All in all, despite the chaos, time waits for no one.
The spring Tenno Sho, where King is scheduled to run, is fast approaching, and it's time for the final preparations. With the help of the recovered Rice, we need to give King one last push.
So, after being called to the Director's office in the morning, talking to my senior from Spica, and catching up with my juniors to ask them to just meet with the girls who left our team, I returned to the clubroom.
The lockers that were used by five people until yesterday are now only being used by the original three: Urara, Rice, and King. The two new students took all their personal belongings home yesterday, so Team Kitalpha's clubroom has returned to its original state.
I had a lot to deal with since the morning and decided that I would be late in finishing today's work. I munched on a solid nutritional food bar as a substitute for lunch while working and somehow managed to finish all my tasks by the time Urara and the others came to the clubroom in the afternoon.
But when Urara came to the clubroom, she drooped her tail in disappointment when she saw that no horse girls other than Rice and King were there. And Rice's expression was gloomy, as if she felt responsible as the team leader.
"Alright, Trainer, what's the plan for today's training? And have you finished the procedures for the spring Tenno Sho?"
Unlike Urara and Rice, King was her usual self. She wasn't even pretending to be her usual self. She looked at me with her usual dignified expression.
"...The race procedures are done, so we just have to wait for the race card to arrive."
"I see. My prize money should be enough for me to run without a problem, so the question is who will be there. What's your prediction?"
As soon as she said that, she disappeared behind the partition, and I heard the sound of rustling clothes. It seemed she intended to continue the conversation while changing.
"The ones likely to show up are Biwa Hayahide, Special Week, Seiun Sky, Narita Taishin, and... maybe Meek."
"She won the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, after all. What will people say if she runs in the spring Tenno Sho after that?"
King's voice sounded amused as she said "Just like us."
Meek won the Takamatsunomiya Kinen the other day. This was her second G1 victory, but it's questionable whether she'll run in the spring Tenno Sho, even if she can run all distances.
If she's changing her path to shorter distances, she'll probably run in the Victoria Mile in early May or the Yasuda Kinen in early June instead of the spring Tenno Sho.
"Then there's the members of Team Canopus. Nice Nature, Machikane Tannhauser, and... Twin Turbo... probably not. The distance is too long for her."
"What about the people who are injured? Oh, I've already talked to Grass-san, so that's fine. It seems it's still tough for her."
"Winning Ticket also hasn't recovered yet. And for Oguri Cap... it seems she has sesamoiditis."
Oguri Cap had to withdraw from the Osaka Hai due to a sprain, but it seems she developed sesamoiditis in April. It's a fatal condition for a horse girl, one that forces them to consider retirement. However, it seems she's going into a period of rest rather than retirement, so her condition might not be too serious.
"I hear that Mejiro Palmer's recovery is also taking longer. So, if nothing changes, I think the strong rivals will be similar to the ones in the Osaka Hai."
"Will Oishii Parfait-san be there too?"
"Well... I wonder... I haven't heard of her being injured, so it probably depends on whether her assigned trainer and Oishii Parfait herself want to run... She was there last year, so she might show up again this year."
The spring Tenno Sho is 3200 meters, so a long sprint from the middle of the race like in the Osaka Hai would be impossible. Even if she tries a super long sprint from 1000 meters out, she would have run a longer distance than in the Osaka Hai by then... Didn't she run last and finish last last year?
"Wait, King, are you conscious of Oishii Parfait?"
"She caught me by surprise in the Osaka Hai. It's better to be on guard."
Well, I was surprised in the Osaka Hai, too. While I was talking to King, she peeked her head out from behind the partition. And she looked at Urara and Rice, who were standing near the entrance in their uniforms.
"Urara-san and Rice-senior, why are you still standing there? Hurry up and change. Training time is limited."
"King-chan..."
"That's true... but..."
Urara and Rice looked at King as if to say, "Don't you care?" King disappeared behind the partition and came out in her gym clothes, as if she had changed quickly.
