Oblivious to the situation, Okino's miserable circumstances would persist for quite some time—until Gold Ship finally forgave him for that "transgression" of touching her leg back then.
But for now, let's shift our focus over to Nearl's side. By this point, Nearl had already arrived at the gates of Central Tracen Academy with Everlamp.
Gazing at the school gate—not particularly grand, but carrying its own unique significance—Everlamp was completely mesmerized.
"So this is… Central, the academy every Uma Musume dreams of."
Everlamp slowly approached the wall, pressing her hand against the red brick surface and gently stroking it.
Feeling the rough texture under her palm, for some reason, a wave of bitterness and sorrow welled up inside her.
"Nearl-nee, I've really… I've really made it here too."
Pulling her hand back, Everlamp turned and threw herself into Nearl's arms, leaning quietly against her. She didn't cry, but there was no laughter either.
"Mhm."
Nearl understood the complexity of her emotions, so she said nothing, simply stroking Everlamp's gray hair in silence, waiting for her to calm down.
A long moment later, Everlamp finally returned to her usual cheerful self. She bounced out of Nearl's embrace, wearing that adorable smile once again.
"Well then, Nearl-nee, I'll be counting on you to show me around! Since it's my first time here at Central Tracen, and you've been here several times already, you must know the place way better than I do, right?"
"I'd love to be your guide, but I'm afraid I can't."
Nearl shook her head, leading Everlamp through the main gate.
"I have to head to the student council right away to handle my transfer paperwork, and you, Lamp-chan, need to go take your support-staff exam. Neither of us has the time."
"Besides, after I finish the transfer, I still need to find a trainer and schedule my upcoming races. It's going to be a busy day."
"Wha—! Seriously? Then what about my campus tour? I don't know my way around at all!"
Everlamp felt like she'd been left high and dry.
But her distress didn't last long. A gentle, kindly woman's voice came from nearby, offering another option.
"If you don't mind, I could take over that role. Compared to Nearl-san, I might actually know a bit more about the various details around here."
"Ah, um… and you are…?"
The first thing Everlamp noticed as she turned around was the woman's vibrant green attire. A bit puzzled, she addressed the lady, who looked like some kind of official staff member.
"This is Ms. Hayakawa Tazuna. The first time I came here, it was Ms. Hayakawa who showed me around. Don't be fooled by how calmly she's watching the gate—she's actually the chairman's assistant. Her knowledge of this academy is second to none."
Before Hayakawa could even speak, Nearl made the introduction for Everlamp.
In an instant, the way Everlamp looked at Hayakawa shifted from "weird lady" to "hidden big shot."
"Nearl-chan, welcome to you as well. Starting today, you're officially a student of Central Tracen Academy. I hope you spend a truly fulfilling time here."
"Thank you for your kind words. And, for now, I'll entrust Everlamp to your care. I'll be busy all day today, so I'll have to trouble you with her exam and other arrangements."
With that, Nearl gently nudged Everlamp from behind.
"Lamp-chan, go on. Feel free to ask Ms. Hayakwa anything you're unsure of. She's a very understanding and patient mentor."
"Okay! See you later, Nearl-nee!"
Without hesitation, Everlamp—knowing full well how tight Nearl's schedule was—cheerfully stepped over to the side of the green-clad woman.
Watching the two wave at her, Nearl smiled and headed off in the other direction.
--+--
"The student council should be this way… They probably haven't moved it in just one year, right?"
Sure enough, after walking for a while, Nearl spotted the student council plaque in that familiar spot.
Pushing the door open, she was surprised to find that the student council room looked completely different from what she remembered from a year ago.
Not only had the layout changed, but the personnel had shifted as well. A mature beauty whom Nearl only vaguely recognized was sitting at the desk that once belonged to Mr. C.B.
Of course, Nearl had knocked before entering. The two inside reacted quite differently upon seeing her.
Symboli Rudolf's face showed unmistakable delight—such a broad smile rarely appeared on her features.
The other beautiful Uma Musume, however, was different. At the sight of Nearl, the first thing that flashed in her eyes was intense competitive spirit, followed by surprise, and finally, matter-of-fact recognition.
"Nearl, welcome. Please, have a seat."
Symboli Rudolf pointed to the sofa for Nearl to sit, then, breaking all precedent, personally poured a cup of tea for her.
"Please, have some."
"You're too kind, President Rudolf."
Nearl hurriedly tried to decline, but Rudolf was unusually insistent.
"There's no need for you to treat me like an 'Emperor' the way the other Uma Musume do. You have the qualifications and ability for me to pour you tea myself. Please accept it graciously."
After handing over the tea, Rudolf didn't return to her own seat. Instead, she simply sat down on the same sofa, right next to Nearl.
This came as quite a surprise to the other Uma Musume in the room.
"President, you seem to be quite familiar with Nearl-san."
Of course, that was just her surface remark. Internally, she was thinking much more.
'I've never seen the President act so friendly with anyone before. Could it be that Nearl and the President share some kind of secret between them?'
Well, her guess wasn't entirely off the mark. Rudolf did view Nearl differently from ordinary Uma Musume.
When it came to younger Uma Musume, Rudolf habitually placed herself in the role of protector. She would chart their paths for them and brook no refusal.
That was part of why she was called the "Emperor."
But with Nearl, she never felt that sense of superiority, of being the one in charge of protection.
In her heart, she believed Nearl was her equal—a partner, a fellow traveler—not someone who needed saving.
"Ah, I haven't introduced you yet."
Rudolf gestured with one hand toward the person sitting at the vice president's desk.
"Nearl, you may have seen her on TV or in reports before, though perhaps your impression isn't too deep."
"Her name is Air Groove, the current vice president of the student council. She's incredibly methodical in handling issues—a great right hand of mine."
"Hello, I'm Air Groove. It's a pleasure to have you join Central Tracen, Nearl. Even I have heard a thing or two about your accomplishments."
"You flatter me."
Rising to nod in acknowledgment, Nearl didn't sit back down.
"President Rudolf, I'm here today to complete the procedures. Perhaps we can save the casual conversation for another time."
"You're right. Today is your first day enrolling—I'm sure there's a lot you need to get familiar with. I suppose I let my excitement get the better of me."
Returning behind her desk, Symboli Rudolf took out the transfer document she had prepared over a year ago—the one she had kept safe all this time.
Without hesitation, she solemnly pressed the seal onto it.
The moment it stamped down, Rudolf felt a strange illusion—as if she weren't imprinting an official seal, but pressing the button that would usher in a new era.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 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.