"B-but... Curren-chan always felt that compared to racing, I'm better at being cute, you know~"
"Does Onii-chan really want Curren Chan to go run on the racetrack? But, there's nothing I can do~ Curren-chan isn't very good at it~"
However, despite saying this, Curren Chan's address for Ikezoe had undergone a significant change at this moment. From the seemingly normal and somewhat distant "Trainer" at the beginning to the very intimate "Onii-chan," it was a huge shift in attitude that was enough to make anyone else feel that something was wrong.
However, Curren Chan didn't feel it was wrong at all. As she herself said, she was very cute, and it could even be said that she was the cutest Uma Musume in Tracen. In this world where just being cute can make people give you preferential treatment, Curren Chan was often forgiven as long as she didn't do anything too outrageous.
The change in attitude and address actually indicated Curren Chan's inner approval of Ikezoe. She wasn't the type of Uma Musume who would just casually pick any Trainer. The Trainer she chose had to match up to her expectations—someone who she would want to stay with forever at first sight.
And Curren Chan, upon seeing Ikezoe, had immediately decided that she would tame this Trainer with her cuteness, even if it meant deciding to go to the racetrack. (T/N: he's done for...)
"Onii-chan, do you really want cute Curren Chan to step onto the racetrack? You'd make me be drenched in sweat from running, tired, while still maintaining a cute smile? What a mean Onii-chan you are~"
Curren Chan had already recognized Ikezoe as her Trainer, but she still chose to tease him. Curren Chan was an Uma Musume who was determined to conquer even her Trainer with her cuteness, so she quickly launched her "offensive."
"Uh… Curren Chan, you really are cute, very very cute..."
For a moment, Ikezoe was also at a loss for words, as Curren Chan's personality after becoming an Uma Musume was truly shocking to him—Curren Chan was one of the few Racehorses he rode whose attitude towards him was docile, and he had long imagined what Curren Chan would look like if she became an Uma Musume after he was transmigrated.
Would she be like a Japanese Yamato Nadeshiko? Maybe a loving wife? Perhaps even the doting mother type? But he just never thought that Curren Chan would be a lively and cute high school student. Not only that, her cuteness levels were so high that he thought it would only exist in visual novels.
But Ikezoe was, first and foremost, a Trainer, and he hadn't forgotten his identity. Just as he hadn't forgotten that Curren Chan was an Uma Musume. No matter what Curren Chan had become, Ikezoe would not forget her achievements as a Racehorse.
"No Uma Musume is bad at running, Curren-chan. Perhaps you haven't discovered your potential yet, but I believe that your brightness on the racetrack would be even greater than your visible cuteness. That is how talented I believe you are as an Uma Musume."
"Perhaps you might be lacking compared to an Uma Musume like Symboli Rudolf, but if anyone says you're not good at running, I'll definitely slap some sense into them directly and tell them to use their brains before speaking!"
"Curren Chan, you have the ability to dominate short-distance races. Few Uma Musume can compare to you in terms of aptitude at sprint races. And I am very confident in making you, Curren Chan, dominate sprint GIs!"
Relying on his memory, Ikezoe effortlessly and confidently declared his grand ambitions. It was not difficult for Ikezoe, as in his memory, the Racehorse Curren Chan's talent in short distances was indeed very good. He had also achieved five consecutive wins in sprint races while riding Curren Chan, so winning a GI would not be a problem.
And these were the achievements he had accomplished on his first try; if he were to do those races again, he was confident that he and she would've only performed better, not worse.
However, belatedly, Ikezoe realized that his words might've been a bit offensive, as he was implying she could only run short distances. Looking at Curren Chan, who was watching him with a mischievous smile on her face, Ikezoe's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately followed up:
"A-ah, I'm sorry, me saying that your talent lies in sprint races sounds like you can't run medium or long distances. But that's not the case! It's just that I think you're only good at short distanc—"
"No, no, no, that's not it either. What I mean is that you can only win sprint GI—ugh!"
