This wasn't the first time Symboli Rudolf had considered recruiting Kitahara Sota.
In fact, aside from their very first meeting—once that misunderstanding was cleared—part of the reason she had taken the initiative to approach Kitahara was not just because he was Tokai Teio's trainer.
The main reason was that she'd discovered he seemed to have some particular skills, and so she had intentionally drawn closer to him, hoping to recruit him under her wing.
And these skills weren't limited to his abilities as a trainer—in fact, his trainer skills were the ones she valued least.
Of course, she could tell at a glance that Kitahara Sota's trainer skills were absurdly strong.
But the problem was that this was Tracen Academy headquarters. Though there weren't many outrageous trainers, there were still a few around.
Though none were as comprehensive as Kitahara—indeed, most were weaker than him in various areas—there were still trainers who specialized to an absurd degree in certain aspects, and they could at least compete against him.
—Of course, all of this was based on Rudolf being completely unaware that Kitahara Sota was still holding back, nor did she realize just how far his research had already gone.
If it wasn't his trainer abilities, nor for the sake of the Symboli family or the Student Council, then what exactly had Rudolf seen in him?
The answer was—nearly everything.
A good personality, strong trainer skills, being Teio's trainer, and also someone she could easily talk to…
He knew plenty of things she herself wasn't good at—especially dealing with children. He was also very likely related to her by blood, and even if not, he certainly had some profound connection with the Symboli family...
But even these weren't what Rudolf valued most in him.
What she liked most—and the primary reason she wanted him—was his performance regarding Black Forest.
Though she usually appeared very dignified and serious, and despite coming from the Symboli family—that monstrous household infamous for its ruthless brutality and elitism—
If this background appeared in any other scenario, she'd likely be portrayed as the villain or at least cast in an antagonistic role.
But perhaps due to the innate characteristics of Uma Musume, or maybe because her heart had been healed after coming to Tracen—
Right now, far from darkening, Rudolf was practically an idealist, even a naive one.
Immediately after her third racing year had ended, she'd begun working towards her next goal:
Creating a world where all Uma Musume could live happily.
To that end, she became the Student Council President at Tracen headquarters and had remained in that position for many years.
Throughout her tenure, she had always been cautious in her words and actions, actively taking various measures to protect and improve the living environment for Uma Musume.
However, this didn't mean she wanted to elevate Uma Musume above humanity.
In fact, it was exactly the opposite. In recent years, Rudolf had spent most of her time communicating with extreme pro-Uma Musume human activist groups—
Attempting to advise them against such extremism, assuring them the living conditions of Uma Musume were already good, and urging them to pay more attention to the human side of society.
After all, Uma Musume relied on human society. To fundamentally resolve Uma Musume's happiness, human society itself had to improve.
Rudolf understood this clearly, but there wasn't much she could do.
Because the Three Goddesses had explicitly forbidden Uma Musume from intervening too deeply in human affairs.
Minor things like part-time jobs or opening cafés were fine. Holding positions within companies or even establishing Uma Musume-led family businesses and industries was barely permitted.
But going deeper—particularly concerning human governance—was where the Three Goddesses drew the line.
Political matters were especially forbidden; the Three Goddesses repeatedly emphasized this boundary, never relenting even when humans themselves actively requested assistance.
Even the Three Goddesses themselves rarely involved themselves in human affairs, except occasionally, like weather forecasters, warning people of major natural disasters—
Such as earthquakes, typhoons, or volcanic eruptions, occasionally bestowing small blessings upon those who've greatly contributed to society.
Aside from this, they barely interfered at all.
That the Three Goddesses didn't like Uma Musume intervening in human affairs had long since become common knowledge worldwide.
No one knew the exact reason—or those who did weren't keen on speaking about it.
Regardless, that was the situation, so Rudolf, as an Uma Musume, faced many restrictions.
Even her own dream was cautiously phrased as creating "a world where all Uma Musume could live happily," rather than explicitly including all humans, just to avoid displeasing the Three Goddesses.
But Kitahara Sota was different. He was human.
Although the Three Goddesses were strict about Uma Musume directly intervening in human matters, they generally turned a blind eye to indirect methods—such as influencing a human who could then influence others.
Of course, the premise was that such actions must be genuinely intended for good.
Otherwise, while the Three Goddesses might ignore human affairs, they wouldn't hesitate at all to step in on the Uma Musume side.
Yet Rudolf didn't merely choose Kitahara for his humanity alone.
Ever since discovering his name wasn't listed in the URA's files she'd reviewed, she had investigated him.
Even while facing opposition from the Symboli family, she'd managed to find out quite a bit, including Kitahara Sota's unusual reputation among local Uma Musume.
What she'd never expected was just how absurdly influential he was locally.
As a Triple Crown winner, the Emperor, and a Symboli, Rudolf's current fame and influence were extremely high.
