"What a nostalgic scene..."
Surrounded by skeptical gazes, Shinzan suddenly murmured softly.
"Nostalgic?"
A nearby councilman, unable to contain his curiosity, inadvertently voiced the question.
Shinzan turned toward the sound, studying him for a moment before replying.
"That seat belonged to old William, didn't it? Come to think of it, it's been a while since I last saw him."
The middle-aged councilman looked surprised, never expecting Shinzan to know his father's name.
"Yes, a month ago, after my father retired, I succeeded his position... all according to protocol, of course."
As he spoke, he instinctively glanced toward Ludendorff not far away, who merely responded with a disdainful snort.
"Then it's no wonder you wouldn't understand."
Shinzan shifted her gaze away from the councilman who had inherited his father's seat.
"The first time I stood here, the councilors looked at me with the very same eyes. That's why it feels so familiar."
"Now though... only a few of you from back then remain."
With that, she let her eyes rest on Ludendorff, Bernard, and the council chairman, Pierre—the very three who had brought her here all those years ago.
Perhaps it's human nature to grow sentimental in a crowd. Even Ludendorff, who had been as stern and unyielding as a rock moments before, couldn't help but be drawn into memory.
"The situation wasn't great back then either. Though the Triple Crown system was established, since all the winners were European Uma Musume, the other racing regions felt only fear toward Europe, not a shred of genuine respect."
"To change that, a few of us went behind the backs of the old guard and brought you to Europe, hoping to train you into the first Triple Crown Uma Musume bearing our own local imprint."
Before Ludendorff could finish, Shinzan took over.
"And those old-timers, who saw European Uma Musume Racing as the pinnacle of the world, naturally didn't believe a 'local girl' from a remote region could ever achieve such a thing. When you brought me into this very chamber, they were all against it."
"Just like now."
"Ludendorff, you once had a spark of ambition. Have you now turned into the same kind of stubborn stone as those old men from back then?"
Hearing her words, Ludendorff snorted coldly.
"Back then, the crisis hadn't erupted. You had an infinite future ahead of you. Of course, you were worth the gamble."
"But now... a year-plus of suspended training has made it impossible for me to place my trust in you..."
Following Ludendorff's lead, Bernard chimed in, his voice smooth.
"And didn't you betray us once already? We never imagined you'd take on a role like this back then..."
Though a smile still lingered on his face, a glint of icy sharpness flashed in his eyes.
"Isn't that what you taught me, Bernard? There are no eternal friends, only eternal interests."
"Compared to the threat posed by that Dream Weaver, making Japan my own domain isn't such an unacceptable prospect, is it?"
Bernard's smile widened at her retort, the earlier cold glint in his eyes seeming to vanish as he grinned at Shinzan.
"Well learned, indeed."
"Then you should also remember the lesson about proving your value first, shouldn't you?"
Shinzan didn't reply, instead turning her gaze forward.
Pierre let out a long sigh, removed the monocle from his eye, and placed it on the table, rubbing his bloodshot eyes wearily.
"Shinzan, we are no longer young."
"And you, as an Uma Musume, are no longer young either."
"If you could truly maintain your competitive form from back then, would you have needed to step back a year ago, trying to build influence across various fields? If you could have won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, why resort to this?"
As Pierre said, Shinzan's age was no longer considered young among the top active Uma Musume. For her now, merely maintaining her current level was a struggle, let alone improving as she once had.
Under such circumstances, how could she possibly face that prodigy Dream Weaver, who had displayed talent far beyond the world's imagination?
The Kikuka Sho was still months away. By then, Dream Weaver would only have grown stronger.
But Shinzan? Even if she could reclaim her form, how could she possibly intercept Dream Weaver's relentless, explosive ascent?
Pierre had watched Shinzan grow up.
Though their bond was originally forged by interest, after all these years, he couldn't bear to see this Uma Musume, who was like a granddaughter to him, face such a terrifying foe.
Rather than have her return to the track, Pierre would rather wrangle with the council and pay a steep price to lobby a currently active top-tier Uma Musume.
Faced with Pierre's evident lack of faith, Shinzan's expression remained unchanged. She merely spoke softly.
"Pierre, do you remember? It was you who gave me my name."
Pierre was taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to bring this up, but he nodded and continued.
"Yes... As the first Triple Crown Uma Musume from outside Europe, your original name was too... provincial. It wouldn't have resonated across the world."
"So, using the sounds of my old name, you gave me the name Shinzan, meaning 'even the deities sing my praises.'"
"Pierre, back then, you believed even the gods would sing for me. But now, do you think the gods have abandoned me?"
Shinzan's tone was calm, but Pierre felt as if struck by her words. Before he could even think, he responded instinctively.
"No, that's not it, Shinzan, I—"
"It's alright, Pierre. It's quite alright."
But before he could finish, Shinzan shook her head at him.
She swept her gaze around the council chamber once more. After the exchange, the skepticism in the councilors' eyes had not lessened—it had only intensified.
Looking at this all-too-familiar scene, Shinzan suddenly let out a soft, almost inaudible laugh.
"Then let's put it to the test—whether the gaze of the gods still rests upon me."
"Go on, seek them out. Find the Uma Musume you believe to be the strongest. I will crush them all, just as I crushed those geniuses back in the day."
"The gods will sing for me again, as they did then."
With that, Shinzan paid the councilors no further mind, turning and walking straight out of the chamber.
Three days later, after heated debate, under the pretext of testing Shinzan's capabilities and with the aim of deciding which top-tier Uma Musume to lobby, the European Racing Association councilors organized a training race open only to the most elite Uma Musume.
Half a month later, as Europe's finest Uma Musume gathered for that training race, Shinzan, just as in years past, swept across the track with an air of absolute supremacy, crushing every single opponent.
Under the stunned eyes of all, the name Shinzan, silent for a year, once again shook the world.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 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.