Chapter 19. Public Opinion
However, the moment they arrived in the underground tunnel, Iizuka Yoshitsugu realized his worries had been entirely unnecessary.
Shuta An was smiling—brightly, almost dazzlingly—as if the one who had just claimed victory by a wide margin was not Mihono Bourbon, but he and Rice Shower.
"I didn't let you down," Shuta An said after dismounting. "We secured the Satsuki Sho ticket."
Iizuka Yoshitsugu lowered his head slightly, his tone tinged with guilt.
"I apologize… I didn't expect Rice Shower to be left that far behind Mihono Bourbon. It seems I was too optimistic."
"It's nothing," Shuta An replied with a casual wave of his hand.
He spoke as if the outcome had long been within his expectations.
"Rice Shower's development is still very average right now. Look at Mihono Bourbon—his hindquarters are fully built, packed with muscle. At this stage, how could Rice Shower be his opponent?"
Hearing that, Iizuka Yoshitsugu felt a weight lift from his chest. He nodded, convinced.
"Then… what should our goal be for the Satsuki Sho?"
Unknowingly, the center of decision-making had already shifted. Without realizing it, Iizuka Yoshitsugu had begun to rely entirely on Shuta An's judgment.
"Top five," Shuta An answered without hesitation. "We need a stable finish to secure priority entry for the Japanese Derby."
"I believe you and Rice Shower can do it!" Iizuka said immediately. "Time is on our side."
For a brief moment, Shuta An looked slightly surprised—before a faint smile curved across his lips.
"Exactly. Time is on our side."
His gaze deepened, as if already looking far beyond the present.
"When the Kikuka Sho comes… let's give Toyama-shi and Mihono Bourbon a real surprise."
"Still…" Iizuka hesitated, unable to suppress his concern. "If Mihono Bourbon wins the first two crowns smoothly, won't the pressure at the Kikuka Sho become overwhelming?"
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Last year, Tokai Teio achieved an undefeated Triple Crown. If Mihono Bourbon does the same, the public will definitely anticipate a showdown between them. And if Rice Shower defeats Mihono Bourbon at that point—"
He didn't finish the sentence.
But the implication was clear.
Shuta An simply raised a finger, then pointed at himself.
"There's no need to worry about that."
His tone was calm, yet filled with quiet confidence.
"Rice Shower's partner is me."
Iizuka Yoshitsugu froze for a moment—then understood.
If the one to shatter the public's expectations was Tokai Teio's main jockey, then the backlash would never fall entirely on Rice Shower.
The burden would be carried by Shuta An himself.
—
When Shuta An opened his eyes again, he had already returned from the Dream World.
Instinctively, he turned his head.
Beside him, Silence Suzuka was still asleep, her head resting lightly on his arm. Her breathing was steady, her expression peaceful—clearly lost in deep slumber.
The memory of the previous night lingered.
Their long-awaited intimacy had stretched late into the night, and in the end, it was the more experienced Shuta An who held a slight advantage.
Carefully, he withdrew his arm and slipped out of bed, trying not to disturb her.
Today was a rest day. Tomorrow, they would depart for Hong Kong.
"I still need to ask Grace to prepare a hotel," he murmured to himself while getting ready. "Once Suzuka is settled, I'll have to return to Japan— Dober's Oka Sho is coming."
Because of his overseas expedition, his understanding of this year's Classic generation in Japan was still incomplete. He had only heard scattered results from preparatory races, without conducting any detailed analysis.
Among them, one name stood out—Kyoei March.
Her performance in the Hochi Hai Fillies Revue had drawn significant attention. Over a distance of just 1400 meters, she had opened a 1.1-second gap over Sabuno Hana Park, a horse widely recognized as a future sprint star.
That level of dominance was anything but ordinary.
"After I return, I'll need to properly analyze Kyoei March," Shuta An muttered. "And see if the groundwork I laid against her back then still applies."
He recalled what Kitahara had told him earlier.
