Why was I assigned to be a horse girl?

For some reason, even though I already had a trainer, everyone still flocked to me, wanting me to take their place.

After explaining one, another one came... It seemed like these trainers had no idea they already had trainers.

Unfortunately, Hitotsu Kohaku couldn't wait for the racehorse girl to explain what racehorse girl skills were, so she said goodbye and ran away as fast as she could.

After successfully escaping the incredibly enthusiastic and somewhat overwhelming Sapporo Treson, Hitoko Amber stood on the street and took out her phone, intending to check if she had missed any important news during her time focused on training and matches.

I turned on my phone and saw that a group chat with only four people had already started discussing things. Everyone in the group was talking excitedly:

[Gao Shangjunyi: Amber just came to have lunch and chat with me... but after we finished chatting, it seems she went to the training ground to find someone to duel... uh, it seems someone came to her door?]

[Lady: This is what happens when you eat too much... Besides, that silly roe deer Fei Tu has a strong fighting spirit, so please don't send messages during class, okay?]

[Gao Shangjunyi: Breaking news... Amber has run two races in a row, and even won both on the grass and dirt tracks!]

This time, Gao Shangjunyi also posted a photo of the track, with the focus being on the two racehorse girls running...

It seems that he attracted quite a bit of attention when he was running.

[Lady: I ​​heard too. The students in the class are skipping lessons and just chatting in the group chat. It seems the space is too small. Such a fuss over a mere dual-wielding horse-racing girl.]

[Kotobuki Toru: Aren't you on your phone too? So how's Amber's record going?]

[Kotobuki Toru: Where is everyone? Are you the one giving me the silent treatment in the group?]

[Lady: I ​​just went to the edge of the track to take a look. All I can say is that for racehorses, the most basic and important thing is still the stats... Fat Rabbit has already won, and that was even after the opponent used a starting skill at the start and a restraining skill on the corner. ...She's currently surrounded by other trainers, probably looking for a new one.]

Kotobuki Toru posted a scared emoji.

Watching everyone chatting casually and relaxed, Fei Tu Hu Po thought it was really nice; it was lively and everyone seemed to have become friends.

But how can you let your friends spread rumors about you like that?

And he even said he was going to find other new trainers!

Fei Tu Hu Po quickly grabbed her phone and frantically pressed buttons, vehemently refuting the noblewoman's statement.

[Hibi Amber: That's not true! Those trainers just insisted on coming over!]

[Lady: Oh~ Fat rabbit, you're done running? You ran quite well just now, quite impressively.]

[Hibiscus Amber: You're here, why didn't you say hello?]

[Lady: I ​​skipped class and didn't want the hassle of saying hello.]

[Hibi Amber: I won't invite you next time we have barbecue!]

[Lady: Hey, look at you, so impatient. First of all, I don't really like barbecue, and secondly, I genuinely didn't take your threat seriously...]

The two argued in the group for a while. In fact, they both knew each other's situation. The noble ladies group did not believe that a loyal horse girl like Hitoko would betray Kotobuki Toru. Hitoko did not mean to eat alone and not be a noble lady. This is probably what is meant by bad friends.

After chatting about trivial matters, Hito Amber asked about the important matter, namely the [Horse Girl Skills] she had seen on the racetrack.

[Hibiko Amber: So, the skills of Uma Musume are, as I understand them... similar to the skills of characters in games? I saw other Uma Musume girls flashing lights while they were running.]

[Kotobuki Toru: It's much easier to explain if you've played the game. First of all, it's exactly as you understand it. Uma Musume has a series of complex skills, as well as even more complex skill classifications, such as active skills, passive skills, and trigger skills. These skills are further divided into buff skills, control skills, etc....]

[Kotobuki Toru: And the flashes you saw were the aura emitted when those skills were activated. Uma Musume's senses are much more sensitive than humans', so you can see them with your eyes.]

Sure enough! As if she had discovered a completely new and unknown continent, Fei Tu Hu Po excitedly gripped her phone, and couldn't help but start fantasizing. Could it be that she was about to become a superhuman master with extraordinary skills who could command the wind and rain?

[Hibi Amber: I want it too! Skills and stuff.]

[Lady: You can learn it. When you have time, find the skill book and practice on your own.]

Hitoko couldn't stop smiling. The world of Uma Musume is really amazing!

There are even skill books here! Does this mean I have to go to some strange old man in the middle of nowhere to become his apprentice?

Just as Hitoko was lost in thought, her phone vibrated slightly; it was a private message from Kotobuki Toru.

Upon opening the chat window, Kotobuki Toru immediately sent a link.

Kotobuki: This is a skill book.

Is it really that advanced? Now even the teaching of martial arts techniques is done via the internet!

Fei Tu Hu Po's thumb trembled as she clicked on the link.

