"Out of stock?"
"Yes."
Gold Legend stood in front of the store, her expression conflicted.
"Can't you make an exception?"
"Sorry, those are the rules." The boss said naturally.
"Hey, rules are dead, people are alive, don't be so rigid." Legend said in a negotiating tone.
"Sorry, I'm an old-fashioned person." The boss was unyielding.
"Oh, my friend, what did I do to make you disrespect me so much?" Gold Legend said with heartache. "They say the customer is God. I traveled all this way, waited in line for three hours, finally got to the front, and you say, 'out of stock.' You wouldn't even humor me!"
"Sorry, this shop's roasted chicken is limited to one hundred per day."
"I can pay more!"
"It's not about money, it's about rules." The boss shook his head. "Unless you become my superior, this rule won't change."
"I understand." Legend nodded. "Name your price."
"Huh?" The boss was taken aback.
"I want to buy your shop and be your boss. Name your price."
"My venerable ten-year-old shop, a popular bestseller, and you disrespect me so?" The boss was furious.
Gold Legend pulled out a golden card and placed it in front of the boss.
"This isn't about money."
Gold Legend pulled out a stack of checks and tore one off.
"Fill in a number on it." Then she leaned back strategically.
"…" The boss looked at the check, which started with 7 zeros.
"This is an insult to me!"
He originally wanted to say that.
"What are your orders, boss?"
But she offered too much.
"First, reserve one roasted chicken for me every day."
Gold Legend issued her first command as boss... "Hmm, it smells delicious."
Holding the roasted chicken that the boss had made on the spot and packaged, Legend commented.
After making a call for her manager to come and handle the detailed matters with the boss, Gold Legend casually acted as a hands-off owner, taking the roasted chicken and leaving.
"I need to find a good spot to taste this most expensive roasted chicken. It's probably the most expensive, right?" Legend tilted her head.
"Call coming, Legend, answer the phone quickly!" Her phone's ringtone unseasonably interrupted Legend's thoughts.
"Hello, who is this?" Legend's tone was not very good, her lunch time having been disturbed.
"Legend-san, are you free right now?" A gentle voice with a hint of pressure.
"...I'm always free, Sister Hayakawa." Legend shamefully caved.
"It's like this, please come to the Chairmans Office. There's an urgent matter."
"Okay."
After hanging up, Gold Legend looked at the roasted chicken in her hand, conflicted.
If she went to the Chairmans Office, wouldn't it be impolite to bring this thing?
Never mind, it's not a big deal anyway... "So! Why did you bring a roasted chicken here?"
This was the workplace of the head of Central Tracen Academy.
The Chairmans Office.
Yayoi Akikawa sat in front of her desk, one hand holding a pen, the other on her forehead.
"This is a very popular new item recently, a premium roasted chicken limited to 100 per day. I paid a high price for it and originally planned to deal with it before coming, but I heard you summoned me for an urgent matter, so I had no choice but to be rude." Legend offered an apology, acknowledging that bringing food to the office was indeed impolite.
"No problem—I haven't had lunch anyway."
"?"
"Miscalculation. I planned to skip work and goof off, but Hayakawa caught me and dragged me back to stamp papers." Yayoi Akikawa said, a little sheepish.
"...Understood." Thinking of Green Demon's usual antics, Legend found it perfectly plausible. "Would you like me to fetch you something fresh?"
"Too much trouble. This roast chicken is fine—we'll share." The Chairman flashed a grin, cute little fang on display.
"..."
She swept the folders off the desk onto the floor; the surface was suddenly spacious.
They peeled away the fancy wrapper, slipped on the complimentary gloves, and the two Horse Girls tucked into lunch.
"Amazing! I've heard of this place—lines out the door every day, always sold out, clear across town from Tracen. I've tried dozens of times and never managed a bite. How did you get one?"
The meat was rich yet not greasy, crisp outside, juicy within, silky and perfect—clearly the pinnacle of roast chickens.
"Huh? Oh—I bought the shop," Gold Legend answered casually.
"?"
"Anyway, Chairman, why did you need me?" Legend glanced at the Chairman demolishing her meal and flicked a scrap to the drooling kitten beside her.
"Appearances. Nothing urgent—just something that required you to drop by," the Chairman said.
"?" Legend didn't follow.
"It's about the Satsuki Sho—and a bit about the Derby."
"...What happened? I don't recall a Winner's Stage visit being part of the Satsuki prize. Is there an issue with my time?" And since when do you involve yourself in details?
"Relax. Your record's flawless—you set a mark no one's ever touched. The problem is the girls behind you." The Chairman shook her head.
Gold Legend looked around; no one was there.
"...I mean the ones who finished right after you in the Satsuki."
"Oh. What about them?"
"They've retired."
"Eh?" Legend blinked.
"Over-extension. They pushed past their limits, racked up serious internal damage. Daily life's fine, but... they can't run anymore." The Chairman kept eating, face unreadable.
"...Because of me?"
"Horse Girls are born to run, chasing the light is instinct. Don't blame yourself. Including you, five of you broke the Satsuki record—history-making, but history demands its price."
"...Sorry."
"Nonsense. You won with your talent; apologizing now would dishonor them."
Gold Legend opened her mouth, then closed it.
"Relax—they don't blame you. Visit them if you like. I only dragged you here for show; the association's whining again. Seems the last lesson wasn't enough." The Chairman sighed and tore off another drumstick.
"Fair—hey, that drumstick was mine!"
"Insolence! It's in my mouth now, so it's mine."
"How can you be so shameless?"
"Pfft—I'm no Horse Girl!"
A fan snapped open: [Disaster Starts at the Mouth].
"...You're impossible."
"Victory! What are you going to do about it?" The Chairman planted her hands on her hips, smug.
"Indeed—seems the Chairman's quite pleased with herself," came a chilly voice.
"Naturally! I'm the Chairman—sovereign of Tracen!" Oblivious to Legend's frantic signals, she flicked the fan open again.
It read: [Supreme Above All].
"Then, Sovereign, have you finished your work?"
"Nope! Who actually works?" the Chairman declared, righteous.
"Oh~" Hands settled on her shoulders.
The Chairman jolted; across the desk Gold Legend sat poker-straight.
Slowly the Chairman turned—and saw Miss Hayakawa's radiant smile, eyes ice-cold.
"Hayakawa?"
"Right here, Chairman."
"..." The Chairman gave a resigned grin. "Leave my face alone."
A hand clamped onto her skull; Gold Legend swore she heard bone creak.
"Legend-san, could you give the Chairman and me a moment?" Miss Hayakawa asked sweetly.
Legend nodded frantically, scooped up the Chairman's kitten, and bolted.
"One more thing," Hayakawa Tazuna called as Legend reached the door.
"?"
"I've sent you the files and current addresses of those retired girls. Do whatever you feel is right."
She smiled gently.
"...Thank you." Legend bowed and stepped out.
The instant the door shut, a muffled wail echoed inside.
Gold Legend held a kitten in one arm while swiping her phone with the other, opening the file Hayakawa Tazuna had sent.
"…Let's go take a look," Legend murmured.
"Meow." The kitten cried as if in agreement.
"Hah." Legend smiled, walked to the corridor window, and gazed at the sky.
No telling what she was thinking.
"Ah, right—my roast chicken's still inside."
"Meow." The kitten licked its paw, as though mocking something.
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