January...
A young Uma Musume, around five years old, weaved through the racecourse, seemingly searching for the best viewing angle.
She had rushed here right after school, but still hadn't made it in time for the start of the race.
That was why she was now looking for a viewing angle, even though the race had already been underway for some time.
Soon, she found an empty spot.
She quickly ran over.
She stood on her tiptoes.
Not very tall, her head just barely cleared the railing when she stood on her tiptoes.
"They are currently entering the fourth turn from the third turn, with the Emperor running in seventh or eighth place."
"They're about to pass the fourth turn, they've passed the turn!"
It wasn't time to accelerate yet.
Rudolph Symboli, still stuck in the pack, came to this conclusion.
If it were in the past, she wouldn't accelerate at this point.
Now, even more so, as she wasn't sure if her remaining stamina was sufficient.
If she were to start accelerating at this turn, perhaps...
"Only the final straight remains, the main group is breaking out!"
Looking at the Uma Musume running on the track, the little Uma Musume's face was filled with longing.
And what she longed for was not just any Uma Musume running on the track, but a specific Uma Musume.
"The Emperor has moved to the outside lane! The last two hundred meters!"
The commentator's voice couldn't reach the Uma Musume on the track.
But as competitors in the Dream Trophy, they were all Uma Musume who had graduated from the Twinkle Series.
They all had their own standards for judgment.
And Rudolph's judgment of the current situation was...
"The Emperor is accelerating from the outside! The Emperor is accelerating from the outside! The Emperor is catching up from the outside!!"
The commentator's voice made the little Uma Musume try even harder to stand on her tiptoes; she wanted to see Rudolph Symboli overcome all her opponents.
Just like now.
"The Uma Musume in front of her are also trying hard!"
Unlike the commentator's understated description, Rudolph Symboli's current condition was not good.
She only felt that there wasn't a single part of her body that didn't ache, but even so...
Thinking of Tokai Teio's expectations for her, Rudolph Symboli would only continue to persevere.
Even though she clearly felt her body had reached its limit, she still pushed on.
"They are also trying hard! But! The Emperor is catching up irresistibly!!"
Everything on the track was reflected in Sirius Symboli's eyes.
As an Uma Musume of the Symboli Family, Sirius Symboli received Rudolph Symboli's physical condition report almost every so often.
She knew that Rudolph participating in the race now was undoubtedly harmful to her body, perhaps even completely sacrificing her future health.
But Sirius Symboli could also clearly see a little Uma Musume pressed against the railing, standing on her tiptoes.
Sirius Symboli had noticed her when she entered the venue.
So, she also understood why Rudolph Symboli was striving to this extent.
"The Emperor is continuously overtaking!"
Rudolph Symboli, running past the little Uma Musume directly in front of her, made the wide-eyed little Uma Musume let out an excited cheer.
The person she admired was continuously overtaking other competitors.
And that figure seemed to be telling everyone that even after nearly two years of not standing on any racecourse...
She was still the Emperor.
"No one can catch up now!"
"Too strong, the second-place runner has been completely left behind!"
"The Emperor! Has crossed the finish line!!"
"Successfully conquering seventeen other Uma Musume, after nearly two years away from the track, she has once again claimed victory!"
"Proving her name as the Emperor!"
Rudolph, gradually slowing down, down, did not turn around.
Her body was slightly bent, and the pain showed no signs of stopping.
Even Rudolph Symboli could feel her body's warnings.
But, Rudolph Symboli, turning her head slightly, saw the spectator stands.
As a competitor, she didn't know if that person was in the stands.
But...
Ignoring the pain in her body, Rudolph Symboli straightened up and looked towards the spectator stands.
The crowd was cheering, but the ringing in her ears prevented Rudolph Symboli from hearing their cheers,
and her gradually darkening vision told her she had to leave the track.
After the race was completely over, Rudolph Symboli sat in the lounge;
she had been able to maintain her composure on the track, but now she had shed her disguise, looking disheveled.
A slight sound of the door opening reached her ears,
making Rudolph Symboli, who was slumped over the lounge table, straighten up again.
"It's you..."
Noticing that the newcomer was Sirius Symboli, Rudolph Symboli's physical state relaxed once more.
Seeing Rudolph Symboli's behavior, Sirius Symboli merely sighed:
"Have months of effort paid off?"
