Luna… no, she should be called Symboli Rudolf.
At this moment, the Emperor could only think that all of this was absurd.
She had originally assumed the so-called foot massage at this shop would be nothing special.
But after experiencing it for herself, she was left utterly stunned.
No, seriously?
Was that even the kind of strength a human was supposed to have?
And was that really a proper massage technique?
Even she, under Sakuraba Ryo's hands, had struggled to hold back those sounds.
Now she finally understood why people were willing to spend money at this shop.
This shop owner was no ordinary person!
He could make an Umamusume look like she'd just triggered a defeated-heroine CG with nothing but his hands?
No matter how she thought about it, that was completely unreasonable!
Just as the strange waves of stimulation rising through her lower body were driving Symboli Rudolf to the verge of rolling her eyes back, the sensation suddenly stopped.
"The service is over, Luna-san. You may get up now~ We also have some snacks in the shop, so if you're hungry, feel free to help yourself."
Having just finished with Symboli Rudolf, Sakuraba Ryo looked at her with a gentle smile. At some point, the trace of resentment she had sensed from him earlier had completely vanished.
Symboli Rudolf slowly pushed herself up from the massage chair, her body still seeming to linger in the aftermath of being thoroughly kneaded loose and worked over. Tingling numbness and lightness mixed together, leaving her momentarily dazed.
Her gaze drifted, almost against her will, to Sakuraba Ryo's hands—long-fingered, lean, and strong.
Those were the hands that had just kneaded her from a body taut with tension into little more than a puddle of softness.
She pressed her lips together. The tips of her ears grew faintly warm, but in the end, she still could not stop herself from speaking.
"Um… Sakuraba-san, may I ask… is it possible to extend the session?"
Sakuraba Ryo blinked slightly, then laughed and shook his head.
"Sorry, Luna-san. One service here is one full experience. If you'd like to enjoy it again, you're very welcome to make an appointment in advance for next time~"
As he spoke, he gently tidied up the towels and essential oils.
"It may look easy, but it actually takes quite a bit out of me. I can't keep going forever."
Symboli Rudolf gave a quiet "Mm" and did not insist any further. Even so, her eyes still followed his hands for two more seconds before she reluctantly looked away.
Next time, I need to book earlier.
But coming all the way to Kasamatsu just for the service is a hassle too…
Or maybe…
Symboli Rudolf lightly smoothed the hem of her clothes. Her eyes paused briefly on Sakuraba Ryo's hands as he organized his tools, and a thought quietly surfaced in her mind. She cleared her throat, making her tone sound as casual as possible.
"Sakuraba-san's technique really is impressive… Have you ever considered opening a branch near Tracen Academy?"
She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice a little, with the faintest trace of expectation hidden within it.
"The Trainers and Umamusume at Central work under tremendous pressure. A professional massage service like yours would definitely be very popular."
Sakuraba Ryo paused, looked up, and met Symboli Rudolf's serious gaze. Then he shook his head, gentle but firm.
"Thank you for the compliment, but I don't currently have any plans to expand into Central."
I knew this Luna-san was one of those troublemakers.
As far as he was concerned, the pressure from his loss KPI wasn't especially high right now, so there was no need to add a new money-losing plan.
Besides, if he opened a branch in Central, he would still be the only one who could actually produce results with the massage. At that point, he'd have to run back and forth between both places.
That kind of overtime was absolutely unacceptable!
He folded the towel neatly and continued explaining.
"I opened this shop in Kasamatsu in the first place because it's quiet here. The customer flow is just right. If I went to Central, I'd probably get so busy I wouldn't even have time to rest."
Symboli Rudolf nodded thoughtfully. A hint of regret flashed through her eyes, but she did not press the matter any further.
Silently, she added "persuade Sakuraba Ryo to come to Central" to her mental to-do list.
Symboli Rudolf rose to her feet, feeling as though even her legs had grown lighter.
It was far too wasteful for someone with this kind of skill to stay in the regional circuit.
Not just Oguri Cap.
This Sakuraba Ryo had value worth bringing to Central too!
...
"Please visit us again."
After saying that, Sakuraba Ryo handed the customer off to Norn Ace.
Symboli Rudolf gave a slight nod, a trace of lingering reluctance hidden in the gesture, then turned and walked toward the door.
Norn Ace hurried after her, dutifully seeing the customer out.
The shop door gave a light jingle as the two of them stepped into the slightly cool evening breeze.
"Thank you for your patronage, and we hope to see you again—"
Before Norn Ace could finish, a sudden gust of wind swept around the street corner and neatly lifted the wide-brimmed hat Symboli Rudolf had been using to hide her identity.
The hat rose as if held aloft by an invisible hand, spun once in the air, and drifted down a few steps away.
Symboli Rudolf let out a small startled sound and reached to stop it, but she was already too late.
And Norn Ace, standing just behind and to one side of her, followed the motion and saw her face clearly without anything blocking the view—that face that had appeared at Tracen Academy, across countless reports and screens, symbolizing supreme glory and authority.
Those crimson-violet eyes. That face, dignified yet refined. And the distinctive white streak in her bangs…
Norn Ace froze on the spot. Her eyes widened slightly in shock, and her mouth fell open on its own. Every polite phrase she had prepared jammed in her throat.
The memory that had been sleeping in the back of her mind suddenly snapped awake.
"The… the Emperor… Symboli Rudolf… President?!"
Her voice trembled with extreme shock and uncertainty, so faint it was almost no more than breath.
Seeing Norn Ace on the verge of crying out, Symboli Rudolf's eyes flashed with a hint of helplessness.
She did not immediately go to pick up her hat. Instead, she gracefully and swiftly raised her right index finger to her lips and made a perfect gesture for silence.
"Shh—"
The motion was gentle, yet carried unquestionable force. Her purple eyes flicked toward Sakuraba Ryo's back, still busy inside the shop, then quickly returned to Norn Ace.
"Please keep this a secret for me, dear attendant~"
That tiny gesture instantly pulled her out of the languid "Luna-san" who had just been luxuriating in a massage and returned her to the bearing of the calculating Emperor.
It was only the briefest release of presence, but it was enough for Norn Ace to feel that invisible pressure.
Norn Ace clapped a hand over her own mouth, forcefully stifling the cry that had been about to burst out. Only her wide, round eyes still conveyed the storm raging inside her.
She nodded frantically like a pecking chick, making it clear that she understood completely and absolutely would not say a word.
Only then did Symboli Rudolf give a small nod and reveal a faint smile that lay somewhere between gratitude and reassurance. She then turned gracefully, walked over to the hat the wind had blown away, picked it up, and lightly dusted off the nonexistent dirt on it.
It would not do for that gentleman to learn her identity just yet.
She rather enjoyed that feeling of simple, unguarded interaction with Sakuraba Ryo.
---
T/N: mmm i think i broke my back oughhhh