After receiving the call from Symboli Speed, Symboli Sirius paid another visit to Tokai Roman.
Tokai Roman's home was a modest rented apartment of around 60 square meters.
It had one bedroom, one bathroom, an open kitchen, and—of course, essential for any Japanese person—a bathtub.
To be honest, the apartment was a bit smaller than Sirius had expected.
She'd assumed Tokai Roman would be living somewhere a bit bigger.
"Thank you again for what you did last time, Sirius-san."
Tokai Roman set a cup of water on the table before sitting opposite her.
"It was nothing," Sirius responded briefly, pausing a moment before continuing, "I'm actually here for a different matter this time."
"It concerns the Tokai Family."
"Tokai Family…"
Roman glanced anxiously toward the single bedroom, where Teio was currently sleeping.
After confirming all was quiet, Roman turned her eyes back to Sirius. "Has something happened to the Tokai Family?"
Her voice was tinged with concern.
She worried something might have gone wrong, knowing full well the implications for herself and Tokai Teio.
"Nothing to worry about there," Sirius reassured her calmly. "The Tokai Family is steadily declining. I came here because I need to confirm something with you."
Sirius paused briefly, then continued, "Do you know about the Tokai Family's secret rehab base?"
"I've heard about it."
"Right. To put it simply, we initially planned to return ownership of that facility to Yayoi Natural. But she said we could hand it over to you instead."
A secret rehab base, and asking Yayoi Natural first…?
These two facts instantly made Roman sense that something wasn't quite right.
She raised her head, meeting Sirius's eyes directly. Clearly, Roman already understood the heart of the matter.
She carefully considered how to phrase the critical question.
Finally, after choosing her words carefully, she asked,
"Was this…Natural's own decision?"
She cut herself off there, staring directly at Sirius, hoping for a definite answer.
Under Roman's intense gaze, Sirius simply nodded once.
Without speaking, this quiet action spoke more clearly than words.
Roman wanted to lash out immediately—shouting angrily about how she didn't need anything associated with a place like that.
But the anger died on her lips.
She simply forced herself to speak again:
"Then…it was Natural's choice?"
Suppressing the anger within her, Roman asked the crucial question once again.
"Yes."
"In that case…"
Unlike Yayoi Natural, who'd once been driven into a corner by life itself, Roman couldn't understand the decision her younger sister had made.
"In that case…"
The words of acceptance stuck in her throat.
Seeing Roman's conflicted expression, Sirius spoke again.
"The Symboli Family will cover all maintenance and taxes related to the facility. You won't need to worry about that."
As she spoke, Sirius reached into her jacket pocket, pulling out the key to the property. "Here's the location."
She took a map from another pocket and placed both items in front of Roman.
Having done this, Sirius stood. "I should get going now."
Seeing Sirius rise, Roman also stood quickly. She needed to at least see her guest off.
After sending Sirius away, Roman returned to stand in front of the bedroom door, listening carefully.
Teio hadn't woken yet.
Standing silently by the door, Roman didn't hear any sound. She knew Teio had probably exhausted herself playing, so she wouldn't stir for a while yet.
Leaning her forehead against the door, Roman sighed softly.
She still hadn't touched the bank card Symboli Rudolf had given her.
But now, Roman had no choice but to think about it.
Her sister's decision reminded Roman that, while her own winnings might be enough to ensure Teio's basic upbringing, they wouldn't suffice if she wanted Teio to grow into an exceptional Uma Musume.
After a long, thoughtful silence, Roman finally lifted her head.
"So…is that why you entrusted Teio to me…?"
...
After recovering from her cold, Symboli Rudolf walked alone through the shopping street.
She wasn't there for any particular reason; she just wanted to revisit the place she'd once lived.
Walking deeper into the shopping street, Rudolf soon found herself in front of the restaurant.
Unlike last time, another Uma Musume was already standing there.
Rudolf recognized her immediately—the recent winner of the Autumn Tennoushou, Tamamo Cross.
Watching Tamamo Cross standing silently before the restaurant entrance, Rudolf hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Were you a regular here?"
"Who…?" Tamamo Cross turned her head, startled. "President?"
"Yes, it's me."
Standing beside her, Rudolf gently asked, "Waiting at the restaurant…did you come to eat something special?"
"…Yeah," Tamamo Cross replied softly. "I promised the owner that I'd come here if I won my next race."
Hearing the hint of sadness in Tamamo Cross's voice, Rudolf turned to look at her face directly.
The heavy emotion she saw in Tamamo Cross's expression told Rudolf much more than the words themselves.
It left Rudolf momentarily at a loss, unsure what to say next—because she knew exactly who was responsible for this situation.
After a long silence, Rudolf eventually answered quietly, "There…might not be another chance for a while."
"No chance…?"
"She's not well, so she's currently recovering abroad." Rudolf's eyes shifted away as she spoke.
But her words brought no comfort to Tamamo Cross. If anything, Tamamo Cross's expression only grew gloomier.
"Recovering abroad…"
Observing the clear change in Tamamo's face, Rudolf felt completely at a loss. She wasn't good at comforting others.
She simply stood there helplessly, unsure how to respond.
Finally, after a long pause, Tamamo Cross raised her head.
"President…thank you for telling me."
"It's…nothing."
Rudolf's reply didn't ease Tamamo Cross's expression at all. The smaller Uma Musume forced a smile and softly said, "Thanks. I'll head back now."
With those words, Tamamo Cross turned around and ran off into the distance.
Left behind, Rudolf opened her mouth to say something—but ultimately, nothing came out.
---
...
Umu! I am Nero Claudius—the brilliant Emperor of Rome, the dazzling Saber, the one and only performer who can steal a stage with a single smile!
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