Uma Musume: From Being Knocked Ten Meters Away

Chapter 631 The "Cunning" Yasui Makoto

Such secret thoughts were too embarrassing for Beifang Xuanju to express, and for a moment he could only awkwardly purse his lips.

Just then, Yamato Akaki, who was gripping the steering wheel, spoke up with a hint of reproach:

"Senior Suko, how could you say that about Kobei? Kobei has always worked so hard, you know, and you're still joking..."

She glanced at the back seat through the rearview mirror, then her gaze swept over Yasui Makoto with a hint of reproach:
"And Yasui, you also gave Xiaobei such professional knowledge all at once. How could she possibly learn it all in such a short time? Your expectations are too high."

The two children in the back seat, Almond Eyes and Spring and Autumn Fen, were drawn to the conversation in front of them. They stopped talking quietly and peeked out from the gaps between the seats, their big eyes sparkling with pure admiration.

Spring and Autumn Equinox whispered to Almond Eyes, "Senior Kobe is working so hard..."

Almond-shaped eyes nodded vigorously, agreeing wholeheartedly: "Yes! Of course, that's Senior Xiao Bei!"

Feeling the care and admiration of his companions, Beifang Xuanju felt a warm glow in his heart, but he was more troubled by the knowledge itself.

"I've tried... I've tried, but some things just aren't enough with just effort..."

She tapped the notebook with the tip of her pen, somewhat dejected:
"I feel like... it will take me a long time to even barely remember it..."

Alice then smiled lazily again, as if she were enjoying an interesting experiment:

"What should we do then? If you keep looking like this, your eyes won't have immediate problems, but fatigue and discomfort are inevitable. But..."

She deliberately drew out her words, glancing at Yasui Makoto:

"As for Yasui's personality... well, Yasui, what do you think? We can't just watch our future star's eyesight deteriorate because of studying so hard, can we?"

Now, apart from Kita Genko, who was still struggling with his laptop, Alice Soko looked on with a hint of watching a good show, Yamato Akaki looked on with a hint of reproach, Almond and Shunju were full of curiosity and anticipation, and everyone else on the bus turned their attention to Yasui Makoto.

Yasui Makoto suddenly felt a headache coming on.

He hadn't expected the Northern Black Horse to be so persistent. Despite feeling it was very difficult, it didn't ask him to relax its demands at all; it just silently doubled its efforts.

Alice's words also pointed out that, to put it nicely, his personality is meticulous and serious, but to put it bluntly, he sometimes seems inflexible, especially when it comes to "plans" and "requirements".

But deep down, he really had no intention of changing the pre-arranged arrangement of "asking questions at home".

In his view, as a trainer, one should be responsible for one's words; otherwise, if one says something one day and then changes it the next, how can one arrange training afterwards?

However, after a moment of hesitation, he suddenly realized that this was not a rigorous training or competition, and perhaps it did not need to be so rigid.

Moreover, the concept of "getting home"... a thought suddenly occurred to him.

A slight smile appeared on his face as he looked at the northern black steed:

"What should we do... Well then, Xiao Bei, how long do you think it will take for you to roughly memorize the part you're currently reading?"

This unexpected question left everyone stunned.

The Northern Black Steed quickly raised its head, as if grasping at a straw, and made a rapid estimate:
“Two…no! One hour! Give me another hour, and I’m sure I can memorize most of it! I planned this last night, and I’m going to cram all of this in during the car ride!” Her tone was full of determination.

Now, Yasui Makoto, Alice Soko, and Yamato Akaki, who knew the depth of the content she was studying, were all somewhat surprised.

That knowledge is quite professional even for beginners. It's already quite remarkable that Beifang Xuanju was able to come into contact with it and try to memorize it in just a few days. How could she be so confident that she could really remember it all?

After the initial surprise, Yasui Makoto's smile deepened, and he said as if casually:
"Then... let's do it this way."

"Once we get into Nagoya city, let's go sit down at a wagashi (Japanese sweets) shop."

"The 'wailang cakes' and red bean soup at that shop are delicious. My mom used to take me there often when I was little."

Northern Black Horse was taken aback, not realizing what this turn of events meant.

Alice, however, let out a meaningful laugh: "Kukuku... Yasui, you're being a bit cunning, aren't you?"

"Huh? What's wrong?" Yasui Makoto pretended not to understand.

Alice glanced at Kita Genko, who still looked completely bewildered, in the rearview mirror, her tone carrying a hint of teasing: "You didn't even realize that?"

"Still don't understand, Xiao Bei? Yasui... he said 'home' before asking you questions."

“But, if we go to the confectionery shop and ‘sit down’ first…” she deliberately emphasized those words:
"So, does that mean we haven't 'got home' yet before we leave the wagashi shop? And theoretically, you can stay there as long as you want to 'study' until you feel ready?"

"So... isn't this cunning? It's practically exploiting loopholes."

After her explanation, not only did the Northern Black Horse's eyes widen instantly, its face bursting with immense joy, but even the Yamato Red Horse, who hadn't immediately reacted, burst into laughter:
"Indeed! I didn't expect Yasui to have such a 'flexible' side... But, Kobei, can you relax now? Quickly put your notebook away, don't read it in the car, it's bad for your eyes."

Almond and Spring Equinox in the back seat cheered happily, "Great! Now you'll have plenty of time to memorize!"

Northern Black Horse's heart was instantly filled with immense joy and an indescribable warmth. She nodded excitedly, "Yes! Yes!"

Then she couldn't help but steal a quick glance at Yasui Makoto beside her, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.

After being reminded by Alice, she suddenly realized that Yasui Makoto... perhaps he saw her predicament and persistence, and that's why he came up with such a way that neither violated the rules he set for himself, nor did he cleverly buy her time.

Although it's a bit "cunning," it feels... really good...

The atmosphere inside the car immediately became relaxed and lively.

For the rest of the journey, Kita Genko obediently put away his notebook and, together with Apricot and Spring Awakening, admired the gradually changing scenery outside the window, letting out small cheers for the landmarks such as Nagoya Castle and the TV Tower that appeared along the way.

Yasui Manori, along with Alice Soko and Yamato Akaki, chatted casually about the local customs and snacks of Nagoya.

During the conversation, the legendary racehorse girl Oguri Hattori, who hails from Nagoya, was mentioned. Yasui Shinya also suggested that if they had time later, they could all go to Kasamatsu's place together, which sparked a discussion full of anticipation.

As the vehicle entered Nagoya city, following Yasui Makoto's directions, Yamato Akaki skillfully drove to the old-fashioned wagashi shop located on a quiet street corner.

(End of this chapter)