"Trainer… you don't have to comfort me like this…"
However, after a long while, Doto's reaction was once again unexpected. It seemed as if Doto was touched by Wada's "true feelings," and a long-lost smile appeared on her face as she wiped away her tears and said, "You're still so young, Trainer; you look like someone who just graduated from university not long ago. And not only is Trainer one of the most outstanding Trainers of this generation, but you also ranked third in the written exam. If someone like Trainer isn't considered outstanding, then there probably aren't many outstanding people in the whole world, either."
"…"
Wada had completely forgotten that he had become much younger after his transmigration. He was roughly this age when he was still a newcomer, and his young age reflected his inexperience—however, he was now someone with the face of a young university graduate, but the heart of a veteran who had won nearly a dozen GIs.
To be honest, if he really was like that back then, it would've been great. Wada wouldn't have to keep his head down at the JRA, and he wouldn't have to be extremely humble even when receiving honors—but he dared not be arrogant! Because he knew the true reason for his success; it was all from T.M. Opera O carrying him. If he offended those seniors at the JRA, he wouldn't be able to get by anywhere.
However, facts proved that even if Wada was very humble, people would still hold malice towards him. The two encirclements back then made Wada realize this point: in this world, one had to rely on one's own ability to survive and prosper.
Dignity is not begged for, but fought for. It's a pity that Wada only understood this truth after he lost T.M. Opera O… Perhaps this was something T.M. Opera O had always wanted to tell him? Wada suddenly understood why T.M. Opera O had bitten him the last time they met.
He was indeed too useless...
"Trainer, are you really willing to continue guiding me? But I'm such a disappointing of an Uma Musume…" Doto also understood Wada's meaning, and the initial gloom that had enveloped her heart slowly dissipated, but she still said with great insecurity, "I lost a race that I should have won because of my cowardice… Are you really still willing to continue guiding me? A useless Uma Musume like me...?"
"—Doto, don't forget our goal. Our true opponent is not Mejiro McQueen, but T.M. Opera O."
Wada saw that Doto's emotions seemed to have stabilized, and so breathed a sigh of relief inwardly while also comforting her, "Mejiro McQueen is a strong opponent; there's no doubt about that. But T.M. Opera O is, in some sense, an even tougher opponent than Mejiro McQueen. And for the Mainichi Hai, I've already seen the entry list. It can be said that, besides T.M. Opera O and you, all the other Uma Musume can be akin to background characters."
"That is to say, in the Mainichi Hai a month from now, it will only be a showdown between you and T.M. Opera O, with no one else like Tokai Teio today to interfere with you. In such a situation, do you think your chances of winning will increase?"
"I…"
Doto opened her mouth; she really wanted to tell Wada that she had the confidence. But as soon as she thought of T.M. Opera O, who was even stronger than Mejiro McQueen, and as soon as she thought that even with an advantage, she could at most win by half a length against Mejiro McQueen… Doto instantly lost confidence again.
"We still have a lot of time to practice, Doto; don't be discouraged."
And even though Doto didn't answer, Wada could tell that she already understood that she still had a long way to go if she wanted to win. Wada stroked Doto's small head and said gently, "This race, for us, is just a warm-up. It's best if we can win, but it's no loss either if we don't. I originally planned to use this victory to give you confidence and make you braver, but now it seems that even without victory, you already know where your problem lies."
"There's a lot of experience to be learnt from today's race, Doto. This mock race was to let you know how to run a race, and for the next month, I will teach you how to win a race."
"How to win… Isn't it just to get first place?" Doto was a bit puzzled by this. She had never thought about how to win a race. Isn't a race just a competition of raw strength, performance, and luck? What other factors are there besides these?
In reality, Doto's idea is a common misconception among most of the new generation of Uma Musume, which includes even Uma Musume like Orfevre and Mejiro McQueen—and this is where the Trainer's role comes in.
