On the bus, Nakajima Shin’s heavy eyelids kept drooping, but he forced them open time and again.
If he let himself drift off now, he’d easily miss his stop.
He shook himself awake, pulled out his phone, and tried to kill some time.
That gave him an idea.
He still didn’t know much about Tokai Teio, especially not the girl who’d broken her legs four times.
He opened the academy’s internal forum, searched her name, and started digging into her past.
After reading Teio’s own posts and the comments from other Umamusume below, he finally pieced together his trainee’s history.
A frown tugged at his lips.
“So even Rudolf didn’t want her to keep racing?”
He’d always assumed that no matter what, Symboli Rudolf would never outright tell Teio to stop.
At most, she’d probably hide behind a corner during races, nervously biting her handkerchief, terrified Teio might fall.
But this…
Really unbecoming of you, Symboli Rudolf.
How could even you be the one to stifle her urge to run?
To crush what makes an Umamusume an Umamusume.
Teio must’ve been devastated back then.
…Could the contract issue be tied to Rudolf?
After all, for a contract to take effect, it had to be approved by the Student Council, uploaded to the URA for registration, and clear a whole chain of bureaucracy before an Umamusume could officially compete.
If Symboli Rudolf could stop Teio’s racing dreams once, she could easily do it a second time.
The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
His exhausted brain actually kicked into gear.
Memories of Oguri Cap’s story and Rudolf’s own ideals surfaced, and a quiet anger began to simmer in his chest.
I really hope the contract has nothing to do with you.
Otherwise…
Heh.
Your words and your actions are completely at odds.
Nakajima Shin shook his head and put the phone away.
Right then, the bus PA chimed: Next stop, Tracen Academy.
He pressed the stop button, grabbed his bag, and stood up.
A few minutes later, he stepped off the bus and walked toward the gates.
The entrance was completely empty.
It was already past nine in the morning.
Students and staff alike had long since entered the campus, heading to classes or their desks.
If the academy hadn’t been briefed about the Gorgeous Clan’s trainer evaluation program, he’d already be marked tardy.
As he walked, he figured he’d just ask the Student Council about the contract, then slack off and nap until noon.
Trainers basically had nothing to do in the morning anyway.
At this hour, aside from special cases like Symboli Rudolf, practically every Umamusume was stuck in lectures learning racing theory.
Actual training didn’t start until the afternoon.
Umamusume without trainers drilled with military instructors.
Those with trainers trained on their own.
So a trainer’s actual workday was basically just the afternoon.
The Gorgeous Clan probably scheduled their evaluations in the morning and practice sessions in the evening for this exact reason.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Nakajima Shin nodded to Shinkawa Tsunahime, who was still standing by the gate.
He took a few steps onto campus, and out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Tokai Teio crouched behind a wall, staring at him with big, pleading eyes like a pitiful stray dog.
“Teio…”
Before he could finish, Teio launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around him.
Her voice cracked.
“Trainer, why did it take you so long…”
“Is something wrong?” He kept his expression neutral, patting the back of her head to soothe her.
His gaze lingered on her exhausted face, and his stomach dropped.
So something actually went wrong.
Teio kept her head down, her fingers gripping his shirt tightly.
“I can’t be your trainee anymore.”
“Why not?”
“The President rejected our contract.”
Nakajima Shin’s brows furrowed.
So she really was the one blocking it.
“Did she give a reason?”
“No.
She told you to come see her yourself.
So I’ve been waiting here for you.”
“You could’ve just texted me.
Did you really need to stand out here like this?”
“Because I want to go with you,” Teio shot back, her head snapping up.
Fire burned in her eyes.
“I need to hear her say why she rejected us, with my own ears!”
Yesterday’s conversation clearly hadn’t gone well.
Otherwise, why would Teio, who usually revered the President, look this furious?
Nakajima Shin nodded.
“Alright.
Let’s go see her.”
“Yes!”
A few minutes later, Nakajima Shin arrived at the Student Council office, yawning.
“Trainer, you look so exhausted.
Did you not sleep well last night?” Teio asked, noticing the dark circles under his eyes.
“Didn’t sleep at all.
Was busy drafting training plans for you and Urara.”
He yawned again, wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes, completely oblivious to the faint blush dusting his trainee’s cheeks.
Teio awkwardly twirled a strand of hair behind her ear, leaning in close to whisper, “Please don’t pull all-nighters like this again.
It’s terrible for your health.
Just get some proper rest once we’re done here.”
The warmth of her breath against his ear made him shift uncomfortably.
He sidestepped, wondering why she felt the need to get so close when she could’ve just said it from a normal distance.
Still, he replied smoothly, “Got it.”
He knocked lightly on the wooden door.
After hearing Rudolf’s voice say, “Come in,” he turned the handle and stepped inside.
Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across the wall, bare of curtains.
Morning sunlight poured in, casting a golden halo around Symboli Rudolf as she sat behind her desk.
With her face turned toward the light, shadows fell across her features, making her look both sacred and imposing.
“You’ve arrived,” Rudolf said, her voice low and steady.
Putting on an act?
Not in the mood to play along, Nakajima Shin ignored the theatrics.
He grabbed two chairs from the side, dragged them to the desk, and sat down.
Only after Teio took her seat beside him did he reply, casually, “Yep.
We’re here.”
Rudolf’s eyes narrowed.
She’d already been displeased that this trainer had gotten Teio to sign a contract.
Now, her irritation only deepened.
She poured herself a cup of black tea, took a sip, and spoke evenly.
“I assume you’re here about the contract.”
“Is that really necessary to ask?” Shin shot back, tone sharp.
“If not for the contract, what else would I be doing here?
Just wasting our time?”
Teio felt a little thrill of satisfaction at his words, but she still secretly tugged his sleeve with her left hand, signaling him to dial it back.
After all, Symboli Rudolf stood at the absolute peak of the Japanese Umamusume racing world.
She had massive fan support and immense influence.
You might find someone at Tracen who didn’t know who President Akiyama Yayoi was, but there was no one who didn’t recognize President Rudolf.
Offending her like this could seriously hurt his career prospects.
Seeing him dare to challenge her authority, especially in front of the Umamusume she cared for most, Rudolf’s expression turned icy.
She rested her chin on her knuckles, her tone sharpening:
“Do not disrespect me!”
The moment the words left her lips, the stern, unyielding aura she usually kept hidden behind her gentle demeanor flooded the room.
It felt like the temperature in the room dropped several degrees.
To this,
Nakajima Shin just yawned.
He stuck his index finger into the teapot to test the temperature.
Finding it lukewarm, he casually picked it up and poured some straight into his mouth.
He’d been chugging energy drinks all night.
He was parched.
“…”
Teio’s eyes widened in shock, but she stayed silent.
If her Trainer was going to do this, she wouldn’t interrupt him.
Anything that needed saying could wait until later.
Rudolf’s eye twitched.
The urge to slam her fist on the desk and stand up was overwhelming.
Only her need to maintain dignity and preserve her image in Teio’s eyes stopped her from doing exactly that.
How long has it been?
she thought, frustration bubbling.
Since I became the [Emperor], when was the last time someone dared to act this disrespectfully?
And now this person shows up, wanting to be Tokai Teio’s trainer…
It’s an outright insult.
He doesn’t even see me as an authority figure!