The Birth of Toto
The conference room, where Laura Valeriano and Josepina Jugashvili had been sitting across from each other for what felt like an eternity, was stifling. Even cracking the windows for ventilation did little good; the air quickly grew damp and heavy again. The musty smell of paper from the mountain of documents mixed with the bitter, over-steeped aroma of tea that had long since lost any hint of fragrance, only worsening Laura’s headache.
“Haa…”
Laura didn’t bother hiding the sigh that slipped out. She lifted her teacup. The liquid that touched her tongue was cold and bitter. It had once been the highest-grade tea leaves in the empire, but after days and nights of drinking it like water, now cooled, it tasted of nothing but sour grass. She frowned and set the cup down. The clink echoed unusually loud in the quiet room.
The shoulders of Josepina Jugashvili, seated across from her, twitched ever so slightly. It was the only “human” reaction Laura had observed from her in the past four days. That silver-haired bureaucrat was like a steel doll. Despite pulling multiple all-nighters, her back remained perfectly straight, and her uniform didn’t have a single wrinkle. Her posture was impeccable as she reviewed documents and copied down necessary sections, her hand never slowing.
What a stubborn little witch.
Laura clicked her tongue inwardly. The girl’s iron will didn’t match her young, delicate appearance at all. She might even be more ruthless than Laura herself.
“Something’s… missing,” Laura finally said. Her voice was slightly hoarse from exhaustion. “The plan itself is perfect. The preliminary rounds, the main tournament structure, the prize money scale—there’s nothing to criticize.”
Instead of answering, Josepina set down her pen and quietly looked at Laura. Her expressionless face seemed to ask, Then what’s the problem?
“It’s not fun, Administrator.” Laura tapped the tournament proposal spread across the table with her finger. “It’s too clean. Too textbook. Do you really think this will make people go wild? Could it shake the entire empire the way the gacha event did?”
The previous gacha craze had been pure madness. A runaway explosion of raw desire that mocked reason and logic. As a merchant, Laura had witnessed firsthand just how much money that phenomenon could generate. But this proposal looked no different from a well-written announcement for a chess tournament.
“Considering the promotional effect, the current budget expenditure falls within an acceptable range,” Josepina replied in her calm, measured tone. It was an extremely by-the-book answer.
“It’s not about the money. This is the first step. If this event succeeds, it will pave the way for every future competition we host. But with this…” Laura trailed off. Irritation mixed with fatigue rose in her throat. What more could she say to this rigid bureaucrat? She simply turned her gaze out the window.
The autumn sky was cloudless. The workers tending the Grand Duke’s garden looked as small as ants. Everything was peaceful. And boring.
Excitement. Madness. How on earth do we create that?
Just then, a horse burst out from the stables in the garden and began galloping across the green lawn. Its brown mane streamed behind it as it ran—powerful and beautiful. The only flaw in the scene was the rider on its back: Mikhail.
Laura stared at the sight in a daze. She couldn’t help it. He had dumped a mountain of work on the two of them and was out riding by himself… It was absurd. Her eyes followed Mikhail as he rode across the lawn.
A horse. A running horse. The rider on its back.
Suddenly, a long-forgotten memory flashed through her mind like lightning. The racetrack she had visited with her father when she was young, back before her family had fallen from grace. The stands packed with people screaming at the top of their lungs. The thunder of hooves shaking the ground, drowned out by an even greater roar from the crowd.
Yes. That was it.
“Administrator Jugashvili.” Laura spoke slowly. Her voice had regained its usual elegant, composed tone. “Have you ever seen a horse race?”
It was a bold question. Josepina’s eyes widened ever so slightly in confusion.
“A horse race, you say?”
“Yes.”
“…I have experienced it a few times.”
Josepina seemed to think for a moment before answering calmly. “During my time at the Academy, one of my respected mentors was an avid horse racing enthusiast. I accompanied him a few times at his insistence.”
“What was it like?”
“The sight of horses running was incredibly dynamic and beautiful.” That was as far as her answer went. After a brief hesitation, she added one more thing. “However… the way people lost their minds and screamed was not a particularly pleasant experience.”
A faint flicker of disgust passed through her blue eyes. Laura didn’t miss it.
Figures. A kid’s still a kid.
