The Fox of France

After circling the competition grounds, Mari-Henri Bellra concluded his inspection. During this tour, he witnessed several wealthy individuals riding horses on the racetrack. Some displayed decent skills, but none matched "Miss Chris." A few others, though not active, managed to boost Mari-Henri Bellra's confidence.

"Most of them are wasting their horses," Mari-Henri Bellra concluded after the visit.

As he prepared to leave, his accompanying staff informed him, "Mr. Bellra, two days from now, the day before the official start of the competition, the committee can arrange for all participants to familiarize themselves with the track. Tomorrow, we'll draw the order for that."

"Why not draw it now? Everyone is here; let them draw right away," Mari-Henri Bellra suggested.

"Well, that would be more convenient for us too—finish all this mess today and everyone relaxes. But who knows what those higher-ups think? Their decisions are beyond us. And whatever they decide, we have to comply," the staff member complained.

"Can't you voice concerns to the higher-ups?"

"Of course, in any department of the Olympic Committee, just like any government department in France, there's a mailbox for suggestions, even anonymously. But... just like those government boxes, it's mostly for show. Even if we write, those letters likely end up in the paper mill."

"On this, I must say, the French army handles things better than you and the government," Mari-Henri Bellra reminisced about his army days.

Over the next two days, he visited twice more: once for the draw, the other for a practice lap with "Miss Chris." This time, Mari-Henri Bellra observed all participants thoroughly and concluded:

"Miss Chris" had a clear advantage, especially at higher obstacles. Not only due to her skill but also her likely status as the lightest among the participants, coupled with her horse's exceptional jumping abilities. Extensive training on the track made her and her horse familiar. Often, she didn't need explicit commands; her horse adjusted speed and steps for the next obstacle on its own.

Regarding others, some had excellent skills but average horses; some had good horses but average skills. Overall, Mari-Henri Bellra believed he had a good chance of entering the finals, but ranking would be challenging.

As Mari-Henri Bellra evaluated fellow competitors, Pauline's team evaluated his performance too.

"Mr. Mari-Henri Bellra has excellent skill, but his horse is old. Despite their synergy, lack of stamina can't compensate for skills. However, they may have a hidden advantage - their mental state. Both are on this track for the first time but remain composed. While not the fastest, their hurdle crossing is stable. So, we think his threat is limited, but he could push for a medal," a 40-year-old equestrian coach briefed Pauline.

"I noticed him; indeed, his skill and mindset are impressive. But his horse... seems like a warhorse?" Pauline inquired.

"Yes, Miss," another replied. "Mari-Henri Bellra was a cavalry lieutenant in our army, fought in the Battle of Verdun and subsequent Prussian campaigns. Honored for bravery, he retired and studied mechanical engineering at the Paris School of Applied Arts. Additionally, he wrote art critiques under the pseudonym 'Santanda.'"

"Ah, now that you mention it, I recall reading his articles; he's quite sensitive to art. Why did he study engineering instead of art?" Pauline asked.

"Perhaps because engineering offers better job prospects and higher pay. Nowadays, being an engineer is more reliable than being a writer. Also, in some companies, duty engineers don't have much to do if the machinery works fine; they can spend all day writing novels or solving complex mathematical problems like the 'three-body problem.' It's more convenient than pursuing art," another young man replied.

"Oh, I almost forgot; you also studied mechanical engineering, right? Ralph, don't tell me you were like that," Pauline teased.

"No, no, how could I be like that? I never write novels or study math during work hours," Ralph replied.

"Well, you only sketch secretly," Pauline chuckled. "I'll have to assign someone to watch you so you don't do other things while designing clothes."

"Oh, Miss Bonaparte, if you insist, then... I'd request you to let Miss Chris supervise me," Ralph initially acted serious but ended up laughing.

After everyone acclimated to the field, it was time for the preliminary groupings.

The groupings were drawn openly and fairly, like UEFA's European Championship or the Champions League, with no manipulation. Sometimes there would be instances of a 'Group of Death' or favorable paths for certain individuals, but that was deemed as fate rather than design.

Mari-Henri Bellra's luck was decent, at least for the first round. He was grouped with "Miss Chris," although his horse was much slower. Yet, among others in the group, excluding "Miss Chris," their abilities were lacking. So, when the results were out, his friend, Darlan, who had already been officially eliminated from the final 100 meters, congratulated him:

"Hey buddy, I envy you. Your group is fantastic. Unlike me, in the final round, we had two 'Sun Report' journalists in our group. Unbelievable; they did that to ensure the 'Scientific Truth Gazette' guy gets through too."

"I'm only in the first round. Honestly, I might not, or more likely, won't go as far as you," Mari-Henri Bellra replied.

"When you were familiarizing yourself with the track, I was watching. I even recorded the names of everyone who smoothly crossed all obstacles and their approximate times," Darlan said, gesturing at his wristwatch, "Your performance is quite good among everyone. In this group, apart from 'Miss Chris,' nobody poses a threat to you. Also, darn it, I can't take it anymore; you have to treat me to a lavish meal to soothe my soul—when you started at Lane 4, and 'Miss Chris' at Lane 5, you're right next to each other! It's... it's so envy-inducing. No, my jealousy is burning; unless you use foie gras to douse it."

"Sure thing, but you have to agree to one condition," Mari-Henri Bellra said, "Let me borrow your sports outfit. I want to reduce weight as much as possible."

"You're trying to attract attention. But that's no problem. We're brothers after all. Unfortunately, my Arab horses are closely guarded by my old man. If you switched to an Arab horse, you might enter the finals," Darlan remarked.

"Switching to an Arab horse, unless we train continuously on the field like Miss Chris, won't establish our bond in such a short time. In the end, we'd probably perform worse than if I raced with 'Little Trickster,'" Mari-Henri Bellra explained.

"I analyzed the schedule; you're in the upper half, where there aren't any exceptional talents. If you qualify second, in the next round, you might face..."

The entire continent's attention was drawn to the Olympics. Reports on the Olympics occupied most newspaper spaces, providing cover for many proceedings.

On the night the equestrian obstacle draw took place, Bishop Leonard, who arrived in Paris with the Pope, discreetly left Notre Dame, heading to the Ministry of Truth. Discussions about missionary activities in other countries, in collaboration with the French government, commenced.