"I believe it certainly will."
After solemnly receiving his contract, Kitahara Jo let out a long sigh of relief. At this moment, he had finally achieved his heart's desire.
He was officially a trainer at Central Tracen.
"Well then, I won't keep you any longer. I imagine you have many more things you wish to do."
With a flick of her folded fan, the Chairman signaled it was time to see him out.
"Hayakawa Tazuna, please escort this trainer out. I'll also leave his dormitory arrangements in your hands."
"Understood."
The green-clad lady, who had been standing silently by the door with a smile since the conversation began, pulled open the heavy door.
"Trainer Kitahara, please follow me. Your dormitory and luggage have been prepared. I'll take you there."
"Thank you, I appreciate your help."
Laughing a little sheepishly, a cheerful Kitahara followed Hayakawa Tazuna out of the office.
"Ah, by the way, Chairman, you have a great many documents left to process. You've been slacking off for the past few days, and the backlog has reached a point that can no longer be ignored."
Suddenly, the already closed door was pulled open just a crack, and Hayakawa's smiling, beautiful face peeked through the gap, giving Akikawa Yayoi a start.
"So, you cannot rest just yet."
"I know, I know! You're so annoying!"
--+--
After leaving the dormitory, Hayakawa Tazuna and Kitahara Jo walked along the paths of Tracen Academy.
"Thank you again for your help earlier. I hadn't expected tidying the room to be so troublesome. If not for your assistance, I don't know how much time I would have wasted."
Kitahara's eyes, seemingly unable to stay still, constantly scanned everything around him, as if he wanted to imprint every single sight of Central Tracen upon his heart.
"You're welcome, it was nothing. So, Mister Trainer, what do you plan to do now?"
"If possible, I'd like you to take me to see Oguri Cap."
Pressing his right hand against his chest, Kitahara felt his uncontrollably pounding heart.
"Now, I can finally hold my head high and go to see her. The promise we made back then can finally be fulfilled."
Looking at the middle-aged man's face, filled with such profound relief, Hayakawa Tazuna felt she could understand his feelings.
It was a sense of release, of exhilaration, mixed with hope for the future and a faint nostalgia for the past.
"I understand. Come with me then. It's training time for the Uma Musume now, so that narrows down where to find Oguri Cap considerably."
"Thank you for your help."
While Kitahara and Hayakawa were searching high and low for Oguri Cap, what was Oguri Cap herself doing?
The answer was: resting.
"Old Man, why are you making me rest now? There's still so much training time left. And even if it is a break, it's been almost two hours already."
Glancing up at the clock on the wall, Oguri Cap puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
"You fool, have you forgotten the injury to your leg? You should be happy you can even train right now! Strictly following the doctor's orders, all you should be doing is taking walks!"
Facing Oguri Cap's question, Trainer Musaka roared back even more fiercely.
This made Oguri Cap puff up her cheeks like an angry steamed bun, but she couldn't find a way to refute him.
"Besides, there's someone coming to see you today. Do you plan to meet them covered in dirt and drenched in sweat?"
Rapping the grassy ground disapprovingly with his cane, Musaka scolded her.
But if she had the common sense of a normal person, she wouldn't be Oguri Cap.
"I think it'd be fine, what's the problem?"
Tilting her head, a question mark practically visible above it, Oguri Cap completely failed to grasp her trainer's point.
"You blockhead…"
Just as he was about to continue lecturing Oguri Cap on the basics of etiquette, a familiar voice called out from a distance.
"Oguri Cap! Old Man Roppei!"
The voice wasn't old, but it was no longer young either. Just from calling out their names, it had already begun to tremble.
"Kitahara?"
Oguri Cap was pleasantly surprised, but more than that, she was confused.
"Hmph. So you finally made it, kid."
Unlike Oguri Cap, when he heard this call, the look in Musaka Ginjiro's eyes was one of pride, relief, and approval.
But given his personality, even thinking it, he would never say it out loud.
"Took you long enough, kid! How long have I been the stand-in? Did it really take you that long to succeed?"
"Old Man Roppei, don't be like that…"
Rubbing the back of his head, Kitahara, for the first time, didn't shrink back from his uncle's sharp words. Instead, he laughed and moved in for a hug.
"Hahaha!!"
"Hmph!"
Though his face was full of disdain, Musaka didn't hesitate to return the hug firmly.
"But I'll give you proper praise this time."
"? What? What's happening? Why are you hugging?" Watching the scene, Hayakawa smiled on the sidelines, but Oguri Cap was utterly bewildered.
"Oguri Cap, starting today, you don't need to call me 'Trainer' anymore."
After releasing Kitahara, Musaka straightened his clothes and said this as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"!!!"
Clearly, this was a bit too much for Oguri Cap to process; the fur on her tail poofed out in shock.
Cold sweat dripped down her face as she fidgeted, helpless.
"Why? Is it because I've been sneaking snacks lately…"
"What?! So that's why your weight hasn't been dropping!"
Hearing this, Musaka lost count of how many times Oguri Cap had frustrated him like this. But unexpectedly, he calmed down quickly.
"Never mind. That'll be your new trainer's problem to deal with."
"Old Man Roppei, why?"
"Hmph! Ask this guy."
Giving Kitahara a firm shove from behind, Musaka simply turned and walked away. He knew the time that followed should be left for these two original partners.
Hayakawa Tazuna, still nearby, clearly thought the same. Covering her mouth with a slight smile, she offered one last piece of advice before leaving.
"Trainer Kitahara, transferring an Uma Musume requires not only the consent of the Uma Musume and the original trainer, but also approval from the Student Council. It would be best to find time to visit them."
"Thank you for the reminder. Take care."
Kitahara thanked Hayakawa gratefully, but their conversation only added to Oguri Cap's confusion.
"Kitahara, what in the world is going on?"
"Oguri Cap, you're currently an Uma Musume without a trainer now. I wonder if you'd be willing to accept this hopeless guy in front of you as your next trainer?"
Kitahara reached into his jacket and pulled out a contract, folded twice but still neatly kept.
"Kitahara?"
"…"
"Kitahara! You did it!!"
It took Oguri Cap a long moment to finally comprehend what was happening.
In that instant, her joy nearly rivaled what she felt when she won the Arima Kinen.
"That's right. I'm now employed at Central Tracen. A bona fide Central trainer."
"I've finally… caught up to you."
An inexplicable excitement and happiness flooded her heart. Oguri Cap couldn't even form a complete sentence.
She could only slowly, firmly, extend her right hand.
"Welcome, Trainer."
"Mhm."
Their hands clasped tightly together. This time, there was no regret left behind.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.