"Why say something like that to me? You could've just stood by and done nothing. Why jump into this yourself?"
"Don't you realize this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? A shot at the Triple Crown! How many Uma Musume in history ever get a chance like this?"
"But you… why would you give it up?"
Hearing Orfevre's bewildered words, Dream Weaver responded with a light laugh.
"Maybe I've been hanging around too many fools for too long. It's made me a bit silly too."
"So my rival is that kind of fool, is she?"
"But even a fool ought to know what's coming after saying something like that."
In an instant, the confusion in Orfevre's eyes sharpened into focus, as if it had never been there at all. She pulled Dream Weaver firmly into her arms, lowering her head as if to declare who was really in charge.
"Don't expect me to go easy on you after hearing that. The victory in the Japan Derby—"
"Will be mine alone!"
Watching Orfevre's ignited competitive spirit, Dream Weaver flashed a challenging smile right back at her.
"My stance hasn't changed."
"Let's settle this on the track. Don't tell me a self-proclaimed queen like you is all talk."
"Golden Tyrant!"
Seeing not an ounce of hesitation in Dream Weaver, Orfevre couldn't help but laugh aloud.
After over a decade of loneliness, after carrying everyone's expectations for over ten years, she had finally met an Uma Musume who could stand as her equal—one with the presence to shoulder the hopes of the crowd.
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Not bad! Only someone like you is worthy of being my rival!"
"Oh really? I'd say it's today's Orfevre who's finally worthy of being Dream Weaver's rival. Slack off even a little, and I'll leave you in the dust."
"Oh ho? Not only do you have the nerve, but guts too. Knowing I've regained my form, you still dare to provoke me to my face?!"
Just as the two were locked in their provocative standoff, the sound of a misstep on the staircase suddenly echoed through the room.
Both Dream Weaver and Orfevre's horse ears twitched simultaneously. They instinctively turned toward the noise and saw that the maid, the so-called 'retainer lady,' had missed a step on the stairs.
"I heard a lot of noise downstairs and wanted to check…"
"Miss Orfevre… did I interrupt something?"
The maid had rushed down halfway, hearing the commotion, fearing that Dream Weaver and Orfevre were arguing or even fighting.
But there they were—Orfevre with an arm around Dream Weaver's waist, both sitting together on the sofa.
They even had grins on their faces, whispering about who-knows-what.
Could it be… has Miss Orfevre finally hit puberty?!
So stunned by her young mistress's behavior, the maid missed her step, creating the noise that drew their attention.
Dream Weaver blinked, looking at the flustered, sweating maid.
She glanced up at Orfevre, then turned to look at the maid.
Her eyes darted back and forth several times within seconds until, finally, her common sense rebooted, and she realized exactly what kind of situation she was in.
Did I get carried away by my emotions again?!
Dream Weaver immediately pushed Orfevre's hand away, sprang up from the sofa, and began frantically smoothing down her clothes.
Meanwhile, internally, she was screaming.
She knew full well she was prone to getting swept up in emotional outbursts, doing and saying things that would later make her blush with embarrassment.
Yet she'd still lost herself in the confrontation with Orfevre, let competitiveness and pride take over, and completely forgotten what kind of position she was in!
'Dream Weaver! I need to correct you!'
Her face already flushed bright red, Dream Weaver smacked her own cheeks in frustration—though to anyone else, it looked like she was trying to hide her embarrassment by making her face red through slapping.
But Orfevre didn't have the spare energy to tease her either; her own sitting posture had become somewhat stiff and unnatural.
She glanced around, seeming to want to change the subject.
Suddenly, Orfevre spotted several familiar figures at the entrance.
An odd sense of relief washed over her, and she immediately called out to them.
"What took you so long?! I told you to hurry up and get these here!"
At her words, several men in black suits—looking like bodyguards or attendants—filed in. They bowed apologetically to Orfevre while simultaneously pulling out one exquisite gift bag after another from behind them.
"Our deepest apologies, Miss Orfevre. The cosmetics and magazines were easy enough, but that robot model was unexpectedly rare. It took us quite a while to track down."
The commotion of the arriving gifts shifted Dream Weaver's focus from self-reproach to the newcomers.
Hearing the suited bodyguards' explanation, Dream Weaver looked curiously at Orfevre.
"I thought you only liked fashionable stuff like clothes. I didn't know you were into robot models too? That's pretty similar to your sister."
Hearing Dream Weaver speak as if it had nothing to do with her, Orfevre's eyebrow twitched in surprise.
"Aren't these the gifts you wanted to bring to your friends in Kasamatsu?"
"Wait, Gold Ship is in Kasamatsu too?! I thought she was off traveling with Stay Gold this whole time."
Dream Weaver scratched her cheek, her gaze drifting away slightly.
So much had happened in the last half hour that she'd almost forgotten she'd mentioned this to Orfevre.
And the fact that she'd been having a blast with the other's little sister in the countryside for over half a year without informing Orfevre gave her a sneaking suspicion that she'd essentially kidnapped Gold Ship.
Even though Gold Ship had come on her own.
"I thought the Principal had informed the Gold Family? Maybe you were busy training, so they didn't mention it?"
"But I can't possibly accept all these gifts—"
"I'll have them delivered directly to Kasamatsu. I'm just showing them to you now for confirmation," Orfevre cut her off before she could finish refusing.
And she wasn't done.
"Also, the clothes. I'll have a selection in your size and style sent to Kasamatsu as well."
"Should I call you capricious first, or ask how you even know my measurements?!"
Hearing this, Orfevre let out a proud hum before replying.
"Don't underestimate my eye. Something as simple as measurements—I can gauge them just by looking—"
"My rival!"
Watching Orfevre's smug expression, Dream Weaver could only give a wry smile.
"Don't say such creepy things in such a cool tone!"
--+--
T/N: SCISSOR CITY
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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.