Having returned to Japan once more, Symboli Speed didn't immediately head to the Symboli Estate. Instead, she followed the path from memory until she reached Tracen Academy.
Not a single person was in sight.
It made sense—it was vacation season, after all.
She didn't see Rudolf, or Sirius, or any other students.
"Well, if it isn't Symboli Speed. It's been a long time."
A familiar voice called out from behind.
Symboli Speed turned and saw a woman in green work clothes.
"Oh, it's you, Hayakawa."
"Yes. What brings you back here?"
Hayakawa Tazuna walked past Symboli Speed and stopped beside Tracen's entrance, exactly as she had years ago. "Want to take a look inside?"
"No need. I just came to see the academy for a moment. I have something else to take care of."
Symboli Speed declined.
Though revisiting Tracen Academy had its appeal, what she needed to handle lay elsewhere.
"I won't explain the details. I'll be going."
She clearly had no intention of lingering.
Her decisiveness told Hayakawa everything, so she didn't press further. Instead, Hayakawa turned and entered the academy—she had her own work to attend to.
Leaving Tracen's gates, Symboli Speed walked along the nearby streets toward the shopping district.
Even this place was steeped in distant memories for her.
Back then…
"Ah, found it."
Guided by those memories, she reached the far end of the shopping street and finally spotted the store she was searching for.
"This should be it, right?"
She looked up at the closed restaurant, then checked her phone.
Displayed on the screen was a photo of the same place.
Even while abroad, it hadn't been difficult for Symboli Speed to find information on the restaurant Tokai Natural once ran. That was exactly why she'd stopped here before dealing with her family matters.
After a brief moment of observation, she turned to leave.
After all, she didn't have the keys—getting inside wasn't possible.
"Are you a customer? Sorry, the owner went abroad to recover, so the place is closed."
A short Uma Musume with silver-white hair appeared and offered an explanation.
Unnecessary as it was, it stirred a new thought in Symboli Speed's mind. "Are you friends with the owner?"
"Ah, friends…" The petite Uma tilted her head, considering her connection to Tokai Natural, then shook her head. "Not exactly. I'd say she's probably more like… my fan!"
"A fan…"
"Yes! My first fan!" the girl said proudly, looking up at her. "Are you here looking for her too?"
"Not exactly." Symboli Speed briefly studied the small silver-haired Uma, then looked away. "I just heard about this place from a friend. My friend didn't mention the closure… I should finish my business first. Once the owner returns, I might come again."
She deliberately kept things vague, not wanting a young student involved in Symboli family issues.
Most Uma around here would be Tracen Academy students, after all.
Better not to drag them into family problems.
"You're leaving already?"
"Yes. I need to handle something first," Symboli Speed replied, stepping past her.
The silver-haired Uma watched Symboli Speed walk away until only her retreating figure remained.
After a few seconds, the girl scratched her head and murmured, "My fan sure has a lot of friends…"
Shrugging, she unlocked the restaurant door. "Oh well. Doesn't matter to me~"
...
Awakening from sleep, Symboli Rudolf saw it was already ten in the morning.
She pulled the covers tighter around herself. Even at this hour, the room remained cold without heating.
Right now, Rudolf was staying neither at the Symboli Estate nor in the Tracen dormitories.
Instead, she lived in an abandoned wing of Tracen Academy.
After using her authority as Student Council President to obtain the keys, she'd rarely returned to the Symboli residence.
With Sirius handling the family's affairs, Rudolf had little reason to go back.
Picking up her phone, she noticed the battery icon glowing red.
Considering the lack of charging opportunities, it was a miracle it had lasted this long.
Even so, Rudolf opened Twitter.
As always, she stopped on a certain familiar page.
Without the courage to tap deeper, she simply stared until the battery finally died and the phone shut off.
Darkness remained, the shattered screen reflecting her face back at her.
Staring at the fragmented reflection, Rudolf eventually set the phone aside.
She didn't know what to do, but there was nothing she needed to do.
The burden of her previous responsibilities was gone—there were no tasks waiting at the Student Council.
Setting the phone down meant nothing.
No one would contact her anyway.
She pulled the covers around herself again and curled up.
She wanted to sleep more, but the sunlight spilling into the room wouldn't let her.
After nearly an hour of tossing and turning, her body finally reminded her it was time to get up.
Sitting up abruptly, Rudolf shivered as the covers fell away.
While putting on her Tracen Academy uniform, she mentally listed her plans for the day.
"First, find somewhere to eat. Though probably nowhere's suitable."
"And second…"
She paused.
There was no second thing.
The realization pushed her deeper into confusion.
"What's next…?"
"What should I do next…?"
---
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
discord.gg/wisetl
patreon.com/wisetl