“The overall quality of the Uma Musume entering the junior division this year is quite high.” Air Groove walked beside Kitano Ryuichi, her tone crisp and businesslike as she guided him through Tracen Academy’s main school building.
“The environment surrounding Japanese Uma Musume may not be as harsh as it once was, but competition has only grown fiercer.
Everyone is improving at a steady pace, and the gaps between them are narrowing.
To stand out, they need to polish themselves as much as possible outside of raw talent.” She paused for a beat.
“And to put it plainly, any Uma Musume capable of entering Tracen Academy has the potential to compete for a GI title.
Among this year’s junior division students, there are even several who could be called geniuses.” Tracen’s school building was split into two sections: junior division and senior division.
The junior division was where most of the new students gathered.
Many of them had yet to debut, had yet to find a trainer, and were still waiting for the moment they would step onto the track as tomorrow’s stars.
Air Groove had no intention of taking Kitano to the senior division.
Aside from a few rare cases, most of the Uma Musume there already had dedicated trainers.
Their bonds were strong, and the idea of switching teams halfway through was almost impossible.
“Most of the junior division students have yet to debut, so they’re still searching for trainers who suit them.” Air Groove led Kitano past several classrooms.
Classes were still in session, so through the windows they could see rows of Uma Musume sitting at their desks, listening attentively.
“There are a few I have my eye on.
For example, her.” Air Groove pointed toward a masked Uma Musume who sat upright and paid close attention to the lesson.
“El Cóndor Pasa.
An exchange student from America.
Among the new generation, her ability is exceptionally strong.” “Of course, there’s also the one beside her.” This time, Air Groove gestured toward a gentle-faced Uma Musume with long chestnut hair.
“Grass Wonder.
She also has American blood, though her parents are in Japan.
If anyone in that class has the potential to threaten El Condor Pasa, it would be her.” “Two geniuses right out of the gate, huh…” Kitano’s smile went a little stiff.
The moment he saw Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa, he knew immediately.
Nope.
Absolutely not.
He had no business teaching either of them.
Grass Wonder was someone who would one day clash with Japan’s Special Week herself.
If Kitano slowed her down even a little, she probably wouldn’t blame him.
That only made it worse.
And El Condor Pasa?
She was one of the strongest of the Golden Generation.
The Uma Musume who would challenge a field of Europe’s finest at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and fall only just short against Montjeu.
There was no way Kitano was casually taking responsibility for a monster like that.
This is exactly why I don’t want a genius.
Keeping up with them was hard enough.
If the trainer was the one dragging his Uma Musume down, the person who suffered most would be Kitano.
He knew how far these girls were meant to go.
And if his own selfishness made their futures smaller than they should have been?
That thought alone was enough to make his chest tighten.
The worst part was that most of the Uma Musume he trained never blamed him for it.
They defended him.
Comforted him.
Smiled and told him he had done enough.
After so many loops, that had become one of the truths Kitano trusted least and feared most.
“Miss Air Groove,” Kitano said, turning to her, “didn’t we agree to look for someone with decent talent first?
I know El Condor Pasa and Grass Wonder.
They’re both among the very best in the junior division, aren’t they?
That’s not exactly what we talked about.” He gave the classroom another glance.
“Isn’t there anyone you’d describe as good for her year, but not quite top-tier?” “Hmm… There is someone.
Though I don’t think she would be the best fit for you.” Air Groove’s gaze shifted to the other side of the classroom.
Not far from Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa sat another Uma Musume with long chestnut hair.
She wore blue ear covers, her features delicate and refined, her skin smooth and doll-like.
She was listening seriously and taking notes with equal seriousness.
The contrast with the blue-haired Uma Musume dozing beside her was almost comical.
“That girl…” Kitano recognized her.
Because he recognized her, his heart gave an unpleasant little lurch.
Air Groove nodded.
“King Halo.
She comes from an excellent background, and if one traces her bloodline, it is clear she should become an extremely powerful Uma Musume.” Air Groove’s expression turned thoughtful.
“Her talent should have been the highest of this year’s class.
She works hard, too.
Both in theory and in training, she applies herself with real dedication.
By all rights, she should have been the most outstanding Uma Musume in her year.
But…” Air Groove stopped there.
For once, even she seemed unsure how to phrase it.
How did one describe a girl blessed with tremendous talent, who nevertheless remained stuck at a wall she couldn’t seem to break through?
Fortunately, Kitano understood exactly what she meant.
