Is it possible to hide what you’ve done from a creature that surpasses humanity?
The answer is no.
It is completely impossible.
Things you wouldn’t even consider or think to hide are crystal clear to a being that surpasses human limits.
Take a faint scent, for example.
Even if you sprayed yourself with odor eliminator, the subtle, lingering smell trapped in your hair could still betray you.
Trying to genuinely deceive an Uma Musume is an almost impossible task.
In reality, there is only one reason you could ever successfully deceive a horse girl: she is letting you do it on purpose.
She is only “deceived” because she truly loves you.
Otherwise, your heartbeat, your body language, and every tiny expression you make are magnified and displayed right in front of her.
When a person lies, their awkwardness is as exaggerated as a cartoon character.
How could they possibly not notice?
“You really have a lot of nerve, playing both sides between me and Mr.
C.B.
But that girl is clearly just using you to deliver her declaration of war to me.
What a truly annoying person.
And as for you…
how should I punish a traitor?”
“!!!!”
“Hehe, there is no need to be nervous.”
Looking at Akira, who was standing at the doorway too terrified to even step inside his own room, Symboli Rudolf smiled faintly from her chair.
She stood up and pulled him inside.
The warm, familiar scent of his own room enveloped his body, slightly driving away the chill that had gripped his spine.
Symboli Rudolf returned to her seat.
Casually waving the tip of her pen, she looked at the trembling Akira and let out a soft chuckle.
“It was merely a joke.
You don’t need to worry.
That kind of clumsy attempt to sow discord only amuses me.
After all, I actually like you quite a bit.”
“Huh?
You like me?”
“Yes, I like you very much.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, Symboli Rudolf sat back in the chair and smiled brilliantly.
As if adolescent awkwardness and shyness simply didn’t exist for her, the Emperor of Tracen casually crossed her slender, long legs wrapped in black stockings.
Her face beamed with a full smile, completely unbothered about openly declaring her favor for the man in front of her.
(TL:Dawg, china author loved leg way too much)
However, this very demeanor made Akira instantly realize exactly what this so called “like” and “favor” actually meant.
What Symboli Rudolf meant by “like” was strictly the way one appreciates a highly useful tool.
From the perspective of utility, someone like Kato Akira was perhaps the most perfectly suited tool for Symboli Rudolf.
From that angle, she liked him very much.
“Are you surprised?
In reality, you are not as ordinary as you think.
You are indeed quite special, Prospective Trainer-kun.
Because among all the bottom tier janitors, you are the only one who actively wants to become a Trainer through your own hard work.
I like that.”
“You have dreams.
You have ambition burning in your heart, and you want to use me and the other Uma Musume to climb to a higher position in life.
But most importantly, you are absolutely not someone who would throw everything away for the sake of an Uma Musume.
That is the most crucial point.”
“Because if you were truly infatuated with Uma Musume, you would inevitably lose yourself among us sooner or later.
But you…
you only need to make the choices that are most beneficial to yourself.
Isn’t that right?”
Wearing her red-framed glasses, Symboli Rudolf waved her hand and smiled at Akira, exposing the absolute biggest secret he was hiding.
He did not like Uma Musume that much.
(TL:Damn)
This was a taboo among taboos, a sin even more severe than breaking the academy’s contact regulations.
In this industry—no, in this entire world—such a topic was like a midnight horror story, enough to instantly make a person break out in a cold sweat.
Staring at Symboli Rudolf, who was smiling while casually dropping such a terrifying accusation, Akira subconsciously stumbled back two steps in panic.
He could only put up a tough front and angrily yell at the Emperor.
“W-what do you mean by that?!
Even if you are the Emperor, you can’t insult my love for Uma Musume!
I demand you apologize for that!”
“An insult?
I meant it quite literally, Prospective Trainer-kun.
In reality, you don’t really like Uma Musume, do you?”
“—!
Do you have any proof of that?!”
“It is very simple.
The answer is me.”
Facing the incredibly nervous Akira, Symboli Rudolf’s smile resembled that of an apex predator.
Her slender fingers lightly brushed down her own body—from her cheek, to her chest, her slender waist, and finally resting on her long, straight legs.
“If you were truly fanatical about Uma Musume and the Twinkle Series, the moment you saw me, your first reaction should have been excitement, disbelief, and a desire to worship me.
You shouldn’t be shrinking back in absolute terror like you are doing right now.
“I-I’m just the more rational type—”
“Even the most rational Trainer in the world wouldn’t remain indifferent when looking at my legs.” (TL:Dawg stop talking about leg!!!!
Though I’m kinda thigh person too but..ehem ehem…don’t worry about it)
Finally, reaching down to lightly snap her black stockings, the Emperor looked at the man who was still stubbornly trying to deny it, revealing an even more fascinating smile.
“Do you really think I wear stockings just to look pretty?
This is my most effective screening mechanism.
I never forget anyone who looks at me, nor do I forget the intensity and focus of their gaze.”
“The vast majority of people who are genuinely crazy about Uma Musume rarely look at my face or my figure.
Instead, their eyes remain glued to my legs, admiring the source of my speed and power.
But you are different.
You only look at my face and my figure.
You fear my power and authority as the Student Council President, but you care absolutely nothing for my legs or my running.”
“Yesterday, I only had a vague feeling about this, but now I am absolutely certain.
You do not like Uma Musume.
In fact, one could say you rather dislike us.
But you possess a strong, unwavering confidence that you can pick out the girls with the highest potential, and that is the only reason you want to become a Trainer.
Am I wrong?”
“…”
She was right.
She was absolutely right.
But who on earth would notice psychological details on that insane level?!
Because he didn’t stare at her thighs like a racing fanatic, it exposed the fact that he didn’t care about Uma Musume?!
This Emperor’s deduction logic was way too tyrannical and unreasonable!
Staring at the smiling Emperor, Akira felt a wave of icy coldness wash over his entire body, completely unsure of how to face her gaze.
“But this is fine.
I actually need someone with your perspective to judge the situation outside and the mindset of ordinary people.
Currently, the world’s fanaticism for Uma Musume has become far too severe and blinding.
I need a calm voice, an objective perspective to face everything.”
Surprisingly, it was the Emperor who took a step back first.
She dropped her highly aggressive accusation and smiled, acknowledging Akira’s qualifications as her pawn.
“There are times when I need to indulge myself a little as well.
Let’s add each other as friends on the messaging app.
Sometimes, I need a different perspective.”
“…”
Your idea of “indulging” yourself is just reading terrible cold puns and disguising your account as a ‘Cold Pun Bot’?!
Looking at the friend request from “Cold Pun Bot” that had just popped up on his phone, Akira decided to swallow this secret and take it to his grave.