Inside the Student Council room, Rudolf was engrossed in her work. A person stood uncomfortably before her, not daring to speak and interrupt. The Central Committee had approached Rudolf multiple times, but she had always turned them down, citing her heavy workload.
Envoys came one after another, and most, like this one, could only wait helplessly after delivering their message.
After what felt like an eternity, Rudolf slowly looked up. "What was it you said?"
The messenger hastily replied, "It's nothing major, Your Majesty the Emperor. The Committee simply hopes you can attend the meeting on time. There are important matters to discuss."
"Alright, I understand."
Rudolf neither refused nor agreed. The messenger, caught in a bind, could only take his leave for now. As for the Central Committee, Rudolf didn't need to guess—they undoubtedly wanted to hold Symboli Kris accountable for the Autumn Tenno Sho incident.
"Mmm... Mmmph!" Rudolf stretched her arms wide, letting out a long sigh. She was alone in the vast Student Council room. When Brian had free time, she liked to nap on the rooftop. Air Groove was busy handling the various minor issues caused by the Umamusume.
"How long have I been Student Council President?" Rudolf wondered aloud, walking to the window and gazing at the scenery outside.
Too long, she thought. So long that I can't even remember anymore.
"Alright, it's about time I went to the meeting." Rudolf smiled, pushing aside her melancholy. The Central Committee still needed her. This was no time for sentimentality.
When Rudolf entered the meeting room, she fully embodied the Emperor's persona—or rather, this was the version of her the public knew best.
The Committee members' faces were dark, clearly displeased with the Emperor's willful behavior. Rudolf scanned the room and noted that Kashimoto Riko was unusually absent.
It seems the Director's return has shaken them considerably. They should be realizing the problem now, Rudolf thought, knowing the Committee would never discuss the Director's situation with her.
Rudolf pulled out a chair and plopped down with none of the Emperor's usual grace, perhaps deliberately provoking the Committee. The members' brows furrowed at her actions, but they ultimately said nothing.
"Your Majesty the Emperor," one of them began, "you know what we're here to discuss, don't you?"
"Hmm... Is this about the transfer of power from Director Akikawa?"
Rudolf had a knack for hitting a raw nerve, and the Committee members' faces darkened even further. They knew Kashimoto Riko was no longer under their control, but the situation had developed so suddenly that they couldn't find a replacement now that Director Akikawa was back in the picture.
The root of the problem was that Kashimoto Riko had been in the same boat as them, yet she'd dragged everyone down with her—including herself.
A member slammed his fist on the table several times. "We're here to discuss Kris's dereliction of duty!"
"Kris's dereliction of duty? I wasn't aware of any."
"Why did she interfere with other racers on the final straight?"
Rudolf found this amusing. "Isn't interfering with opponents normal in a race? What's there to discuss?"
"Kris had a significant lead at that point! Why didn't she just sprint for the finish line?"
"How would I know? I'm not Kris," Rudolf retorted shamelessly.
"You!" The member seethed at Rudolf's attitude, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Fine. Then what about the fact that Kris lost the race?"
"A loss is a loss. What's there to discuss? Everyone loses sometimes."
"You made us a promise," a Committee member said, staring intently at Rudolf.
"I promised you that Kris would race on your behalf. I never guaranteed she would win."
Rudolf had indeed made such a promise. It was just that no one had ever imagined a Symboli racer could lose.
"Fine. We won't pursue the matter of Kris. That wasn't the main purpose of this meeting anyway. We're here to discuss Her Majesty the Emperor's attitude."
"My attitude?"
"Let's be frank. The others are just icing on the cake. As long as the Emperor stands with us, everything else is manageable. We understand you wish to retire. Rest assured, we're already preparing a successor."
"Oh?"
"So I trust Her Majesty the Emperor hasn't forgotten our agreement, nor the oath she swore before the Three Goddesses."
Beyond this statement, the Committee's subsequent flattery subtly and repeatedly alluded to Sirius. Rudolf understood their meaning perfectly. Kashimoto Riko's betrayal had undoubtedly instilled fear in them.
The feeling of power, once held so firmly, suddenly beginning to waver—it was a sensation impossible to reconcile with.
