The day after the Japanese Derby ended, Kitahara finally managed to sort out what had happened after the race.
Overall, things had gone pretty much as expected.
Without realizing it, the gap between the Eisei Team's horse girls and most of Japan's current active racers had become obvious.
That difference showed itself in their healthier bodies, more solid fundamental abilities, and more refined running forms.
Given that, the Eisei Team taking the top three spots in the Japan Derby wasn't all that surprising, and the massive enthusiasm from the media and fans wasn't hard to imagine either.
Especially since, with her Derby win, Oguri Cap now had a record of sixteen races, sixteen victories — an undefeated dual crown holder.
During yesterday's award ceremony and interview session after the race, she was naturally the center of attention — or, more precisely, the one most swarmed by people.
Fortunately, Symboli Rudolf and the other school staff members were well-prepared and experienced. With help from Masato Kurokawa — who had come to watch simply "for fun" — there wasn't the same kind of chaos as there had been at the Satsuki Sho.
Kitahara felt relieved by how smoothly things went, but also worried about something else.
His concern, of course, was the physical condition of the horse girls who had participated in this year's Japanese Derby — something he'd been anxious about even before the race began.
Historically, the batch of horses from the 88th running of the Derby could be described as "battered and bruised," especially around the time of the Japan Derby itself.
In another world, the winner of that Derby was Sakura Chiyono O, and the final stretch of that race had been almost identical to yesterday's — a fierce struggle between three competitors.
In that parallel world's race, Sakura Chiyono O, who ran with a front-runner strategy, was the first to break away on the final straight. But soon, ArDan and Yaeno Muteki closed in from both sides and overtook her.
At that very moment, Chiyono O exploded with incredible power, accelerating again after being passed and taking back the lead to win the Derby.
That acceleration was later called by fans "a once-in-a-lifetime burst."
But after taking the Derby crown, Sakura Chiyono O was clearly burned out. She developed tendonitis right after the race and was forced into a full year of rest.
When she returned in the Yasuda Kinen and the Takarazuka Kinen, she finished a crushing 16th both times.
In the end, she had to retire due to that same tendonitis.
And it wasn't just her — the others didn't fare much better.
Dicta Striker had already developed a hoof issue before the race. They barely patched it up so she could run the Derby, where she only finished 15th and immediately went into rehabilitation afterward.
Mejiro Ardan, though she once overtook Sakura Chiyono O during the race and showed great strength, suffered a bone fracture afterward and was out for a full year of rest.
As for Super Creek, there's not much to say — in that other timeline, she spent most of her Classic year plagued by hoof inflammation and didn't even run in the Satsuki Sho or the Japan Derby.
Aside from these few, the extreme intensity of the Japanese Derby that year took a toll on nearly everyone.The only ones who finished the year unscathed were Yaeno Muteki, who was known for her tough physique, and Oguri Cap, who hadn't even participated in the Triple Crown races.
In short, the term "Derby-wrecked horses" wasn't an exaggeration.
And in this timeline, similar things had happened again.
The Eisei Team, thanks to their long-standing focus on nutrition, health management, and the continuous effort of Kyoko Miyamura, came out fine. Oguri Cap, Super Creek, and Ardan all passed post-race medical checks without a single issue.
In fact, not only were they fine — at the post-race celebration banquet, the three horse girls had even bigger appetites than usual, eating heartily and clearly unaffected by the race's intensity.
Especially Oguri Cap, whose astonishing way of eating shocked many fans who had come to congratulate her — those who hadn't yet realized how much of a glutton she actually was.
But the other horse girls weren't as lucky. Post-race checkups revealed all sorts of potential issues.
The ones from the Chouetsu Team were especially bad — both Sakura Chiyono O and Dicta Striker were hospitalized the very next day.
That was why Kitahara canceled most of his scheduled interviews and meetings that day, and went with Oguri Cap to the hospital to visit them on behalf of the Eisei Team.
As a trainer, it was only proper to visit horse girls you knew who were hospitalized — all the more so since Oguri and the others were on friendly terms with Chiyono O and her teammates.
