"As expected, she really is Curren's fan…"
Curren Chan was deeply disappointed by Sakura Baimu's reply, but a glimmer of hope remained. She asked Sakura Baimu.
"Then, Onee-chan, is there any kind of assessment or anything like that for Curren to join TCB?"
Curren Chan felt that if Sakura Baimu had mentioned any assessments or anything like that, she would have gladly accepted.
At least that would give her the feeling that Sakura Baimu allowed her to join because of her talent, not just because she liked her.
Unfortunately, Sakura Baimu's answer disappointed Curren Chan once again.
"No assessment required. I agree," Sakura Baimu said, waving her hand.
Not to mention the words displayed above Curren Chan's head: [Curren Chan: Training Difficulty (S)].
Based on Sakura Baimu's memories of this Umamusume's past life, she didn't need to assess Curren Chan at all.
Since Curren Chan was an Umamusume specializing in turf racing, her training difficulty was far lower than Tokai Teio's or even Mejiro McQueen's.
Similar to when Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond applied to join her team, Sakura Baimu agreed simply after learning who this Umamusume was.
However, Sakura Baimu didn't expect that her understanding of Curren Chan would be misinterpreted as being a fan of Curren.
"Thank you, Onee-chan. Curren is so happy~?"
Curren Chan outwardly appeared very happy with Sakura Baimu's agreement.
But inwardly, she was filled with deep disappointment.
Curren Chan knew that Sakura Baimu was an exceptional trainer and that her Umamusumes were all highly skilled.
Her classmates were all eager to join Sakura Baimu's team.
But not a single one succeeded.
She had so easily joined a team that countless Umamusumes in her year wanted to join but couldn't; she should have been happy.
However, Curren Chan knew...
There is a compatibility factor between an Umamusume and her trainer.
Even if a trainer has outstanding achievements, it doesn't mean that trainer is suitable for every Umamusume.
For example, Silent Suzuka's initial trainer was Rigil's Tojo Hana.
However, Silent Suzuka later left Rigil and joined Spica, achieving excellent results.
This shows that Spica's trainer, Okino, was a better fit for Silent Suzuka than Tojo Hana, who trained two Triple Crown-winning Umamusumes.
Rigil requires an evaluation before joining the team.
However, Sakura Baimu accepted her without any evaluation or conditions.
This result is certainly not something Curren Chan can be happy about.
"Curren will join the team first and qualify for the Twinkle Series. But, let's not make a trainer contract with Ms. Sakura…"
Curren Chan appeared incredibly happy, but inwardly she already felt she and her trainer, Sakura Baimu, were incompatible.
She still hoped to be recognized by her trainer based on her skill, rather than being so easily selected for the team simply because the trainer was a fan or because of her cuteness.
While Sakura Baimu's easy acceptance of Curren Chan's request surprised the TCB Umamusumes slightly, they weren't overly astonished.
After all, they still trusted Sakura Baimu's judgment; there were no auditions when Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond joined the team either.
Furthermore, Sakura Baimu promised the two of them three championships.
"So many new Umamusumes wanted to join before, and she didn't agree to any of them. This Curren Chan just called her 'Onee-san,' and she agreed?"
Mejiro McQueen frowned, particularly concerned about this.
She thought about it for a moment, then shook her head.
No matter how strange Sakura Baimu was, her abilities as a trainer were undeniable.
Besides, the Umamusumes she harassed weren't limited to those who looked petite; they covered the entire Tracen Academy.
But just then, Mejiro McQueen suddenly remembered that Rice Shower always called Sakura Baimu "Onee-sama."
"No matter what, she couldn't possibly be a siscon," Mejiro McQueen shook her head, banishing all those strange thoughts from her mind.
"Trainer-san really agreed!"
Smart Falcon suddenly felt a surge of crisis.
This Curren Chan, who exuded a sense of danger in every way, appears to have easily used her cuteness to make her trainer fall for her.
"..."
Rice Shower didn't have so many thoughts, but her left eye remained fixed on Curren Chan, who kept calling Sakura Baimu "Onee-san," and she felt a little uneasy.
"Onee-chan, I have a request. Could you help Curren register for the nearest debut competition? It's a short-distance Dirt race in Tokyo."
Curren Chan crossed her arms, looking adorably pleading as she spoke to Sakura Baimu.
"You're running on Dirt?" Sakura Baimu asked. "Why not Turf?"
"Curren's running on Dirt~"
Curren Chan glanced at Smart Falcon, who was standing behind Sakura Baimu, and replied casually.
"Okay, at the fastest, a week will do." Sakura Baimu gave Curren Chan an OK sign.
Even for a Dirt race, a week would be more than enough time for Curren Chan to win her debut competition.
Sakura Baimu knew perfectly well that Curren Chan had achieved an exceptionally brilliant result in the 1200-Meter Dirt race at her school.
"Thank you~"
Curren Chan replied happily, but a sense of disappointment crept into her heart once more.
Sakura Baimu was far too agreeable.
It was almost unbelievable.
Not only did she agree to let her join TCB without any conditions, but she even agreed to the debut competition without asking any questions.
"If she truly agrees to Curren's various requests so easily simply because she's a fan or likes her appearance, then this shouldn't be the relationship between a trainer and an Umamusume."
"The contract between a trainer and an Umamusume has a sacred meaning; it should never be settled so easily."
"She doesn't care about dreams, physique, or running style. She just unilaterally agrees to all of Curren's demands… She really can't be Curren's trainer like this."
Curren Chan thought to herself, her happy expression unchanged.
"Then I'll leave it to Onee-chan? Curren has some things to do, so I'll head back first"
After saying this, Curren Chan "happily" waved to Sakura Baimu and slipped away.
The TCB Umamusumes: "???"
The four Umamusumes present were all bewildered.
Why did Curren Chan's joining the team feel so strange?
It felt like something was missing.
Although Curren Chan looked very happy, the Umamusumes present all noticed that her joining this time was completely different from when Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond joined.
It was far too casual.
It was as casual as buying a drink from a vending machine.
"Trainer-san, what's wrong with you? Did she really just seduce you with 'Onee-chan'?" Mejiro McQueen asked, annoyed.
"How could that be? Normally, I should ask her about her goals and then touch her legs to test their quality," Sakura Baimu said, watching Curren Chan leave.
"But her mood seemed to drop the moment I agreed to let her join the team. She's probably disappointed in me."
"Huh? That girl was disappointed in Onee-sama? How did Onee-sama figure it out?" Rice Shower asked, surprised.
"She just said she wanted to 'join the team,' but she didn't say I should be her trainer. She probably just wants to join to debut in the Twinkle Series. It's a bit of a shame, but you can't force these things."
"So you're just being kind by letting her join, but she won't train with you? You can accept that?" Mejiro McQueen asked.
"That's impossible," Sakura Baimu laughed. "However, we should prioritize respecting her personal wishes. If she doesn't want me to be her trainer, that's fine too."
--
By the way, in reality, Curren Chan's debut competition was on Dirt, but it was held at Hanshin.
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