After a quiet sigh, he said, “King Halo has had her eyes clouded by too much pride and too many expectations.
Right?” “…I’m glad you understand, Trainer Kitano.” Air Groove gave him a small, softened smile.
It was the kind of smile that said thank you for finding words that were honest without being cruel.
Kitano did not react much to the praise.
After all, there might not have been anyone in this world who understood King Halo’s life better than he did.
Because King Halo had been his assigned Uma Musume in the previous loop.
And it was precisely because of everything he went through with her that Kitano had finally been forced to understand himself.
That was how he had ended up like this.
Worn down.
Deflated.
Empty in places he didn’t know how to fill.
The reason was simple.
Kitano had done everything he could to change King Halo’s fate.
Her future, where she would win only a single GI.
He had struggled, planned, revised, begged the world to bend even a little.
And in the end, he had changed nothing.
Even now, Kitano remembered it all too clearly.
Among the five Uma Musume known as the Golden Generation, King Halo’s record looked almost painfully plain.
Too plain, considering her bloodline.
Too plain, considering her talent.
Too plain, considering how strong she truly was.
Compared to Kitano, King Halo was unquestionably a genius.
In pedigree, in intelligence, in raw potential, she was one in ten thousand.
But the biggest difference between them was simple.
Kitano had already learned to see himself clearly.
King Halo was still like the old him.
Stubborn.
Proud.
Charging straight ahead, refusing to lose even when the path was wrong.
In a strange way, King Halo was what Kitano used to be.
The old Kitano might never have noticed that.
But now, after everything had been carved out of him, seeing his former partner again left him with a completely different ache.
“From the very beginning, her bloodline placed too many expectations on her shoulders,” Kitano murmured.
“So she keeps trying to prove that bloodline by charging again and again into fields she isn’t suited for.
She falls, gets back up, and does it all over again.” His voice grew quieter.
“…Honestly, it’s painfully foolish.
She can’t see where her real talent lies, so she wastes it.” Air Groove glanced at him.
“Trainer Kitano… why do I feel as though there’s something like regret in your words?” She could hear a trace of envy in his tone, but there was more than that.
There was frustration.
The kind of frustration one felt when looking at someone who could do so much more, if only they stopped hurting themselves in the wrong direction.
Air Groove understood that feeling well.
She often felt it when she saw Uma Musume, who had talent but wasted their days lazing around, refusing to put in the effort their talent deserved.
But in her eyes, King Halo did not belong in that category.
Yes, Air Groove thought King Halo’s goals were a little too proud, perhaps even arrogant.
But King Halo had worked for them from beginning to end.
She had never run away from effort.
She was trying to overcome her weaknesses.
To Air Groove, King Halo was a talented, capable Uma Musume whose stubborn pride had simply slowed her progress compared to her peers.
But Kitano seemed to see something far more tragic in it.
Why?
“…I’ve said this many times already, Air Groove-san.” Kitano looked through the window at King Halo’s serious profile.
“I’m not someone with talent.
I just got lucky.
I’ve seen a little more than most people, that’s all.” His eyes lowered slightly.
“But I know this much.
There are things effort alone can’t accomplish.
People can’t overcome every weakness they have.
Some things remain impossible, no matter how hard you work.” The words sounded like they were meant for Air Groove.
But maybe they were meant for himself.
“If you keep smashing yourself against a weakness you can’t fix, you’re better off choosing the direction you’re actually suited for.
That way, you can show what you’re truly good at, instead of wasting time on effort that will never lead anywhere.” Saying it out loud only made his mood sink further.
And then, all at once, Kitano noticed something.
King Halo had turned her head.
King Halo came from an excellent background.
Whether in bloodline or upbringing, she deserved to be called a proper young lady.
She carried herself with that natural elegance, too.
Her talent and beauty drew attention without effort.
Among all the Uma Musume Kitano had ever met, King Halo’s face ranked near the very top.
And that was saying something.
Across all his loops, he had trained or befriended so many Uma Musume that nearly half of Tracen Academy felt connected to him in one way or another.
Even so, King Halo’s finely sculpted, almost doll-like features were easily among the top three in sheer refinement.
At that moment, however, her expression was not especially refined.
It was more like… Annoyed?
Wait.
Was she glaring at him?
The instant Kitano saw King Halo’s face, a horrible realization crept up his spine.
Don’t tell me… Was I speaking a little too loudly just now?
Did King Halo hear all of that?