Chapter 81. The Decision to Change Public Opinion
Unfortunately, Fuji Kiseki's race was merely a debut, so Shuta An received no special rewards upon waking.
Glancing at the calendar, the young man hauled himself out of bed and headed for the washroom.
"I still need to drop Teio off at the airport today."
That's right—today was the day Tokai Teio was departing for France to prepare for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Shuta An wouldn't be accompanying her immediately; he still had lingering business to handle in Japan.
Finished washing up, the young man headed downstairs and spotted Mejiro Dober in the kitchen, busy in her apron.
"Oguri-senpai went out for a morning run. We'll eat when she gets back."
Dober explained, turning toward the sound of his footsteps.
"I have to head out early." Shuta An replied smoothly, pulling out a chair at the dining table. "So, I'd like to eat now, if that's alright."
Dober was silent for a moment before quietly setting the breakfast she had prepared in front of him.
"Thanks, Dober." Shuta An said, clapping his hands together. "Itadakimasu!"
As he speared a piece of potato salad, Dober stared at her lover.
"Is my next race still the Queen Elizabeth II Cup?"
"As of now, yes. Do you have any other thoughts, Dober?" Shuta An paused, meeting her gaze. "If you have an idea, you can just tell me."
"It's nothing." Dober shook her head, her gaze drifting out the window. She replied softly, "If Ann thinks the Queen Elizabeth II Cup is the best choice, I have no objections."
Listening to her response, Shuta An vaguely sensed that something was off. Although she said she had no objections, her demeanor suggested otherwise.
Shuta An knew better than to take words at face value in these situations. He needed to analyze the context and dissect her inner thoughts to make an accurate judgment.
And so, upon arriving at Central Tracen Academy, Shuta An—who had diligently resisted the urge to check his phone while driving—clocked in, immediately opened Twittr, and navigated to Mejiro Dober's profile to check her recent likes.
It didn't take long to find the answer. That morning, Dober had liked a post mentioning her name.
"Sure, Mejiro Dober hasn't beaten the Uma Musume on the classic Triple Crown route in domestic middle-distance races, but didn't she win the Yasuda Kinen? How can anyone claim that the Triple Tiara route is weaker than the classic Triple Crown route?"
The post was a reply to another user.
Shuta An clicked the thread to read the original comment:
"Mejiro Dober might have great results overseas, but Australia doesn't care much for the traditional classic Triple Crown prestige anyway. In her domestic races, she lost the Arima Kinen to Special Week and Grass Wonder. If even an Undefeated Triple Crown winner ends up like that, how can anyone genuinely believe the Triple Tiara route isn't inherently weaker than the classic Triple Crown route?"
Shuta An frowned as he read the thread. Although this bias was somewhat common knowledge within the industry, he certainly wasn't going to stand for it when it was directed at Dober.
"So that's why she had that look on her face this morning."
The whole picture was now crystal clear. Shuta An muttered to himself, "In that case..."
His mind made up, he strode into Team Sadalsuud's activity room.
Sitting down at the computer, Shuta An opened Twittr, drafted a quick post, and hit publish:
"Mejiro Dober's next race: the Tennō Shō (Autumn). We will prove that a truly strong Uma Musume remains strong, regardless of the route she takes."
The post instantly caught fire.
A reporter from Twinkle magazine even called him directly.
"Are you absolutely sure about entering the Tennō Shō (Autumn)? This year's lineup is packed with heavy hitters!"
"I'm aware, but it doesn't matter." Shuta An replied firmly. "Dober will use her strength to teach those prejudiced fools a lesson."
"Then I wish Miss Mejiro Dober the best of luck."
The reporter responded.
"She will win."
Shuta An was utterly confident. After all, Teio wasn't running, and he couldn't think of a single competitor within Dober's preferred distance who could actually beat her.
Shortly after the post went live, Symboli Rudolf sought him out.
"Are you certain about entering Mejiro Dober in the Tennō Shō (Autumn)? If she loses a race this half of the year, recovering her reputation will be exceedingly difficult. If she sticks to the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, her legacy upon retirement will remain perfectly secure."
"Why are you assuming Dober will lose?"
Shuta An tilted his head, looking at the Student Council President.
"I believe she can win. And if she does win, Miss Rudolf, you know exactly what kind of public reaction that will spark, right?"
The young man raised his voice slightly at the end, his eyebrows lifting in challenge.
"It would prove the Triple Tiara route is not inferior to the classic Triple Crown route." Symboli Rudolf acknowledged. "But what impact will this have on future generations of Uma Musume?"
"Every girl running the Triple Tiara route will gain a massive boost in confidence."
Shuta An answered smoothly.
"As for the girls on the classic Triple Crown route, they chose that path themselves; they aren't going to suddenly doubt their choices just because of Mejiro Dober's victory."
"Shuta-kun, honestly—" Symboli Rudolf sighed. "You are single-handedly, steadily changing the landscape of Japan."
"Making the public respect local Uma Musume, validating overseas expeditions, forcing everyone to acknowledge the strength of the Triple Tiara route—what exactly do you plan to do next?"
The 'Emperor' stared at Shuta An, demanding an answer.
"I don't know what I'll do next right now, but I know that what I am doing is undeniably correct."
Shuta An met her gaze with absolute calm.
Symboli Rudolf closed her eyes.
"Strict correctness versus gentle error—Shuta-kun would indeed always choose the former."
"I can't just sit back and watch public opinion spiral down the wrong path. If I do, eventually, every Uma Musume and everyone in the industry will suffer for it."
Shuta An said, spreading his hands.
"If this narrative is allowed to run rampant, even someone like Dober gets questioned. Miss Rudolf, you can guess what the girls currently running the Triple Tiara route are thinking. By personally destroying this toxic narrative now, I'd say the URA Association and the Academy ought to be thanking me."
"You are right."
After a long silence, Symboli Rudolf nodded in concession.
"For the Tennō Shō (Autumn) at the end of October, I will ensure a suitably grand stage is prepared. Please, Shuta-kun, and Mejiro Dober—seize that opportunity and present your proof to all of Japan."
"What kind of 'grand stage'?"
Shuta An's curiosity was piqued.
"I will find a way to invite Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth to watch the race live from the Imperial Box at Tokyo Racecourse."
Symboli Rudolf smiled.
"I expect Shuta-kun to capitalize on the moment."