The news of Keiko getting into Todai spread like wildfire through the school, likely assisted by someone behind the scenes.
Once the school knew, the entire Umamusume community in Tokyo would soon find out.
After all, news traveled fast, and Umamusume were always eager to share gossip.
So when Keiko entered the classroom, almost everyone turned to stare at her.
Fearing she had walked into a wolf’s den, she instinctively shrank behind Diamond.
“What’s going on?” “Everyone found out you got into Todai and will report there directly after middle school.
I guess they find it fascinating.
In a way, you’re the first Umamusume to ever get into Todai.” Diamond obligingly blocked their stares, protecting Keiko like a solid wall.
She had been prepared for this, but she hadn’t expected everyone to be this enthusiastic.
“Ahem—class is starting, everyone sits down.” Although the Umamusume were still dying to know how strong a Todai-bound Umamusume was, they obeyed the teacher’s command.
They turned back with regret, allowing Keiko to finally breathe a sigh of relief.
“That scared me…
I thought I was going to be interrogated.” Keiko carefully sat in the back row.
Although her roommate hadn’t originally been her seat neighbor, one day her former desk mate suddenly decided the window seat suited them better and swapped places with Diamond.
For Keiko, having Diamond next to her was only beneficial, so she didn’t question her classmate’s sudden change of heart.
“Thank you, Dia-chan.” “It’s nothing.
After all, I’m your very first friend, Keiko-san.” Diamond tentatively probed.
“I must be very important to you, right?” “Yes, you are a very important friend to me, Dia-chan.” Keiko nodded without denial.
Although Diamond was happy, she failed to extract the information she wanted.
A person could have many “important friends,” so it didn’t rule out the person named “Deep” from being one.
But Diamond wasn’t in a hurry; there would be plenty of chances.
Since Keiko was destined to train at Tracen Academy anyway, even if she was technically a Todai student, they could easily share a dorm room, attend the same classes, or even share a room.
However, Keiko had no idea what Diamond was thinking.
news of her passing the Todai exam had made middle school material feel like child’s play.
It made her extremely sleepy, and she only attended class to maintain her attendance record for graduation.
While the teacher lectured until his throat went dry, Keiko was busy playing ‘Journey to the West’ in her head.
Her head nodded up and down, as if Sun Wukong in her mind were pushing her down with some magic spell.
Her eyelids felt incredibly heavy, and the teacher’s voice became the perfect ASMR, guiding her to dreamland.
But before she could drift off, she felt a tap on her shoulder.
She blinked, looking up in a daze at Diamond next to her.
Her roommate shook her head firmly, indicating she wasn’t the one who tapped her.
When Keiko looked the other way, a bright, shiny bald head immediately captured her attention.
“…Wow, that head is so shiny.” Her groggy brain couldn’t form proper judgments, and the blunt truth slipped out before she could stop herself.
“…” The entire classroom went dead silent.
The middle-aged man who had slipped into the back of the room was looking with satisfaction at the students paying attention, until he noticed the daydreaming girl in the back row.
He had only planned to give her a gentle tap, but after she noticed him, her comment made him instinctively pat his shiny head in awkward silence.
“P-Principal…
I’m sure Tojo-san didn’t mean any harm.” The teacher stood up to save Keiko.
But under the principal’s stern gaze, the teacher took half a step back.
That retreat sealed Keiko’s fate, and the light of hope in her eyes quickly faded.
“Ahem.
Tojo Keiko-san, please come to my office.” The principal said with a smile, his glossy bald head reflecting a strange light.
Keiko finally understood the true meaning of “a slip of the tongue brings trouble.” She stood up, apologized to the class for disrupting the lesson, and followed the principal out of the classroom like a droopy radish.
Although Diamond wanted to help, Keiko was in the wrong, and the principal had ties to the Satono family—which was the reason she attended this school in the first place.
The principal of this prestigious girls’ middle school in Tokyo was a Todai alumnus with a high reputation in both literary and political circles, making him one of the top educators in the city.
Her words wouldn’t carry enough weight in the principal’s eyes.
— ‘I’m doomed…’ Keiko hadn’t expected a quick nap to offend the most powerful man in the school.
Although she had gotten into Todai early, the acceptance letter was only valid after she graduated middle school.
As long as she was still here, she was subject to his rules.
If he got angry enough to lock her in her room, he had every right to do so.
The principal led Keiko into his office.
It was a spacious, well-decorated room, its display cases filled with school trophies and his personal honors, including several prestigious literary awards.
In this setting, even the bald principal seemed to radiate intellectual authority.
“Tojo Keiko, you’ve been quite famous lately.” The principal sat in his chair, steepling his fingers.
His tone wasn’t as harsh as she had feared.
Keiko relaxed slightly, but she remained cautious, not knowing what he wanted.
“Um…
what I said earlier was really just an accident.” Keiko tried to apologize first.
“I was half-asleep, which is why I said that.
I offer you my sincerest apologies!” “…Oh, so you think that’s why I called you here?” The principal laughed.
His smile carried a mix of amusement and disdain.
He possessed an imposing presence that was hard to resist.