Laura smirked inwardly. This stiff little woman who couldn’t even enjoy a proper drink would never understand the chaos and madness born from such frenzy. But that very fact was the perfect opportunity for Laura right now.
“But, Administrator,” Laura said, leaning slightly forward across the table. Her golden eyes sparkled with mischief. “What we need… is exactly that kind of frenzy.”
“……”
“We have to drive people insane.”
Josepina stared at her without replying. Her face remained expressionless, but Laura instinctively sensed something spinning rapidly behind it. After a moment, Josepina slowly nodded.
“There is logic in Your Grace’s words.” She acknowledged it. “Considering the scale of tax revenue generated by horse racing and the proportion of newspaper space devoted to various derby races, its popular appeal is clearly proven.”
“Right?” A satisfied smile curved Laura’s lips. “Then… why do people get so excited about horse racing?”
She paused dramatically, like a teacher about to reveal the correct answer to a student.
“In the end, it’s money.”
“…!”
“When their own money is on the line, they can’t help but watch with fire in their eyes, can they?”
At that moment, Laura clearly saw Josepina’s eyes widen just a fraction more than usual. She looked like she had realized something.
“We can do the same thing,” Laura delivered the finishing blow. “We’ll have people bet money on the participants in this competition.”
“…An excellent idea.”
After a brief silence, a note of admiration slipped from Josepina’s lips. It was a tone unusually emotional for her.
“You’re suggesting we adopt horse racing’s betting system.”
“Exactly.” Laura elegantly crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair. “Win betting, place betting, exacta, quinella…”
An endless stream of unfamiliar terms flowed from Josepina’s mouth. “By diversifying the types of bets, we can also diversify our revenue structure. By precisely adjusting the odds, we can distribute the organizer’s risk while simultaneously maximizing participant engagement…”
…What is she saying?
Laura’s brain momentarily froze. Single win? Place? What the hell were exacta and quinella? She had no idea what any of these words meant. She had seen horse races as a child but had never placed bets. Naturally, she knew nothing about betting systems.
But she couldn’t possibly admit that here—especially not in front of Josepina Jugashvili. Her pride, and for some reason an inexplicable sense of rivalry, wouldn’t allow it.
“As expected.” Laura maintained a calm expression and gracefully lifted her teacup. She took a sip of the now ice-cold tea as if savoring the finest wine. “The Academy valedictorian is on another level, Administrator. To pinpoint such specific details immediately—you’re truly capable.”
“You flatter me.” Josepina gave a small bow. Then, as if the previous conversation had been nothing, she moved on to the next agenda. “To sell this to the public, we’ll need a name. Do you have anything in mind?”
“No, I haven’t gotten that far yet.” Laura answered shortly. The idea had come to her suddenly; she hadn’t had time to think of a name.
“Then… let’s call it ‘Human Racing.’” Josepina said in an extremely businesslike tone, as flatly as if she were saying, The weather is nice today.
Laura doubted her ears for a moment.
“…Pardon?” The question slipped out before she could stop it. “What did you just… say?”
“Human Racing.” Josepina answered clearly, without the slightest hesitation. Her blue eyes were clear and transparent. “Is that not easy to understand?”
“Ease of understanding isn’t the issue, Administrator. It’s a matter of dignity. The participants won’t just be back-alley thugs. Prominent nobles and celebrities of the empire will be taking part as players. ‘Human Racing’? Really?”
Laura’s voice rose slightly without her realizing it. But Josepina didn’t even blink.
“Then does Your Grace have an alternative name in mind?”
Laura’s words caught in her throat.
“……”
Her mind went completely blank. Not a single word came to her.
“I don’t, but… still, that’s…” She trailed off again.
“Then we will proceed with ‘Human Racing’ for now.” Josepina declared unilaterally. As if further discussion was unnecessary, she picked up her pen and began writing at the top of the previously pristine document: Human Racing Business Proposal.
“I will handle the administrative and legal review of this matter and prepare a report. Chairwoman Valeriano, I ask that you handle the profitability analysis and detailed business plan for this new venture.”
“Wait—!”
Before Laura could say anything more, Josepina stood up. She gathered several of the documents that were her responsibility, gave Laura a light bow, and said, “Then.”
Without a shred of hesitation, she opened the conference room door and left. The click of the door closing sounded unusually cold.
A heavy silence fell over the conference room in an instant.
