Chapter 92: I worked like crazy after this.

"Work sure is fun."

It was February—a chilly afternoon, with the cold still lingering in the air. With the trainee Uma Musume out training, the trainer’s office, occupied by only Masa and me, felt especially lonely as my muttered words echoed faintly through the room.

I waited, wondering if I’d get any kind of reaction, but… Masa glanced at me briefly, then immediately returned her gaze to the paperwork in front of her.

"...Being ignored is kind of sad, you know."

"I don’t have time to react to the ramblings of a lunatic when we’re this damn busy."

"Masa’s sharp as ever today."

Honestly, though, we really are that busy right now—so busy that even idle chatter feels like a luxury.

Ever since the URA Awards ceremony the other day, our workload has ramped up yet another notch. …No, rather than the amount of work itself increasing, it’s more accurate to say there’s been a surge in appointment requests, documents needing confirmation, and job offers directed at Wilm.

Promotional requests and interviews always gravitate toward whoever’s generating buzz at the moment. In that sense, there’s probably no one more newsworthy right now than Hoshino Wilm, who recently declared—loud and proud—that she would challenge the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

G1—the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

A 2,400-meter turf race held at Longchamp Racecourse along the Seine in Paris, the capital of France.

In this world, races run by Uma Musume are the most widely loved form of entertainment worldwide. And this isn’t limited to Japan alone. Across many countries, under countless different conditions, races are held with all kinds of Uma Musume competing.

Among those countless races, the ones that allow participation by Uma Musume from abroad are known as international races. In fact, many of Japan’s major G1 races fall into this category as well. Of course, that doesn’t mean overseas Uma Musume appear every time, so many end up being domestic competitions anyway. One prime example among these international races is last autumn’s Japan Cup, where Wilm, McQueen, and the overseas Uma Musume Witch Evening competed—a true showdown against the world.

Naturally, international races aren’t held only in Japan… and it’s not unusual for Japanese Uma Musume to travel overseas to compete.

Among the international races held abroad that Japanese Uma Musume participate in, the ones that draw the most attention are, without question, the highest tier of international grading: International G1s. The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is one of them—a French-hosted International G1 race.

…That said, if you only look at the surface, it’s just another G1 race—no different from the ones Wilm has already conquered.

But the Arc is different from any race she’s faced so far, in every possible sense.

Because it’s regarded as the ultimate battle to determine the strongest turf runner in the world… and at the same time, it represents the greatest dream of Japanese Uma Musume fans, those involved in the sport, and the URA itself.

No Japanese Uma Musume has ever won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The fact that it’s an overseas race already makes it a daunting challenge, and it hasn’t been attempted all that often—but still, four times. Four times, Uma Musume considered among Japan’s very strongest fell short in this race.

The first was a Symboli Uma Musume who had claimed numerous graded victories, including overseas races, and even captured the Tenno Sho (Spring). With a final career record of 43 starts and 17 wins and a long, enduring career, the dark bay girl was known as the “Old Soldier” and the “Phoenix.” She was named URA Award Best Senior-Class Uma Musume and even inducted into the Hall of Fame. It’s fair to call her a legend. …Yet when she ran in the Arc during her third senior year, she failed to place even within the top eleven. The result made it painfully clear just how shallow Japan’s well truly was.

The second was a Mejiro Uma Musume who brought glory to her family by winning the Tenno Sho under that famous name. A fierce competitor with a beautiful dark bay coat flowing behind her, she conquered the Tenno Sho (Spring) and the Takarazuka Kinen, earning selection as Best Senior-Class Uma Musume. …However, during her European campaign, she likely failed to adapt her stride to the turf, finishing a disastrous 18th out of 19 runners.