"I understand," Rudolf said, giving the Members a firm answer. "I'll say it again: as long as I am here, nothing will be a problem."
"No matter what?" The Members' gazes seemed to bore into Rudolf, trying to discern the truth behind her words.
"Of course," Rudolf replied, leaning back lazily in her chair.
She occasionally adopted this posture—utterly indifferent to everything, yet paradoxically appearing more like a king than ever.
The Members conferred quietly among themselves. Uninterested, Rudolf simply propped her chin on her hand and let her mind drift.
"Forgive our presumption, Your Majesty. We naturally trust you. It's just... the rules."
"Yes," Rudolf mused. "The rules."
She rose to her feet and waved a dismissive hand. "That's enough. I've grown tired of this."
The Members bowed their heads in unison. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Long after Rudolf had departed, the Members remained with their heads lowered.
"So, are you satisfied?" a voice echoed from the darkness—the Chief Judge's.
"It doesn't matter," the voice replied. "I'm not interested."
The Members kept their bodies pressed low, but their eyes gleamed like a wolf pack under the moon. As always, they still held the reins of power.
The Spring Tenno Sho was held as scheduled, despite the controversy surrounding Rice Shower's participation. But the Tenno Sho was the Tenno Sho, and the Kyoto Racecourse was still packed to the rafters.
As one of the three jewels of the Spring Triple Crown, and thanks to McQueen's outstanding performances in recent years, Central's attention on the Spring Tenno Sho was greater than ever.
Unfortunately, McQueen was absent this year due to injury. Otherwise, the race's prestige would have soared even higher. Through McQueen's efforts, the Spring Tenno Sho had become a top-tier event, second only to the Japan Cup. Countless Umamusume now vied for the coveted Tenno Sho Trophy.
The year McQueen was absent was the year of greatest opportunity.
Many Umamusume at Central shared this sentiment. After all, injuries were a constant risk for racers, and it wasn't uncommon for a career to be cut short by an unexpected accident.
One might be standing on the racetrack today, only to never return tomorrow.
The idea that this could be their one and only chance wasn't just a joke. The proof of being "the Strongest" lay at the end of the Spring Road.
This year, nearly every prominent figure had appeared at the Spring Tenno Sho. There's no need to list all the heavyweight names.
Even lone wolves like Narita Brian made a rare appearance at the Kyoto Racecourse. In addition, star racers from the Gold Generation, BNW, and the 00 Generation also flocked to the scene.
It was an unprecedented spectacle. Clearly, this Spring Tenno Sho was a rare opportunity for all of Central. Although the lineup wasn't the most star-studded, the race had taken on special significance due to the "Anti-McQueen Policy" and Manhattan Cafe's participation.
Fans of Cafe didn't want to miss her final battle, so they carved out time from their daily lives, hoping to witness the very last moment.
On the track, the Umamusume warmed up. Rice Shower muttered to herself, focusing her mind in her own way. Cafe stood motionless on the field, her eyes closed.
Kousei noticed a cryptic smile on Tachyon's face across the way. Tachyon, in turn, caught Kousei's gaze and grinned even more wildly.
Kousei muttered to herself, "Could Tachyon have been the one who talked Cafe into entering this race?"
But why would Tachyon do that?
Unable to understand, Kousei turned her attention back to the racers on the track. The commentator's voice droned on, introducing the competitors. As usual during the warm-up period, most people paid little attention.
"17, 10, 26..." Rice Shower suddenly bumped into something and staggered back. "I'm sorry! I wasn't paying attention!"
She apologized profusely, and only when she looked up did she realize she had collided with Cafe. Since the audience's attention was fixed on the racers, this minor incident was naturally noticed by everyone.
Cafe turned and glanced at Rice Shower. "It's fine."
"Huh?" Rice Shower froze, slightly stunned.
In the stands, Kousei suddenly became agitated, gripping the railing with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"What's wrong, Kousei?" Speedstar asked, puzzled by Kousei's abrupt outburst.
Kousei didn't answer. In a rare display of losing her composure, she stared intently at Cafe on the track until she was absolutely certain.
"That's not Cafe!"