Symboli Rudolf also came along. During the visit, neither she, Kitahara, nor Oguri Cap said much.
After asking about their condition and leaving words like "if there's anything we can do, don't hesitate to say so," they left the room.
Kitahara could tell that during the visit, the legendary horse girl's mood had been poor.
Although her tone and expression remained as dignified and composed as usual, her slightly drooping, "airplane-ear" posture betrayed her underlying anger.
It wasn't hard to guess why. She had already voiced her displeasure with Chouetsu's race schedule while watching the Derby the day before.
Her behavior in the hospital had merely made it more obvious.
But even then, it seemed she hadn't calmed down.
Because as soon as they reached the hospital parking lot, she let out a heavy sigh, turned toward Kitahara, frowned, and spoke:
"Kitahara, if Eisei were to temporarily take over the rehabilitation and training of Striker and Chiyono O, would you have the capacity for that?"
That sudden question made Kitahara frown slightly — he immediately sensed something unusual behind it.
When they'd left the ward, Symboli Rudolf had invited him to accompany her somewhere, saying it was for a "visit."
He'd already guessed she probably had something more serious to discuss — perhaps something about the Chouetsu Team — but he hadn't expected it to come up so directly or sharply.
Her dissatisfaction was clear in her tone, and that dissatisfaction was aimed squarely at the Chouetsu Team. It didn't take much reading between the lines to sense a note of censure — even punishment.
"…Oguri, go wait in the car for a bit. We'll come over in a minute."
After thinking for a moment, Kitahara turned to Oguri Cap and gave a simple instruction. Once his horse girl obediently nodded and walked off toward the car, he turned back to Symboli Rudolf, frowning slightly.
"May I ask if that's your personal opinion — or something coming from the Board or the Association?"
If that statement had come purely from Symboli Rudolf herself, it might just be out of anger.
After all, the URA Association's regulations had no provision for transferring trainers between teams.That kind of thing simply wasn't done.
By URA's stiff standards, such an act would be considered destabilizing to the entire industry.
…So what on earth did this "Emperor" discuss with the URA chairman before the Derby?Why does it feel like her frustration's growing, and her ideas are getting more and more daring?
While Kitahara thought about that in silence, Symboli Rudolf sighed deeply.
"…You're right, this is just my personal thought. Having another trainer take over Dicta Striker and Chiyono O — that's impossible in principle, and emotionally, it would be difficult for Naise and the others to accept."
Her expression grew complex as she sighed again.
"Doing something like that would be like slapping their faces in public — an open humiliation."
"If they were nobodies with no achievements, it wouldn't matter. But they do have talent, and their past horse girls have earned excellent results."
"Acting rashly like that would cause an uproar among the trainer community."
Then, more softly, she added, "And besides, from what I can tell now, even though their schedule was excessive, that kind of 'hard battle' approach isn't actually abnormal in Japan."
"On the contrary — many trainers favor it, and many horse girls believe that without enough races, you can't achieve great results."
After that, she fell silent for a long while before looking at Kitahara again, her eyes shining faintly.
"If it weren't for you — if it weren't for you and your team — I might still have acknowledged that 'hard battle' approach as the right one."
"But now that there's clearly a better way… why? Why should I still have to compromise with such an outdated method?!"
It was a rare sight — the usually calm and regal Symboli Rudolf had momentarily lost control of her emotions.
But she quickly regained her composure.
"…Haa—sorry. I got a little too worked up."
Taking a deep breath, she forced a faint smile.
"The intensity of the Japanese Derby's competition is incomparable to any other race — and the earlier races were just the same."
"This time, the finishing times even broke previous records."
"Looking on the bright side, Oguri and the others from your team came out unscathed, and even Yaeno Muteki from Chouetsu is in good condition — that's already something to be grateful for."
"From here on, we can gradually adjust the outdated methods in line with the training model Eisei uses."
Outdated methods, huh…So Symboli Rudolf has fully realized that the techniques I've been using are ahead of this era.