“Am I really that petty?” “Yes, yes, yes…” “Hmm?!” “No, no, no!” Keiko quickly corrected herself.
She had only meant to agree politely but had almost walked right into a trap.
“The principal is broad-minded.
I’m sure you wouldn’t care about a child’s silly joke!” “Hmph, indeed.
I shouldn’t be arguing with a child anyway.” The principal finally looked satisfied.
“Actually, I didn’t call you here for that trivial matter.
I heard you passed the early admissions for the University of Tokyo.
I am very pleased.
After all, you are the first Umamusume to get into Todai.
I had planned to find an opportunity to reward you—” Having a student get into Todai was a massive bragging right, let alone a historic first for an Umamusume.
If the principal didn’t use this for promotion, he wouldn’t be fit for his job.
This news had to be widely and loudly publicized.
He wanted everyone to know that his middle school could produce students capable of skipping grades to get into Todai.
The principal felt like a fisherman who had just reeled in a massive catch.
He was dying to tie Keiko to the back of his old bicycle and parade her around the city to show off how great his school was.
Even when he retired, he would be able to brag about this for years.
“Ahem.
Actually, I want to arrange a press conference for you.
As an outstanding representative of our school, you’ll be featured in the newspapers, sharing your journey of studying for the Todai exam.
You can talk about the encouragement you received from the teachers and how the school’s academic environment helped you.
Of course, it must sound authentic and reliable.” The principal finally revealed his true colors.
“Naturally, I believe you have strong feelings for our school.
So go back and write a speech.
We’ll have a school assembly in front of our friends from the media to talk about your achievements.” “…” Keiko went silent.
After a long pause, she replied awkwardly.
“Um…
actually, my passing the Todai exam had almost nothing to do with the school.” “…?
What did you say?” The principal’s face fell.
“Did you not choose to apply to Todai because of the guidance and tireless encouragement of your teachers?!” “Um, well, I rarely spoke to my teachers…” Keiko nodded honestly.
“They didn’t really talk to me much normally.” “…Oh, I see!
Your motivation came from the school’s academic atmosphere!
The hardworking environment of this school drove you to study in silence and surprise everyone!” The principal wiped his sweat, hoping to save the narrative.
“…I didn’t talk to anyone else much.
I’m only friends with Diamond-san and Kitasan-san, so honestly…
it didn’t make much of a difference.” Keiko carefully changed “made zero difference” to “didn’t make much of a difference.” But this didn’t stop the principal’s facial muscles from twitching.
“S-So…
does that mean your acceptance into Todai has almost nothing to do with our school?” The principal leaned back, his head buzzing.
He had assumed this was the proud result of his careful leadership and teaching methods.
Yet Keiko had honestly told him that the school’s only contribution was probably just providing her with a dorm bed.
“How could this be…” “Strictly speaking…
yes.” Keiko delivered the final blow.
It wasn’t that she didn’t understand the principal’s intentions.
But she didn’t want to lie.
After all, the only reason she wanted to get into Todai was to use its resources to make her own life easier.
From the start to the finish, the school really hadn’t done much.
If she had to name one thing, it was probably approving her two-week leave…
The principal felt as if he were on a roller coaster, dropping from the highest peak straight to the lowest valley.
He even began to wonder if there was something wrong with his educational philosophy.
He had such an outstanding student, yet he had been completely unaware of her existence until after she passed the exam.
This was an unacceptable oversight for an educator.
He had countless opportunities to help this girl, but he had failed to do so.
The principal went silent.
As an educator, he had his pride.
He naturally couldn’t force his student to lie.
Since the school hadn’t helped her, and this was entirely the result of her own hard work, the school shouldn’t steal her glory.
Looking as if he had aged several years, he slumped in his chair.
“Tojo Keiko, does this school hold any fond memories for you?” He asked.
The most brilliant student he had ever seen in his life was standing right in front of him.
As an educator, he wanted to raise outstanding students, but…
somewhere along the way, he had distanced himself from the front lines of teaching.
He had sat in this office, pretending to plan everything, when in reality he was just posturing.
He had stood too far away, unable to see the students who actually needed his help.
Keiko had truly given him a lesson…
The principal sighed, almost shedding a tear.
Everything he felt was compressed into that single question.
“Does this school hold any fond memories for you?” “Of course.” Keiko nodded.
“Diamond-san and Kitasan-san helped me with a lot of things.
They were willing to reach out to someone like me and even became my friends.
And I believe the relaxed atmosphere of this school is thanks to your insistence, Principal…
So, I actually quite like this school.” ‘Rather than liking the school, she just likes those two girls…’ The principal could easily read between the lines.
Perhaps he really had distanced himself too far from the front lines of education, but it wasn’t too late.
The principal stood up, walked around his heavy desk, and approached the girl.
He pulled up a small stool and sat at almost the same height as her.
Looking at Keiko’s slightly nervous expression, he extended his hand.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.
Congratulations on getting into the University of Tokyo.
This is your own achievement—the result of your own excellence.
As your principal, I am proud.
But as an educator, I feel I have failed.
Starting today, I will step out of this office and go back to the front lines to see if my children need help from their principal.” Betting on his pride as an educator— —