Special Week's "defection" caused no public disturbance.
Her withdrawal request was suppressed in time by the others and Symboli Rudolf. If word spread that a new Rigil member had quit on her second day, it would certainly cause an uproar.
Only the night before, following the welcome party, Rigil's official accounts across the major platforms had announced its two newest members. Even Symboli Rudolf and the others had promoted the news through their personal accounts.
There was no chance they could allow Special Week to leave at a time like this.
But they could not let the situation grow either.
That meant they could not simply march into Special Week's classroom to confront her. They needed to find somewhere private and have a proper conversation with her.
"Trainer, are we the only people who know about this at present?" Symboli Rudolf asked gravely.
To prevent further trouble, she needed to resolve the matter with as little impact as possible.
"Suzuka shares a room with her, so she may know."
"Then tell her to keep quiet. I'll use my authority as Student Council President to summon Special Week here."
Symboli Rudolf acted with characteristic decisiveness.
Almost as soon as the lunch break bell rang, an announcement sounded across the school, asking Special Week to report to the Student Council President.
"Spe, why would the President suddenly want to see you?"
El Condor Pasa looked baffled.
"None of your business."
"..."
Wow. Wasn't Spe being a little too cold toward her?
El looked at Special Week pitifully.
Hadn't they already become rivals?
That was a relationship even closer than ordinary friendship!
"All right, El. Don't bother Spe."
Grass Wonder naturally stepped between them.
She addressed Special Week in a gentle voice.
"Go on, Spe. You shouldn't keep the President waiting."
"..."
Special Week looked confused.
When had this woman begun calling her by a nickname?
When had their relationship become so close, and why hadn't Special Week heard about it?
But Grass had done nothing else, so Special Week could only nod for now.
After she left, El stared at Grass Wonder's "affectionate" gaze and could not resist commenting.
"Grass, aren't you a little biased when it comes to Spe?"
"Oh~ Nothing of the sort. You're imagining things."
Grass denied the possibility.
El snorted skeptically.
Special Week treated Grass normally, and the two of them were not even as close as El and Special Week. Just yesterday afternoon, when their training had ended, Spe had run off without so much as noticing the towel and drink Grass had prepared for her.
Grass suddenly seemed to sense something.
"El, what are you thinking?"
"N-nothing."
El immediately behaved herself.
...
The Student Council.
Special Week looked at the door to the clubroom before her.
She could sense danger inside.
But when she made her decision, she had already anticipated how Symboli Rudolf and the others would respond.
She would have to pass this trial sooner or later.
She would not run from it.
Special Week knocked.
"Come in."
No emotion could be heard in Symboli Rudolf's voice.
Special Week opened the door and entered the Student Council room.
Every heavyweight member of Rigil had gathered inside.
Student Council President, Symboli Rudolf!
Student Council Vice President, Air Groove!
Student Council member, Maruzensky!
Student Council Secretary, Narita Brian!
Even Special Week instinctively felt fear when confronted by the pressure of these four. But she was no true wild beast. Her reason suppressed the fear.
"You're here, Special Week."
Symboli Rudolf raised her eyes.
The majesty of the [Emperor] filled the room.
The others silently restrained their own auras.
An ordinary umamusume would have surrendered immediately before such an array. Special Week was no ordinary umamusume. Her eyes regained their clarity in only an instant.
"I'm here, President."
She spoke calmly.
Special Week did not believe she had done anything wrong.
Therefore, she had no reason to fear what Symboli Rudolf might do next.
As for withdrawing without first trying to negotiate, she would not deny it. She had done so deliberately.
Rather than raise the subject with the Trainer only to be stalled without reaching a solution, it was better to cut through the knot and withdraw directly. If that offended someone, so be it. Anyone with a complaint could come at her. She feared no challenge!
"I saw your withdrawal request. Tell me why you want to leave the team. You are free to choose which team you join, but if you cannot convince me, then as Student Council President, I have the authority to reject your request."
Symboli Rudolf did not bother appealing to emotion or reason.
She chose the most direct and effective approach: using the authority of the Student Council President to pressure Special Week into an explanation. Special Week had nowhere else to go. What could she do next—perform a dramatic withdrawal from the academy itself?
It seemed unlikely, but Symboli Rudolf had even prepared to intervene physically. Had Special Week tried to turn around, she would have discovered that the Student Council door had somehow already been locked.
Of course, Special Week was not quite that extreme.
"Because I don't think Rigil suits me."
She answered calmly.
"You believe even Rigil, the academy's strongest team, is unsuitable for you?"
"Rigil may be the strongest, but that doesn't mean its philosophy suits every student. I imagine you understand that better than I do, President."
Special Week did not believe Symboli Rudolf could be unaware of the shortcomings in Rigil's approach.
"It's true that even Rigil's training philosophy cannot suit every student. But why do you believe it doesn't suit you? El Condor Pasa and Grass Wonder are in your class, and neither of them has complained about our approach."
"...President, I've already given my reason. It doesn't suit me because it doesn't suit me. It's simply a feeling. Rigil is not where I should be. My instincts as an umamusume tell me so."
"You think that explanation is reasonable?"
To Symboli Rudolf, Special Week was simply being absurd.
What instinct?
How long had she even been in Rigil?
Adapting to a new environment took time. She had spent less than two days with Rigil, yet she was already claiming its environment did not suit her?
Had Rudolf been too indulgent with her?
The Emperor felt her age. In her younger days, she would at least have taught Special Week why the authority of Central could not be challenged.
"Yes. I think it is."
Special Week was completely unmoved by Symboli Rudolf's interrogation. She even behaved as though her answer were self-evident. She saw no need to play the obedient child before Rudolf. If the Emperor insisted on obstructing her departure, Special Week did not mind offending her.
