"So, President, why are you standing here with me? Wouldn't it be better for us to come find you for such a small matter?"
At the entrance of Central Tracen, Nearl, her face hidden beneath a large hooded cloak, questioned the Symboli Rudolf beside her, all while ignoring the strange looks from the surrounding crowd.
It couldn't be helped. Wearing the cloak just made her look like an oddball, but at least her exposed horse ears kept people from calling the police.
Without it, given her current popularity, peace and quiet would've been impossible.
But Rudolf's presence was unexpected. Though long retired and not as popular as before, the glory of an Undefeated Triple Crown still shone brightly, and being surrounded by fans was the norm.
"With you by my side, isn't the whole point of me wearing this cloak kind of lost?"
"Don't say that," Rudolf replied with a light laugh.
"I'm just an ordinary person too. It's only natural to want to see for myself this newcomer you personally favor and even recommended."
In the eyes of the onlookers, Rudolf stood tall and straight, arms crossed, her imposing aura restrained.
She lacked that usual air of inviolable majesty, instead sharing a casual joke with the cloaked figure beside her, which made them all the more curious about that person's identity.
To be chatting and laughing with the Emperor… she must be someone truly remarkable.
Held back by a sense of reverence, they didn't dare approach or disturb. Only a few ardent fans, recognizing the color of the ears peeking out from the hood, realized the cloaked one's identity, tucking their surprise deep inside.
After all, if Nearl was wearing a hood, she clearly wanted to stay incognito. It wouldn't do to bother her.
"But today is the entrance exam day for Central Tracen, isn't it? As student council president, shouldn't you be overseeing things?"
"I've left those minor details to Air Groove. She might handle them even more meticulously than I would."
Rudolf nodded with a smile, her shameless, slacking-off expression leaving Nearl momentarily speechless.
"Though, I admit, I do have a little personal motive," Rudolf continued. "A certain child is joining Tracen today. Even if it's just the lower grades, it still means setting foot on the path of an Uma Musume."
"Heh, President, your face is full of expectation and tenderness when you talk about that child. As far as I know, you only wear that expression when it comes to Teio."
"Oh, is it that obvious?"
Rudolf hastily straightened her expression and coughed a few times, trying to regain her dignified air.
"If even you noticed, Nearl, it seems I've been too relaxed lately. I should be stricter in front of Teio, or I won't be able to keep that child in line."
"You really do adore Teio, don't you? Though I'm fond of her too. That child has a heaven-sent talent. She's sure to make a name for herself in the world."
"That part I've never doubted. I just wish she could rein in that proud, willful personality a bit. Ah, she's still such a child."
The Emperor's sigh held such genuine feeling, like a worried father fretting over his child's future.
But during her moment of sighing, a sticky, sulky child's voice piped up right behind her.
"Prez! What do you mean 'still a child'? I'm about to finish my Maturation period any day now!"
"Ah, Teio! You're here?"
Rudolf flustered for a second, looking at the junior puffing out her cheeks in a clear "I'm very angry" pose. After a moment's hesitation, she bent down and tentatively patted Teio's head.
"Hmph."
It was quite effective. Though Teio gave a tsundere-like "hmph," she still wrapped her arms around Rudolf's waist, nuzzling against her.
'Can't be helped. It's just because I like the Prez so much,' Tokai Teio mentally made her own excuse as she snuggled.
"Don't make it too long. We're in public. Be mindful."
After about five or six minutes, seeing Teio showed no sign of letting go, Rudolf had to harden her heart and gently push her away. After all, the Emperor's dignified image had to be maintained.
Fortunately, though Teio could be as willful as a child, she understood reason. She pouted a little but didn't make a fuss.
"President, why are you at the school gate today? Why aren't you watching my entrance exam?"
Rudolf clearly picked up on the child's small sulk, finding it somewhat amusing while also feeling a wave of affection.
Rudolf's gaze shifted sideways toward Nearl, a silent question in her eyes: Is it okay to talk about this?
Nearl gave a slight nod. To her, there was nothing to hide. It wasn't like they were planning to pull any strings.
With permission granted, Rudolf held nothing back.
"Teio, I'm here today to meet an Uma Musume who intends to enroll. She's supposed to be very strong."
"Eh? Strong enough to earn the Prez's recognition?"
"To be precise, it's Nearl who recognizes her strength. I'm just trusting Nearl's judgment."
Tokai Teio felt her interest piqued. A hidden sense of rivalry made her all the more excited about this unknown Uma Musume, to the point she started wheedling Rudolf to let her watch the entrance exam too.
"President~ I wanna see too! Let me come along!"
"Teio, don't be unreasonable."
Rudolf was engaged in a playful tug-of-war with Teio, but Nearl paid no further attention to the pair's mother-and-son-like antics. Because from up ahead, a long-absent, soul-deep sense of completion was washing over her.
Arriving with it was an aura field, compressed almost into a fine, sharp line.
"That girl... heh..."
Nearl shook her head with a smile. She, too, released her own Domain, stretching it from a circle into a cone, meeting that oncoming line in a needle-point-to-needle-point collision.
This was the most effective way for the two of them to understand each other.
The Domains touched and parted in an instant, so fast even Rudolf didn't fully register it. She only sensed something unusual.
When she turned to look, it had already vanished without a trace. All that remained were two Uma Musume of exceptional bearing walking toward them.
One had short purple hair with a white blaze, her purple eyes icy cold. Though her clothes were outdated and simple, an innate cuteness still shone through.
"That child will grow up to be quite the heartthrob for other Musume," Rudolf assessed at a glance.
But her focus was on the other Uma Musume.
Snow-white all over, with pale golden eyes. Her beautiful, expressionless face perfectly complemented her unique aura.
"A different kind of beauty from Nearl's. Even more striking than before. Those two sisters really have excellent genes. And her strength..."
At that thought, Rudolf fell silent. That familiar fluctuation just now... lion-tiger, possibly, maybe... a Domain? And from roughly that direction...
"Never mind, never mind. No need to dig deeper. There are other matters today."
Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to the purple-haired Uma Musume and took a step forward.
"I am the student council president of Central Tracen, Symboli Rudolf. May I have your name?"
The purple-haired Uma Musume finally shifted her gaze from the conversing Nearl and Platinum, giving Rudolf a placid look.
"Special Week."
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T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.