While Sakuraba Ryo was wandering around Nishikino Academy on his own, the principal found Tamamo Cross and started talking to her.
"Tamamo, aside from you, has Sakuraba-san invested in any other Umamusume?"
"He has."
Even though she had no idea why the principal of her alma mater was asking, Tamamo Cross answered honestly anyway.
"He's also invested in an Umamusume in Kasamatsu named Oguri Cap. I heard she's gray-haired like me, and she's been winning nonstop... though I haven't actually met her myself."
"Kasamatsu..."
A sharp glint flashed through the principal's eyes.
"I see...!"
"What do you mean, 'I see'...? Now that I think about it, you've been acting strange ever since you met Sakuraba too. Are you sure you're okay, Principal?"
Tamamo Cross raised a brow at him, getting the feeling Sakuraba Ryo had somehow completely bluffed him.
After spending the past few months around Sakuraba Ryo, Tamamo Cross had more or less figured out what kind of person he was.
He was serious when it came to doing things properly, but the things that came out of his mouth were sometimes completely ridiculous. Overall, he was a decent guy, a genuinely good person. And every now and then, in certain moments, she could sense a kind of breathtaking idiocy from him... though maybe that was just her imagination...
"I-is that so?"
"Sakuraba's the type to do whatever pops into his head, so honestly, Principal, you don't need to take everything he says that seriously."
"Tamamo! Don't be rude to Sakuraba-san!"
the principal scolded.
"I may not have known Sakuraba-san for long, but as far as I can tell, everything he does must have some deeper meaning."
Then the principal looked at Tamamo Cross with complete seriousness.
"Tamamo, have you ever thought about why Sakuraba-san chose to invest in you?"
"Huh...?" Tamamo Cross froze for a moment, then answered on instinct. "Sakuraba said he was investing in my future..."
"Do you really think Sakuraba-san invested in you just for that?" The principal asked gravely.
"No matter how you look at it, he spent a full 20 million yen on you. After putting in that much money, could it really have been only for your future?"
"Sakuraba-san... if I'm not mistaken, he's trying to set some major plan in motion... and you, along with that girl in Kasamatsu, are probably both part of it."
"I-is that so?"
Hearing the principal lay it all out so seriously, even Tamamo Cross started to feel uneasy.
Could Sakuraba Ryo really be hiding some dark, heavy secret?
"Tamamo, listen."
The principal placed both hands on the girl's shoulders and spoke in a grave tone.
"Sakuraba-san is probably trying to bring Nishikino Academy to the top of Hokkaido, and use that as a way to stand against Tracen Academy."
"Although I still don't know why Sakuraba-san wants to oppose Tracen Academy..."
"When that time comes, you—the one Sakuraba-san personally chose—will become the vanguard of that resistance! Your results will become the face of Hokkaido!"
"I believe that's the future Sakuraba-san was talking about!"
"The face of Hokkaido? Me?"
Tamamo Cross stared at him, mouth hanging open in shock.
So that's what he meant by my future?
No, no, no...
But thinking about it calmly, wasn't this the most likely explanation...?
Who in the world would throw around that kind of money for no reason, just for some vague, intangible future?
But if that future was actually tied to some larger goal, then that was a different story.
"But... why me...?"
Tamamo Cross still couldn't understand it. When Sakuraba Ryo had first found her, her results had been an absolute mess... no, even now, they still weren't what anyone would call good...
"Maybe Sakuraba-san saw potential in you."
"Potential?"
"Yes. Your results may not be very good, Tamamo... but Sakuraba-san must have seen some kind of hidden potential in you. That's why he chose you!"
The principal said it with absolute conviction.
"Just like you said, the first Umamusume Sakuraba-san invested in—that Oguri Cap—has been winning this whole time, hasn't she? Sakuraba-san must have seen some similar quality in both of you, and that's why he ultimately chose you!"
"So, Tamamo, believe in yourself!"
"Or rather, believe in Sakuraba-san, who has such high hopes for you!"
"..."
Tamamo Cross went from faintly bewildered to feeling something far more complicated.
So...
Sakuraba had believed in her that much all along...
"I understand."
Tamamo Cross made up her mind.
...
For some reason, after they left Hokkaido, Tamamo Cross stopped trying to talk to Sakuraba Ryo.
Sakuraba Ryo noticed that although she wasn't saying anything, her motivation had mysteriously shot through the roof, so he didn't bother asking about it.
The two parted ways, and Sakuraba Ryo immediately returned to Kasamatsu.
The first thing he planned to do after getting back was inspect Oguri Cap's training.
He remembered that Kitahara seemed to have something he wanted to discuss with him, so it worked out nicely to stop by on the way.
Making his way back to the team activity room with practiced ease, he found Kitahara at his desk, scribbling away at something. Oguri Cap wasn't there, so she was probably out running at the training grounds.
"Oh, Sakuraba-san!"
Noticing Sakuraba Ryo push open the door, Kitahara greeted him with a smile.
"What did you need me for?" Sakuraba Ryo asked bluntly.
"Ah, I wanted to discuss Oguri's upcoming race schedule with you."
Kitahara picked up the sheet of paper he had been marking up at the desk. Looking closer, Sakuraba Ryo saw that it was filled with race plans for Oguri Cap.
"I'm planning to have Oguri Cap run in the Chukyo Hai! Our goal is for Oguri to compete in the Tokai Derby, and if that's the case, then entering the Chukyo Hai is a must."
"The Chukyo Hai, huh... how much is the prize money again?"
Compared to all these hard-to-remember race names, Sakuraba Ryo cared far more about how much money this race was going to make him.
"3.2 million! The winning Umamusume gets 3.2 million yen in prize money! You could say it's a very generous purse! So what do you think, Sakuraba-san? That gets your blood pumping, right?"
Kitahara's smile was bright and sunny, but Sakuraba Ryo only felt his face twitch.
His blood pumping?
More like his heart hurting.
That was 3.2 million yen...
Back in his first month, his total loss target had only been 5 million. This Chukyo Hai alone was already worth that much... he didn't even want to think about how much the Tokai Derby would pay after that.
Still, now that Sakuraba Ryo was preparing to shift the focus of his investments toward Nishikino Academy, earning this little bit didn't make him too nervous.
"Fine... You're entering the Chukyo Hai, right? I approve."
Sakuraba Ryo waved a hand as he spoke.
"That's great!"
With Sakuraba Ryo's approval in hand, Kitahara beamed.
Now Oguri Cap would have a chance to stand on a bigger stage!
Excellent!
Everything was moving in a better direction!
Assuming nothing unexpected happened.
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T/N: erm what are you doing here the chapter is over get lost