The principal of Nishikino Academy was worried.
This year, the Nishikino Academy he had poured his heart and soul into running had declared bankruptcy.
There was no helping it.
He had already done everything he possibly could, but when it came to funding, there was simply nothing he could do.
A regional academy like Nishikino Academy had only managed to survive by barely scraping by on the allocations it received from Tracen Academy.
In theory, if Nishikino Academy could produce a star-level Umamusume, the funding from Central would increase as well.
But that was exactly where the problem lay.
Nishikino Academy had never produced a truly outstanding Umamusume.
And because the funding from Central wasn't enough to fully maintain the training facilities on campus, those facilities had steadily declined.
Once the facilities deteriorated, Nishikino Academy's chances of producing a top-tier Umamusume became even smaller.
And because it kept failing to produce any strong Umamusume, talented prospects naturally wouldn't choose to enroll at Nishikino Academy either...
A complete vicious cycle.
In the end, Nishikino Academy's bankruptcy was only the natural result of that cycle.
The root cause of it all could be summed up in two words.
No money.
And now, if Nishikino Academy was going to get back on its feet, it needed money.
A lifesaving sum large enough to pull Nishikino Academy back from the brink.
But where was the principal of Nishikino Academy supposed to find that kind of money...?
He couldn't.
Just as he was sinking into despair, aid from Tamamo Cross arrived.
Three million yen.
For Nishikino Academy, it was nowhere near enough to completely renovate the facilities.
But with that money, the academy could at least hold on a while longer.
Ah, Tamamo...
Have you finally made your mark in Central?!
Has Nishikino Academy finally produced a truly outstanding Umamusume?!
Overjoyed upon receiving the money, the principal assumed the academy had finally raised a gifted talent who was making waves on the racetrack.
But no matter how many times he flipped through the recent list of race winners, he never found Tamamo Cross's name...
That couldn't be right.
If Tamamo hadn't won, then where exactly had this money come from?
Could it be...?
Just as the principal of Nishikino Academy began wondering whether Tamamo Cross had sold herself, the next month, she sent back even more money.
And again, he still couldn't find Tamamo Cross's name on any winners' list.
Where was Tamamo Cross getting so much money?
She couldn't really have...?
Too worried about her, the principal finally called her.
"Principal, don't worry about me. I earned all this money through proper channels, so please rest easy."
That reply from Tamamo Cross reassured him a little, and he started using the money to renovate the school's facilities.
But as the money she sent back kept growing, a new doubt began to trouble him.
If she wasn't winning races, then how was a young girl supposed to earn this much money?
That question was answered today.
"Hello, I'm Tamamo Cross's investor, Sakuraba Ryo."
"Oh! Hello, hello."
Investor—this was the first time he had heard that.
So that was it. Tamamo's money had all come from this man.
That explained everything.
But why would the man in front of him invest in Tamamo...?
If his guess was right, then Tamamo hadn't produced any real results yet...
Which meant the man's true reason for investing in Tamamo probably wasn't Tamamo herself...
It was the academy behind her—Nishikino Academy!
But Nishikino Academy was only a regional academy on the verge of bankruptcy.
Why would someone spend this much money investing in a school like this?
Unless...
Unless his goal was something higher. Something more far-reaching!
"To be frank, Principal, I want to invest in Nishikino Academy. Would you be willing to let me become one of its shareholders?"
"Well..."
The principal of Nishikino Academy hesitated. Just as he had expected, Sakuraba Ryo had indeed brought up the idea of buying into Nishikino Academy.
"May I ask, Sakuraba-san, why you want to invest in Nishikino Academy?"
He had to understand Sakuraba Ryo's motives. That was for the good of the academy too!
"Well, to be honest with you, I'm a fan of raising sims, so I've always wanted to experience what it feels like to run a school myself~"
"Sakuraba-san, running a school is not something you can compare to a game."
"Of course I know that. But don't you want to see a future where we build Nishikino Academy into something even greater than Tracen Academy?"
Greater than Central...?!
As expected!
This man really did have his own objective in investing in Nishikino Academy!
Was he planning to use Nishikino Academy as a foothold to challenge Central's authority?!
What terrifying ambition!
The principal of Nishikino Academy quietly sized Sakuraba Ryo up. Sakuraba Ryo, meanwhile, smiled cheerfully as though he hadn't noticed the scrutiny at all.
What an unfathomable depth. I can't tell at all what he's really thinking...?
No wonder he harbors ambitions like this!
Sakuraba-san truly doesn't seem like an ordinary man...
Then this investment had to be considered very carefully.
If Sakuraba Ryo's words just now had been a coded expression of his desire to challenge Tracen Academy's authority—
Then agreeing to the investment would mean becoming his accomplice!
"..."
Tracen Academy...
When Nishikino Academy had been at its lowest point, even after he had practically begged on his knees, they still hadn't managed to secure more funding...
He knew, of course, that from Central's perspective, that decision had been the right one.
But still...
It was infuriating.
And now, Sakuraba Ryo had placed a choice before him.
Should he join Sakuraba Ryo and rise in rebellion against Tracen Academy—
Or refuse his investment... and let this dying Nishikino Academy sink into the dust of history?
Then there was only one possible answer.
"I will pledge my loyalty to you!"
The principal of Nishikino Academy said it to Sakuraba Ryo with complete seriousness.
Sakuraba Ryo: "?"
Uh, Tamamo.
Why is the principal of your former school this money-grubbing?
I only casually mentioned investing and buying in, and he already wants to pledge loyalty to me?
This is way beyond just loving money on sight, isn't it?
Sakuraba Ryo grumbled inwardly, but he still reached out and shook the man's hand.
"Then here's to a good partnership."
From Sakuraba Ryo's perspective, a principal being a bit obsessed with money wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
As long as it made it easier for him to invest and lose money!
Heh heh—getting involved in running a school, then losing huge amounts of money in the field of Umamusume!
He really was a genius!
As for the fact that the principal's expression looked a little strange...
He was probably just too happy to be accepting his investment.
At the side, Tamamo Cross looked at the very different smiles on Sakuraba Ryo's face and the principal's face, and somehow got the feeling the two of them weren't talking about the same thing at all...
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T/N: tamtam