"So you're saying I should go find Senpai now?"
"Mhm. Right now, Senpai's been dragged back to handle all that paperwork. She must be miserable. If you, as President, could go and lend a hand, it'd be like sending charcoal in a snowstorm. Your reputation in Senpai's eyes would definitely take a huge turn for the better."
Nearl affirmed the Emperor's line of thinking.
"Hmm…"
With hands clasped tightly together, pressed against her brow, Symboli Rudolf's sense of responsibility as student council President wrestled with a certain youthful anticipation.
Should she stick to her duty, or pursue what her heart truly longed for? For her, it was an unsolvable dilemma.
Is this what they call a fork in the road of fate? she wondered.
Two choices, decided in a single moment, yet the paths beyond would diverge further and further. One decision could lead to a lifetime of regret.
"President, you shouldn't cling so stubbornly to your pride."
Nearl's voice broke the silence. Her words fell like a beam of warm, radiant light, illuminating one of the paths tangled in Rudolf's mind.
"Can you really bear the thought of a future where you never see C.B-senpai's figure again? Knowing her personality, someday she'll drift away like a colorful cloud on the horizon, you know?"
"A dilemma implies both sides of the scale hold things of equal importance. But for duty, we can help you carry that burden. As for Senpai… that can only rely on your own resolve."
"…You're right, Nearl."
Smoothing her hair back, Symboli Rudolf let out a long sigh, then rose from her chair with a swift, decisive motion.
"Perhaps this is what they mean by 'feelings'. They make you fuss over things without even realizing it, too afraid to make a choice. What 'Emperor'? In the end, I'm just an ordinary Uma Musume after all."
Once she recognized her own thoughts, Rudolf let them go. She might not have Mr. C.B.'s carefree flair, but she was no dawdler either.
"Once you make up your mind, you act. Even if you fail, cutting off that longing wouldn't be a tragedy. Nearl, thank you for your guidance and for standing by me. I'll have to shamelessly keep troubling you for a long time to come."
Gathering a few small personal items, Rudolf bowed deeply to Nearl—a rare sight, the proud Emperor lowering her head.
But Rudolf was utterly sincere.
Because she knew this decision would heap even more pressure onto Nearl, who was already so busy.
"Don't mention it, President. Everyone's happiness is my happiness. Please leave the student council to me with peace of mind. Whenever you return, I'll hand back a better Tracen Academy to you."
"I'm truly sorry, Nearl."
Unable to bear the weight of it, Rudolf left those words behind as she departed.
She needed to return to her dorm to change into casual clothes before going out. For now, the student council room was left with only Nearl.
She slowly finished her tea, savoring this rare moment of calm.
"Better plan out the schedule."
Only those words echoed in the quiet space.
--+--
"Ryan, did you hear? President Rudolf has some business to attend to and handed over her position to an acting President!"
During the Mejiro household's daily tea party, Palmer—who still wore the cloak of a refined young lady—mentioned this to Ryan with a hint of curiosity. The other young ladies nearby also leaned in with interest.
"Acting President? Ah, is it Air Groove-senpai? Ever since becoming Vice President, she's been so diligent and serious. I imagine she wouldn't do much worse than President Rudolf."
Ryan took a sip of black tea, unconcerned. She was in the midst of training for the Satsuki Sho and had little interest in such matters.
"Heheh, wrong guess! Air Groove-senpai is still the Vice President."
"Then could it be Maruzensky-senpai? Even though Maruzensky-senpai hasn't handled any major responsibilities, she's a super-senior herself. It'd make sense for her to become President."
"Wrong again!"
Palmer made a big 'X' with her arms. The fact her sisters hadn't guessed the answer gave her a touch of proudness, and she revealed the final result herself.
"It's Nearl! Nearl-chan is now the acting President!"
"!!"
This news clearly surprised everyone. But once they calmed down, thinking it over, it seemed perfectly reasonable.
"It was a bit shocking at first," said none other than Mejiro McQueen, her expression serious.
"But given Nearl's current racing record, her entry into the student council would be effortless. Moreover, it was President Rudolf who scouted her from the local circuits in the first place. Placing trust in her is only natural."
Now, McQueen looked quite different from the child she once was—not just her hair color, but her figure had grown into that of a young lady.
The biggest change, however, was her personality.
McQueen had come to deeply feel the genuine affection and care everyone in this household held for her.
Her sisters' acceptance, treating her like family, the head of the household's regard—imposing yet kind.
Growing up surrounded by this, McQueen had secretly vowed to strive with all her might, to become the pride of the Mejiro family, so as not to disappoint the great kindness the Mejiro head had shown by bringing her into the main family.
Though perhaps she'd tried a bit too hard, resulting in her now being overly attached to the identity of the 'young lady', her every movement a bit stiff.
"Yeah, I don't doubt that part," Ryan said with a laugh, scratching her short hair.
"But Nearl's also running in the Satsuki Sho, right? I'll admit her strength is in a completely different league from ours."
"Even if she skipped training during this time, the chance of me catching up is pretty much nonexistent. But she still needs to maintain her routine, right? Won't student council work be a bit tough for her?"
"How could it be? That's The Radiant Knight we're talking about. This kind of work must be a piece of cake for her."
Mejiro McQueen, who secretly idolized Nearl, trusted her unconditionally.
After all, that Uma Musume had already created so many miracles, and everyone had some idea of her demanding lifestyle.
"That's right, it'll be fine~ Nearl-senpai will definitely handle it well~"
Mejiro Bright, holding her teacup as usual, offered her opinion in her leisurely way. Her view was, in essence, the popular one.
Yes, the popular view.
"…"
Ardan gently set down her teacup and stood up, pushing her chair back. The movement drew the attention of everyone present.
"Ardan-neesan?"
"Ah, my apologies. I just remembered something I should do. Please excuse me."
With that, Ardan walked toward the door without looking back, leaving her sisters to whisper among themselves.
'Everyone, the fans and our classmates alike, they only see the surface of Nearl.'
'No one considers whether she might be tired, no one thinks she might need rest. They all seem to believe Nearl will forever be that radiant, shining Radiant Knight, like an eternal, unchanging idol.'
Walking briskly on the path to Tracen, Ardan simply hoped she could do something for Nearl.
'I wish I could make things a little easier for her.'
--+--
T/N: Is it just me, or is the writing getting a little lazy…?
--+--
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.