"Please eat more, Mister Igo. I hope you don't expect me to eat all of this."
"Yeah…"
That's easy for you to say, you rich bastard!!!
The young man was brought to a ridiculously fancy restaurant by the supermodel. Whoever designed the restaurant clearly takes heavy inspiration from European architecture with the pillars, statues, chandeliers, and such. The atmosphere in the restaurant is no joke either. Even though it's clear that people are chattering amongst themselves, the smooth and calming classical music was somehow able to isolate each table into its own bubble pocket. The young man is having a hard time hearing the other tables' conversations, whilst not having the slightest bit of trouble listening to Ramonu.
"Ah… Apologies, are these foods not to your liking?"
"No… No… I love them… I just want to savor them."
The young man had ordered his own food, so how could he not like the food? The main problem was that there were no price tags on the menu. This is the kind of restaurant where you are not allowed to enter if your choice of food is based on price.
It is on Ramonu's pocket, but the young man couldn't bring himself to order something outlandish. After all, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Dinner, in this case. The young man doesn't want to feel like he is in debt to Ramonu, even when she was the one who offered. Kindness is only free for the first 10 bucks, the rest you have to pay in some kind of way.
"You must try this shark fin soup, Mister Igo. The taste is simply divine."
Aren't these going extinct?!?!
The young man could only look hopelessly as Ramonu passed him a small bowl full of brownish-orange soup. If his reaction didn't make it clear, compared to Ramonu, he is poor, as only the poor care for the earth.
"If you need help, then please feel free to ring the silver bell, Mister Igo. A waiter will come as soon as possible."
"I shall remember that."
The young man thought that the waiters here are most likely richer than he is. If only it weren't for the three goddesses, then the young man might pursue other, more financially rewarding careers.
The young man had ordered a seared fish, a sweet and sour crab, a steak, and an orange juice. Who knew that the fish was a bluefin tuna, the crab was an Alaskan king crab, the steak came from an A5 wagyu cow, and the oranges that were used to make the juice were Dekopon oranges.
One of these dishes could cost the young man 3 months' salary, and yet here he is eating four of them.
This world is unfair!! EAT THE RICH!!
The young man then looks at Ramonu in all her beauty.
I'll eat her all right. I'm down with that.
"I'm glad you're enjoying the meal, Mister Igo. I was afraid that I might have made a mistake in bringing you here. I thought that maybe we could go on a cruise?"
"Ahahaha… If I do that, then I wouldn't be able to train McQueen now, do I?"
"Ufufufu~~ I suppose so. She is in the phase where she would need your guidance the most."
"She is more independent than she looks, if I may be honest."
"Oooh~~ Is that so? They grow up so fast. I remember how she used to cling to me all the time."
For a little bit, the young man could see a genuine emotion coming out of Ramonu's gray eyes. He thinks that she might not be as cold as he first thought. She is just much more mature compared to the girls he's been dealing with. In that term, they're more alike.
"I suppose there's no use hiding it anymore. My intention in bringing you here is to measure you, Mister Igo. I do hope that I don't offend you in some kind of way."
"None taken. It's natural after all."
A mature trainer at such a young age… You're lucky, McQueen.
For all her life, Mejiro Ramonu had known many trainers. Some come to her for her beauty, some because of her accomplishments. All of them see her with awe and reference, only this man saw her with eyes that seek value. Eyes that want to dig deeper than what's on the surface.
In her eyes, the young man is immune to her beauty and accomplishments. How can she not think of that? When people endlessly praise her for her beauty, this man has never uttered even a single compliment to her for her beauty. When people endlessly sing her accomplishments, the young man never brought up even a single race that she did.
For Ramonu, those people who sing her praises feel like they're mocking her. Finishing a song of her career as if she could never accomplish more. Nobody ever looks at her like they're expecting more of her. For them, Mejiro Ramonu, the racing Uma Musume, had reached her peak and could never accomplish anything more than that.
Yes, everyone but this young man.
His eyes are searching for even the slightest bit of mistake or weakness in me. Aaah… How I miss those eyes~~ Eyes that help me progress~~ Eyes that help me become better~~ Eyes that help me improve~~
Ramonu wasn't wrong either. The young man played several scenarios in his head on whether any of his trainees could win against Ramonu in a race. And the answer is none. Not a single one of his Umas could.
I guess that is to be expected of a triple tiara winner. She is no joke. Even with all the weaknesses I find, none of my Umas are strong enough to take advantage of it.
The young man could only lower his head in defeat. In doing so, stop looking at Ramonu, which makes her feel restless.
No… Why are you looking away? Keep looking at me. Search my body for a point where I can improve. Look at me! Help me! Please!
Mejiro Ramonu had stayed single for her entire life, rejecting proposals and requests to go out, because there is only one thing that she loves the most in this world, and this is to race. She might look refined, classy, and mature, but the truth in her heart, she longs to race with her fellow Umas.
She remembers the heartbreaking moment when she decided to retire, when she no longer had anyone to race against. Symboli Rudolph had retired at that time and was focusing on entering the Dream Series, leaving Ramonu with no one to go against in the Twinkle Series. Her loves for racing slowly turn into hatred as she wins and wins, hearing praise after praise, but no improvement to her time at all. As time went by, her fire for race dimmed away, and she decided to retire, as not to taint her love for race even more.
"You really are amazing, Miss Ramonu."
No!! Please!! Don't be like them!! I know you're different!! Please!!
"Ah! Is that so…?"
"Truth be told, none of my trainees could ever hope to defeat you."
No… Not you too…
"Right now."
"!!"
For once in her life, Ramonu's heart is filled with flowers, and butterflies fill her stomach. The young man's confident smile might look arrogant to most, especially when it was shown to the first triple tiara winner, but to Ramonu, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It feels like the world has crumbled around them, leaving only the pair.
His eyes… So beautiful…
"Hahaha~~ I might sound arrogant, but can I ask you to stay where you are while I train my Umas to be able to challenge you, Ramonu?"
"Yes… I shall wait for as long as you need, Mister Igo."
"Thank you…?"
The young man doesn't know why, but he can sense that Ramonu is happy for some reason. Perhaps his confidence has reassured her that McQueen is in the right hands. If that's the case, then he doesn't need to worry about the Mejiro Family ruining his business.
"Oh… What do we have here?"
"Hmm?"
PPFFTTT!!! WHY IS SHE HERE?!?
An Uma, with the aura of a tyrant, can be seen walking toward the pair. Her orange hair flows like a fiery flume, slowly softening into a lighter hue as it goes down. Her hair parts and turns into a white beige around her face, almost like a frame to her noble face. Her purplish blue eyes exude confidence befitting a ruler. Truly, a woman who is crafted from a single word, tyranny.
"Fancy meeting you here, Ramonu."
"Greetings, Orfevre."