But the problem was that most of her prestige was concentrated in major cities and more developed areas.
While local Uma Musume and humans might recognize her name, they regarded her as just another famous figure.
But Kitahara Sota was different.
According to Rudolf's observations, his local reputation among Uma Musume and humans wasn't merely respect or admiration; calling it faith wasn't even an exaggeration. It was even greater than her own urban influence by more than a single level.
And through the recent Black Forest affairs, Rudolf confirmed it.
Not only did Kitahara Sota not mind, he even actively sought trouble to genuinely help Uma Musume and humans.
Moreover, beyond mere willingness, after observing him closely for some time, Rudolf discovered he was quite capable and accomplished in these areas.
While currently most affairs were indeed handled by Grass Wonder, from just the small part he personally managed, Rudolf was certain of his excellent management abilities.
After confirming this, especially after Kitahara had achieved tangible results, Rudolf's appreciation for him grew even deeper.
Compatibility in personality, outstanding capability, complementary influence, and even a companion on the path toward dreams, sharing common goals and beliefs…
Had she not discovered that Kitahara was her blood relative, even considering he was Tokai Teio's trainer, Rudolf might have developed other kinds of feelings.
But now, precisely due to their blood relation, Rudolf had no such improper thoughts. Still, she was increasingly determined to bring him to her side.
"The salary can be discussed freely—my conditions definitely won't lose to what the Chairwoman offers."
Though Kitahara had already rejected her, Rudolf showed no signs of displeasure nor any intention to give up, continuing her attempts to persuade him.
"Or if you're uncomfortable formally being my subordinate, I can also hire you simply as a friend or a partner—"
"And if you ever encounter something you don't want to deal with, you're completely free to refuse. I'll respect your wishes, yet the salary would remain unchanged…"
At the mention of "salary," Kitahara Sota's brows twitched slightly.
Fortunately, since races had increased recently, his income had risen, helping him develop some resistance against this financial temptation. He managed to suppress the instinctive urge to blurt out, "How much are we talking?"
After Rudolf finished speaking, Kitahara fell silent for a moment before finally letting out a sigh.
"President Rudolf, thank you for your kindness. But it's not really about money…"
"Then what is it?"
Rudolf shot him a sidelong glance.
"And don't give me nonsense about feeling inadequate. You've handled plenty of Black Forest matters alongside me. Someone incapable wouldn't manage even half as well."
Kitahara Sota's lips twitched slightly, caught off guard by Rudolf's perceptive jab. After a pause, he spoke again.
"You know me—I hate trouble..."
"If you're unwilling, working behind the scenes is fine too," Rudolf replied earnestly, looking directly at him. "I also know you dislike being entangled with major factions. I can hide your involvement from the Symboli family and ensure you stay out of unnecessary spotlight and trouble."
"Even keeping it from the Student Council is possible; at most, Air Groove and Narita Brian would know—but they're already aware of your existence and can be trusted."
Yet, despite Rudolf going to such lengths, Kitahara still firmly shook his head.
"No."
Seeing his resolute attitude, Rudolf tapped her index finger thoughtfully for a moment before slowly speaking again.
"Is Trainer Kitahara perhaps worried about something else? Or perhaps...you're concerned about me?"
After a brief silence, Kitahara sighed.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about you, but that's not the main reason I'm turning you down."
As he spoke, he leaned against the balcony railing, looking toward the racecourse where the competition had ended.
Spotting Tokai Teio happily waving at them from the corner after noticing their presence, he waved back briefly, then continued speaking.
"I understand you probably feel a bit unbalanced—wondering why I agreed to help the Chairwoman restart Black Forest but refuse your employment offer."
"But that's not how it works."
"The Chairwoman hired me primarily as a trainer. The Black Forest revival plan was merely an additional request, not something I was obligated to take on."
"So, when facing Black Forest's matters, I could have completely refused and asked the Chairwoman to find someone else."
"I only agreed because at the time I had no pressing matters, and because I genuinely wanted to do something within my capabilities for those little ones."
"But your situation is different."
"I know that even if I accept your offer, you probably wouldn't pressure me if I truly didn't want to get involved."
"But the issue is—if I accept your employment, the nature of my job fundamentally changes."
"Right now, I'm a trainer, and Black Forest's tasks are merely extras I voluntarily accepted."
"But if I agree to your request, matters like Black Forest would become responsibilities I'm obligated to bear."
"I dislike feeling responsible, especially for grand-scale obligations—even if I technically have the right to refuse them."
"I'm just a regular person. I don't have lofty ideals like saving all of humanity—I just want to take care of what's right in front of me first. Only if I have the capacity would I then consider other things."
"So I can't take on additional responsibilities without even being sure I can manage what's already on my plate, let alone your grand vision."
"That's why I can't accept your offer—now or probably ever."
After listening to Kitahara's explanation, Rudolf fell silent for a while, then sighed.
