"Mejiro McQueen, your win in the GII Kyoto Shimbun Hai was truly splendid. Do you have any comments on the race?"
"It was simply victory as usual. I have a loyal and excellent Trainer, and our victory was certain from the very start."
After the race, Mejiro McQueen changed her clothes, wiped away the rain from her body, and then proactively walked out with Imanami and the others. Suddenly, a group of reporters surrounded them. With some pushing and shoving, Imanami, McQueen, and Gold Ship all stepped onto a makeshift stage for an interview.
The focus of this race was undoubtedly Mejiro McQueen, who had just won the race. Most of the flashlights and microphones were aimed at McQueen and Imanami. Gold Ship stood beside them like a bodyguard, even wearing sunglasses she'd pulled out from who knows where, looking quite like a security guard.
"Then, Trainer Imanami, regarding your assigned Uma Musume: many people believe that although you are called the most outstanding Trainer of this generation, you have taken on the highly anticipated Uma Musume of the Mejiro Family as your own. Do you feel any pressure?" a reporter asked, seizing the opportunity.
"The so-called 'most outstanding Trainer of this generation' is just an empty title, just like the Mejiro surname; it doesn't determine everything." Imanami, clearly familiar with reporters and interviews, maintained his easygoing demeanor and said:
"Truly excellent Uma Musume are not bound by surnames and bloodlines, just as truly excellent Trainers are not defined by rankings. McQueen's excellent performance stems from her own efforts, and I am deeply honored to be the Trainer of such an outstanding Uma Musume."
"However, some people have criticized your decision to make Mejiro McQueen run as a Runaway in such heavy track conditions, deeming it inappropriate." At this moment, a reporter suddenly stood up and asked:
"Furthermore, according to sources, people have accused you of subjecting Mejiro McQueen to numerous extremely high-load training programs at Tracen Academy. Is this information true?"
However, as soon as this reporter spoke, the entire interview scene suddenly fell silent. Only a few faint sounds of flashlights still echoed, but in an instant, everyone's gaze involuntarily turned towards Imanami.
McQueen's expression also gradually turned from gentle to cold, and even Gold Ship behind her looked over. Even through the sunglasses, one could feel the displeasure emanating from Gold Ship, which showed just how inappropriate this question was.
This matter could become big or small. If small, it's just an internal training issue, but if it escalates and is labeled as "an unscrupulous Trainer abusing his Uma Musume by putting her through inhumane training for victory," then it wouldn't be so amusing. Evidently, the person asking this question was well-prepared. As for how this question came about and how it spread... it was probably impossible to investigate.
"This question..."
"—Whether there was high-load training, for an Uma Musume, almost every moment of training is a huge load. I'm not sure if, behind the question you're asking, Mr. Reporter, you've understood the general intensity of Uma Musume training, or if you're simply viewing training issues from a human's perspective."
Imanami, after slightly reining in his smile, calmly answered the question. He maintained his usual composure as he replied:
"At least to my knowledge, your so-called 'high-load training' is commonly used to train Uma Musume worldwide daily and is even considered a legitimate training method in every country's URA Uma Musume textbooks."
"If there exists a method that can replace such intensive training, a method that is more efficient and can better protect an Uma Musume's body, I would be extremely eager to learn from it."
"Alright, next question."
Imanami passed over the topic without much fuss and quietly withdrew the hand he had originally intended to use to stop McQueen from going too far. The reporter whose question was deflected by Imanami also awkwardly retreated. After a few final, irrelevant questions, the interview quickly drew to a close.
"That was brilliant, Trainer. Your answer just now was truly impeccable." After all the reporters had left, McQueen couldn't help but exclaim to Imanami, "Honestly, I was already planning to berate that insolent reporter."
"Then we would have fallen into the trap of those with ulterior motives, McQueen. The more such times occur, the calmer we must be."
Imanami's mental age was much older than anyone else present. Although he hadn't experienced a particularly large number of such reporter interviews, he knew what to say and what not to say, and these reporters couldn't trick Imanami. Imanami also knew that he was likely being targeted by someone with ulterior motives because of his so-called empty title of being the 'most outstanding Trainer of this generation' and Mejiro McQueen's excellence. In the future, the obstacles they would face would likely not be small.
"McQueen, we will face many challenges in the future. There will be no shortage of suspicion, doubt, and jealousy, but the more this is the case, the more we cannot make mistakes or act impulsively."
"Do you remember what we promised your Grandmother?"
"No injuries, no illnesses... I remember."
McQueen smiled slightly at his words. At this moment, she suddenly felt a sense of relief. She was grateful that she had chosen Imanami as her Trainer, and that she had found such a Trainer who could help and encourage her. In fact, in many ways, McQueen felt that she might even be a burden to Imanami... This newfound feeling of insecurity made McQueen feel even more that her luck was truly good.
As she was thinking this, behind McQueen, a figure slowly approached. Gold Ship and Imanami noticed the other party, but after exchanging glances with her, they pretended not to see her... Then, that Uma Musume revealed a mischievous smile and, without warning, said:
"Ah~, they're selling melon parfaits over there, and they're limited to fifty servings!"
"WHERE?!" (T/N: Gone... reduced to nutrients for Oguri Cap)
Suddenly, as if a switch had been flipped, McQueen immediately turned her head sharply to look. However, at this moment, McQueen was met with Tokai Teio's smiling face, still bearing a mischievous grin. Her excited heart slowly returned to normal.
"—Teio?! What are you doing here?"
"I've been here all along! Of course, I had to come watch your race, McQueen!" Tokai Teio, holding a large honey drink, came right up to McQueen and looked at Imanami without hesitation.
"Hehe, Trainer Imanami, that answer just now was especially good! I was actually thinking about whether to cause some commotion to attract those reporters' attention. It looks like McQueen found a good Trainer."
"Teio... why are you here?" McQueen's expression softened considerably after seeing Tokai Teio, but when she saw Tokai Teio constantly circling Imanami, as if appraising something, her expression subtly changed.
"Mmm mmm mmm, it's pretty good indeed." Tokai Teio circled Imanami, muttering some incomprehensible words, but not long after, she proactively turned to McQueen and said:
"I came to support your race, McQueen! Of course, I also came to find Trainer Imanami while I was at it!"
"...Find my Trainer? Why?"
"Because I'm scouting for my Trainer! The Prez told me that Trainer Imanami and his Team Miracle are the best fit for me!"
Saying this, Teio quite unceremoniously took a step closer to Imanami. Under the somewhat puzzled gazes of both McQueen and Imanami, she said to McQueen with a rather triumphant air:
"McQueen, I'm going to have the same Trainer as you soon! You must be very happy, right?"
"...Yes, I am."
However, Tokai Teio's words caused McQueen to fall into an uncharacteristic silence. McQueen stared directly at Tokai Teio, who was now standing next to Imanami, and for some reason, she couldn't help but feel a jarring sensation. Her brow furrowed slightly, and the smile on her face slowly solidified, not looking happy at all...
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Only now that I'm rereading this chapter that I realize that this chapter actually foreshadows a further plotline in the future.
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If you spot any errors, feel free to comment about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.