When I was first called to the Director's office, I didn't think anything strange of it. Hayakawa Tazuna had come to our clubroom and told me that the Director needed me for something. Which wasn't anything strange—with the [Japan Cup] just a week and a half later, it wouldn't surprise me that there was something the Director wanted to talk with me about.
And besides, it wasn't like I was doing anything actually useful at that time. Might as well spend the time doing something useful instead of lounging at the clubroom being a bum.
Still, I couldn't have ever expected to see this.
"Begone, you beast!" Director Akikawa hissed, standing on all-fours on her desk like some startled cat, with all sorts of papers scattered across the floor. Obey Your Master stood at one corner, forcing herself to smile as she restrained the urge to laugh. Tazuna, who'd been beside me, sighed as she saw how much things had devolved in the short time she'd been gone.
And there, just in front of the director's desk, stood the main perpetrator of this chaos. A wide grin was stretched across her lips, and her blood red eyes twinkled with barely hidden amusement as she reached over and plucked Director Akikawa by the back of her shirt, lifting her up like a feral cat. "Stop it. Don't you feel embarrassed?" She jabbed a thumb towards me. "Look, one of your precious students is right there."
"Demon! Kidnapper! Let go of me this instant!" She hissed as she grabbed onto Secretariat's arm with a surprising amount of strength, though even that did little to the fortress-like body Secretariat possessed. "You shall not deceive any other children and steal them away!"
Secretariat sighed in amusement, before she turned towards me. "Mind tellin' this runt that I ain't a cradle-robber?" She smirked as she shook the director around. "Kid's not listenin' to me."
I stared at all the chaos happening in front of me, before I sighed. "I've tried, trust me." I smiled wryly. "She thinks I've been-, uh, 'coerced'." I said.
"It is the only possibility!" Director Akikawa shouted, followed by a lazy 'nyaa' from the cat resting on her hat.
Secretariat laughed loudly, grinning with teeth. "Aah, this place is dam' great! If only all those bastards had spines like y'ers." For a moment, a glimmer of malice filled those red eyes. "Would've made ma' time back then a whole lot more fun!"
I smiled tiredly.
After becoming Secretariat's apprentice, I became a lot more privy to some of the details that'd been kept hidden from the public, so to say. After all, Secretariat was America's living legend, blessed with both talent and a body that literally meant she would never regress like most other umamusume, coupled with a race record that not even the previous Big Red was able to meet. It was no surprise that the higher ups in America's racing scene wanted to make Secretariat look more 'heroic'.
It worked, ultimately. The rest of the world saw Secretariat as a domineering titan, both untouchable yet too powerful to ignore.
What everyone else didn't know was just how much stress and despair the Big Red had caused when she was still active. The whole country had to literally bend their backs backward as they tried to fulfil the random requests of a younger Secretariat, who was somehow even more enthusiastic compared to how she was now.
When the news that Secretariat had chosen me as her apprentice, I quite literally received a personal letter from the president telling me how grateful they were. They were happy for even the slightest possibility that America's third Big Red was someone as calm as me.
"Please put the Director down, Secretariat-san." Tazuna finally spoke up, and for the first time, the gentle smile on her face had slipped into a far sharper one.
For a moment, I felt an unsettling chill creep up my spine, and I couldn't help but glance at her in quiet surprise. Because I knew this feeling; I'd felt this exact feeling many times before, both on the track and out of it. The vestiges of a world only accessible to–
…Well, I guess it wasn't a surprise. Hayakawa Tazuna's true identity was that, after all.
Of course, faced with such a threat, Secretariat only rolled her eyes as she gave the hissing Director another shake. "Haa~, you sure are lucky. Even your little helper's got Guts." With an exaggerated sigh, she finally let the Director down onto the floor. "Talk about lucky…"
Director Akikawa hissed as she was finally placed down, before she suddenly moved towards the corner where Obey Your Master was standing. She stood in front of Obey like a protective shield, as if that would be enough to 'protect' her student from being 'snatched' by the great evil once again.
I wasn't sure if I should be amused or dying from second-hand embarrassment.
At least Obey looked touched by the Director's efforts.
I cleared my throat. "Uh, not to interrupt or anything, but why was I called here?" I finally asked once everything had calmed down a little. "Is there something you need from me, Director?"
The Director blinked, before her eyes went wide. "Embarrassment! I can't believe I completely forgot…!" The cat on her hat let out another lazy 'nyaa' as she quickly composed herself. "Enthusiasm! I require your aid, Blossom Star!'
I raised an eyebrow. "Uh-, sure? Just what do you need?"
The Director nodded, and then with a swish of her hand, she brought out an ornate-looking paper from somewhere. "A race as grand as the [Japan Cup] requires a rousing speech! And I believe you are the one most suited to this task!"
…What.
"What?" I repeated, staring blankly at the paper she was extending towards me.
Secretariat snorted as she roughly patted my head. "The midget's sayin' y'er gonna the opening gal." She explained. "The whole's world watching—so we gotta give them a good show, right?"
I stared, and stared, and once I finally got my brain working again I was more than prepared to try and refuse,
Until something else happened.
[A new Mission has been activated!]
My eyes widened as I subtly glanced to my left to read the sudden panel that'd appeared..
[Mission: Declaration of War!
The Hero now stands at the precipice of a battle that has been waged for many millenia. The Three Goddesses prepare to finally sever the chains of Fate, allowing this world to thrive without the shackles of Destiny. The spirits of previous Heroes now surround you, giving you what strength they gathered during their lives. The Moonlit Beast has chosen you as her partner, and she now marches forward towards the future.
But Destiny is not willing to be defeated so easily, and it too has chosen their Champion. This world has strayed too far from its origin, and it wishes to rewrite all wrongs to ensure the world can continue. It is not a force of malevolence, but it cannot understand that nothing remains forever.
It is time, Blossom Star.
Reclaim the Birthright you lost.
Task: Rouse the world's spirits with a Speech and declare your intent to Destiny. It is time for this world to grow on its own.
Reward: {Soul of Bravery}
Failure: None]
I stared at the panel for who knows how long, my brain having completely frozen in shock.
Not only was it the longest notification I'd ever seen, not only was it the first Mission I'd received in almost half a year, not only was it plainly telling me the true reason for this race,
But because, for the first time, the System had directly addressed me by name.
And for a reason I couldn't describe, that felt like a monumental event I'd likely remember for years to come.
"Star?" Director asked, confused as to the sudden silence I fell into.
I took a deep breath.
"I'll do it." I said as I accepted the ornate-looking paper. "It's just a speech, right?" I said with faked confidence. "I'll try to think up something that won't embarrass us too much."
The Director laughed. "Confidence! I am sure you will perform well!" She said, completely assured.
I sighed softly. "I'll do my best~"
…
Through it all, I missed the way Secretariat had been staring at the space to my left, as if seeing something no one else could. Nor did I notice the way her eyes narrowed right after.