"So... I see. You've had it quite tough too, haven't you."
Looking at the weary expression and faint dark circles under the eyes of the department head before her, Nearl could easily guess what this man had been through.
One could say that all men in the world hoped to marry an Uma Musume, but the true taste of that experience was something only they themselves knew.
"Actually, it's not so bad. While many young men are with wives who are a bit too... dominant, I'm different—I'm genuinely smitten!"
The department head picked up the carrot bread in front of him, took a big bite, and spoke through his mouthful, so straightforward that Nearl didn't even know how to respond.
"I... Is that so? Is this really something I should be hearing?"
"It's fine. I trust the integrity of the Radiant Knight. Besides, even if this kind of marital banter gets out, it's no big deal—at most, people might tease me about it when we meet later. But isn't that just how life is? You tease others, and others tease you. It's all trivial."
"I see. May I ask, then, what is your wife's name?"
"Ah, haven't I mentioned it? Actually, my wife doesn't allow me to casually share her name outside. Even though she's been retired for a long time now, her reputation still carries some weight."
The department head rubbed his head. When talking about his wife, the pride and happiness on his face were unmistakable.
For him, marrying her had been the greatest fortune of his life.
"Ten Point, or you could call her Ten. Back then, we were quite the famous duo in Japan."
"...So it's that esteemed senior? After she retired, she just vanished without a trace. To think she's been living a quiet office life with you all this time."
"You can understand it, right? Though it feels unfair to the fans, Uma Musume also seek ordinary happiness outside the racetrack."
"Fans are the foundation, the motivation, the support for a racing Uma Musume, but once retired, it's different. You're facing this issue too now, aren't you, Nearl?"
Finishing the bread in his hand, the department head tore open another bag of potato chips.
"The gaze of fans makes you unconsciously live up to their image of you, walking on eggshells until you can't truly be yourself. And my wife has such a gentle, delicate nature—expecting her to ignore the fans' hopes was impossible. So, this was the only way."
"This Uma Musume Review Committee was established through my efforts."
"While it serves to review Uma Musume qualifications, it also discreetly helps retired couples who wish to disappear from the public eye."
"Um, I think some... passionate fans might resent you if they found out."
"Hahaha, let them come. You know, rational enthusiasts far outnumber those fanatics. And we're not pushovers—every member of the Review Department was part of a somewhat famous duo back in the day."
"Just because we're retired doesn't mean we're dead. Even a salted fish will flip a couple of times, let alone us."
After saying this with a laugh, the department head seemed to finally satisfy his appetite, comfortably sinking into the beanbag chair, his voice gradually softening.
"Alright, Nearl, if you have no further questions, you can rest here. In about two hours, the review approval certificate will be issued. Take it, and you can leave..."
His voice grew fainter, his head beginning to nod rhythmically. Now, this man was on the brink of sleep.
"Zzz..."
"Pleasant dreams."
Quietly offering her blessing to this man, Nearl also waited in silence, awaiting the conclusion of this matter.
--+--
"That's everything, President Rudolf. And here is the review approval certificate."
It was already noon. Nearl had left the Review Department and handed the approval certificate to President Rudolf for her to see.
"I'll skip the pleasantries, Nearl. What did you think of the Review Department?"
Crossing her legs and leaning back, Rudolf Symboli didn't even bother getting up to speak with Nearl now—whereas before, she would at least offer tea.
Of course, this wasn't out of arrogance or disrespect toward Nearl.
It was simply that Rudolf no longer saw Nearl as an outsider. In terms of closeness, even her own family wasn't as intimate as Nearl was now.
After all, Rudolf Symboli had hardly any secrets left in front of Nearl.
Aside from some personal physical details, Nearl was already quite familiar with everything—her dreams, the one she loved, even her daily habits.
To treat Nearl with such formal courtesy now would truly mean seeing her as a stranger.
"The Review Department? A gathering club for loving couples, with review duties on the side."
"Hahaha! What a vivid description. You might have an unexpectedly sharp tongue, Nearl. That personality of yours is just restrained by your good manners—otherwise, you'd probably be even more interesting."
"President~~~"
Facing Rudolf, who was becoming more and more relaxed around her, Nearl didn't know whether to be happy or sigh.
The emperor who once inspired such trust had now turned into something of a teasing friend.
"Ahem, joking aside. Nearl, did you know there was actually a hidden purpose behind the Review Department calling you in this time?"
Setting aside her rare relaxed expression, Rudolf now looked seriously at her friend.
"Yes, I had an inkling."
"Care to share?"
Shifting her posture, Rudolf waited for Nearl's guess.
"It's because of my current fame, isn't it? Though it sounds a bit arrogant to say, I'm probably the most popular Uma Musume in all of Japan right now."
"The more fans you have, the more mixed the crowd becomes. I can already imagine how troublesome daily life might be from now on."
"And if I'm not mistaken, they must have invited you back then too, President?"
"That's right. I was indeed reviewed once. Though, to be fair, I wasn't entirely innocent back then."
Remembering some of her own past missteps, Rudolf sighed.
"It's not just you. Many exceptionally famous Uma Musume have been approached by the Review Department. It's not for anything else—just to offer some help. After all, not every Uma Musume is like me, still fighting on the front lines even after retirement."
"So, Nearl, if you ever retire and want to live an ordinary life, you can try reaching out to them. That bunch is more trustworthy than most—after all, they were all trainers once, though many of them met rather... unfortunate fates."
"Unfortunate?"
"Yes. They were rookies who gained fame almost immediately—their training careers seemed so bright. But they were quickly... claimed by their assigned Uma Musume, both in spirit and body."
"Wait, b-body?!"
Nearl was shocked. This was the first time she'd heard something so... stimulating.
"What did you think? Uma Musume can already trigger miracles through emotion, so they'll do anything for true love."
"Once they confirm their trainer feels the same, the chances of swiftly taking action to 'cook the rice' are not low at all."
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.