At the Autumn Tenno Sho, Sirius Symboli achieved an unimaginably bad result.
Of course, this was unavoidable, after all, it was time for her competitive career as an Uma Musume to enter the Dream Trophy.
High‑intensity races like these were better left to the younger Uma Musume.
So, during this upcoming break, she had a very important thing to do.
In the latter half of November, Sirius Symboli once again arrived across from Tokai Shizen's restaurant.
She didn't enter rashly, because she saw that there were still quite a few people inside the restaurant. Noticing this, Sirius Symboli just stood across from the shop, waiting for the customers in the restaurant to leave.
Sirius Symboli had long anticipated the popularity of Tokai Shizen's restaurant, because she knew it would be strange if Tokai Shizen's excellent cooking didn't attract people.
She just... took out her phone and checked.
Sirius Symboli realized that it was already half past ten at night, nearly six hours had passed since she arrived here in the afternoon.
And only then did Tokai Shizen's restaurant finally become idle.
Looking at the restaurant, where only Tokai Shizen remained under the lights.
Sirius Symboli then walked to the restaurant door.
She didn't push the door open directly.
Instead, she tapped on the glass with her hand; she didn't want her sudden appearance to startle the other person again.
Not long after tapping the glass.
Tokai Shizen's voice came from inside the shop.
"Um, we're closed, you can come back tomorrow morning."
"It's me, Sirius Symboli."
A simple introduction.
Then,
The clatter of kitchenware falling to the ground reached Sirius Symboli's ears.
Hearing such a sound, Sirius Symboli did not push the door open, nor did she speak. She was waiting for Tokai Shizen to say something.
A few minutes later, Tokai Shizen's voice finally came through.
"You, what are you doing here?"
Listening to Tokai Shizen's slightly trembling voice, Sirius Symboli just looked at the tightly closed door.
Looking at the figure behind the frosted glass, barely recognizable as a person, Sirius Symboli merely exhaled a puff of white mist: "Do you want me to tell Tokai Roman that you're still alive?"
A long silence.
Tokai Shizen, standing behind the door, also looked at the blurry figure on the other side of the frosted glass.
She knew her sister cared for her greatly, but she hadn't expected her sister still didn't believe she was dead.
So... "Can, can you tell, my sister, that I..."
After a slight pause, Tokai Shizen hadn't expected it would be so difficult to admit her current situation to someone who still cared, but in the end, she still spoke the words:
"That I am already dead?"
"...Okay."
After saying this, Sirius Symboli just took out her phone and glanced at it.
It was already ten forty.
It had been an hour since the dormitory curfew.
After confirming the time, Sirius Symboli continued: "I'll be staying at the Tokai Family's place for a while starting tomorrow."
"Mm..."
"I'm going there to investigate Tokai Teio's bloodline issue. If it's confirmed to be that scoundrel's and your child, do you want me to bring her out?"
Sirius Symboli, posing this question, simply leaned against one side of the door frame, waiting for Tokai Shizen's response.
"The Symboli Family..."
"The Symboli Family isn't a problem." Saying this, Sirius Symboli recalled the things she had seen in the documents.
Unlike Rudolph Symboli, Sirius Symboli, due to her experience on overseas expeditions, wasn't so concerned with matters of local Japanese families. Instead, this experience allowed her to empathize with the situation of common Uma Musume.
Moreover, the Symboli Family still had one last person who could resolve most problems, so she wasn't panicking.
Tokai Shizen, standing inside the restaurant, listened to Sirius Symboli's words, and she merely opened her mouth.
Sirius Symboli's words moved Tokai Shizen.
This was beyond doubt.
Because no mother with a conscience could tolerate her child being taken away right after birth.
However... reality told Tokai Shizen that she couldn't possibly raise an Uma Musume.
If she hadn't been sickly, perhaps she could have raised Teio, but her illness made her unable to bear the resources Teio would need as an Uma Musume.
So... "I'm sorry."
Tokai Shizen lowered her head, abandoning her idea.
"You don't need her..."
Sirius Symboli, standing outside the door, looked up at the sunshade extending from above the shop entrance, gazing at the pattern on the sunshade.
Sirius Symboli adjusted her stance: "I'm leaving."
Saying this, Sirius Symboli stepped forward.
But then she heard Tokai Shizen's words.
"Do you have a place to stay?"
"Don't worry about me."
After giving this answer, Sirius Symboli took a step. She had already understood Tokai Shizen's intention, but she still refused.
And this time, without hesitation, she directly stepped forward.
She had to go; she still didn't have a place to sleep tonight.
The figure beyond the frosted glass gradually moved away.
And Tokai Shizen did not push open the shop door.
From beginning to end, the two of them never communicated face‑to‑face, but... pulling open the shop door, Tokai Shizen could only see the gradually receding figure.
Watching the gradually departing Sirius Symboli, Tokai Shizen wanted to say something, but she didn't know how to begin, and in the end, she could only watch Sirius Symboli gradually fade into the distance.
When Sirius Symboli disappeared from sight.
Tokai Shizen merely clasped her hands together: "I hope she stays safe."
After offering a brief prayer for Sirius Symboli, Tokai Shizen closed the shop door.
She still needed to tidy up the kitchen.
Just now, she had been startled by Sirius Symboli's voice and had knocked over the neatly arranged pots.
Looking at the pots lying on the floor, Tokai Shizen just sighed, then, while rearranging the fallen pots and spoons and similar items,
The time had already reached eleven o'clock.
After checking the wall clock to confirm the time, Tokai Shizen quickly locked the door, then turned off the lights and went upstairs.
On the second floor of the restaurant, Tokai Mochizuki, sleeping in the crib, was still as quiet as ever.
Looking at the crib where Tokai Mochizuki lay.
Tokai Shizen did not lament her present situation as she had before.
Because she felt that everything seemed to be getting better.
Although Teio was still not by her side.
But, at least the current situation was improving.
Thinking this, Tokai Shizen lay directly on the bed.
In the darkness, a slight sound came.
"Good night."