"So... because the world of racing is harsh, you decided Urara's personality would be a positive influence on the others? Is that it?"
"PRECISELY! Just so!"
It wasn't a "special talent" in the traditional sense, but they had bet on her innate sunshine. Having spent every day with her, I couldn't argue with their assessment.
However.
"In other words... you never actually expected her to win a race?"
As her trainer, I couldn't let that slide. They had admitted her as a mascot, a mood-maker, with no expectations for her as an athlete.
"We cannot deny that, nor do we intend to," Ms. Hayakawa said. "Do you remember when you first started and we called you in after you submitted the application to be her trainer?"
"Yes... of course."
I remembered being defiant, putting up a front of bravado because I thought they were going to take her away from me. The Chairwoman had questioned me repeatedly back then. Now, I finally understood why.
(A fresh-out-of-the-box rookie trainer wants to take on the girl who failed every test... Of course they tried to stop me.)
My anger dissipated. Given Urara's initial stats, their reaction was entirely logical. A novice trainer who had never raised a single girl had walked in and picked the "impossible" candidate.
"Do you understand now? Despite being a rookie, you raised Haru Urara to a level where she could not only win a race, but set a course record. Furthermore, the bond of trust between you two is something any Umamusume would envy... Ahem, or so an Umamusume might think."
"I'm flattered, but... wait, 'might'?"
I brushed off the odd phrasing as a slip of the tongue. I was more shocked by how much weight they placed on Urara's growth. I knew my summer evaluation had been surprisingly high, but knowing her starting point made that score make sense.
"PETITION! Many trainers possess superior technical skill! But what Rice Shower needs now is a trainer who can walk beside her, as you do! In that regard, you surpass the average trainer!"
(Isn't walking beside them just... part of the job? No, I probably shouldn't say that out loud.)
Thinking of the girls Urara had faced in the lower brackets, I knew for a fact that not every trainer truly cared for their charges. But surely there were others who were both skilled and empathetic.
"If those are the criteria, what about the trainer for Team Spica? He's a veteran, he's raised G1 winners, and he clearly cares deeply for his team."
I pictured the senior trainer—renowned for his results, his devotion, and his inexplicable physical durability.
"REJECTED! Several members of Team Spica are scheduled for the same races as Rice Shower! We cannot permit the conflict of interest!"
"Ugh... yeah, that's fair."
Having two girls in the same race was one thing, but having a single team dominate a G1 grid would cause an uproar among the other stables.
I considered suggesting Trainer Tojo next, but then I hesitated. I couldn't see her personality meshing well with Rice's. Tojo was one of the best in the business, but she was famously strict. Rice Shower was talented, but she was fragile and timid. Tojo's "tough love" might just break her.
As I agonized over the options, Ms. Hayakawa offered a gentle smile.
"The fact that you are worrying this much is exactly why we feel we can entrust her to you. You were the one who encouraged her last night, weren't you?"
"I did... but that was just a coincidence."
Am I really the right choice? I'm barely keeping my head above water with Urara. What if I neglect her? What if I ruin Rice's future?
Any other trainer would have leaped at the chance to manage a G1 star. I just felt a crushing lack of confidence.
Ms. Hayakawa's expression turned stern.
"May I be blunt?"
"...Please."
"To be honest, if you were the same person who first arrived at this Academy, I would never have suggested this. It's not just that you were a rookie—it was because you didn't have the face of a trainer. The reason you failed to scout anyone initially was likely because the girls sensed that lack of resolve."
I instinctively touched my face. She wasn't talking about my features, but the aura I projected. It was a sharp, unexpected critique.
"But," she continued, her eyes softening, "through training Haru Urara, you have changed. Now, you look exactly like a trainer should."
"..."
I was stunned. And then, Urara's smiling face flashed through my mind.
If I finally looked like someone worthy of the title, it was entirely thanks to her.
"That is why I want to honor Rice Shower's request. Please... won't you help her?"
"...That's playing dirty, you know."