After hugging for a while, they finally let go of each other.
Just as Tokai Teio was about to suggest signing the contract, Nakajima Shin gripped her hands tightly, his face dead serious.
“Teio, can I ask you for a favor?”
“W-what kind of favor?”
Seeing his serious expression, Tokai Teio’s voice trembled with nervousness.
She assumed something urgent and important required her help.
But the next second, Nakajima Shin said:
“Umamusume have a great sense of smell, right?
Could you help me find the coin I just flipped?
If it’s gone, I won’t even have enough money to buy a bottle of water!”
“…Huh?”
…
At the hospital entrance, Nakajima Shin patted the suddenly plump wallet in his pocket one more time, carrying a honey-special drink paid for by his trainee, and walked in with a grin.
Earlier at the academy, right after signing the contract and before rushing off to register with the student council, Tokai Teio had shoved several ten-thousand-yen bills into his hands, telling him to pay her back next month when he got his salary.
With money in his pocket, life was about to get a lot more comfortable.
No more treating a bottle of water like a luxury purchase.
Thinking about it, Nakajima Shin couldn’t help but feel that his current self was just as unlucky as his past-life self.
In his past life, his originally well-off family was ruined when his older brother took out massive online and bank loans.
The stress nearly killed his parents from cerebral hemorrhages.
In the end, their will left all their assets to the brother to pay off the debt, not leaving him a single penny.
The reason was obvious: he was a college student, and his parents believed he could survive on his own.
Meanwhile, his brother would be completely lost without help.
He couldn’t help but find it ironic.
As for his current self, he’d grown up in an orphanage and was kicked out as soon as he turned eighteen.
Over the following years, he relied on URA subsidies for trainee applicants, student loans, and part-time jobs.
It took until two months ago for him to barely scrape together the certification and graduate.
Because of that, almost all his part-time earnings vanished into last month’s student loan interest, leaving his wallet whiter than his face.
But things were looking up now.
Just a month after graduating, he’d successfully joined Central Tracen Academy, getting free meals and housing.
He’d also successfully signed a trainee.
Even though Tokai Teio’s legs were an issue, and going all out in a race might cause another fracture and force her to withdraw, he’d at least get a cut of the participation bonuses.
Paying off his loans would finally become manageable.
As for his dream of returning home to build a ranch…
He could push it to three years from now, after he had a new trainee.
He could wait that long.
After all, in his past life, he’d spent four years in undergrad only to find “good jobs” like customer service and data labeling.
If he could endure such a low-ROI, time-wasting grind, surely he could wait a mere three years?
Just thinking about how, in three years, he’d use his racing knowledge to sign a ridiculously OP horse king and rake in massive prize money, Nakajima Shin felt a surge of ambition.
But at the same time, a doubt lingered in his mind.
His transmigration to the Uma Musume world was probably the work of the Three Goddesses, right?
They must have some purpose for him to fulfill.
But he was already twenty-one.
Why hadn’t the Three Goddesses explained anything to him yet?
Even if you had no grand plan and just grabbed someone at random for fun, I’d still count as a “God’s Chosen” host, right?
Just give me a cheat or a system so my life could be a little easier.
This kid was about to be crushed by student loans.
Lost in his thoughts for a bit, he already found himself standing at the hospital room door.
Nakajima Shin looked up and saw White Lily leaning back casually on the hospital bed.
In the twilight, her smooth white hair shimmered with a soft luster.
She held a book in her hands, looking peaceful and tranquil.
She didn’t look like she came from the Gold family at all.*
Looks like she’s doing well.
Nakajima Shin took a shallow breath, suppressing the slight surge of excitement and sorrow in his chest.
Just like their meetings over the past few days, he waved naturally and said, “Senior, I’m here.”
“You’re here.
Please, have a seat.”
Hearing him, White Lily looked up, offered a faint smile, and pointed to a wooden chair nearby.
