Well, as a second-year trainer, I'm working hard every day to train Urara and Rice.
"Haa... haa... Onii-sama, Rice is going to run one more..."
We're using the stairs from the other day again because they've turned out to be great for building up Urara and Rice's leg strength. Rice keeps going up and down the stairs, even after Urara has collapsed.
This is where you can see the difference in Urara and Rice's stamina. But when I saw Rice's legs trembling slightly as she was about to climb the stairs, I grabbed her shoulder.
"That's enough for today. We'll do a cool-down and then head home."
"But...!"
"Any more and you'll just get injured. Besides, you went up four more times than last time, and your best time was 2 seconds faster. You're in great shape... I think we'll be able to do even more next time and your time will get even better."
When I showed her the paper with the records, Rice looked a little unhappy, but she backed down. When I tell her that the training is having an effect, Rice has to back down. At the same time, it's true that any more training would lead to an injury.
"I understand your eagerness, and I'm happy to see it. But you also need to go back to the dorm, eat a lot, take a nice warm bath, and get plenty of sleep... I think that's also a part of training. If you overwork your body, it won't grow if you don't eat and rest."
"...Okay."
When I explained it to her, Rice gave a small nod. When I saw that, I ruffled her hair.
"Rice, you have absolutely no problem with your stamina. In fact, I think you're way ahead of the current generation. So what you need to work on now is your speed. The speed to pass Mejiro McQueen and Tokai Teio in the final stretch... you need that, right?"
"Yeah... Rice thinks so too."
"The reason I'm making you run this much is to build those muscles. And to build those muscles, you have to work them out, get the proper nutrition, and get plenty of rest... you understand?"
"...Yeah."
Unlike humans, girls' bodies are very different, so their muscles develop differently. Girls can train with a load many times heavier than a human, doing exercises that would knock me out in the first 20 to 30 minutes.
Even among girls, Rice is extremely stoic and hungry for victory. So her training volume is insane, and if I don't put the brakes on it, she could get injured.
Urara is a girl who enjoys training, but Rice will train to the point where her body is about to break if she thinks it's necessary. In fact, there's a danger that she could burn herself out for a single victory.
Of course, I won't let that happen.
"Alright, let's head back to Tracen Academy. Urara, can you stand up?"
"My arms and legs are all wobbly, I can't move!"
"Okay, you're not alright."
I walked over to where Urara was lying on the grass and put my hands under her back and knees. Then I lifted her up with a burst of energy. This is what's known as a princess carry.
"Wow, this is comfy! Trainer, you're so strong!"
"You worked hard. But don't squirm, okay? I might drop you."
"Onii-sama, Rice is going to run one more, okay? Then I'll be all wobbly, too, so I want to be carried like Urara-chan."
"Wait, wait, wait. I'll princess carry you anytime you want, just wait. Now... okay, come on!"
I knelt down while still carrying Urara. Then I motioned for Rice to get on my back.
If I carry Urara in my arms and Rice on my back, I'd be perfect. I don't know what would be perfect, and when I tried to stand up with Rice on my back, I couldn't get up from my kneeling position.
"Onii-sama, Rice has a great idea. Onii-sama can carry Urara-chan on his back, and Rice can carry Onii-sama on her back."
"That's not a great idea, and it's dangerous..."
I'm stopping Rice from overworking herself, Urara is sleeping soundly in my arms, and Rice is smiling at me and Urara, her tense expression gone.
This is what a typical day of training has been like for Team Kitalpha lately.
That evening, after I dropped Urara and Rice off at the dorm and returned the car to Tracen Academy, I was in the club room staring at my computer alone.
(The list of girls for the Satsuki Sho is incredible...)
I was looking for information on turf races when I saw a news flash about the girls who will be running in the Satsuki Sho.
Special Week, Seiun Sky, King-chan, Biwa Hayahide, Narita Taishin, Winning Ticket, Oguri Cap, Taiki Shuttle, and Happy Meek. There were a lot of names I knew.
(El Condor Pasa isn't there... I guess she's not coming to the dirt races and is going on the overseas route like Tojo-san said? And Grass Wonder is still recovering... Oh, Unchanging and Yuitsumuni made it, too. They said they didn't have enough prize money, but I guess they got in through the lottery.)
I smiled when I saw the names of my peers' girls. They're the girls that Urara and Rice and I had a mock race with, and they're going to be in the Satsuki Sho.
As a result of the dominant girls tearing up stepping-stone races, open-class races, GII, and GIII races, there are a ton of girls who don't have enough prize money. But as long as a race isn't a full gate, a girl with at least one win can get in through a lottery, and it seems my peers' girls were able to get in.
(If there are not enough girls, you can race in a G1 even if you don't have enough prize money... Maybe Urara can challenge for a G1 this year... but most dirt races also have senior-class girls. The Japan Dirt Derby in July is only for classic-class girls, so maybe she can get in, but it's 2,000 meters...)
