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Chapter 94. Three-Way Meeting in the Office
After Mejiro Dober crossed the finish line, Shuta An left the Box. Today, he had not watched the race from the stands below.
Arriving at the interview area, the young man displayed a faint smile as he scanned the room.
"We're all familiar faces here, and everyone naturally understands my rules. So, let's proceed in the usual order."
"No problem!" The reporters bowed slightly, and the photographers behind them were equally at ease—as long as they did not cross Shuta Trainer's red lines, he was indeed a very easy person to interview.
"Today, Miss Mejiro Dober achieved the feat of conquering all domestic Triple Tiara Route limited G1s after winning the Queen Elizabeth Cup, making her the first Uma Musume in Japanese history to do so. May I ask how Shuta Trainer is feeling right now?"
"To be honest, I only just realized this. Before that, I was solely preparing for this race. As a G1 major race named after Queen Elizabeth, Dober and I both wanted to deliver our best performance here. Today, she successfully won this race, which can be considered a tremendous relief for me."
"Shuta Trainer previously announced that this Queen Elizabeth Cup would be Miss Mejiro Dober's last race this year. Has that plan changed?"
"No change. I believe running five high-quality G1 races in a single year is already a very intensive schedule, so I'm planning to give her a few months of vacation."
"Next, Tokai Teio will challenge a major race. What are Shuta Trainer's expectations for her?"
"Today is Dober's G1 victory day, so let's not discuss other Uma Musume. Let's continue focusing on Dober's performance today at the Kyoto Racecourse."
After dealing with the reporters, Shuta An prepared to enjoy Mejiro Dober's winning live performance.
Upon arriving at the restricted area, the young man scanned the surroundings and was surprised to find that the three members of the Mejiro Family, who should have been present, were nowhere to be seen.
"That's strange, did something happen?" Shuta An muttered to himself, pulling out his phone as he sent a Line message to Mejiro Ramonu to inquire about the situation.
Just then, Symboli Rudolf also sent him a Line message. "Shuta-kun, it's only been a few years, and I already regret not striving harder to win more G1s back then."
"That's different. The G1s Miss Rudolph won, both in terms of status and prestige, are not comparable to Dober's seven G1s," Shuta An quickly typed in reply.
"I'm quite happy to receive Shuta-kun's recognition." Symboli Rudolf paused for a moment and ultimately did not send the second half of her thought—
"If Shuta-kun were my Trainer, how many G1s do you think I could win in the Twinkle Series?"
"It was only a difference of a few years—" The "Emperor" sighed deeply, feeling that the three goddesses were both partial and yet not partial to her.
After the winning live performance concluded, Shuta An picked up Mejiro Dober outside the Kyoto Racecourse.
"Let's take the shinkansen back to Tokyo now; the tickets have already been purchased," the young man said.
"I remember Grandmother and Ramonu-nee said they would come to watch my race in person," Mejiro Dober looked up. "Did Trainer see them?"
"Yes, I greeted them this morning and spoke with them briefly. The Old Madam's intention is for Dober to remain in Japan to race next year. I hold a different opinion, but I've temporarily set that matter aside," Shuta An replied.
If Silence Suzuka or Oguri Cap had been nearby, he might have taken the opportunity to indulge himself slightly, but Mejiro Dober was different. Even though she stood almost right beside him at this moment, the young man had no intention of crossing that line.
"It seems they left without waiting for me," Mejiro Dober's gaze fell to the ground, her tone carrying a faint trace of dejection.
Shuta An considered it for a moment, then took her wrist of his own accord.
"I don't think they have any issue with you. This morning, I noticed the Old Madam wasn't feeling well, and perhaps because of that, Miss Ramonu, seeking stability, chose to leave early."
"Then I'll have to ask Ramonu-nee" Mejiro Dober appeared unaware, her free right hand already pulling out her phone as she prepared to send a message.
And so, he held her wrist as they prepared to head toward the station.
By the time they returned to the apartment, it was already 8 PM. The young man simply boiled some noodles for dinner before taking a bath.
"Tonight's Dream World challenge is the Queen Elizabeth Cup. With my partner's strength, simply finishing the race safely will be enough to meet the goal," he sat in the bathtub, listening to music as he pondered.
"In half a month, it will be Teio's Kyoto Nisai Stakes. I cannot afford to rest either. Even though it is only a G3, until Teio achieves the Undefeated Triple Crown, I must treat every race as a G1. In the coming year, there can be no margin for error in Teio's races. Losing even a single race would render all efforts meaningless and leave her with a lifelong regret."