Once he was seated, White Lily straightened up and asked with a smile, “Have you found a trainee?”
“Found one.
A really good partner,” Nakajima Shin nodded, his gaze dropping to the cast on her left leg.
“Your leg is okay, right?”
“Don’t worry.
It’s not my first fracture.
I know how to handle it.
No need to stress.” White Lily smiled.
Hearing “not my first fracture,” Nakajima Shin tugged at the corner of his mouth, feeling the urge to roast the situation.
Her sire was Orfevre.
Why didn’t she inherit the Orfevre family’s legendary durability?
Was she really carrying the entire family’s injury curse on her own?*
Throughout her racing career, she’d broken her legs a full seven times.
He hadn’t been invited to be a jockey yet for the first three, but he’d experienced the last four firsthand.
Every time her legs broke, he wondered if his friend had been scammed, and if her sire was actually Orfevre or maybe Route de Kirin.*
(TL note: I’ve looked around, I’m not finding anything about this horse White lily (if that’s actually the correct name) having any actual relation to Orfevre or even the “Gold family”.
I imagine she’s purely an OC Uma and his buddy was scammed, I’m leaving it as is in case it’s important for later.)
Otherwise, how could she break her legs so many times?
Was it the Mejiro McQueen genes in Orfevre’s bloodline that crushed her?*
“Alright, it’s getting late.
Let’s get to business.” White Lily, unaware of his inner thoughts, spoke gently.
“As you can see, my leg is injured.
I’ve also been thinking about retiring recently, so there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”
“Could you take over training Urara and enter her in the Arima Kinen?”
Nakajima Shin’s eyes widened slightly, shock flickering in his gaze.
He didn’t have strong feelings about White Lily retiring.
After all, the horse he knew was the one from her past life, not this umamusume who inherited her soul.
Whatever she wanted to do, he wouldn’t interfere.
That’s why, aside from the shock of seeing her fracture message earlier that afternoon which triggered his memories, his heart had been relatively calm since arriving at the hospital.
But hearing her ask him to take Urara to the Arima Kinen really made him lose his cool.
First of all, asking a rookie trainer like him to handle a senior-year umamusume instead of finding someone experienced was already questionable.
But the Arima Kinen this year was just too stacked.
Oguri Cap and Tamamo Cross had already been voted into the race by fans.
That meant Urara would have to race against both of them.
Could she win?
Guaranteed loss.
And it’d be worse than in the games.
By then, he doubted anyone would even clap for Urara.
Everyone’s eyes would be glued to those two legendary white-coats.
White Lily seemed to read his thoughts.
“Rest assured, everyone knows Urara…
well, isn’t going to win.
So no one will blame you as a rookie trainer.
The fans just want to see her cross the finish line.”
“You can also use this chance to gain some big-race experience.
It’ll make your path easier later on.
That’s exactly why I wanted to ask you first.”
He was grateful for her looking out for him, but…
“Couldn’t she run in the Japan Cup instead?
At least there’d be a chance to win,” Nakajima Shin said helplessly.
White Lily paused, looking at him with mild surprise.
Even she, a trainer who’d entered Urara in 112 races, had accepted the reality that Urara just couldn’t win.
The fact that he still harbored hopes of victory was truly unbelievable.
But she didn’t want to crush his positive mindset, so she replied apologetically, “Urara has already decided to run this race as her retirement outing.
As her trainer, we can only help her move forward.”
Sigh.
Why would anyone want to fight a guaranteed losing battle?
After covering his face, shaking his head, and sighing for a while, Nakajima Shin’s expression turned serious.
“Fine.
I’ll take Urara to the Arima Kinen, and we’ll win.”
*TL note: I’ve looked around, I’m not finding anything about this horse White lily (if that’s actually the correct name) having any actual relation to Orfevre or even the “Gold family”.
I imagine she’s purely an OC Uma and his buddy was scammed, I’m leaving it as is incase it important for later.