After sending off Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond, Kitahara Sota resud his usual training routine.
Slacking off, lazing about, fiddling with his phone.
Eating, sleeping, browsing forums.
And when he got truly bored, he'd occasionally find sothing to do.
For instance, checking up on Tokai Teio's progress, collecting data, or refining so earlier inspirations.
Or observing Grass Wonder's situation, giving a few subtle assists to ensure she didn't fixate on him instead.
Sotis he'd help Agnes Digital a bit, adjusting her plans or teaching her a few basic trainer techniques that were second nature to him.
In short, all safe, ordinary actions. Nothing special happened, no accidents arose, and ti passed uneventfully.
Then, Wednesday arrived.
For once, Kitahara woke early, seriously grood himself, and put on his best clothes—aning slightly more presentable and less shabby than his usual attire.
After all, none of his Uma Musu had raced officially yet, so he hadn't received any prize money. His only inco was his salary, already partially advanced. With the cost of racing outfits, if not for the compensation received after the Black Forest incident, he might've resorted to patching up his old, battered suit.
Although the elderly Uma Musu had insisted many tis that she didn't need his money for the racing outfits—after all, at market price, even half a year's salary wouldn't cover a single outfit—Kitahara was stubborn about this.
Besides, he'd kept careful records of all the kindnesses and discounts the elderly Uma Musu had shown him. Even though he couldn't pay her back now, he intended to repay everything soday.
The elderly Uma Musu thought his attitude was entirely unnecessary. She often teased, "The one charging money isn't worried, yet the one paying is so anxious," calling his behavior absurdly stubborn.
Ultimately, though, even she couldn't win against Kitahara's seriousness. Sighing, she'd gently tapped his stubborn head with her smoking pipe and reluctantly agreed.
After thoroughly grooming himself, confirming everything was in place, Kitahara stepped out and headed toward the agreed-upon eting spot.
As soon as he approached, the eyes of his team lit up.
To be honest, Kitahara wasn't remarkably handso. At first glance, he was ordinary, easily blending into crowds. But his face had an enduring quality, growing increasingly pleasant the more one saw him. He might not be dazzling, but his appearance was undeniably comfortable and reassuring.
Today, with his careful grooming, he looked slightly more handso—nothing dramatic for strangers, but enough to give those who knew him a significant surprise.
Yet, his clothing choice stood out sharply. Compared to the elegantly dressed Uma Musu around him, Kitahara's attire looked glaringly inexpensive and out-of-place, like Yao Ming suddenly appearing among elentary schoolers.
After all, the clothes his team wore were picked from the elderly Uma Musu's shop. Even the simplest was masterfully crafted, giving the girls an air of young aristocracy, further highlighting his own incongruity.
It wasn't that Kitahara hadn't considered nicer clothes—he'd even asked the elderly Uma Musu if she'd make sothing for him once.
Her blunt reply was, "Scram. I don't make clothes for stinking n."
Still, if his clothes ripped, she'd grumble but nd them. Kitahara suspected the elderly Uma Musu simply couldn't make n's clothes properly, but he'd never dare question her openly. Better to accept her explanation.
Now, returning to the present.
Arriving at the rendezvous point, though he noticed his team's odd reactions, he didn't think much of it.
Today marked their team's debut race. It was only a basic-level competition, but it was still their first. Even he felt sowhat excited.
Despite his years of wandering, having helped countless trainers and Uma Musu, he'd never personally coached anyone in an official race before.
As for Eclipse's anonymous races…
Those were anonymous precisely because nobody knew who trained her. Showing his face there would've completely defeated the purpose.
He wasn't even allowed in the preparation areas, forced instead to buy spectator tickets and watch from afar, no different from a random fan.
But today was different.
While Tokai Teio and Eclipse were basically self-sufficient, Agnes Tachyon had genuinely received so of his direct guidance. Although minimal, it gave Kitahara an unprecedented sense of involvent.
If even soone notoriously lazy like him felt a touch of excitent, wasn't it natural for his Uma Musu, the actual participants, to behave sowhat unusually?
So Kitahara didn't pay it much mind.
After counting heads and confirming everyone's attendance, he called their reserved transport, heading to the racing venue.
Although the venue wasn't far—certainly within running distance for Uma Musu—they had a race today, so naturally they couldn't waste energy beforehand.
En route, Agnes Tachyon, seated next to Kitahara, fiddled with her excessively long sleeves. After a pause, she turned, glancing at his cheap clothing, and blinked.
"Hey, guinea pig-kun."
"Hmm?"
