the Uma Musume who run in G1 races.
But if I know they're strong, I can have them train with strong opponents.
There's a difference between turf and dirt, but Rice is an undeniable G1-class Uma Musume—one with two G1 titles, the Kikuka Sho and the Arima Kinen. Urara already trained with Rice, but from now on, it would be important to have them compete with each other more. It would be a bit of a burden on Rice, but training with Urara also improves Rice's condition, so all I had to do was make sure I took good care of Rice.
Rice's next G1 race was the Osaka Hai. It was the starting point for the Spring Senior Triple Crown, and if she won that, the Tenno Sho (Spring), and the Takarazuka Kinen, she would be a Spring Senior Triple Crown Uma Musume.
If Rice won those three races, she would have five G1 titles. But the Osaka Hai, the starting point for the Spring Senior Triple Crown, was a middle-distance race, 2000 meters, which was a little short for Rice's distance aptitude. It was a distance she was good at compared to sprint or mile races, but 2000 meters was the shortest among middle-distance races.
The Osaka Hai was 2000 meters, the Tenno Sho (Spring) was 3200 meters, and the Takarazuka Kinen was 2200 meters. Considering she would be running in other races besides the Tenno Sho (Spring), I would have to train Rice's top speed.
Urara was also pretty fast, though only on dirt. It would be a good training for Rice, too. And training on dirt would also strengthen her legs and hips. It would be a good idea to have her run in a race before the Osaka Hai to see how she was doing.
I thought about all that and took a key out of my pocket.
"Oh, and the team room will be ready in two or three days, so here's the spare key. Rice, you're the team leader. Don't lose this key. Urara, I don't think it'll happen, but if I can't be at the team room, you can contact Rice and have her open it for you."
I was originally going to give Urara a key, too, but I was worried she'd just lose it. Rice would be fine. With a team room, I wouldn't have to work in the common area for trainers anymore, and I could keep my computer and documents there. I hope no one would steal them, but I'd have to make sure to lock up properly just in case.
"A spare key... okay! Rice will take good care of it."
When I handed her the key, Rice's mood, which had been a little sour, immediately cleared up. She was genuinely happy and held the key to her chest as if it were a precious treasure.
"I'll have a key, Rice will have one, and Ms. Hayakawa will have one, so Urara, if you can't get in touch with me or Rice, or if you can't open the door for some reason, ask Ms. Hayakawa to open it. Got it?"
"Okay!"
"...."
Something was off. Urara responded cheerfully, but I could feel Rice's mood plummeting again. And stop trying to hug me silently in protest. It's not very ladylike.
That night, after Urara and Rice's training, and after I had ordered the new furniture for the team room, I decided to go home since my work for the day was done.
The sun had already set, and the winter cold was seeping into my bones. Still, I was enjoying the refreshing air of the new year as I walked out of the main gate of Tracen Academy.
"Hmm, I want some Honey-mi... but the store's not open at night."
(Huh? Honey-mi? A relative of the "Ichi-mi" or "Shichi-mi" spice blends?)
I heard a strange word and wondered about it. I looked ahead and saw an Uma Musume doing warm-ups in front of the dorm's main gate. When I saw who it was, I couldn't help but say her name out loud.
"Tokai Teio."
It was Tokai Teio, who had raced against Rice in the Arima Kinen. She had been in pretty bad shape back then, but she looked a lot better now. She was small for an Uma Musume, around 150 centimeters, but not as small as Urara or Rice. She had a mischievous but energetic vibe, and her chestnut hair was tied in a ponytail that reached her waist. She was wearing a Tracen Academy tracksuit and doing warm-ups, so she must be about to start her self-training.
"Huh? Hey, old man, are you a fan? Sorry, but I'm about to start my self-training."
Tokai Teio glanced at my face and said that, then continued her warm-ups.
"I'm not a fan, but I'm a trainer at Tracen Academy. It's cold tonight, so make sure you warm up properly. And make sure you get back to the dorm before curfew."
