'Speaking of which, did I forget something?' Mejiro McQueen thought as she walked to the clubroom. She felt like she'd forgotten something but couldn't remember what. It probably wasn't important, or she wouldn't have forgotten it with her memory.
It wasn't until she arrived at the clubroom and saw the trainer, who was already discharged from the hospital, that she remembered she had forgotten about him and Teio. She had planned to visit the trainer yesterday and ask where Teio, who had been out of touch, had gone. But because she had crossed into another world and run a race last night, she had completely forgotten about it.
But it really wasn't anything important. The trainer wasn't gravely ill, and Tokai Teio was just in a bad mood. Mejiro McQueen didn't feel guilty for forgetting. Besides, hadn't she remembered now?
"McQueen, you're here. I have something I want to talk to you about, alone." The trainer said with a serious expression.
McQueen nodded. "Good timing. I also have something to talk to you about, Trainer."
Mm... since I've remembered, I'll ask the trainer about Teio. What is she doing, skipping training? But given Teio's personality, Mejiro McQueen felt it was highly likely she was undergoing secret special training.
Gold Ship jumped out at this moment and shouted at the trainer: "Trainer, are you planning to... to my McQueen?! No, you can't! You can't do that! If you need to do something, do it to me! Little Gorshi is prepared to sacrifice herself for the sake of the family!" She said this with a shy expression.
Seeing Gold Ship starting trouble again, P felt a massive headache. "Gold Ship, I don't know what you're talking about, but it's probably not what you're thinking."
"What? The trainer is embarrassed! Weren't you about to confess to McQueen?" Gold Ship casually walked over and grabbed P's shoulder.
"..."
Gold Ship's antics left both of them speechless.
McQueen's gaze grew even colder. Her killing intent gradually rose.
P quickly waved his hands.
"Gold Ship, don't talk nonsense. Have you been reading too many fanfictions on the forums lately? In reality, trainers and horse girls don't have that kind of relationship. In my eyes, you are all like family."
"What?!" Gold Ship looked astonished.
"So it's not true that trainers marry their horse girls?"
Oguri Cap, who was eating bread on the side, suddenly perked up her ears.
"Is... (gulp) is that really a thing?"
"No, Oguri Cap! Don't listen to her nonsense!"
P began to worry for his mentor's (Teacher's) safety. His mentor was just an ordinary, middle-aged man, not some fitness guru. If Oguri Cap took this seriously, it would be an 'accident' for his mentor.
No, given a horse girl's physique, even a fitness guru couldn't take it. If a horse girl used even a little bit of strength, a human would be seeing heaven. A horse girl's weight and power are just too terrifying for humans.
Wait, what am I rambling about? I'm being completely led astray by Gold Ship!
P started to regret rashly accepting Gold Ship. But her strength was just too enticing. Her performance in that race was so dazzling. Even if she lost to McQueen, that was unavoidable. What trainer could refuse such a strong horse girl wanting to join the team?
Gold Ship then smiled, showing her true colors: "Since it's not a confession, then why couldn't you say it in front of everyone? Aren't we all family on this team?"
So you just wanted to hear the gossip, is that it!
P realized.
This damned weirdo horse girl is definitely toxic!
"This is McQueen's personal business. If you want to hear it, you can ask McQueen for her opinion first." P stepped aside, leaving Gold Ship to face McQueen, whose killing intent was now palpable.
He could already predict Gold Ship's fate. Turning to look at the very ugly patch on the window, he silently chanted, "Namu san."
"Wait, McQueen! Trainer, help—Awooh!"
After "fixing" Gold Ship, everything finally returned to normal.
Afterward, the trainer asked McQueen about the source of her skills. After getting no useful information, the trainer only reminded McQueen of the danger of that "knowledge" and said she needed to get a full-body checkup and bring the results back for him to confirm. McQueen agreed, as it was a small matter.
However, Mejiro McQueen hadn't expected the "skill book" to be so dangerous in the real world. Was the system restricting the teaching of skills, or was there another reason?
