The next morning, Kenji arrived at the training room specially arranged for him by the academy.
This wasn’t any special favoritism, wealthy Central Tracen Academy provided every Trainer with a private office.
It was just that rookie Trainers’ rooms were pitifully small: usually about four-and-a-half tatami mats, furnished only with a desk, chair, and whiteboard.
Of course, as their assigned Uma Musume racked up victories, a Trainer’s reputation and perks would skyrocket.
Famous Trainers could even form their own dedicated teams, recruit more racers, and chase trophy after trophy across the racing world.
The same went for the Uma Musume themselves.
With more wins and stronger stats came access to higher-tier training facilities, plus prize money that’d make ordinary people’s jaws drop.
This was a true “meritocracy academy” in every sense of the word.
Yesterday, Miss Hayakawa had said the Academy would assign his first Uma Musume.
But who exactly would it be?
Hopefully someone famous… Training them would be much easier.
After all, Kenji’s current Uma Coins were tight.
If he got a racer with poor base stats, pumping her full of skills would still be useless.
Even with the System, Kenji couldn’t instantly max out stats.
He’d have to train like any other Trainer, designing routines, building fundamentals.
That was exactly what he’d learned at Trainer School: sports medicine and conditioning.
But Uma Musume relied heavily on natural talent.
It was just like track in his old world: fewer people could run 100 meters under ten seconds than had ever gone to space… If he got a racer with terrible innate stats, Kenji knew it’d be a headache.
Thinking about this made him uneasy, like pulling a beginner’s ten-pull gacha in the mobile game.
Oh right… besides decent stats, she’d better be obedient and well-behaved… Because if she had a fiery personality, Kenji would struggle to use his newly acquired “Trainer-exclusive skill.”
Just moments ago, Miss Hayakawa had messaged him saying his assigned Uma Musume was on her way to his office.
That’s why Kenji had skipped breakfast and arrived early to wait.
It felt like he was about to go on a blind date… Even though past-life Kenji had never been on one before.
Knock, knock, knock,
The rhythmic knocking made Kenji’s heart race.
He forced himself to calm down, then called out toward the door:
“Come in.”
“Excuse me…”
With polite words, she opened the door and stepped inside.
She was a quiet Uma Musume with long orange hair, a white headband, horse ears wrapped in green earmuffs, wearing Tracen Academy’s white-and-purple uniform.
Her eyes beneath her straight bangs seemed uneasy, her expression slightly tense.
After entering, she first bowed to Kenji, then began introducing herself properly:
“Hello… I’m Silence Suzuka from the Upper Division of Tracen Academy.
Are you the new Trainer assigned to train me?”
Ohhh!
Silence Suzuka!
Wasn’t she one of the initial three-star racers when the Uma Musume mobile game first launched?!
This was a jackpot!
Best part: her personality was super docile, and if he remembered right, she had that serious “running is everything” vibe?
Plus his horse-obsessed roommate had said she was easy to train!
His stats were totally secured now!
The little man in Kenji’s head was already cheering and dancing, but in reality, he kept a proper Trainer’s demeanor and said:
“Ahem… That’s right.
I’m the new Trainer assigned to you.
My name is Aoyagi Kenji.
Please, come sit.”
Fueled by inner excitement, Kenji enthusiastically pulled out a chair and gestured for Silence Suzuka to take it.
Silence Suzuka gripped her left arm with her right hand, opened her mouth as if to speak, then closed it again.
In the end, she obediently lowered her head and sat down on the chair, her horse ears drooping.
Huh?
Why does she look like she’s about to be exploited by a shady Trainer?!
Calling a student into a cramped office for one-on-one time… This really felt straight out of some doujinshi plot…
But Trainers wouldn’t go after their assigned racers, right?
That was taboo.
Rumor had it many Uma Musume married their Trainers after graduation, but dating within the academy was strictly forbidden.
It wasn’t mainly about morality, supposedly, it was because romance affected competitive performance.
Like boxers abstaining before matches.
Pregnancy was even worse: no more races, season ruined outright, and coming back post-birth didn’t guarantee returning to peak form.
Plus, Uma Musume weren’t just racers, they were public idols too.
They performed on stage after events.
If rumors spread, it’d hurt their popularity.
So Kenji had never intended to “go after” any academy racers from the start.
He was here to get stronger, not to chase girls.
Kenji thought for a moment, then decided to start with her arrival itself.
“Suzuka… Is that okay if I call you that?”
“Umm… y-yeah… it’s fine.”
“No need to be so nervous.
Today I’m just asking about your situation.
Uh… I know this might sound weird coming from me, but Suzuka, what exactly made them assign you to me?”
“Eh?”
Silence Suzuka seemed surprised he’d ask that first, tilting her head in confusion.
“Because, see… I’m a brand-new rookie Trainer.
In fact, I started later than other Trainers my cohort, basically the leftover one.
And someone as outstanding as you must’ve had plenty of Trainers fighting to recruit you, right?
So I’m just a bit curious…”
Kenji was self-aware enough to know that since he wasn’t allowed to recruit freely, the school would likely dump troublesome “problem kids” on him.
But Silence Suzuka seemed so well-behaved and quiet… She shouldn’t be causing any issues, which is why Kenji felt confused.
“O-Outstanding?
N-No… there are many Uma Musume far better than me…”
Silence Suzuka clearly wasn’t used to compliments.
Her face flushed pink, her shoulders hunched inward as she spoke in self-deprecating terms bordering on insecurity.
Kenji didn’t rush her.
He waited until she calmed down and explained:
“Um… I was told to leave my team because I didn’t follow my Trainer’s instructions…”
“Oh?”
Ah.
The classic, cliché “Teak kick” trope.
Who was that Trainer?
So incompetent.
Oh right, this must be what they mean by “those who are close cannot see clearly.”
Because she hadn’t known Silence Suzuka was already a famous racer from his past life, the previous Trainer had treated her like an ordinary freshman and simply kicked out any racer who didn’t obey orders.
Not unreasonable… but what a waste of talent…
Perfect!
Time to play out that satisfying revenge-style arc where they regret everything!