For Matikanetannhauser in her current state, simply learning about her Northern family bloodline was overwhelming enough.
If she were to discover she'd inherit the Northern family's fortune, her mind would probably short-circuit, leaving her standing there completely dumbfounded.
So Dream Weaver didn't push too hard. After sharing some basic information with the bewildered girl, she bid her farewell.
Returning to where she'd left her companion, Dream Weaver found Mejiro Ardan sitting peacefully on a nearby bench. There wasn't a trace of impatience on her face—just a calm, leisurely expression as she waited.
Dream Weaver found it somewhat strange.
When a companion suddenly dashes off to whisper with a stranger they've just met, anyone would be puzzled. Yet Mejiro Ardan hadn't shown the slightest intention of stopping her earlier. Even waiting here alone, she seemed completely at ease, without a hint of anxiety.
It made Dream Weaver wonder—was she perhaps not important to Ardan? Was that why her odd behavior was being ignored?
But that didn't make sense either. If she truly meant nothing to Mejiro Ardan, why would she go through the trouble of visiting the Northern estate every single day?
"Aren't you curious what I needed to speak with her about alone?"
Carrying this doubt, Dream Weaver approached Mejiro Ardan and asked quietly.
Hearing her voice, Mejiro Ardan turned with a pleasantly surprised expression. She shook her head before answering. "Even family members have things they don't wish to share with each other."
"Isn't it normal to want some privacy?"
Dream Weaver responded with a helpless shrug. "Then how about giving me a bit more privacy and letting me stay alone at the Northern house?"
Mejiro Ardan replied with a gentle smile. "Didn't I say it before? We're family. What kind of family never sees each other day after day?"
"That's actually pretty common... Like when children go off to university or work in another city. Family members don't necessarily have to meet every single day."
Mejiro Ardan didn't argue. She rose from the bench, took Dream Weaver's hand, and said cheerfully, "But your big sister happens to be the type who values family deeply."
"If you had to travel far away, I'd still pester you for video calls every day."
Before Dream Weaver could respond, Ardan was already pulling her toward the cafeteria. "You must be hungry after talking for so long! Let's go eat first!"
Dream Weaver stared blankly at Mejiro Ardan's retreating back, her throat tight with some indescribable emotion. She couldn't manage a single word in reply.
That slender figure, wrapped in sunlight, seemed haloed in a soft glow. A long-lost warmth quietly spread through Dream Weaver's chest. Mejiro Ardan's almost maternal tenderness left her feeling dazed.
Unlike the earlier illusion born from similar appearances, what stirred Dream Weaver now was a deeply buried, instinctual familiarity.
The gentle grace in Mejiro Ardan's every movement made Dream Weaver feel as if she'd returned to the days spent with her mother.
This feeling wasn't something that appeared in an instant—it was the culmination of emotions quietly built over months of companionship, finally bursting forth at this moment.
From their very first meeting, this Uma Musume had shown Dream Weaver unwavering warmth and acceptance. The silent watching during training sessions, the daily care—all these accumulated feelings left Dream Weaver at a loss for words.
She truly couldn't understand why Mejiro Ardan would show her such kindness. Blood relations might explain some familiarity, but Dream Weaver refused to believe that alone could justify this level of devotion.
So Dream Weaver suddenly found herself wanting to know—wanting to understand why Mejiro Ardan had stayed by her side all this time.
As these thoughts whirled through Dream Weaver's mind, she found herself being led through lunch and then to the training field.
The afternoon training grounds were still crowded with Uma Musume. Some in tracksuits were stretching, while others raced each other on the track in practice matches.
Despite the blazing afternoon sun, their eyes shone with a passion that rivaled its intensity. Watching them run, gazing at this green field where she too had once chased her dreams, even Mejiro Ardan seemed momentarily lost in thought, forgetting for a moment to pay attention to Dream Weaver beside her.
And in that moment, Dream Weaver finally organized the thoughts swirling in her heart. She looked up at Mejiro Ardan's delicate features and asked softly, "Ardan... what are you looking at?"
Hearing the question, Mejiro Ardan started as if suddenly awakened. She paused for two full seconds before turning to respond. "This is the first time you've called me by my name, Dreams."
Her happy smile was as gentle as a spring breeze, no different from usual, yet Dream Weaver keenly sensed something unusual.
She hadn't actually answered the question.
This was the first time Mejiro Ardan had avoided responding to one of Dream Weaver's inquiries. Dream Weaver felt like she'd stumbled upon something important and quickly pressed further. "Are you watching the training field?"
Mejiro Ardan froze again at this, her smile faltering for a brief moment before she recovered. "Yes, the main Tracen Academy's training field is much larger than the old one at the Mejiro residence, isn't it?"
"The family elders only started building a new training ground because they wanted something that could rival this one at Central Tracen."
"Training here will surely help you improve greatly, Dreams!"
Nothing in Mejiro Ardan's words sounded particularly wrong—in fact, they likely reflected her genuine thoughts.
But this wasn't what Dream Weaver wanted to hear. She didn't care about why the Mejiro family built a new training ground. She wanted to know what had captured Mejiro Ardan's attention moments earlier.
Dream Weaver looked toward the bustling training field, trying to see what Mejiro Ardan had been watching so intently.
On the afternoon training ground, the figures of striving Uma Musume shimmered in the heat haze. Glittering sweat droplets flew with their movements, each one refracting brilliant light in the fierce sunshine.
Dream Weaver stood quietly at the edge, watching these Uma Musume pouring their hearts into chasing their dreams. Their running forms were so radiant, it seemed their very souls were glowing.
And in that instant, a thought shot through Dream Weaver's mind like a meteor.
"No... that's not it. You're not looking at the training field."
"What you're watching... is them. The Uma Musume!"
--+--
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!
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