"Are you talking about those two? If you're going to say that, I also originally had a different trainer, you know? But after my contract with my previous trainer was terminated, I joined this team, and even though we've been through a lot, I don't regret it. In fact, I think I joined the best team."
King said that, brushing her hair aside and looking at me with a direct gaze.
"There will always be a matter of compatibility. It's the same for trainers and horse girls, for friendships... even between parents and children. For those girls who left this team, there's a better environment for them somewhere else... That's all there is to it."
She said it so naturally, but only King could say something like that. She was trained under a different trainer, but because of differences in policy and compatibility, she came to our team.
I guess Rice is also a case where I took over her training from a different trainer, but in Rice's case, it wasn't a relationship where you could talk about compatibility or training policy with her former trainer... It was just a name-lending situation, so Rice was training herself.
That's probably why King was able to switch gears so quickly even after the two new students left the team. But King gave me a meaningful look and gestured with her chin toward the door. Did she want to talk to me alone?
"Alright, Urara and Rice, go change. I'll be outside."
I told them that and left the clubroom with King. King twitched her horse ears and looked around, as if to make sure no one was nearby.
"Trainer, I'm going to go against my beliefs right now. And I'm only going to say this once, so listen carefully."
And she looked at me with a serious expression. She wanted to talk without Urara and Rice, but what could it be? And what was she going to go against?
"You're making us do a lot of hard training... even this King admits that. Honestly, there are times when it's so hard I feel like I'm going to throw up, and when I get back to the dorm, I sometimes almost fall asleep with Urara-san in a panic."
"..."
I was speechless at King's words. I was thinking, "It's tough even for King?" and I was also speechless because King, of all people, was saying something that could be taken as a complaint or weakness.
"I think this team's training is probably one of the toughest at Tracen Academy. And even though I'm used to it now, I think it's a bit much to be palpated every day for data collection and fatigue checks by a member of the opposite sex who is close to my age."
That's a complaint about my training. King is complaining to my face right now.
King seemed like she didn't mind it, but maybe she had her own thoughts about the two new students withdrawing.
But while King was serious, there was no sign of dissatisfaction or malice. She just looked at me directly and spoke her mind.
"And honestly, I think you lack some sensitivity. We're also girls of a certain age, you know? Even if you're in the clubroom, we're like, 'Well, it's just you,' and we change, but we... at least I feel embarrassed."
"Yeah..."
"I've always wondered, do you see us as little kids? There's not that big of an age gap between us, is there? Especially Rice-senior, I think she's only about three years younger than you?"
"Yes..."
"The way you treat Urara-san sometimes looks like you're interacting with your little daughter or niece, and it's not much different with Rice-senior. You should treat us more like a member of the opposite sex... No, like a woman... No, that's not right... I'm getting sidetracked."
I could only nod obediently to King, who was complaining about my training... A complaint about my training?
"If I look for them, I can find endless complaints. But..."
King looked away for a moment, took a deep breath, and looked at me again. Her direct gaze was as strong as when we first met.
"—You are the best trainer for me."
Saying that, King took a step closer to me.
"As I said before, there's always a matter of compatibility. I have parts that I'm dissatisfied with about you, too. You should be a bit more... No, that's not it. Putting all your good and bad parts together, you are the best trainer for me."
I was so stunned by her words, which sounded like she was trying to convince me.
"Are you... by any chance... trying to comfort me?"
And in my dazed state, I just blurted out what I was thinking. King's cheeks turned red, and she looked away. She played with her hair with her fingertips, mumbled to herself, and then spoke.
"Your expression was calmer than yesterday, so I didn't think it was necessary... But, I was worried."
So that's why King, who never complains or shows weakness no matter how tough the situation is, spoke out and affirmed me after all of that?
The words that King, who never shows weakness even in the face of any adversity, had to bend her own will to speak, were for my sake. Realizing this, I reflexively looked up at the sky.
Urara, Rice, and now King. Why do they so easily say things that break my tear ducts?
