"Can you stop complaining? You've been complaining for several hours now."
A pale-skinned man complained while covering his ears to try to reduce the noise the people on-site were making.
"This wouldn't be happening if it weren't your fault."
A female voice now accused him, and he could only grit his teeth in anger.
"Why was it his fault now?"
"It's just a kid, leave her alone and let him take care of her, why all this fuss?"
He raised his gaze and looked at the three women on-site.
His blue eyes looked with a mixture of weariness and anger, but the three women didn't seem to care as they started complaining again.
"How tedious."
He went to sit as far away as possible from the women, taking a blanket with him.
Why did no one tell him this place would be so boring and that he'd have to share an instance with three crazy women?
"My fault for not investigating."
He complained to himself this time.
"It's your fault for agreeing to help."
A familiar voice was heard beside him, and he merely glanced sideways.
Black hair, crimson eyes, and his gaze only reflected resentment and weariness.
One of the figures involved in the great miracle had appeared beside him, but he could only feel miserable seeing him.
"What are you doing here?"
He questioned, and the black-haired man just gave a half-smile while patting his chest.
"Returning the favor from a year ago, what else?"
The blue-eyed man looked at the black-haired man skeptically and could only lie on the floor and cover himself with the blanket.
"It wasn't a favor for you, it was just an act of disinterest and power."
The black-haired man let out a laugh and simply sat beside him.
"That kid influenced you a lot, even though you only spent a few years together."
The black-haired man said calmly, as if he found the fact more amusing than anything.
"The Uma Musume…"
The black-haired man named that race, and the blue-eyed man's eyes opened with annoyance.
"They were destined to disappear many years ago."
The black-haired man began to explain while drumming his fingers on the floor.
"Each time, their lineage became less pure, and the Uma Musume, who were once great pillars in the world's history, began to decline."
The black-haired man smiled sadly while looking at those three women who were now preparing for a race.
"They had been reduced to being instinctively fond of racing without knowing it. Although they were never warriors, their efficiency in any field was exceptional."
The white-haired man grew tired of listening to the black-haired man's words and simply asked.
"Why are you telling me something I already know?"
The black-haired man sighed and pointed at the three women.
Uma Musume could reach speeds of up to 60-70 kilometers per hour.
But that was when talking about Uma Musume who were not comparable to the three women competing at this moment.
Their speeds were too high to be perceived by the human eye, but both men did not have that problem.
"Even you are unaware of what you did…"
The black-haired man sighed as he began to hear the laughter of the woman who won the race.
It seemed that settled their discussion.
"But well, I have to leave. Enjoy your time with them. Maybe you'll end up like your adopted son."
The white-haired man snorted.
"Do you know how miserable he is?"
"I mostly see him happy."
The black-haired man let out a chuckle.
"By the way… you're a grandfather now."
The white-haired man's eyes widened, and an emotion he had never felt emerged from within.
"Really? What's their name? Are they cute?"
The black-haired man laughed at the white-haired man's excitement and simply walked in an unknown direction.
"Certainly, saying their name is something even I would find difficult, but… it's curious."
The black-haired man looked at the three women.
Horse ears protruded from their heads while a tail moved according to their emotions.
"How have they realized?"
———————
"So… my debut is in three days?"
March asked while silently watching her trainer, who was only spinning in a chair.
"That's right, you'll run alongside Oguri Cap."
Kiyoshi stopped and looked at March with a smile.
"Why are you so obsessed with Oguri?"
The entire time she had been "trained" by Kiyoshi, she noticed he was always attentive to what Kitahara and Oguri Cap were doing.
"Personal matters."
Kiyoshi smiled amusedly and didn't answer the question directly.
Honestly, his interest in Oguri was limited to an interest in something extraordinary.
Nothing more beyond that.
"But I'd like you to feel the pressure in your debut."
Kiyoshi pushed himself with his feet and crossed the entire room assigned for their meetings.
The chair stopped next to the whiteboard, which had a poorly drawn track with several written details.
"Feel the pressure?"
March watched as Kiyoshi began drawing Oguri and then started noting details about her.
-Great endurance.
-Natural runner instincts.
-Eats a lot.
-Has no clear goal when running.
-Very good at middle-distance races.
Then, the black-haired man drew her and began noting her own details.
-Has a very good start.
-Good at short-distance races.
-Has never experienced defeat.
-Her endurance is insufficient for long distances.
-Has good acceleration and knows how to read a race.
"Was it necessary to call me weak?"
March asked while clenching her teeth a little forcefully.