Concentration: From the Start to Getting Stunned at the Turnstile (General Horse Education Edition)

Wait, your skill book looks more like a textbook.

Chapter 79 Do you think I'm stupid?

Hitokohaku then fully realized that the skill book link Kotobuki Toru sent her was not just something that looked like a textbook...

The link that Kotobuki Toru sent me was actually a shopping link from a certain shopping website, and it even had a discount of 500 yen off for purchases over 5000 yen!

Coincidentally, this skill book titled "Concentration" also costs 5000 yen...

It's all a conspiracy by unscrupulous merchants!

[Hibiscus Amber: This book looks more like a textbook.]

[Kotobuki Toru: That's right, it's the textbook... The book has detailed illustrations and descriptions, telling you how to practice, how each muscle should move, and everything you need to know. Is there any teaching method more essential than a textbook?]

[Hibi Amber: No, no... I just think, isn't it a bit too... easy to just buy this as a textbook?]

[Kotobuki Toru: A textbook on concentration that teaches how to quickly get off the racetrack isn't that valuable, is it? The book isn't valuable, nor are the methods for learning concentration; what's valuable is the horse girl who has learned how to concentrate.]

[Hibiko Amber: If that means skill books can be bought whenever you want... wouldn't that mean there are racehorse girls everywhere with all sorts of skills?]

[Kotobuki Toru: You can learn anything you want, but you still need to spend time and effort learning, right? The more you read and study, the less time you'll need for training. Therefore, racehorse girls with high learning ability, who learn quickly and are willing to spend time will naturally have more skills, while racehorse girls with poor learning ability will have fewer skills... Actually, there's another attribute in the racehorse girl's attribute evaluation that assesses learning ability, which we call the "wise" attribute. You have it too, do you want to know how many you have?]

[Hibi Amber: (Inhales) Who are you calling a slacker! Who are you calling a slacker!]

[Kotobuki Toru: I didn't say you were a bad student...]

[Hibi Amber: Do you think I don't know who the academic underachiever is?]

However, Kotobuki Toru's point seems to hold true. In today's information age, most knowledge is open source, from how to caramelize pork belly to how to build a nuclear reactor in your dorm room to cope with power outages during dorm closures. If you want to learn, you can learn it all...

Whether one can learn it or not, and whether one can apply it, is another matter.

[Hibiscus Amber: Then why didn't you recommend I learn it before?]

[Kotobuki Toru: There's so much you need to learn... Right now, while you're delivering takeout to support yourself, I haven't even taught you the racing tactics and systems of Uma Musume yet, you're still tone-deaf, and you can't even read sheet music. Then in December you have to prepare for the Uma Musume entrance exam... How can you possibly learn all this? My plan is to wait until you get to Central Teresa before you start learning these things.]

Hitoko Amber was stunned when she saw the long message from Kotobuki Toru, her mouth agape wide enough to fit an apple.

It's not that I was intimidated by the to-do list provided by Kotobuki Toru; after all, I was already working on most of them, or even trying to find solutions to them.

What truly surprised Hitoko was the line in Kotobuki Toru's message: "You still have the Uma Musume entrance exam to study for in December."

What? I still need to review?

[Hibiscus Amber: Are you in class?]

[Kotobuki Toru: No, I'm studying in my dorm.]

Seeing that Kotobuki Toru hadn't attended class or done anything private, Hitoko Amber immediately made a video call to him.

"Hey? The message was going well, how come it suddenly..."

Fei Tu Hu Po grinned at the camera, her expression ferocious: "Do I still have to take an exam? Do I still have to study? The one at Central Teresen!"

Kotobuki Toru on the other end of the phone immediately covered his ears, and then, to Hitoko Amber's astonishment, removed a pair of Bluetooth earphones from his ears, his face contorted in pain far more than Hitoko Amber's.

"My dear aunt... why are you yelling so loudly?"

Kotobuki Toru, on the other end of the phone, rubbed his throbbing ears and replied helplessly, "Yeah... since you're a new student, you definitely have to take an academic aptitude test."

Upon hearing Kotobuki Toru's answer, Hitoko Amber seemed to lose all her strength, muttering, "What should I do? I'm most afraid of exams!"

Kotobuki Toru's expression revealed his understanding, and he immediately waved his hand: "No problem, after all, it's all knowledge from the third year of junior high school and the first year of senior high school. You've already taken the college entrance exam once, so this kind of exam, which is practically a breeze, is a piece of cake for you, right?"

"What if I said... I've almost forgotten? And although I took the college entrance exam, that's all I did!"

Kotobuki Toru scratched his head: "Well, that's fine... If your academic ability is poor, you can go to the middle school to learn junior high level knowledge. In short, you will definitely be able to go to school... The only downside might be that you will have to call Toona and the others 'senior'."