She was able to use her skills in 'McQueen's' body in the other world. Or perhaps the trainer's level was just too low? Or maybe humans can't comprehend it, and only a horse girl can? But it was impossible to test this, and she had no desire to research it.
In any case, it didn't affect her own strength. As for Narita Brian, she would naturally leave that for the trainer to handle. She had no interest in such things. Finally, she asked the trainer, "Trainer, do you know where Teio went?"
"Teio was taken by the Student Council President (Kaichou) for special training." As P spoke, he gave McQueen a strange look. It was obvious this matter was related to McQueen. At the very least, the fundamental reason Teio wanted to get stronger was to beat McQueen once.
But can the Symboli family's trainer really make Teio strong enough to beat McQueen? P doubted it. Although he didn't know how strong that "Zone" ability the President mentioned was, based on past track records, he could roughly deduce its strength. P didn't think Teio mastering Zone would be enough to beat McQueen. The gap between them couldn't be closed by a single ability.
He had no intention of telling Teio or the President his thoughts. There was no need. If Teio could improve herself because of this, it wasn't a bad thing.
"I see."
Mejiro McQueen was relieved after getting the answer. Since she was training with the President, she wouldn't have to worry about Teio recklessly ruining her body. As someone who had "been there" and ruined her own body with high-intensity training, she had been worried Teio might repeat her past mistake.
"Trainer, one more thing. When can my race with Oguri Cap-senpai begin?" For Mejiro McQueen, this was very important.
"Mm. I was just about to go request a dedicated racetrack from the Director. Because you want a real showdown, right, McQueen?" P didn't beat around the bush and gave a direct, affirmative answer.
Mejiro McQueen looked at the trainer, surprised. He's going that far?
"Of course. I'm confident I can get it. After all, I think the Director and the President will also be curious about this race." P smiled. He was very sure about this. A match between "The Monster" and "The Strongest"—he believed no one could refuse that.
"Trainer, thank you," Mejiro McQueen thanked him.
P just smiled. "McQueen... you have to win."
Although they were on the same team, it was clear that if he had to choose one to cheer for, he would only choose McQueen. Because Oguri Cap was his mentor's horse girl; he had just inherited her.
The first horse girl he found was McQueen. Even though she only agreed to join later, P still remembered that when he first started looking for a horse girl, he had decided on McQueen.
As for Silence Suzuka and Tokai Teio, the former just made him feel worried, and the latter was an introduction from the President. The weight they held in his heart couldn't compare to McQueen's. This favoritism couldn't be helped.
But even so, P still had some regrets as a trainer. Because McQueen was too strong. He hadn't been able to help her much at all.
Whether it was training or racing, McQueen could do it all perfectly by herself. This was a horse girl born destined for the top. At least, P himself was convinced of this.
Mejiro McQueen didn't know she had such a high evaluation in her trainer's heart. But even if she did, she would probably just laugh it off. After all, wasn't it a matter of course?
Since she was here, the top spot belonged to her. It wasn't that she had to reach that place, but that from the very beginning, the only place that could hold her was the top. Mejiro McQueen must be the strongest. This was destined from the moment she was born!
As expected, the permit for the racetrack was approved. If there had been more time, the Director would have even wanted to turn this into a real event. It's said that inspired by this, the Director is starting to prepare a new event plan called the "URA," with the goal of letting horse girls from the Twinkle Series and the Dream Cup run on the same track.
It represents a clash of new and old.
But this plan was only in the drafting stage. It wasn't something Mejiro McQueen needed to pay attention to. She was currently concentrating on preparing for the race against Oguri Cap-senpai in two days. She was thinking about how to draw out all of Oguri Cap-senpai's strength in this race.
But on second thought, she didn't seem to need any special preparations. She just had to run at her usual pace. As long as Oguri Cap-senpai didn't want to lose, she would definitely go all out. And based on her understanding of Oguri Cap-senpai, she was very competitive. So, she felt she should be able to see Oguri Cap-senpai's full strength.
...
[Get 20 chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "RoseWhisky"]