“……”
Left alone, Laura stared blankly at the closed door for a moment. What on earth had just happened?
“Haa…”
With a deep sigh, she picked up the cold teacup on the table and downed the remaining liquid in one gulp. The cold, bitter fluid sliding down her throat seemed to calm her boiling insides, if only a little.
“Seriously… Human Racing…”
Laura set the empty cup down and muttered to herself. She couldn’t figure out what was going on inside that little brat’s head. No matter how you looked at it, “Human Racing” was an utterly vulgar name completely devoid of any dignity.
Well, it’s just a working title anyway.
Laura tried to console herself. His Highness will surely come up with a much more elegant name.
She recalled Mikhail’s extraordinary sense. His naming sense was practically genius. Mikhail Red Label, Blue Label. Casino, resort. Blackjack, Texas Hold’em. They were all unfamiliar words she’d never heard before, yet they had a strange charm that rolled perfectly off the tongue. He would undoubtedly create a wonderful name that would impress everyone this time too.
But…
At that moment, a ominous premonition flashed through Laura’s mind.
Wait a second.
She thought about the man named Mikhail. That perpetually lazy, indifferent expression. The mischievous, malicious sense of humor hidden behind it. The twisted comedic sensibility that delighted in watching others panic. Over the past several months, she had spent quite a lot of time with him—as a business partner and sometimes as someone to exchange silly jokes with. Through that process, Laura had vaguely come to realize something.
That man really, really liked this kind of joke.
What if…
A horrifying scenario unfolded in Laura’s head. When Mikhail received the report from her and Josepina, he would see the words “Human Racing” and pause for a moment. Then, soon after…
“This is good. I like it. It’s direct, honest, and above all, fun… Let’s go with this.”
The moment those words left his mouth, it would all be over. The First Far East Maritime Province Grand Duke Cup Texas Hold’em Tournament—Human Racing. She would be forced to helplessly watch as that hideous name was plastered across the social pages of every newspaper in the empire.
“……”
Her vision went black. She felt all the strength drain from her body. Laura slumped forward onto the table without realizing it. Beneath her dress, she felt her normally upright tail droop limply. Her perked ears folded weakly as well.
“We’re doomed…”
In the empty conference room, only her despairing whisper echoed softly.
The bundle of documents contained the desperate struggle between Laura herself and Josepina. Mikhail sat deep in the sofa with his arms crossed, silently looking down at the result.
Laura swallowed dryly without realizing it. His gaze lingered unusually long on one particular spot—the name that Josepina had clearly written with her pen.
Human Racing Business Proposal.
“This.” Mikhail finally spoke. He tapped the title section with his finger. “Human Racing.”
Laura didn’t miss the faint smile that formed at the corner of his mouth. Her heart sank with a thud.
“‘Human Racing’ is a masterpiece… The naming is spot on.” He murmured quietly. Then he looked up, alternating his gaze between the two women. “Who came up with it?”
“It was me,” Josepina answered without the slightest hesitation.
“It was you?” Mikhail’s smile deepened. “You’ve got good sense.”
We’re finished.
Those three words rang clearly in Laura’s head. It was over. All that remained was for the hideous word “Human Racing” to be plastered across the social pages of every newspaper in the empire.
“However…” Mikhail uncrossed his arms and continued. “This won’t do.”
“!”
“Let’s just call it Toto.”
Toto? It was a word she had never heard before. Laura’s mind raced for a moment, wondering what it meant and whether it carried an even more terrible meaning than “Human Racing.” But that didn’t matter right now.
“I completely agree, Your Highness!” Laura shouted almost reflexively. As long as it wasn’t that horrible name, anything was fine.
“Of course…” Mikhail grinned and leaned forward. His eyes sparkled with mischief. “We’ll have to do the real ‘Human Racing’ someday.”
“Pardon?”
“The slaves are pitiful… so we’ll use criminals and our dear poachers. If we offer them freedom as a condition, wouldn’t that be pretty fun?”
“That is an excellent idea.” Josepina nodded slightly, as if she genuinely agreed. “Shall I draw up a plan for that as well?”
“No.” Mikhail waved his hand. “I’ll write that one myself.”
Laura felt a chill run down her spine. Those two were serious. This was no joke. The sensation of her ears and tail drooping made her vision blur.