"Honestly, it's a reality. You and Oguri are the best in Kasamatsu, and both lack one of the other's notable qualities."
Kiyoshi spoke boredly, his sincerity sharper than a blade.
"Although I've been trying to improve your endurance during this time, it's very complicated due to the lack of resources."
Kiyoshi observed March and gave a small smile.
"But your running form has improved, and honestly, I feel…"
March felt expectant at her trainer's words.
"You can win this time, but you shouldn't get overconfident."
March gave a small smile upon hearing that her trainer actually trusted her in this race.
"Oguri has no goal, so her mind isn't one hundred percent focused on winning."
Kiyoshi stroked his chin.
"But that doesn't mean her blood as an Uma won't make her feel that competitive spirit, so that's why you shouldn't get overconfident."
"Understood."
March nodded. She didn't fully understand what those points had to do with a race, but it was better to follow those instructions.
Kiyoshi had been right about ninety percent of the things he said.
"On May 19th, I'll win my debut race."
March spoke excitedly while Kiyoshi only looked at her before giving a smile.
"That's good."
Kiyoshi turned his attention back to the whiteboard while playing with the marker.
"Having confidence is good. It would be good if you didn't lose it."
March's ears twitched as she swore she heard murmurs from her trainer.
"Are you bad-mouthing me again?"
"Yes."
Kiyoshi didn't care if March noticed anyway.
"Sometimes I wonder if you're like this with everyone or if you just hate me."
March murmured, and Kiyoshi smiled.
"You could actually consider yourself somewhat close. With strangers, I'm more… cruel?"
Kiyoshi shrugged, and March wondered where he got the juice box he was now drinking calmly.
"Then why aren't you like that with the other students?"
"They're adorable."
Kiyoshi shrugged.
That's how things were for him. He treated everyone equally when they were strangers, and sometimes he was even kind.
But beyond that, nothing.
If they caught his attention, he might be more considerate—that applied to both genders.
"Do you want to hit on them?"
"The low birth rate in Japan isn't my problem, nor do I want to solve it."
Kiyoshi looked back at the whiteboard and continued with the topic of March's debut race.
"Your race is at 2:30, an 800-meter run in a clockwise direction."
Kiyoshi made marks on the poorly drawn track, which only had two curves in the entire distance.
"The finish line is in front of the stands. The race is short, with tight curves, so you have to be alert and have a good start. Otherwise, you'll lose."
Kiyoshi turned to look at March as he finished his juice.
"Any questions?"
March nodded.
"Why are you giving me instructions if the race is in three days?"
Kiyoshi nodded in understanding while throwing the box in the classroom trash can.
"To mentally prepare you a bit before the training sessions these days. I got one of my fellow trainers to agree to train with me, and you'll have to adapt to having competition."
"That's useless."
March snorted, and Kiyoshi smiled.
"Of course, it's useless because they're inferior to you."
In the end, March could only accept with a sigh.
———-
"These are Norn, Mimi, and Rudy."
Kiyoshi introduced the Uma Musume dressed in the academy's gym uniform.
"They'll help you with your training."
Kiyoshi said calmly while putting his hands in his jacket pockets.
'Although I still haven't gotten the weighted horseshoes.'
Kiyoshi thought regretfully while looking at the other three Umas joining his training.
It was more of a request from their trainer than a request from him, but that's good for him.
They weren't so bad after all.
"These days, they'll be under my care since their trainer has some family matters."
Kiyoshi said boredly while addressing the three Umas.
They all had problematic attitudes… mainly.
"Anyway…"
Although he remained on his phone, Kiyoshi couldn't help but feel amused upon noticing their admiring gazes directed at March.
"March."
Ignoring these three, Kiyoshi called his team member.
"I still haven't gotten the horseshoes, so I just want you to wear this while running."
Kiyoshi showed a pendant he carried, decorated with a number one and a T.
The Uma Musume nodded and calmly approached to put on the necklace.
She didn't feel anything special, although she also didn't know why she expected something from a necklace.
"First, take a lap around the track jogging after stretching to avoid cramps."
Kiyoshi spoke loudly while the other three girls began stretching with some laziness, unlike March, who had already entered total concentration.
After five minutes of stretching, the four Umas headed to jog on the academy track.
All under the watchful eye of Kiyoshi, who was sitting on the barriers marking the track.
"I wonder how long it'll take her to realize."
Kiyoshi murmured while watching March jog with total calm, occasionally starting to take long strides.
