Just as Mejiro Ardan stepped away from Dream Weaver's side to prepare dinner, Dream Weaver—who had been pulled back into the script world's future by the system—finally regained consciousness.
She blinked in momentary confusion, as if trying to place exactly where she was. When her gaze landed on that achingly familiar face, now preserved in a portrait, her eyes widened in shock.
She had expected to wake in a hospital bed, just like last time in the script world. Instead, the first thing she saw upon opening her eyes was a painting of her mother.
'…Mother?'
The word rose instinctively, but as she tried to murmur it aloud, a sudden tightness gripped her chest, choking off the sound before it could escape.
The two syllables hung trapped within her, unspoken. This strange sensation made her frown—or at least, she tried to. Even that simple motion felt incredibly difficult, as though she were dragging chains weighing a thousand pounds.
'My body… feels so sluggish, like there's a delay?'
Dream Weaver thought to herself. She attempted to move a finger, but no matter how hard she strained, she could only shift it an inch before her strength gave out.
It was a bizarre sensation, as if her soul hadn't fully settled back into her body—a profound disconnect that left her deeply unsettled.
Still, she didn't panic. Within those few short breaths, she remembered experiencing something similar before.
In the previous script world, she had existed as a spirit, watching helplessly as her friends from Kasamatsu wept by her bedside. Just when she thought it was all over, darkness swallowed her once more.
When she'd awakened then, moving her body had been just this difficult. It wasn't until Artisan Bell gathered everyone for a photo that Dream Weaver finally mustered enough strength to sneak a peace sign behind their backs.
'I see… so it's the same situation again.'
'But this time, it seems to be happening faster than in the last script world. Is it because my injuries aren't as severe?'
Mentally, she nodded. It seemed becoming stronger physically really had made a difference. Even after forcibly breaking the curse's restraints, she hadn't fallen into a long coma like she did in the second script world.
But surpassing one's limits never came without a price. If the curse could be broken so easily, the Northern family wouldn't have spent generations developing the limiter.
As she pondered this, Dream Weaver noticed something else—her line of sight was slightly lower than usual. Having stood before her mother's portrait many times, she quickly sensed something off.
Taking advantage of her unobstructed vision, she glanced downward and caught a glimpse of silver-white beneath her elbow.
After spending months with her grandmother from the Northern family, she recognized it instantly.
'A… wheelchair?'
'My legs… have they been paralyzed?'
She wasn't sure what to feel. She had always known there would be consequences for breaking the curse—ending up like her grandmother was a possibility she'd foreseen.
Still, it struck her deeply that the very condition she witnessed in her grandmother upon first entering this script world had now become her own reality.
For a moment, a pang of regret washed over her. But it wasn't regret over giving the limiter to Mejiro Ardan—rather, she felt she had let her grandmother down.
That elderly woman, nearly driven mad by the chains of memory, had still entrusted Dream Weaver with the limiter—the hope for the Northern family's future, and her own form of atonement for the past.
And now, Dream Weaver had ended up just like her. How could that possibly bring her grandmother any peace?
The thought filled Dream Weaver with quiet shame. In the end, she had acted out of personal desire, disregarding her grandmother's hopes—that she would lift the Northern family to glorious new heights.
Her regret was directed only at herself, with not an ounce of blame toward Mejiro Ardan.
From the moment she made her choice, Dream Weaver had known this day might come. If it meant that fragile glass could shine again on the racetrack, she would never look back.
'But how long until I'm fully synchronized with my body?'
Once she'd grasped her situation, Dream Weaver found herself with little to do but gaze at the portrait and wonder.
She couldn't speak, let alone look around to figure out where she was. So far, all she could see was the small area directly in front of her. Moving her eyes offered little more.
This was even more torturous than the previous script world's future. At least back then, she could walk around—within limits, yes—but she knew where she was. Now, she was confined to this wheelchair.
Just as she was growing frustrated, wondering when her mind and body would fully merge, she heard hurried footsteps approaching from behind.
"You're here again…"
"I still don't know how you found this place in the first place. It's not as conspicuous as the Mejiro estate."
The voice that followed was familiar—Mejiro Ardan, speaking to someone. But Dream Weaver couldn't make out the other person's reply.
Still, the exchange brought her some comfort. At least she knew she was living with Mejiro Ardan now, and not at the Mejiro house.
Her greatest fear had been being taken forcibly into the Mejiro family's care—something Mejiro Asama's remorse made highly likely.
It wasn't that Dream Weaver hated the Mejiro family. As she had declared, she had severed the grudge between their house and the Northern family.
But living among them… that would have felt strange, to say the least.
As Dream Weaver relaxed slightly, the conversation between Mejiro Ardan and her visitor seemed to wrap up. Their voices faded, and the footsteps from behind drew closer.
When they finally came to a stop just behind her, the speaker's words rang clear.
"I'm here."
They had only spoken a few times, but as a formidable rival, this person had left a deep impression on Dream Weaver.
That's right—it was Narita Brian.
Now, she stood looking down at Dream Weaver seated in the wheelchair, her gaze complex and unreadable.
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T/N: After today, I'm kinda paying for more chaps on ciweimao, so im lowering the chapter per day count to two, unfortunately.
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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.