After the Winner's Concert ended, Inari Kagura wanted to make use of the time left that day and fulfill her earlier promise with Galileo while she was at it. So she reported to Speed that she had something to discuss with Galileo and would be going out with her for a while, which meant she might come home a little late.
After hearing Kagura's report, Symboli Speed examined Galileo with a suspicious look for quite a while before finally agreeing, albeit rather reluctantly, to let Kagura go out and meet with her. Mejiro Iris, standing nearby, also looked like she wanted to say something but stopped herself. Kagura could understand the two elders' concern. After all, it was not exactly reassuring for a girl to come home late, so she promised she would make it back as early as possible.
"Thank you very much for helping me today, Miss Galileo. I didn't expect you to come down and get me out of that situation."
After leaving the racecourse, Kagura finally had the chance to thank Galileo properly now that they were alone.
"Well… it was nothing much. No need to be so formal. Miss Kagura, your stage performance today was lovely too. Your singing was good, and your dancing had so much energy. I enjoyed it very much. Although today's performance was wonderful, I still feel the dance you performed last time was even prettier. This time, your performance felt closer to the stage shows I usually see. It was still quite nice, of course, but well! I really do want to see you perform that previous dance again!"
As she spoke, Galileo waved a hand to signal that Kagura did not need to mind it, then laughed brightly.
"Hehe. Do you mean the kagura dance, Miss Galileo? I was worried that kind of ritual dance might be hard for you all to get used to."
This time, Kagura had arranged her Winner's Concert according to Tracen's traditional song-and-dance program. Since the races were so close together, she had not had time to choreograph and prepare an entirely new program herself. That was a very time-consuming task in itself. Otherwise, Tracen would not have specially set up unified training to teach some basic, widely applicable stage dances.
"Not at all. Whether it was this performance or the last one, I liked them both very much. I believe the audience did too. Their cheers and screams this time were no less than last time."
"Mm… Thank you for the praise, Miss Galileo. I'll keep working hard in the future to bring my fans even better performances."
After saying that, Kagura looked at Galileo, who was still standing there. She knew Galileo had something to discuss with her today. Kagura had more or less finished sharing her own topic too, so it was about time to get to the point.
Galileo, however, did not seem to be in any hurry. She lowered her head to check the watch on her wrist, calculated briefly, then looked at Kagura.
"Miss Kagura, since we still have just enough time, would you like to have afternoon tea? As it happens, I know a place nearby that serves very authentic English afternoon tea."
With a smile on her face, Galileo spoke to Kagura, placing a subtle emphasis on the words "authentic English," so faint it was hard to notice, and asked with a hint of testing in her tone.
"English afternoon tea? Do you like that kind of food, Miss Galileo? Are you from Britain?"
Kagura did not sense Galileo's probing at all. She tilted her head and asked in confusion.
Judging from Kagura's expression, she had shown no reaction to the term whatsoever. If anything, she looked transparently puzzled.
So it really isn't her…
Galileo rejected that rather ridiculous thought in her heart. Thinking about it, of course that was the case. How could someone who had died possibly appear again hundreds of years later?
"…You could say I have some connection to Britain, I suppose. In any case, Miss Kagura, what do you think? Would you like to go eat together? My treat!"
"…Sure."
...
A dozen or so minutes later, Kagura and Galileo arrived at a restaurant near Nakayama Racecourse.
On the way, Galileo had not said much, probably thinking through how to explain things. Kagura, meanwhile, had been scrolling through her Umastagram. With today's race over, quite a few news posts related to her had appeared online. She browsed through the section and found that the most-clicked post was still one titled "A Brief Discussion on Improving Grueling Race Schedule Regulations: Should the Professional Association Further Tighten Management?" Wondering why a post like that had appeared under her tag, she clicked in and discovered that people had interpreted her bizarre deceleration during the race as being caused by accumulated fatigue from a grueling race schedule.
What is this… They actually managed to make it sound so logical…
After sitting down in the restaurant, Kagura was about to keep reading the post when she tapped refresh and discovered that the post was gone. All she could do was mourn this brave warrior in her heart for two seconds.
Kagura was not familiar with the menu at this restaurant, so the task of ordering was left to Galileo. She took the pen and marked the menu with practiced ease, then handed it to the server.
"Miss Kagura, before I came to Japan, you had already been in contact with my parents, correct?"
After ordering, Galileo fell silent for a moment before taking the initiative to speak to Kagura.
Kagura, who had long been waiting for Galileo to start the topic, nodded. She knew Galileo definitely had not come to meet her today simply as a fan, so she had been waiting for Galileo to bring up her purpose on her own.
"Yes. To be precise, I had contact with a lady whose online name is Urban Ocean. She is your parent, right, Miss Galileo?"
"Yes. My parents are Sadler's Wells and Urban Sea. I also have a younger sister at home. Originally, my sister clung to me and wanted to come to Japan with me, but she's still too young. I was worried I wouldn't be able to look after her properly by myself, so this time, I'm the only one who came here to travel."