He really wasn't too concerned about what the other three did; he only accepted so March would have someone to train with.
It didn't take more than five minutes until the four had completed the lap he requested and were now standing in front of him.
Though to everyone's bewilderment, March seemed to be starting to sweat a little.
"Take your positions."
Kiyoshi said calmly while raising his arm to simulate a starting flag.
"The first step in a race is always the start. Although there are no gates here, you must be attentive to any signal indicating the start."
The black-haired man spoke while the four Umas took a starting stance without saying a word.
Without another word, the black-haired man lowered his hand, and the four girls took off.
The differences between them quickly became apparent as March took the lead and even maintained it as they continued.
As they continued, she began to lose momentum and soon was in the same position as her training companions.
A smile appeared on Kiyoshi's face as he could hear the concern from March's two admirers.
"Stay calm."
He murmured while watching March increasingly lose her advantage.
Her endurance waning, her mental state faltering at this incongruity.
But Kiyoshi knew she still maintained a good enough state to finish as the winner of this small race.
The training track was small, after all.
At least about two hundred meters for a full lap.
As they continued, March accelerated and created a considerable lead over her companions again, quickly reaching the end, which was basically the same place they started.
"Kiyoshi!!"
The black-haired man heard March's furious exclamation and calmly began to run after jumping the barrier, March doing the same and quickly catching up to him.
'Don't let her be possessed by the Golshi spirit.'
Kiyoshi thought as he was finally tackled by March, both falling to the ground, but his body prevented March from impacting it.
"What the hell is this?"
Her breathing was ragged, her face already covered in sweat.
And she was exhausted as if she had been running for several hours.
"What are you talking about?"
Kiyoshi wanted to break free, but he couldn't escape the Uma Musume's grip.
"Stop pretending you don't know."
March's eyes reflected her clear anger toward the black-haired man.
Then she remembered, and her hands moved to remove the necklace.
A feeling of relief washed over her body, but the exhaustion didn't disappear. In fact, she only felt her vision become blurry.
"W-where did you get this?"
She dropped the necklace and simply began breathing more heavily.
Her grip had loosened, and Kiyoshi managed to free himself. But unlike what March expected, he didn't seem injured apart from his dirty clothes. Even his face showed no annoyance at what happened.
He only focused on picking up the necklace while she caught her breath sitting on the grass.
"I thought it wouldn't work. I bought it from a street vendor. According to the old man selling it, an Uma who gave up racing to dedicate herself to her duties as a priestess made it."
Kiyoshi said while putting away the necklace and then looking at March, who frowned.
'Where the hell does that make sense? Does magic exist?'
If March knew she was an Uma Musume, she wouldn't be wondering that.
But since no one knew besides a few, the fact that the necklace made her exhaust easily was something magical.
"It really was a bargain."
Kiyoshi smiled while his three temporary disciples came running over.
"Is something wrong? Are you okay, Kiyoshi-Sensei?"
For some reason, Norn was more worried about Kiyoshi than March, who was now sitting on the ground.
Although her concern was understandable—the difference between humans and Umas was significant.
"My back hurts a little, nothing serious."
Kiyoshi smiled amusedly. The tiredness in the three girls was barely noticeable.
"You continue jogging on the track. I'll take March to the infirmary."
Kiyoshi didn't wait for anything and simply approached March to help her up.
"Get on my back."
Kiyoshi turned around, and March rolled her eyes before complying.
"This is strange…"
Norn murmured, watching as March was carried by Kiyoshi toward the infirmary.
"I thought March was going to kill him when she pounced on him like a beast."
Mimi said with a nervous smile while remembering the strange scene.
"He's a bit annoying to train with, but he's still a person."
Rudy murmured while scratching her cheek. Honestly, she was worried about that strange incident and also about Kiyoshi, but it didn't seem to be anything serious.
"So… do we keep training?"
Mimi asked, looking at her two taller companions.
"I guess that would be the right thing."
Norn sighed and simply walked silently toward the track.
"He really withstood a hit at that speed?"
Norn wondered while looking at the marks left on the ground by Kiyoshi's body.
At least he must have suffered a painful blow, and his back would hurt, but he could even carry March to the infirmary.
"Is he the son of some prestigious Uma Musume family?"
—————-
"You really got too angry."
Kiyoshi crossed his arms while March sat on the cot and drank the smoothie Kiyoshi had quickly prepared for her in the cafeteria.
In response, the Uma Musume only looked at the necklace now in her lap.
"Does something so magical really exist?"
March questioned, and Kiyoshi shrugged.
