"T.M. Opera O, you don't need to be so conspicuous. This is a school building, not a theater. If you want to perform, there's always a public stage available."
"Hahaha! As expected of the Empress! You command authority comparable to mine!" The horse girl with tangerine-colored hair, called T.M. Opera O, didn't lower her tone in the slightest. Her voice rang out like a soprano in an opera, her exaggerated movements rivaling a dramatic stage performance. It was as if she were the only protagonist in the scene, and everyone else paled in comparison.
In reality, T.M. Opera O's appearance wasn't particularly remarkable among the horse girls, who were generally quite beautiful. But her aura, her commanding voice, her personality that seemed ready to sing or laugh at any moment, and even the carefully chosen accessories she wore, all radiated supreme confidence.
She carried herself as if she were always the main character—and in fact, she was highly praised within Tracen Academy. Many horse girls admired her confidence and pride, just like her self-proclaimed title: "The Overlord."
Of course, this nickname would later evolve into "The End-of-Century Overlord," but for now, T.M. Opera O had yet to achieve a level worthy of boasting such a title. Still, there was no denying that her abilities were formidable.
Kisoku also knew that T.M. Opera O had yet to find a trainer she could work well with—perhaps because of her extreme social quirks. She would sometimes burst into song or laughter in public for no reason, spend half an hour laughing loudly on the roof, or stand in the most prominent position to give speeches, preaching to anyone who hadn't heard of her.
In her words: "No one is allowed to live without witnessing the Overlord's glory; otherwise, their life is pitiful."
Yes, her confidence bordered on narcissism. This was why Air Groove and some horse girls found her difficult to handle. Even cheerful trainers usually couldn't match her level of openness.
As a result, T.M. Opera O had yet to find a trainer, and Air Groove had no intention of recommending her to Kitano.
Kitano Ryuichi, timid and somewhat demoralized, was not the right type to handle a confident and overbearing horse girl like T.M. Opera O. Putting them together could very well drive Kitano insane from embarrassment.
"T.M. Opera O… I'm showing the new trainer around Tracen Academy. Could you step aside for now?" Air Groove tried to reason.
"Hahaha! A new trainer, you say! Every excellent trainer is like a rising sun. With a new sun, more sunflowers will bloom toward it—how beautiful~"
T.M. Opera O gracefully moved closer to Kisoku and Kitano, seemingly immersed in her own performance. Kitano didn't even glance her way. Despite her curiosity, T.M. Opera O continued:
"Ah, new sun, why hide from the light of the Overlord? Though my brilliance is dazzling, you, as the sun, should shine alongside me upon every corner of this world."
"Come on, don't be shy! Let your passion bloom!"
T.M. Opera O neared Kitano, carefully orchestrating her movements to make him turn and notice her. She finally placed her hand on his shoulder—but Kitano immediately slipped away from her touch.
"—Sorry, but now is not a good time."
"Ms. Air Groove, thank you for accompanying me so far, but I'd like to explore the academy by myself. My apologies."
"Wait, Trainer Kitano?" Air Groove tried to stop him, but Kitano had already dashed down the stairs. Though both Air Groove and T.M. Opera O could easily catch up, neither attempted to.
Air Groove turned to T.M. Opera O whose hand was still mid-air, and said with a hint of exasperation:
"Well, I guess you've been disliked, huh, T.M. Opera O"
"Hahaha! I don't think that's the case, Empress!"
Although slightly embarrassed at first, T.M. Opera O quickly laughed confidently, hands on her hips, her usual self-assured demeanor intact.
Air Groove pondered this. Despite appearing shy and reserved, Kitano had never shown disdain toward anyone, even toward Rudolf, who had scolded him. A person like him wouldn't normally run away from someone like Grand Opera out of irritation.
"…Our new trainer truly has many secrets," Air Groove mused, intrigued.
Kitano's arrival had elicited unique reactions from so many familiar horse girls—even Kisoku herself noticed. She wondered how many horse girls at Tracen Academy would feel the same familiarity toward Kitano Ryuichi, or if it was all of them.
What Kisoku didn't notice, however, was that T.M. Opera O's expression had briefly faltered as she watched Kitano leave.
It was fleeting, but for someone usually friendly and composed, T.M. Opera O's face had shown a mix of shock, alertness, and jealousy—emotions she herself didn't even realize.
…Kitano had fled, truly in disarray. He didn't want T.M. Opera O to chase him, though he knew it would only take a few seconds if she chose to. Humans couldn't match a horse girl's physicality.
Finally, near the school gate, Kitano stopped to catch his breath.
"Ha… ha… ha… sorry, I'm so sorry…"
"But I really can't face you… I just can't…"
He walked to a fountain with statues of the Three Goddesses, legendary creators of all uma musume. The water could do nothing for him but allow him to splash his sweat-covered face and look less like a fleeing coward.
After washing, Kitano calmed himself, gazing at his reflection with a bitter smile:
"I'm useless… I can't face Rudolf, nor can I face nor you… I've truly failed as a servant."
Yes, a servant. Kitano, despite his self-consciousness, rarely called himself a "servant" to his assigned horse girls—it meant he acted purely for their sake, gaining nothing in return. In his life, only two horse girls had earned this treatment from him.
The first was Rudolf, the "Emperor," who taught Kitano everything, shaping his teaching skills even now.
The second was T.M. Opera O, the "Overlord," who, like Rudolf, poured herself into helping him. She was the only horse girl whose abilities completely surpassed what Kitano could contribute.
Unlike with Rudolf, however, Kitano couldn't even lift his head in front of T.M. Opera O—not because she treated him poorly, but because he felt he had betrayed her expectations far more than he ever did with Rudolf.
I truly am the worst person to exist.....