(They're truly... horse girls who are too good for a guy like me...)
I thought something that would get me scolded if I said it out loud. King said I was the best trainer, but to me, every member of Team Kitalpha is the best horse girl.
I was encouraged by my senior from Spica, talked to my colleagues and juniors, and I thought I had calmed down... but it seems my face showed that I was worried enough to make King worry.
"Thank you, King."
I said my thanks, aware that my vision was getting blurry. I kept looking up at the sky, afraid that if I lowered my head, my tears would fall.
Then, for some reason, King took another step closer to me and reached out her hands. As I wondered what was going on, she lightly tapped my cheeks, pinching them in between her hands.
"You really are... a silly person."
I can't fully comprehend the meaning behind those words. But both of my cheeks, which King had tapped, felt a tingling heat, and that heat warmed my heart, which had been dejected without me even realizing it.
It's easy to look down, but I can't stay that way.
—Because I'm the trainer of Team Kitalpha.
With that thought, I gripped the hands that were on my cheeks.
And then, the weekend arrived.
The day of the spring Tenno Sho, the halfway point of the spring Senior Triple Crown, had come.
The spring Tenno Sho has a full gate of 18 runners. However, like the Osaka Hai, many horse girls must be avoiding it, as the number of runners on the race card is 13, which is not a full gate.
If you think about the Golden Generation and the members of Team Canopus coming out, it's not surprising for them to avoid it and aim for other races in late April or early May.
I arrived at the venue the day before and re-examined the race card that had arrived the other day, furrowing my brows as I headed to the Kyoto Racecourse on the day of the race.
(As I thought, Meek isn't here... She also avoided the Osaka Hai and ran in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, so is she avoiding the spring Tenno Sho and aiming for the Victoria Mile?)
Meek won the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies as a Junior-class horse girl, so if she runs in the Victoria Mile and wins, it would be her second G1 victory at a mile distance.
If you combine that with the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, that's three G1 wins. Is her goal to increase her win count, or is she aiming for victories at all distances like King...?
(She did say she had a fight with her parents during the New Year, so maybe they've switched to a policy of having Meek win races consistently instead of aiming for titles like the Spring Senior Triple Crown?)
Now that I think about it, I haven't had a good talk with Kiryuin-san recently. But as independent trainers, we don't talk intimately every day.
Besides, I have to focus on the race in front of me more than I have to think about Kiryuin-san.
(It's raining today...)
I hailed a taxi since the train would probably be crowded and headed to the Kyoto Racecourse. I looked up at the sky while holding an umbrella.
It wasn't a downpour, but it wasn't a light drizzle either. I thought the track condition would probably be either "heavy" or "bad."
I invited King, who was holding a bag with her racing uniform in it, under my umbrella so she wouldn't get wet. I had bought a large umbrella for times like these, so King wouldn't get wet even if she was under it with me.
However, I only use the large umbrella outside the racecourse. I have another transparent vinyl umbrella ready to use in the stands, as a large one would be a nuisance.
"Whoa... there are so many people even though it's raining."
"You're right..."
Urara and Rice, who got out of the taxi, let out a voice of admiration as they looked at the people gathered around the Kyoto Racecourse. Since today's main race is a G1, a large number of people seem to have gathered despite the bad weather.
The Kyoto Racecourse can accommodate up to 150,000 people, but since the gathered people aren't moving, the racecourse is probably already at full capacity.
We entered the Kyoto Racecourse, being careful not to get wet and watching out for the umbrellas of the people around us. After sending King off to the waiting room, I headed to the paddock as usual.
When I arrived at the paddock, I saw some familiar faces of other trainers. In today's race, I would be competing against three of my colleagues. In addition, I could see the face of my senior from Team Spica in the distance.
There was also a senior from Team Canopus... the moment I looked at her, she seemed to notice my gaze and smiled at me. Right next to her were Twin Turbo, who had understandably avoided the long-distance race, and Ikuno Dictus, who had graduated from the Senior class.
