Trapped in the crowd, Sugimoto Kentaro froze for a moment upon hearing Tagami Kan's words, then immediately realized the gravity of the situation.
While he had been overseeing his duties, the Mejiro family had apparently already held a press conference to announce that Northern Dreams carried Mejiro blood. After finishing his work, Sugimoto had been so focused on finding her that he'd completely missed the news.
That alone would have been manageable—if he could have reached her before the reporters did, there might still have been some room to cushion the blow.
In a private conversation, no matter how intense Northern Dreams' reaction might have been, it wouldn't have mattered. Sugimoto would never have revealed a word of it to the outside world.
But now things were different. Surrounded by reporters' lenses and their eager eyes, if Northern Dreams were to react strongly under such scrutiny, there would be no room left for damage control!
At that thought, cold sweat dripped from Sugimoto's brow. He pushed forward, trying to shove past the reporters blocking his way to get closer to Dream Weaver.
If only he could reach her in time, there might still be a chance to turn things around—calming her down or even whisking her away would be far better than a public confrontation!
But to the other reporters, his efforts looked like nothing more than a rival trying to steal the best camera angle. For the sake of a front-page story, none were willing to give up their spot, and they resisted with all their might.
Two fists were no match for four hands, especially since Sugimoto was already past his prime, his physical strength worn down by years of desk work. How could he possibly overpower this crowd of robust, camera-toting journalists?
Through the jostling crowd, Sugimoto saw Dream Weaver finally part her lips after that long silence. He knew then that it was too late to stop what was coming.
Watching the situation spiral into unpredictability, he clenched his fists, once again hating his own powerlessness.
"Why… are you associating me with the Mejiro family?"
Dream Weaver's tone was flat, her expression unreadable as she stared at Tagami Kan. Her dark, deep eyes, like the night sky, held an unreadable gleam.
Tagami Kan seemed completely oblivious to her strangeness and instead asked, somewhat puzzled, "Didn't the Mejiro family hold a press conference right after your race? Judging by how quickly they gathered everyone, they must have been preparing for a while."
Dream Weaver nodded slightly, her expression unchanging, and continued, "Is that so? Perhaps winning the Tenno Sho Spring left me too excited to remember. Could you explain it in more detail?"
Tagami Kan looked up in thought, completely unaware that the other reporters' eyes had shifted subtly upon hearing her words.
"It was actually a pretty brief press conference. The Mejiro family head, Mejiro Asama, came out and explained the bloodline connection between you and your mother, and that was about it."
As Tagami Kan spoke, Dream Weaver's eyes grew even darker and more profound.
"The Mejiro family head… Mejiro Asama, you say."
She seemed to chew on the name, her tone turning icy. A bone-deep dread, sharp as a blade against the skin, swept through the crowd, silencing them completely.
Even the usually oblivious Tagami Kan sensed something was wrong now. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, and after mustering his courage, he cautiously asked, "Is… is there a problem? Maybe my memory's failing me—did I forget another part of the announcement?"
"Perhaps you should ask the other reporters. Their records might be more complete."
Watching Tagami Kan's cautious demeanor, Dream Weaver shook her head expressionlessly. She turned her gaze back to the cameras and spoke in a detached tone.
"Right now, the cameras are rolling, aren't they."
The aura of danger emanating from her now was a world apart from before. The reporters, already intimidated by her sharpness, didn't dare answer immediately. They lowered their eyes, trying to avoid her blade-like stare.
"Answer me."
With those words, an even fiercer pressure erupted from her, sweeping through the crowd and leaving everyone trembling in fear. A few of the more timid reporters felt their legs go weak; if not for leaning on their colleagues, they might have collapsed right there.
"Th-they're… they're rolling…"
In the suffocating silence, only Tagami Kan found the courage to respond. The other reporters holding cameras quickly nodded in agreement.
Dream Weaver gave a slight nod and spoke clearly into the lenses.
"My name is Northern Dreams."
"You don't have any objections to that, do you?"
Before this, some might have wondered when she'd take the Mejiro name. But now, thoroughly intimidated, no one dared voice any dissent—they just kept nodding.
"Then why do you insist on linking me to the Mejiro family?"
At her words, the crowd swallowed nervously. Dream Weaver was far too intimidating now—who would dare answer carelessly?
Only Tagami Kan, realizing she was clearly waiting for his reply, cautiously responded, "Well… it's just that the Mejiro family held that press conference, and it was their family head who said it… so we thought…"
"Is her word really so trustworthy?"
"Uh…"
Stumped by her follow-up, Tagami Kan fell silent, unsure how to respond. After all, they were talking about the head of the prestigious, rising Mejiro family. One wrong word, and he feared his career as a reporter would end on the spot.
"She's nothing but a coward who doesn't dare show her true face to the world. How can you believe the words of someone like that?"
Hearing Dream Weaver dismiss the formidable Mejiro Asama with such contempt, Tagami Kan shut his eyes involuntarily, convinced his career was indeed over.
After openly scorning Mejiro Asama before everyone, Dream Weaver turned her gaze back to the cameras and declared coolly,
"I am Northern Dreams, the last heir to the noble Northern family's legacy."
In the frozen air, her clear, cold voice cut through the silence like a sharpened blade.
"To restore the Northern family's century of glory, I set foot on this track."
She stared into the lens, as if addressing the Mejiro family beyond it, and said with icy resolve,
"And I will personally shatter the unbeaten myth the Mejiro family has built. With indisputable victory, I will etch the crown of the Tenno Sho Spring and Autumn double firmly onto the Northern family's monument!"
"Just you wait…"
"Mejiro… Asama!"
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! 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.