"I remember the last time they announced a Hall of Fame Uma Musume, it was MR CB, wasn't it?"
Thinking for a moment, Kitahara asked: "That 'Triple Crown Uma Musume,' the one titled 'Miraculous Closing Speed.'"
"You remember very clearly, Kitahara-kun."
Smiling at Kitahara, Maruzensky nodded. "That's right, MR CB came after me."
If that's the case, and if the timeline matches, then after MR CB, the next Hall of Fame should be…
"This time they should be announcing two Hall of Fame entries at once, right?"
Kitahara pondered: "Symboli Rudolf and Mejiro Ramonu (Mejiro Ryan's mother)."
In his memory, those two were indeed inducted in the same year.
Maruzensky's eyes flickered slightly.
"Oh? Very well-informed, aren't you, Kitahara-kun…"
She smiled meaningfully, then casually asked in an offhand tone: "So, Kitahara-kun, you really acknowledge the strength of these two friends of mine, huh?"
Without thinking too much about it, Kitahara smiled and nodded.
"An undefeated Triple Crown winner with seven G1 victories, and a Fillies' Triple Crown with six consecutive graded stakes victories including all prep races. If achievements like that can't get into the Hall of Fame, then we might as well close it down."
His tone carried a bit of joking flavor, but everything he said was true.
One of only four Triple Crown racehorse girls since the start of the Shining Star series, and the first ever to win the Satsuki Sho, Japan Derby, and Kikuka Sho all undefeated — the "Undefeated Triple Crown Uma musume" — and the first with seven G1 titles… Symboli Rudolf's strength hardly needed to be proven.
Mejiro Ramonu was the same — the first "Fillies' Triple Crown" winner in the Twinkle series. Back then, the Fillies' Triple Crown was still the Oka Sho, Oaks, and Queen Elizabeth II Cup, and she not only won all three, but also every prep race along the way. Currently she held the highest total earnings among fillies. Counting this Hall of Fame induction, she would also be one of only three fillies in history to receive the honor.
And not only her record — she was the eldest daughter of the most prestigious Uma Musume family, the Mejiro clan, the elder sister to standouts like Mejiro Ardan, Mejiro Dober, and Mejiro McQueen.
With achievements and pedigree like this, if a Hall of Fame title were to be awarded this year, there was no way it wouldn't be these two.
… Only, this year's Hall of Fame voting hadn't finished yet, and the planned titles hadn't been announced — so how did this Kitahara-san guess it so perfectly?
Maruzensky's smile grew more and more intrigued.
Hall of Fame titles went through record audits, association discussions, and then voting by professionals and fans.
Before the titles were announced, the association would first release a shortlist of the top candidates for public voting, which continued until late December.
Right now, voting wasn't even over, the tallies were confidential, and the Hall of Fame entries weren't officially confirmed.
When selecting those candidates, the association also prepared a few potential titles, which would then be voted on live at the awards ceremony.
Meaning even the titles weren't finalized yet — and that too was confidential.
So then, Kitahara-kun, how did you, without knowing the vote counts or proposed titles, so confidently name Symboli Rudolf and Mejiro Ramonu as the top picks, and even guess their exact Hall of Fame titles? Hmm~?
Maruzensky didn't say her thoughts aloud — not because she wanted to tease him or had ulterior motives.
Her thinking was simple: this Kitahara person was just… interesting. Far more interesting than the dry profile files central had on him.
As for how he knew — or guessed — certain things? She decided to let Rudolf be the one with the headache over that. The thought amused her.
"Ah~ Kitahara-kun really does think highly of my two friends. Looks like at this banquet, I'll have to properly introduce you to them."
Smiling, she suddenly said something that caught Kitahara off guard. "And maybe persuade Rudolf, since you're praising her so much, not to stay so mad."
Kitahara froze.
"…Mad? That president? At me?"
Pointing at himself with a confused smile, Kitahara was puzzled. "Why? I don't think I've provoked her, have I?"
"What do you think?"
She didn't answer, just gave him a sidelong glance, voice dripping with nuance. "Honestly, way too bold — daring to come to Central Tracen Academy to snatch away talent, acting like Central doesn't even matter."
"Hmph, when he comes, I must make sure he understands: disrespect toward Central will not be tolerated~"
Well, there it was — "Disrespect toward Central will not be tolerated."President Rudolf's famous line from the original — late, but it arrived.
Only this time, it wasn't said to Oguri Cap. It was said about him, the "outrageous" local trainer.
Kitahara chuckled bitterly to himself.
After quoting Rudolf's line with playful sarcasm, Maruzensky looked Kitahara up and down with a bright, teasing smile.
But then she patted her own chest, putting on an expression of mock fear.
"Honestly, you scared the life out of me, you know that? I've known Rudolf all these years, and I've never seen her with that expression before."
Maruzensky complained to Kitahara, "At the time, thank goodness my eyes were quick and my hands were quicker — I put my tea set away in advance. Otherwise, who knows how many pieces she might have smashed in a fit."
Kitahara didn't know what to say to that for a moment. After thinking a bit, he asked:
"President Rudolf… will she really be that mad?"
He wasn't actually worried — after living in Japan for a long time, he knew well enough: in this country, if you were strong enough, no one could do anything to you.
It was simple logic. If he were still the same aimless, ambitionless guy as before, never mind Rudolf — one order could have him "voluntarily" retiring, never training again.
But now, things were different.
Oguri Cap: 11 races, 11 wins.
Belno Light: 2 races, 2 wins.
Once Central started looking closely, they'd find Super Creek recovered injury, the latest results of Tamamo Cross and Inari One — all connected to him.
With strength like this, there was nothing to worry about.
His question had just been a token act — fake worry, polite gesture.
"What's wrong? After daring to provoke Rudolf, now you're scared?"
Maruzensky's eyes were full of playful amusement. "Relax — once you're at Central, she won't actually beat you up, I promise."
She held up three fingers with a grin.
"Hey, hey, hey — seriously? You girls' strength… could kill a guy, you know…"
Not sure whether Maruzensky was joking or not, Kitahara gave a helpless smile.
"I told you, I promise she won't… Fine, don't be scared. I'm joking."
Maruzensky's face was full of suppressed laughter. "At most… same as last time, she'll just find some empty place to blow off steam alone. Once she's vented, she'll be fine. I mean Rudolf."
"That last time? Found an empty place to blow off steam?"
Kitahara instinctively said: "That upset loss to Gallop Dyna?"
[The Author wrote Tokai Teio here for some reason lmao]
"…How do you know that?"
Maruzensky was surprised, then quickly wore a curious-baby expression. "Has it already spread? About Rudolf crying from anger?"
Ah… well, in the other world, everyone knew.
Our President Rudolf — because her comeback wasn't the shining victory she wanted, and she suffered an upset loss to a much less popular Gallop Dyna, her rage and heartbreak exploded — crying, screaming, poor thing, truly pitiful.
Grumbling internally, Kitahara casually blamed it on his uncle. "Oh, once when I was drinking with my uncle, he got tipsy and mentioned it offhand."
"He's Musaka Ginjirō, a Central trainer — you probably know him." He even thoughtfully gave the full name — like a dutiful nephew.
"…No wonder talking to you feels strangely familiar. Looks like you're also…"
Raising an eyebrow slightly in surprise, Maruzensky covered her mouth with a playful smile.
"I'm also not exactly a good person, huh?" Kitahara laughed lightly in agreement.
"I never said that. I'm a kind-hearted, good Uma Musume, after all." Maruzensky blinked mischievously.
(End of Chapter)