A week had passed, and Dream Weaver had long since set up the audiovisual equipment at home to play her discs.
Of course, she couldn't have managed the configuration without a little help from her friends; she was honestly a bit out of her depth when it came to tech.
Now that the setup was nearly complete, Dream Weaver was still missing one vital piece of the puzzle.
The speakers.
An Uma Musume's voice is the soul of the Winner's Stage, and a high-quality sound system undoubtedly adds a brilliant luster to any performance.
Dream Weaver hadn't intended to make such a fuss over it, but she couldn't fend off the self-proclaimed "audio expert" currently pestering her, insisting on taking her shopping.
And so, Dream Weaver found herself wandering the streets after school with that very person to pick out a sound system.
"If you want professional grade, the Bose L1 Pro32 portable line array system is a fantastic choice. It's portable yet achieves a full 180-degree horizontal coverage. It's usually meant for live venues, but there's no rule saying you can't have it in your living room."
"But then again, no matter how 'portable' professional gear claims to be, it might be a bit bulky for a home environment. How about the Harman Kardon Aura Studio 5? The sense of presence is a notch lower, but it's much better suited for a house!"
T.M. Opera O rattled off examples with high spirits, tossing out technical jargon that flew right over Dream Weaver's head.
In truth, Dream Weaver had already been left dizzy by the sheer onslaught of English brand names.
Desperate to catch her breath, she quickly waved her hands to cut T.M. Opera O off.
"Wait, wait, wait! Unless I see the actual product, I can't even begin to imagine what you're talking about, Opera!"
"Hmph hmph hmph! This is precisely where the Overlord must display her royal authority!"
T.M. Opera O stood with her hands on her hips, her chin tilted up in a display of pure triumph.
"I know a professional shop; the owner is a total audiophile. Everything I've mentioned is in stock there. If you like what you see, we can place the order on the spot!"
She seemed genuinely delighted that her accumulated knowledge could be of use to Dream Weaver.
Not wanting to dampen her mood, Dream Weaver offered a round of applause and a few "wow, that's amazing"s, which only caused T.M. Opera O to tilt her head back even further.
Dream Weaver reached out to steady the girl before she could literally topple over backward.
"Speaking of which, Opera, why do you know so much about speakers? I didn't think most Uma Musume would have this level of expertise."
"Wahahahaha!"
To her surprise, T.M. Opera O burst into a fit of hearty, booming laughter. She slung an arm around Dream Weaver's shoulder and pointed toward the setting sun.
"As the Overlord of the Stage, one must understand every element that composes the stage! The speakers that deliver the King's words to the audience are like the royal sword itself—only by wielding it personally can its true power be revealed!"
"You are a protagonist of the stage too, Dream! You can't stay in the dark about these things. Come, allow me to teach you everything, bit by bit!"
With that, she grabbed Dream Weaver's hand and began pulling her toward the train station.
Nearby, seeing the two of them finally turn their backs, Tokai Teio poked her head out from behind a utility pole.
Watching the pair, who looked far too close for comfort, she felt a strange, inexplicable surge of irritation.
It was perfectly normal for an Uma Musume like Dream Weaver to have friends at school, and it was only natural to go out and play after classes. Besides, thanks to T.M. Opera O's loud voice, Teio had overheard the reason for their excursion.
Objectively, there was nothing weird about it—just a girl going shopping with a knowledgeable friend. But Teio still felt a knot in her chest.
She felt like the way T.M. Opera O looked at Dream Weaver was a bit "off," and the distance between them didn't seem like "just friends." What kind of friends walked with their shoulders pressed together and hands held tight? Wasn't it hot? It was June, for goodness' sake!
Pouting in a fit of inexplicable pique, Tokai Teio gave the ground a sharp kick and then began to follow them in silence.
Technically, she had no right to be tailing them, but Teio either completely forgot that fact or subconsciously chose to ignore it, losing herself entirely in this game of hide-and-seek.
Teio, who had just arrived at Central Tracen by train, followed them right back to the station. She hid a carriage length away, peeking at their interactions.
Suddenly, the train car lurched. Teio's vision wobbled for a second, and when she regained her focus, she saw T.M. Opera O bracing her elbow against the door, shielding Dream Weaver in her arms.
The two were incredibly close. Because they were roughly the same height, their noses were practically touching. Teio could only imagine the warm breath brushing against their cheeks.
"This... this isn't right!"
Teio hissed through gritted teeth, hiding behind the door at the carriage connection.
This was clearly not the distance friends should keep!
Even if the train's lurch had forced an accidental save, T.M. Opera O should have pulled away immediately once the ride smoothed out, rather than staying there, laughing and talking in such intimate proximity!
However, she tried to talk herself down. It was just a bit of closeness. Teio had heard of T.M. Opera O; she was known as the most narcissistic girl at Central Tracen, famous for having zero sense of personal space.
So, Teio didn't give up. She followed them all the way to the audio shop, lurking in the shadows and watching them interact until they finally said their goodbyes. Only then did she emerge from her corner.
"Friends... they're probably just friends, right? I-I didn't expect that girl to have such a close friend. I thought someone so arrogant on the track would keep everyone at a distance in real life."
Teio rubbed the straps of her backpack. She felt like her understanding of Dream Weaver had deepened, but at the same time, her internal alarms regarding T.M. Opera O were ringing loudly.
She wasn't entirely sure what she was being wary of, but T.M. Opera O had officially been marked as "highly dangerous" in Teio's mind.
Watching their retreating figures, Teio pursed her lips and muttered to herself.
"Guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow to return her medicine bottle. Better head back to the dorm and rest for the night."
With that, Teio hopped on the train back to the dorms, planning to find Dream Weaver at Tracen Academy the following day.
But the next day, when Teio finally spotted her, she found that the Uma Musume by Dream Weaver's side had changed once again.
Watching that girl with the light blue hair gently using a handkerchief to wipe away a stray crumb from Dream Weaver's breakfast, Teio felt a familiar, nagging frustration bubbling up all over again.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! 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.