"No. That reason cannot convince me."
Symboli Rudolf did not allow anger to control her.
In truth, she was not nearly as furious as she appeared.
Her thoughts were focused mainly on resolving the situation properly.
Especially when dealing with a student like Special Week.
The girl had a difficult personality, but that was a common flaw among geniuses.
Tracen Academy had never lacked gifted problem children.
Symboli Rudolf simply did not want Special Week to squander her talent.
"Then what kind of reason would convince you?"
"..."
*No, I'm supposed to be finding a way to persuade you not to leave.*
Symboli Rudolf was speechless.
How could this girl remain so calm?
Could all the pressure they had prepared behind her be fake?
Rudolf knew that Special Week had mastered an imposing aura of her own. That was precisely why she had summoned the others to reinforce her position.
Even so, they had failed to disturb Special Week's composure.
What an outstanding little—
No. That was wrong. Special Week was thoroughly rotten!
Special Week turned toward a mural on the wall.
It depicted a race and bore a single inscription:
"Eclipse First, the Rest Nowhere."
One horse in front, ten thousand lost in its shadow.
"Since neither of us can persuade the other, let's use the traditional method of gaining an umamusume's acknowledgment."
She pointed at the mural.
"We'll let strength and results speak for us."
"That should be enough to convince you, shouldn't it, President?"
It was the best solution she could think of.
And judging from Symboli Rudolf's usual confidence, she ought to approve. If the Emperor did not admire this style, she would not have hung the mural so close to her desk.
"What exactly do you mean?"
Symboli Rudolf's interest was indeed piqued.
"Are you saying you want to challenge me?"
She even looked eager to "bully" Special Week.
But Special Week was no fool.
Why would she challenge a boss as formidable as the [Emperor]? She was confident she could defeat Rudolf one day, but the odds of winning now were far too low.
"No."
Special Week shook her head decisively.
This was no time to give an ambiguous answer.
She was not sure whether the [Emperor] had any shame.
"Then how do you intend to demonstrate your strength and results? Don't tell me you plan to compare yourself with your two classmates. You know that could never persuade me. The same applies to junior members of the team. The standard you must meet is not low. If you aren't challenging me, do you intend to face Maruzensky?"
Symboli Rudolf thought that might be acceptable.
If Special Week could genuinely defeat Maruzensky, Rudolf could indeed leave her alone. Yet not even Rudolf could claim a guaranteed victory over Maruzensky. The idea of Special Week defeating her was pure fantasy.
Special Week stared at Symboli Rudolf without a word.
This old woman was rotten. She kept trying to make Special Week challenge hidden bosses.
Special Week shook her raised finger.
"No. I'll challenge the Vice President!"
Air Groove had been watching from the side and had never expected to become involved.
She glared at Special Week.
What was that supposed to mean?
Special Week fled from Rudolf and Maruzensky, yet actively challenged her?
She was truly being underestimated!
Air Groove clenched her fist.
Symboli Rudolf was also surprised at first.
Then, after considering the proposal, her expression became somewhat complicated.
Air Groove's status certainly qualified her.
But...
Rudolf had a few doubts about Air Groove's current strength.
"Hmm... the Vice President..."
Could Special Week choose someone else?
Silence Suzuka would do.
Merely imagining the race, Rudolf felt Suzuka might be a safer choice than her own Vice President.
Of course, it wasn't that she lacked faith in Air Groove.
She was only being cautious.
Watching Symboli Rudolf hesitate, Air Groove's fist tightened further.
Fine. Fine, Rudolf...
Even you looked down on her now?
Air Groove took a deep breath.
She spoke before Rudolf could answer.
"Very well. We'll do as Special Week suggested. If you can defeat me, I'll have the President approve your request!"
"..."
Symboli Rudolf stared speechlessly at the proud, confident Air Groove.
Why was she in such a hurry?
The initiative was in their hands.
By rushing to accept, hadn't she played directly into Special Week's plan?
"President, please trust me."
Air Groove's expression remained cold.
But as the Empress and Vice President of Tracen Academy, she could not permit herself to be underestimated to this extent!
"All right."
Symboli Rudolf chose to respect Air Groove's wishes.
"Then it's settled. Special Week, if you defeat the Vice President in your duel, I will approve your withdrawal request. But if you lose, you must return to Rigil and never raise the subject of leaving again!"
"No problem."
Special Week agreed immediately.
Watching her almost impatient response, Symboli Rudolf hesitated again.
Did Special Week truly believe victory over the Vice President was guaranteed? Had Rudolf genuinely fallen behind the times? Were young people now this fearless?
It wasn't that Symboli Rudolf truly believed Air Groove would lose. Special Week might have immense potential, but she was still a rookie. No matter how Rudolf considered it, there was no reason Air Groove should lose.
"The duel will take place this afternoon."
Symboli Rudolf and Special Week settled on the time.
The Student Council room's door quietly unlocked again.
"Would you like to join us for lunch, then?"
With the issue temporarily settled, Symboli Rudolf returned to her usual calm manner and invited Special Week along. For now, she still regarded her as a member of Rigil.
Special Week shook her head.
"No, thank you. I wouldn't be able to relax if I ate with all of you."
She disliked eating with people she was not close to.
It made her uncomfortable.
If she grew tense, she would not even be able to eat freely.
"Uh... I see. As you wish, then."
Symboli Rudolf immediately understood Special Week's concern and withdrew the invitation.
"Goodbye."
After leaving the Student Council room, Special Week headed directly for the cafeteria.
She could not eat without restraint because of the duel that afternoon, but the fact that the matter had reached a solution put her in a good mood.
...
The afternoon arrived before long.
...
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