Central was in turmoil, and Kousei was far from calm. During this sensitive period, she received a call. It was from Sirius, whom she hadn't heard from in a very long time.
"Hello? Kousei?"
"It's me, Onee-san."
An inexplicable awkwardness hung between them. For one, they hadn't spoken in ages. Sirius had vanished while Kousei was still at Central, and her sudden reappearance left Kousei unsure how to react.
For another, Kousei was naturally reserved, and Sirius wasn't much better. Even in the past, any interruption would plunge them into a delicate silence.
"Onee-san, you must have something important to discuss, calling me at a time like this."
Setting aside the awkwardness, Kousei held deep respect for Sirius. Compared to Rudolf, Kousei's relationship with Sirius was much closer.
As a senpai, Sirius had been the one to truly guide Kousei into the domain of technology. They had spent a great deal of time together, and Sirius also shared a connection with Kousei's parents. Back at Central, Sirius had always looked out for her.
As Student Council President, Rudolf naturally had no time to spare for Kousei. Their interactions were few and far between. Thus, while Kousei admired Rudolf, their exchanges were too scarce to foster any special feelings.
"Indeed, there is something urgent. You must be aware of the upheaval at Central, right?" Sirius's voice was as cold and sharp as ever.
"An event that sensational? It'd be harder not to know," Kousei replied bluntly.
"In that case, I won't waste time with pleasantries. Do you remember when I said I would train you, and in return, you would help me when you became capable?"
Kousei couldn't possibly forget. She had already suspected this was coming when Sirius called.
"Of course. I would never refuse to help you, Onee-san," Kousei promised.
"Good. Listen carefully. I want you to come back and defeat Luna during the upcoming Seishun Cup."
Kousei's heart tightened. Sirius had delivered the request as calmly as if she were discussing breakfast.
After a long silence, Kousei finally spoke.
"Now? At a time like this?"
"What's wrong? Unwilling to give up your current status?"
Kousei's momentum was at its peak. Riding this wave to push further was undoubtedly the best choice. Yet, she couldn't refuse Sirius's request. After a moment of thought, Kousei made her decision.
"Onee-san, I know everything about your past."
"What are you talking about?" Sirius sounded utterly bewildered.
"About what happened between you and President Rudolf back then."
At these words, Sirius faltered on the other end of the line.
"Why bring that up?"
"Onee-san, why do you want President Rudolf to lose?"
After what seemed like an internal struggle, Sirius finally spoke. "Fine, I'll tell you. That idiot Luna struts around all day, playing the 'Emperor,' sitting on that damn throne. She might look impressive at first glance, but in my eyes, it's all bullshit.
"The 'Absolute Emperor'? She never wanted that title. She was just forced into it by those bastards on the Central Committee."
"So you think the Throne has imprisoned President Rudolf?"
"It wasn't the Throne that imprisoned her. It was us."
Kousei frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
"You said you know what happened back then, so you must also know that Luna and I had a falling out."
"Yes. You two haven't seen each other since."
"Luna was truly a rare talent. Maybe the heavens envy the gifted? Her health was actually quite poor. Even before the Expedition, her appetite had dwindled. Despite her obvious discomfort, the Central Committee still forced her to go. They manipulated her gentle nature with talk of 'responsibility' and 'duty,' claiming it was to secure hope for future generations.
"They spouted righteousness and morality with every breath, making me sick to my stomach.
"Unfortunately, we were young and reckless back then, blinded by the allure of fame they dangled before us. We embarked on that journey without a second thought.
"Later, Luna suffered a severe leg injury. As for me, I couldn't compete with the world's top contenders and returned in utter defeat.
"When we were kids, our father used to say I was like a fighting wolf—aggressive and impulsive. Luna, he said, was like a mountain goat—always planning her moves carefully.
"And he was right. Without Luna's support, I became nothing more than a reckless fool, charging ahead blindly. Winning and losing are part of life, so aside from some frustration, my defeat wasn't a big deal."
Sirius's voice grew slower, and she paused for a long moment.
"It was only later that I learned Luna's leg injury was no accident. The Central Committee had deliberately orchestrated it. They pushed her to her limits specifically to worsen the strain on her leg."
"Why? What could they possibly gain from doing that?"
"Central was still in its early days. We'd had plenty of Umamusume with both skill and fame, but Luna... she was special. You didn't live through that era, so you can't understand. She was an Umamusume ahead of her time—the kind of person born to be the protagonist.
"The Central Committee needed someone like that, so they engineered the destruction of her legs. Who would have thought? It started as minor inflammation, then spread rapidly like cancer cells. They completely destroyed the Emperor's legs, all to keep her firmly in their grasp.
"To hell with their 'honor'! They were just terrified Luna would lose. 'The Emperor only lost because of her leg injury, not because she was inferior to the world's other contenders.' They wanted to create a god, and Luna was the perfect candidate.
"Let me ask you: in all these years, have you ever seen Luna run on a racetrack?"
Kousei thought back, a cold sweat breaking out on her skin. It was true—she had never seen Rudolf gallop on a track again.
"That's right. She can't run anymore. She's just a monument, standing silently in place. The Central Committee used her to rapidly expand their influence. Tracen is a behemoth now, but what's the result? All the profits have lined their own pockets."
"Couldn't the Symboli Family do anything?"
"All great families eventually meet the same fate—decline. What's remarkable is Symboli Rudolf, not the Symboli family itself.
"As you can see, my legs ache for a long time if I walk even a little too fast. Kris... Kris has vanished, too. The family hasn't produced another Umamusume capable of shouldering the burden. In this era's race for supremacy, the Symboli Family has gradually faded from history.
"All that respect they show us—it's entirely because of Luna. And the reason she's being controlled is because of me, her useless blood relative. She has a powerful sense of duty. For my sake, for the Symboli Family, and for the younger generations who look up to her and enter Tracen, she willingly submits to the Central Committee.
"We're all selfish adults. She chose to conceal history to maintain Central's pristine image. As for me... I don't care about any of that. I just want her to become Luna again."
After pouring out the words she had kept buried for so long, Sirius felt a surprising sense of relief.
"Yes, you and President Rudolf really are selfish."
Sirius offered no defense. She knew she deserved Kousei's scorn.
"Just because you and President Rudolf couldn't find a way to fight the Central Committee doesn't mean no one else can."
"What do you mean?"
"Onee-san wants me to defeat President Rudolf, but that's not my mission. Think about it—isn't there a better candidate?"
"Who?"
"You know who."
Sirius's heart tightened. An image flashed through her mind—a figure she had overlooked, or rather, deliberately avoided.
Damn it!
The Royal Road Legacy. A genius among geniuses. Only a King can defeat a King.