"I don't know."
"Tokai Teio was in the stands just now."
"Really!"
A voice filled with pleasant surprise; even the pain in her body was considerably reduced by the news Sirius provided.
"Really."
Saying this, Sirius Symboli walked to Rudolph's side:
"Do you want to decline the post-race interview?"
Sirius Symboli's question made Rudolph hesitate for a moment.
She knew her physical condition.
At any moment, she could collapse.
But...
Thinking of the possibility that that child might also have been at the racecourse and would watch the interview later...
Leaning one hand on the table, Rudolph made herself stand up again:
"Let's go."
"Tsk..."
Rudolph Symboli's disregard for her own body made Sirius Symboli feel a subtle displeasure.
But whether that was truly the reason, only Sirius Symboli herself knew.
Rudolph, having stood up again, slightly adjusted her posture, then looked at Sirius:
"How do I look? There's nothing that can be noticed, right?"
"No."
Sirius's response gave Rudolph a little confidence.
Rudolph, taking another deep breath, looked at her:
"Then let's go."
"Do you need me to accompany you?"
Seeing Rudolph's re-straightened back and no longer swaying body, Sirius asked this question.
"Thank you."
After a simple reply, the two walked out of the lounge and made their way to the reporter interview area.
Accompanied by a few camera clicks, Rudolph Symboli didn't respond;
she merely looked at the reporters with indifference.
A tender voice then came from among the group of reporters.
"Excuse me."
This disrupted Rudolph's expression management.
"Hey, little sister, only authorized personnel can enter here..."
"No, it's alright."
Interrupting the reporter, Rudolph Symboli then looked at the other party:
"Is there something you want to say?"
A voice completely unlike an emperor's came from Rudolph Symboli's mouth.
"I, I, I want to become a powerful and cool Uma Musume just like Miss Emperor!"
"Is that so..."
Looking at the Uma Musume with dreams in front of her, Rudolph simply walked up to her:
"First, you shouldn't become an Uma Musume like me."
Slightly correcting her words:
"You need to become yourself."
Saying this, Rudolph Symboli bent down:
"Can you tell me your name?"
Rudolph Symboli already knew her name.
But... asking directly carried greater significance.
"To, Tokai Teio."
Tokai Teio's voice was a little timid.
Rudolph knew this was due to what she had just said.
But...
"I'd rather hear Tokai Teio's own name appear on the racetrack, not as Rudolph's successor, alright?"
"..."
Tokai Teio, stunned for a second, immediately understood her meaning:
"Mm!!!"
The excited Tokai Teio made Rudolph want to pat her head, but she ultimately held back:
"You must work hard."
"Tokai Shizen... I'm sorry... really...; Goodbye... Shizen..."
sitting in the Symboli Family's car.
Rudolph Symboli had completely given up on posture management.
For her now, inside this car with completely obscured windows, there was no longer much need for posture management.
After glancing at Rudolph, Sirius Symboli spoke again, a little helplessly:
"Let's go to the hospital first."
Sirius's words made the driver no longer hesitate, and he drove directly towards the Symboli Family's private hospital.
A faint sound came out...
"Sirius..."
Rudolph's voice was weak and powerless.
"Plane ticket..."
She didn't state the destination or origin.
Vague words,
Incomprehensible phrases.
But, it was enough.
A month and a half later, Rudolph Symboli, fully recovered, finally stood on this unfamiliar land.
She had never been to Europe.
Looking at her phone, Rudolph looked up and surveyed her surroundings.
Because Speed Symbol spent many years in France, Rudolph also knew some French.
Not much, but enough.
Since Speed Symbol couldn't possibly pick her up, Rudolph Symboli could only go by herself.
She opened the French Twitter region that she previously hadn't had the courage to open.
She couldn't find any news about Tokai Shizen.
Seeing this result, Rudolph Symboli exited the app, returned to the initial interface, and then chose to dial.
Soon, the call was connected.
"Rudolph?"
"Mm, I'm in France..."
As soon as she said this, Speed Symbol already understood Rudolph's meaning.
There was only one reason Rudolph would come here...
"Which airport are you at now? I'll come pick you up."
Taking out her plane ticket, Rudolph Symboli read out the name of the airport.
Then, the call was hung up.
The busy tone from the phone made Rudolph Symboli fall silent.
