I Just Wanted a Quiet Life... So Why Am I an Uma Musume Trainer?! Chapter 23 22: A Shaky Pact with the Empress!!

At the track field, I approached the Uma Musu I'd chosen as my trainee and made my pitch. That Uma Musu was…

"You finally made up your mind? Took you long enough," Air Groove said, her tone sharp. "But I have one concern."

"What's that?" I asked, eting her piercing gaze.

"I'm glad you chose ," she said, folding her arms. "But why not the president or the other Uma Musu? You had plenty of talented ones scouting you. Why ?"

"Reason, huh…" I paused, choosing my words. "You seem like you're aiming for the toughest path."

"What's that supposed to an?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"You're chasing the title of 'Empress,' right? That road's no smooth pavent—it's mud, thorns, and beast trails. Most would shy away, pick an easier route. But I'm a trainer. I'm not here to run from hard stuff. Plus, tackling the rough path now will pay off later."

"So, you're saying you'll use as a stepping stone?" she said, her voice edged with suspicion.

"I'm a nobody trainer with zero experience," I admitted. "I'd pick a top-tier Uma Musu if I could, but you're the one I can be straight with. So, yeah, I'll use you. And you should use ."

"That's not sothing a trainer should say," she remarked, raising an eyebrow.

"Probably not. But you didn't fall for my charm or my resu. It's my knowledge and skills you're after, isn't it?"

She fell silent, her expression unreadable.

"So, make the most of it," I continued. "I'll learn how to move forward with you, what works and what doesn't. It's a win-win, right?"

"…Fine," Air Groove said after a mont. "Here's the deal. As my trainer, focus only on my training and races. Nothing else—my student council duties, my personal ti—stay out of it. I won't forgive ddling."

"So, stick to training and races, and keep my nose out otherwise?" I clarified.

"You catch on quick," she said, smirking faintly.

"Got it. Deal's done, then. Looking forward to working with you."

"Likewise," she replied, her tone cool but firm.

And so, Hachiman Hikitani sealed a contract with Air Groove. But it was hardly a heartwarming agreent. Most trainer-Uma Musu bonds are built on trust, not mutual exploitation.

"Ehh!? That trainer picked you, Groove-san!?" Fine exclaid, practically bouncing in the student council room.

"Yeah," Air Groove replied, her voice steady.

"That's amazing!" Fine said, clapping her hands. "Getting chosen out of all those Uma Musu? That's huge!"

"I'm glad to have the trainer I wanted," Air Groove admitted. "But I'm more worried about what's ahead."

"Huh? Why?" Fine asked, tilting her head.

He said we'd use each other, but that's absurd. A contract without trust? What's he thinking?

"Groove-san?" Fine prompted, noticing her silence.

"It's nothing," Air Groove said, shaking her head. "His skills as a trainer are solid. Choosing him wasn't a mistake."

"You said his skills were great, right?" Fine said, grinning. "I'm kinda jealous! I want that trainer to check out my running more!"

"You, saying that? That's rare," Air Groove noted, glancing at her.

"His advice is so clear!" Fine said, eyes sparkling.

That idiot. He was scoping out other Uma Musu's runs before starting with ? And individually, no less. He's got so explaining to do tomorrow.

"'Your form's like stiff wire, loosen up a bit.' Or, 'You're a curly noodle—aim for straight noodle vibes.' So easy to get!" Fine went on.

"…Hold on," Air Groove interrupted, her brow furrowing. "What are you talking about? Is that training advice?"

"Yeah, totally!" Fine said, nodding eagerly.

"Then why's it about noodles?" Air Groove demanded.

"I was confused at first, but it clicked! He ant my movents were too rigid, so I should be more fluid. There's more like that!" Fine chirped.

"No, that's enough…" Air Groove muttered, massaging her temples.

My head's pounding. Why use ran terms to critique running? And why does Fine get it? Is it because she loves ran? Either way, it's incomprehensible…

"My worries just got bigger," Air Groove said, sighing. "Can he even teach properly? What if he starts throwing ran terms at too?"

"I can teach you ran lingo if you want!" Fine offered, grinning.

