"That little one who used to be all alone back then has now become the 'Emperor' renowned throughout the land. Fate truly works in mysterious ways."
Sitting atop her desk, Mr. C.B. breezily approved Rudolf's application, letting her join the student council.
"Yes, I'm very grateful for your guidance back then, senior."
"Ah, don't mention it. Just a little nudge."
Hopping off the desk, Mr. C.B. gave Rudolf's shoulder a couple of pats.
"Junior, from now on, it's our competition. On the classic turf, let's have a showdown—you and me, consecutive Triple Crown winners for two years running."
"...Mm."
--+--
"When I heard those words back then, my very first reaction, surprisingly, was inner conflict. Just for a fleeting moment, but faced with the prospect of competing against Mr. C.B. for the top spot, I actually wanted to avoid the race."
"It wasn't that I feared her strength. On the contrary, no one knew my own condition better than I did."
"There wasn't a single Uma Musume in all of Japan who could match me at that time."
"I was worried that if C.B-senpai were defeated by me, the dynamic between us would change forever."
Here, Rudolf glanced at Nearl and offered an apologetic smile.
"But please don't spread this around, Nearl."
"I won't."
Nearl nodded, promising to keep it secret. Rudolf relaxed slightly and continued her reminiscence.
"Actually, what happened after isn't much of a secret anymore. Mr. C.B. never beat me again, to the point where the public jokingly called her 'the highest-grade stepping stone.'"
At this, the Emperor's expression visibly soured with indignation.
"What do those people know?! C.B-senpai's ability was far greater than that. If only those soft glue-on horseshoes had been developed a little sooner..."
"While it's true that on the racetrack, there can only be one first place, I still couldn't bring myself to feel happy about winning against C.B-senpai. time and again. She never said anything, but did she truly forgive me?"
"What do you think, Nearl?"
Rudolf tossed the question for Nearl to ponder.
"I believe C.B-senpai never held a grudge against you. She's that kind of Uma Musume—free and open-minded, like passing clouds."
"Heh, you're right. Nearl, let me show you something. A gift I've kept safe all this time."
With that, Rudolf stood up and walked to her desk. She crouched down and pulled out a box covered in red velvet from a corner.
Even though it was tucked away in a dusty spot, the box was impeccably clean, a testament to Rudolf's care.
"That year's Tenno Sho (Spring) was the final race between Senior Mr. C.B. and me. Even though she knew she was no match for me, she still challenged me like an undaunted warrior who never admits defeat."
"She even abandoned her signature late charge and chose to set the pace to counter me."
"To be honest, I did consider holding back to let her win just once. A loss or two wouldn't have hurt my reputation. But in the end, my sense of honor and competitive spirit carried me through to the finish, and I won."
"Yet after the race, C.B-senpai walked right up to me and placed this on my head."
Slowly lifting the lid, Nearl saw a withered wreath, its original shape barely discernible. Though now dry and brittle, one could still imagine its former beauty.
Rudolf gazed at the wreath tenderly, her fingers gently tracing its form in the air.
"This is it. The victor's wreath. Senpai, all smiles, placed it on my head and dispelled the pain in my heart. In that moment, I truly understood what a remarkably gallant Uma Musume Mr. C.B. was."
--+--
The past…
"Heh, see? Compared to any crown, the wreath I wove for you is much more beautiful, don't you think?"
Mr. C.B. cheerfully adjusted the wreath on Rudolf's head, making it sit just right amidst her chestnut hair.
"C.B-senpai…"
"Alright, go on and receive your champion's honors. This victory is rightfully yours."
With a final pat on Rudolf's shoulder, Mr. C.B. didn't linger. She turned to leave, but the observant Rudolf immediately noticed her slightly unsteady gait.
"Senpai! Wait!"
Taking a step forward and ignoring Mr. C.B.'s protests, Rudolf hoisted her over her shoulder, revealing a pair of graceful feet.
"…"
Rudolf's heart clenched. All she could see was the smear of crimson.
"Senpai, your foot is bleeding."
"It's fine, really. Put me down."
Mr. C.B. tried to wriggle free like a stubborn horse, but Rudolf gave her no chance, holding her waist firmly.
"Stop moving. I'm taking you to the infirmary."
"But this is so embarrassing. I'm your senior, after all."
"Nonsense. What kind of senior is so troublesome and useless? Be prepared to hand over your president's hat when we get back. I've always thought you were a lousy president anyway."
"Hey! That's seriously disrespectful! Fine, you can have the presidency, but when have I ever been troublesome to you?"
"Stop fussing."
Watching the wound on Mr. C.B.'s sole worsen from her squirming, a mix of irritation and worry drove Rudolf to do something quite rude.
Smack!
A sharp sound of flesh meeting flesh rang out, crisp and clear, accompanied by a startled yelp.
"Keep moving, and I'll do it again."
Issuing what she thought was a fierce warning—though it came out more flustered—to the senior draped over her shoulder, Rudolf tightened her grip on the slender yet powerful legs in front of her.
She quickened her pace as much as possible without jostling Mr. C.B.
"You jerk! So this is the real you, Rudolf? Just you wait. I won't let you off easy in the future!"
With her legs pinned, her punches useless against Rudolf's well-trained back muscles, all Mr. C.B. could do now was make empty threats.
"Your peaceful days are over. I'm gonna doodle all over your ceiling!"
"Alright, alright. Just cooperate for now, senior, and we'll talk about anything later."
--+--
The present…
"…"
"…"
Silence suddenly fell over the student council room. The Emperor covered her face in distress.
"So that's how it was? I'd completely forgotten. No wonder senpai has been finding every possible way to give me a hard time ever since."
"President, I think you should really go and have a proper talk with C.B-senpai."
"I want to. But both of us have major responsibilities now. Our work isn't something we can easily put aside."
Rudolf was also regretting it. She never thought that offering Mr. C.B. a job would backfire like this.
"Then why not go find her right now? I can handle the student council affairs temporarily, if you trust me."
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.