The third was the Symboli Uma Musume known as the “Self-Supreme Pioneer”—no, Sirius Symboli. She had various issues before being registered for the Twinkle Series, but once she began racing, she went 4 wins from 6 starts by the summer of her classic year and brilliantly claimed the Japanese Derby. She was originally meant to travel overseas alongside her childhood friend, Symboli Rudolf, but due to Rudolf’s leg trouble, she went alone. …Even so, between her fiery temperament and unfavorable circumstances, she ended her overseas campaign with 0 wins from 14 races. While her performances were respectable, she couldn’t quite seal the deal, and her Arc concluded with a 14th-place finish.

The fourth was one of the Golden Generation—the monstrous bird of the turf, hailed as the strongest in the world: El Condor Pasa. Aside from a single defeat at the hands of the otherworldly front-runner Silence Suzuka, she was unrivaled in Japan, winning races like the NHK Mile Cup and the Japan Cup to prove her domestic supremacy. The following year, riding the momentum of Taiki Shuttle’s European campaign, she decided to go overseas herself. To ensure perfect preparation, she spent half a year in Europe, acclimating her body to local conditions before challenging the Arc. …But fate mocked her. Rain continued right up to race day, creating the worst track conditions on record. The already heavy European turf turned into a quagmire that dragged mercilessly at her legs, and she was narrowly overtaken by Montjeu—who thrived on heavy ground—by just half a length.

Up through the third challenger, none had even managed to place within the top ten.

And even El Condor Pasa, called the strongest in the world, with painstaking preparation and full acclimation to European turf… still fell just short, finishing second.

Between Japan and the rest of the world lies a gap that remains painfully difficult to close. The string of defeats at the Arc has proven that beyond any doubt.

And what’s more, those who merely “attempted” the Arc aren’t limited to those four.

The “Eternal Emperor,” Symboli Rudolf—the first in history to achieve an undefeated Triple Crown, then seven crowns in total. Even she, widely regarded as the strongest Uma Musume in Japanese history, set her sights on Europe in autumn… and was forced to abandon the attempt.

The year after her failed overseas campaign with Sirius Symboli, she staged a miraculous comeback and once again aimed for foreign shores. However, during a race in the United States, she suffered a leg injury. A Uma Musume whose three defeats are spoken of more often than her victories, Symboli Rudolf’s final undoing was the injury to her left leg sustained in her very first race abroad.

And so, many Uma Musume fans in this country both long for—and fear—victory at the Arc.

They want Japanese Uma Musume to overcome countless failures and defeats and finally claim the title of the world’s strongest. And at the same time, they dread a repeat of what happened to Symboli Rudolf—an overseas challenge ending in injury and early retirement from the Twinkle Series.

And then…

Like Symboli Rudolf—no, alongside her alone—Hoshino Wilm achieved an undefeated Triple Crown. And she’s the one who proposed an overseas campaign, no less than a challenge at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Of course, it was only natural that an overwhelming mix of expectations and anxieties came pouring in… and just as naturally, the burden on Masa and me increased right along with it.

Purururu—the internal phone line began to ring, and Masa picked it up with practiced ease. That line connects to the Tracen Academy administrative office. Thank goodness—a proper request routed through Tracen this time. Lately, there’s been a flood of unofficial inquiries, which has been seriously wearing on Masa’s nerves. I really wish people would stop tracking down our personal phone numbers and calling us directly. It’s not like we’re ever going to accept unofficial jobs, and all it does is leave both sides irritated.

"Hello, this is Horino speaking… Ah, yes, that matter again. We already declined before, but… what, they changed their terms? …I see. Yes, understood. I’ll consult with the main trainer and get back to you shortly. Thank you very much. Goodbye."

She sighed as she placed the receiver back on the hook, then scribbled a few notes. I spoke up.

"So? What was it?"

"Monthly Middle again. They want an exclusive interview."

"Ah… right. You mentioned they changed their conditions."

At that, Masa held up four fingers.

…I see. That’s a pretty generous offer for a single interview.

Well, we’re not accepting it anyway.

"Let’s refuse. Sorry, but can you turn them down politely?"

