Chapter 114. Negotiation Part 2
The reason the expressions of the several Mejiro Family Uma Musume behind Mejiro Nagasaki shifted was because, according to their expectations, after greeting Mejiro Nagasaki, Shuta An should have also greeted them one by one.
Yet contrary to what they anticipated, the young man seated opposite them skipped over the entire process and directly pushed the conversation toward its true purpose.
Seeing the atmosphere begin to drift away from their expectations, Mejiro Nagasaki lightly cleared her throat and took over the flow of the discussion.
"Allow me to introduce the ladies beside me to Shuta-kun as well."
Shuta An raised an eyebrow, but still chose not to interrupt her.
"This is Mejiro Kannon, this is Mejiro Bodhisattva, and this is Mejiro Goethe." Mejiro Nagasaki calmly introduced them in order according to where they were seated.
"Greetings, seniors."
Shuta An, still seated on the sofa, did not stand. He merely leaned forward slightly as a gesture of acknowledgment.
Then, after straightening himself once more, the young man immediately continued:
"Now then, can we discuss matters regarding Dober?"
As his voice fell, the first race of the day at Nakayama Racecourse officially began.
Mejiro Nagasaki slowly shook her head.
"Although that is indeed today's main topic, before we begin discussing it, I would still like to introduce Shuta-kun to the situation of the Mejiro Family."
Shuta An's eyes flickered slightly.
"And what does that have to do with today's topic?"
He wrinkled his nose faintly before continuing:
"To be honest, if Ms. Nagasaki intends to use the Mejiro Family's history to pressure me—"
Although the smile on the young man's face remained unchanged, in the eyes of the elderly Uma Musume present, it inexplicably carried a sharp trace of mockery.
"then it seems the seniors never asked Ms. Ramonu or the Old Madam about me beforehand?"
Without waiting for Mejiro Nagasaki and the others to respond, Shuta An suddenly revealed an expression of realization and clapped his hands lightly.
"That's right. After all, this is a scheme being carried out behind the Old Madam's back, isn't it? How could you possibly ask her about my situation? Wouldn't that just expose yourselves?"
The smile on the young man's face became even more aggressive.
"Then I suppose none of you actually investigated me either?"
Mejiro Nagasaki frowned slightly.
"Although Shuta-kun is indeed an outstanding Trainer, since you work at Central Tracen Academy, I believe you should understand the weight carried by the Mejiro Family."
"What weight?"
Shuta An smiled as he asked the question.
"The weight of finishing eighteenth at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe over twenty years ago?"
"That was still the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe." Even though the young man had directly struck at one of the Mejiro Family's deepest sore spots, Mejiro Nagasaki still tried her best to maintain her composure. "That race is the pinnacle of the world's middle-and-long-distance stage."
"Yes, it is."
The young man nodded in agreement.
But just as the elders slightly relaxed, he abruptly changed the direction of the conversation.
"Do you know? When I was very young, I used to run around inside my family's exhibition hall all the time. I played with the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe trophies quite often."
"Oh, and I could even play with two of them at the same time."
Shuta An raised two fingers.
"One was won by my mother, and the other by my maternal grandmother."
Mejiro Nagasaki reacted the fastest.
Almost instantly, she understood the meaning behind the young man's words.
The Trainer sitting before them came from a European family. Moreover, it was a prestigious family that possessed two Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe trophies.
"As for the Washington D.C. International Invitational, where Mejiro Musashi-senpai finished seventh—" Shuta An slowly raised another finger. "My family owns three trophies from that race."
"They were all won by Uma Musume trained by my father. I have never believed that I've already caught up to my father in the profession of Trainer."
Although the smile on his face still carried a sharp edge, the tone of the young man's voice softened considerably.
"I always strive to make every detail perfect. Only by doing so can I even hope to approach my father's accomplishments."
At this point, Shuta An's voice gradually lowered.
"And yet, despite that, I still allowed Dober to participate in a race where her chances of winning are extremely slim. That is why I came here today."
A bitter taste suddenly spread through Mejiro Nagasaki's chest.
Although Shuta An had publicly taken full responsibility for Mejiro Dober's supplementary entry into the Arima Kinen from the very beginning, in Mejiro Nagasaki's eyes, that had always seemed natural.
Only now, when facing this young Trainer who had rarely interacted with the Mejiro Family's internal faction, did Mejiro Nagasaki—someone whose words even Mejiro Ramonu would normally respect—feel an unprecedented pressure.
Realizing that the atmosphere inside the Box had completely sunk, Mejiro Kannon was the first to speak. Her voice carried a crispness utterly inconsistent with her age.
"We also only hoped that after the Old Madam passes away, Dober would be able to establish herself firmly within the family. Perhaps there were some communication issues between us that led to misunderstandings. Since everyone is acting for Dober's sake, it would be best if we clarified things today. We will still need to cooperate in the future."
"No matter what, the Mejiro Family is still a prestigious Uma Musume family in Japan."
