As a trainer, I wondered—what exactly should you say when greeting the parents of the horse girl you're in charge of?
Don't get me wrong. I'm technically qualified, but my social experience is… not age-appropriate. I skipped grades, spent most of my time buried in textbooks, and while I might sound mature thanks to my past life knowledge, I'm still just a little girl fumbling through real-world interactions.
When I talk to classmates, I stick to safe topics like studying and training. Anything beyond that—fashion, games, subculture—I'm clueless. My classmates sometimes give me these wide-eyed looks, and I just smile and pretend I'm mysterious. It's like my only defense.
In short, my communication skills are a solid 5 out of 100...
So when I was led into a cafeteria-style room to meet Rice Shower's parents, I had no idea what to say.
How does Rice-chan usually behave?
She eats a lot, trains hard, bathes with me, and occasionally goes out on holidays. Nothing unusual. Is that growth? Is that worth reporting?
Panicking, I pulled out my tablet and opened the data.
"Here's Rice Shower's physique data evolution."
"Eh…?"
Her father made a subtle noise.
I showed them a chart with Rice's height, weight, and measurements—underbust, thigh thickness, arm circumference. Predictably, it was a bit embarrassing.
"She's over 12 now, so her height hasn't changed much, but her weight and body shape are steadily improving. She's building a solid physique."
"Ara-ara.." her mother said with a smile that I couldn't quite decipher. It made me nervous.
Next, I showed her physical ability data.
"We're focusing on flexibility right now. Of course, stamina is important too, so we're running regularly."
"Rice used to be stiff, just like her father," her mom said, tapping his shoulder.
Rice-chan was once as rigid as steel. Now she can do I-shaped splits. Her running hasn't improved dramatically, but let's not dwell on that.
"As for my training policy, I prioritize injury prevention. Rice is a horse girl, so I'm building her body carefully."
"She looks much better than she did at the entrance ceremony six months ago," her father said. "But…"
But what!?
Was it wrong for someone like me—who doesn't even understand horse anatomy—to be involved? Was I about to be thrown into the sea of Fuji trees?
I braced myself.
"Viola, do you know if Rice likes anyone?"
"Huh? Likes someone?"
"Yes. Her physique has become splendid, but what surprised me most is how beautiful she's become. She never cared about fashion before, but today she looks quite stylish. I wondered if she had someone special…"
I blinked. I couldn't think of anyone. Maybe a classmate?
Honestly, I thought Rice-chan was fashionable from the start. Maybe she's just blooming now.
"So, you don't hear things like that?" her dad said.
"That's…"
Her dad looked at her mom, then at me, then back again.
What was going on?
I tilted my head.
Her mom tilted hers too.
"Viola, you must be tired from the trip. Take it easy today. Just tell Rice what you'd like to eat."
"A-ah, yes."
With that, her father took her mother and left the room.
I sat there, confused.
What just happened?
All I could do was tilt my head again.