“Next stop, the final stop: Tracen Academy.
Next stop, the final stop: Tracen Academy.”
The bus came to a halt, and Kazuomi stepped off alone.
It was still March, and like most schools, Tracen Academy was on holiday.
From the outside, the quiet grounds possessed a solemn, timeworn beauty.
Standing alone before the academy gates, Kazuomi stared at everything in disbelief.
Set into the massive jade-colored wall was a plaque bearing the distinctive characters for Tracen Academy.
Above it hung an enormous horseshoe.
Tracen Academy had been established more than a decade ago.
It was the foremost institution of higher learning for Uma Musume, the place where virtually every aspiring racer in Japan dreamed of studying.
And now Kazuomi himself was standing before it.
He felt as though he had wandered into a dream.
“Incredible…”
He had seen television programs introducing the academy before.
But the overwhelming sensation of actually standing here in person could not be compared to anything shown on a screen.
Even now, Kazuomi could hardly believe what had happened to him.
“Excuse me.
Are you Mr.
Asama Kazuomi?”
A soft and melodious voice sounded beside him.
Only then did Kazuomi notice the woman who had somehow approached without him realizing.
She wore a crisp, bright green uniform that emphasized her refined features and composed bearing.
With a friendly expression, she addressed him once more.
“Ah, yes.
I received this, so I came here…”
Not wanting to be mistaken for a suspicious intruder, Kazuomi hurriedly showed her the email on his phone.
The woman examined it carefully before nodding.
“Yes, this is indeed an invitation issued by Tracen Academy.
Allow me to introduce myself.
I am Tazuna Hayakawa, secretary to the academy chairwoman.
I will escort you into Tracen Academy.”
Kazuomi could only stare blankly before nodding like a machine.
So—
This really was not some kind of fraudulent email.
Dear Mr.
Asama Kazuomi,
Your performance during our recent interview left a profound impression upon our institution.
We would therefore like to invite you to attend a second-stage assessment at our academy.
When he had first read the message, Kazuomi could scarcely believe his eyes.
Even so, he had to take this step.
Holding on to that conviction, Kazuomi finally strengthened his resolve and followed Ms.
Hayakawa into the academy.
Beyond the main gate stood venerable buildings and weathered schoolhouses, each silently displaying the institution’s prestige and history.
Under Ms.
Hayakawa’s guidance, Kazuomi entered the renowned academy that had nurtured countless Uma Musume.
The first thing he saw was an enormous ancient tree.
The trunk was so broad that more than a dozen people would have been needed to encircle it.
Its vast branches spread outward like a giant canopy.
At present, however, the academy was completely silent.
Rows of cherry trees on either side of the road were only just preparing to bloom.
“The academy’s faculty and staff will begin reporting for work tomorrow.
The entrance ceremony for new students will be held in early April.”
Apparently noticing Kazuomi’s confusion, Ms.
Hayakawa thoughtfully explained the situation.
“I see.”
“Please follow me this way.”
The enormous academy had every conceivable facility.
There were gymnasiums, swimming pools, a library, a dining center, and multiple classroom buildings.
Most important of all was a racetrack covering an area equivalent to six football fields.
As expected of an institution created specifically for Uma Musume, every corner of the campus radiated professionalism.
It was several times larger than Tracen Academy had appeared on television.
“Tracen Academy was originally founded by Mr.
Zenya Yoshida.
His intention was to revitalize Japan’s racing industry, and he personally invested in the academy’s creation.
The current chairwoman is an Uma Musume once known as Northern Taste.
Today, she is Chairwoman Akikawa.”
“Huh?
I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere…”
Kazuomi stopped in surprise and murmured to himself.
Ms.
Hayakawa turned back with a graceful smile.
“Without Northern Taste, modern Japanese racing would not exist.
Is that what you were remembering?”
“Ah!
Then the chairwoman is that legendary Uma Musume?”
Ms.
Hayakawa did not answer verbally.
She merely nodded with a mature smile before continuing toward the administration building.
They soon reached the chairwoman’s office.
“Chairwoman, I have brought Mr.
Asama.”
“Excellent!
Thank you, Ms.
Hayakawa!”
A spirited, energetic voice answered from within.
An orange-haired girl with the petite proportions of a porcelain doll wore an elegant dress like a young aristocratic lady.
She leaped down from the chairwoman’s seat and marched directly toward Kazuomi.
“Hmm…”
She concealed the lower half of her face behind a folding fan.
Only her large, fluttering eyes remained visible as she scrutinized Kazuomi for a long moment.
“You are Asama Kazuomi?”
After examining him, the chairwoman abruptly closed her fan and regarded him with undisguised curiosity.
“I see.
So you are the person he mentioned.”
“Uh… My apologies, Chairwoman, but I don’t understand what you mean.”
Already unsure how to react upon meeting the renowned Northern Taste, Kazuomi reflexively questioned her cryptic remark.
“No matter.
I was speaking to myself.”
The chairwoman ignored his question and returned to her desk.
“Since you received our email, I assume you understand why we summoned you here.”
“Yes.”
“Then this will be simple!”
Sitting back in her reclining chair, she gave him an enigmatic smile.
“I shall begin with the conclusion.
Following internal discussions, the academy has decided not to employ you as a trainer.”
Kazuomi had already prepared himself for that possibility.
Even so, hearing the verdict left him quietly disappointed.
What followed, however, was confusion.
They had skipped the final interview entirely.
Why summon him here merely to reject him in person?
Why mention a second assessment?
“However—”
The chairwoman pulled a prepared document from her drawer.
“Considering your performance during the interview, we have decided to offer you a special trainee position.
Would you be interested?”
“A trainee position?”
“To put it simply, you would be registered as a trainee trainer.
We would provide you with an opportunity to study beneath other trainers at the academy.
Following a period of practical performance assessment, we would discuss whether to appoint you as a regular employee.”
She looked directly into his eyes.
“Would you accept those conditions?”
Kazuomi unconsciously held his breath.
The opportunity placed before him was nothing less than an extraordinary ray of hope.
“Allow me to clarify one matter first.
This will be a contractual arrangement.
You will receive no salary during the training period.
The academy can provide staff accommodations, but food, utilities, and other living expenses must be paid out of your own pocket.”
“If you later become a permanent employee, Ms.
Hayakawa will negotiate your compensation and benefits with you separately.
Do you understand?”
“I understand.”
Kazuomi accepted the pen Ms.
Hayakawa offered and looked determinedly at the chairwoman.
“I’ll sign.”
Thus, Asama Kazuomi became the first trainee staff member in Tracen Academy’s history and placed his seal upon the contract.
The chairwoman smiled in satisfaction.
It was clear, however, that she had calculations of her own.
“Then welcome to Tracen Academy.”