After settling things with Agnes Digital, Kitahara Sota felt genuine joy bubbling up from within, the corners of his mouth curving upward.
Great, now I can finally slack off again!
Although he'd appeared exceptionally diligent and hardworking recently—as if he'd completely abandoned his lazy lifestyle—this was all just preparation for even better days of laziness ahead.
His two tantou didn't require his oversight anyway. They'd been self-sufficient from the start.
Once Special Week and Oguri Cap mastered their new running methods, they could follow the training schedules he'd prepared on their own. He wouldn't have to interfere at all.
Agnes Tachyon was a bit troublesome, but he'd already planned to delegate her entirely to Agnes Digital. He just needed to draft a detailed plan for Agnes Tachyon's issues and then hand it over to Digital to manage.
This way, Tachyon's problems could be solved, his own workload reduced, the risk of falling into Tachyon's traps minimized, and he'd avoid unintentionally raising her affection.
Four birds with one stone—talk about efficiency!
With this arrangement finalized, all the gears had fallen neatly into place. The initial preparations were set. Now, with just one gentle twist, the rest would smoothly move forward on their own, leaving him free from further meddling.
From here on out, he'd be able to slack off without worry.
It might seem contradictory, given all he'd done. Forget laziness—he almost looked hardworking.
But the truth was, he'd already been trying his best to slack off.
Though Tracen Academy officially had an eight-hour workday with weekends and plenty of vacation days, the reality was far harsher. Most trainers worked practically non-stop, often spending more than ten hours daily with their tantou.
Even when trainers weren't physically with their Uma Musume, work didn't stop. Outside official hours, they had to analyze data, strategize racing schedules, study newly-released training methods, and countless other responsibilities.
And this was just for regular trainers whose tantou had relatively normal personalities.
Throw in an Uma Musume with a problematic personality, and trainers could kiss any downtime goodbye, constantly at their mercy. This, incidentally, was also why Agnes Tachyon's energy supplements were always in such high demand.
There's only so much one can handle!
On the other hand, Kitahara Sota was living the dream: clock in, slack off, hit the required work hours, and bolt. He didn't even bother cooking his own meals, content to keep taking advantage of Tracen's free resources.
He spent every day at the training grounds, but after his first week, the total amount of real work he'd done probably wouldn't equal even a single day's worth for other trainers.
Moreover, compared to other trainers, he hardly interacted with his own Uma Musume at all. If counted precisely, the time they spent together probably wouldn't even reach a fraction of the norm.
Helping Special Week, Oguri Cap, and Agnes Tachyon train was another story entirely.
Yes, he wanted to slack off—but look at these three.
General of Japan, Grey-Haired Monster, Superluminal Princess…
Given their extraordinary talents—even Agnes Tachyon, with all her problems—any ordinary trainer could lead this lineup to dominate G1 races with ease.
Of course, if he truly wanted, he could easily sabotage their training routines, crippling their potential permanently without anyone noticing.
But he was a trainer, not a heartless animal.
Even if he craved a life of leisure, he still had basic duties to fulfill.
So, though he appeared diligent now, he actually wasn't exerting much effort at all.
With his resources and skills, if he genuinely tried, creating three undefeated Triple Crown Uraras wouldn't be impossible—let alone three top-tier talents.
He didn't have to give his absolute best, nor did he plan to overly interfere. But he'd never sabotage them either. He'd ensure they reached their true potential, allowing them to claim victories that rightfully belonged to them.
This was Kitahara Sota's principle and his bottom line—unrelated to his preferred lifestyle.
...
Returning to the training grounds, Kitahara saw Oguri Cap and Special Week practicing their new running methods as usual.
It was Thursday of the second week, four days since he'd handed them their new training plans.
Thanks to her strong foundation and his minimal guidance, Oguri Cap had fully mastered her new method in just over two days, and by the third day, she was already executing the advanced training plan.
This matched his initial expectations perfectly.
He'd initially suggested a week as a buffer, allowing Oguri Cap time to slowly adjust. But clearly, she had no intention of taking things slowly. She'd maxed out her intensity from the very start, without ever complaining.
After all, she genuinely found it manageable.
Although the training intensity had more than doubled, the new running method actually made it feel easier. Energy consumption decreased, speed increased, and her endurance, burst acceleration, and explosive power had improved dramatically.
