I thought I would have to wait a while to receive the notice, but to my surprise, in less than half a day, the trainer the girl would be shadowing during her apprenticeship was decided.
"The trainer responsible for Narita Brian, Hishi Amazon, Air Groove, and Fuji Kiseki—Toujou Hana."
"Toujou Hana… isn't that the veteran trainer? That's amazing! I never expected a senior trainer right from the start."
Having just finished helping the girl tidy her bed, Belno Light, who had leaned over to peek, clapped her hands in admiration.
"It's a bit of a shame we're not in Oguri Cap's group, but still—congratulations!"
When it came to veteran trainers, they might assign certain tasks to apprentices like them, but the requests were usually reasonable and within their capabilities.
If they ended up with a clueless rookie trainer, things could get tough for the apprentices.
One of Belno Light's colleagues had the misfortune of being assigned to a novice trainer.
As a result, she was constantly asked to do things beyond her duties.
While maintaining the Uma Musume's physical health, she also had to help the trainer devise training schedules. And if problems arose during training, the blame was often pinned on her.
She was scolded every few days, and even from a distance, you could sense the frustration hanging over her.
The more experienced the trainer, the more manageable the tasks—and the more there was to learn alongside them.
It seemed this junior, Silence, had quite the stroke of luck.
No, this wasn't just luck! It would be more accurate to say her ability was strong enough to catch the eye of a veteran trainer.
Yes, that's more like it, Belno Light nodded to herself.
"The notice also mentions that I should go to her office at half past three this afternoon."
"Probably to assign your duties," Belno Light twitched her ears.
"The schedule for apprentices is pretty tight—there's hardly any probation period. You'll be diving right into assisting with training the Uma Musume."
"What time is it now?"
"Three o'clock."
"Half an hour left…"
Glancing at the clock on the wall, the girl set down the notice.
"Well then, Belno-senpai, I'll be off now."
Pinning the emblem symbolizing her status as an internal Tracen Academy staff member to her chest, she now had a legitimate identity. Even if Symboli Rudolf showed up, she couldn't do anything about it.
"See you tonight then, Silence-kouhai. I'll keep tidying up the room for you!"
"Thank you, senpai."
"L-leave it to me—!"
Waving her hand, the girl left the room.
So it's Narita Brian's trainer after all, she couldn't help thinking.
I wonder if this counts as fortunate or unfortunate…
Arriving in front of the academic building, she went up to the third floor and stopped before an office door bearing a nameplate that read 'Toujou Hana.' The girl knocked.
Knock, knock, knock—
"Come in."
A clear voice sounded from inside.
Opening the door, the girl entered the room.
In the center sat a woman with glasses, her hair tied in a high ponytail, giving off an icy, elegant demeanor. This was Narita Brian's trainer, Toujou Hana.
Upon seeing who had entered, she raised her eyes slightly.
"You must be the new staff apprentice who applied to join Tracen Academy—Silence, correct?"
"That's right."
The girl stood before the desk.
"Good timing. I was just reviewing your exam answers."
She shook the test papers in her hand.
"Have you had any prior training experience, or worked in a training-related role before?"
"I've read extensively on training methods, and one of my friends is an Uma Musume. I've tried training with her."
"In other words, you haven't undergone systematic formal learning?"
"Well… that's correct."
She adjusted her glasses. "And how did that Uma Musume respond to your training?"
"She showed improvement compared to before, but without official competition results, it's hard to gauge the extent of the progress."
"I see…" Toujou Hana jotted something down on paper.
"Do you feel there were any shortcomings in the simulated training plan you wrote during the exam?"
The girl thought for a moment.
"Depending on the track conditions on race day and the Uma Musume's physical state that day, the training schedule could be adjusted with more detailed time allocations."
"However, that would require extensive stamina calculations. Considering the time limit of the exam, I had to omit those flexible adjustments."
"So, that simulated plan isn't complete—it's a rigid schedule lacking adaptability."
As their conversation deepened, Toujou Hana's gaze toward her shifted with a hint of something unusual.
"Setting practice aside for now, your theoretical knowledge is quite impressive."
"With your level of expertise, you could probably pass Tracen's official trainer exam. Why did you choose to apply for the apprenticeship instead?"
That question stumped her.
Because I had no other choice… obviously, she couldn't say that.
After a long pause without a response, Toujou Hana spoke up. "Well, I suppose you have your reasons. But apprentices aren't barred from advancing to become trainers."
"As long as you have sufficient capability, you can submit an application to the academy. It's not an insurmountable hurdle. Since you've decided to become an apprentice, and considering your theoretical background, how about assisting me here with formulating training plans?"
"I'm fine with that."
"Good. Wait here for a moment. You'll meet the Uma Musume you'll be responsible for shortly. You can take a seat over there."
The communication had gone surprisingly smoothly.
All the theoretical knowledge Sunday Silence had made her study was finally paying off. Not only that, but she had also left a favorable impression on Toujou Hana.
Competent, insightful, and cooperative—it was a relief that someone who could produce such excellent work wasn't some arrogant rookie.
Too many apprentices, after learning just a bit, start feeling inflated, ignoring their trainers' instructions, convinced they're ready to be trainers themselves and shouldn't be confined to their current roles.
But when they submit their applications to Tracen and take the exam, they're quickly brought back to reality.
Tracen's official assessment isn't just about theory—it requires practical experience too. And since this one seemed willing to learn and follow guidance, Toujou Hana felt considerably more at ease.
About ten minutes or so later, there was another knock on the door, and a familiar figure pushed it open.
"Trainer, you wanted to see me?"
A dark-haired girl with a sturdy hair tie and a single ponytail walked in.
"Narita Brian," Toujou Hana began. "I'd like to introduce you first. This is your apprentice assistant, Miss Silence."
"Apprentice assistant… Silence?"
Narita Brian frowned, her gaze immediately shifting to the girl beside her.
"Nice to meet you, Narita Brian."
The girl offered a greeting.
However, the other didn't respond. Instead, she strode over in two or three quick steps, stopping right in front of the girl.
They were nearly pressed together.
"Your name is Silence?"
"Um… is there a problem?"
Those yellow eyes stared fixedly at the girl's face.
It felt like an eternity before she finally turned her head away.
"It's nothing. I'm just being overly sensitive. So, Trainer, did you call me here just to meet her?"
"Also, from now on, your training will be jointly managed by her and me. If you have any questions about training and can't find me, you can contact her directly. She has the ability to help you resolve them."
Toujou Hana addressed Narita Brian with these words.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 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.