Public opinion was boiling over?
"I see, so the public backlash has already started? It's fine, Oguri. The normal race schedule won't be affected by that. You just need to focus on running, so don't worry about things outside the track," Xingyun Liuge said with a light laugh, soothing Oguri Cap over the phone. Then she added, "That said... has it really gotten that intense already? How did even you start paying attention to it, Oguri?"
"Um..." On the other end of the line, Oguri Cap's ears perked back up as she began to explain.
Oguri Cap was a horse girl who loved running. Of course she normally paid no attention to things off the track. The only two outside matters she really cared about were Xingyun Liuge's overseas campaign and Kitahara's exam preparations.
But this time was different. The restless Norn Ace had proactively called her and even supported the idea of her running in the Classic races, which left Oguri completely baffled. Only then did she realize just how massive a stir Fujii Sensuke had caused.
Naturally, the Tokai Regional Racing Association had contributed to this as well. They had loudly publicized the crisis facing the JRA and built momentum for Xingyun Liuge on the local side, declaring:
If Xingyun Liuge were allowed to compete in Japan's Classic series, she would undoubtedly surpass Rudolf Symbol and become the strongest horse girl in Japan!
Now that Liuge's overseas campaign was already showing early success, they preferred to play it safe. They would have been delighted to see her dominate both turf and dirt in Japan instead. Granted, the Satsuki Sho had already passed...
Still, European and American turf was completely different from Japanese turf, and the way horse girls ran there was equally different. Losing a race was one thing, but if she failed to acclimate or got injured, the cost would be far too great. Better to come home and prepare properly. If she could win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, who would dare say she wasn't Japan's strongest?
All in all, the regional association had been rather small-minded about the whole affair. They had pinned their hopes on the central side backing down.
At this point, Xingyun Liuge still didn't know their true intentions. She assumed the distinctly Japanese instinct for challenging authority had simply kicked in, and that the local side was using this to needle the center.
But that wasn't something she cared to concern herself with. All she wanted was to go and witness the brilliance of British horse girls in person.
Now that she had come this far, how could she possibly turn back so easily? Even if the JRA sent a managing executive—or even a senior executive—to invite her, it wouldn't matter.
Besides, with public opinion already fermenting this badly and the JRA still not having contacted her, an association that lacked this much sincerity wasn't worth seeing anyway.
What Xingyun Liuge hadn't expected was that the JRA would send someone to find her the very next day—and that the visitor's rank would be fairly close to what she had imagined.
"Miss Xingyun, I'm Takanashi Toka, executive secretary of the JRA. You can simply call me Takanashi."
The woman introduced herself as Takanashi Toka. Dressed like an office secretary, she presented her business card with both hands, impeccably polite and humble.
Chihaya Yui was badly shaken, her heart pounding. This woman could be considered a major figure in the JRA, yet she had come personally to see them—and was being so courteous about it.
What were they supposed to do now? She had no idea how to handle this kind of social formality!
Xingyun Liuge, on the other hand, thought the woman's rank was too low. She was in the middle of a two-race overseas winning streak. Why hadn't the JRA at least sent an executive secretary-general?
Did they really think an ordinary executive secretary was enough to brush her off?
The key issue was that the news Takanashi Toka brought had absolutely no competitive value.
She arrived carrying what the JRA believed to be its "sincerity." She first explained the association's "difficulties" and the necessity of the rules, then said internal discussions were already underway, and only after that did she finally say:
"Previously, the association had no idea Miss Xingyun was so determined to campaign overseas, so no preparations had been made..."
In simple terms, they were willing to provide any and all support that might help her overseas campaign.
Takanashi Toka even produced a set of prepared documents, hoping Liuge would read through them and understand just how generous and earnest the JRA's support was meant to be.
Xingyun Liuge took the file with one hand, then pressed her palms together.
Invisible currents swirled between those pale, delicate hands. There was no roar, no spectacle, no dramatic disturbance at all—yet the neatly bound packet of documents was silently shredded into particles finer than grains of rice.
Not only ordinary people—even Cuihe, a horse girl herself, was stunned badly enough that her breathing caught, her eyes going wide.
Xingyun Liuge smiled.
"Too difficult? Then don't do it."
Did the JRA seriously think she needed official backing?
She was her own strongest support system, and the prize money she had already earned was enough to cover her overseas campaign. She could even do without NAR support, so what exactly was JRA assistance supposed to mean to her?
More importantly, how could they fail so badly at something that should have amounted to nothing more than icing on the cake? What she wanted to hear was how hard the association had it, and what compromises they had deigned to make?
Xingyun Liuge had never intended to give the JRA a chance in the first place, but this level of "goodwill" was almost laughable. She had nearly burst out laughing from sheer disbelief.
"If the JRA truly didn't know, then I'll say it again myself—the same thing I once told Oguri: Japan has no right to grant me honors."
Eh? Ehhh?!
Chihaya Yui had no idea why the conversation had suddenly collapsed so completely. In her mind, a tiny chibi version of herself had appeared and was now screaming at the top of its lungs.
How had things gone from negotiation to total breakdown this fast?!
Takanashi Toka hadn't expected this turn either, but she was quick-witted enough to realize at once that Xingyun Liuge considered the JRA insincere.
So she bowed, used a few carefully chosen words to steady Liuge's mood, and then decisively withdrew.
She needed to bring this information back and have the JRA leadership reconsider things from the ground up.
"Liuge... um... calm down a little."
Chihaya Yui ignored the Takanashi Toka who had practically fled the scene and instead wrapped her arms around Xingyun Liuge, hoping the girl would settle down soon.
After all, Liuge was her trainee. Naturally, she stood on Liuge's side.
And besides, she also felt the JRA had shown a serious lack of sincerity. Before negotiating, shouldn't they at least have looked into what the other side actually needed?
They already had Sir Zhang's help, plus Maruzensky's support. They had absolutely no need for some supposedly "professional team" with barely any real experience in Britain. The JRA really had made itself look ridiculous.
"Yui, I'm fine. I'm not angry at the JRA. We have nothing to do with them," Xingyun Liuge said, gently patting the top of Yui's head in return. Then she added, "Though if you want to hold me tighter, I don't mind."
After all, Chihaya Yui's body was soft and yielding, and that springy warmth felt extremely comfortable.
In that respect, she was completely different from the Chihaya Liuge knew.
Much, much different.
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 115)
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 (Chapter108)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter82)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter144)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 70
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 99
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 95
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 99
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 92
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 47
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 44
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 43
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 26
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 32
Uma Musume: From Beginner 26
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