Air Groove was puzzled, then her interest was piqued as she waited for Mochizuki Toru to go on.
But contrary to her expectations, Mochizuki did not answer immediately. Instead, he stood up and began to survey this "laboratory."
It was a normal classroom that Air Groove had secretly modified for her own use. Tracen Academy had chosen to turn a blind eye so far.
However, Air Groove's long-term habit of skipping training races, blowing off practice, and cutting class was about to push that tolerance to its limit.
If she became a bad example for others to imitate, that was something Tracen's administration absolutely did not want to see.
Thinking of this, the smiling black-haired young man walked straight up to Air Groove.
Mochizuki Toru's fair fingers tapped lightly on the desk in front of her, his posture radiating quiet confidence.
"Don't you think this little laboratory of yours is too small?"
"As an 'un-debuted genius,' the most Tracen can do is turn a blind eye to you occupying a classroom for now."
"But the moment they need this room for actual classes, you'll be forced to relocate."
He didn't answer her question head-on. He fired back with one of his own.
When Air Groove froze again, Mochizuki continued.
"If you debut and win races, your privileges will increase. For example, once you create a club in the future, you'll be able to legitimately occupy a classroom long-term. It'll be much safer for your research."
"But… that still isn't enough, is it? In my eyes, even a classroom is too small. It's nowhere near enough to support the scale of your experiments."
The smiling rookie trainer tapped the desk as he spoke, easily seeing through the calm surface of Air Groove's gaze to the madness and ambition hidden beneath.
"Normally, new trainers have to do teaching assistant work or trail behind veteran trainers to learn the ropes. To me, that's far too troublesome."
"But as long as I sign a racehorse girl, I can end the 'student phase' early, get assigned my own dedicated clubroom, and gain my freedom ahead of schedule."
"So… join my team. Let's enjoy our freedom together."
"I'll give you half of the clubroom. I won't force any mandatory training regimen on you, and I won't interfere with your experiments. Do whatever you want."
That was why Mochizuki had called it a "win-win."
As a rookie trainer, so long as he signed Air Groove, both of them would gain freedom and life would become much easier.
Air Groove would gain a large, safe private space where she no longer had to worry about the student council knocking on the door someday to drive her out and suspend her research.
And that was only part of the benefit for her.
"I see…"
The short-haired chestnut girl's eyes flickered with thought as she, for the first time, began to seriously consider the offer.
Even just being given half of a clubroom was very tempting to her.
Not to mention the promise of no fixed training schedule, freedom to train herself as she liked, and experiments completely unaffected…
On top of that, as a signed racehorse girl, she wouldn't be targeted by other trainers, and she would reasonably be able to cut down on general education classes.
All in all, it was full of advantages for her.
By comparison, Mochizuki Toru, as the trainer, actually gained very little. He was simply making his life easier earlier.
"Coach Mochizuki, once you really form a full team in the future…"
"When you have three or four racehorse girls under you, won't the others complain about the clubroom being half given over to me?"
The sharp-minded young scientist raised her head and stared at Mochizuki Toru, pressing him further.
The fact that she was asking about the future meant she was already tempted.
But Air Groove still needed to understand why he was willing to do something with such a seemingly low return.
Other trainers all wanted their racehorse girls to obey their programs as much as possible, then reap victories, prize money, and fame.
Yet Mochizuki was not only giving up half the clubroom, he also wasn't demanding she follow his training. The cost seemed enormous.
If she refused to race, or lost, or got injured, wouldn't Mochizuki take a huge loss?
"Because you and I are the same kind of person."
Mochizuki's lips curled in a faint, ambiguous smile, then he pointed at the book on the desk: "The Devotion of Suspect X."
"With just this book alone, I won't have to worry about food and rent for the next few years. I don't need prize money to live."
"There are a lot of things I'm interested in. Racehorse girls, races, writing… all of it. The reason I joined Tracen is very similar to yours: to observe, and for fun."
After he finished speaking, a long moment passed before Air Groove finally processed his words. Her crimson eyes lit up with a strange brilliance.
She had never expected that, in Tracen Academy, she would actually meet…
A kindred spirit.
This young black-haired man who was "unreasonably" young and talented was the writer most skilled at training racehorse girls… and the trainer most skilled at writing.
"So, is that reason good enough? Will you be my accomplice in slacking off?"
