Early in the morning, three days later, Yasui Makoto and Kitasan Black arrived at the academy track to meet the Uma Musume famous for her distinct twin-tails—or rather, three-tails hairstyle.
As soon as she spotted the senior, Kitasan eagerly dashed forward, embracing her enthusiastically.
"Daiwa-senpai! Long time no see!"
"You're a bit late, Kitasan. You didn't oversleep again, did you?"
Gently returning the hug, Daiwa Scarlet's expression warmed into a nostalgic smile.
"No way! I'm an officially debuted Uma Musume now—I wouldn't oversleep like before!"
"I saw your debut race. It was very impressive; you've really grown up."
"Hehe, thank you, senpai… Oh, right! I haven't introduced you yet!"
Releasing her hug, Kitasan excitedly hurried back, grabbed Yasui by the sleeve, and tugged him forward.
"This is my assigned trainer, Yasui Makoto. He's the reason I could win my debut race!"
"I've already heard a lot about your trainer."
Smiling kindly at Kitasan, Daiwa Scarlet gracefully extended her hand toward Yasui.
"Trainer Yasui, I'm Daiwa Scarlet. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Pleasure's all mine."
Shaking her hand firmly, Yasui glanced warmly at Kitasan.
"Kitasan is exaggerating a bit. It's true that I've carefully planned her training, but her own talent and effort were equally crucial. So rather than crediting me, it would be more accurate to say we earned that victory together."
Daiwa Scarlet smiled approvingly, turning toward Kitasan again.
"Kitasan, your trainer really is excellent."
"Hehe, I think so too."
Kitasan sheepishly rubbed the back of her head, then eagerly bounced in place.
"Well, senpai... can we start our joint practice now? I'm fully prepared!"
"You're still as impatient as ever, Kitasan."
Shaking her head with gentle amusement, Daiwa Scarlet turned serious, focusing on Yasui.
"Trainer Yasui, before we begin, can I ask you a few questions?"
Both Yasui and Kitasan blinked in surprise, but Yasui nodded without hesitation.
"Ask anything you like, Scarlet-san. As long as I'm capable, I'll answer honestly."
Without unnecessary courtesy, Daiwa Scarlet began calmly:
"Before coming here, I reviewed Kitasan's race schedule."
"The Satsuki Sho is in April, the Spring Stakes in March, and this month you have a Conditions Race."
"After winning her debut, Kitasan's fan count is approaching 10,000. But that's still far from the 100,000 needed to qualify directly for the Satsuki Sho, and also below the 50,000 fans needed for the Spring Stakes."
She paused briefly, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Forgive me if this sounds pessimistic, but failure is never impossible for an Uma Musume. Suppose—just suppose—Kitasan doesn't win the Conditions Race or the Spring Stakes, and her fan count falls short of the Satsuki Sho requirement. Trainer Yasui, have you considered this possibility?"
Though Daiwa Scarlet spoke calmly, an underlying intensity made Kitasan nervous. She glanced anxiously between her trainer and Daiwa Scarlet, clearly unsettled.
"Daiwa-senpai, that's… Trainer—"
"It's okay, Kitasan."
Sensing her anxiety, Yasui reassured her with a gentle glance, then turned gratefully to Daiwa Scarlet.
"That's a sharp but fair question, especially since Kitasan just won her debut. Most people would avoid it out of consideration for our feelings. Yet the fact that you asked it tells me clearly how deeply you care for her."
He nodded seriously.
"You're correct—every race has over a dozen participants, yet only one winner. Losing isn't impossible; on the contrary, it's the norm."
Approval and appreciation flickered in Daiwa Scarlet's gaze. As an experienced Uma Musume, she had witnessed countless races, understanding deeply that victories were few, while defeats were frequent and inevitable. She had seen countless promising Uma Musume crumble under the weight of those losses.
It was fine for Kitasan to be naïve about this—but if this young trainer shared that naivety, Scarlet would have had words with her old friend, Tokai Teio.
Fortunately, Yasui's response was reassuring enough. However, Scarlet said nothing, silently meeting Yasui's calm gaze, clearly waiting for more.
Understanding her unspoken expectation, Yasui continued calmly:
"It's simple. The reason the Spring Stakes is called a preliminary race for the Satsuki Sho is because placing in the top three grants an automatic entry into the Satsuki Sho, regardless of fan count."
"This year's Satsuki Sho is scheduled for April 19th, nearly two months from now. That's plenty of time to enter another Open-class race and perhaps even substitute the Spring Stakes with a slightly easier OP race if needed. With her debut victory plus two Open-class races, qualifying for the Satsuki Sho becomes highly probable."
He smiled lightly, confidently patting Kitasan's shoulder.
"While I can't guarantee a win at the Satsuki Sho or even a top-three finish in the Spring Stakes—after all, those are Graded races against strong opponents—I have thoroughly analyzed the competition data for every Open-class race over the next two months. Honestly, I see very few who can match Kitasan."
"And mind you, that's my worst-case scenario. So if even this conservative plan is enough to reassure you, Scarlet-san, then I feel confident in saying—"
"I genuinely don't believe Kitasan will lose either of the next two races—even the Spring Stakes."
Kitasan beamed with pride, and Daiwa Scarlet's expression shifted to genuine surprise.
Before Agnes Tachyon called her, Scarlet had already closely observed Kitasan's debut, intrigued by the unusually young trainer, Yasui Makoto.
In her eyes, his tactics had been remarkably bold for a rookie trainer. Despite Kitasan's exceptional power and stamina, he'd deliberately avoided front-running—the easiest path to victory in a debut—instead placing her at the rear, risking being boxed in, solely to build adaptability for future races.
She'd only seen such daring tactics from a handful of veteran trainers. Yet Yasui, despite his youth and inexperience, displayed that same maturity and confidence. It had deeply impressed her.
Now, hearing his meticulous reasoning firsthand, Daiwa Scarlet felt even more satisfied. It wasn't that his answer was flawless—rather, his calm preparedness further confirmed her initial impressions.
He might be young, but Yasui Makoto had the mentality of a veteran trainer.
Secretly relieved on Kitasan's behalf, Scarlet resolved to fully entrust herself to Yasui's training instructions from this point forward.
"I'm genuinely looking forward to this practice—and Kitasan's next race as well."
Instead of directly praising Yasui, Scarlet smiled warmly, clasped her fingers together, and stretched her wrists gently.
"It's been a long time since I've raced seriously, but I've always kept myself in good shape. A few practice runs with Kitasan shouldn't be an issue."
"So please, Trainer Yasui—don't hold back."