Many Uma Musume do self-training after their regular training is over. I made Urara train as hard as she could during her training time, and I had banned Rice from doing self-training because of her body, but I had no intention of stopping other Uma Musume from doing it.
"Hehe, it's fine! I'll warm up as I run!"
Her words made me frown.
Just as Gold Ship had said, Tokai Teio's expression was brighter than it had been at the Arima Kinen. Maybe losing to Rice in the Arima Kinen had some kind of effect on her.
But... I stopped and asked her a question after watching her do her warm-ups.
"...How long do you usually warm up before you do your self-training?"
"Huh? Um... about three minutes? I do knee bends, stretch my Achilles tendons, and do a light forward bend... Hey, old man. Did you come here to scout me?"
Tokai Teio answered honestly at first, but then her expression changed as if she realized something. She looked like a defensive kitten, but I didn't care.
"That's not enough at all. You need to warm up for at least three times that long... ten minutes. It's fine to walk, but if you run after a warm-up like that, you'll get hurt."
Team Spica's trainer was a veteran who had led his Uma Musume to many first-place finishes. I didn't know his training methods, but did he not give her advice on self-training?
No, he was the trainer of a team that was said to be on par with Team Rigil. It was more likely that he had given her advice, but Tokai Teio wasn't listening.
I looked at her face again and saw that although she had regained her motivation, she also looked impatient.
"Hmph... you're so annoying. It's none of your business, is it?"
"It is my business, since I'm a trainer at Tracen Academy... And it would be a failure as a trainer to leave an Uma Musume who is about to get hurt alone, even if she's not my own."
The moment I said she was about to get hurt, Tokai Teio's body trembled slightly.
"I won't get hurt... I have someone I want to beat, and I don't have time to get hurt."
"Then you should warm up and cool down properly. You might not listen to some old man who just happened to be passing by, but it would be a shame for a talented Uma Musume like you to be ruined by an injury."
When I said that, Tokai Teio, who looked like she was about to run, started doing knee bends again with a sullen expression. She was surprisingly obedient.
I thought she might stop if I looked away, so I stood there and talked to her.
"The Uma Musume you want to beat... is it Mejiro McQueen?"
"Yeah, Macqueen... and I want to beat Rice Shower."
"Oh, Rice... Shower."
Perhaps it was because she lost to Rice in the Arima Kinen, or perhaps it was because of the victory performance Rice had given to the fans, but it seemed that Tokai Teio had her sights on Rice.
"Then you don't have time to get hurt. That girl won't get injured, and she'll only get stronger. If you run like you did at the Arima Kinen, you'll never win against her."
I made Rice do thorough warm-ups and cool-downs, and her twisted muscle balance was getting better. Because of the speed they run at, it was sometimes unavoidable for an Uma Musume to get injured during a race, but it was possible to prevent injuries during training.
"Hmph... I'll get stronger, too! I'll beat Macqueen, and I'll beat Rice Shower!"
"Hahaha, then you have to be extra careful not to get hurt. But..."
I laughed at Tokai Teio's words, then became serious.
"The one who's going to win the race is my Rice."
I would make Rice win, even against Tokai Teio. I believed she would beat not only Tokai Teio but also Mejiro McQueen.
Tokai Teio's expression was blank at first, but she must have realized I was Rice's trainer. She yelled with a red face.
"So you were scouting me after all! And you came here to mess with my self-training!"
"Hahahaha! If I wanted to mess with you, I would have left an Uma Musume who was about to get hurt alone, Detective Akechi!"
"Who's Detective Akechi?! I'm Tokai Teio!"
I laughed at the flustered Tokai Teio, waved my hand, and left. I could hear her yelling behind me, but she didn't seem to be following me. I guess she was going to continue her warm-ups after all. Yeah, she was a good, obedient kid.
When I could no longer hear Tokai Teio's voice, I took out my smartphone. I opened the instant messaging app and opened a group chat. I had gathered all my male peers into a group chat during the New Year's party. It was useful for quick messages and advice. And since we were all around the same age, we often used it for casual chats to kill time. Okay, send.