"...This might be a bit late to ask, but why don’t we take interviews from them? The conditions are really good, and it seems like they’re showing genuine sincerity."

"Ah, you didn’t know, did you, Masa. That magazine ran an article trashing Wilm right before the Yayoi Sho. If that were all, I could chalk it up to freedom of opinion—but the moment Wilm won the Satsuki Sho in overwhelming fashion, they suddenly flipped and started praising her instead.

If we associate with a media outlet that changes its stance so easily based on results, there’s no telling what they’ll say if Wilm ever loses. Our policy prioritizes an Uma Musume’s mental well-being over short-term gains, Horino—no, our team does."

"I see."

There’s good and bad in the media—or rather, different tendencies.

Some outlets are known for careful fact-checking and accurate reporting, while others disregard truth entirely in favor of sensational headlines.

Depending on a reporter’s perspective, the same information can be framed favorably—or twisted into something hostile.

Those differences aren’t inherently right or wrong; it’s all about how they’re used… but personally, I don’t want to make choices that burden the girls emotionally.

Sure, if necessary, I’ll manipulate information once or twice… but as things stand, there isn’t a single reason to curry favor with Monthly Middle.

So it’s a no. A hard no. Tell them to come back the day before yesterday.

"Protecting an Uma Musume’s heart and brand image from behind the scenes is part of our job as trainers too. Remember that for when you go independent someday."

"...Mm. I’ll keep it in mind."

After listening with unusual earnestness, Masa picked up the receiver again and relayed the response to the Tracen administrative office. Sounds like she’s declining properly and politely—good, good. As expected of Masa. She’s really gotten used to the job over the past three months.

Still…

Honestly, I should probably be handling this kind of external coordination myself… but I just don’t have the bandwidth right now.

"...Haa."

I lowered my gaze back to the mountain of documents spread out in front of me. The work never stops piling up. I’ve got to power through it.

Let’s see—approval for Wilm merchandise… rejected.

Looking closely, there’s a ridiculous trap buried in the contract: if the project falls through for any reason, we’re the ones who have to pay a penalty fee. It might not be outright fraud, but it’s definitely malicious—or worse, an intentional setup meant to sabotage the project and extort money. I should report this to Tazuna and have the company blacklisted. Not that it’ll matter. They’ll probably change names by the next time they surface anyway.

Next, a notice of price increases from the company supplying Bourbon’s horseshoes.

…Yeah, this is fine. They’re top-tier athletes; the equipment they use should be top-tier as well. As long as the quality doesn’t drop, a higher price isn’t an issue.

This is a request for Bourbon to appear on a talk show… probably not.

I open my calendar app just in case, but—yeah. This falls squarely in the middle of my trainer conference presentation period. I don’t even have room to force time open. Or rather, the priority simply isn’t high enough to justify doing so. I’ll need to send a polite refusal.

Next… a message of thanks from the URA. Not an official notice—more like a personal letter.

There’s an unspoken understanding that Wilm’s Arc challenge was partially encouraged by the URA, so the message expresses gratitude for taking that context into account.

…Ah, and they’ve also written a reminder to take maximum care of her condition. Yeah, the Rudolf incident is clearly still a lingering trauma for them.

I’ll set this aside for now. No response required.

Next… several dozen fan letters for Wilm and Bourbon. Same as ever—an overwhelming volume.

While it isn’t publicly advertised, fan letters addressed to Uma Musume are inspected upon entering the academy for dangerous items, then reviewed by the assigned trainer before being delivered.

Of course, prying into personal thoughts would be a breach of etiquette, so we don’t read them in detail. As long as there’s no malicious intent, they’re passed on to the girls.

This time… two were no good. One contained disturbing content, and the other had bodily fluids on it. Seriously, please stop this kind of thing. I’ll have to shred them later.

And next is… a collaboration product proposal for Wilm? No. This doesn’t benefit her at all. Rejected. Her youth isn’t this cheap—not even worth bringing to her attention.

