Umamusume: Full of Flavor! [4]

After Silence Suzuka finished explaining the trouble she had caused, she looked even more uneasy. She very much wanted to promise her new Trainer that she would never disobey instructions again, but she was also afraid this Trainer would force her to use a Late Surger or End Closer Style… Tangled up in all kinds of worries, she remained silent.

“As a Trainer, of course I hope my assigned Umamusume will follow my instructions…”

Haruto’s words made Silence Suzuka feel even more tormented. Should she make that promise first after all?

After all, she already had a “record.” If even this Trainer gave up on her, then perhaps there would never be a third Trainer willing to guide her.

For an Umamusume, having a Trainer’s guidance made a world of difference.

An excellent Trainer did more than assist with training. They also arranged schedules, corrected weaknesses, adjusted condition, and, most importantly, prepared pre-race tactics. None of that could be done without a Trainer’s help.

It was the same as any other sport. Professional athletes were often inseparable from a professional coach and team.

Just as Silence Suzuka closed her eyes, steeled herself, and opened her mouth to promise that she would never disobey instructions again…

“Um! I…!”

She heard Haruto continue.

“But only if those instructions are reasonable.”

“Eh?”

Silence Suzuka opened her eyes and raised her head, staring blankly at Haruto as he smiled.

“If, during our future training and tactical planning, you feel that my instructions are unreasonable, Suzuka, then you don’t have to listen to me either. I’ll find another way to support you.”

“…Is that really okay?”

Silence Suzuka was deeply surprised, because the overwhelming majority of Trainers demanded that their assigned Umamusume “obey instructions unconditionally.” After all, there were plenty of Umamusume, and it was Trainers who “chose” Umamusume. The reverse was extremely rare, so the hierarchy was very clear.

That made a Trainer like Haruto, who said he was willing to accommodate an Umamusume, an oddity among oddities.

Silence Suzuka felt her heartbeat quicken. This probably was not the feeling of falling for him, but rather because she understood what Haruto was trying to say…

This Trainer would not give up on her no matter what?

As if answering the question in Silence Suzuka’s heart, Haruto said, “As long as it helps you win races, why wouldn’t I?”

Win, win, win! Racing was all about winning!

Only if you win can I earn more Uma Coins!

Haruto was a man who would do whatever it took for Victory.

A Trainer’s dignity and authority? Were those useful?

What his heart longed for was stats and nothing else.

“Still, I’d like to know exactly what instruction you disobeyed, Suzuka. As a fellow Trainer, I want to use it as reference.”

“My previous Trainer suggested that I change my running Style.”

Silence Suzuka phrased it tactfully and called it a suggestion, but in truth, it had already been an order.

“He wanted you to change your Style? That’s a major issue. No wonder you disobeyed.”

Umamusume running Styles were divided into four types: Front Runner, Pace Chaser, Late Surger, and End Closer. They referred to the position one took during a race.

Depending on that position, the strategies used during a race differed enormously, and the required stats and Skills also varied greatly.

One could say that an Umamusume’s Style was the “foundation.” By constantly building upon that foundation, one ultimately determined the ideal shape of her future.

“Yes… My previous Trainer said that if I wanted to win without any problems, I had to go against my desire to run at the very front and switch to a Late Surger or End Closer Style.”

“Mm…”

Haruto neither agreed nor disagreed.

Because he did not know what kind of Style suited Silence Suzuka best either.

He knew she was strong, but he had never played the mobile game, so naturally he did not know what she was good at.

If he rejected the other Trainer’s view first, only for it to turn out that Silence Suzuka really was better suited to Late Surger or End Closer just as her previous Trainer had said, then would he not be slapping himself in the face?

In any case, to understand exactly what Silence Suzuka was good at, Haruto would have to activate his Trainer-exclusive Skill for the first time.

“Either way, I’ll need to understand you in detail first, Suzuka, before I can make any further judgments.”

“Yes!”

Silence Suzuka stood up eagerly and clenched both fists in front of her chest.

This must be a running test!

If she had known, she would have worn sportswear.

Silence Suzuka had thought that going for a morning run first, taking a shower, and then coming here would take too much time, so today, for once, she had not gone running in the morning. Instead, she had worn a freshly washed uniform and come neatly dressed to meet her new Trainer, wanting to leave him with a good first impression.

Being abandoned by her Trainer had felt awful. Over the past few days, Silence Suzuka had dreamed of that moment again and again, waking in a cold sweat each time.

Fortunately, the academy had given her another chance and assigned her to the new Trainer. Although she had heard that this Trainer was extremely special, and the Student Council president had even specifically warned her “not to get too close to him,” which was why Silence Suzuka had been so uneasy.

But after this brief conversation, she felt that Haruto was a serious and responsible Trainer. He had even said he would not give up on her… In that case, she could not betray his expectations either!

She absolutely had to make him acknowledge her Style!

Silence Suzuka’s current state of mind was a little like an abandoned cat’s. Because she had been abandoned once before, she yearned even more strongly for the approval of her next Trainer.

However, Haruto was not trying to see her run. When he saw Silence Suzuka stand up, he thought this was the perfect time to bring it up.

“Then there’s no time to waste. Suzuka, take them off first.”

Silence Suzuka: ???

Haruto explained without changing expression.

“Ahem. I mean your shoes. I need to examine the condition of your feet first. Only then can I know what kind of training I should arrange for you.”

“Ah, I see.”

That was not strange. Trainers were indeed very concerned about the condition of an Umamusume’s legs, afraid that some injury or illness might appear.

Bone fractures in particular could be called the natural enemy of Umamusume. Who knew how many Umamusume had lost their racing careers because of fractures?

“Will you take them off yourself, or should I help you?”

“Mm…! I’ll do it myself! Please! Let me do it myself!”

Haruto made an “OK” gesture. Silence Suzuka sat properly again, bent down, and removed the Mary Jane shoes that matched Tracen Academy’s student uniform.

“Um, do I need to take off my socks too?”

“It would be best if you did.”

How was he supposed to activate the Skill if she did not take off her socks?

Still, Haruto could understand a young girl’s sense of embarrassment, so he considerately suggested, “If you’re shy, I can go outside and wait.”

“N-No, there’s no need to trouble you…!”

It was not as though she was taking off her skirt. It was only her socks…

Silence Suzuka! Get a grip! Don’t be so overly sensitive and shy! Trainer is seriously trying to help examine you!

After cheering herself on inwardly, Silence Suzuka slipped both thumbs into the gaps at either side of her white knee-high socks and pulled the sock on her left leg off in one motion.

Then, when she switched to her right leg, Suzuka’s movements slowed down. It seemed that the force she had used just now had made her uncomfortable… An Umamusume’s legs and feet were very sensitive.

But with the movement of removing her sock slowing down, the atmosphere only grew more suggestive.

Watching this scene, Haruto felt that it was especially… provocative.

As if he really were doing something improper.

Come to think of it, his earlier line—“Will you take them off yourself, or should I help you?”—had also made it feel even more like a doujin…

No, no, no. Don’t let your thoughts go astray. This was only for activating the Skill.

Although the activation method was a little perverted… this was a necessary process!

Haruto glanced at the Skill panel floating before his eyes.

[FULL OF FLAVOR]

[BY TASTING THE TARGET’S FOOT, UNDERSTAND THE TARGET’S FIVE CORE STATS, APTITUDES, AND POSSESSED SKILLS.]

Damn system… Is this Skill for real?!

T/N: guh~ +99 Psychic Damage

This is a fan translation of 赛马娘，味真足 by 夜幕下的鬼 Rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!