"They're definitely hiding something. Both Symboli Rudolf and Agnes Tachyon must know what's really going on."
The Central Chairman listened to the inspector's report and replied.
"Rudolf is fully aware of your investigation. There's no need to be covert—just conduct your campus inspections under the guise of routine checks."
"Understood," the inspector's voice came through the phone.
"Also, Chairman, I overheard in the student council office that a Tracen Academy from overseas has proposed an exchange student program. They're hoping to establish ties with the Central branch."
"Overseas?"
"To be precise, it's the American Tracen."
American Tracen? Seeking exchanges with Japanese Tracen?
This took the Central Chairman by surprise.
But what shocked her even more was that the proposal had come from the other side.
After all, Japanese Tracen ranked quite low internationally. Compared to powerhouses like Germany, France, and Britain, their overall standard lagged far behind.
Neither their trainers nor their students measured up.
Take the locally held international event, the Japan Cup, for example. Ever since the "Emperor" Symboli Rudolf won it, they hadn't secured a single victory.
Low difficulty, lack of challenge, questionable prestige—such criticisms seemed to have become the consensus among overseas Uma Musume.
Experienced trainers chose to further their careers abroad, while ambitious Uma Musume embarked on overseas campaigns to hone their skills.
In short, Japanese Tracen barely managed to keep a foothold in the world scene, hardly occupying any significant territory.
Moreover, Tracen Academies in Western countries maintained much closer ties, mutually strengthening their capabilities. This left Japanese Tracen feeling like an isolated sapling, left to grow slowly while the world passed it by.
How far behind had they truly fallen? The Central Chairman didn't even dare to ponder it.
And yet, in such circumstances, American Tracen had taken the initiative to propose an exchange program.
For a moment, the Chairman thought she'd misheard. Only when the inspector repeated it did she finally speak.
"I'll need to consult the board of directors. If this exchange program moves forward, we'll have to adjust their participation policies."
Although they had relaxed entry requirements for local and returning Uma Musume, restrictions for overseas Uma Musume remained strict.
Foreign Uma Musume could only enter certain high-level races, and even then, each event capped their numbers based on a first-come, first-served basis, turning away any excess applicants.
If the exchange program were implemented, these rules would need revisions.
The Central Chairman genuinely hoped Tracen students could gain experience abroad—not only for their own growth, but for the academy's development as well.
This was a rare opportunity she couldn't afford to miss.
Wait—!
Just then, the Chairman remembered a major problem she still hadn't resolved.
The black Uma Musume…
Although the investigation had been ongoing and they'd uncovered many clues—even identifying her associates—her true identity remained elusive.
What if she showed up at the track during the exchange races?
The Chairman's head throbbed at the thought.
This was no longer just an issue between her and the Central branch—it involved two international academies.
Failing to ensure fair competition and protect students' rights, allowing an outside factor to influence race outcomes…
It would be a devastating blow to Central's reputation.
They wouldn't only be held accountable for their oversight—the entire URA's international standing would plummet.
That simply couldn't happen!
With that, the Central Chairman shot to her feet.
"Has there been any mention of when the exchange program would start?"
"Not yet. The specifics still need to be discussed between Symboli Rudolf and their student council president. It's only in the idea stage for now."
"Contact Rudolf for me. We need to delay this."
"Delay?" The inspector sounded confused.
"That's right. We can't proceed with the exchange for at least a few months."
"But Chairman, wouldn't that introduce uncertainties?" the inspector asked.
True, that was a real possibility.
And it was exactly what the Chairman feared.
Those internationally renowned Tracen Academies were run by shrewd operators—their management teams were in a league of their own. Central stood no chance of matching wits with them.
If they sensed they couldn't profit from this venture, they wouldn't hesitate to pull out, reputation be damned.
She didn't know what they hoped to gain here, but clearly, this was a rare opportunity.
The Central Chairman had no intention of letting it slip away.
"Drag it out as long as possible… Meanwhile, you need to pick up the pace. Find that Uma Musume, and fast!"
"Understood."
After hanging up, the Chairman slumped into her chair.
She took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose.
I'm so tired…
I really want to retire.
There's always endless work piling up.
Just as one task wraps up, another pops up, forcing me to redo everything I've just finished.
Opportunity always comes with risk—now she truly understood what that meant.
Maybe this was the so-called butterfly effect.
A single flap of a wing, growing into a tsunami no one could stop or control.
And here she was, right in the eye of the storm.
After a brief rest, the Central Chairman put her glasses back on and turned to tackle the next item on her agenda.
--+--
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome! You're tuning in to the first inter-academy league hosted by Tracen! Participating academies today include Mizusawa Tracen, Oi Tracen…"
Up on the commentary stand erected in the middle of Tracen's training track, Hishi Amazon, the event's emcee, was delivering an impassioned speech.
Although this was an academy league event, the number of spectators was no smaller than during major graded stakes, and the crowd was even more diverse.
Chants supporting various Uma Musume carried distinct regional accents, full of local flavor.
Fans from all over had gathered here.
"Now, let's give a warm welcome to today's competitors!"
The clatter of hoofbeats echoed as twelve contestants stepped onto the track.
Leading them was the legendary gray monster, Oguri Cap. Close behind was her local rival and friend, Fujimasa March.
Fans from Kasamatsu cheered wildly for these two.
The other competitors lined up alongside them.
"What an incredible scene! Every competitor here hails from a different region, all gathered for one common goal. As your host, my heart is racing, witnessing this historic moment…"
Seated beside Hishi Amazon, the unlucky Fuji Kiseki—once again roped into being a commentator—glanced at her script.
Huh? That line isn't in here.
From the start, Hishi Amazon had been spouting things completely off-script, hogging the spotlight and adding her own dramatic flair. Nearly five minutes had already been wasted on her rambling.
Is she trying to launch herself into orbit?
If there weren't so many spectators, Fuji Kiseki would've smacked her already.
Can we please move this along? It's pretty chilly out here in autumn…
Screaming internally, she shot a sidelong glare at the idiot dorm manager.
Finally, after Hishi Amazon had vented all her emotions, she gripped the microphone and shouted to the crowd in the training field: "And now, the inter-academy league, representing students from all regions, begins!"
--+--
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.