A trainer like this was something she had never seen before. He was absolutely worth observing.
Not to mention… his scent.
The beautiful chestnut-haired girl, whose eyes always seemed a bit unhinged, let her lips curl into a truly delighted smile.
Air Groove stood up, stretching her graceful figure like a lazy cat arching its back, then extended the slender hand hidden beneath the wide sleeve of her lab coat of her own initiative.
A proud cat had finally found the perfect cat tree.
It really was a match made in heaven.
"Being able to be lazy together with a famous author is my honor."
"Air Groove. Please take care of me."
The most laid-back team in Tracen Academy's history, the most shamelessly slacking duo…
Was formed, just like that.
…
The next day, in a new clubroom.
As he walked in, Mochizuki Toru glanced at the task panel floating before his eyes.
[Trainer · Quest Panel]
[1. Sign a racehorse girl and complete her debut race (1/2)]
[Quest Reward: Slight enhancement to host's physical constitution]
The first quest was half done: the signing was complete, only the debut race remained.
Seeing that, Mochizuki wasn't anxious at all.
After all, this was the man who had crammed like a grad-school candidate for months just to ace the entrance exams and get into Tracen Academy.
Now he didn't have to do anything, and after a while the quest would complete itself. That was already extremely easy.
Air Groove was a racehorse girl. Her love for running was engraved into her DNA.
Even if she didn't look like she trained much and refused to show up for regular training races, the insanely gifted Air Groove still had more than enough ability to complete her debut and enter official competitions.
The only thing stopping her had been the rules: she had to be signed to a trainer to run her debut race.
She hadn't wanted to be bossed around by anyone, which was why she had delayed things this long.
Now that she had joined his team and gained a safe clubroom for her research, it was only a matter of time before she showed the racehorse girl's natural love of the track.
It was like travel or games: most people didn't dislike them, they just lacked the time and conditions. Once those two were met, they would indulge sooner or later.
Mochizuki was interested in the trainer job, in racehorse girls, and in whatever future professions he could unlock. But he didn't have some burning obsession to personally raise the world's strongest racer.
And Air Groove just so happened to want a trainer who would slack off, not interfere with her experiments, and leave her alone.
One side wanted to loaf around, watch the show, and hoped his racehorse girl would be fully automatic.
The other side wanted her trainer to flop down and stop micro-managing so she could act freely.
That was why Mochizuki was so sure this was a "match made in heaven."
The relaxed young man had no intention of rushing or ordering anyone around. He would simply wait for the right moment to arrive.
"A few more months until the third profession unlocks, probably."
"If the system can unlock something as bizarre as 'Trainer'…"
"I really can't wait to see what the next one will be."
With that, Mochizuki glanced around the room again, his satisfaction growing.
"So this is where I'll be slacking off from now on."
The space was large, and no one would bother him.
He could loaf around here while still drawing a salary as a trainer, and on top of that, find time to complete his quests as a writer, bash out some new "original" works, and live as a professional plagiarist.
One room, two income streams. Any capitalist who saw this would be moved to tears.
He had actually, somehow, become a "dual-class wage-slave superhero."
Mochizuki had zero intention of imitating those hardworking corporate-slave trainers who spent all day rotating between instructing several horse girls.
He would not teach even one.
This space could be split evenly between him and Air Groove.
Once Air Groove got tired of experimenting, she would go out and run races for him, help him clear quests, and open up his next interesting profession.
Flawless plan.
The black-haired young man was in such a good mood that he was still drifting in his happy thoughts when footsteps sounded outside the door.
A moment later, Mochizuki turned around, only to see that the newcomer was not Air Groove.
It was a petite girl in black, her long, ink-dark hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. A single white ahoge on the top of her head swayed back and forth, adding a mysterious charm.
Her name was Manhattan Cafe, Air Groove's closest friend, and she was a frequent visitor to the old "laboratory" classroom.
Right now, Manhattan Cafe was standing there with a calm expression, carrying a piece of experimental equipment even bulkier than her small frame. Her breathing was only slightly quickened as she stepped into the room.
A tiny girl, lifting something that looked like a giant cauldron.
With a loud clank, Manhattan Cafe put the equipment down. Her clear, bright eyes were filled with curiosity.
This gentle, oddly mysterious girl had an excellent relationship with Air Groove.
