In such a world, trying to get any edge you can—well, I suppose I understand it. If you lack standout talent, if your efforts aren't yielding results, it's almost natural to turn to other means to get ahead.
Whether they were being snide or just trying to get under her skin, it clearly didn't work on someone like Urara.
(She was marked in her last race, too… they seem strangely wary of her. Sure, she's growing faster than I expected, but she's not at the level where she can beat the top-tier girls yet. So why?)
Compared to the elite—like Kiryuin's Happy Meek—Urara was still several steps behind. I didn't think she was a threat yet, but then it hit me.
(She's not top-tier, but she's strong enough to win a Maiden Race… is that it?)
She'd placed 9th in her debut due to an accident, but she'd run well enough that she could have won. In her second race, if she hadn't been boxed in, she might have charged through the pack and taken it. To the other girls, she was a very real threat to their own chance at a debut win. And while many might like her personality, those who took racing with deadly seriousness probably resented a girl who claimed she ran just because it was "fun."
Urara did run because it was fun and exciting, but that didn't mean she didn't want to come in first.
(The problem is, looking at her normally, you'd never know it. Even I'm struggling to figure out how to bring that side of her out.)
I took a breath and tried to look at Urara as the world saw her.
When she first entered Tracen, she was dead last in every mock race. Her raw ability was at the absolute bottom of the school. Her personality is sunny, energetic, and positive; she's always running around with a smile. According to her, she has tons of friends. She's easily distracted, but she's serious about her training. She never skips—at least, not on purpose. (Sometimes she forgets the time because she's busy helping out as a shop-caller in the shopping district.)
Her trainer—me—is a rookie with no track record. And as yesterday proved, I only have one girl to look after, so I can't even provide a proper training environment with a full team.
And yet, despite all that, she'd performed well in her debut and her first Maiden race. How did that look to the outsiders?
(Urara used to be incredibly slow… Just the thought that she might be getting faster than them is enough to ruin their peace of mind, isn't it?)
Again, she's growing faster than I predicted. But that's only because of her hard work.
Urara was slow. Really, truly slow. So slow that I spent my first year worrying I'd be fired. But she had the grit to finish every grueling workout I gave her, and the physical sturdiness to back it up. That's why I could finally talk about her slowness in the past tense.
"Trainer? What is it? Is there something on my face?"
I realized I'd been staring. She didn't seem to have a care in the world regarding those girls from earlier; she was already pulling on my arm, urging me to start the session.
(Her purity is her weakness, but it's also her weapon… It's not that she's acting tough so I won't worry. She honestly just doesn't care.)
Her sturdy body, her quick recovery, her dedication to practice, and this incredible mental resilience…
I might just be a rookie, but looking at her, I felt certain: this girl could become a truly great runner someday. The girl I wanted so badly to make strong had the power to answer that wish.
"…Alright. Today, in addition to our usual routine, I want you to study race tactics."