"Hmph hmph~ No need to say more, Onii-chan. Curren-chan understands what you're trying to say~"
Curren Chan also turned around with her hands on her hips, feigning a huff with a slightly annoyed expression, and said angrily:
"Hmph! Saying that Curren Chan can only run unpopular races like sprint races, then saying that Curren Chan is only good at short distances. And finally that Curren Chan can't win GIs if she doesn't run sprint races... Hmph! Hmph! You really dare to say that~?"
Although Curren Chan was saying words that should have conveyed anger, her tone couldn't even fake the feeling of being angry. Even a tone-deaf person like Ikezoe, who was as dense as a block of cement, noticed that Curren Chan's words should have had an angry tone.
"…However, Curren Chan doesn't dislike a truthful Onii-chan, you know?"
Sure enough, Curren Chan's next words suddenly changed. As she turned her body around, she smiled at Ikezoe and said:
"Compared to those fans who flatter Curren Chan and say that she can do anything, Curren Chan prefers your frankness, Onii-chan. Even the cute Curren Chan has things she's good at and not good at. Making us shine through our strengths is the right thing to do."
"It seems that Curren Chan is really lucky this time; I truly didn't pick the wrong person to be my Trainer."
Saying this, Curren Chan also actively extended a hand to Ikezoe and very playfully winked at him, saying in a lively tone:
"Let me reintroduce myself again. I am Curren Chan. Although I am an Uma Musume who has yet to participate in a Debut Race, Curren Chan will work hard to make herself shine on the racetrack!"
"So, for the days to come, Curren Chan will be relying on you, O~nii~chan~"
Curren Chan didn't forget to give Ikezoe an incredibly cute, angelic smile, instantly healing his shattered heart, which had been mercilessly torn to shreds by Orfevre and all the other Uma Musume he met.
Indeed, Curren Chan is the cutest! She truly is his favorite Racehorse!
"To be honest, if it weren't for you, Curren Chan, I would have thought that every Uma Musume hated my face…"
Ikezoe was also incredibly moved at this moment. Facing Curren Chan's somewhat puzzled gaze, Ikezoe quickly added, "Before finding Curren Chan, everyone was unwilling to be my trainee. I even started to think that Uma Musume hated my face…"
"Hehe, Onii-chan's face might actually look terrible to Uma Musume, you know?" Curren Chan also smiled mischievously and immediately added a jab, but quickly continued:
"But it's okay, because Curren Chan doesn't dislike Onii-chan's appearance. If Onii-chan spends more time with Curren-chan, I believe you'll learn how to become cuter and cuter in the future, because Curren Chan is always very cute~"
Wait, do I actually have a face that Uma Musume don't like? Curren Chan's words made Ikezoe's originally joyful face suddenly fall. He subconsciously touched his still-bruised cheek, suddenly feeling like crying but having no tears. He didn't know what difference his face had in the eyes of other Uma Musume compared to what he saw.
…But never mind, he had Curren Chan anyways! So it didn't matter if other Uma Musume disliked him!
Thinking this, Ikezoe's mood instantly brightened. He felt that today was definitely his lucky day; meeting Curren Chan so quickly must be heaven's compensation for his pitiful predicament yesterday!
However, what Ikezoe didn't know was that while Curren Chan finding him might have been an accident, Curren Chan was no longer thinking that way at this moment.
Curren Chan looked at Ikezoe in front of her, and for some reason, he felt more and more familiar. The more familiar he became to her, the more she felt that all of this was all destined from the start. (T/N: Chapter title drop)
You have to train Curren Chan well Onii-chan, remember to always keep your eyes on me okay~
Otherwise, Curren Chan won't forgive you easily. And an angry Curren Chan can become super~ scary~.
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Symboli Rudolf: Mission failed, we'll get em next time.
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If you spot any errors, feel free to comment about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.