The benefits were far beyond what Oguri Cap had initially imagined.
She'd thought the low-posture running method Kitahara developed years ago had already defied common sense. But now, he'd proven he could push things even further—far, far beyond reason.
Moreover, aside from the clear improvements, Oguri Cap now felt a strange sensation while running—as if every part of her body was perfectly under her control, each cell answering her call.
With every step, besides her heartbeat, she felt as though another voice resonated from deep within.
Yet no matter how she tried, that sensation remained just beyond reach, separated by an invisible barrier.
Maybe I'm just imagining things.
Not being one to dwell on complicated matters, Oguri quickly shrugged off the thought, returning her attention to what delicious things she could get from the cafeteria later.
Special Week, however, wasn't nearly as fortunate.
Far from being comfortable, she struggled just to stay standing, only managing some semblance of balance when running.
Even then, her running speed wasn't fast, and her movements were terribly awkward. Anyone watching from afar could feel how unnatural her movements had become.
Chaotic, distorted—every part of her body seemed to have its own agenda, lacking coordination and smoothness. Her run looked painfully awkward, like watching ants crawling all over her skin, discomfort evident from even a distance.
Silence Suzuka, who'd come specifically to help Special Week, initially wanted to question Kitahara's training methods but was stopped by Grass Wonder.
Grass Wonder had doubted Kitahara long before Suzuka ever did. Yet, over time, seeing Oguri Cap's transformation and hearing about her past training experiences, Grass Wonder ultimately chose to trust Kitahara.
Now, the results were beginning to show.
Kitahara returned to the training grounds, observing Oguri Cap's swift progress and briefly watching the ongoing drama of the "Tracen Photo Album" nearby.
Confirming everything was running smoothly and no further intervention was needed, he pulled out his phone, his face finally breaking into a genuine smile.
I've actually worked diligently for three days straight—time to reward myself properly.
And to Kitahara, the best reward was undoubtedly…
"Time to slack off!"
...
For the next day and a half, Kitahara's plan proceeded flawlessly.
No unexpected Uma Musume appeared asking to join his team. No unforeseen work arose to disturb his peace.
Eclipse's training continued uninterrupted, but he'd adapted well, finishing quickly enough each day to leave plenty of time to laze around.
Meanwhile, Black Forest seemed quiet recently. Perhaps their previous failure had made them cautious. Tracen Academy itself hadn't taken further action yet, still focused on defense. According to gossip among other trainers, Chairwoman Akikawa was playing it safe, waiting for someone's return next week before initiating any significant measures.
But Kitahara didn't pay this much mind.
After all, he was just a self-proclaimed slacker trainer, uninterested in being dragged into potentially troublesome matters.
However, his peaceful day and a half wasn't without minor issues.
On the second day after he'd arranged Agnes Digital's help, Agnes Tachyon arrived at the training ground, openly glaring at him with unmistakable hostility.
Tachyon had originally moved out precisely because sharing a room with Agnes Digital was far too dangerous. Now, thanks to Kitahara, all her efforts to avoid Digital had been completely undone.
Though outright refusal was an option, Tachyon couldn't reject Digital too harshly—they had been friends, despite Tachyon being unable to accept certain behaviors.
Thus, her anger naturally shifted onto Kitahara himself. She'd already resolved to feed him a couple of particularly nasty potions as revenge—but unfortunately, she hadn't found an opportunity yet.
Regardless, Tachyon would absolutely remember this grudge.
...
As time passed and dusk arrived, the second week's training came to an end.
After dinner, the group gathered in the common room. With more Uma Musume now present, rest times had become livelier.
Chatting, games, entertainment, gossip, snacks…
The Uma Musume thoroughly enjoyed themselves—even Eclipse looked unusually cheerful. Tokai Teio and Agnes Tachyon, despite their usual antagonism, temporarily set aside their differences, at most sabotaging each other playfully during games.
Meanwhile, Kitahara quietly continued scrolling through his phone, uninterested in participating. Even now, besides Eclipse, he still hadn't added a single other Uma Musume's LINE.
Today, however, he wouldn't be allowed to peacefully slack until the end.
A small figure quietly sat down beside him. After hesitating briefly, she finally spoke up.
"Trainer-san, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."