Uma Musume: From Being Knocked Ten Meters Away

Chapter 629 Guiding Little Apricot Eyes?
After taking a bite of his own tsukiyaki, Yasui Makoto led Kita Genkoto towards the relatively quiet ginkgo tree on the side of the shrine.

The bench under the tree happened to be empty, so the two sat down on it, and Yasui Makoto then continued to speak.

His voice was steady, as if he were analyzing the tactics of a match, but his tone was more cautious than it had been in the noisy crowd:
I understand your desire to give it a try.

He first affirmed her idea before getting to the point:
"But as I said, becoming a qualified trainer, or even an assistant, requires much more than just enthusiasm."

He took a bite of the taiyaki and chewed slowly, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

Northern Black Horse also ate quietly, waiting for him to continue.

“For example,” Yasui Makoto continued:

"Understanding complex physiological data and exercise curves requires a solid foundation in mathematics and physics; developing scientific nutrition and training plans requires knowledge of biochemistry and exercise physiology; coordinating competition schedules, dealing with the media, and managing the team's daily operations... all of these require systematic knowledge and cannot be solved by sheer hard work alone."

He paused, then listed the most realistic examples, his gaze gentle yet sincere:
"Then, there are very few veteran female horse racers who have truly transitioned into trainers. You see, even Hayako and Yamato provide support based on their own areas of expertise. So the barrier to entry in this industry is actually very high."

Finally, with a serious look in his eyes, he voiced his most pressing concern:
"Most importantly, Xiao Bei, you are currently in the prime of your career. All your energy should be focused on training and matches. I must consider anything that might distract you or drain your energy very carefully."

This statement is clear, logical, and reasonable.

As Beibu Xuanju listened, his little head involuntarily nodded in agreement.

Rationally, she fully understood that Ah Zhen was right; he was always considering the safest path for her.

But... a strange, dull feeling welled up inside me, like being blocked by soft cotton, making it hard to breathe.

This feeling is very strange.

In the past, during training or tactical discussions, even if there were different opinions, when Yasui Makoto finally convinced her with more professional reasoning, she would only think, "I see, I need to work harder."

I've never felt a little...wronged and slightly sad like this before.

She subconsciously pouted and pinched the "Great Fortune" fortune slip again.

I was just trying to help, so why... does it seem like I did something wrong...?
This subtle sense of frustration caused her to fall into a brief silence.

Yasui Makoto noticed the subtle change in her emotions, but he didn't say anything. He simply sat quietly with her on the bench.

The winter sun shone through the bare ginkgo branches, casting dappled shadows on the two of them.

He patiently waited for her to process this information.

Northern Genko looked down at the half-eaten taiyaki in his hand, and even the sweet aroma of the red bean paste seemed to have lost its flavor.

However, an innate, indomitable spirit, like a seed buried in spring mud, after a brief period of silence, begins to stubbornly push upwards again.

"Giving up at the first sign of difficulty is just not my style..."

At the same time, Grandpa's words echoed clearly in my ears: "Share your thoughts with the team, don't keep them to yourself."

She suddenly raised her head, turned to face Yasui Makoto, and a determined light rekindled in her crimson eyes.

She spoke the truth, but her tone showed no sign of backing down:
"Ah Zhen, I know that math and biology are such subjects that they give me a headache."

"But you have to try things to know if they'll work, right? Like in a race, would you stop running just because your opponent looks strong?"

She leaned forward unconsciously, and said with a hint of pleading and trust:
"Besides...you can teach me!"

"You're so amazing, you can even come up with such a complicated training plan, you can definitely teach me how to be a good assistant, right?" Yasui Makoto looked at her even more serious and stubborn appearance than before, and was a little amused and exasperated.

He had thought that after that analysis, she would be more rational and back down, but unexpectedly, it only aroused her stronger resilience.

This stark contrast reminded him of her initial awkwardness and unease when she first debuted, and her current maturity and determination, stirring a ripple of emotion mixed with admiration in his heart.

A slight smile curved his lips; he couldn't resist teasing her.

"Oh? I wonder who it is. When you first signed the contract two years ago, you were always worried that you would embarrass yourself in your debut battle. Now you dare to talk big."

"Ah! Zhen!"

Northern Black Horse's face instantly turned bright red, like a ripe apple, and he was so embarrassed and anxious that he almost jumped up from the bench.

In the end, she didn't jump up; she just stomped her foot hard.

"That, that happened a long time ago! Why do you still remember that? Besides, besides... those are completely different things!"

That little bit of grievance immediately turned into a coquettish complaint, which sounded particularly clear under the quiet tree.

Yasui Makoto looked at her sullen and helpless expression, and the smile in his eyes deepened.

Then, knowing when to stop, he immediately adopted a serious expression and nodded firmly:

"Yes, but Xiao Bei has indeed matured a lot and become much more reliable. For example... this unwavering determination she shows now."

He saw that Beibu Xuanju's eyes, which had calmed down slightly from the praise, brightened again, and he knew that she had really made up her mind, or at least really wanted to give it a try.

He pondered for a moment, his fingers unconsciously tapping on his knee, and an idea gradually became clear.

This might not just be a naive idea. If guided properly and with the right approach, it could be an opportunity for her to understand the game from different perspectives and improve her overall perspective.

“Alright,” he finally relented after thinking for a moment, “Since you want to try, I have an idea.”

"What is it?" Beifang Xuanju's eyes widened instantly, and he asked impatiently, raising his voice slightly.

"Wait, let me finish explaining my conditions first."

Yasui Makoto sat up straight, his tone becoming serious:
"First of all, this is just a process of experience and learning. Everything must be based on my judgment. You cannot act on your own."

"Secondly, it absolutely cannot affect your own training and competitions. This is the bottom line, and there is no room for negotiation."

"Furthermore, if I decide to teach you, I will be very strict, and you will need to learn the relevant knowledge from scratch, which will be very hard."

"Finally, I want to emphasize again that this must not affect training."

He paused, looked at the Northern Black Horse whose body was tense with anticipation, smiled, and offered the "experience" he had just come up with:
"As for the content of the experience..."

"Almond Eyes will be preparing to debut in the second half of the year, and the relevant training plan needs to be conceived now."

"In the initial basic training stage, the intensity will not be too high. Perhaps... you can participate a little while ensuring your own training, and understand the process of raising a racehorse girl from scratch."

"Let's start with the most basic observation and data recording."

(End of this chapter)