"If you're struggling financially, I could provide so support, you know."
Kitahara rolled his eyes.
"No thanks. I'd rather keep my life than sell my body for your experints."
"I'm not talking about experints."
Her surprisingly serious response startled him.
"Don't look at like that. I an it. You've helped quite a bit recently—ordering my racing outfit, adjusting training plans. I'd like to repay you where I can."
"Still, no thanks."
Kitahara shook his head firmly.
"I appreciate your goodwill, but borrowing money from my own Uma Musu is out of the question. If you really want to help, just train hard and earn more prize money."
"Borrow?" Tachyon persisted stubbornly. "Who said anything about borrowing? Consider it compensation for your help. Then there shouldn't be any problem, right?"
"Isn't that even worse?"
Kitahara sighed helplessly.
"Besides, isn't Agnes Digital the one really taking care of you? If you want to thank soone, why not give her a salary?"
"She won a G1 race last year—she's hardly short on money."
Frustrated by his strange stubbornness, Tachyon started lightly flapping her sleeves at him, muttering under her breath, "Dumb guinea pig," "Stubborn idiot," and other such complaints.
Kitahara simply ignored her. The sleeves didn't hurt; they were actually cooling him off.
But Tokai Teio, sitting on his other side, couldn't ignore it so calmly.
She didn't harbor any improper thoughts toward her trainer-san—absolutely none.
But Agnes Tachyon was simply too dangerous. What she'd said just now sounded suspiciously like trying to lure her trainer-san into dependence with money.
What if Tachyon wanted to trap her trainer-san into reckless spending habits, eventually forcing him into debt and coercing him into dangerous experints—or even worse things…?
Tokai Teio felt this was entirely plausible.
So, to protect her trainer-san, she bravely spoke up.
"Hey, trainer-san."
Pretending calm, Tokai Teio turned toward him.
"If you're really struggling financially, your Invincible Teio-sama could also help, you know. You can always depend on ."
Seeing their serious expressions, Kitahara sighed again, exasperated.
"I get it—you think my clothes look terrible. But right now, my inco is limited. Your outfits alone have nearly drained my salary, and the rest is needed for living expenses. There's just nothing extra."
"But that's exactly why I offered," Tachyon protested.
"Then let your Invincible Teio-sama handle it!"
"Absolutely not. Borrowing money from my tantou is off-limits," Kitahara firmly refused.
But seeing their persistent stares, he reluctantly compromised.
"Fine, if you really insist that much, how about I borrow a bit from another trainer…?"
"Absolutely not!"
Both Tokai Teio and Agnes Tachyon shouted simultaneously.
Surprised by their sudden agreent, Kitahara stared blankly.
Wait—weren't you both just nagging to borrow money? Now that I finally agree, why are you upset?
Realizing their mistake, both Uma Musu quickly flustered.
Tokai Teio froze, suddenly aware her earlier statents implied sothing strange. Panic surged through her as she scrambled internally, desperately trying to think of how to justify herself without sounding suspicious.
Agnes Tachyon also felt a tinge of panic but recovered faster, casually shrugging:
"You've barely worked here a month. Borrowing money from colleagues already—isn't that kind of inappropriate? Besides, I still need to run my experints at this school. If rumors spread about my trainer having financial troubles, my reputation might take a hit."
Your trainer? Aren't you just another mber of the team?
Tokai Teio internally grumbled at Tachyon's possessive phrasing but had no better explanation herself. Instead, she quickly agreed with Tachyon, adding that it would damage her own image if he borrowed money.
She dressed impeccably, drank expensive honey beverages daily, yet her trainer wore shabby clothes and ate from the free cafeteria. People might think she was stingy.
Kitahara almost laughed aloud at Teio's justification.
Normally trainers provided for their Uma Musu, not vice versa. Letting students—especially ones yet to race—give him money was absurd…
Wait—actually, at Tracen, wealthy young ladies regularly did exactly that. So even fully "sponsored" their trainers. Maybe it wasn't so odd after all.
But despite such practices being common, Kitahara still refused their offers.
Partly due to trainer pride, partly to avoid complications, and partly because he disliked owing others favors.
"Alright, alright. Once this race finishes and my next salary cos in, I'll buy better clothes. Satisfied now?"
That's not even the point!
Still, after exchanging glances, both reluctantly nodded.
They insisted again that if he ever needed help, he should rely exclusively on them—borrowing or outright gifts were fine—but never on anyone else.
Unable to understand their strange insistence, Kitahara finally nodded, sighed, and turned toward the window.
Kids' moods really are impossible to understand...
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