Although Sabuno Hana Park had lost badly, the main reason had been a serious mistake at the start, which disrupted the entire race strategy. Her late charge to secure second place had relied purely on her own ability.
Unwilling to accept that defeat, she had personally requested entry into the Oka Sho.
"I know I might not be suited for 1600 meters," she had said, "but I can't accept losing like that because of my own mistake. I want to prove myself—I want to get ahead of her."
Those words had been relayed to him by Kitahara in the underwater restaurant of the Burj Khalifa.
But Shuta An did not intend to accept them at face value.
"I'll confirm it myself," he decided. "I need to see the race footage."
After finishing his preparations, he instructed the butler to arrange breakfast for Silence Suzuka before heading downstairs for a walk.
As he passed the training grounds, he spotted a familiar figure.
Oguri Cap was jogging.
"I thought Ann would wake up much later," she muttered, a hint of jealousy slipping into her voice.
"Haven't my routines always been normal?" Shuta An replied with a shrug. "You should focus on preparing for the Dream Trophy Series."
"Of course I will," Oguri Cap said, sticking out her tongue playfully. "With prize money like that, how could I not?"
"The winner gets fifteen million dollars…that's several years' worth of earnings in the Twinkle Series."
Shuta An let out a quiet sigh.
"No wonder everyone fights so hard to enter."
Even for him, that figure felt excessive.
If he were funding the race himself, he would never set such an outrageous prize.
—
That night, after settling both Silence Suzuka and Oguri Cap to sleep, Shuta An switched rooms and quickly fell asleep once more.
In the Dream World, he had already left the Mihou Training Center, ending his month-long stay in Kanto and returning to Kyoto.
And on that same day, Matsumoto Shoichi officially announced his decision—
He would register for the Prix Ganay.
The news sent ripples through the racing world.
Most had expected Tokai Teio to remain in Japan and face Mejiro McQueen in the Spring Tenno Sho.
Instead, she had chosen to go overseas.
Surprisingly, this decision silenced many critics. After all, competing abroad—and winning a G1—remained an almost unattainable feat.
Even Symboli Rudolf had failed to achieve it.
Oguri Cap had gone to the United States, but the level of turf racing there was considered comparatively lower.
Under such circumstances, few people truly believed that this new undefeated Triple Crown winner could succeed.
"The only consolation," one media outlet remarked dryly, "is that Tokai Teio probably won't surpass Symboli Rudolf's overseas ranking record—after all, there are only six horses entered in the Prix Ganay."
After flying from Dubai to Hong Kong, Shuta An did not immediately transfer onward. Instead, he brought Silence Suzuka to the hotel Grace had arranged, intending to settle her in first before anything else.
When the car sent by the hotel arrived at their destination, even Shuta An couldn't help but feel impressed.
"It's only 2.5 kilometers from Sha Tin Racecourse— probably the best-equipped hotel nearby," he muttered to himself as he stepped out. "An executive suite, too."
He glanced briefly at Suzuka beside him, his thoughts continuing.
"Even if she's staying alone most of the time, it's not excessive. Custom nutrition, full facilities—even when I'm not here, I won't have to worry about her."
After ensuring everything was properly arranged, he took a quick shower, then gathered his luggage without lingering. Soon after, he was already on his way back to the airport.
Silence Suzuka watched him go.
For a fleeting moment, she had wanted to ask him to stay—just for one night, just to rest.
But in the end, she said nothing.
She understood too well why he was leaving in such a hurry.
"I can't let my own selfishness affect Dober-chan's preparation—"
After finishing her bath, she lay quietly on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Her thoughts drifted.
Oguri Cap. Berno Light.
She knew better than anyone that her own happiness had only been possible because of the understanding and restraint of those before her. She wasn't someone who could simply ignore that and act on impulse.
Still—
A faint pout formed on her lips.
"I just hope Dober-chan wins the Oka Sho smoothly—"
Her voice softened into a murmur.