"The world has many mysteries that some know but prefer to keep secret."
Kiyoshi said while looking out the window and crossing his arms.
"Do gods exist? Does magic exist? And if so, why aren't magicians known? Everything could exist, or it could all just be fantasy."
Kiyoshi looked back at March, who looked at the necklace again and then took it, looking at Kiyoshi with serious eyes.
"You want to say it does exist."
"That's not what I was trying to say…"
Kiyoshi said dryly, but March simply no longer cared what he was trying to say.
"You knew from before…"
March looked at her trainer with narrowed eyes.
"That's why you're physically similar."
"You're assuming too many things that aren't true."
Kiyoshi snorted and then hunched over.
"My back hurts so much I can hardly walk."
March ignored him and looked back at the necklace in her hands.
"What did that old man tell you it does?"
"Well…"
Kiyoshi scratched his cheek with a nervous smile.
"I don't know. He just said it helps in Uma Musume training."
It was a half-truth.
"I'll keep it."
March sighed while putting away the pendant.
"But at least you should warn me in advance about these weird plans."
Apart from the excessive tiredness, there was nothing else. If this was something that really helped in training, she would eventually get used to it.
'Was it your plan from the beginning for me to use this for the remaining three days?'
She looked suspiciously at Kiyoshi, who only seemed thoughtful, as if considering silencing someone for knowing too much.
"If you feel better, we can go back to training."
The black-haired man said, and March nodded. She already felt better than before when she almost died, whether from embarrassment or exhaustion.
"Do you still need me to carry you on my broken back?"
"Sometimes I think doing what I did to you today more often would be more relaxing than sleeping."
March murmured just loud enough for Kiyoshi to hear, and he laughed amusedly.
———————-
May 19 had finally arrived.
The last three days, the training of Team Stella (March) and her new temporary members had been a bit more… productive.
Although March's situation with her strange tiredness hadn't changed much, the training sessions remained normal for her.
For Norn, Mimi, and Rudy, however, these days were tougher since they were motivated to imitate March.
"That guy really trains her in a very serious way."
Mimi murmured while still feeling exhausted from the previous day when they were once again outpaced by March in their practice races.
"That just shows the difference between us."
Rudy murmured dryly while still feeling her bones resonate with every movement.
"It seems you've enjoyed these three days with Kiyoshi-san."
Their trainer smiled amusedly while Norn remained silent, looking in the direction where March was talking with Kiyoshi.
Without a doubt, these three days of training together had been interesting.
"Kiyoshi has a peculiar way of training."
Norn murmured, taking out her phone and seeing that the race would soon begin.
"Well, he focuses more on improving March. I heard he wants to achieve a transfer."
Their trainer said thoughtfully while touching her chin.
"A transfer?"
Rudy questioned, and her trainer smiled a little nervously.
"Well… you might not know, but Kiyoshi only came to Kasamatsu for a trial period, sent from the central headquarters in Tokyo."
The three Umas looked incredulously at their trainer.
"You mean…"
Rudy turned to look in March's direction, who was already stretching for the race.
"Kiyoshi and March are training to go to nationals…?"
——————-
"This is my first public event."
March murmured while continuing her stretches.
"Number 1, Lane 1, Fujimasa March."
March heard her name over the loudspeakers while continuing her stretches.
"The promising star of Kasamatsu's Trancen Academy is the number one favorite."
The Uma nodded upon hearing that, just as Kiyoshi had said—she was the favorite to win.
"But I shouldn't get overconfident."
"In lane five, number five."
March focused on the mentioned runner, and her eyes turned serious.
"Oguri… Cap?"
Oguri Cap was the girl her trainer had reminded her was the most dangerous.
"Eh, yes… looks like she didn't have time to wash her clothes."
March rolled her eyes while looking toward the stands.
This girl was somewhat similar to her trainer…
"Wait, Oguri Cap is taking something out!"
The mentioned girl placed a decoration in her hair while her eyes gained a sparkle.
"It's a hair accessory!"
"Yes, that would be Kiyoshi if he were the commentator."
"Oguri Cap put the accessory in her hair!"
March sighed and instead concentrated on her trainer's last instructions.
'And remember, March, the winner of the race is the first to cross the finish line.'
"That's not it."
March frowned and tried to remember the only thing that wasn't a stupid reminder.
'You'll surely remember my previous reminder better, so this only leaves one thing to emphasize… focus only on what's important, maintain a pace you're comfortable with, and when you're two hundred meters from the finish, accelerate as much as you can. It doesn't matter if someone is close or far, always secure your goal.'