"No thanks," Air Groove said flatly. "I've had enough ran talk from him and you. Backfat's more than enough."

"Alright, let's kick off your training today," I said, watching Air Groove's expression. "You look like you've got sothing to say. What's up?"

"Last night, Fine—my roommate—told you reviewed her running," Air Groove said, her tone sharp.

"Yeah," I confird, keeping it neutral.

"She was baffled by your advice," she said, crossing her arms. "What's with the 'stiff wire' and 'soft noodle' nonsense? Do you have to use ran terms to critique running?"

"Look, I threw those out half-joking, but Fine actually got it," I said, scratching my head. "It was kinda fun, so I leaned into the ran lingo, and she ate it all up."

Air Groove stared at , speechless.

"I told her I'd switch to normal feedback next ti," I added. "But she got this dead-serious look and said, 'No, keep it like that!' Fine's… sothing else, huh?"

"Let's never speak of this again," Air Groove muttered, her face tight.

Yeah, I get it. That stuff's hard to wrap your head around.

"Anyway, moving on," I said. "Today, I'm observing your running again. I said one look was enough before, but I need a closer analysis. Start with your warm-up, then your usual stretches to get ready. After that, I'll watch you run in race form. Let know when you're done warming up."

"You're not just going to stand there doing nothing, are you?" she asked, eyes narrowing.

"No way. I'll be watching your warm-up closely. Need any equipnt? Speak up if you do."

"Unnecessary," she said. "I'll start."

With that, Air Groove took off running. Her arm movents were fluid, her steps light. No excessive swaying, head steady, core solid. You don't get that without daily training. Ti to observe.

"Trainer, I'm ready," Air Groove called, wiping sweat from her brow.

"Good condition," I noted. "First up, a 1600-ter right-hand course. Run at your own pace, full effort."

"Understood," she said, nodding.

"The marker over there's the starting point. Raise your hand when you're ready, and I'll signal the start."

"Signal?" she asked, tilting her head.

She's probably wondering why I'm specifying a right-hand 1600-ter course. Smart as she is, she's likely pieced it together—this matches the Oka Sho and Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, minus the slope. No pacemaker today, just her. Let's see how she handles it. She raised her hand, poised for a clean start. Alright…

Bang!!

Air Groove flinched but didn't falter. Huh, she reacted fast. I half-expected a stumble.

"Huff… huff… huff…" Her breaths ca steady as she powered through.

Beep!

"Ha… ha… phew…" Air Groove slowed, catching her breath. "Trainer, how was my run?"

"Wanna hear it now or after training?" I asked.

"Now," she said firmly.

"Alright. Overall, I'd give it a 70."

"…That's pretty low," she said, her tone clipped.

"There's a reason," I said. "Let's start with the good. Your ti was 1:33.2—solid for pre-debut. You also paced yourself well, balancing position and your own rhythm. For a solo run, you built the race nicely."

She stayed silent, listening intently.

"Now the bad," I continued. "Your final three furlongs were 37.4—pretty slow. You didn't fade, but on this track, that ti suggests the course helped you out. Also, corners are your weak spot, right?"

"…Yeah," she admitted.

"Thought so. Your body was leaning too far inward on turns, killing your speed. For your running style, that's a fatal flaw."

"Any fixes?" she asked, her voice sharp.

"Of course. But we're not tackling that yet."

"What?" she snapped. "There's a flaw, and you're not fixing it? What's your deal?"

"I told you before we started—I'm observing today. No heavy adjustnts. We've got more distances to cover: 2000 ters right-hand next, then 2400 ters left-hand. You might not like it, but today's about analyzing your run—strengths, weaknesses, habits, positioning, body chanics. If you want to claim the 'Empress' title, you need a run that captivates people and Uma Musu alike, right?"

"…Didn't expect you to lecture ," she said, a hint of respect in her eyes. "But you're right. Let's keep training."

"That's the spirit," I said. "Take a five-minute break to rest your legs. Jumping back in too soon will wear you out."

"Understood," she replied.

She seems convinced, but man, she cos on strong. I figured she'd push back, but her intensity's sothing else. If she dialed back the edge just a bit, she'd probably be a crowd favorite. But asking for that's pointless—she is who she is.