Mejiro Bodhisattva immediately followed up.
"Dober's achievements as an Uma Musume are indeed excellent, but she cannot continue running in the Twinkle Series and Dream Trophy Series forever, can she?"
Mejiro Goethe nodded repeatedly beside her in agreement.
In response to Mejiro Bodhisattva's words, Shuta An merely smiled.
"I can support Dober for her entire life, you know? I can allow her to continue pursuing the things she likes without restraint. I can also ensure that Dober never has to exhaust herself for the sake of your interests."
Mejiro Nagasaki calmly asked:
"But Shuta-kun must want something from us as well. Otherwise, you would not have come here today, correct?"
Shuta An frankly admitted it.
"That's true."
However, before the four Mejiro Family Uma Musume could fully relax, the young man immediately continued:
"But I must make one thing clear. The fact that I came here today does not mean that what I want is indispensable to me. I can still handle things perfectly well according to my own methods."
"However…" Shuta An narrowed his eyes slightly and stared directly at Mejiro Nagasaki. "I still hope to preserve some dignity for both sides. And I hope the seniors will also preserve some dignity for me."
Then, as though the atmosphere had never become tense at all, the young man leisurely leaned back against the sofa once more.
"Since all of you belong to Dober's faction, then you should already know that Dober was previously harassed by reporters."
"Indeed." Mejiro Nagasaki nodded. "At the time, we had already prepared to warn the Friday editorial department to stop. However, Shūkan Bunshun suddenly exposed the related information before we could act."
"I was the one who did that."
Shuta An interrupted her calmly.
"I have some connections within Bungeishunju Publishing."
For the first time since the conversation began, Mejiro Nagasaki's expression truly turned ugly.
How could she fail to understand the implication behind the young man suddenly bringing up this topic?
If the Mejiro Family refused to give him dignity today, then once Shūkan Bunshun released certain information, the dignity the Mejiro Family would lose would no longer be symbolic.
It would be completely stripped away in both name and reality.
Only now did Mejiro Nagasaki and the others finally realize something.
The fact that the young man before them was still willing to sit here and speak to them calmly—
Even calling this a "negotiation"—
Was already him giving their faction face.
Shuta An did not hesitate to employ every method necessary to ensure that he held the initiative before these people.
This time, he had come with the intention of completely resolving Mejiro Dober's future troubles once and for all. If even more troublesome matters surfaced again later, that would not be a pleasant outcome for the young man.
Mejiro Nagasaki also understood the intentions behind his actions. She slowly leaned back against the sofa and spoke:
"So then, what exactly are Shuta-kun's demands? At the very least, you should say them out loud before I can answer them, no?"
Seeing the change in Mejiro Nagasaki's attitude, the young man calmly laid out his demands one by one.
"As a Trainer, my first demand concerns Mejiro Dober's future race schedule. The Mejiro Family is not to interfere with it. I will arrange the races most suitable for Dober myself, and I dislike others meddling in that aspect."
"No problem."
Mejiro Nagasaki agreed without the slightest hesitation.
This matter had already been discussed before they even arrived at Nakayama Racecourse today.
In truth, ever since Mejiro Dober's supplementary entry into the Arima Kinen triggered widespread public discussion, their faction had already become somewhat fearful. They were worried that Shuta An might simply abandon the matter altogether and push them directly to the forefront.
If that happened, the Mejiro Family would unquestionably become an object to ridicule in the eyes of the public.
And such a commotion would absolutely not escape the notice of the Mejiro Family's Old Madam, who still remained alive.
Although everyone understood that the old woman likely did not have many years left, if the matter were truly dragged into the open, there was still nobody within the Mejiro Family capable of opposing her authority.
Even Mejiro Dober could not.
After all, Shuta An still had to consider Dober's reputation.
"The second demand concerns Mejiro Dober's engagement."
Shuta An paused briefly before continuing.
"During Dober's Twinkle Series career, I do not wish for the Mejiro Family to bring this matter up again. It will interfere with my work."
This time, Mejiro Goethe, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.
"Shuta-kun, what exactly do you think of Dober?"
"What do I think?"
Shuta An raised an eyebrow slightly.
"If you mean my overall impression of her—"
His gaze fell toward the coffee table before him. After briefly organizing his thoughts, he slowly continued:
"Dober matches every impression I had of a proper young lady from a prestigious local family after I arrived in Japan."
Upon hearing that answer, Mejiro Goethe smiled faintly.
"Then does Shuta-kun currently have a fiancée?"
Once the conversation reached this point, everyone within the Box clearly understood what Mejiro Goethe was implying.
However, Shuta An did not take the bait.
"This is not a matter we can decide ourselves."
His voice remained calm and steady.
"That is precisely why I proposed delaying Dober's engagement issue for the next several years. Since Ms. Goethe has brought the conversation in this direction, then let me add another condition as well."
The young man slowly narrowed his eyes.