Kotobuki Toru wasn't worried about Hishiko Amber not being able to get into the school, after all, she was a talented racehorse girl personally invited by Oguri Hattori... Even if her academic background was poor, she could still get in, she would just need to take more extra classes.

"I don't want to do that! Calling her 'Senior Dongna' or anything like that! My dignity, my soul, my virtues will all be shattered."

Fei Tu Hu Po shook her head frantically at the camera, her long crimson hair swaying like a blooming spider lily. "Is there any other way?"

"Study hard! I think you just finished the college entrance exam not long ago. Brushing up on your knowledge will be a huge advantage."

"What kind of method is studying? Isn't that just a last resort?"

Kotobuki Toru was amused: "You only have this one option left now, so you either start calling her Touna-senpai..."

Fei Tu Hu Po looked up and sighed, wishing she could go find the three goddesses again to cheer her up.

"Waaaaah~ I don't want to study! Help me, TouTou!"

"Study hard! How will you live after you graduate? No one will support you if you don't have enough knowledge. Besides, this is a good opportunity to cultivate your virtue."

ruthless!

Fei Tu Hu Po felt a cool sensation on her face, even colder than her heart!

With her eyes closed, Fei Tu Hu Po felt her tear ducts becoming increasingly sensitive; how could she be crying over something like this…

But then I thought about it again, and that didn't make sense... The tears of a horse girl should be very hot, not cold.

Fei Tu Hu Po opened her eyes, and a crystal-clear object floated down, slowly falling into Fei Tu Hu Po's golden, flowing pupils, and then turning into warm, moist liquid.

"Hello? Amber? Are you listening?"

At this moment, the gloomy sky seemed like a wad of dirty cotton wool being torn and ripped apart, with countless tiny cotton wool fluttering down from the sky, dancing and swirling gently, like pure white crane feathers.

"TouTou, it's snowing!"

"Huh? It's snowing already? Weather forecasts are never accurate..."

The sounds of a chair being moved and a window being opened came from the other end of the phone, followed by a gasp, and then Kotobuki's exclamation:

"Holy crap...is this snowing this heavily? The meteorologists should all be committing seppuku..."

On November 26, the first snowfall of the year fell in Sapporo, Hokkaido.

-------

Chapter 80: Uma Musume's Self-Created Skills

"Actually, the snow came quite late this year...it didn't fall until December."

Kotobuki closed the window again and sat back down at his desk in the dormitory. "Judging by this amount of snow, there should be snow in Sapporo tonight. Be careful when you deliver food, and don't slip."

Fei Tu Hu Po blinked. "Shouldn't the main concern on a snowy day be that I catch a cold?"

"Those girls are all out-of-season warriors, wearing skirts in winter and skirts in summer. Haven't you noticed that you're wearing hot pants and stockings right now, and you don't feel cold at all?"

Hitotsu Amber looked down at the black stockings wrapped around her legs... It really did seem to be just as Kotobuki Toru had said. Even though the stockings were barely warm, she didn't feel cold or uncomfortable at all.

"And won't the idiot catch a cold... the virus can't take over the high ground."

"No need for that! I'll show you right now! It's just a skill book, isn't it?"

Hitotsu Amber gritted her teeth and pressed the buy button on her phone, determined to learn a lot about concentration and show Kotobuki Toru what it meant to be a person who has changed a lot in just a few days!

As for studying for the exams at Central Treson... well, that really is something I need to do. After all, just the thought of having to call someone a "noble lady senior" if I don't study hard fills Hitotsu Amber with an overwhelming fighting spirit.

"Hey, don't be in such a hurry. You have to take your time to look at skill books, otherwise you might go astray in your training."

Kotobuki, on the other end of the phone, was afraid that Hitobuki's reversed practice of the Hitobuki Amber technique would cause some serious trouble, so he quickly shouted, "Don't go into qi deviation and cause some kind of obstacle... Besides, learning skills isn't just something you can learn from books."

Hitotsu Amber picked up her phone again and looked at Kotobuki Toru on the other end of the line: "Huh? You can learn this besides from books?"

"Yeah, haven't you ever thought about where all those skills printed in books came from? You can't exactly say they fell from the sky as textbooks, can you?"

Hibiki Amber opened her mouth and said very honestly, "Eh, yeah, I really hadn't thought about that, so..."

"Skills were originally discovered and summarized by the racehorse girls themselves. So, running more, training with other racehorse girls, learning from each other, or experiencing certain special events can all help you learn skills."

Fei Tu Hu Po nodded and noted it down: "Wow, you created your own martial arts and started your own school, right?"

"It's not that mysterious. However, if you discover a skill yourself, you can name it yourself. For example, Oguri Hat's skill is called 'Victory's Drumbeat'."

Hito Amber pouted, her words laced with sarcasm: "Even if you create your own racehorse girl skill... the effects will probably be about the same, right? You call it Concentration, I call it Rocket Launch, there's really no difference between us."