In the courtyard of Central Tracen Academy, Dream Weaver set down her lunchbox—a breakfast specially prepared for her by Mejiro Ardan.
Dream Weaver used to rely on the cafeteria for all her meals. However, ever since she resolved to pierce through that unspoken veil of mystery surrounding her, the group of Uma Musume who were practically dying to look after her took it upon themselves to provide her daily meals at school.
Among them, the ones vying for the title of "older sister" were the most extreme, rotating daily to prepare elaborate breakfasts and lunches just for her.
Today was Mejiro Ardan's turn. She dabbed the corner of Dream Weaver's mouth with a handkerchief, tucking it away as if it were a priceless treasure before speaking with a beaming smile.
"Well? Was it delicious?"
Dream Weaver, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel's, nodded vigorously.
She even slid the empty lunchbox toward Ardan to prove she wasn't lying.
"Then... compared to King Halo's cooking, whose do you like more?"
Mejiro Ardan smiled as she handed over a water bottle. Her expression remained gentle, but in that instant, Dream Weaver sensed a flash of danger.
Though she took the bottle, she didn't drink immediately, instead using the act of chewing to buy herself precious thinking time.
To be fair, King Halo's cooking was surprisingly good. Even though she often acted like a comic relief character, she was an absolute First Class sister.
But that was a sentence that could never be uttered at a time like this. Having learned some harsh lessons from similar incidents, Dream Weaver was no longer so naive.
After all, even if you threw a hamster into a chaotic "battle royale" of love and jealousy for a few months, the surviving hamster would evolve into an invincible killing machine—let alone Dream Weaver, who had been forged in this domestic war zone for months.
Despite the constant jokes about her intelligence, a B-Rank in Wit was still quite a bit higher than a hamster's.
Dream Weaver, oblivious to the fact that comparing herself to a hamster wasn't exactly flattering even if she "won," thought to herself as she swallowed the last bite.
She looked into Mejiro Ardan's eyes and spoke with heartfelt sincerity.
"As long as it's a meal made by my sister, I love it."
Dream Weaver felt this was a brilliant answer. She clearly expressed her affection without naming names.
Since both King Halo and Mejiro Ardan could be called "sister," she could talk her way out of it later regardless of who asked.
"Hmm, I see—"
Mejiro Ardan drew out the last word. She narrowed her eyes, staring at Dream Weaver with those violet eyes that felt as if they could swallow one's very soul.
Usually, it wasn't so obvious, but at moments like this, Dream Weaver realized she and Mejiro Ramonu were definitely sisters. Those violet eyes possessed a charm that bordered on the demonic.
Just as Dream Weaver was about to buckle under the gaze, Ardan suddenly dropped the intensity. She turned away, resting her hands on her knees and stretching her waist in the morning sun before continuing.
"You rarely call me 'sister' normally, Dream, so I'll let you off the hook this time."
Dream Weaver breathed a sigh of relief. But just when she thought the morning ordeal was over, Ardan—fresh from her stretch—suddenly leaned in close.
She rested her head on Dream Weaver's shoulder and whispered in a voice meant only for their ears.
"By the way... you went on a date with T.M. Opera O after school yesterday, didn't you? Did you have fun?"
Mejiro Ardan's pale blue hair swayed in the light breeze, brushing against Dream Weaver's cheek with a faint, ticklish sensation.
"I learned a lot of things I didn't know before. Like different types of speakers and audio equipment." Dream Weaver didn't dodge the question this time, leaning back against Ardan as she responded directly. "So, I suppose I had a pretty good time."
"Is that so..."
Ardan murmured to herself softly. Then, she looked up and smiled at the girl beside her.
"If you're happy, I'm happy."
"But, I'd be even happier if the next time you went on a date, it was with your sister."
"If I have time, definitely."
"Don't give me vague answers like 'if I have time.' Give your sister a firm date, okay?"
Watching the two of them in such intimate proximity, Tokai Teio—who had unconsciously retreated to a corner behind a wall—stared with wide eyes. Her face turned bright red as she hissed under her breath.
"T-T-T-This! Is this allowed at school?! Where are the discipline committeemen? Where is the Student Council?!"
"They're sisters, so it's fine for them to be close like that, right?"
A passing Uma Musume overheard Teio's mumbling and chimed in.
"Sisters?! She has a sister?!"
Teio gasped in shock again, unable to stop peeking at the two sitting in the courtyard. No matter how hard she looked, she couldn't see a single physical resemblance.
Guessing what she was thinking, the passerby continued her explanation.
"I heard Dream Weaver's mother was an Uma Musume from the Northern family, but she also carried the Mejiro bloodline. If you calculate the family tree, Mejiro Ardan is likely her cousin."
"There's a connection like that...?"
Teio replied, feeling a bit dazed. Although she had always viewed Dream Weaver as a rival she had to defeat, she had never looked into her background so thoroughly.
The revelation of the Mejiro connection caught her completely off guard.
After the initial shock wore off, she quickly recovered and turned to the reddish-brown haired Uma Musume who looked strangely familiar.
"But stuff like that isn't usually public knowledge, right? Especially for prestigious families. How do you know all this?"
The reddish-brown haired girl gave her a "told you so" look and spread her hands.
"This stuff has been all over the school forums for ages."
"Everything from Dream Weaver's family history to her weird 'sister' relationship with King Halo, the fact that Narita Brian is always seen tailing her, or sightings of her near the Gold household."
"Haven't you read the 'Gold Ship Frontline Battle Reports'?"
"What on earth is that..."
Teio's lip twitched as she responded, feeling utterly overwhelmed.
Putting aside that nonsensical "Battle Report" for a second, the sheer volume of information this girl had just dumped was enough to make her head explode.
But above all else, the part about Narita Brian "tailing" her was just too ridiculous. Teio remembered that Brian was a member of the Student Council; there was no way she would do something so creepy.
Seeing the skeptical look in Teio's eyes, the passing Uma Musume simply pointed a finger toward another corner of the wall.
Following the finger, Teio saw Narita Brian lurking there, peeking out with a swaying tail. Her posture was less like a dignified Uma Musume and more like a focused hound.
Teio went silent and slowly facepalmed.
--+--
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.