The days slipped by quietly until one afternoon when Hayato and Oguri Cap found themselves standing outside the student council room, invited for what Symboli Rudolf had called a tea party.
A tea party was supposed to be this refined thing where the host prepared tea and snacks, invited guests over for conversation and light refreshments. A social gathering. The kind of thing hospitable or wealthy people held all the time.
Popular enough in regular society, sure. But at Tracen Academy? Completely different story. Most uma musume would rather skip the formalities and just eat.
Which was exactly what Oguri Cap did the moment they walked in. She made a beeline for the snacks and started helping herself.
Hey, at least leave some for me, Hayato thought, watching her go to town on the pastries. He settled for a cup of coffee, taking a slow sip while waiting for Rudolf to get to whatever point this was really about.
"Mr. Hayato, are you getting used to academy life?"
"It's alright."
"Where are you from originally, Mr. Hayato?"
"Uh..." Hayato paused, the question catching him off guard. "I don't actually know. I've been here since birth."
Rudolf leaned forward slightly. "May I ask you a few more questions?"
His jaw tightened. "No comment." The coffee cup felt warm against his palm as his grip shifted. "I've said what I should say. What I shouldn't say really can't be said. If you're holding this tea party just to interrogate me, I'm leaving."
The temperature in the room dropped.
Oguri Cap's hand froze halfway to another pastry, her chewing slowing to a stop. Air Groove's gaze snapped toward them, her expression sharpening.
Rudolf hesitated, her fingers curling against the table. For a long moment, she didn't say anything.
Hayato figured she wanted to ask about skills. Either way, the silence stretched uncomfortably.
Finally, Symboli Rudolf stood up, her posture straightening. "Then I have no more questions. Let's start the real tea party."
She turned toward the door, and something in her tone made it clear the tea party wasn't happening here.
Hayato blinked. Wait, what?
After leaving the student council room, Symboli Rudolf led them down a series of hallways until they reached a massive set of double doors. She pushed them open, and Hayato's brain stuttered trying to process what he was seeing.
The hall was enormous. A twenty-meter-long table stretched down the center, covered with a red carpet runner. Crystal chandeliers caught the light and scattered it across the room in dazzling patterns. Western pastries were arranged on silver platters, fine wines lined up along the sides, and the whole setup screamed extravagance.
What the hell?
Dozens of Uma Musume and trainers had already gathered, their conversations creating a warm buzz of noise that filled the space. Hayato recognized way too many faces. Tamamo Cross's trainer, Masami Komiyama, is chatting with Fumino Nase near the wine. Spica's trainer, Okino standing with Kiryuin Aoi and Riko Kashimoto. Akikawa Yayoi was holding court in one corner while Hayakawa Tazuna nodded along to whatever she was saying.
And the other Uma Musume, whom Hayato knew but hadn't actually met yet, all mingling around the room.
Over by the windows, King Halo and the BNW group had clustered together, their laughter cutting through the chatter. "Ohohoho, Hayahide, you're quite fashionable too! You know how to use hair oil to care for your hair!"
"Who said my head is big? My head is perfectly normal size!"
Silence Suzuka had been pulled into Team Rigil's. Taiki Shuttle was practically bouncing with energy, her voice carrying across the room. "Yeah! Having everyone gather for a party is definitely super fun! We should do this kind of thing way more often!"
Nearby, Seiun Sky was deep in conversation with Mayano Top Gun and Sakura Laurel, gesturing as she talked. "The great escape lets you control the race rhythm completely. Being the one getting escaped from puts you in a totally passive position. Of course, controlling the rhythm is way better than having it controlled."
Seiun Sky said it so casually, like just using the great escape automatically guaranteed victory.
"It's quite lively," Hayato said, still taking it all in. He turned to Rudolf. "Did you organize all this?"
"Yes, but also no." Symboli Rudolf's expression shifted, somewhere between embarrassed and resigned. "Originally, I really did just want to hold a small tea party. When I asked Director opinion, she basically took over. I should say she organized it."
If it were Akikawa Yayoi, that explains everything.
Rudolf's gaze swept across the room, her voice softening. "How is it? Is this scene quite beautiful, isn't it? I hope all Uma Musume can wholeheartedly pursue their dreams. It's precisely because of this kind of passion that I became student council president."
She glanced at him, and for a moment, the Emperor's usual composure seemed more genuine than performative.
"It's alright." Hayato took another sip of his coffee. "I also became a trainer because I love Uma Musume."
Because honestly, surviving in a place as dangerous as Tracen Academy, if someone didn't love Uma Musume, they really wouldn't become a trainer.
The conversation with Symboli Rudolf's felt unexpectedly pleasant. An actual heartfelt exchange instead of the interrogation from earlier.
"Trainer Hayato, you came! Why so late?"
Kiryuin Aoi appeared seemingly out of nowhere, her face lighting up as she practically jogged over. Her voice drew more than a few curious looks in their direction.
Just finished getting interrogated, so yeah, I'm late.
"I was chatting with Rudolf and lost track of time."
"Come over here!" Kiryuin Aoi was already reaching for Hayato's arm, trying to steer him away. "Miss Hayakawa and the Director are also here."
Not far away, Happy Meek blinked twice, watching her trainer with a dazed expression before breaking into a small smile. "Trainer really likes that Trainer Hayato."
Under Kiryuin Aoi's enthusiastic pulling, Hayato didn't have much choice but to follow.
"Riko Kashimoto."
"Hayato."
Hayato shook hands with the newly acquainted trainer, her grip firm and professional.
The moment Hayato settled into a seat, Akikawa Yayoi stood up and snapped open her fan with a practiced flick. The sharp sound cut through the conversations.
"We've been waiting!" Her voice carried easily across the room. "Welcome to the Tracen Academy!"