"How much more must I lose for my heart to be forgiven?"
"How much more pain must I endure to see you again?"
"One more time, seasons, please don't change."
Mixed in with the music was the faint sound of a weather forecast:
"Due to air currents, there may be rain tonight. Those working outdoors should take precautions."
The not-so-loud weather forecast made Rudolph look up at the clock. She had been here for nearly an hour and a half.
This was far longer than the approximately twenty-minute conversation between her, Maruzensky, and Representative Chiaki.
Given Rudolph's attitude of not rejecting any conditions, it might have been long that the conversation ended in twenty minutes.
So, now Rudolph could stand in this convenience store, and amidst the impure music and the sound of the weather forecast, she returned the magazine in her hand to the shelf.
She had about another month to continue her work.
If it were shorter, it would only be about one or two weeks.
This was also her last time in Tokyo.
Turning around and walking out of the convenience store, Rudolph Symboli looked up.
The completely dark sky revealed nothing.
Looking at such a sky, Rudolph Symboli merely shifted her gaze slightly.
As her gaze gradually shifted, Rudolph saw Sirius Symboli standing not far from her.
Looking at her, Rudolph simply asked, "Are you here to buy some supper?"
"No, I just came to see you."
Saying this, Sirius turned her head to look in another direction.
There was a convenience store within Tracen Academy, but at this time, the only convenience stores still open were outside Tracen Academy.
Walking up to Rudolph, Sirius then said, "Sis."
"How nostalgic, that address."
After glancing at Sirius, Rudolph then said, "Speaking of which, you haven't called me that since you became a full-fledged Uma Musume, have you?"
Rudolph's words made Sirius fall silent for a few seconds.
She didn't know how to express what she wanted to say.
But Rudolph had already started to ramble a bit, "In two or three weeks, it'll be time to leave."
"You're just leaving like that?"
Turning to look at Rudolph, Sirius's words were full of disbelief.
She had never thought Rudolph would let go so easily.
But now the truth was laid bare before her, leaving Sirius at a loss for words.
Rudolph Symboli, turning to look at Sirius, merely tilted her head slightly, then a faint smile touched her lips, "Yes, just like that."
Saying this, Rudolph fell silent for a few seconds, then continued, "You can investigate where I'll be living, but you're not allowed to have anyone watch me, and you can't come looking for me."
Her words were full of ease.
It didn't sound like a refusal to someone trying to make her stay, but rather like a simple tantrum, as if she wanted to go out for a while.
However, Sirius knew that once Rudolph left, she probably wouldn't come back, just like Speed Symbol.
She would almost never return to the "mainland" of Japan.
Looking at the expression on Sirius's face, Rudolph simply spoke again, "I met someone, made a mistake, and after realizing it, I wanted to do something to atone for it, but when I met her, I realized something."
"That is, this matter is beyond redemption."
Saying this, Rudolph looked up at the sky. The night, which had still shown a bright moon, was now obscured by clouds.
"Mistakes made cannot be atoned for."
"I can only try my best to prevent this mistake from happening again."
"But I made it again."
"I made it again, a mistake with different reasons, but similar in nature."
Her voice was filled with suppression, leaving Sirius Symboli at a loss for words.
She knew that if she hadn't used Rudolph's personal seal to sign the document at that time, perhaps none of this would have happened.
However, it had already happened.
And by the time she realized the problem, Rudolph had already arranged everything.
Whether it was the subsequent handling or other matters.
The thought of such an outcome left Sirius at a loss for how to respond.
"This mistake cannot be atoned for. Even if I have made the best arrangements, I cannot push those traumatized Uma Musume back onto the track again."
Saying this, Rudolph Symboli turned to look at Sirius Symboli.
"Mistakes made are irreparable; one can only try to heal the wounds as much as possible; but the wounds will not disappear, they will always remain, so..."
Interrupted words, unspoken reasons.
This left Sirius Symboli at a loss for how to respond.
"...This mistake requires the person who made the decision to take responsibility. Chairperson Akikawa, as the head of Tracen Academy, cannot do this, and among the remaining people, only I am left, after all, the document only passed through my hands and Chairperson Akikawa's, so,"
The rest of the words, even if Rudolph didn't say them, Sirius understood.
She just looked at Rudolph, "What, what else can I do?"
"That's your business."
Rudolph turned around, "It's going to rain, let's part ways here."
Without any hesitation, Rudolph left Sirius's sight.
Watching Rudolph's figure gradually fade away in the lights of the still-open shops on both sides of the street.
Sirius knew she would never come back.
Thinking of this, Sirius Symboli merely turned around.
And walked in another direction.
And in the shadows, unnoticed by either of them.
There was another person who witnessed everything.
Speed Symbol had been standing there since Rudolph entered the convenience store.
She had originally thought of giving Rudolph a "personality correction punch" to make her work properly.
But... "Mistakes made cannot be atoned for, huh..."
Saying this, Speed Symbol sighed, then she also stood up.
Leaving in the direction Sirius Symboli had departed.
Although she no longer appeared much in the Symboli Family, since she was back, it would be better to go and see.
And... Rudolph no longer needed her worry.
There wasn't much she had to do next. She just needed to carefully determine the problems the Symboli Family might encounter in this issue.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Standing at this end of the street.
Tokai looked at the other end of the street.
Looking at this scene, she suddenly realized that perhaps... this town hadn't remained entirely unchanged.
She could find the old street in this town, find the old pain.
But... the disappearance of the orphanage that had taken her in, across from the old street, seemed to be telling Tokai,
Everything had changed.
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