Maybe this is the right opportunity — to let her understand the philosophy behind what I've been doing all along.
Thinking that, Kitahara spoke seriously.
"So, rather than just your opinion on Chouetsu, what you really want to discuss is what you mentioned before the Derby, right?"
"Exactly. The future plans and training structure of Eisei — that's now the most important matter for the entire academy. Naturally, we need time to discuss it properly after the Derby."
Symboli Rudolf nodded, gesturing toward the parking area.
"We'll need to talk it over with the board later too. But for now, let's sit in the car — I'll brief you on the general situation first."
So, soon enough, Kitahara took the driver's seat, Oguri sat in the back, and Symboli Rudolf began to speak from the passenger seat.
"I'll need more time to fully understand the deeper details of Eisei's training methods."
Her tone turned solemn.
"But even now, without waiting for that, both I and the board understand perfectly well — Eisei's training philosophy and methods are already far beyond what any other Japanese trainers or horse girls are doing."
"In previous races, Oguri and the others didn't show overwhelming dominance simply because your methods weren't fully implemented."
"As this training continues, if other trainers and horse girls don't change — or don't seriously learn — they'll be crushed on the track forever."
"I'm not saying this because I want you to share your training methods around. On the contrary — you mustn't casually share them like before."
Kitahara could understand that Symboli Rudolf wanted to discuss Eisei's post-Derby plans
.Given the team's success and the proven effectiveness of its methods, it was natural for a talented horse girl like her to recognize its importance.
If developed properly, Eisei's work could benefit the entire horse girl world — it made sense for the academy to prioritize it.
But if she understood the value so clearly, why was she telling him not to share it freely? That part puzzled him.
"If I don't share it… wouldn't that mean only Eisei — only Oguri and the others — could use such methods?"
He frowned. "That doesn't seem…"
Before he could finish, Symboli Rudolf interrupted with an exasperated sigh.
"You've misunderstood me, Kitahara."
Her tone held a wry smile. "I said not to casually share it. That doesn't mean you should be selfish and share nothing."
"There's a big difference between those two."
Looking at him through the side mirror — this unusual, extraordinary trainer — she paused in thought.
"Let me put it this way: Kitahara, you're a truly exceptional trainer — far more talented than most others."
"But when it comes to politics, you could be described as completely clueless."
"…Wait, why are we suddenly talking about politics…?"
Kitahara looked even more confused, half amused."I mean, I don't know much about politics, sure — but what does that have to do with training?"
"That's exactly what I mean by 'clueless about politics.'"
Her tone grew firmer.
"Holding that mindset — acting as you have, freely handing out unique training methods — that's a sign of political immaturity."
Before he could respond, she continued, her voice calm but serious.
"Let me explain something. I didn't become Student Council President of Central Tracen Academy just because of my racing record."
"It's also because… how should I say this — I have a special talent."
"You've seen the process where Oguri and the others received their Winning Attires from Maruzensky, right?"
Symboli Rudolf suddenly shifted the topic. Though puzzled, Kitahara nodded instinctively.
"Yes, at the Academy's Three Goddesses statue."
"Then you should have heard Maruzensky mention that the 'Oracles' of the Three Goddesses regarding the Winning Attire can only be read by the direct descendants of the three great goddess families — Godolphin, Bayer, and Darley."
Symboli Rudolf continued, "Among those three families, the current head in Japan is Corona Senpai."
"That senpai and her family not only translate the 'Oracles' about the Attires — they also study historical records."
"In those records, they found that aside from the three families, there are horse girls who receive other special 'blessings' from the Goddesses."
"For example — the eyes."
She pointed to her own eyes. "Some horse girls' eyes are special — they can see the potential of other horse girls."
"For instance, Director Akikawa has such a gift. It's one of the main reasons she could become Director of Central Tracen Academy."
…So it's just like Sunday Silence, huh…?No — rather, it is just like her. That director…
After the initial surprise, Kitahara quickly accepted Symboli Rudolf's explanation.
