Chapter 26: Daiwa Scarlet's Test

Chapter 26: Daiwa Scarlet's Test

Three days later, early in the morning, at the academy’s training grounds.

Makoto stood beside Kitasan Black, waiting for someone. Before long, a certain Umamusume with a distinctive hairstyle came into view.

The moment Kitasan saw her, her face lit up. Without hesitation, she ran up and threw her arms around the girl.

“Scarlet-senpai! It’s been forever!”

“You’re a bit late, aren’t you, Kita-chan? Don’t tell me you overslept again,” the girl teased, returning the hug with equal warmth. A nostalgic smile lit up her face as she spoke.

“No way! I’m a full-fledged Umamusume now—I don’t sleep in like I used to!”

“I saw your debut race. You were great. Looks like you’ve grown a lot, Kita-chan.”

“Ehehe, thank you, Senpai! Oh right, I haven’t introduced you yet!”

Letting go of the hug, Kitasan bounded back over to Makoto, grabbed his sleeve with both hands, and dragged him forward.

“This is my trainer, Makoto Yasui! I won my debut race all thanks to him!”

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” the girl replied with a calm, polite smile.

The “three-tailed” Umamusume turned to Makoto and offered her hand.

“Nice to meet you, Trainer Yasui. I’m Daiwa Scarlet. It’s a pleasure.”

Makoto accepted the handshake and gave a courteous nod.

“The pleasure’s mine, Daiwa-san.”

Then, he glanced at Kitasan and smiled.

“Kitasan Black gives me way too much credit. It’s true that I put a lot of thought into her training plan… but winning that race was just as much about her own talent and hard work.”

“It wasn’t just my victory. It was something we accomplished together.”

Daiwa Scarlet smiled softly as she looked at Kitasan.

“You’ve got a great trainer, Kita-chan.”

“Hehe, I think so too!” Kitasan giggled, scratching her head bashfully. But right after, her eyes lit up with excitement.

“So—can we start running together now, Senpai? I’m totally ready for this!”

“You’re still as impatient as ever,” Scarlet chuckled, shaking her head before turning to face Makoto. Her expression turned more serious.

“But before that… I’d like to ask you a few things, Trainer Yasui. Do you mind?”

Both Makoto and Kitasan were caught a little off guard, but Makoto quickly nodded.

“Go ahead, Daiwa-san. I’ll answer whatever I can.”

Scarlet nodded back, skipping any unnecessary pleasantries.

“Before I came here, I reviewed Kita-chan’s upcoming race schedule.”

“She’s entered in a condition race this month, the Spring Stakes in March, and the Satsuki Sho in April.”

“Thanks to her debut win, Kita-chan’s fan count is now close to ten thousand.”

“But that’s still a long way from the minimum fifty thousand needed to enter the Spring Stakes—let alone the one hundred thousand required for the Satsuki Sho.”

“I know it sounds a bit pessimistic, but this is the reality for us Umamusume.”

“So let’s say, just hypothetically…”

“If Kita-chan doesn’t win the condition race… or if she falls short in the Spring Stakes and can’t gather enough fans in time…”

“Trainer Yasui, have you seriously considered that possibility?”

Her voice was calm and measured—but there was a sharpness to her words, like she was testing him.

Kitasan immediately picked up on the pressure. Her expression stiffened, and she looked back and forth between her senpai and her trainer with an uneasy look in her eyes.

“Scarlet-senpai, wait… that’s a little…” she began nervously.

“It’s fine, Kitasan.”

Makoto turned to her with a gentle smile, trying to reassure her. Then, he looked back at Daiwa Scarlet and gave a small bow of appreciation.

“You’re asking a very pointed question—especially right after Kitasan’s debut win.”

“Most people would avoid bringing up something like that, just to spare our feelings.”

“But that’s exactly why I can tell how much you care about her, Daiwa-san.”

Makoto’s voice remained calm, his eyes steady as he continued.

“Like you said—every race has a dozen or more participants, but only one winner.”

“Losing a race isn’t unusual for an Umamusume. If anything, it’s the norm.”

A faint light of approval and relief flickered in Daiwa Scarlet’s eyes.

She had seen many things in her career—brilliant talents who burned out too soon, average runners who gave it their all, and countless races where expectations crumbled. She understood better than anyone that victory was rare, and defeat was the rule.

Many Umamusume, regardless of talent, couldn't withstand the pressure of losing. They’d fall apart before ever reaching the finish line of their careers.

It was fine if Kitasan didn’t understand that yet. She was still young. But if her trainer—this newcomer—wasn’t aware either, then Daiwa Scarlet would’ve seriously considered reporting her concerns to Tokai Teio.

Fortunately, Makoto’s answer was, at the very least, satisfactory.

Still, Scarlet didn’t respond immediately. She just held his gaze, eyes unflinching.

Understanding what she wanted, Makoto met her stare and spoke firmly.

“It’s simple. The reason the Spring Stakes is called a ‘prelude’ to the Satsuki Sho is because the top three finishers can qualify directly, even if they don’t meet the fan count requirement.”

“The Satsuki Sho this year is on April 19th. That gives us two whole months.”

“With that time, we can still slot in another Open Class race, maybe even replace the Spring Stakes with a slightly easier OP-level one.”

“If she wins her debut and follows it up with two solid OP-class performances, her chances of entering the Satsuki Sho are more than decent.”

“Besides that, I also have a few extra strategies outside of the races themselves. And more importantly—”

He turned with a smile and patted Kitasan’s shoulder gently.

“I can’t guarantee we’ll take the Satsuki Sho. I can’t even say we’re guaranteed a top-three finish in the Spring Stakes. Those are graded races, and the competition’s fierce.”

“But I’ve studied the entry lists for every OP-level race in the next two months. Based on performance data, I don’t see many who can truly rival Kitasan Black.”

“And that’s the worst-case scenario. If even my worst-case plan meets your approval, Daiwa-san…”

“…then I’ll be honest. I don’t believe Kitasan is going to lose the next two races. Not even the Spring Stakes.”

The words lit a fire in Kitasan’s eyes, and Scarlet couldn’t help but show a hint of surprise.

She’d already looked into Kitasan’s debut and Makoto’s background before receiving Special Week’s call. And from what she saw in that debut race, the strategy clearly wasn’t something a rookie trainer should’ve been able to pull off—let alone dare to.

Instead of going for an easy win by having Kitasan lead from the front—something well within her capabilities—he deliberately positioned her near the back, risking being blocked in, all for the sake of developing her adaptability for future races.

It was the kind of forward-thinking race planning she had only seen from top-tier veteran trainers.

And Makoto, despite being so young, had chosen that path.

That alone earned her respect.

His answer wasn’t flawless, but the way he approached the problem—calm, calculated, and confident—only reinforced her initial impression.

He looked young, but his mindset and methodology were anything but inexperienced.

With a trainer like that guiding her, Daiwa Scarlet couldn’t help but feel genuinely happy for Kitasan Black. At the same time, she decided she would completely trust Makoto’s judgment for the rest of their joint training.

“I’m already looking forward to it,” Scarlet said with a grin. “Both the upcoming training session and Kita-chan’s next race.”

Rather than praise Makoto outright, she simply cracked her knuckles with a light pop, intertwining her fingers with a practiced air.

“I haven’t stepped into an actual race in a while, but I’ve been keeping up with my personal training. I should be more than capable of keeping up with Kitasan in a few practice runs.”

“So go ahead, Trainer Yasui. Just tell me what you need.”

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