To be blunt, if Tokai Teio were truly to fail in winning the Undefeated Triple Crown due to unforeseen circumstances, the responsibility could not be attributed to any mistake of Shuta An's; it could only be blamed on luck beyond anyone's control.
"Oh, three goddesses~ please grant Teio your abundant blessings in the coming year," the young man clasped his hands together, offering a quiet prayer.
The next morning, Shuta An was once again the first to clock in at the office.
"I have to meet Miss Rudolph at noon today, so I'll arrange this week's training plan first this morning."
Since Mejiro Dober had just completed the Queen Elizabeth Cup the previous day, she naturally needed a period of rest. As Kurofune and Rice Shower had not yet debuted, their training plans did not require weekly adjustments, so the actual workload was not particularly heavy when handled in detail.
However, by the time the training plans were finalized, it was already approaching noon. After distributing the Sadalsuud Team Uma Musume's weekly training plans in the Line group, Shuta An glanced at the time and rose from his seat.
"Wait for me!" Kitahara-san turned his head and called out to his friend. "Let's go to the cafeteria together today!"
"No," Shuta An waved his hand. "I have something to take care of during my lunch break today. Kitahara-san, you go ahead. I'll just grab a sandwich from the shop to get by, so I won't be going to the cafeteria."
"Alright, I wish Ann-san good luck." Although he did not know what his friend intended to do, Kitahara-san still offered his well wishes.
—
"Come in."
After Shuta An knocked on the Student Council office door, Symboli Rudolf's voice came from inside.
Shuta An pushed the door open and stepped in. The "Emperor" sat on the sofa, and two steaming cups of barley tea had already been set on the coffee table.
The young man sat opposite Symboli Rudolf, picked up the teacup in front of him, and took a sip.
"Why is this barley tea sweeter than the one I usually buy?" he muttered. "What brand is it?"
"It's homemade barley tea from my family. If Shuta-kun likes it, I can share some with you later. My family will be sending me a new batch next month anyway,"
Symboli Rudolf said with a smile.
"Shuta-kun asked me yesterday to arrange a meeting with Mejiro Ramonu here. What aspect of Mejiro Dober do you want to discuss?"
"Miss Rudolph, you've probably already guessed, haven't you?" Shuta An shrugged. "It's about Mejiro Dober's family matters."
"I knew it." Symboli Rudolf sighed. "I should say this upfront—while my family and the Mejiro Family are on good terms, I don't have the standing to interfere in their internal affairs."
"I don't know if my influence will be enough. If it isn't, then I can only hope Miss Rudolph can give it a push,"
Shuta An tilted his head and spread his hands.
"However, I had a brief chat with Miss Ramonu yesterday, and I think she'll be on my side, so this discussion should lead to a good outcome."
"Then I hope Shuta-kun's expectations come true." Symboli Rudolf glanced at the clock. "Ramonu will be here shortly. Shuta-kun can use this time to organize his thoughts."
"There's not much to organize," Shuta An waved his hand. "Miss Ramonu can probably already guess what I'm going to say. But I still have to say it. Only by saying it will she have a reason to act."
Just as Symboli Rudolf had said, a few seconds after she finished speaking, Mejiro Ramonu arrived at the Student Council office. She glanced around, poured herself a cup of barley tea, and then sat down beside Symboli Rudolf with the cup in hand.
"Ahem."
The young man cleared his throat and began, "I asked Miss Rudolph to invite Miss Ramonu here because there's something that's been bothering me, and it may also be troubling Mejiro Dober. I'd like to hear Miss Ramonu's thoughts on it."
"Please speak," Mejiro Ramonu said calmly. However, her mood was not as composed as she appeared—
"Shuta-kun already knows? Did Dober tell him? If so, I'll have to reconsider how close the two of them have become."
"I want to know whether anyone within the Mejiro Family is pushing for Mejiro Dober's engagement, and whether this matter has the Old Madam's approval—or whether she herself is the one pushing for it?"
Shuta An was unaware of Mejiro Ramonu's internal thoughts; he simply asked.
"It wasn't Grandmother's idea; some elders raised it, and given the Mejiro Family's situation, that isn't unusual,"
Mejiro Ramonu replied.
"Among Dober's generation, Bright-chan and her Trainer have been together for quite some time, so an engagement is likely soon. McQueen's case is a bit special; I suggest Shuta-kun ask the Trainer of Team Spica directly. As for Ryan, I'm not too sure."
"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen Miss Mejiro Ardan in a while," Shuta An said, pointing out the one Mejiro Family Uma Musume whom Mejiro Ramonu hadn't mentioned.
"Ardan and her Trainer have already left Japan. I'm not sure where they went," Mejiro Ramonu paused. "That's exactly why I'm here today."