Many dirt races don't have a lot of prize money even if you win, so a lot of girls don't have enough prize money to get into G1 races. So if there aren't enough girls, there's a high chance you can race, and if you get in through the lottery, it's possible.
Another option is to get a priority entry ticket by placing high in a stepping-stone race. However, for G1 races that have stepping-stone races, some can't be raced until you're a senior-class girl.
Just as I was thinking about that, my phone rang. I picked it up and saw "King-chan" on the screen.
"Hello, King-chan? Is something wrong with Urara?"
Since she's Urara's roommate, King-chan is a girl I communicate with a lot, besides Urara and Rice. So I answered casually, but the person on the other end was incredibly upset from the start.
"Something wrong? Something's wrong! She tried to go straight to bed after dinner again today! I've told you so many times to be more strict with her! I've had to be with Urara-san whenever she takes a bath lately!"
It seems she's furious about Urara's behavior. I instinctively moved the phone away from my ear, but there was something I wanted to say about what King-chan said.
"Yeah, I've tried to warn her... but Urara says she has fun taking a bath with you..."
When she told me with a smile that King-chan has been taking a bath with her lately, it was hard for me to stop her... Well, if it was too much of a bother, I'd have to put a stop to it.
"You're so weak-willed! And she even gets into my bed and tries to sleep with me when she's half-asleep!"
"Yeah, I've tried to warn her... but Urara says she feels safe when she sleeps with you..."
"You're not a doting father, so you need to scold her properly!"
I couldn't help but give a bitter smile at King-chan's sharp comments through the phone.
"If you really don't like it, I'll scold her strictly..."
"I-I don't really dislike it... I just want it to happen a little less often..."
I couldn't see her face through the phone, but she was probably embarrassed. As King-chan's words became mumbled, I felt my exhausted mind from a day of work and training Urara and Rice being soothed.
"Ahem! By the way, seeing Urara-san's recent behavior, aren't you being a little too strict with her? She looks more tired than before."
"Urara is in her growth spurt right now. How is she the next morning? I'm trying to adjust her training so that she doesn't feel tired. Oh, and don't worry about her muscle aches, they're a sign of growth."
"Hmm... she does seem to have a lot of energy in the morning, but..."
Since she answers me properly when I ask her, she must be a good girl. It's a relief that Urara has such a good roommate.
"Are you okay, King-chan? You're going to be in the Satsuki Sho, right?"
"...King is a first-class girl. Of course I'll be fine."
When I asked her, King-chan's voice became a little dark. When I noticed that, I opened a file on my computer with information about King-chan.
King-chan is best at short-distance turf races, and her aptitude decreases as the distance gets longer. But even if her aptitude decreases, she's still an exceptional girl who can run long distances, and that's rare. Happy Meek is the weird one for being able to run all distances without any issues.
Her best strategy is to be a late-stage runner, but she can also run as a pace-setter. She's one of the top girls in the classic division this year. However, the problem is that there are many other top-class girls.
"Oguri Cap is also running, so you need to be careful. She has a second wind in the final stretch, so even if you pass her once, she'll pass you back if you're not careful."
"...Wait a minute. Is that true?"
"Huh? Is it true... Well, my Urara lost to her because of that. If you want... wait a minute. I'll send you a video from my computer... I'll send you this file too."
Click. It's a breach of manners to give too much advice about another team's girl, but Urara is indebted to her, so it should be fine if I give her some information.
I sent her a video of Oguri Cap's two-stage acceleration in the final stretch of the Hyacinth Stakes. I also sent her a file that I put together about the top girls in this year's classic division, including Oguri Cap.
I'm sure King-chan's trainer has a lot of information, but sometimes you can see a different side of a girl from someone else's information. So I hope my file will be useful and not a bother.
"You sent me a bunch of files, what is this? Are you trying to give a handout to a first-class girl like me?"
"It's my way of thanking you for taking care of Urara... I don't know if that's enough... There are hundreds of girls in the classic division, but I think there are less than ten who could possibly beat Oguri Cap. But I think you're one of those girls who could win, so I wanted to support you."
I also had a motive of getting more information about Oguri Cap. But more than that, I wanted to support King-chan, who is especially close with Urara.
In my opinion, there are very few girls in the classic division who have a chance of beating Oguri Cap. And most of the girls who could possibly win are in the Satsuki Sho. Depending on the results of the Satsuki Sho, there's a chance that Oguri Cap will win the Classic Triple Crown without a challenge.
But in my opinion, King-chan is one of the few girls who has a chance to beat Oguri Cap. As a fan of the races the girls run, I would love to see a great race.
"Hmph... Seriously, nothing will come out even if you flatter me. Just watch me win first place in the Satsuki Sho."
"That's our King-chan!"
"Hohohoho! Yes, I am King... Urara-san is going to wake up! Honestly..."