"otherwise—"
She didn't finish the sentence.
—
By the time Shuta An returned to Japan, it was already eight in the evening.
His itinerary hadn't been leaked, so there were no reporters waiting at the airport. But that didn't mean the media had been idle.
On the contrary, discussions were already circulating—centered on Silence Suzuka's registration for the Hong Kong Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
Having once challenged Hong Kong before, her entry this time was widely interpreted as a form of redemption—for the loss she had suffered in the Hong Kong International Cup years prior.
Back home, Shuta An didn't even bother to shower.
He simply collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
The journey—from Dubai to Hong Kong, then onward to Japan—had taken its toll. At that moment, he would have much preferred spending ten hours in bed with Oguri Cap over enduring that kind of exhaustion again.
After a day of adjusting to the time difference, by Thursday, he finally resumed work.
Kitahara and the others who had traveled to Dubai had already returned to their routines. Shuta An was the last to rejoin.
That morning, he clocked in as usual.
But instead of heading to his workstation, he grabbed a can of sparkling water from the fridge and turned toward the exit.
"Ann-san, where are you going?" Kitahara called out, puzzled.
"I'm heading to the Student Council office," Shuta An replied without stopping.
"The Student Council office?" Kitahara muttered under his breath.
He didn't ask further.
There were some things he had learned not to pry into.
"Probably going to see 'Rudolph,'" he guessed, recalling their earlier conversation in Dubai.
—
Standing before the door, Shuta An knocked lightly.
"Come in."
The voice from inside was calm and familiar.
He pushed the door open.
"Good morning, Miss 'Rudolph.'"
Symboli Rudolf looked up, unsurprised.
"As expected of you, Shuta-kun. I knew you would come."
"Good," Shuta An said as he sat down on the sofa, placing the can on the table. A clearly insincere smile appeared on his face. "Then you should know what I'm here for."
He leaned back slightly.
"So… where's my reward?"
Rudolf turned her head slightly, an awkward hint creeping into her expression.
"About that. I had hoped to settle it earlier, but it's still being processed."
"Then at least give me a preview," Shuta An said, raising an eyebrow. "I should have that right."
After a brief pause, Rudolf sighed and stood up, moving from behind her desk to sit opposite him.
"It's my personal proposal," she began. "I suggested adding a sub-name to the Yayoi Sho… the race Oguri Cap once won."
Before she could continue, Shuta An already understood.
"Oguri Cap Memorial Yayoi Sho?"
"Exactly," Rudolf admitted, rubbing her nose lightly. "But the URA Association is still discussing it."
That was only natural.
Even Symboli Rudolf herself did not have a Central Grade race named after her. For Oguri Cap to even be considered for such recognition was already extraordinary.
But Shuta An wasn't impressed.
"That doesn't count as my reward," he said flatly. "Oguri's achievements already deserve that."
Rudolf's lips twitched.
"I had a feeling that wouldn't satisfy you."
"So," Shuta An continued, picking up his sparkling water, "where's the real reward?"
Rudolf hesitated for a moment—then reached into her pocket and pulled out a card.
"Here."
She tossed it toward him.
Shuta An caught it casually—and the moment he saw what it was—
"Pfft—!"
The water he hadn't swallowed sprayed straight out.
Rudolf reacted instantly, stepping aside just in time to avoid the splash.
"How is it?" she asked, crossing her arms. "I arranged this privately. If you misuse it, it will affect my reputation. So I suggest you only use it when absolutely necessary."
Shuta An lowered his gaze again.
In his hand was a dormitory access card for Central Tracen Academy.
Something a Trainer should never possess.
"With this card," Rudolf continued as she returned to her desk, "you won't be stopped from entering the dorms. But that doesn't mean you can act freely. Be mindful of the consequences."
Shuta An stared at the card for a moment longer.
Then, almost instinctively, a thought surfaced in his mind—
I should ask Teio and the others about the dorm soundproofing later.
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