In the parallel world, Sunday Silence and Northern Taste were both racehorses who changed the entire landscape of Japanese racing. Their influence could be seen in the pedigrees of nearly every major Japanese horse over the past decades.
So, as a reflection in this world, possessing a special "Eye Blessing" wasn't all that strange.
That meant Symboli Rudolf must also have her own kind of gift — otherwise, she wouldn't be bringing this up.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, Symboli Rudolf said quietly:
"And I, too, have a special 'blessing.'"
She paused to consider her words.
"I can't really explain what it is exactly."
"The best way to describe it is this: when I speak, most horse girls find my words particularly persuasive."
"For example, if two students have a conflict — someone else might try to mediate, and they might ignore it."
"But if I say the same thing — even just repeat someone else's words — they'll listen, and reconcile."
"Not only that — I have an instinctive sense for what will lead a race or an entire species toward a better future."
"I can intuitively judge what paths groups of humans — or even entire societies — should take to improve, and likewise what the horse girl world must do to evolve."
"Human affairs aren't my duty or responsibility. I only need to handle matters of the horse girls' world."
"With this kind of talent and blessing, plus the fact that when I was little, my parents—because of certain reasons—taught me 'the art of kingship,' I'd say I have a fairly clear understanding of how politics works."
"Because of all that, I eventually became the student council president of Tracen Central Academy."
Kitahara immediately understood what this so-called "Rudolf Symbol" talent really was.
It was essentially a species-level "leadership aura."
Among any intelligent life forms capable of forming social structures, there's always a chance that individuals like this appear—those who naturally understand how hierarchies and relationships work within their kind, and instinctively take on the responsibility of leading others toward benefit and away from harm.
If it were within a herd of horses, such an individual would simply be called the "lead horse."
Historically, Symboli Rudolf was exactly that kind of "lead horse"—a true leader horse.
And that wasn't just a figure of speech. Even though horses might not seem like social creatures, there were still some very real signs of it.
During rest, daily life, or race preparation, other racehorses wouldn't dare to approach Symboli Rudolf—they would always yield, letting this "leader" enjoy the best resources first.
Even if they did come close—no matter what their temperament had been before—they would immediately calm down in his presence.
If conflicts broke out between other horses and Symboli Rudolf happened to be there, he could indeed "mediate" them—of course, in a way that horses could understand.
All of this perfectly matched what this world's Symboli Rudolf had just said.
And not only that—her performance during races in both worlds was clearly influenced by that same "aura."
Within a herd, the lead horse is naturally expected to run at the front. To preserve stamina for sudden emergencies, a lead horse that reaches first place usually won't exert itself unnecessarily.
That explains why many fans noticed that in races, Symboli Rudolf's speed when catching up was dramatically faster than other horses—but once she took the lead, she'd slow down again, as if "taking it easy."
And Symboli Rudolf wasn't unique in this—similar behavior had also been observed in Oguri Cap, Tamamo Cross, Tokai Teio, and Special Week.
Oguri Cap could calmly eat and relax anywhere, no matter the environment. Tamamo Cross would get angry if another horse tried to run beside her. Special Week would mediate quarrels among horses. Tokai Teio would always win by just a tiny margin—habitually "holding back."
All of this was due to their "leaderly aura."
So then… since he happened to know all those horse girls personally, maybe Kitahara should take the chance to study them, to see what effects this "leader aura" really had…
While Kitahara was lost in thought, Symboli Rudolf had already moved on to talking about his "political issue."
"I may have gone off-topic," she said, "but I wanted you to take my words seriously. That's why I explained so much."
Her tone turned solemn."Let me say this again—you're excellent. Many of your training methods are top-tier. Your results speak for themselves."
"You wish for every horse girl to benefit from the Eisei-style training method—to create a better world for them."
"That's all correct. But that's not how you should go about it."
"The reason is simple: humans are greedy. And they don't know how to cherish what they're given."
Even though a human was sitting right beside her, Symboli Rudolf said it as if it were obvious.