Haa… There’ve been a lot of strange requests lately.

Well, considering that both Wilm and Bourbon have been active and making headlines, it’s a mix of happiness and frustration…

"Brother, the admin office wants you to adjust the schedule. The Hoshino Wilm matter from the week after next."

"What? Why?"

"They can’t get in touch with the other party’s systems engineer or something. They want to push it back another week."

"...You’re kidding."

"I’m serious."

Wait—then that means the item I processed earlier gets overturned?

I already stamped approval, you know? And now I have to contact the other side too? And does that mean the thing from the day before yesterday is canceled as well? The entire training schedule has to be rebuilt from scratch!

"…………Work sure is fun."

I really want to go back to a life where I have the time to watch Wilm and Bourbon train.

That’s what I was thinking when—

That chance came sooner than expected.

"Brother."

"What?"

I looked up from the keyboard. Masa was speaking to me while sorting through documents. It’s a bit rare for her to initiate conversation, so I prompted her, and she glanced over at me.

"You look exhausted. Why don’t you go check on the girls for twenty or thirty minutes? As a change of pace."

…That’s an incredibly tempting offer.

"No, the work—"

"If you keep going while mentally wrecked, your efficiency’s just going to drop."

"If you say that, it applies to you too."

"I took a day off yesterday, so I’m fine. You, on the other hand… you haven’t been thinking about anything but work lately, have you?"

…Now that she mentions it, I guess I really have been working nonstop these past few days.

Back in the day, I could handle this much without my efficiency dropping… but maybe I’ve gotten complacent—or no, is this aging? Feeling old already at barely twenty… that stings.

"...You look like you’re thinking something dumb, but just go. I’m used to your dead-fish eyes, but right now you’re unpleasant in a different way."

"Harsh."

She says it bluntly, but there’s no doubt Masa’s worried about me.

…Yeah. I can tell I’ve been getting a bit negative. Maybe it’s okay to lean on her kindness this time.

"Sorry. Then I’ll go check on Mihono Bourbon."

"Mm. I’ll put anything questionable on hold."

"Thanks. I’ll make time later—sorry to dump this on you for now, Masa."

"...Yeah. Make sure you actually rest."

Having a kind little sister really pays off in moments like this. I should get her something next time… maybe a box of assorted sweets.

I coaxed my stiff, cracking body into motion and headed for the door of the trainer’s office.

Just as I lectured Masa earlier from a position of authority, a trainer’s job isn’t limited to simply drafting training schedules for their assigned Uma Musume.

This is something the general public often misunderstands, but in reality, we’re burdened just as heavily with document reviews, administrative processing, external coordination, and research.

To be blunt, the word “trainer” doesn’t truly capture the essence of this profession.

If I had to describe what we actually do, “manager” or “producer” would probably be closer.

It’s not just about overseeing training. We communicate with our assigned Uma Musume, understand their feelings, reconcile those wishes with the URA’s commercial interests and societal realities, search for paths that make those wishes achievable, handle miscellaneous tasks and external affairs, and support them comprehensively…

…No, at this point, doesn’t it go beyond even manager or producer? Sometimes I can’t help but think we support them more than their parents do.

When you’re backing professional athletes—racing Uma Musume—who can’t afford to divert their attention elsewhere, this level of involvement is simply necessary.

And among those duties are protecting an Uma Musume’s heart, honor, and brand image, as well as regularly checking in on their training progress…

Which is to say, going to observe my charges is itself a perfectly legitimate part of the job.

So why does it make my heart race so much more than paperwork?

Is it because I love watching Uma Musume run? Probably.

Or maybe it’s just that desk work unrelated to their development is monotonous and dull. Either way… I’ll leave that question for another time.

There’s no need to explain it further, but I have two Uma Musume under my care: Hoshino Wilm and Mihono Bourbon.

Both specialize in front-running—honestly, they almost never do anything else—and even when their running styles are easy to read, they possess such overwhelming talent that they dominate races without letting anyone close.