"Anyone have the contact info for Team Spica's trainer?"
"Spica's trainer? I don't know him."
"Me neither."
"I do. What's up?"
Oh, someone knew him. I was lucky. I was going to have to contact Ms. Hayakawa otherwise.
"I just happened to run into one of Spica's Uma Musume, and she looked like she was about to get hurt because she wasn't warming up enough, so I thought I'd let you know. I told her to warm up, and she's doing it now, but I wanted to make sure he was aware of it."
"It's scary that you can tell she's about to get hurt just by looking at her."
"But getting hurt is bad, you know? I make my girls warm up and cool down properly, too. Anyway, it's rude to just give out his contact info without permission, so I'll contact him first and have him get back to you."
"Please."
"You owe me lunch next time."
"Okay, but go easy on me with the price, please."
I sent a casual message since I was talking to my peers. It depended on the time, place, and person, but with guys, a casual tone sometimes made them feel closer.
A few minutes later, a call came in from an unknown number. I answered immediately.
"Ah, hello. I'm the trainer for Team Kitalpha."
"This is the trainer for Team Spica... So? You're saying one of my Uma Musume is about to get hurt?"
I picked up the call as if I knew who it was, but the caller was indeed Team Spica's trainer. So I immediately got to the point.
"Yes. It's Tokai Teio. I thought it might be unnecessary, but I ran into her just as she was about to start her self-training. She was about to run after a very short warm-up, so I cautioned her. I thought I should let you know, too."
"No, thank you. She's been a lot more motivated lately... Wait, Team Kitalpha? I've never heard of that team... Oh, I just got a message. Are you the one with Rice Shower?"
"Yes. Please take care of Team Kitalpha."
When I said that, the person on the other end of the line seemed surprised. A few seconds later, his tone became teasing.
"You're sending help to a rival? You must be pretty confident. I wish I had that kind of courage."
"Tokai Teio is Rice's rival, but isn't it a failure as a trainer to leave an Uma Musume who is about to get hurt alone?"
"...You're right. I'll check on her tomorrow and caution her. I'll owe you one."
The trainer for Team Spica sounded calm now, as if he had something on his mind. I also responded calmly and hung up. Oh, I should save this number.
"Phew..."
I let out a sigh. The winter night was cold, and my breath turned white and drifted away.
If I were to think about increasing Rice's chances of winning, maybe I should have just left Tokai Teio alone. If a strong rival got injured, Rice's chances of winning would increase. But as I had researched before, Tokai Teio had already broken her leg twice. Both times she recovered and was able to run again, but there was no guarantee there wouldn't be a third time. And what would happen if a third one occurred?
(Well, even if I hadn't said anything, Tokai Teio might not have broken her leg...)
To Tokai Teio, it must have felt like a random old man just started talking to her and bothering her. But if she became more aware of her injuries because of it, that would be enough.
I had seen in her race videos that Tokai Teio was an Uma Musume who used her incredible flexibility to show explosive acceleration. Because of that, her joints and legs must have been under a lot of strain.
It was good that she was motivated again, but it would be a shame if she got injured because of it. Yeah, that's all it was. I wasn't worried about Tokai Teio at all. Nope, that's a lie.
(And no matter how many times we race, Rice will win... I'll make sure she wins.)
It wasn't overconfidence. I believed that Rice would win against both Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen. I believed that, and I was going to train and support Rice so that she would.
To do that, I had to be extra careful about injuries and train them even harder, together with Urara, as strong as they could possibly be.
"Alright, I'll review her race videos when I get home."
I would just do what I could, little by little. With that thought, I went home.
Three days later, when the New Year's holiday at Tracen Academy ended, I learned a certain piece of information that made me hold my head in my hands.
(I heard she was coming to the Central from the local leagues, but I didn't think it would be right after the New Year... I wish it had been a little later.)
—It was the news that Oguri Cap had transferred to Tracen Academy.
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