"Right now, if you present a brilliant new training method, other trainers will be grateful, amazed, and eager to use it properly."
"But that's only once or twice. No—probably only the first time."
"After that, when you offer similar methods again, openly and without reservation, other trainers will start taking it for granted."
"And once something is taken for granted, there's no reason to treasure it."
"Eventually, when you come up with something new again—and I'm sure you will—everyone's attitude will turn into…"
Through the rearview mirror, she met Kitahara's startled eyes and said each word firmly:
"They'll say: 'That's your job. Why didn't you release it sooner?''Not sharing it is your fault—it's a sin to keep it to yourself.'"
"Trust me, humans will definitely think that way."
"That's why—when I was angry in the hospital, or displeased during the Derby—it wasn't just because of the race arrangements that went against the team. I was also upset because I saw this coming. Those things were the warning signs."
When she finished, Kitahara fell silent. Seeing that, she paused, then spoke again more gently.
"I may have been too harsh. But I hope you understand—I'm not trying to attack you."
"Quite the opposite, in fact. By telling you all this, I'm being honest—going forward, the Eisei Team's training methods will not be freely available to other trainers without my permission."
"Even if you, the founder, agree—it still won't be allowed."
"Because only what cannot be easily obtained is truly cherished. That's how humans are."
"And years of observation have proven me right."
"So, let's make these things even rarer—more valuable."
"Of course…" She suddenly smiled."I made these decisions for the sake of humans—not because of the horse girls."
"So, when you report new training methods to the student council, I'll decide which horse girls are suitable to receive them."
"If necessary, I'll have them participate in your training sessions."
"They'll keep it secret from their own trainers—they'll listen to me."
"I think that makes things clear enough, doesn't it?"
After that question, Kitahara finally gave a wry smile.
"…I never thought I'd be getting a lecture on how to be a trainer from you, President Rudolf."
As he said it, he couldn't help recalling Rudolf Symbol's jockey in history—Yukio Okabe.
In the Japanese Derby, that jockey tried to spur Symboli Rudolf to accelerate based on his own judgment—but he ignored him, waited for what he thought was the right moment, and then charged ahead all at once, taking the championship.
After the race, Okabe said,
"It felt like Symboli Rudolf was teaching me how to race."
Kitahara had always thought of that anecdote as just a funny story.
He never imagined that in this world, Symboli Rudolf wouldn't teach him how to race—but instead, how to be a trainer.
And since one of a trainer's main duties is to arrange races… well, rounding it up, he really had been taught "how to race" by her after all.
But rather than being displeased about the scolding, Kitahara actually felt a sense of joy.
After all, the Symboli Rudolf before him wasn't just a legendary racer anymore—she was impressive in every aspect.
Being taught by such an outstanding horse girl felt like a privilege.
"'A lecture?' Not really," Symboli Rudolf replied with a smile and a shake of her head."Just a reminder."
"As for how to cultivate outstanding horse girls—I may know a little, and I do have many training ideas—but compared to a real trainer like you, I'm still different."
"More importantly, even if I know a few methods, everything you've researched so far—every single one—is something I've never even imagined."
"To talk training with you, Kitahara, actually puts quite a bit of pressure on me."
"It's just too amazing. I know exactly how capable I am, and you're far beyond that."
Kitahara didn't really accept the praise; he just shook his head with a smile."Anyway, I'll remember what you said about the training methods."
"And besides…"
His grin widened."This means I don't need to worry about promoting those methods anymore—you'll handle all that for me."
"But that also means your workload's about to get a lot heavier. Tough job, huh?"
Symboli Rudolf's smile froze instantly. She rubbed her forehead with a sigh.
"Ugh… I think we can avoid talking about such stressful topics."
She gave a tired laugh."Even with Maruzensky and Ramonu fully supporting you, I'm already starting to feel overwhelmed with the student council's work."
"While you all were preparing for the Japanese Derby, I was busy looking for some excellent juniors—someone who could assist me."
"Unfortunately, my luck's been bad. Haven't found anyone suitable yet, so I'm just hanging on for now."
