Suddenly, a cool, composed woman's voice rang out. Among the interviewers, the one who appeared youngest—a beautiful, aloof woman—was instead the one holding his résumé, reading it seriously.
The woman, who looked every bit like a capable, elite professional with her gold-rimmed glasses, pointed at a section of the information Kazuomi had filled in and questioned:
"'Um… I gave up further education and am now in Tokyo working part-time while seeking a learning opportunity…'"
At that answer, the woman's slender willow-leaf eyebrows knitted tightly together. She fixed Kazuomi with an extremely sharp gaze.
"What kind of joke are you trying to pull…!? We're looking to hire elite training staff with professional knowledge and solid academic backgrounds… You haven't even attended a specialized school…?"
"Yes… that's right."
At that moment, as soon as she pointed it out, Kazuomi's heart plummeted into an abyss. He slowly lowered his head, almost afraid to look her in the eyes.
She was right. He didn't even have the foundational knowledge required for this field; he had rushed here purely on a surge of passion…
Even if he wanted to say he had self-studied a lot, under this pressure, Kazuomi couldn't bring himself to speak.
"If we let people like you—who know absolutely nothing—come to interviews, then what would that mean for the students you'd be responsible for…!?"
The woman's voice grew sharper. Although the others didn't speak, the looks in their eyes clearly echoed her sentiment.
"Our job opening isn't something for you to use as a 'learning opportunity'! Why should we give you the same four-year grace period university students get to 'charge up'? When it's time to work, all people care about are your results."
"…I'm sorry…"
"Now, now… Miss Toujou, calm down…"
At this point, the oldest among the interviewers—a kind-looking elderly man with white hair—spoke up to mediate.
"…My apologies. I was discourteous."
Realizing she had lost her composure, the woman called Toujou quickly apologized to her colleagues before taking her seat again with a dark expression.
"Ahem… Well then, let us pause for a moment."
The old gentleman narrowed his eyes slightly, observing Kazuomi with curiosity. "There is something I'm rather curious about. Why did you decide to attend this interview? Just to confirm— you do understand this is the interview venue for Treason Academy's trainer recruitment, correct?"
A memory flashed in his mind—
The promise he made to his sister.
That's right. For his sister, he had to become a capable trainer…
Even if reality was harsh—
"Yes, I do!"
The old man's gentle demeanor eased Kazuomi's nerves a little, and remembering the promise he had made helped steady his heart.
"Then… how much do you know about our academy?"
"Treason Academy, as the first domestically established professional horse racing academy in the country, has produced many of the Uma Musumes who compete in major races. It can be said to be Japan's most professional horse racing training institution!"
"Uh… anyone would know that much…"
A middle-aged man off to the side cut in rather speechlessly, clearly dissatisfied with the vague answer.
"Yes…"
He couldn't refute it. His understanding of the academy really was only surface-level…
"Ahem… then, let's shift the question."
The old man intertwined his fingers and rested his chin on his hands, looking at him with a meaningful expression.
"Do you have a favorite Uma Musume? Or perhaps… a race that left the deepest impression on you?"
Those words seemed to stir a fragment deep in his heart.
In his hazy childhood memories—
That azure dancer's mask.
The evening dress fluttering in the wind.
Like a spirit of the shadows—
That elegant Uma Musume who resembled a performer…
"Yes, I do!!"
Kazuomi, a bit overwhelmed by emotion, almost leapt to his feet.
"Although it was a race from before I was born… based on the recordings I've seen, there's a Uma Musume I really like—and she graduated from Treason Academy—"
"Oh…?"
Hearing this, genuine interest finally flickered across the old man's expression.
"The G2 race, the Nikkei New Year's Cup! In that race—seriously!! It left an incredibly deep impression!"
"Especially that burst of power in the final sprint, charging all the way up from seventh place— even though I only watched a recording, I could feel something from her… something like sorrow, or perhaps determination. That forward-leaning running form, pushed to the absolute limit… No matter how many times I watch it, it gets me fired up! Even now, thinking about it gives me goosebumps!!"
That fearless sprint.
That masked dancer of a Uma Musume—
"I see… So you like her that much…"
The old man slowly leaned back in his chair, as if savoring his words.
"Yes!! Exactly because of that, the moment I realized this was your academy, I immediately decided to sit for the interview!!"
"However…"
The old man let out a gentle, apologetic sigh and slowly shook his head.
"I'm very sorry to say this… but that Uma Musume… after participating in that race—she suffered a stress fracture, and her career came to an abrupt end…"
"…Huh?"
He froze completely, unable to even process the words.
His hands and feet went cold, as if he had fallen straight into an icy cavern.
What happened afterward barely registered.
He uttered a few mechanical responses before being guided out of the room.
Standing outside the door for a long moment, the final scene of the interview—and the templated phrases everyone knew too well—floated back into his mind.
"Wait for notification…"
In reality, just a polite way of saying rejected.
"…Honestly… what was I even thinking…"
Scratching his head in self-frustration, Kazuomi slumped his shoulders.
The clock on the wall ticked on as the sky outside grew increasingly gloomy. His chest felt clogged with a frustration he couldn't name.
He'd probably get scolded by his boss for being late on deliveries too…
Looking at the delivery bike waiting outside, all he could feel was the weight of a bustling city that brought him nothing but pressure.
Slap! Slap!
He forcefully patted his cheeks, as if trying to knock loose the tangled thoughts in his head.
"I can't give up yet… I still have four years. For my sister, for the promise I made—no matter what, I have to find a way to become a trainer."
But—
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Raw: 我和赛马娘的青春奋斗物语一定没有问题