Finally, as the train reached its designated stop, everyone quickly left the station and rushed back to Tracen Academy.
Just as the group arrived at the academy's entrance, two firecrackers suddenly went off, and immediately, many Uma Musume and Trainers gathered from all directions.
"Congratulations! T.M. Opera O, our academy's student! For achieving the honor of becoming the fourth Classic Triple Crown Uma Musume!"
In front of everyone, Yayoi Akikawa and Hayakawa Tazuna emerged from the crowd.
Director Akikawa was particularly enthusiastic this time. She pocketed her paper fan and walked directly to T.M. Opera O and Wada.
Then, she quickly grabbed Wada and T.M. Opera O's hands and shook them up and down as she said:
"Congratulations! Trainer Wada! You truly live up to being a Trainer of Tracen Academy! In just your first year on the job, you've managed to nuture a Classic Triple Crown winner!"
"Not only that! You've also broken the record for being the 'Youngest GI Trainer' and 'Youngest Classic Triple Crown Trainer' in Japan! You've basically become a promotional role model for the URA!"
"Yes! And T.M. Opera O! The fourth Triple Crown Uma Musume— ah, it's been so long since Tracen had a Classic Triple Crown Uma Musume ever since Narita Brian. Now we finally have another one!"
"Hehe, our academy's enrollment numbers will definitely reach a new peak next year!"
The Director became more and more excited just by thinking about the prospects from the two winning the Kikuka Sho.
After shaking hands with both Wada and T.M. Opera O, she then noticed Meisho Doto standing beside Wada and immediately approached her with the same enthusiasm, saying:
"Of course—and you, Meisho Doto! You also shone brightly! You even managed to break the curse of the Tenno Sho, the demon of Fuchū! In a way, you're no less impressive than T.M. Opera O!"
"Truly members of Team Miracle, every single one of you is a miracle!"
"Pfft."
However, just as the Director repeated the word "miracle," for some reason, Symboli Rudolf, who was nearby, seemed to have gone senile and couldn't help but laugh, making Air Groove next to her instinctively shiver and rub her throbbing head.
"...Regardless, this is a day worth celebrating. I've already prepared the celebration banquet."
Right then, Tazuna appeared beside Akikawa and gave her a white megaphone.
The Director quickly unfolded her fan as she declared:
"ATTENTION TRACEN ACADEMY! TO CELEBRATE OUR NEW CLASSIC TRIPLE CROWN UMA MUSUME, THERE WILL BE A THREE DAY BREAK! EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!"
As everyone heard the exciting news, warm cheers began to sound from the crowd as the chattering became even louder.
Soon, everything finally came to an end...
...
...
In the following days, news about T.M. Opera O, Meisho Doto, Wada, as well as Nase and her father started to die out.
The big race was over, and everyone needed a well-deserved rest to recover and release the pressure after everything that had happened...
Thus, the impromptu holiday ended as quickly as it started, and Tracen Academy finally returned to normalcy after the festivities ended.
On this day, in the Student Council's Office, Symboli Rudolf was handling affairs as usual, but today, she also had the leisure to read the newspaper, looking very content.
"...President, you've been reading the newspaper during work hours for three consecutive days. You have also only read the parts about T.M. Opera O too, don't you get tired of it?"
Meanwhile, Narita Brian, though also idly slacking off, righteously criticized Symboli Rudolf for slacking off during work, saying,
"It made me think that Tokai Teio achieved something amazing or something to get into the news."
"No, I don't think it's enough, Brian. For a brand new Classic Triple Crown Uma Musume, the amount of coverage by these news agencies is far too little."
"In just these few days, the T.M. Opera O fever has already started to fade, which is not good news."
Symboli Rudolf did not bat an eye at Narita Brian's behaviour as she was already used to it.
For her, although there were many members in the Student Council, in reality, besides herself, the only other diligent worker was Air Groove, her trusty vice-president.
Maruzensky would also occasionally come back to check in, but only very occasionally, and she wouldn't really help them with affairs either, acting more like a sack similar to Narita Brian.
But Rudolf could tolerate Maruzensky more; after all, she had already 'officially' retired.
