Rice's POV
Hachiman cleared his throat as he held the phone, his voice respectful. "Good evening, Speed Symboli-san. I apologize for calling so late."
"No, do not trouble yourself over the hour," the voice on the other end replied—the legendary Speed Symboli. "More importantly, allow me to offer my congratulations first. Rice Shower, your victories last month in the Prix de Royallieu and the Prix Royal-Oak were magnificent. Becoming the first Japanese Horse Girl to seize an overseas graded race and a G1 title has given us all immense hope and courage. Well done."
"A-Ah, thank you very much!" I squeaked, bowing toward the phone even though she couldn't see me.
"And Mr. C.B., your debut today was a spectacular win. I had the pleasure of watching the broadcast."
"Thanks a bunch!♪" C.B. chirped, leaning in toward the receiver. "I'll definitely win the next one too."
"A dependable answer. Now, Trainer Hikigaya... when exactly do you plan for my granddaughter to make her debut?"
"We're looking at next summer," Hachiman answered steadily. "I know it's a wait, but I believe we'll be able to show you a performance that makes it worthwhile. Please bear with us until then."
"I shall look forward to it. So, what brings you to call today? If it is about the matter in France, I believe I have already received your thanks."
"Yes, but you provided a private jet and even lent us Symboli family staff. A simple 'thank you' didn't feel like enough. I'm planning to visit the URA headquarters soon to deliver some souvenirs from France. Would that be acceptable?"
"Of course. You are a comrade who shares our vision; there is no reason to refuse. You are always welcome here."
"…Thank you very much."
"Grandmother," Rudolf interjected, her voice carrying a formal weight, "I would like to accompany the trainer to pay my respects as well."
"Indeed, I would welcome that. Rice Shower and Mr. C.B. should come along too. I have much I wish to hear from all of you."
Symboli Rudolf's grandmother… I had always wondered what kind of person she was. During her press conferences, she seemed a bit intimidating, but talking to her now, she feels so kind. She's exactly like the Student Council President.
"By the way, Trainer Hikigaya," Speed Symboli's tone shifted slightly. "I have received scouting inquiries for you from three different European nations. Even though I politely declined them previously, they have returned with even stronger demands this time. I must ask… what exactly did you do while you were in France?"
"Eh? I… well, I'm not sure what to say," Hachiman stammered, sounding genuinely flustered. "I just used what knowledge and techniques I had to help Trainer Fabre's students overcome a few weaknesses while I was under his care…"
"Is that all? Because the men scouting you are all world-class masters of their craft. It is no coincidence that France's Fabre, England's Appleby, and Ireland's O'Brien all reached out at the exact same moment."
"A-Um… excuse me!" I interrupted, gathering my courage. "Actually, after the Royal-Oak, Oni—I mean, the Trainer and four European trainers held a joint training session! I-I think they might have really taken a liking to his methods then!"
"I see…"
"There were girls whose bad habits were fixed right then and there," I added, nodding fervently. "I think they just recognized how incredible the Trainer's power is…"
"…I see. A joint training session. That explains the sudden fervor. However," her voice became firm and protective, "it is no exaggeration to say you are now a trainer who represents this country. We cannot afford to lose you to another nation. Even if you were to consider it, it would require your consent, but please understand—I have no intention of letting you go."
"Yes," Hachiman replied without hesitation. "I have no intention of leaving Japan, either."
The conversation continued for a bit longer before the call ended. I took a breath. I didn't realize Onii-sama was being headhunted by the world's best…
"That call went on longer than I expected," Hachiman said, letting out a sigh. "Sorry for making you guys sit through that."
"Don't worry about it!" C.B. said with a stretch.
"Exactly," Rudolf added. "If I hear my grandmother is on the line, I could hardly just walk away."
"I appreciate that. Well, we don't have any more races scheduled for this year, so it might be good to just take it easy and prepare for next season."
"Oh! That sounds great!♪" C.B. clapped her hands. "I want to go to a hot spring!"
"A hot spring sounds lovely," I agreed, imagining the warmth. "Getting all nice and toasty… Ah."
Hachiman looked at me. "Hm? What's up?"
"O-Onii-sama… those hot spring vacation vouchers we won in the lottery this year! Until when are they valid!?"
"...Ah!! Right, we did have those! Wait, Rice, don't you have them?!"
"Awawa! T-That's right! Hang on, I think I took a photo of them…!"
Let's see… ah, found it! The expiration date is… December 31st of this year! We still have time!
"Onii-sama, they're good until the end of the year! We can go!"
"Alright! Then how about we go on the first Saturday of December? I'll handle the reservations."
"I'm going!! I'm definitely going!" C.B. was practically bouncing. "I can't wait until the end of the year now that I've heard about it!"
"Then I shall clear my schedule for that week," Rudolf said with a small, satisfied smile.
"Phew… thank goodness," Hachiman sighed in relief. "Those valuable tickets almost turned into scrap paper. Rice, thanks for remembering."
"U-Um, no. If C.B.-san hadn't mentioned hot springs, I wouldn't have remembered either."
But I'm so glad I did. If we had let them expire, I would have been so disappointed. Ehehe, I can't wait!
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