An Uma Musume has her strengths and weaknesses. Simply relying on her physical strength to compete, even if she wins, is simply just a crude, brute force method. Most Uma Musume cannot train their bodies to their max potential before debuting; instead, they should focus on cultivating their strengths within an effective range.
And how to win a race is a major challenge for the Trainer—how to maximize the Uma Musume's advantages and strengths within a limited period of time, as well as how to lessen or avoid their weaknesses, and thus win a race.
"Alright, shall we go back?"
"Mm…" Doto's doubts were resolved, and the vexation and dark thoughts vanished at this moment, a smile reappearing on her face.
But just as Wada was about to walk Doto back, Doto suddenly stepped forward, carefully grasping Wada's sleeve.
"Um… Trainer… I have a request…"
"Can I… hug you?"
As soon as Doto said this, she immediately received a subtle gaze from Wada. Doto's pretty face turned crimson as if boiling water, and her hands nervously rubbed her fingers, as she carefully said, "I- I am very timid and easily scared, so I w- want to train my courage. I want it so that I won't be as scared by Tokai Teio as I was today..."
"A- and, I also want to thank Trainer for constantly guiding and always encouraging me. B- but I can't give Trainer anything, s- so, a h- hug, a-a h- h- hug s- should be o- okay, right?"
As she spoke, Doto herself started to become more and more incoherent, yet Wada remained silent, causing Doto's psychological pressure to grow. Even the white ahoge on her head started to sway frantically, and Doto's horse tail also started to swing back and forth non-stop.
"Su- surely not! Hahaha..."
"…I don't mind."
However, Wada's silence seemed to be broken just as Doto was about to give up. Wada looked around, and after confirming that no one was nearby, he hesitantly opened his arms and said gently to Doto, "But, don't let anyone see us. After all, we are in a Trainer-Uma Musume relationship. Strictly speaking, we are teacher and student. If someone takes a picture, I'll be in a very difficult position."
"Ye- yes!" Doto also nodded belatedly. However, what Wada didn't know was that in every single Uma Musume academy like Tracen, there were countless cases of Trainers and Uma Musume getting married. After all, spending three whole years together in this almost closed environment, with pure beings like an Uma Musume at the age of gaining their first love and a mentor who wholeheartedly supported them, anything could happen.
So, at Uma Musume academies, it was not uncommon for Trainers and their assigned Uma Musume to have an ambiguous relationship. If it weren't for the fact that Trainers and Uma Musume often retired together and got married directly after their three-year journey ended, leading to a shortage of teaching staff, Tracen Academy wouldn't have strictly prohibited romantic relationships between Trainers and Uma Musume.
Of course, Wada's concern wasn't just this; it was mainly Doto's "Dotos"… it was simply too formidable. Wada was no monk; he was not the type of man who was completely unmovable like a mountain. He was very worried that when Doto hugged him, he would automatically "grow something" for certain reasons…
Calm down, Wada, you are the third best Trainer of your generation. Empty your mind. Think of this child as your student, and you, her mentor, it is nothing but an innocent gestu— Wait, why does it feel like its even worse now? (T/N: IT'S NOT WORKING WADA!!!!)
"T- then, I'm going to hug you now, okay?"
And Doto, having received permission, carefully moved into his open arms. The enormous "mounds" predictably gave Wada an extremely violent impact at first. But after, he only felt a soft and delicate body falling into his embrace, as if he had hugged a ball of cotton candy.
This scene, however, made T.M. Opera O, who had been following behind Wada and was now hiding in the shadows, unable to sit still. (T/N: Getting NTR'ed right in front of you is crazy)
"This is… both sweet and heartbreaking."
At this moment, T.M. Opera O, who had secretly followed because she was worried about Wada and Doto's state, lost the energy to even continue her chuunibyou act when she saw this scene from the shadows.
She only felt a throbbing pain in her heart and a surge of bitterness that made her mouth and tongue feel sour.
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NTR First, The Rest Nowhere.
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If you spot any errors, feel free to comment about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.