Hayakawa Tazuna watched as Akikawa Yayoi started staring at her phone again—more specifically, at the videos on it.
With the Chairwoman herself slacking off to watch silly clips, it really did make things hard for her poor secretary.
"Look at this one, it's hilarious!"
Yayoi even shoved the phone right in front of Tazuna's face. The Chairwoman's smile was so innocent and bright that Tazuna, who had been just about to say something, ended up laughing along with her instead.
She shot Yayoi a mildly reproachful glance. Honestly, for someone so petite, the Chairwoman understood far more than she let on. She had clearly noticed that Tazuna had been about to lecture her, which was exactly why she'd held the phone out. She simply didn't want to be scolded.
Seeing that little smug look in Yayoi's eyes, Tazuna could not help feeling even more helpless. The Chairwoman still had no idea what it was Tazuna had actually found funny.
Then the office door creaked.
Before Tazuna had time to react, Teraizumi Shinji was already standing there. At her side, Yayoi moved with lightning speed, instantly locking her screen and setting the phone aside.
Putting on the air of someone examining documents, the Chairwoman slowly raised her head. The dignity she was trying to project looked more than a little awkward on her tiny face, but that was just how she always was. Tazuna could only smile helplessly and wink at Shinji.
Shinji, having no clue what the wink meant, looked puzzled, then turned to glance at Offside Trap behind him. The horse girl had followed him into the office with a solemn, serious look on her face.
"This is a surprise. I didn't think you two would come this early."
Still doing her best to look authoritative, Yayoi hopped down from her chair. The cat dozing on top of her head cracked its eyes open at the sudden movement, looked Shinji and Offside Trap over a few times, then closed them again.
"Even if I did say you could just come in, it'd still be better to knock first."
That oversight was entirely Yayoi's fault, but Shinji had no intention of indulging her. If she said to come straight in, then he would come straight in. He was exactly the kind of man who would take that literally.
Thinking back to how quickly Yayoi had hidden her phone, Tazuna's earlier smugness now shifted toward Shinji, making him even more confused. Still, he merely waited quietly for the real subject to come up.
"The main reason we called you here is actually about the overseas campaign—"
Tazuna stepped in beside Yayoi. Standing next to the tiny Chairwoman, the difference in height between them was comical enough that Shinji's eyes curved in amusement. Tazuna shot him a reproachful glare, and Yayoi, though she did not know exactly why he suddenly seemed in a better mood, could tell full well what he was laughing at.
This incorrigible junior of theirs—even here, in the office, in front of the two highest-ranking people at the academy, he still had the leisure to think about something like that. Tazuna could only sigh inwardly. On the other hand, it really was one of his strengths. If he could stay this calm even here, then when facing the grandest international races abroad, he likely would not be rattled in the slightest by reputation or pressure.
"What could there be to discuss about the overseas campaign? The schedule's already set, and the entry's already been accepted, hasn't it?"
Tilting his head, Shinji looked at Tazuna in puzzlement. Beside him, Offside Trap seemed a little tense, clearly fearing there might be some issue with the registration and that she would be told at the last minute she could no longer run.
It was not that she thought all her preparation would go to waste if the race changed. It was simply that, at that point in the season, there were not many other suitable races at her preferred distance.
Though they had considered a mile race earlier, once they had thought seriously about this year's ultimate target, it had become obvious that middle-distance races—especially 2400-meter ones—had to remain the priority.
"Don't worry, there's no problem. We just want to talk. After the Coronation Cup, the number of races you'll be eligible for will increase, and from then on there won't be the same kind of time pressure when entering races." Tazuna glanced at Yayoi. "So after the Coronation Cup, what's your plan?"
"The Eclipse Stakes, probably. The distance isn't the most ideal, but I've been thinking about the race's prestige and overall difficulty too."
It was a very confident answer, very much in Shinji's style. Tazuna was actually pleased to hear it. At the very least, this junior of hers had clearly recovered a great deal from the shadow cast by that old incident of a transferred-out trainee. His stubbornness and occasional strange ideas remained, but that was another matter.
"El Condor Pasa will be running in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud—"
"I know. If you're worried about horses from our side meeting each other in the same race, then don't be. Saint-Cloud invited us too, but we declined. Hana-san didn't tell me about it personally, but once I knew, I obviously wasn't going to force them all into the same race."
Yayoi's expression softened with a smile, though she did not comment. That topic had only been her lead-in; the real issue she wanted settled before Shinji headed overseas was another one entirely.
"Montjeu will also be in the Saint-Cloud race, and you know what that horse girl's personality is like. She's... rather flamboyant."
Flamboyant was putting it mildly, and Shinji knew it. But seeing the anticipation and seriousness in Yayoi's eyes, he did not correct her.
"She mentioned that Offside Trap had been treated unfairly back in Japan, and said she'd definitely win Saint-Cloud to vent that grievance on her behalf. She also brought up El Condor Pasa's defeat in the Prix d'Ispahan... I don't know if you saw the short video she posted."
He had not, actually. Shinji had assumed that so long as Montjeu said it to Offside Trap privately, that was enough. Once race day came, they would let the result speak for itself. He had not expected Montjeu to practically announce it to the world.
That sincerity actually made Shinji like her even more. Yes, she was arrogant and flashy, but she truly did treat Offside Trap as a friend.
He turned to look at his own trainee. There was a faint, unmistakable note of emotion in Offside Trap's eyes. After giving her a reassuring glance, he turned back to Yayoi.
"I haven't seen it. But if that's all, it doesn't really have anything to do with us, does it? Montjeu and Trap are close, so her saying something like that doesn't seem like a problem."
At that, Shinji could not help recalling the scene in the stands after the Autumn Tenno Sho last year. Looking back on it now, even knowing he himself had played some part in what happened, he still felt a pang of sympathy.
"Shinji, I'm not implying anything strange. Don't get so defensive."
Yayoi smiled. Shinji had not paid it much mind—until she asked her next question.
"I just want to ask... what exactly is that necklace that reduces the burden of the Three Goddesses' blessings?"
Only then did Shinji narrow his eyes.
"Do you have another one?"
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 155)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter200)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter110)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter230)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 200
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 180
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/5
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 230
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 220
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/30
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 120
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 135
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 110
I Can Copy Unique Skills 100
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 100
My Harem Is Indescribable 90
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 95
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
Still playing traditional Honk 69
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 80
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 70
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 75
Checking In in Demon Slayer 80
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 85
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 70
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 65
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 70
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 70
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 65
Why did they assign me to Uma 65
MYGO Beauties 65
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 55
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 65
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 45
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 45
The Uma Musume Who Became 40
I'm Definitely Not the King of 45
After Maxing Out Every Class 45
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