Kousei had been slightly apprehensive about attending the banquet alone, but her nerves instantly settled the moment she saw Reiko, elegantly dressed and chatting cheerfully with other guests.
Of course, Kousei thought. How could Reiko possibly miss an occasion like this?
Everyone gathered here was influential in the world of Umamusume racing. Even setting aside the other prominent figures, Kousei knew Reiko would never pass up a chance to connect with someone like Ivan. She just wasn't sure if they had met before.
Reiko noticed Kousei's arrival but didn't approach. Instead, she offered a slight smile as a silent greeting.
Looks like she's not surprised to see me, Kousei mused.
This only strengthened her conviction that Ivan had a specific motive for inviting her. Still, it probably wasn't anything dangerous; after all, Reiko seemed completely at ease.
Kousei's entrance immediately drew a great deal of attention. A crowd of guests swarmed her, bombarding her with questions about this and that until her head spun.
"Alright, everyone," Ivan's voice cut through the clamor. "Miss Kousei is my honored guest. Please don't overwhelm her."
When Ivan spoke, the others naturally deferred, tactfully dispersing. Kousei let out a sigh of relief, still shaken. "So this is a banquet? Are these events mandatory?"
Even setting Reiko aside, just among the Umamusume Kousei knew, Rudolf often attended such events, and Mejiro McQueen was a regular at banquets.
They navigated the crowds with ease, skillfully handling every question. The excellence of her peers sometimes left Kousei feeling a bit inadequate.
"Not used to this kind of scene?" Ivan asked.
"No," Kousei admitted. "After all, I'm just a kid from the shopping district."
Ivan didn't press her, quietly waiting for her to compose herself. After a short while, Kousei seemed much more at ease.
"Mr. Ivan," she said, getting straight to the point, "may I ask why you invited me here?"
"Are all Central-trained Umamusume so impatient?"
Kousei glanced at him in surprise. "From the way you say that, it sounds like you've met other Central-trained competitors before."
Ivan simply smiled without answering, then changed the subject. "Miss Kousei, you must know that Yunlin is a city that deeply values Umamusume culture. Naturally, we pay close attention to individuals who pique our interest."
Kousei pouted slightly, clearly dissatisfied with Ivan's evasive answer.
"So, Mr. Ivan, does your invitation mean I've caught the attention of Yunlin City?"
"Of course, but that's not all," Ivan replied. "Although we are one of the NAU's final three springboards, we've never actually hosted any races. As for the reason... well, you should know."
He continued, "To be honest, even now, I still can't believe an Umamusume actually made it this far."
"As you can see, I'm the real deal," Kousei said.
Her words were true. Kousei standing before him, alive and well, was more persuasive than any argument.
"Personally, I have great admiration for you, Miss Kousei," Ivan said. "Please don't be wary of me. While I do have a request for you, this meeting is primarily about a work-related matter."
"A work-related matter?"
Kousei was completely baffled. I'm just an ordinary high school girl. What could I possibly do to help with something like that?
"I don't understand, Mr. Ivan."
Ivan chuckled. "My apologies, I didn't explain clearly. It is a work-related matter, but we don't need your help. However, as the person involved, I believe you have a right to know. After all, no matter the circumstances, we wouldn't ask a high school student to handle our problems.
"That would be far too shameful for us adults."
"Oh..."
Ivan adjusted his glasses. "As you know, you're the first Umamusume to reach this place in a century. Consequently, we've never hosted an NAU race before. Since no other Umamusume has made it to Yunlin, you currently have no opponents. And without opponents, it can't really be called a race."
"Huh?" Kousei was stunned. This was the first she'd heard of such a thing. "Isn't that a loophole in the rules?"
Kousei expected Ivan to offer a proper explanation, but instead, he simply spread his hands and admitted it freely. "Yes, it is."
She was left speechless.
Her image of Ivan plummeted in an instant.
"Don't look so disappointed," Ivan said. "We were aware of the issue, but since no one ever reached this point, we just set it aside. And then... well, we forgot about it. It wasn't until you showed up that we finally remembered.