"I hope that matters regarding this aspect will ultimately be decided by Dober herself. You are not permitted to use her happiness in exchange for your own interests."
"No problem, correct?"
This time, Shuta An's tone no longer carried room for negotiation.
It was completely resolute.
"No problem!"
Mejiro Nagasaki immediately nodded in agreement.
"In the first place, our previous proposal was merely for the Old Madam to find a suitable partner for Dober. We believed that arrangement would be beneficial for her. None of us ever intended to sacrifice Dober herself."
Shuta An had no intention of distinguishing truth from falsehood in those words.
Nor did he intend to believe them.
"The third demand."
The young man spoke slowly.
"Your affairs are your affairs. Do not drag Dober into them."
"I don't understand." This time, Mejiro Nagasaki did not yield so easily. "Dober is also a member of the Mejiro Family. What exactly do you mean by 'dragging her into them'?"
In reality, Mejiro Nagasaki fully understood the implication behind Shuta An's words.
However, this was a condition that neither she, nor the companions seated beside her, nor even the Old Madam currently watching the Arima Kinen preparations at the ancestral estate, could possibly accept.
Shuta An's demand was practically equivalent to allowing Mejiro Dober to separate herself entirely from the Mejiro Family in all but name.
And if they truly agreed to such a condition, then it would mean that the future income generated by Mejiro Dober would no longer have any connection to the Mejiro Family whatsoever.
If Mejiro Dober were merely an ordinary Uma Musume—or even a normal G2 or G3-winning Uma Musume—that might have been acceptable.
But now, only one year after debuting in the Twinkle Series, she had already secured seven crowns and was hailed as the strongest Triple Tiara Route Uma Musume in the history of the Japanese Twinkle Series.
Not to mention the potential income she could generate after entering the Dream Trophy Series in the future.
According to Mejiro Nagasaki's understanding, Mejiro Dober's current endorsement fee had already reached twenty-five million yen per commercial.
And in the future, that number would only continue rising. Furthermore, the number of advertisements Mejiro Dober could accept—
To the Mejiro Family, which had already suffered financial difficulties for many years, Mejiro Dober was nothing less than an enormous money tree.
If Shuta An's demand were accepted here today, the Mejiro Family's finances would almost certainly collapse.
"Shuta-kun should understand what Dober's income represents to the Mejiro Family."
Mejiro Nagasaki's expression became serious.
"I'm afraid I cannot agree to this point. In fact, no matter which member of the Mejiro Family you negotiate with, this condition cannot be accepted. What does Dober's income represent?"
Shuta An's tone was openly mocking now.
"The Mejiro Family's financial crisis didn't suddenly appear overnight. It has already existed for many years, hasn't it? Can Dober's income really support an entire family forever without anyone working? It merely changes whether the family dies earlier or later."
The young man no longer bothered wasting effort on excessive rhetoric. This final demand was the one he absolutely intended to secure.
It was also the true core behind his first two demands.
Only by completely separating Mejiro Dober from the Mejiro Family could he ensure that similar problems would never arise again in the future.
"But we are already old."
Mejiro Nagasaki spread her hands helplessly and revealed a bitter smile.
"In a few more years, perhaps the Mejiro Family truly will become unsalvageable. By then, we'll already have closed our eyes forever. Whatever happens afterward will no longer concern us."
"Ha!"
Shuta An was not particularly surprised by Mejiro Nagasaki's response. Rather, it matched perfectly with the image he already held of these old members of the family.
However, he also understood very clearly that these words did not entirely reflect Mejiro Nagasaki's true thoughts.
Thus, the young man calmly presented the proposal he had already prepared beforehand.
"In that case… would you be interested in assisting Ms. Mejiro Ramonu?"
The four Mejiro Family Uma Musume froze simultaneously, utterly caught off guard.
"What does this have to do with Ramonu?"
Mejiro Nagasaki frowned deeply. The confusion in her voice represented the thoughts of the others as well.
"Isn't Ms. Ramonu currently handling many of the Mejiro Family's affairs already?"
Shuta An smiled.
"Rather than sitting idle and waiting for decline, why not assist Ms. Ramonu in starting a new business?"
Afterward, the young man slowly explained the vision he had prepared for them.
Beginning with the fact that the elementary division at Central Tracen Academy only provided standard academic courses for incoming Uma Musume, they could instead establish specialized extracurricular guidance programs aimed at young elementary division Uma Musume who aspired to one day enter the Twinkle Series.
"I believe the Mejiro Family name itself is already a golden signboard in the eyes of those girls and their parents, isn't it?"
Mejiro Bodhisattva, seated nearby, slowly closed her eyes.
In that instant, she thought of the future granddaughter she had always held great expectations for, who was still only an infant now.
For a moment, she felt genuinely moved.
Mejiro Nagasaki glanced at the companions seated around her. Then, as thoughts of the younger members of the family surfaced in her mind as well—
She let out a long sigh.