After crossing the finish line, Kitasan Black continued jogging lightly until her breathing steadied. She glanced back with a trace of regret.
"Gold Ship was the champion… As expected, thinking I could beat my seniors was still too naive…"
She murmured to herself, then pursed her lips and clenched her fists. With a self-deprecating laugh, she shook her head and looked uneasily toward the commentator's stand.
When she was very young, her grandfather had told her that many things in life were difficult. But if she kept pushing until the end, she would eventually find success.
She had always believed those words.
After several months of hard work, she had genuinely hoped to one day become a Uma Musume like her seniors, or even surpass them.
Before the training race, she had thought that after three straight victories she might still stand a chance in this race, even if she couldn't match her seniors.
Even if the odds were slim and she ultimately lost, she had hoped to at least put on an impressive performance.
Instead, she watched one senior after another overtake her and cross the finish line ahead of her. In the end, she came in last place.
No matter how much she didn't want to admit it, she knew she still had a long way to go compared to her seniors.
"I wonder what the Trainer will say about me…"
Just as she muttered with unease, she saw Yasui Makoto walking away from Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen near the commentator's stand. After saying something to them, he headed in her direction.
Her ears twitched. She unconsciously lowered her head and began rubbing one hoof against the ground.
A moment later, as she heard the familiar footsteps approaching, she hesitated between looking up and keeping her head down. In the end, she stared at her hooves and spoke in a quiet voice.
"Trainer… I… I lost…"
She mumbled, lowering her head even further.
The moment the training race ended, Yasui Makoto had exchanged a few words with Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen, then hurried over with a bag containing drinks and towels he had prepared.
Seeing Kitasan Black's downcast expression, he opened his mouth, then closed it again.
Even from a distance, he had noticed how dejected his Uma Musume looked.
While he found it difficult to fully empathize, he could still imagine how she felt right now.
Before her debut, evaluations of Kitasan Black hadn't been particularly high. Both her training results and academic performance were average at best, and below average at worst.
There was no helping it. Tracen Academy gathered the most talented Uma Musume in Japan, so being average here meant falling behind.
Moreover, short-distance races didn't receive much attention in the Japanese racing industry, and Kitasan Black had been labeled as suited for short distances.
It was easy to imagine how disappointed she must have felt when she arrived here full of hope, only to face the gap between her expectations and reality.
Even so, she was not without talent.
Her greatest strength was her incredible perseverance, and her racing talent was far from mediocre.
It was simply that, for most instructors, teachers, and trainers at Tracen Academy, her type of talent was harder to develop.
After more than three months of training and three consecutive victories, some of that talent had finally begun to show. The disappointment she once felt had gradually been replaced by the expectations she had held for so long. She must have been very excited coming into this race.
Now, after facing the true strength of her seniors and experiencing defeat, some of those old feelings of disappointment had likely returned.
Of course, there was also a sense of powerlessness and guilt.
In short, Kitasan Black must have been feeling awful.
As Yasui Makoto walked over, he quietly thought through all of this.
Hearing her say "I lost" in such a dejected tone, and seeing her stand there with her head bowed as if waiting for punishment, he quickly adjusted his expression and let out a soft chuckle.
"Banana flavor. I remember you like drinking this one. Here, replenish some of the energy you just used up."
Keeping his voice light and relaxed, he rummaged through the plastic bag and handed her a bottle of the drink.
Kitasan Black looked up in a daze and instinctively accepted the bottle.
"…Trainer?"
Yasui Makoto tilted his head slightly, pretending to scan the track while stroking his chin with a thoughtful look.
"The training race has pretty high intensity. You did well by cooling down with a light jog. Remember what I told you? This is the best time to take in some energy."
Kitasan Black held the bottle with both hands and twisted the cap, biting her lower lip.
"…Mm. I remember…"
"Good."
Yasui Makoto nodded. "Losing is never easy, but try not to dwell on it too much. If you have to think about it, focus on what you gained from this race instead.
"From the beginning, our goal for this race was to test the results of your special training and prepare for the Satsuki Sho.
"Looking at it now, your sprinting ability has improved a lot. That's a very good sign."
Yasui Makoto knew he wasn't the best at comforting others. One of the methods he relied on was changing the subject, particularly by shifting focus toward the future.
That was simply how he was.
Success and failure belonged to the past. Dwelling on them served no purpose.
What mattered most was what experience and lessons could be taken from it.
He believed Kitasan Black would be able to accept this kind of comfort.
After all, his Uma Musume had always been strong-willed, full of dreams, and pure at heart.
She was the type who would rather look forward to future victories than linger on past defeats.
"Th-that's… very good? Thank you, Trainer…"
Just as Yasui Makoto had hoped, Kitasan Black's mood brightened a little. Her previously drooping ears began to perk up.
Even so, she still hesitated. "But… I didn't feel anything special myself, and… I still didn't win in the end…"
Seeing that shifting the topic had worked, Yasui Makoto felt encouraged and continued.
"I wasn't just saying that to comfort you.
"You'll see it clearly when you watch the replay later. Your acceleration coming out of the first turn was much better than I expected.
"In my original plan, you weren't supposed to master that cornering acceleration technique until after this training period.
"But you used it right away. That really surprised me."
At those words, Kitasan Black's ears shot straight up.
"R-really? Then… if I use that technique in the later turns too, could I have won this race?"
Yasui Makoto chuckled.
"Not quite… I'm not saying it's impossible for you to win.
"It's just that you're not fully proficient with the technique yet and still need more practice.
"Besides, if you really want to win races at this level, there's still a lot for you to learn, especially from your seniors."
"I see…"
Kitasan Black nodded. The dejected look on her face had completely disappeared. A moment later, her usual bright and energetic expression returned.
"Okay! Since I still need more practice, should I run another race with my seniors after this?"