"Let him go? Hmph~" Gold Ship couldn't help but laugh when she heard Symboli Rudolf's question.
After all, from the start, she'd only ever said, If you keep coming any closer, I'll take his virginity—but she'd never once said, Just do as you're told and I'll let him go.
Those two statements might sound similar, but their core logic was completely different!
So the idea that as long as Gold Ship's demands were met, Mizuno would be saved—that was nothing but Symboli Rudolf and the others' own wishful thinking. Gold Ship had never planned to hand Mizuno over; whether or not Rudolf played by the rules, she was dead set on taking the guy's chastity for herself!
Besides, Rudolf had already broken the rules and advanced this far. If Gold Ship didn't claim her prize now, that'd just be letting her off easy, wouldn't it?
Still, even if Gold Ship didn't believe Rudolf and her gang could possibly find the right way to this room, it wasn't great having outsiders clogging up her doorway either. If they kept smashing things and setting off alarms, it'd ruin her precious one-on-one time with her good bro.
I've got to come up with something, get those troublesome Uma Musume to leave on their own…
"Hmm… got it!" After thinking for a bit, Gold Ship came up with a win-win idea.
She hopped off the bed, grabbed her tablet, pushed open the heavy steel door, and strode into the monitoring room—set up for both observing Mizuno's situation and controlling all the gadgets scattered through the underground space.
"Here's what we'll do: I'll give you one chance to rescue the prince. As long as you can prove to me that you're more qualified than I am to protect him, I'll acknowledge it. You can have him."
"How do we prove it?!" The moment they heard there might be a way out, all the Uma Musume rushed to ask.
"Hmph~" Gold Ship, seeing the group had fallen right into her rhythm, gave a sly, wicked grin:
"It's simple. If any one of you can clear all the trials I've set up, I'll admit she's got what it takes—and I'll trust her enough to hand Trainer-san's whole life over to her."
"Trials?" the Uma Musume echoed, surprised.
To rescue Trainer-san, they'd have to take on Gold Ship's challenges—wasn't this just like the classic stories, where heroes have to overcome a hundred obstacles to save the princess?
But, as always, everyone thought they'd be the main character. The girls, upon hearing that all they needed was to prove their worth to save Mizuno, didn't even care what the challenges were—they all believed, without exception, that they'd make it through and bring their beloved back themselves!
"I'll be the Uma Musume who saves Trainer-san!" Spirits soared, confidence flooding the room.
Just as everyone was gearing up, Gold Ship spoke again.
"There's one more thing… Anyone can participate—but President Rudolf and Vice President Air Groove have to stay behind."
"Why?!" Rudolf and Air Groove both froze.
"Because I don't trust the Student Council," Gold Ship answered coldly.
"From that so-called rule about no Uma Musume allowed in the Secret Boys' Dormitory—except Student Council members… it's obvious that these so-called defenders of Tracen's daily order are just a bunch of petty schemers using their privilege for their own convenience."
"Organizations that look righteous on the surface but are rotten inside—I'd never hand him over to you. What if one day you want him all to yourself, and you build a Student Council Private Counseling Room right in the Academy? With some official excuse, you could drag him in there for 'counseling'—and who could stop you from doing whatever you wanted to him?"
"Oh?" Symboli Rudolf narrowed her eyes, a little surprised that Gold Ship had more or less guessed her next plan.
But since she hadn't done it yet and there was no evidence, it was just empty talk—no need to worry about Gold Ship using it against her for now.
The most important thing now was still: how to rescue Trainer-san from Gold Ship's hands!
So Rudolf folded her arms, looked up at the camera on the door, and shot back:
"Gold Ship, you're not just using this 'lack of trust' excuse to keep me and Air Groove out because you're afraid we'll actually save Trainer-san, are you?"
On this scene, whether in strength or experience, the only real seniors present were herself and Air Groove.
And with a respected senior leading, the team would naturally work together better and have a much higher chance of success.
Now, suddenly saying the two of them couldn't participate—it was hard not to suspect Gold Ship was trying to lower their odds of rescuing Trainer-san.
"Trying to goad me? That's not going to work," Gold Ship snorted. She could tell right away what Rudolf was doing.
"And what if it is? Like I said, whether you're the all-powerful Student Council President or the heir to some big family—if you want him safe, you play by my rules!"
"Of course, you could always refuse. In that case, tomorrow you'll all get a video on your phones—recording every step of me and Trainer-san's journey into adulthood."
"Guh…" Rudolf was instantly at a loss for words, grinding her teeth, fists clenching in silent fury.
If anyone had dared threaten her like this before, she'd have fought back on the spot—violence, even, if that's what it took to make them understand: defying the Emperor was the biggest mistake they'd ever make.
But now she carried another person in her heart—a weak spot she'd never had before…
That guy had once sacrificed his own pride to help her. Now it was her turn to swallow her pride and save him.
To Symboli Rudolf, face meant nothing compared to his chastity. If she had to, she'd just let Tokai Teio and the rest save Mizuno—then settle the score with Gold Ship twice over once it was all done.
So, faced with Gold Ship's threats, Rudolf could only swallow her anger, close her eyes, and reply with resignation:
"Fine. You win. Air Groove and I will stay here…"
"Mm." Air Groove gave a reluctant nod, agreeing.
"Hmph~ Perfect~" Gold Ship, pleased everything was going according to script, nodded and pressed a green button in front of her.
Ka-chunk— With a crisp unlocking sound, the wall at the bottom of the entry stairs suddenly split open—a hidden door sprang out, its surface so much like the surrounding stone and earth that nobody would've noticed it without looking closely.
"Eh?!" The Uma Musume all turned at the sound, and finally spotted the door right beside the stairs.
No wonder Gold Ship hadn't panicked at all while they were busy kicking down doors earlier—turns out, every single alloy door in the corridor was a smokescreen, tricking them into thinking the hallway's end was the final room. The real passage to Mizuno's room had been hidden beneath the stairs all along!
"Come in. This is your one and only chance."