"President, are you done with what you came here to do?"
At the gates of Kasamatsu Training Center Academy, Maruzensky was waiting when Symboli Rudolf emerged from inside the campus.
"Mhm."
Symboli Rudolf nodded and stretched.
"That shop was more interesting than I expected, and that owner has more value than I expected too."
"Oh?"
Maruzensky looked a little surprised. It was rare for her President to speak so highly of someone.
"Is he really that impressive?"
"Absolutely."
Symboli Rudolf lowered her head and patted her legs.
"After being worked on by him for a while, I felt my whole body loosen up."
"There are far too few people who can make someone relax that much through massage alone. If we could invite him to Central and have him provide that kind of service to the students at our academy, it would surely be a great help to the girls there."
That was Symboli Rudolf's sincere opinion.
Central did employ people for things like therapeutic care, but the results they produced were nowhere near as effective as what Sakuraba Ryo could accomplish with a few casual presses.
If anything, the strange part was that someone who could make such a good living on massage skill alone was still completely unknown.
Why was that?
"Why does it feel like you have even more thoughts about this shop owner than you do about Oguri Cap~?"
Maruzensky covered the corner of her mouth and laughed.
At that, Symboli Rudolf turned to her with a calm expression, her tone composed and certain.
"Talent should not be buried, no matter where it happens to be."
She lifted her chin slightly and cast her gaze toward the far end of Kasamatsu's streets, as if she could see through the buildings to that small massage shop.
"Oguri Cap's talent lies on the track, while that shop owner, Sakuraba Ryo, has his gift in his hands. Both of them have shown extraordinary value in their respective fields."
"For Central, whether it is an Umamusume capable of creating miracles or a gifted specialist capable of healing the body, both are the sort of people worth valuing and recruiting."
"Though in a certain sense, Sakuraba-san may actually be even more valuable than Oguri Cap."
Her voice carried its usual steadiness and decisiveness.
"Once talent has been discovered, naturally one should find a way to develop it—to make the best use of every resource and let every person put their abilities to proper use. That is the most efficient approach."
"After the Chukyo Hai is over, I'll come to Kasamatsu again and invite Sakuraba-san myself."
"But for now, the most important thing is to confirm Oguri Cap's value first."
...
The Chukyo Hai.
Chukyo Racecourse.
"The facilities here are way better than the ones at Kasamatsu..."
Sitting in the stands at Chukyo Racecourse, Sakuraba Ryo looked around and couldn't help murmuring in admiration.
The sleek seats, the clear view, and the atmosphere of a truly professional race venue were all completely different from the slightly plain but familiar feel of a regional racecourse.
Even more obvious was the crowd. The stands were packed today, the noise almost enough to lift the roof, and the number of spectators was clearly on a completely different level from anything Kasamatsu had seen.
"Well, Oguri's already racked up a whole string of wins on the regional circuit."
Kitahara Jo, standing beside him, heard the remark and smiled as he explained.
"A lot of people have heard there's a 'monstrous rookie' in Kasamatsu now, so naturally they all want to come see for themselves. Once the hype goes up, the crowd follows."
He paused, his tone carrying both pride and a faint expectation for the future.
"For her, today's Chukyo Hai is the real first step toward the Tokai Derby!"
"The Tokai Derby..."
At the thought of that, the corner of Sakuraba Ryo's mouth twitched.
The highest-level race on the regional circuit naturally came with prize money to match.
If Oguri Cap really went and won the Tokai Derby...
Just thinking about it made Sakuraba Ryo's heart bleed.
Just as Sakuraba Ryo and Kitahara Jo were talking, a somewhat elderly yet still powerful voice came from behind them.
"Jo!"
Kitahara turned at the sound, and a smile immediately spread across his face.
"Uncle Musaka!"
Sakuraba Ryo followed the voice with his eyes and saw a sharp-looking older man in sunglasses walking toward them with steady steps and an alert, penetrating gaze.
"And this is?"
Sakuraba Ryo asked Kitahara in a low voice.
"This is my uncle, Ginjirou Musaka. He's a Trainer from Central!"
Kitahara hurried to make the introduction, then turned back to Ginjirou.
"Uncle, this is Sakuraba-san. He's a friend I met in Kasamatsu, and also... um, a very special investor."
Sakuraba Ryo nodded politely as well.
"Hello, Musaka-san."
Privately, he mused that this uncle clearly held an important place in Kitahara's mind, and there was a shrewdness in his eyes that suggested he would not be easy to fool.
But a Trainer from Central, huh...
Hiring him over at Nishikino Academy actually sounded like a pretty good option.
Ginjirou Musaka paid no attention whatsoever to Sakuraba Ryo's greeting. Turning his sunglasses-clad face toward Kitahara, he suddenly raised a hand and thumped him on the head with a solid but not overly heavy fist, producing a dull thunk.
"Ow!" Clutching his head, Kitahara looked both pained and aggrieved. "Uncle Musaka! What was that for?!"
"Idiot!" Ginjirou Musaka lowered his voice, but the anger and urgency in it were impossible to suppress. "Didn't I warn you again and again not to let Oguri Cap run in this Chukyo Hai?! Did you just ignore everything I said?!"
"Why shouldn't she run in it?!"
Kitahara shot back stubbornly, keeping his voice down too, but speaking with obvious agitation.
"Uncle Musaka, you've seen how strong Oguri Cap is! The Chukyo Hai is the best springboard she could ask for to reach a bigger stage. This was obviously the right decision!"
"The hell it was! You blockhead!"
Ginjirou Musaka was so angry he nearly ripped off his sunglasses. He jabbed a finger toward the highest point in the racecourse, toward the VIP seating with its superb view—the unmistakable symbol of status and identity.
"Today is different! Look up there! Open your eyes and look properly!"
His finger trembled slightly, and his voice came out through gritted teeth.
"Today, that 'Emperor'... Symboli Rudolf—she came in person! She's up there watching the race!"
"Do you understand what that means?"
"What does it mean?"
Kitahara looked blank, as if he still didn't understand what Ginjirou Musaka was getting at.
Standing off to the side and listening to the argument between uncle and nephew, Sakuraba Ryo instantly understood most of it. Stroking his chin, he cut in.
"Musaka-san is worried that... if Oguri Cap performs too well, she'll catch the eye of that 'Emperor' and get poached straight to Tracen Academy, right?"
His tone was mild, but he had put a finger directly on Ginjirou Musaka's greatest concern.
Ginjirou abruptly turned his head, and for the first time, the gaze behind his sunglasses properly settled on Sakuraba Ryo, sharp with the look of someone whose thoughts had just been exposed.
He let out a heavy snort. He did not directly admit it, but the tight line of his jaw had already confirmed it.
"Once that 'Emperor' sets her sights on someone, do you really think Kasamatsu can still keep her?"
Ginjirou's voice dropped.
"If your goal is the Tokai Derby..."
"Then this is absolutely not the best time to let her show off her brilliance in front of Central!"