"Master, here's today's campus daily."
While Hushan massaged and loosened Stardust Mirage's legs, Miho Bourbon—voice emotionless—handed over a magazine.
An internal Tracen publication, it reported daily on races and academy news.
Exhausted and sore all over, Stardust Mirage accepted it and flipped through as she lay there.
"Any news on Tokai Teio… Huh?"
She gaped at a page.
"The French Horse Girl Academy will be coming to Tracen for exchange training?!"
"Yes. We trainers were told a few days ago."
Hushan answered casually.
Her massage technique was practiced—quickly easing Stardust Mirage's legs, which were screaming to go on strike.
"Date is in two weeks… that'd be around January 16? Led by the legendary horse girl Noble Clan, they'll scrimmage with one academy team; interested parties should apply to the Student Council—ah, that's the Noble Clan who beat El Condor Pasa at the Arc."
Recalling Noble Clan's look and that Arc, Stardust Mirage sighed:
"Shame—if not for Noble Clan, El Condor had championship-level strength… But this doesn't concern a two-horse team like us. We just need to train."
"Mm? I've already handed our application to Symboli Rudolf."
Hushan said it offhand.
"Oh, already to the Emperor? Good. I was worried you'd forget… Huh?!"
——————————————
"Why so few applications for an exchange with a team led by Noble Clan? This is a rare chance."
Symboli Rudolf looked baffled at the three applications on hand.
"Because… that's Noble Clan."
Air Groove passed her the sorted file, pointing at the photo of the long, orange-brown-haired beauty on the first page.
"This absolute tyrant of world-class strength crushed one domestic horse girl's overseas dreams after another. Her only loss was away to Special Week. Most trainers don't want to hurt their horse girls' confidence. Not applying is understandable."
"Once you've been enveloped by that class of Domain, you easily start doubting yourself—or get your will to run obliterated."
"Applicants are Team Spica with Special Week and Tokai Teio, Team Rigil with El Condor, and…"
Rudolf frowned at the third sheet.
It even lacked the horse girl résumés the other two had. It was from Team Draco—Hushan Feihong's team.
"Why did Trainer Hushan apply? Of her two, Miho Bourbon hasn't debuted; Stardust Mirage debuted a month ago… Doesn't she know the French team's strength?"
"Maybe she just wants in on the fun. Ignore her." Air Groove picked up the other two applications and asked:
"Which team goes? Rigil has Taiki Shuttle, Hishi Amazon, and Narita Brian. Spica has Tokai Teio, Mejiro McQueen, and Gold Ship."
From pure strength, Rigil's current runners looked stronger. But Spica had Teio. With that variable, she couldn't guess which way Rudolf would lean.
"Have Rigil do this exchange. Taiki Shuttle and Narita Brian are very strong runners. Hishi Amazon is your disciple—you know her strength. They're suitable to represent Tracen versus the French."
Rudolf pointed to the left stack and was about to instruct Air Groove to start publicity—
Ring-ring-ring!!
Her phone cut their talk short. She answered.
"What happened?"
After a series of mms and ahs, she hung up. Air Groove asked.
"…A favor's come due. Tricky."
Rudolf sighed and picked up Hushan Feihong's application again.
"Stardust Mirage asked me to give her team a chance."
"What?!"
Air Groove knew exactly why that gave Rudolf a headache.
She had previously gone to ask this newcomer, Stardust Mirage, a favor for Oguri Cap—and told her if she needed anything to come to her. So if Stardust now asked regarding the exchange, it made sense.
But why did Team Draco want to mix it up with the West?
"Was it really Stardust Mirage calling? She didn't seem like someone who'd challenge blindly. Aren't her goals Tokai Teio and the Triple Crown?"
"Hushan probably said something to her."
Rudolf sighed, guessing.
Hushan Feihong had always been the academy's troublemaker. Her devil training had driven off many horse girls.
Only one or two could tolerate her demands—and now with promising Stardust Mirage she'd renamed the team and started over.
She also didn't do things openly—often used unscrupulous means.
What did she feed Stardust to make her spend a favor on this?
Rudolf rubbed her temples.
She didn't want to interfere with academy operations for personal reasons. But she didn't want to flatly refuse—she owed Stardust, and Stardust only asked for a chance to face the French…
"How about this?"
Air Groove smiled.
She picked up all three applications and laid them out on the desk.
"We still have a half-month before the French arrive. Call all three teams and let them decide among themselves who goes."
"You said it: Stardust only wants a chance. Putting Draco on the same starting line with Spica and Rigil should suffice, no?"
Rudolf pondered, then spread her hands.
"In theory, fine. But I have a hunch Hushan's aim isn't just this… She won't pull any tricks, will she?"
"Then you handle her." Air Groove shot back. "Tell her: 'Do not be insolent to Central!'"
"This joke will never die, will it."
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