They’re practically unbeatable once race day arrives—but it’s important not to forget that they’re still middle school girls.

At this age, adolescent girls tend to act impulsively. If adults like Masa and I don’t keep a close eye on them, there’s always the risk they’ll head off in the wrong direction.

…Though calling them “ordinary” adolescent girls is questionable at best.

Wilm sometimes displays mental strength and cognitive ability far beyond her years, while Bourbon’s sense of self is so faint it’s hard to tell whether she’s even entered adolescence yet. Their tendencies differ, but both sit slightly outside the norm for Uma Musume.

Wilm has been getting closer to “normal” lately, but every now and then you still catch glimpses of an unsettling level of emotional maturity.

She’s smart enough to restrain her desires and accept things logically, while Bourbon will generally comply as long as there’s a rational explanation.

In that sense, compared to other Uma Musume, they’re relatively easy to handle.

Of course, thanks to the absurd results they keep producing, Masa and I remain just as busy as ever…

And so, I went to check on Bourbon’s training.

As expected, she was expressionless and training diligently.

Today’s session consisted of maintaining a middle pace for an extended period on a treadmill in the gym.

Running with beautifully corrected form, she noticed me approaching from a distance, stepped off the machine, and bowed politely.

"Master… thank you for your hard work."

"Good work, Bourbon. I just came to check in. How are you feeling?"

"Condition: yellow. Minor fatigue has been detected. However, I assess that training can continue without issue.

Additionally, training results show an average improvement of plus 0.9 seconds compared to yesterday. Over the past half month, performance slightly exceeds target values."

"Got it. Thanks for the report."

"This is only possible because of your plan. Thank you as well."

She bowed again. Truly, she’s a serious and good girl.

Her self-reported condition—especially regarding stamina—is remarkably accurate.

Even when I check via my “App Reincarnation,” her stamina loss registers as moderate. Training can continue without issue.

Her ability to assess herself objectively is one of the reasons she’s so easy to manage.

As for her training results, I can’t verify those directly through the app, but judging from the data we regularly collect, her report is spot-on. Shockingly so—down to the decimal.

Sometimes I wonder if she has instruments built into her body. How can she measure things that precisely while running at race pace?

Even Wilm couldn’t manage that—…actually, no, she probably could. She has that ridiculous “increased cognitive processing” ability, after all…

Now then.

Bourbon is an Uma Musume who thinks almost entirely in terms of logic and numbers, making her exceptionally low-maintenance.

That said, it isn’t without its risks.

"Master, is the flowchart for pursuing the Classic Triple Crown fully secure?"

"Yes. No issues. In terms of stats, the discrepancy between plan and reality is within five percent—well within a correctable range."

"And my aptitude?"

"That’s harder to say definitively. However, based on objective data, your ability to perform at middle distances and beyond is steadily improving. There’s no need to rush."

"Understood."

She accepts nearly everything through logic and numbers—but her fixation on the Classic Triple Crown is exceptionally strong.

Just as she once refused to accept her former trainer’s plan to pursue the sprinter or miler route, no matter how it was explained, this goal transcends logic and reason for her. It’s absolute.

It isn’t quite a curse like Wilm’s former aversion to defeat, but it goes beyond mere attachment…

Obsession—no, fixation—is the more accurate word.

That said, Bourbon’s fixation on the Triple Crown differs from what Wilm once carried. It isn’t something that wears down her body or mind.

If anything, it serves as a healthy motivation that keeps her moving forward and striving to improve.

We’ll need to keep an eye on things to make sure it doesn’t veer in a bad direction, but for now, I don’t see any need to intervene—that’s my assessment.

Well, people… no, in her case, Uma Musume. For an Uma Musume, I think it’s probably better to have at least one thing you’re particular about.

For example, with Wilm, it’s running… or rather, enjoying fierce races against others. That’s probably more of a preference than an obsession, but it still counts as a fixation of sorts.