King-chan laughed loudly through the phone, but she must have been mindful of her roommate, Urara. She immediately lowered her voice to a whisper.
"By the way, since you sent me the files so quickly, you must still be working, right? You should be careful or you'll get sick."
"...I sent it from my home computer. I'm not working."
"Don't lie... If you keep doing this, I'll tell Surukawa-san."
"Anything but that... huh?"
Suddenly, I heard a sound from outside the club room. I looked at the clock on the wall, and it was already past 8 p.m. When I realized that, I sighed.
"You had to say that, King-chan. Now Tazuna-san is here..."
"Hehe... you're an idiot. It's time for you to call it a night."
"I guess so... Well, thanks for calling. Good night, King-chan."
"Yes, good night."
I ended my conversation with King-chan, put my phone in my pocket, and stood up from my chair. Then I smiled and opened the door to the club room.
"Time to head home. I'll turn off the lights and leave now. So Tazuna-san, I'm in the clear..."
As I said that, I looked around, but Tazuna-san wasn't there. In fact, no one was there, and I tilted my head in confusion.
"Huh... I definitely heard something... Am I just tired..."
A mysterious sound of footsteps echoing in the middle of the night... I'm a reincarnated person, so I guess it's not weird for a ghost to be here. But right now, training Urara and Rice is more important than a ghost.
"If it's not Tazuna-san, then I can stay for another hour... no one will find out..."
I muttered to myself, but after a few seconds of thought, I turned off my computer. King-chan told me to go home, but I'm also really tired from training Urara and Rice.
I'll go home, eat dinner, take a nice warm bath, and go to bed early. Oh, but before that, I'll look for information on this year's Satsuki Sho. I'm curious to see what will happen after talking to King-chan.
That was just a few days ago.
It's Sunday, the day of the Satsuki Sho. I was training Urara and Rice at Tracen Academy, but when it got close to the race time, I stopped training and decided to watch the race on the TV in the club room.
It was our break time and also a time to motivate Urara and Rice. For Urara, in particular, her peers were wearing custom-made race clothes and clashing on the G1 stage.
Just seeing that would be a good motivation for her. Rice is still prone to overworking herself, so it was a pure break for her.
And so, we were watching the Satsuki Sho on the big TV screen in the club room...
"Oguri Cap has passed Seiun Sky! Oguri Cap is in the lead! Less than 200 meters left! The others are—Special Week is charging! King Halo and Biwa Hayahide are right behind!"
Seiun Sky, who had been in the lead since the beginning, was caught by Oguri Cap with 200 meters left, and then more girls started charging in.
"Whoa! That's amazing!"
Unlike Urara, who was innocently cheering, I was muttering with a strained voice.
"Oguri Cap and Special Week are side by side! Special Week, will she pass her—she can't! Oguri Cap has a second wind! She's gaining a body length! Two body lengths! Special Week is chasing desperately, but Oguri Cap crosses the finish line first!"
"...Her legs are still incredible. She's gotten even faster..."
Even through the TV screen, Oguri Cap looks like she's more developed. I think it's also incredible that Special Week was able to compete with her to the very end, but Oguri Cap won this time.
"The results are final. 1st place, Oguri Cap. 2nd place, Special Week, 2 body lengths behind. 3rd place, King Halo, 1 body length behind. 4th place, Biwa Hayahide, 1 body length behind. 5th place, Seiun Sky, 2 body lengths behind."
Oguri Cap won the first leg of the Classic Triple Crown. However, she's not guaranteed to win the Japan Derby or the Kikuka Sho. The other girls may have lost, but they look like they can grow even more.
(But... Happy Meek is in 14th place. I can't tell for sure from the TV, but did she mess up her training?)
Happy Meek ran with a full gate of 18 and finished in 14th place, which bothered me. My other peers' girls, Unchanging and Yuitsumuni, finished in 7th and 11th place, respectively. Unchanging was so close to placing.
(This year's turf classic division is truly a battlefield...)
Thinking that, I ended our break and resumed training Urara and Rice.
And so, about half a month passed as we continued training Urara and Rice.
With only a few days left in April, I was confused after checking the documents that arrived at the club room.
The documents were about Urara's Tango Stakes and Rice's spring Tenno Sho. Both Urara and Rice were in great shape, with no injuries and perfect condition.
That was good, but the contents of the documents—especially the list of girls for Urara's Tango Stakes—confused me.
"...Why?"
Smart Falcon, the wall that Urara needed to overcome, was not on the list.
Smart Falcon had run in the Fukuryu Stakes in early April and won again with a new record time, so it seemed she had decided to skip the Tango Stakes.
I had been thinking we could get our revenge, but which race a team enters is their own choice. So I can't complain... but.
"...Why?"
I muttered again as I looked at the list.
Kyoto Racecourse, 10th race, Tango Stakes.
Happy Meek's name was on the list.
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