[Main Objective: Gain Audience Recognition]
[Current Recognition: (5/100)]
[Evaluation: Local Uma Musume Showing Early Potential]
--+--
After the Junior Crown Cup, Dream Weaver was tidying up the dorm while checking her main mission progress.
Five percent was just the beginning. Chizuru Haibara was already arranging Dream Weaver's next race. Surely, after sweeping the major prizes at Kasamatsu, that number would shoot up.
As Dream Weaver hummed an unnamed tune while wiping the windows along the dorm hallway, she caught a glimpse of several figures sneaking toward the dorm entrance out of the corner of her eye.
Turning around, she saw it was actually Nanno Sumire and the others—even Artisan Bell, who hadn't gotten along with her at first, was among them.
Caught in the act, the Uma Musume reacted in their usual distinctive ways. Kobayashi Kazé, using her small size to her advantage, ducked behind Nishimoto Makusa, who could only scratch the back of her head and offer Dream Weaver an awkward grin.
Nanno Sumire, standing at the front, crossed her arms and let out a defiant 'hmph!' as if challenging whether there was any problem with her being there.
As for Artisan Bell, the moment she was spotted, she let out a startled "eep!" and crouched down—did she really think squatting would make her invisible?
Watching the chaotic scene, Dream Weaver couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth. Their behavior made it obvious they were hiding something from her.
"W-what do you want?!" Nanno Sumire spoke up first, twirling her hair and trying to act casual, but the unease in her tone gave her away.
"Nothing, just curious what you're up to."
"W-we're going to…" Nanno Sumire hesitated, searching for an excuse. Her eyes suddenly fell on her own slightly faded hair tips, and she puffed out her chest with renewed confidence. "We're going to dye our hair! Got a problem with that?"
She pulled Kobayashi Kazé forward and ruffled her pink hair, shooting Dream Weaver a provocative smug grin.
"And you're bringing Artisan Bell along too?"
"Guh—"
Her flimsy excuse shattered with just that remark, Nanno Sumire switched to grabbing Artisan Bell's head instead and blurted out, "So what? I'm gonna dye this one's hair green!"
"Eek!"
Artisan Bell, now caught in her grip, let out a startled cry like a frightened little animal.
Knowing they were just making excuses, Dream Weaver chuckled and decided not to press further. After a month of training together, the Uma Musume had grown much closer—after all, they'd all sweat together on the track and even elbowed Dream Weaver a time or two.
"Just don't dye it gold, alright? That'd look pretty silly."
Seeing that Dream Weaver wasn't going to question them further, the group sighed in relief and prepared to leave. Only Nanno Sumire shouted back indignantly before being dragged away, "What's it to you?!"
Watching them noisily haul Nanno Sumire off, Dream Weaver shrugged and went back to cleaning.
But before she could get much further, two figures suddenly appeared outside the window. One was short and stout— unmistakably Principal Koutarou Haibara. The other was a young man wearing a trainer's cap whom Dream Weaver didn't recognize.
Just as she wondered who the principal would bring along for a casual stroll around Kasamatsu Tracen, their conversation drifted right to her ears.
"I hadn't been back in so long—I never expected things to change this much. I knew local Tracens were struggling, but I didn't realize it was this bad. Only a handful of Uma Musume in the whole class?"
"Well, you could've visited more often, kid. Always sending money, never showing your face."
From their exchange, Dream Weaver gathered that the young man in the trainer's cap had some history with Kasamatsu Tracen—why else would he keep supporting the place?
"I've been swamped. After Oguri Cap retired, the central committee has been desperate to find another local Uma Musume who can represent the regions like she did, to help improve conditions out here. Us trainers have been running all over the country searching."
"And Kasamatsu is your last stop?"
"Who would've thought that after producing Oguri Cap, Kasamatsu still had enough left in the tank to birth another star? Guess we were all blind to what was right under our noses."
Hearing this, Dream Weaver's heart sank. Was this central trainer already looking into her?
But after a month here, she'd grown close to everyone. She really didn't want to leave Kasamatsu Tracen.
As she fretted, the young man—Kitahara Jo—suddenly grasped Principal Haibara's hand and spoke up earnestly, "Principal! There's something I have to ask!"
Startled by his seriousness, Principal Haibara responded quickly, "If it's about transferring Dream Weaver, we'd need her consent!"
"Please let Dream Weaver help Oguri Roman overcome her slump!"
Hearing this, both Principal Haibara and Dream Weaver behind the window tilted their heads in confusion.
"?"
Seeing the principal's puzzlement, Kitahara Jo continued, "Right now, I'm speaking to you as Oguri Roman's trainer."
"As her trainer, I have to think about her future. After the Junior Crown Cup, Oguri Roman's been downhearted. At this rate, even with all her talent, she'll keep losing and eventually choose to retire!"
"But she places too much weight on me being Oguri Cap's trainer. She won't listen to a word I say."
"So, for Oguri Roman's sake, I'm begging you—please ask Dream Weaver to reach out to her. As a fellow young Uma Musume, as the one who defeated Oguri Roman, she might be able to guide her out of this self-pitying swamp!"
"Please, I'm begging you—this is the request of a lifetime!"
After this passionate appeal, Kitahara Jo bowed deeply, anxiously awaiting Principal Haibara's response.
Seeing how much Jo had matured, Principal Haibara sighed faintly. "Last time you said it was the request of a lifetime, it was about applying to be a central trainer, wasn't it? How time flies…"
"But as educators, we can't make commitments on behalf of our students without—"
Before he could finish, Dream Weaver popped her head out from behind the window and said to them, "I'll do it."
Hearing her voice, both men jumped in surprise, whirling around to find Dream Weaver waving at them.
Principal Haibara wiped cold sweat from his brow and said helplessly, "Miss Dream Weaver, eavesdropping isn't very polite, you know."
"Principal Haibara, shouting next to the girls' dorm isn't much better, is it?"
Only then did Principal Haibara and Kitahara Jo realize they'd wandered right next to the dormitory. They could only offer Dream Weaver a couple of embarrassed laughs.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 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.