"I see..."
She understood what Kitahara meant clearly and found nothing inappropriate about his reasoning.
The Emperor had her duties, and trainers had their obligations.
Kitahara Sota was already an outstanding trainer, and as he'd mentioned, he proactively handled many matters within his capability. By any standard, his performance was impeccable.
As for his unwillingness to bear responsibility, Rudolf found nothing wrong with it. Rather, she found herself liking him even more because of it.
The more reluctant someone was to promise, the more seriously they would take it when they finally did.
Those unwilling to casually assume responsibilities usually valued them deeply.
Especially given her recent observations of him, Rudolf clearly understood that despite this man's daily slacking and general laid-back attitude, his persistence when it came to his bottom line and responsibilities was unusually strong.
Thus, after Kitahara had finished speaking, she let go of her plan to recruit him.
But giving up recruitment didn't mean Rudolf would stop asking for his help entirely.
After a short pause, Rudolf spoke again.
"Then by your reasoning, if I encounter trouble later on, I can come to you for help the same way the Chairwoman does, right?"
"That works," Kitahara nodded.
"But it depends. If I have the time and ability, helping you as a friend isn't impossible—but if I don't have either, that's another story..."
"Relax. I wouldn't ask you in that kind of situation."
Rudolf paused, gazing at Kitahara's serious expression. Remembering how firmly he'd just rejected her, she tapped her finger again and spoke with a teasing tone.
"But if we're approaching this as friends, payment shouldn't be necessary, right...?"
"Then our friendship ends here," Kitahara replied decisively.
"...Really?"
"Yes, really."
Kitahara shot her a glare.
"I'm not some young miss from the Symboli family, nor do I earn prize money that high. I'm also supporting a group of Uma Musume—including three big eaters—so think carefully if I'm serious."
"Then come work for me—I'll give you high wages and a commission."
"No way."
After joking back and forth for a bit, Rudolf glanced at the time. Figuring Tokai Teio was about to return to the club room, she brought the conversation to an end.
"Let's head back first. We shouldn't keep Teio waiting too long."
Kitahara had already planned to head back, so he naturally agreed.
But on the way back, as they chatted, Rudolf suddenly changed the subject.
"Speaking of, Trainer Kitahara, I recall mentioning before that although I never formally had a trainer during my racing years, I received some guidance from the Symboli family, right?"
Kitahara nodded.
"You've mentioned it. What about it?"
"Nothing much, just that recently I've begun to have some doubts about it."
Rudolf paused briefly, then continued.
"Before, it was always my grandmother who guided me—Symboli Speed, the current head of the Symboli family."
"But from what I know, although she has some trainer knowledge, she's definitely not proficient enough to instruct me directly."
"Previously, I assumed she had assembled a team of trainers behind the scenes to advise her, and she just stepped in to deliver the guidance herself."
"But recently, through some channels, I've gotten new information suggesting things weren't as I thought."
"To put it simply, my grandmother didn't have a team behind her—apparently, there was only one person advising her."
"And it wasn't just me. It seems even Sirius had traces of this person's involvement—in fact, they might have primarily overseen things..."
"Is that a problem?"
"A problem...how do I put it?" Rudolf hesitated.
"Well, the Symboli family has always declared publicly that I claimed the undefeated Triple Crown entirely on my own. But if this is true, then I think this person could count as my trainer to some degree..."
"But didn't they just provide some advice? And besides, you earned your undefeated Triple Crown by your own strength—it's fine to present it that way."
"I know it logically makes sense, but it still doesn't feel right. At the very least, I'd like to find that person and properly thank them..."
Hearing this, Kitahara shrugged.
"Then I suggest checking your family's basement. Maybe you'll find them down there."
"I already looked—nothing there."
Kitahara's steps paused slightly, and his expression turned subtle.
I was just joking—but you actually searched?
And more importantly—your family actually has a basement...?
Seeing his expression, Rudolf lightly punched his shoulder and grumbled.
"It's not that kind of basement. The Symboli family isn't as terrible as you're imagining."
After another pause, she added one more thing.
"Usually, they'd at least start with an isolated villa in the suburbs."
Kitahara: "..."
"But doesn't it still end up with someone getting locked up anyway?"
Rudolf didn't even avoid the point.
"At least the living environment is better than a basement. And it's not exactly imprisonment, just...the Symboli family's tradition is what it is."
"So family members tend to be rather possessive—not keen on their lovers going out and flirting around—but ordinary outings and socializing are still allowed..."
After hearing her response, Kitahara fell silent briefly, then turned toward Rudolf with an oddly nuanced gaze.
"And...what do you think about that?"
"Me?"
Hearing the question, Rudolf paused briefly. Then she turned toward him, smiling softly.
"What do you think?"
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T/N: SYMBOLI FAMILY DRAG ME TO YOUR BASEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!