"Kousei, long time no see!" Black Bullet slung an arm around Kousei's shoulders.
"Yeah. The last time we met, I was still a [Prisoner]."
"Mm-hmm, that's right. But now, the [Ugly Duckling] has transformed into a [White Swan]."
The two bantered casually, completely unfazed by the tense situation.
"Bullet, be serious," Leo said, her expression as stern as ever—even more so than Cloud's.
"Come on, Leo, relax a little. It's rare for Kousei to be back," McQueen chimed in from beside her.
Leo considered it and realized McQueen was right. A small smile touched her lips.
"Didn't McQueen tell you not to keep everyone waiting? And you still took so long."
Kousei turned toward the voice. Tokai Teio, her disguise shed, approached with graceful steps.
"You've changed a lot."
"We all have."
Seeing Teio again, Kousei noted that her youthful immaturity had vanished, replaced by a calm composure. Kousei herself had become more reserved, her sharp edges softened. The Generations had reunited, but the era that had once bound them together was gone forever.
"Carrot juice or honey water?"
"Carrot juice, please."
Kousei took the carrot juice from Black Bullet, and the group found a place to sit down.
"So, how did you all get in?" Black Bullet asked curiously. "With the internal strife in Central, Acting Chairman Kashimoto should have locked down the racing district and barred any external competitors from entering."
Kousei popped open the cap, took a long swig, and then handed the bottle to McQueen. "We didn't come as competitors. Our status is 'international students,' similar to El Condor Pasa and Grass Wonder. Our official purpose at Tracen is to study, not to race, so Acting Chairman Kashimoto had no grounds to refuse us. Besides," she added, "I'm now the NAU's star player and the Arc de Triomphe champion. Even if Central won't give me face, they have to give face to the Racing Association."
McQueen finished the rest of the carrot juice in one go. "Kousei's return seems to have put immense pressure on the Central Committee. According to Dober, they sent people to my residence shortly after I left."
"The Central Committee actually let you wander around freely?" Leo asked, surprised.
"I was at the airport at the time," McQueen explained. "Ramonu-san and President Rudolf appeared at the meeting together, so Ramonu-san attended in my place."
Black Bullet chuckled slyly. "No wonder the Central Committee is so nervous. Kousei brought back nothing but monsters. Twilight Cloud and her group were the invaders from the last Japan Cup, and people's impression of them is still stuck at that stage.
"Jade might not be famous, but Morgan's name itself is synonymous with terror. And then there's Kousei herself. The more the Central Committee tries to cover up her existence, the greater the shockwave her return will create.
"At a critical time like this, a group like yours claims to be here just to 'study'? Hahaha, brilliant."
Black Bullet was clearly enjoying herself, seeming to revel in the chaos.
"Speaking of which," McQueen said, voicing the confusion shared by the others, "I can understand the others being here, but why is Morgan in the group? I thought you hated her."
"I didn't bring her," Kousei replied. "Caesar did. It wasn't until I got back to the Northern Academy that I learned Morgan was the one Cloud and Speedstar were waiting for. I may not like her, but since it was Caesar's decision, I don't really care."
Kousei had always trusted her comrades unconditionally, even if living under the same roof as Morgan made her a little uncomfortable.
"Tracen is in turmoil, and the public is gripped by anxiety," Teio said with a smile. "Our opportunity lies hidden within this chaos."
All eyes turned to Teio.
"So, what's the purpose of the Seishun Cup you've initiated against Acting Chairman Kashimoto?" Kousei asked. She had spent all her time challenging the NAU and the Arc de Triomphe, so while she knew Teio and the others were making moves within Tracen, she didn't know their ultimate goal.
"The goal, of course, is Symboli Rudolf," Teio replied calmly, as if stating the obvious.
"We've already failed once to overthrow President Rudolf and establish a new Student Council. If we fail again this time, I'm afraid no one else will dare to stand up to the Central Committee."
"Shouldn't Dad have gathered some evidence against the Central Committee by now? Can't we just expose them directly?"
"We could," Teio said, "but Mr. T believes that's not the best option. No matter how corrupt the Central Committee is, the problem lies with the people, not the institution itself. Central has come a long way to get where it is today, and the Committee played a part in that journey.
"With Central suffering one defeat after another, public opinion against Acting Chairman Kashimoto is already growing. If we destroy the Central Committee's credibility now, not only will the cleanup be difficult, but a single misstep could spiral out of control.
"They don't care about Tracen, but we do. We can't let them destroy the paradise everyone worked so hard to build."
Kousei understood Teio's concerns. The Teio before her was clearly more thoughtful and deliberate. Though she always spoke of escaping Rudolf's influence, in moments like this, the two were remarkably similar.
"By establishing a new Student Council, we'll force the Central Committee to rely on us," Teio continued. "That will grant us an audience with the Committee."
McQueen added, "On the Family front, the Symboli Family's decline has prompted the Sakura Family to enter the fray. The Central Committee seems to be trying to back the Mejiro Family, but it's common knowledge that the Mejiros never interfere in Academy internal affairs.
"Their absolute neutrality, combined with the countless eyes watching the Central Committee, has put them in a bind. They're riding a tiger they can't dismount."
Kousei nodded. "If we need to build public pressure, I can ask Aoi. He has connections in Central."
"An excellent idea," Teio praised.
Kousei had once been ensnared by the Central Committee's media manipulation. Now, she would give them a taste of their own medicine—an eye for an eye.
Suddenly, Kousei remembered something. "By the way, Director Akikawa has returned to Central."
"The Director?" Teio looked surprised. "I haven't heard anything about that, and I'm on the Student Council."
"She came with the delegation from the Eastern Lands. Reiko is managing the Northern Academy now."
"So that's why the Central Committee couldn't track her down."
Black Bullet crossed her legs. "Now things are really heating up. If the Director is back, what will Acting Chairman Kashimoto do? After all, she's only the Acting Director in name."
"It's bound to cause trouble," someone mused. "But since she chose to conceal her return, it must mean the time isn't right yet."
The group discussed matters late into the night. As dusk fell, Teio and her companions had to return to their dorms. As prime targets of scrutiny, their prolonged absence would surely attract unwanted attention.
"Be careful on your way back," Kousei said, waving goodbye. "I'll visit Tracen Academy in person tomorrow."
"We're counting on you."
The Generations of the Villains of the Century were now in motion. The final chapter was about to begin.