They walked and paused intermittently, treating it like a stroll through Tokyo's scenery. Fujimasa March was a horse girl, and while Kuroha didn't have her kind of speed, he did possess the stamina of a G1-level Uma Musume. If converted into system stats, his Gut would probably be at least 800 points.
As the evening approached, the two of them finally arrived at a massive complex—far grander than Kasamatsu Tracen.
Kuroha had seen far more spectacular sights and advanced civilizations in his previous life, so this didn't impress him too much.
But Fujimasa March, who had only gone pro a year ago, widened her eyes slightly in amazement. Walking here from the train station, she looked around in wonder like a country girl entering a palace, everything striking her as fresh and novel.
Pushing a suitcase, Kuroha approached the gate guard and handed over his identification.
"Hello, may I ask where the office of the Central Tracen Academy Director is? I'm the new trainer reporting in today, and this is the Uma Musume on my team."
The guard inspected the documents with routine diligence, then respectfully pointed the way.
"...Then turn left and you'll find the Director's office."
Kuroha memorized the directions, thanked him politely, and led Fujimasa March through the academy gates.
Along the way, they passed by training fields several times larger than those at Kasamatsu, as well as a library, an advanced and well-equipped gym, and even a swimming pool.
The facilities for various sports were all present and professional.
The Uma Musume in their Central Tracen uniforms brimmed with youthful energy, making Kuroha feel like he had returned to his university days.
It gave him a sense of hope for the future.
This—this was the meaning of transferring Fujimasa March.
Just what kind of harsh month had they endured back in Kasamatsu?
The improved educational environment and advanced training equipment filled Kuroha with confidence about his future life as a trainer!
Soon, Kuroha arrived with Fujimasa March at the Central Director's office.
The Director of Central Tracen was a woman in her fifties.
She wore a formal suit and had a natural air of authority. She was flipping through Kuroha's profile when they entered.
"Trainer Kuroha, is it?"
"Yes, Director!"
Kuroha replied calmly, neither humble nor arrogant.
The director's glasses caught the light as she slowly spoke while reviewing the documents. "Originally, Central Tracen doesn't accept new trainers—even if your academic performance was quite exceptional."
"But, according to your resume, you only started working in Kasamatsu a month ago, and the Uma Musume under your care achieved a dominant victory in a race just four days ago..."
"I watched the race footage. Her name was Fujimasa March, correct? An excellent Uma Musume!"
She closed the file, and her previously stern expression softened into a smile.
The next moment, she stood up and extended her hand toward Kuroha. "Trainer Kuroha, welcome to Central Tracen Academy!"
Kuroha stood as well and returned the handshake politely.
Then came the signing of documents and discussions of benefits and arrangements.
It took quite a while before Kuroha emerged from the Director's office, where Fujimasa March quickly ran up to him.
Waving his hand, Kuroha smiled. "Alright, let's head to the trainer dorm first. I'll show you around the academy afterward."
...
Central Tracen truly lived up to its Tokyo status—its grounds were several times the size of an ordinary local Tracen.
Kuroha led Fujimasa March to his assigned trainer dorm. After helping her get familiar with the layout, he dropped off his belongings, then followed the academy map to guide her to the student dorms.
Truth be told, Fujimasa March had only graduated from "loli" status to full pro one year ago. Kuroha still didn't feel comfortable letting her handle all this alone.
Though the girl herself wasn't too thrilled about being treated like a child.
At the dorm entrance, Kuroha habitually patted Fujimasa March's soft gray mane.
He didn't always have this habit, but after a month of training and massages, he realized that petting her like this helped calm her down before talking—so it stuck.
"March, it's still 5:30 AM tomorrow. No high-intensity training for now—just get used to Central's track these next few days."
"Got it!"
Fujimasa March nodded earnestly, then said goodbye and walked into the dorm with her large bags swinging easily in her hands.
Kuroha watched her disappear inside before turning to leave.
...
Carrying over ten kilos of luggage like it was nothing, Fujimasa March easily found her room. She politely knocked, and once a voice answered, she opened the door.
The first thing she saw was a rather small horse girl with an utterly smug expression. Her deep brown twin tails were tied up, and a fox mask was clipped to her right ear. She stood with her hands on her hips, flashing a theatrical, chuunibyou-style smile.
Only that smile, paired with her single sharp little fang, looked more cute than intimidating.
"I heard we were getting a new transfer student in the dorm—that's you, huh?"
The girl puffed with pride, her voice overflowing with energy. "My name's Inari One! What's yours?"
"Uhh... I'm Fujimasa March. Just call me March."
Fujimasa March still wasn't great at dealing with these overly friendly types.
"Hmm, March, that's a pretty nice name!"
The energetic Uma Musume cheerfully took her luggage and started helping make the bed. "Where are you from? Why are you transferring now?"
"Oh, right, I'm from Edo!"
March tilted her head. "Isn't Edo just Tokyo?"
"Ah—ahaha, don't worry about those little details!" Inari One waved her hand dismissively, then blinked her big eyes. "What about you?"
"I'm from Kasamatsu," March replied, not rejecting Inari One's goodwill. "I transferred here to go for the South Kanto Triple Crown."
Inari One nodded seriously. "Yeah, makes sense. Anyone transferring in around now is aiming for that."
But right after she said that, she scoffed and pouted, clearly unhappy. "But my Boss said the Triple Crown doesn't match my running style and won't let me compete—no matter how much I argued! Ugh, it's so frustrating!"
She shook her little head, pouting adorably.
Seeing that, March actually felt a bit more at ease. It seemed like her future roommate wouldn't be hard to get along with.
"I'm a year above you, so I'm your senpai! You have to call me Inari One-senpai, okay?"
Inside the dorm room, Inari One's lively voice never stopped echoing.
(End of Chapter)
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