"So Ardan leaving the country was a form of defiance against the Mejiro Family, wasn't it?" Shuta An immediately understood her meaning.
"Yes." Mejiro Ramonu nodded. "As Shuta-kun knows, Uma Musume of the Mejiro Family do not marry out; only men are brought into the family. Ardan didn't want her Trainer and lover to be taken into the family and lose his freedom. But without that, the family wouldn't accept their relationship. So they left Japan and went somewhere they could live freely together."
Mejiro Ramonu did not mention that she had secretly provided Ardan with a large sum of startup capital.
"I see." Shuta An grasped the issue. "Then what about Mejiro Bright?"
"She hasn't even confessed yet, so there's no need to rush," Mejiro Ramonu took a sip of tea and looked at him. "We both know, Shuta-kun—you could never accept the Mejiro Family's rules."
"Miss Ramonu, that assumes Dober and I would form that kind of relationship in the first place." Shuta An pointed out.
"Does Shuta-kun dislike Dober-chan?" Mejiro Ramonu tilted her head, striking a very cute pose that made Shuta An avert his gaze.
"Truly a demonic dark bay…she's too much," he thought silently.
But he didn't stay silent. "Of course I don't dislike Dober. If I did, I wouldn't have accepted her request to join the team."
"That's good," Mejiro Ramonu pursed her lips. "In fact, Shuta-kun is the only man Dober can interact with comfortably."
"Let's get back to the main point. Miss Mejiro Bright became a full-fledged Uma Musume earlier than Dober, yet she hasn't even reached the stage of discussing marriage. So why is Dober being prepared for an engagement so early—and without even knowing who the groom is?"
Shuta An narrowed his eyes, and the atmosphere in the room suddenly tightened. This kind of pressure was something Symboli Rudolf and Mejiro Ramonu usually imposed on others; experiencing it firsthand was rare.
"Dober is now a Seven-Crown Uma Musume, so the elders naturally want to bind her more firmly to the family early on, to avoid a repeat of Ardan's case," Mejiro Ramonu paused.
"And they believe Shuta-kun isn't someone who can be controlled, so they want to choose someone they approve of—someone easier to manage."
"So, have they chosen someone?" Shuta An smiled. "Who is it?"
"Of course not," Mejiro Ramonu rolled her eyes at him.
"Shuta-kun, did you forget Grandmother's suggestion yesterday? She hopes Dober will stay in Japan for her first senior year, precisely to arrange matchmaking."
"I see." Shuta An nodded slightly. "Then the problem now is how to shut these vampires up."
"Dober needs to do something that leaves them speechless. That way, she'll have the confidence to leave."
Mejiro Ramonu said, then added, "Yesterday, the live commentator said, 'As expected, the Uma Musume from Team Sadalsuud are all strong,' and Grandmother paid close attention to that."
"Ha~" Shuta An let out a quiet breath. "I understand."
He swept his gaze over Symboli Rudolf and Mejiro Ramonu. "I'll resolve this within the year. When the time comes, I'll need both of your help."
"No problem!" Mejiro Ramonu nodded without hesitation.
Symboli Rudolf, however, remained serious. "I will help you, but not because of our relationship, nor because I want to preserve it. It's because what the Mejiro Family is doing will make Dober unhappy. I want all Uma Musumes to find happiness—this is my conviction. So I will do my best to assist you. Please don't hesitate to ask when you need me."
"Alright." Shuta An extended his hand and shook Symboli Rudolf's.
—
On Sunday, after guiding Tokai Teio—who was scheduled to take part in her first major race of the Twinkle Series next Saturday—through a slope training session aimed at the Yodo Slope at Kyoto Racecourse, Shuta An did not return to his apartment as he had on previous days after work. Instead, for the first time in a while, he drove back to his home in Shinjuku.
"Even though there's a Mile Championship in the Dream World tonight, I don't have any riding requests. The top horses all have their regular jockeys. Yoshida Teruya said I could replace Yutaka Take and ride Movie Star, but I declined. It's one thing to take a mount from an unfamiliar jockey, but doing that to Yutaka Take doesn't sit right with me."
Shuta An thought silently while soaking in the bathtub. "I had planned to go to Fukushima Racecourse, but I received a request from Yoshida Teruya to ride two of his horses in Tokyo for a maiden race and the Fuchu 3-year-old Stakes."
After receiving this request, Shuta An immediately asked his agent to gather riding offers for Tokyo Racecourse this week. The result surprised him—there was even a major race request.
"Argentina Republic Cup, Tokyo Turf 2500m G2, Forget-Me-Not, from Kunieda Sakae's stable."
