"Admire Vega... is something the matter?"
"Ah!? No, it's nothing..."
Snapped back to reality by Manhattan Cafe's voice, Admire Vega shook her head.
She had unconsciously wandered over to Cafe's side and had been standing there for a while, just staring intently at her.
"If there's anything you need from me, you can just tell me..."
"It's nothing, really nothing."
Shaking her head repeatedly, Admire Vega left the classroom.
Smack—
Once outside the door, she slapped her own cheeks firmly.
What in the world is wrong with me! Really.
Lately, she hadn't been herself. Not in the sense that she was having mental issues, but her dreams... the scenes in her dreams weren't normal.
She kept dreaming she was sitting at a library desk, next to a black-haired girl, reading and learning characters with her.
The feeling was unnervingly real. So much so that the sensation of the other girl's fingers guiding hers over the text remained vividly clear, even long after waking.
The warmth lingering on the back of her hand was hard to forget.
Looking at her palm, Admire Vega slowly clenched her fist.
In the past, she'd had similar dreams. A little girl who looked just like her, calling out 'Sister' over and over again.
That was her younger sister. The sister who died before she was even born.
Admire Vega knew this.
Those calls were filled with loneliness, the air around them piercingly cold. Every time she dreamed of her, Admire Vega would wake with a start, drenched in cold sweat.
Every time she thought about herself living her life at the academy while her sister's soul drifted aimlessly through this world, a chill ran down her spine.
This happiness of hers had only fallen into her lap by chance.
Those two syllables—'Sister'—felt like an invisible accusation of her selfishness.
'It's not like that!' Gazing at the star that resembled her sister's eye, Admire Vega cried out, 'I want you to experience everything this world has to offer, too!'
I've never forgotten about you! I've always been thinking of you...
Carrying this guilt, Admire Vega lived through year after year, until one day, she inadvertently reached out and grabbed someone.
After countless days and nights, in that moment, she finally felt a warmth she had never experienced before.
A warmth of the soul that only they could perceive.
From that day on, Admire Vega's world changed. To be more precise, the world within her dreams changed.
No longer alone, she found herself steadfastly following that black-haired figure.
At first, the other girl was rather aloof, but stubbornly, Admire Vega kept following, and gradually, they began to talk.
Until now, when she could hug the other tightly without a second thought.
The feeling of fulfillment that filled her heart was something she'd never felt before.
I... I like that person.
And these feelings were affecting the waking Admire Vega, too.
Every time she saw Manhattan Cafe, she'd associate her with that black shadow, and her heart would involuntarily beat with a strange rhythm.
By the time she came to her senses, she'd often find herself having gone over to Cafe's side, mimicking the actions from her dreams.
Just moments ago, the impulse to hug Cafe from behind had flashed through Admire Vega's mind.
Luckily, Cafe speaking up had snapped her out of it, preventing such an outrageous act.
The gossip about her somehow ending up in the other girl's bed had only just faded away at Tracen Academy; she really didn't want to cause any more unnecessary scenes.
Dreams, such troublesome dreams!
Still, compared to before, the content was much warmer now.
And when the other girl called her 'Sister' in the dream, it no longer felt hollow and cold, but full of life.
"Speaking of which, it's almost time."
It was November, the weather gradually turning colder. In the pre-dawn hours, the sky was at its clearest, the starry night at its brightest.
Every year during this month, she would sit on the grass in the open field, gazing up at the pair of eyes in the sky.
Only during that time did she feel like she was communicating with her sister.
She'd wait for tonight. Pack her things, and set out.
"Admire Vega, you definitely have something on your mind, don't you..."
A voice came from in front of her.
The black-haired girl with golden eyes had her arms crossed, leaning back slightly as if trying to avoid something.
Only then did Admire Vega realize she had returned to the classroom and had her arms slightly outstretched, as if about to embrace someone.
"I..."
"If you need me to do something... just say it."
Seeing the awkwardness in Manhattan Cafe's eyes, and the slightly odd looks from the surrounding students, Admire Vega covered her face.
"Can I... copy your homework..."
--+--
"Tent, stool, bedding, charcoal..."
She laid out all her camping gear on the floor, giving it a final check.
Confirming everything was in order, she packed all the equipment into a large camping backpack.
Her practiced movements made it clear this wasn't Admire Vega's first time camping.
After training, she had asked Fuji Kiseki for permission to stay elsewhere overnight.
According to dormitory rules, students weren't allowed out at night. But with a valid reason and approval from the dorm head, an exception could be made, and the door would be left unlocked for their return.
Admire Vega's reason was simple.
She wanted to go up the mountain to look at the stars.
It wasn't some remote wilderness, just the mountain they usually climbed for endurance and hill training. There weren't any major safety concerns, and besides, it wasn't her first time. She had the necessary knowledge for camping.
So today, she once again secured the dorm head's permission.
"Vega, are you heading out?"
A clear voice came from behind.
A girl with short grey hair and purple eyes stood at the doorway, her hands clasped behind her back.
"Yeah, I won't be back tonight."
She continued packing her bag, not turning her head.
"Won't you have dinner?"
"I brought some instant food. I'll eat outside."
"I see..."
Stepping aside from the doorway, the grey-haired girl watched as Admire Vega left the room.
"Have a safe trip~"
Her ears twitched slightly. Admire Vega nodded in acknowledgement and headed for the stairs.
Although it was the mountain they often trained on, it was still a fair distance from Tracen Academy.
Catching the last bus, she got off at the foot of the mountain, adjusted her backpack, and started up the trail.
She had accidentally found the perfect spot for stargazing here—high, flat, with few trees, and soil that made driving tent stakes easy.
Moreover, she just needed to set up her chair, lay out a mat, and sit down to face directly the star she conversed with.
It felt as if her sister was sitting right beside her, keeping her company.
The stars wheeled overhead, the Milky Way spilling across the sky.
Admire Vega looked up, the rustle of wind through leaves whispering in her ears.
'Sister.' She almost heard the voice.
Eyes, bright like stars, gazed back at her.
"Little Sister," Admire Vega spoke softly. "I'll be participating in a race soon, too..."
I see.
Blending into the darkness like part of the night itself, hidden in the shadowy woods, a pair of golden pupils reflected the image of two similar-looking yet distinctly different girls sitting side-by-side, gazing up at the starry sky.
Using the morning star as a medium, listening and communicating.
Even without seeing or hearing, a connection remained.
Is this the bond between souls?
Thinking this, the girl hugged her own shoulders, pondering.
According to the legend of the Three Goddesses, every Uma Musume's soul is connected to the three deities.
If that's the case...
Suddenly, the girl recalled what Sunday Silence had once told her.
'Thou shalt not speak the full name of a god—'
So that's it.
The girl narrowed her eyes.
She might have stumbled upon this world's simple, yet unbelievable secret.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 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.