"Sorry everyone… Urara lost…"
"It's okay, Urara!! You were up against some real monsters after all!! Isn't that right, trainer?"
"Let's aim to kill those monsters, shall we? We now know the practical difference between you and them."
"Okay!! Trainer!!"
"On the other hand, do you have any time to waste, McQueen and Teio? Kikuka Sho is two weeks from now, and no training a week before the race, remember? That also applies to you, Goldship! Autumn Tenno Sho is nearby!"
"I know!! I'm as ready as I'll ever be!! I will be the only one on this team to don the title of Undefeated Triple Crown."
"Oh, please~~~ You're still incapable of controlling your stamina for a long race. I will win the Kikuka Sho."
"I'm winning the Autumn Tenno Sho… Just calm down, will ya?"
"Sigh… If any of you lose, I will force you to retire and bear my children instead."
That's less of a punishment and more of a reward, trainer…
McQueen was actually thinking of losing on purpose just so she could retire and be her trainer's wife. Isn't that what most of her seniors do? They retire and marry their trainers. She's basically speedrunning her career if she loses the Kikuka Sho.
"Alright! That's all for me. Air Shakira, you take over from her."
"How can anyone tolerate your existence?"
"That's because I'm such a lovable man, Shakira. Aren't your heart beating for me?"
"It's beating in general, stupid. Sigh… I'm going to tell all of you what you'll be doing this week, so pay attention."
The room's atmosphere fell silent once Shakira began talking. Haru Urara was given a week off after her race to rest and recuperate. Suzuka and Goldship were told to run on the treadmill. At the same time, Teio was told to hop in the Umalator and run in the simulated long-distance race.
"I leave the supervision to you then, my second wife."
"Goddesses… I got a shiver down my spine when you called me that." The strictly logical wife experiences an illogical experience, which confuses her brain.
"Don't worry. You'll get used to it." McQueen patted the assistant trainer on her shoulder. "I assume you're going to go around flirting with all kinds of umamusumes since Air Shakur is taking your job."
"Damn straight!! Now don't slack off just because I'm not here."
The young man casually leaves the room as if he has no burden despite being the Team's trainer. This is why you always want a capable assistant to dump all of your work onto.
"Whistle~~~~"
With his time freed, the young man can now spy on his colleagues. He is in an institution for Japan's best umamusumes and trainers, after all. If anywhere in the Land of the Rising Sun one wants to find the best training method for umamusume, it would be here.
Hmmm… So most trainers in my generation become assistant trainers, huh?
The young man stands at the edge of the training ground like an anime villain looking at the protagonist's party. His moniker and vibe don't help his image as the antagonist of everyone's story.
"Hey! That's him, the Villain."
"Huh? What is he doing here? I don't see any Team Minaz members around."
"That man… look scary…"
"Uuuh… I heard he blackmailed all the members of Team Minaz to join him…"
"Why did Chairwoman allow his actions to go unpunished?"
Man!! I'm so popular!! My marriage life is basically guaranteed at this point!!
The young man's ability to manipulate incoming voices so that they would sound like they're praising him. It's called being delusional, and he's the best at it.
"It would be better if you interacted with people around your age, Igo Heita."
"Hmm?"
The sudden call of his name made the young man turn around to see who it was. That deep woman's voice came from one of the future Golden Generation's trainers.
"This might sound rude for a junior to say, but are you really in any place to advise me on that matter, Senior Fumino Nase?"
"A fair point to be making. It does sound hypocritical for me to be saying that to you."
"Do not cast your own insecurities on me, Senior Fumino Nase. It would not help you better yourself."
"Your mouth is as harsh as the rumors told it would be, Igo Heita."
"There's a reason why I don't have any friends here, Senior."
"Do you think you can live your entire life like this?"
"I said that I don't have any friends here, Senior. That doesn't mean I don't have anyone that I consider the closest thing I have to a friend."
The veteran trainer senses a change in her junior's demeanor. For once, she feels like a breeze of free wind blowing from where her junior is standing.
"It's just… I have high standards for someone I will call my friend. It's sad, but I guess that's just what I take from my years of being alive."
"..."
Fumino Nase wonders why it feels like she is talking to someone older than her. It's as if the junior beside her is as old as her father, even though it's clear that he is younger than her.
High standards for something as simple as a friend…
"High standards, huh…"
Just like father…