The banquet lasted all the way until nine-thirty that night.
After taking a photo with Fine Motion, Rudolf had to go receive quite a few other Umamusume and a number of upper-class guests who looked important too. She was so busy she never even had time to come back and sit down for a bite. Kagura finally understood why Eclipse always seized banquet opportunities to go absolutely all-in on eating. Compared to socializing with a huge crowd, stuffing yourself really was a lot more comfortable.
During the latter half of the banquet, Kagura spent most of her time sitting there chatting with the princess called Fine Motion. Fine Motion told her quite a bit about European customs and the things she usually saw in daily life, and Kagura shared what her own everyday life in Japan was like.
Kagura wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but this princess seemed oddly reserved around her. Some of the questions she asked felt probing too, like she was scared of saying the wrong thing. She always gave off the impression that she couldn't quite relax, that she was nervous inside—like a young Umamusume meeting a senior she admired. It reminded Kagura of Tokai Teio when she met Rudolf.
Speaking of Tokai Teio, that little one had originally said she was coming to watch the Japan Cup today too, but as luck would have it, she had to leave Tokyo for something else. When Kagura finally got a spare moment and checked her DMs, she found that the girl had practically flooded her inbox. Opening them up, she found one request after another from Tokai Teio begging her to send some photos and videos. It was obvious she had really wanted to come and just couldn't.
[Tokai Teio]:Kagura-oneesan! Kagura-oneesan! Please, I'm begging you! Leave me some videos and photos of the Emperor! This is Teio's wish for her whole life! I'll do anything!
While Fine Motion got up for a bit to go chat with someone else, Kagura took out her phone and happened to see the newest message Tokai Teio had sent just a minute ago. She could feel the corners of her mouth trying to rise all on their own. Now she finally understood what people online meant when they said a smile was harder to suppress than an AK.
——Wow, your Rudolf really does have a pretty rabid fan. Maybe once you get famous, you'll have fans like that too. 😋
Eclipse even added a smiling emoticon after that line. Kagura couldn't hear her voice, but even from the text alone, she could tell Eclipse was absolutely delighted.
Kagura sent Tokai Teio some of the photos and short videos she had taken, along with the full official race replay link provided by the organizers. Normally those replays took a while to come out, but the organizers had probably realized just how much weight this race carried, and what a huge traffic magnet it was. Less than two hours after the race ended, the full replay had already been uploaded, complete with commentary translations in multiple languages.
It had been less than two hours since the video went up, and the replay had already broken a million views. The like count was sky-high too. No matter which video site or social platform you opened, they were plastered with posts celebrating the Emperor's victory. Memes and videos were flying everywhere. It was lively beyond belief.
...
Late at night, after the banquet ended, Rudolf and Kagura did not get back to Tracen until nearly ten-thirty.
Rudolf had suggested partway there that maybe they should just head back to the Symboli Household instead, but with her race so close now, Kagura naturally refused to go back there and rest at a time like this. So, after Kagura insisted, Rudolf ultimately brought her back to Tracen.
Maruzensky, who lived off campus, drove everyone back and then went home herself. Fine Motion got out partway and returned to the hotel where she was staying. Apparently her dorm room would not be ready for a few more days, so for now she could only stay off campus. In the end, the only ones who actually walked back were Tojo and the others.
"Rudolf, Kagura, you've both worked hard these past few days. Don't stay up wandering around too late tonight either. Go get some rest. Rudolf, remember to walk Kagura back. It's late enough that she'll probably get back a bit late, so explain it to Fuji Kiseki for her."
"Okay~!" "Understood, Trainer."
Once Tojo headed off toward the school building, Rudolf and Kagura got ready to return to their own dorms too.
There was almost no one on the paths through Tracen. The only sounds were Kagura and Rudolf's footsteps. At this hour, most of the students were already back in their dorms—bathing, or sitting on their beds scrolling through videos before turning in. Tracen students were not like the high schoolers or college students in Kagura's memories. The Umamusume at Tracen did not really have nightlife, so they usually went to bed early.
"..."
Following Tojo's instructions, Rudolf still stayed with Kagura to walk her part of the way back.
Honestly, ever since winning today's race, everything had felt unreal to her. Kagura had already told her that she was now standing at the very top among Japan's Umamusume, and of course she was happy—but she still had not forgotten the pounding shock in her chest after that dangerous dash to the line.
If, in her earlier victories, Inari Kagura had used her knowledge and ability to stabilize her condition and lock in the win, then this time, Kagura's advice had directly reversed the outcome of the race. If Kagura had not reminded her to keep an eye on Katsuragi Ace and accelerate in time, then her own acceleration would inevitably have come later. In that case, Katsuragi Ace's strategy would have succeeded. Once the distance opened up, Rudolf felt there was a high chance she would not have been able to catch back up.
She was naturally happy to have won. After a whole day like this, she had been excited and tense the entire time, and she still was. Truth be told, all she wanted now was to relax properly. Looking at Kagura walking ahead of her, she reached out and lightly caught her by the shoulder.
Kagura stopped, lowered her phone, turned around, and looked at Rudolf in confusion.
"What is it? Do you need something from me, ojou-sama?"
"Nothing really. It's just... I think I'm a little too excited and tense. Kagura, tonight... would you come to my dorm and stay with me?"