This trainer, Kunieda Sakae, had opened his stable two years ago and had no prior contact with Shuta An; they had never met. The young man was quite surprised to receive a request from him this time.
"What happened? Usually, a jockey for a major race is decided well in advance. Yet he managed to reach me right when I suddenly changed my plans to go to Tokyo."
Thinking this, Shuta An felt there was some connection between him and Kunieda Sakae. "In that case, I'll do my best and see if Forget-Me-Not can deliver a good result."
There are two major races at Tokyo over 2500 meters: the Meguro Kinen, Japan's oldest major race, and the Argentina Republic Cup.
Shuta An had ten riding requests in the Dream World that night, but only two were for highly favored horses, both owned by Yoshida Teruya. The rest had average results; otherwise, their trainers wouldn't consider bringing in Shuta An to try and turn things around without prior cooperation.
"It's a pity I started out in Kansai. All the trainers I know and work well with are there. Otherwise, Tokyo would be a better place to live than Kyoto."
Looking at the crowded stands of Tokyo Racecourse, Shuta An—having just finished his ninth ride of the day—muttered to himself before stepping into the underground passage.
"Shuta An only won three races today; his winning rate has dropped quite a bit," the live commentator said after the camera caught his back. "Can he turn things around next week?"
"It's too early to say," the guest shook his head. "This week, Shuta An came to Kanto on his own initiative, and his mounts weren't strong. Winning with two top favorites and then pulling off an upset with a tenth favorite already proves his ability."
"In the upcoming Argentina Republic Cup, he'll ride Forget-Me-Not, the fourth favorite. Although she's fourth in popularity, her odds are close to 10-1, clearly making her an underdog. Moreover, this is also Trainer Kunieda Sakae's first Uma Musume to enter a major race. Can this horse, inherited from Miyazawa Imasa's stable, deliver Kunieda his first major race win?"
"It'll be difficult," the live commentator shook his head. "Forget-Me-Not hasn't even won an open race. Winning this one won't be easy."
For this race, Forget-Me-Not drew gate 9. Shuta An met her Groom in the waiting area, while Trainer Kunieda Sakae stood by the track, watching Forget-Me-Not and Shuta An.
This was the first time Kunieda Sakae, now thirty-seven, had worked with Shuta An. At this moment, with no major race victories to his name, he didn't know what he could offer Shuta An, nor what the champion jockey would bring him.
After entering the starting gate, Shuta An took his riding posture, ready to rein in Forget-Me-Not, who was eager to surge forward. According to Kunieda Sakae's pre-race remarks, Forget-Me-Not loved to charge.
Shuta An understood exactly what that meant. The moment the gate opened, the reins tightened—Forget-Me-Not tried to rush to the front, but he held him back firmly.
It took five hundred meters for him to realize he couldn't overpower him in the saddle. After that, everything settled into place. Forget-Me-Not was obedient; with a slight cue, he knew to accelerate, and with a flick of the whip, he adjusted his line to create space.
By the time they entered the final straight, Shuta An and Forget-Me-Not were in thirteenth place. He gave a left-handed whip, letting him find a path forward, then switched to his right hand and began to drive him hard.
"So fast!" Kunieda Sakae, who had been tense all along, suddenly grew excited. "Can he catch up? Catch up! Catch up!"
He had spent eleven years as a Groom, yet had never seen a horse under his care run on such a stage.
His time as a Trainer was less than two years, and although he now had a horse capable of competing here, he knew his own experience was still lacking. Watching Shuta An and Forget-Me-Not begin a wide, sweeping advance, he clenched his fists, almost shouting as he cheered them on.
Shuta An drove Forget-Me-Not forward with all his strength, overtaking one horse after another from the very back. By the time they closed in on the leading group, only two hundred meters remained.
At that point, Forget-Me-Not had already reached his limit, and Shuta An judged he couldn't go any faster. He abandoned the whip, gripped the reins with both hands, and pushed with everything he had, continuing to pass those ahead.
"Forget-Me-Not! So fast, so fast, so fast! Shuta An's drive is completely different from the others! Forget-Me-Not takes the lead! Forget-Me-Not is in front!"
The commentator's eyes widened. He could hardly believe what he was seeing—Shuta An had brought Forget-Me-Not to the front and overturned every expectation.
"This is a champion jockey!"
Kunieda Sakae looked at Shuta An, who struck a victory pose on the saddle as Forget-Me-Not crossed the finish line, and couldn't help but exclaim,
"I hope we'll have more chances to work together in the future."
"What are you thinking?" His eldest son, Kunieda Jun, standing beside him, retorted, "Dad, you just got lucky inviting Shuta-kun this time."
Faced with his son's words, Kunieda Sakae had no reply.
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