Soon, a car stopped in front of Rudolph.
Looking at the stopped car, Rudolph paused for a moment, then opened the door.
Sitting in the car was Speed Symbol.
Looking at her, Rudolph spoke:
"Where's the sports car?"
"Sold it, now a family car is more suitable."
Saying this, Speed Symbol glanced at Rudolph, then continued:
"Have you made your decision?"
"Mm, I have."
Rudolph Symboli, sitting upright, looked at the road ahead:
"Is she doing well now?"
"..."
Without responding, Speed Symbol was silent for a few seconds.
"She performed very well during the Dream Trophy."
"...Mm, thank you."
Rudolph, not getting a direct answer, didn't press further;
she knew she didn't have the right to ask more.
The interruption in their conversation made them stop talking.
About half an hour later, Speed Symbol drove back to her mansion.
Stopping steadily in front of the mansion's gate, Speed Symbol spoke again:
"I'll go ask about Shizen's situation."
"Mm..."
Her voice was low, but Rudolph still opened the car door.
Speed Symbol merely took a final look at Rudolph, then returned her gaze to the front.
The car started again.
In the rearview mirror was Rudolph standing on the sidewalk.
By the time Tokai Shizen was brought back, almost an hour had passed.
Rudolph was still standing there, her posture and position unchanged.
Looking at Rudolph standing there, Speed Symbol merely turned her head to Tokai Shizen, who was sitting in the passenger seat:
"I'll go pick up Mochizuki, and buy groceries while I'm at it."
The meaning expressed in her words merely elicited a thank you from Tokai Shizen:
"Thank you."
Then, she opened the car door and stood on the opposite side of the street.
At this moment, the two looked at each other.
In the instant they looked directly at each other,
although Tokai Shizen clearly knew that Rudolph Symboli had come to apologize,
her body still involuntarily trembled.
Tokai Shizen's trembling was not noticed by Rudolph.
With her slightly diminished eyesight, it was already difficult for her to catch the detailed movements of the person across the street.
But Tokai Shizen quickly adjusted her mindset.
And Rudolph Symboli finally took action.
She quickly crossed the road and finally reached Tokai Shizen's side.
The distance between the two, after a long time, was finally closed to this extent again.
Looking at each other, neither of them spoke.
Finally, Rudolph slightly turned her body:
"Shizen..."
"Mm..."
"I'm sorry."
No flowery words, no excessive rhetoric.
Rudolph herself hadn't expected that the words she thought would be so difficult to utter, would simply slip out.
"...Mm."
"Do you need me to do anything?"
"No, thank you."
Refusing Rudolph's offer of compensation, Tokai Shizen merely looked up at Rudolph.
Her refusal did not surprise Rudolph Symboli,
as Tokai Shizen probably no longer wanted to be involved with her,
so Rudolph merely remained silent for a long time:
"Mm, I understand."
Her last remaining fantasy completely vanished.
Rudolph understood that the past was, indeed, past.
So, she once again turned her gaze to Tokai Shizen:
"When are you returning to Japan?"
"What do you want to do?"
The wary words left Rudolph at a loss, but she still opened her mouth to explain:
"I..."
"I'm sorry..."
Rudolph Symboli's words made Tokai Shizen look at her.
She didn't know what Rudolph had gone through these past few years,
but seeing her like this now, Tokai Shizen didn't know how to respond.
Because if she were still as unyielding as before, Tokai Shizen could have loudly cursed her.
But now, looking at Rudolph, who seemed like a lost kitten,
Tokai Shizen didn't know how to respond.
So, she ultimately remained silent for about ten seconds, and finally replied:
"It has nothing to do with me anymore."
"I know;
I'm sorry..."
Saying this, Rudolph Symboli turned around.
"Goodbye."
"Mm, goodbye."
The conversation ended just like that,
and both of them walked in the direction they were originally facing.
They walked in opposite directions, seemingly never to cross paths again.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Upon returning to Japan, it was already the afternoon of the next day,
and Rudolph Symboli once again returned to the Old School Building.
As always, no one lived there.
Opening the glass door of the Old School Building, Rudolph entered that room once more.
She looked at the room, which was exactly as she had left it.
A tear dropped onto the floor.
"Shizen… I'm sorry… truly… "
"Goodbye… Shizen… "
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