Cynisca's Olympic Games (5)

After circling the racecourse once, Marie- Henri Berla concluded his inspection. During this lap, he saw several wealthy men riding horses on the track. Some of them were reasonably skilled, but none could match "Miss Chris." The others, though not reciprocated, still served to boost Marie- Henri Berla's confidence.

"Most people are Fermat," Marie- Henri Berla concluded after the visit.

As he was about to leave, the staff member who had been with him told him, "Mr. Bellara, two days from now, the day before the official race, the organizing committee can arrange for all participants to familiarize themselves with the course once. Tomorrow we will draw lots here to determine the order of their familiarization with the course."

"Can't we just draw lots now? Every participant is coming anyway, so let them draw lots as soon as they arrive," said Marie- Henri Berla.

"Ah, that's certainly more convenient, and it's the same for us—we can get all this messy stuff done today, and everyone's much more relaxed. But who knows what the higher-ups are thinking? Anyway, we can't control what they decide on a whim. And we have to carry out whatever comes to mind without fail. It's really..." the staff member complained.

"Can't you voice your opinions to your superiors?"

"Of course, any department within the IOC, just like any department in the France government, has a dedicated mailbox for submitting feedback to superiors, and anonymity is allowed. However... just like government mailboxes, it's basically just for show. Even if you write something, those letters will probably end up being sent directly to a paper mill."

"In this respect, I must say, the French Army has done a better job than you and the government." Marie- Henri Berla couldn't help but recall his days in the army.

So, over the next two days, he returned twice more: once for the draw, and the second time to run a lap with his "Little Smarty." This time, Marie- Henri Berla observed the performances of all the participants in their entirety. Based on these performances, he drew the following conclusion:

Miss Chris has a clear advantage, especially at the higher obstacles. This is not only because of her superior technique, but also because she is likely the lightest among all the competitors, and her horse is exceptionally good at jumping. Furthermore, extensive training on the track has made both her and her horse extremely familiar with it. Often, Miss Chris doesn't even need to give any commands; her horse will adjust its stride and speed for the next obstacle on its own.

As for the others, some had excellent technique but average horses; others had good horses but average technique. Overall, Marie- Henri Berra felt he still had a good chance of reaching the final, but as for his ranking, that would be quite difficult.

While Marie- Henri Berla was evaluating the level of the other contestants, Pauline's team was also assessing his performance.

"That Mari- Henri Berla has excellent technique, but his horse is too old. Although they have a great synergy, their lack of stamina can't be compensated for by technique alone. However, he and his horse might have a hidden advantage: good mental state. Both he and his horse are new to this track, but they've been remarkably Steadfast. While their speed isn't exceptionally high, they've completed each obstacle very consistently. So we think his threat level is limited, but he's definitely a contender for a medal." A riding coach in his forties was explaining to Pauline the situation of the competitors they had observed.

"I noticed that guy; his skill and mentality are really good. If it weren't for his horse—well, his horse looks like a warhorse?" Pauline asked.

"Yes, miss," another replied, "Marie- Henri Berla was formerly a cavalry lieutenant in our army, serving under the First Consul in the Battle of Verdun and the subsequent campaign against Prussia. He was awarded a medal for his bravery in battle. After retiring, he studied mechanical engineering at the Paris Polytechnic School, where he did quite well. In addition, he published some articles on painting and sculpture in the journal * Art Review * under the pseudonym 'Stendhal'."

"Ah, now that you mention it, I do remember. I've read this person's articles too. He's quite sensitive to art—why did he choose to study mechanical engineering instead of art?" Pauline said.

"It's probably because mechanical engineering graduates have good job prospects and relatively high salaries these days. Being an engineer is more reliable than being a writer. And, as far as I know, some companies' on-call engineers don't have to worry about anything as long as the machinery doesn't break down. They can spend all day in the office writing novels or researching mathematical problems like the 'Three-Body Problem.' It's much more convenient than studying art," another young man replied.

"Oh, I almost forgot, you studied mechanical engineering too, didn't you? Ralph, don't tell me you used to work like this," Pauline laughed.

"No, no, no, how could I be that kind of person? I never write novels or study math problems while I'm at work," Ralph replied.

"That's right, all you do is secretly sketch." Pauline laughed heartily. "Hmm, no way, I'm going to have someone keep an eye on you, so you don't secretly do other things while designing clothes."

"Ah, Miss Bonaparte, if you insist on this, then—then I request that Miss Chris supervise me." Ralph began with a serious expression, but later he laughed at himself.

After everyone had adapted to the venue, the preliminary rounds were divided into groups.

The preliminary round group stage draw was conducted entirely by lot, and it was completely open and fair, just like the draws for UEFA's Europe Championship and Champions League in later years. There was absolutely no manipulation involved. As for the occasional "group of death" where all the strong teams were grouped together, or some teams being automatically promoted to the finals, those were not things we deliberately orchestrated. They were all the will of God. If you ask His Holiness the Pope, he would certainly approve.

Marie- Henri Berla was lucky, at least in the first round. He was grouped with "Chris," and although his horse was much slower than "Miss Chris's Chris," the other riders in that group were not very strong. So when the draw results came out, his friend, Bauséant, who had already been eliminated from the 100-meter final, offered him special congratulations.

"Hey buddy, I'm so jealous of you. Your group was amazing. Unlike me, in the last round, I had two reporters from the Sun in my group. It's unbelievable. They must have grouped us like that just to make sure the guys from Science Truth Daily made it to the finals."

"This is only the first round. To be honest, I may not, and most likely won't, go as far as you," Marie- Henri Berla replied.

"I watched you guys familiarize yourselves with the track. I even noted down the names of everyone who successfully navigated all the obstacles, along with their approximate finishing times." As he said this, Bauséant intentionally or unintentionally raised his wrist, revealing his gold watch. "Your performance was pretty good among everyone. In this group, apart from 'Miss Chris,' no one else posed a threat to you. Also, um, damn it, I can't take it anymore. You have to treat me to a big meal to soothe my soul—you started in lane four, and 'Miss Chris' was in lane five, right next to each other! This is... this is just too enviable. No, my jealousy is burning fiercely, unless you're willing to extinguish it with foie gras."

"Sure, but you have to agree to one condition," Marie- Henri Berla said. "Lend me your tracksuit. I need to reduce my weight as much as possible."

"No, you're just trying to attract attention. But that's not a problem. We're brothers, after all. It's a pity that my dad treats all my Arabian horses like treasures. If you had a different Arabian horse, you might have made it to the finals," said Bauséant.

"If we switch to an Arabian horse, unless we can train on the track like Miss Chris does, we won't be able to develop a rapport in such a short time. In the end, it would probably be better for us to compete with 'Little Smarty.'"

"I've studied the schedule. You're in the upper half of the bracket, which generally doesn't have any particularly strong players. Hmm, if you qualify as the second-place finisher, then your next match might be against..."

All of Europe's attention was firmly drawn to the Olympic Games. Coverage of the Olympic Games occupied most of the pages of newspapers, which in turn provided cover for many other activities.

On the very night the draw for the steeplechaser was completed, Bishop Leonard, who had accompanied the Pope to Paris, secretly left Notre-Dame de Paris under the cover of darkness and went to the Ministry of Truth to begin discussions with the France government regarding missionary work in other countries.