"Hello, Trainer Kitahara, my name is Margaret Nearl, the new student joining Kasamatsu Tracen today."
Noticing the puzzled look in Kitahara Jo's eyes, Nearl began by introducing herself.
"Ohh, the new student joining today. Are you in on a special admission? That's impressive—you must be really fast... But what brings a specially recruited student to me?"
After hearing Nearl's introduction, some of the confusion in Kitahara Jo's eyes faded, only to be replaced by even more doubt.
He knew his own limitations well enough. He certainly didn't believe his training skills were so outstanding that a specially recruited student would seek him out proactively. Besides, he'd been holed up lately studying for the Central Trainer exams and hardly ever went out. There was no way a newly arrived special recruit could have heard of him.
'Wait, there is one way someone might have heard my name.' It suddenly occurred to Kitahara that there was only one context in which anyone would take notice of a washed-up trainer like him: his past as the partner of a certain Uma Musume.
At that thought, his gaze toward Nearl grew considerably more complicated. He sighed helplessly, scrubbed a hand roughly through his messy hair, and finally spoke to her.
"Are you here because of Oguri Cap? It's true, I was her trainer once, but she's running on the central tracks now. Whatever you want from Oguri Cap, I can't help you with that. You should go."
With that, Kitahara yawned and turned to close the door. Whatever this special recruit was after, it had nothing to do with him. Right now, all that mattered was cramming for the Central Trainer exam.
But he'd barely taken a step when Nearl's voice stopped him.
"Please wait, Trainer Kitahara. I'm not here to get in touch with Oguri Cap through you. There's no need for that—forgive my arrogance, but my friendship with Oguri Cap may run deeper than yours with her."
Hearing this, a hint of skepticism crossed Kitahara's face. He wasn't sure he believed this Uma Musume. After all, he'd spent a fair amount of time with Oguri Cap, and he knew how she was with social connections. She didn't have any close friends he didn't know about.
"I don't recall Oguri Cap having any friends I wouldn't know. Please don't say things that are so easily exposed—"
He had meant to scold her firmly, but his tone gradually weakened mid-sentence. Because he suddenly remembered: Oguri Cap had indeed mentioned a close friend in their conversations.
Thinking back, Kitahara focused hard, trying to recall what Oguri Cap had said back then.
"I remember her mentioning once that she had a friend since childhood. This friend took good care of her, gave her food—a really great person. What was the name again… Near?"
Wait, what did this Uma Musume say her name was again?
Kitahara looked up at the serious-faced horse girl and thought back to her introduction when they first met.
"My name is Margaret Nearl…"
"Margaret Nearl…"
"Nearl…"
Realization dawned, and Kitahara's face suddenly flushed with embarrassment. His eyes darted around nervously, and his hands fluttered awkwardly in front of him as if trying to gesture something, anything.
"Ahaha, so it's Miss Nearl! Well, haha, Oguri Cap did mention you, it's just—how do I put it—"
After flailing like that for a moment, he suddenly deflated, slumping forward almost prostrate before Nearl. Even though they stood in broad daylight, Nearl felt as though a shadow had fallen over the man.
"Go on, laugh if you want. I'm just that kind of guy—gets carried away, makes a fool of himself, can't even remember the name of Oguri Cap's friend."
As if haunted by a spirit of self-loathing, Kitahara muttered frantically under his breath. But soon, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw Nearl half-crouching, meeting his gaze. There was no trace of the mockery he expected—instead, he saw only calm and encouragement in her eyes.
"There's no need to feel ashamed or embarrassed, Mr. Kitahara. We've never met before today. It's understandable that you wouldn't remember my name. Please, stand up."
"You're really not going to laugh at me?"
In response to his question, Nearl shook her head calmly.
"Nearl is not one to kick a man when he's down. I would never mock another."
With a firm grip on his shoulder, Nearl pulled Kitahara upright, then handed him a letter from Oguri Cap.
"Mr. Kitahara, this is a letter from Oguri Cap. She should explain in it why I've come to you. I ask that you read it before making any decision."
Looking at the envelope in Nearl's hand, Kitahara felt a stir of excitement, mixed with shame.
Oguri Cap was now among the top Uma Musume in the central circuit, while he had failed the Central Trainer exam so many times that a reunion felt impossibly distant. Ashamed, he hadn't even dared to reach out to her, relying only on updates from Rokuso to know how she was doing.
Kitahara blinked hard, accepted the letter solemnly from Nearl, and prepared to read it carefully. But the moment he saw "Kitahara Jones" written on the envelope, he let out a frustrated laugh.
"How many times do I have to say it? My name isn't Kitahara Jones…"
With that mix of emotions, he pulled out the letter. His serious expression as he started to read quickly turned to confusion. He flipped the paper over, as though searching for more writing on the back.
But after a thorough inspection, he had to accept the disappointing reality: the entire letter contained just a few short lines, and they had nothing to do with him.
All the emotion he'd mustered earlier now felt completely wasted. For a moment, a bitter ache rushed to the bridge of his nose.
Seeing his reaction, Nearl also sensed that something was wrong.
"What is it, Mr. Kitahara? Is there a problem with the letter?"
"No, no problem with the letter. In fact, this is exactly the kind of letter Oguri Cap would write."
Kitahara stared numbly at the letter in his hand and continued, "There's only one sentence in here: 'Kitahara, become Margaret's trainer.' That's it. Nothing else. Thinking about it, I was naive to expect Oguri Cap of all people to write me a proper letter. It's Oguri Cap we're talking about—since when does she have the brains for that sort of thing?"
After hearing this, Nearl's expression also turned complicated. She almost felt the urge to facepalm.
'Oguri, this is what you called an introduction? What exactly did you introduce? My name?'
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.