The words seemed to pop straight out without passing through Rudolf's brain at all. She realized something was off, but it was already too late.
"Ah... I'd love to say yes, but I didn't bring any clothes with me today. And the clothes I left in your dorm don't fit me anymore."
Kagura smiled awkwardly. She knew that when Rudolf got too stressed, or too tense and excited, she would sometimes ask Kagura to stay over and sleep beside her for the night. That was not anything unusual. It was just that Kagura herself was exhausted tonight too, and she had not brought any clothes. She had left a few sets in Rudolf's dorm in case something like this happened, but with her honkaku, she naturally could not wear any of them anymore. And if she ran back to her own dorm this late to fetch clothes and then came all the way back down again, Fuji Kiseki would probably scold her.
"Oh... right."
Only then did Rudolf remember the problem. If she brought Kagura back with her, fresh clothes would definitely be an issue. Rudolf herself did not mind, but she knew Kagura cared very much about not getting into bed in dirty clothes.
"If it's really that hard for ojou-sama to relax, then..."
Kagura glanced around. There was no one nearby, and at this hour there really would not be anyone around this area anyway. Once she had made sure there was truly nobody there, she turned back, raised one hand to her chest, and held the other out toward Rudolf.
"...I can't go back with you, but I can still give you a hug. Want one?"
"Mmm... yes!"
After hesitating for a moment, Rudolf nodded. She stepped forward twice. Now that Kagura had reached honkaku, Rudolf no longer had to crouch like before just to hug her.
Bending slightly, Rudolf lowered her head and gently embraced Kagura, resting her forehead against her chest. Kagura drew her hand back and hugged her in return. A softness and warmth that had never existed before enveloped Rudolf, and just as she had expected, she relaxed almost immediately.
"You don't have any races coming up for a while now, ojou-sama. So for now, please get some proper rest."
Kagura's hand lightly stroked the back of Rudolf's head, and as she did, she softly hummed a gentle tune, just like she always had.
Honkaku had not only changed Kagura's size. Her voice had changed a little too. Rudolf could not really put her finger on what kind of change it was, only that Kagura's voice sounded gentler than before now—more soothing, more reassuring.
Having Kagura by my side... I really am lucky...
Resting against Kagura's chest and listening to that gentle song, Rudolf felt as refreshed and open-hearted as if she were lying in a sunlit grassland at noon, gazing up at a clear blue sky without a single cloud.
She did not know how much time had passed. Maybe only a few minutes—she knew the tune Kagura was humming, and it only lasted a few minutes from start to finish. But to Rudolf, it felt as if much longer had gone by. When she finally opened her eyes again, she found Kagura smiling down at her.
"Hehe~ Even though you're all grown up now, ojou-sama still acts like a clingy little kid sometimes. Do you feel a bit more relaxed?"
"Thank you, Kagura... I do feel much better now."
Rudolf could not help blushing a little. She also realized Kagura had seen that completely unguarded side of her just now. It was embarrassing, but she knew this was one of the little secrets between the two of them. Only Kagura had the right to see her like that.
"That's good. If there's anything else you need, tell me now, okay? Once I'm back at the dorm, it'll be hard for me to come back out again. I really can't go causing trouble for Fuji Kiseki-san."
"..."
Looking at Kagura's face, a bold thought suddenly rose in Rudolf's mind for no reason at all—
She wanted to lean in, cup Kagura's soft cheeks, and press a light kiss to her lips.
But Rudolf quickly forced the thought back down. She knew it was inappropriate. Even with honkaku, Kagura was still only twelve this year. Doing something so rude without her consent was definitely not alright.
If she's already had honkaku... then maybe it wouldn't matter? No, no, no, Rudolf, what are you even thinking...!? Kagura's showing concern for you, and you're thinking about taking advantage of the moment?
"No, that's all. Thank you, Kagura. Your dorm's not far from here now, so I... I won't walk you all the way there!"
"Okay~ Then you should hurry back and get some rest too, Rudolf~"
Rudolf hurriedly shook her head, blurted out that final line, and then fled as if she were escaping. Kagura blinked her bright, watery eyes. She felt like Rudolf had somehow gotten all nervous again for no reason, but seeing how energetic she looked, Kagura figured she probably did not need to worry.
"Haaah... I'm exhausted. I'm getting a proper night's sleep today. Maybe I should find some time soon to do a livestream and tell the fans about my honkaku and my race schedule..."
"Eh, I'll think about it tomorrow. Time to rest first!"
...
——You've been pretty busy lately, huh? You haven't had time to check your account, have you? A lot of your fans are looking forward to your next livestream.
I know... I'll find a chance to get in touch with Wudi-san sometime soon. Oh, that reminds me—there's something I've been curious about for a while. Now that I've had honkaku, does that mean I'm an adult, or not?
——For Umamusume, in biological terms, yes, that does count as adulthood.
Then... does that mean I can try a tiny little bit of alcohol?
——What for? Let me say this first: no smoking and no drinking! If you drink, I'll hit you, got it!?
Not that kind of bad habit. There's something I've wanted to make for a long time now. I'll see if there's a chance to ask Wudi-san to mail me some ingredients soon. Once it's done, it'll absolutely shock you, Eclipse-san!
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T/N: RUDOLF NOOOO DONT SHES STILL 12 STILLLLLLLLL!!!! ITS MORALLY INCORRECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!