From homeroom teachers to the student council, countless people had begged her to pass on messages: "Tell Air Groove to go to class," "Tell her to report for training," "Tell her to show up for the training race."
Almost none of those messages ever got through. They went in one ear and out the other of that mad scientist of a girl. Which only made Mochizuki becoming Air Groove's trainer all the more impressive.
When Air Groove had asked her to haul equipment, she had returned the book she had borrowed with a meaningful line:
"Seeing him will be a pleasant surprise for you."
"The Devotion of Suspect X" didn't belong to Air Groove. The real owner was Manhattan Cafe.
The "science-track" Air Groove had randomly borrowed a mystery novel from her friend and, by sheer coincidence, ended up facing the author himself.
Now it was Manhattan Cafe's turn. The devoted fan was finally seeing Mochizuki Toru with her own eyes.
"Mochizuki-sensei… Trainer Mochizuki, hello."
The black-haired girl stared blankly for quite a while before finally snapping out of her daze.
"My name is Manhattan Cafe. I'm Air Groove's friend. I'm just helping her move some things."
She bowed slightly, her demeanor gentle, reserved, and impeccably polite, forming a perfect contrast with the sharp, wild Air Groove.
She had already unloaded the equipment and set it aside. Resting on top of the machinery was none other than "The Devotion of Suspect X."
For most readers, a beloved book is like an egg: savoring it is enough. There's no need to pay attention to the hen that laid it.
But this time was different. The fact that a bestselling author had speed-ran the trainer exams and joined Tracen was simply too outrageous.
He had only arrived yesterday, and in a single day the news had spread like wildfire through the academy. The school forum was full of threads about him.
[Liberal arts can't save Japanese horse racing! "The Devotion of Suspect X" author Mochizuki Toru joins Tracen Academy as a trainer!]
[The writer most skilled at training racehorse girls; the trainer most skilled at writing]
[Help! Where is Mochizuki-sensei? I want to be his trainee…]
As the person at the heart of this storm, Mochizuki's arrival had completely overshadowed the news that the "genius" Air Groove had finally signed with a trainer. Naturally, Manhattan Cafe already knew all about it.
She studied the black-haired young man in front of her curiously, then asked in a soft voice:
"May I… have your autograph? I'm a fan of yours, Mochizuki-sensei."
To outsiders who didn't know the situation, this scene would look completely upside down.
Racehorse girls were like shining idols, with matches that captivated the whole world.
Normally, it was the racehorse girl who drew fans and gave them autographs.
But now the roles were reversed. Manhattan Cafe wanted Mochizuki Toru's signature.
Several months ago, Mochizuki had burst onto the scene out of nowhere with "The Devotion of Suspect X," selling several million copies in an astonishingly short time. The book had made its way even into Tracen Academy.
Because he was focused on opening up his next profession, he rarely attended signing events. His autograph was incredibly hard to come by.
"Of course."
Mochizuki smiled and took the book from the mysterious, soft-spoken girl.
He quickly signed his name.
When he handed it back, a faint blush rippled across Manhattan Cafe's serene, pale face. It was hard to tell whether it was the thrill of a fan meeting her idol, simple shyness, or genuine happiness.
"Thank you, Mochizuki-sensei."
She hugged the signed book tightly to her chest, instinctively using the title reserved for authors: "sensei."
And Air Groove still had plenty of gear that needed hauling. Manhattan Cafe would have to make several more trips.
Before she left, Manhattan Cafe spoke in a serious tone.
"I'll be looking forward to the partnership between you and Air Groove."
"See you at the Classic Triple Crown."
As Manhattan Cafe left, Mochizuki remained where he stood, lost in thought.
The Classic Triple Crown… in a few months?
By then, his third profession should be just about ready, too.
…
In the old laboratory classroom.
Wrapped in her white coat, the chestnut-haired girl stared out the window into the distance, light flickering in her eyes.
"Finally…"
"I can get on the track and start collecting data."
Over the next little while, she would casually pick up a few wins.
Consider it her way of repaying Trainer Mochizuki.
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N/T: Hi everyone, I'm Zuru, an inexperienced translator and non-native English speaker, so if you notice any mistakes in the text, please let me know in the comments so I can fix them. By the way, I have a Patreon. There isn't much there yet, but it would really help me if you could consider joining.
[email protected]/ZuruZ