"Can this guy communicate with me telepathically?"
March seriously questioned while sighing.
She felt that her entire being had changed just by meeting Kiyoshi.
As if the mere fact of knowing him had already changed her life.
"All Uma Musume, please take your positions at the starting gates."
Seriousness was now visible in March's eyes as she heard the request and began walking silently to the starting gate.
Unknowingly, her steps were matched by Oguri Cap, and somehow they walked at the same rhythm to the gates.
A reminder emerged in her mind, and she couldn't help but establish a small conversation with her opponent.
"Oguri Cap."
She called, and the grey-haired Uma Musume turned to look at her with confused eyes.
"I won't let you win this race."
March gave a small smile while more question marks formed on Oguri's face.
"The one going to the Tokai Derby will be me."
And the "exchange" between them ended as March headed to her gate, leaving behind an Oguri who questioned everything that had just happened.
"Tokai Derby? Is it edible?"
The "dangerous" one tilted her head with genuine confusion, not really understanding what her acquaintance's team member meant.
"Is it Kiyoshi's restaurant?"
Oguri wondered, remembering that in her exchanges with Kiyoshi, he talked about a restaurant where he worked and that if she ever visited, he'd give her all the food she wanted for free.
"If that's the case, I won't lose."
Oguri clenched her fists with a serious look.
"I will win and go to the Tokai Derby."
With new motivation, Oguri headed to her gate while her eyes shone with a clear goal.
—————
"So, Fujimasa March."
A black-haired man reading a newspaper asked while Kiyoshi sat beside him.
"I thought you'd stay in Tokyo."
Kiyoshi said calmly while looking at the track.
"It's interesting to see what will change, especially when you must be aware of her history."
Kenji said while lowering the newspaper slightly and looking at Kiyoshi with a half-smile.
"Oguri Cap will sweep through the regionals and enter nationals."
"Her dream is to win the Tokai Derby."
Kiyoshi cut in, and Kenji paused while looking at the track.
"Fourth place."
Kenji murmured, and Kiyoshi nodded while crossing his arms.
"You're annoying, Kenji."
Kiyoshi sighed. This guy was tedious, especially since he'd become unbearable thanks to his grave mistake.
"The yakuza are heavily involved in Uma Musume races. Aren't you afraid their target might be March?"
Kenji asked with concern, but Kiyoshi knew better.
It was more of a provocation—he was asking to see what he would do in that case.
"I'm not interested in their lives."
Kiyoshi responded with a half-smile.
"Gangsters are better off dead."
"It seems everyone is ready now."
The announcement of the imminent start of the race came.
Both adults settled in and looked toward the track, though the smile on Kenji's face was more than excited.
"The race is 800 meters, with ten participants."
Kenji glanced sideways at Kiyoshi and spoke quietly.
"In a few seconds, a new era will begin… do you have any words for it?"
Kiyoshi sighed and only looked at the blue sky.
"If a human can touch God's hand, why can't a loser become a champion?"
"The gates open, and the race begins!"
The race had started. Kenji could swear he heard the sound of a clock chiming as his eyes watched how the lead was quickly taken by Fujimasa.
"Let's see… this birth of a new era."
Kenji smiled excitedly.
"Under the hand of this world's owner."
End of Chapter.
And here is a new chapter.
The beginning of the real changes.
Anyway, I really don't think there's much to comment on, but given how I've portrayed Kiyoshi so far, I think he'll get along very well with Agnes Tachyon when he returns to the central Trancen Academy.
Well, I'm not sure whether to add more about Kiyoshi's past and how he came to know Kenji, but I guess it won't be that relevant other than understanding why Kenji is such a fan of the main character.
It would certainly help me if you could leave your comments, whether questions you have or any opinions.
Anyway, I think in about five chapters or more, we'll already be talking about the national races, whether from Oguri's side or March's, who got into these earlier. I don't know, I'd already raised this question before, so maybe I'll end up spinning a wheel.
By the way, I think I said before that Kiyoshi was 19, but since I didn't know the Cinderella dates, I had to recalculate and, well, he's basically 18 and his birthday is November 11th. So maybe it's not so relevant for now, but a silly idea that came from a joke among friends will be added and will be important for that.
Anyway, the Stella team so far is confirmed:
March.
But the Umamusume I have in mind to add in the future are:
Café, Neo U, McQueen and Teiko.
I'm still looking at who else to add to the team, but well.
Until next time!