"An assistant?" Kitahara responded almost reflexively."What about Narita Brian and Air Groove?"
He hadn't thought much of it—since in the original timeline, the Tracen Central Academy's student council still had Rudolf Symbol as president, and the vice presidents were indeed Narita Brian and Air Groove.
From Kitahara's perspective, those two horse girls were actually more suited to student council work than the current reps, CB and Maruzensky.
It wasn't that CB and Maruzensky weren't excellent—it was a matter of personality.
Judging from their racing styles, one tended to start slow, and the other—despite being a front-runner—often ran like a lead horse. Both traits suggested personalities not particularly suited for rigid, rule-bound administrative work.
Horses that start slow often have easygoing temperaments, paying attention to important things in their own time. CB was exactly like that—same as Gold Ship.
Even if such horse girls are entrusted with major responsibilities, they might overlook key details simply due to distraction.
Maruzensky, meanwhile, had a carefree nature from the start—never one for strict forms or routines. That freedom helped her deal with unexpected events, but student council work demanded adherence to regulations. Clearly, her personality wasn't a perfect fit.
By contrast, Narita Brian and Air Groove were both serious, steady types—the kind who'd not only cooperate well with Rudolf Symbol but also focus deeply on the council's fixed duties.
But just as he mentioned them, Kitahara hesitated.
They were still in the academy's elementary division. In terms of age and experience, they'd need time before fitting into student council work. Maybe it was too early to bring them up.
However, Symboli Rudolf froze for a moment, then looked thoughtful.
"Is that so? Narita Brian and Air Groove…"
Touching her chin, she smiled.
"Now that you mention it, they really do sound like perfect candidates."
"I've met them before—their talent is flawless, and their temperaments are calm. I feel like we'd get along well."
"Not bad, Kitahara—I didn't expect you to have such an eye for people."
"Alright then. For the upcoming 'Europe Trip' conference, I'll make an exception and let those two sit in as observers."
"Now, how should I approach them… hmm, maybe I should tell them a few jokes to break the ice, so I don't seem too strict?"
"Please don't tell jokes—at least not to Air Groove!" Kitahara blurted out instinctively.
After all, in the original story, Air Groove saw Symboli Rudolf as practically perfect—the only flaw being her absolutely unfunny jokes.
President Rudolf, if you tell Dad jokes to Air Groove now, she might refuse to join the student council out of sheer principle!
"Eh? Really? That's too bad—I actually came up with quite a few funny jokes lately."
Symboli Rudolf looked genuinely disappointed, but then brightened up again with enthusiasm.
"Especially during the fan event after yesterday's Japan Derby—I thought of a really good one!"
"There were so many fans asking for autographs—especially from Oguri Cap."
"But since they weren't available at the time, I thought about it and decided to have CB act as the 'autograph representative.'"
[CB actually means Chigiro Bokujo. But Most of the time its translates into Chiaki Representative from other language]
"Ahahaha! Isn't that hilarious?"
Honestly, Kitahara did find it funny.
From the occasional complaints he'd heard from Oguri Cap and the others, he'd realized that he was one of those rare people who could actually "get" her dad jokes.
But still, that had nothing to do with Air Groove's reaction—so to prevent a future student council manpower crisis, he quickly changed the subject.
"Ahem, yes, very funny… Anyway, right, about the 'Europe Trip'—you've already made the main arrangements, haven't you?"
The segue was a bit awkward, but since she'd just had her joke appreciated, Symboli Rudolf was in high spirits and didn't notice.
"Yes. Last night I discussed it thoroughly with Director Akikawa and the relevant staff. Most of the plans are set."
Then she paused, frowning slightly.
"The only unresolved matter is about the new student council president of Tracen Europe."
"Apparently, they've chosen an American-bred horse girl as president—which isn't surprising, since she was Europe's Horse of the Year the year before last."
"In short, now that she's president, Sirius Symboli…"
Symboli Rudolf sighed, spreading her hands helplessly.
"...seems rather reluctant to go."