There are three horse girls my colleagues are training in today's race... Unchanging, who is running again after the Osaka Hai. And Stay Shaileen and Imperial Talis, who I ran a mock race with Rice a long time ago.
Then, just like in the Osaka Hai, there's Biwa Hayahide, Special Week, and Seiun Sky from the Golden Generation.
Nice Nature and Machikane Tannhauser are coming from Team Canopus, and Narita Taishin, who seems to have recovered recently, is also an opponent not to be underestimated.
Then... there's Mini Cactus, who has raced against Rice many times in the same race, and Oishii Parfait is also a subject of caution. Or rather, there's nothing but subjects of caution, so I can't even force a wry smile.
Out of 13 runners, 8 are girls who became Senior-class this year, but the remaining 5 are girls who have been running in the Senior class for several years. Their physical peak may have passed, but in terms of experience, they easily surpass the horse girls who became Senior-class this year, including King.
Or rather, Oishii Parfait has been racing almost once a month without a single injury. She seems to have a niche following among horse girl fans and is a regular in G1 races, even though she has zero wins.
In my previous life, there was a saying, "A sound horse is a fast horse," and it might be a saying that refers to girls like Oishii Parfait.
As I was thinking that, the paddock unveiling began. However, because of the rain today, the runners stood on the platform and went back indoors without coming down to the paddock.
"First horse, gate one, King Halo."
King will be running from an inside gate today. What effect will the bad track condition and the worn-out turf from the races before the main race have on her...?
Her expression was her usual self; I couldn't see any tension. I naturally smiled as I saw her proudly puffing out her chest.
"Third horse, gate three, Special Week."
I narrowed my eyes in caution as Special Week appeared with the announcement. As expected of a senior from Spica. Special Week's body was in perfect condition, and judging by her expression, she was also in good form.
"Fourth horse, gate four, Nice Nature."
Nice Nature, who appeared next, also seemed to be in good form, just like Special Week. She looked in perfect shape and had a motivated expression.
"Fourth horse, gate five, Machikane Tannhauser."
Machikane Tannhauser... she seems to be as good as, if not better than, Nice Nature. Her form and condition look good. I could see her making a fist in front of her chest as if to motivate herself.
"Fifth horse, gate six, Narita Taishin."
Compared to the Osaka Hai, she seems to be in even better form. Because of the structure of her racing uniform, I can't get a good look at her right leg, but her body also seems to be in good condition.
"Sixth horse, gate eight, Seiun Sky."
I guess I should say "as usual." She was waving her hand with a goofy expression.
She hasn't had the results she wanted in her recent races, but Seiun Sky is the horse girl who set a world record in last year's Kikuka Sho, which is a long-distance G1. This spring Tenno Sho is a 3200-meter race, so she's an opponent to be wary of.
"Seventh horse, gate ten, Oishii Parfait."
She ran in the Osaka Hai last month, but she also ran in the spring Tenno Sho last year... I don't think she'll do what she did in the Osaka Hai, but who knows what will happen...
"Seventh horse, gate eleven, Biwa Hayahide."
With that announcement, a loud cheer erupted from the audience gathered at the paddock as Biwa Hayahide appeared. If she wins today's race after winning the Osaka Hai, she'll have a chance at the Senior Triple Crown. The audience's expectations must be high.
(She's as big as ever...)
Maybe because of the weather today, her long and voluminous hair was puffy. Because of that, Biwa Hayahide looked even bigger than before.
But she looks in perfect condition and good form. The only thing that doesn't look good is that her hair is too puffy.
The horse girls my colleagues are training are Stay Shaileen in gate two, Imperial Talis in gate five, and Unchanging in gate eight.
Each of them has a motivated look on their faces, and they're in good shape.
But, well...
(The problem today is this rain.)
Even if today's race was Urara's, the track condition would be bad, and it would be a mess even on dirt.
Still, I exchanged glances with King, who looked full of spirit, and we nodded to each other.
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