Despite no longer having the intention to continue racing and being who-knows how old now, she was technically still a Tracen Academy student. Therefore, she would only occasionally come back to report.
She was different from Symboli Rudolf, Air Groove, and Narita Brian, who still wanted to race, but just haven't yet because it was simply unnecessary for them.
After all, at their level, prize money is not an issue and competing again would only suppress the new generation of young Uma Musume.
For the growth of the new generation, they only needed to sit high in their positions and calmly await for the young Uma Musume to reach their level.
But now, the situation has changed, because Symboli Rudolf had now sensed that an Uma Musume who could threaten her position was rising, and the upcoming Arima Kinen would be the best time for T.M. Opera O to challenge her authority.
"—President, you're thinking that T.M. Opera O might not have enough momentum for the upcoming Arima Kinen, which may cause her winning it to not cause a stir, right?"
Air Groove, who was nearby, proactively handed Symboli Rudolf a cup of coffee and answered the question, then calmly asked:
"So President, have you made up your mind? Are you really planning to compete in this year's Arima Kinen?"
"What's wrong, Air Groove? Do you think that I've sat here for too long and have forgotten how to run?"
Symboli Rudolf asked with a smile, "I still exercise every day. Although it's a bit less than when I was active, I haven't forgotten the feeling of running on the track."
"No, President, I believe that as soon as you express your desire to participate in the Arima Kinen, everything will be a breeze, and this Arima Kinen will undoubtedly become a major topic of discussion for months to come."
Air Groove shook her head. She wasn't worried about Rudolf. As Symboli Rudolf said, although they had been in the Student Council for so long, their physical fitness had not declined.
They were still the "Emperor," "Empress," and "Shadow Roll Monster." This was something that could not be changed no matter how long they had been off the track.
"But the problem is... how are you going to proceed after?"
"The URA has essentially lifted you to the pedestal of 'Emperor among Uma Musume.' They won't allow you to lose. Even if you are willing to hand over the era to the next Uma Musume, the URA will definitely stop you."
"This is the URA, President. Not Shadai, but the Japanese branch of the URA itself."
The URA and Shadai indeed had major intertwined interests and although everyone always joked that 'Shadai represents the URA,' in reality, they were still two separate entities.
No matter how big and scary Shadai was, it was only a local corporation; even if Shadai held a 60% monopoly on Uma Musume supplies, it was only in Japan.
The URA, however, represented the official force governing the Uma Musume racing scene throughout the entire world.
If Shadai exerted pressure, the URA could swat it away like a fly, but if it was the URA exerting pressure instead... then Shadai would simply become Byebye.
And it was this entity that Symboli Rudolf had to face.
The Arima Kinen was not something she could simply choose to compete in. The URA had invested far too much into the position of "Emperor" to simply waste it like this.
"...I will negotiate this matter with the URA, but if I want to compete in the Arima Kinen, I must finalize it before they realize. Act first, report later."
Symboli Rudolf clearly already had a plan in mind. She smiled and said to Air Groove,
"Moreover, I may not necessarily lose, and I have no intention of going easy."
"If T.M. Opera O still doesn't have the strength to defeat me, then I don't mind crushing the era of this 'Overlord' within two months."
At this moment, a strong Aura, unique to Symboli Rudolf, rushed out of her like a tsunami, a feeling that had been absent for a long time—for a moment, Air Groove and Narita Brian both shivered.
This "Emperor"... truly was as she said, still as strong as ever.
"—Air Groove, first help me spread the news that, in this year's Arima Kinen, I will have a showdown with T.M. Opera O."
"...I understand."
Air Groove nodded silently. Seeing Rudolf in such high spirits, she couldn't help but think that perhaps their "Emperor" had truly been in this position for too long and wished to retire.
After all, she has someone who she wants to nurture wholeheartedly... and she also probably wants some free time.
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I have just been inflicted with THE MOST PAINFUL FUCKING SORE THROAT IN MY LIFE, JUST THE DAY BEFORE I GO OVERSEAS. fml
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If you spot any errors, feel free to comment about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.