"But hey, rules are always a work in progress. This gives us a good reason to revise them—keeps the Committee folks from sitting around idle all day."
That... actually makes some sense, Kousei thought.
"So what will happen to the race? Will it be canceled?" she asked, a hint of worry in her voice.
"Don't worry. I called you here precisely for this reason. Long before you arrived in Yunlin, I had already raised the issue with the Committee. They've come up with a solution: a group of Umamusume will be brought in from various regions. They are all Beginner Grade Umamusume, and they will be your opponents."
Kousei frowned, already displeased. "Is the Committee trying to go easy on me? I don't need that."
So impatient... just like her mother, Ivan thought, though his tone remained professional. "I know. You're the face of the NAU. But rest assured, we're handling this strictly by the book.
"While they are Beginner Grade Umamusume, they are the top students from their respective academies. They may lack the experience of Veteran Horse Front racers, but in terms of raw ability and talent, they are absolutely top-tier. You know as well as I do that NAU racers generally can't match the inherent aptitude of those from other academies."
What Ivan said was true. After all, why would anyone with real talent choose the NAU path?
"More geniuses?" Kousei murmured.
"What's wrong? Don't tell me you're scared?"
Kousei met Ivan's taunt with a faint smile. Her eyes seemed to say, Scared? Do you have any idea how many geniuses I've defeated to get here?
Her expression was calm, but her gaze burned like fire—an aggressive intensity that left Ivan thoroughly satisfied.
"So, you're saying they're all on the same level as Jade?"
"The Young Dragon of the Eastern Lands? No, no. That's an exaggeration. I watched her race. That Young Dragon is in a league of her own. In my opinion, her talent even surpasses that of the Mejiro line."
So even among geniuses, there are different tiers, Kousei realized.
Though Ivan hadn't named anyone specific, Kousei's first thought was McQueen. Nowadays, McQueen was practically synonymous with the Mejiro name. For a family to have one individual so dominant wasn't necessarily a good thing.
"If Jade can develop to her full potential, it will be a monumental step forward for the Eastern Lands."
"I don't quite understand, Mr. Ivan."
"There's an old saying in the Eastern Lands: 'Heaven is jealous of the talented.' It applies to so many—some fall to injury, others die young.
"The Central's 'Emperor' was plagued by injuries throughout her career. 'The Superluminal Particle' wasn't even allowed to exist. And Tokai Teio..." Ivan glanced at Kousei and trailed off, changing the subject. "As for the Three Goddesses' blessing... well, opinions vary."
Ivan was about to say more when he caught sight of Kousei's expression and froze.
Her face was a mixture of utter disdain and revulsion. In just a few short hours, the favorable impression she'd had of him had completely evaporated.
"What's with that look?"
"It's nothing."
"You're definitely disgusted with me, aren't you?"
"Of course not."
A familiar scene replayed in Ivan's mind. He sighed inwardly. Karma's a bitch. What have I done to deserve this?
With a snap of his fingers, a waiter wheeled a food cart into the room.
"When I found you, you'd just finished training. You must be starving. This is a Yunlin specialty—eat up. Oh, and don't wander into the outskirts tonight. The wolves are waiting for lambs."
With that, Ivan stood and left the room.
Kousei stared at the plate the waiter placed before her, lost in thought. "What is this?"
"Noodles."
"Noodles?"
Kousei examined the strange, long strands on the plate, which were covered in a thick, fluffy substance.
"What's on top?"
"Cheese."
"Hmm..."
Kousei stared at the heaping plate of "noodles." Her expression crumpled, her ears drooped, and two streams of tears streamed down her face against her will.
-
In the hallway, Ivan tugged at his collar and straightened it twice, a smug grin spreading across his face. He couldn't contain his delight.
"I'd heard Kousei was a big eater, so I prepared a Yunlin specialty for her—and made sure there was plenty. No one knows how to cater to someone's tastes better than I do. I'm brilliant! Heh~"
Kousei's Status Today:Hunger: Starving Mood: Despair Favorability: -100