As for Masa… hmm. Maybe being honest with her own heart? She puts on a front sometimes, but she almost never lies about how she feels.

And me… come to think of it, what am I particular about? If I had to say, wanting to guide them toward a happy future above all else—but that’s just a given for a trainer, isn’t it…?

Well, whatever.

In any case, it’s fine for Bourbon to have one or two fixations that fuel her motivation.

Especially something like the Classic Triple Crown—it’s easy to grasp as an ultimate goal, and from a trainer’s perspective, it’s psychologically straightforward to work around.

Wilm, on the other hand, when she slips into one of her “No, no, I want to do self-training, I want a mock race” moods, barely listens to me at all…

Just the other day, I ended up being dragged along with her for an entire day just to make her rest. Well, it was fulfilling in its own way, so I guess that’s fine.

Compared to that first trainee, Bourbon—who will obediently listen as long as I say it’s for the sake of winning the Triple Crown—is definitely in the easier-to-work-with category.

…Though at the same time, that also means if I make the wrong call, she’ll fail because of it.

Even with “App Reincarnation” and Horino’s vast trove of data, this is something I need to be extremely careful about. Unlike the app in my previous life, this is a one-shot life—failure isn’t an option.

That said, even after tightening my resolve, I can’t deny that I end up feeling a bit complacent again…

Just as I told Bourbon, her stat growth is progressing within the plan’s margin of error. Not quite on Wilm’s level, but within her generation, she stands a head above—no, two heads above the rest.

Even compared to Rice Shower, who trains with her regularly and may become the greatest obstacle to her dream, Bourbon surpasses her in every area except stamina, where she trails only slightly.

At this point, it’s fair to say the road toward achieving the Triple Crown is smooth.

…If there’s anything to worry about, it’s her aptitude—something even my experience and intuition can’t fully account for—and her tendency to get carried away during races.

As far as aptitude goes, the “App Reincarnation” display still lists her as “Mid-distance: B,” but her pace control has been improving, and at least for the Satsuki Sho and the Japan Derby, I don’t foresee any issues…

The real problem is that tendency to overheat, which troubled her even back at the year-end Asahi Hai.

That’s something she was born with—her natural temperament. It isn’t easily corrected, and if it surfaces in an actual race, she won’t be able to maintain the cyborg-like, constant-pace running that’s her greatest strength.

Right now, I’ve been having her run alongside Wilm and her classmate Souris Cross, trying to acclimate her to the sensation of other Uma Musume running around her…but how effective that will be remains unclear.

Judging from precedent, it shouldn’t be completely ineffective…but just because something worked in the past doesn’t guarantee it will work for her.

Still, there’s no need for her to sense these concerns. …At least, not yet.

"Alright, Bourbon, resume training. I’ll be watching from here, so stay focused."

"Understood. Twenty-two minutes remaining. Mihono Bourbon will give it her all."

With one hand placed over her chest as she answered, Bourbon climbed back onto the treadmill and resumed running.

After that, I watched Bourbon’s training until she went into her break.

She remained mostly expressionless, but even she couldn’t be completely unfazed by the fatigue—her lips were pressed together just a bit tighter than usual.

Even so, the fact that she barely lets it show is impressive in its own way.

…Still, watching her work this hard makes me want to give her some kind of reward.

"Bourbon, you’re always working so hard. How about we all go out to eat together sometime soon?"

"! …Yes, understood."

When I said that as she sat on the bench during her break, her tail flicked straight upward for just a moment before quickly returning to normal, and she nodded.

It’s easy to forget, but despite how she acts, she isn’t some kind of cyborg—she’s a perfectly normal girl who can be happy about getting to eat good food.

Of course, it’s nothing on the level of the Classic Triple Crown, but I hope small rewards like this can become little sources of motivation that help her keep pushing forward each day.

…That said, maybe we should keep it to an all-you-can-eat place.

I may not spend much outside of trainer duties, but even so, my wallet does have its limits.