"A shield, huh?"
"Indeed. It was sent to Tressen Academy, so I held onto it."
Called to the chairman's office, Rampage received a package—a Red Diamond Shield. Apparently, her live stream's subscriber count had soared past 100 million.
"Hmm… Should I celebrate as a streamer or aim for a trophy as an Uma Musume?"
"A triumph! Reaching this in under a year is something to boast about!" the chairman exclaimed.
"And use it to promote the academy, right? Sneaky move."
"No, no, Rampage-dono, you're the sly one~"
Both cackled like scheming villains, prompting Tazuna's amused smile. But Hatena, perched atop, seemed to sense mischief and delivered a swift paw-smack to the chairman.
"Ow! What was that, Hatena?!"
"It's fine, Hatena. But seriously, how do you make that sound?" Rampage asked.
"No clue… It just happens. Can't force it," the chairman groaned.
Hatena meowed, unimpressed, as if calling it a tough gig. Rampage couldn't help but nod—Tazuna relied on one smart cat.
"So, about this shield… that's not the only reason you called me, right?"
"Astounding! You figured it out?"
"If it was just a delivery, you'd send it straight to me. You've done it before. This feels like an excuse to get to the real topic."
"Sharp as ever, Rampage-san. Makes this easy," Tazuna said.
Knew it. They wouldn't drag her to the chairman's office for nothing, even if she popped by often for fun.
"Confirming: we need to discuss your next race," the chairman said.
"My schedule? Ask Minami-chan, not me."
"We'd love to, but Minami-san's swamped. We suggested a sub-trainer, but she insists on handling it herself."
"Sounds like you're scheming something…"
"We have your schedule, but we need your confirmation," Tazuna added.
Minami's network was a mystery. Even Rampage, under contract for a while, barely knew her. Former trading company employee? Maybe she really was some rogue agent.
"Next is the Autumn Emperor's Cup. As a Mejiro Uma Musume, I can't skip it. Distance suits me perfectly."
"Confirmed. You're definitely racing?" the chairman pressed.
"Unless I'm sick, yeah, I'm in."
"Understood… and relieved," the chairman sighed.
"Truly a relief," Tazuna echoed.
Their exaggerated sighs at her Autumn Emperor's Cup commitment raised suspicion.
"Why so relieved? This isn't like you two…"
"Apologies for the weakness," the chairman said. "URA's been hounding us to confirm your race schedule."
"URA again? What, they planning some huge event?"
An undefeated ten-crown spectacle would rake in profits, but their reactions suggested otherwise.
"This time, URA—and I, and the Mejiro family—can't afford you backing out."
"The Mejiro family too? What's going on?"
"It's… hard to say," Tazuna hesitated. "Someone wants to see your race in person."
"See my race?"
Both nodded. URA, a powerhouse organization, was checking her schedule for one person? Only someone from an international body like the International Federation of Uma-musume Authorities could wield that influence.
"Who's this VIP? The Prime Minister? A president?"
Her mind raced—Japan's top brass or a foreign dignitary, like the Dubai prince watching the Arima in Makibao's era. Plausible. But they shook their heads, crushing her relief.
"His and Her Imperial Majesties… will attend the Emperor's Cup."
"Say that again? Per favore dillo di nuovo?"
"You understood, didn't you? Italian now?" Tazuna sighed.
"Können Sie das bitte noch einmal sagen?"
"German too?" the chairman groaned.
"Look, I'm numb from all the legends lately, but this? The Emperor? That's insane!"
She wanted to call it a joke, but their faces said otherwise.
"No way I'd predict the Emperor showing up…"
"It's a rare Imperial Attendance," Tazuna said. "Decades since the last."
"First time His Majesty attends the Emperor's Cup, despite the name," the chairman added.
"Named after him, yet first time, huh?" Rampage muttered.
"Let's not dwell on that."
She recalled history: the Emperor attended Eishin Flash's Autumn Emperor's Cup, where jockey Mirco Demuro dismounted to bow, a famous moment etched in stone. Against protocol, but excused due to the Emperor's presence—though he got chewed out.
"They want to see your race before you go overseas. The Emperor's Cup was the only one that fit their schedule."
"So that's why you triple-checked my plans. Yeah, makes sense… but wow, this is huge."
She'd braced for bigwigs—corporate chairmen, maybe Su-chan's elite family. But the Emperor? Unimaginable.
"Manage your health carefully," Tazuna urged. "No canceling on race day."
"Minami-chan… hope she doesn't faint hearing this…"
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