The first attempt at teaching Oguri Cap hit a snag, but after switching approaches, Kitahara wasn't discouraged.
"Looks like you're not cut out for that kind of textbook teaching I just tried," he said to the drowsy-looking Oguri Cap.
"So for the next few days, just stick to your usual routine. I'll observe you, and we'll save the formal training for after school starts."
Having successfully gotten Oguri Cap to join his team, Kitahara wasn't in any rush about training.
Not only because he believed in Oguri Cap's natural talent, but more importantly, he hoped he could use his preparation for Central Tracen entrance exam to better integrate with the original owner's training experience and master more professional knowledge. That way he could teach Oguri Cap more effectively.
Oguri Cap was obviously thrilled about not having to sit through lectures and perked up immediately.
"Then... can I go run on that track over there? I saw it earlier, and it looks like it'd be really nice to run on."
Standing up from her chair with renewed energy, Oguri Cap pointed out the office window, her fluffy ears twitching and her tail wagging behind her.
Kitahara could tell Oguri Cap was excited right now. The ear twitching and tail wagging were classic signs of horse girls getting worked up, but he wasn't sure what she was so excited about.
"A track that's nice to run on?"
Repeating her words, Kitahara pushed the blackboard he'd been using back to its original spot while asking in confusion, "What nice track?"
"The one you can see from the cafeteria area, really, really big training grounds."
Raising both hands high and drawing a big semicircle in the air to show just how enormous the field she was talking about was, Oguri Cap looked at Kitahara with anticipation practically overflowing from her eyes. "Can I go run on it?"
Following Oguri Cap's description, Kitahara quickly figured out she was talking about a training facility built not far from the cafeteria.
It wasn't the academy's largest facility, just used for sprint training, but it had all the basic amenities and was indeed a comfortable place for horse girls to run.
"Ah, that training ground."
Nodding, Kitahara figured there was no rush to teach Oguri Cap the basics, so he agreed. "Sure thing, you can go run there first. I'll get a good look at what level your previous training was at."
Oguri Cap got even more excited, her ears and tail moving constantly as she headed straight for the office exit, with Kitahara following behind.
On the way, they chatted briefly.
"The trainer says he wants to see my previous training, but I don't really have any training." Oguri Cap shook her head.
"Well... just however you used to run. I caught a glimpse this morning and your speed looked pretty good, but I'd rather see it with my own eyes." Kitahara replied casually.
"My speed... is pretty good? Really? When I was at the park this morning, I was just running around casually. I wasn't going very fast, was I?" Oguri Cap seemed puzzled.
"Uh..."
Kitahara was momentarily at a loss for words. He'd expected Oguri Cap's potential to be incredibly impressive, but he hadn't anticipated that she'd think a 600-meter time of around 40 seconds wasn't fast enough.
But this just proved her potential even more. She was definitely going to become an amazing uma musume...
Chatting along the way, they soon arrived at the training ground.
The training ground already had people there, but not many - just two, and coincidentally the same combination as Kitahara's side: one trainer and one uma musume.
The trainer was none other than Kitahara's colleague, the slicked-back suit-wearing Shibasaki Koichi.
And that horse girl, quite coincidentally, was also a gray-haired horse girl just like Oguri Cap.
However, their hair colors were somewhat different. Oguri Cap's hair leaned more toward gray, while this horse girl's hair was more silver-colored, and noticeably silkier, looking glossy as if it were carefully maintained daily.
This horse girl's demeanor was also completely different from Oguri Cap's.
Oguri Cap was currently wearing an old light gray tracksuit, with old sneakers and pant legs covered in dust from her morning run, looking like she could be described as a real "Cinderella."
Meanwhile, the horse girl over there wore a brand-new black and white Kasamatsu Academy uniform, with new running shoes on her feet. Her bearing was dignified and reserved, with the appearance of a well-bred young lady from a wealthy family.
"Hmm? Also gray-haired, and with that demeanor... that should be the one Shibasaki Koichi and the others were trying to recruit before, Fujimasa March."
Kitahara quickly recalled that horse girl's name.
Actually, if it had been any other horse girl, Kitahara might not have been able to figure out who she was.
But quite coincidentally, since he'd spent over a month thinking about how to recruit Oguri Cap, he'd recalled many memories from before his transmigration, and among those memories related to Oguri Cap, "Fujimasa March" happened to carry quite a bit of weight.
Oguri Cap had 10 wins and 2 runner-up finishes in local competitions, and the one who beat her twice was none other than Fujimasa March.
"Plus, in the manga, Fujimasa March was initially portrayed as Oguri Cap's rival character early on, though later she really couldn't compare to Oguri Cap..."
Thinking to himself, Kitahara also realized, "But in the original story, Oguri Cap and Fujimasa March should have met during a training match after both enrolled, right? Now because of me, they're meeting early?"
With these thoughts, he stopped walking and signaled for Oguri Cap to stop too, because the two people at the training ground were having a conversation.
"Regarding joining Mr. Shibasaki Koichi's team, I will discuss it thoroughly with my family. Please allow me to respond later." Fujimasa March's voice was soft and beautiful, but her tone carried strength, sounding like someone with a gentle exterior but strong interior. Her choice of words was also very refined, clearly showing good upbringing.
Shibasaki Koichi, who was talking with her, also appeared calm and proper. Combined with his carefully styled hair, well-fitted suit, and unhurried tone, he seemed even more steady and reliable:
"That's perfectly fine."
"You now understand my training level, Fujimasa, and through the test just now, I've directly experienced your excellence. I believe we would make very good partners."
Regarding Shibasaki Koichi's statement, Fujimasa March didn't respond directly, didn't even say anything more. She simply bowed politely and then headed toward the training ground exit.
Kitahara and Oguri Cap were standing right at the training ground entrance, so they naturally came face to face with Fujimasa March.
Seeing the two of them, Fujimasa March paused slightly, bowed to each of them in turn, then continued walking out.
Out of politeness, Kitahara returned the bow, then had no intention of communicating with her and planned to take Oguri Cap onto the training ground for a run.
However, just as he was about to call out to Oguri Cap, he suddenly noticed that this horse girl's expression had completely lost its usual dopey feeling.
Her expression was more serious than he'd ever seen, and her gaze was unusually intense and focused.
She was looking in the direction where Fujimasa March had departed.