"Oh—so that's how it is. Urban Sea brought up a suggestion to me several times before, asking whether I would be interested in going to Europe. Miss Galileo, did you ask me out this time because of that suggestion?"
Kagura silently noted down the information Galileo had mentioned offhand. She guessed that Galileo's purpose in seeking her out was most likely related to that fan named Urban Sea as well. So, since Kagura disliked beating around the bush when discussing serious matters, she simply chose to get straight to the point.
"Ha. I heard from Director Akikawa a long time ago that Miss Kagura has wisdom and composure far beyond her age… Talking to you really is refreshingly straightforward!"
"You flatter me. I prefer more efficient communication. Wasting time by going in circles is not good. So, Miss Galileo, you came today to invite me?"
This habit was one Kagura had developed while working in her previous life. To her, if it was not a necessary process, then beating around the bush while discussing serious matters might mean that the time wasted could be someone's life. She disliked that sort of thing very much, so gradually, she had become less and less fond of circling around the point when speaking seriously.
After listening to Kagura, Galileo nodded, then took out an exquisitely made pink envelope from the large inner pocket of her clothes. It was sealed with a wax mark from some unit or organization Kagura did not recognize.
Kagura opened the envelope. Inside was something like an invitation. Its contents were also very simple. Roughly speaking, the other party expressed high praise for her strength and asked whether she would be interested in going to Britain during the second year after her debut to participate in races there. They looked forward to top runners from all over the world taking part in their competitions.
The signatories below were the British Professional Umamusume Association and European Tracen, and both organizations' seals had been left on it.
"I'm curious. Do you often send things like this to other Umamusume?"
Kagura put down the somewhat weighty invitation and narrowed her eyes at Galileo.
"We do send quite a few. To be honest, most of them in recent years have gone to America, along with some more rural places in Europe. Miss Rudolf's invitation was sent to Tracen not long ago. It's only that she has not been around recently, so she has not replied yet. But in terms of completion date, Miss Kagura, your invitation was finished first. It merely took us a little time to find you. So, Miss Kagura, you are the first Japanese Umamusume to receive this invitation."
Leaving aside for now whether Galileo's words were only courtesy, Kagura could at least see that the other party recognized her strength. However, this was not something she could easily decide on her own. She still needed to discuss it with Tojo, Speed, and the others.
"Well… thank you for your praise and recognition of my strength. But this matter itself is not something I can decide so quickly. I still need to discuss it with my trainer and the others."
"Of course, of course. This is a major choice that may affect your career, after all. It certainly isn't something you can settle that quickly. Once you've made your decision, Miss Kagura, you can contact me through Umastagram, or use the contact information on the invitation to reach the person listed there."
Galileo nodded. The greatest purpose of her trip had already been accomplished. The invitation from the European Professional Umamusume Association had been delivered into Kagura's hands. As for whether she would accept it, that was Kagura's own decision, and they had no way to interfere.
"Ladies, the scones you ordered have arrived. The other items on the menu are being prepared as quickly as possible and will be brought over shortly."
It was at that moment that the server brought over what Galileo had ordered earlier.
"Then that brings this matter to a close for now. Let us set those bothersome official duties aside for the moment and enjoy the food first~ As the saying goes, only good food and love must never be betrayed!"
Having left work mode, Galileo saw that Kagura was watching her as if waiting for her to start first, so she did not wait any longer. She reached out first and picked up the knife and fork in front of her, then smiled at Kagura.
"Haha~ You really do say interesting things, Miss Galileo. Then I'll gratefully accept. Thank you for treating me!"
Kagura smiled back at Galileo, then picked up the utensils in front of her as well.
Outside of serious business, Galileo gave people a relaxed feeling when she spoke with them. Kagura rather liked people who could clearly separate work from everyday life like this. They were easy to talk to. The people who maintained that same rigid posture both inside and outside of work were the truly difficult ones to communicate with. Every word required careful thought and selection, which was a particular kind of torment for both the speaker and the listener.
That was why this was also something Kagura had always been trying to get Rudolf to improve. Although she did not know how much Rudolf had changed, Air Groove had been interacting with Rudolf quite a bit more recently, so it seemed the results had been fairly effective.
After I go back, I should discuss this with Tojo-san and the Family Head.
Kagura thought that as she put a piece of scone into her mouth.
...
Eclipse-san, what do you think of Galileo-san's proposal?
——I think there's nothing wrong with it. Accepting it would be quite good. I just don't know what your trainer and that old lady will think.
That's true… Speaking of which, Miss Galileo said just now that her parents are Urban Sea-san and Sadler's Wells-san. Eclipse-san, help me remember that. When it's time to contact them, if I suddenly can't recall it, remember to remind me!
——Yes, yes, yes. Though I believe that clever little head of yours certainly won't forget, right?
Just in case!
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