"No way... for real?"
Tokai Teio let out a long, heavy sigh. She briefly debated whether she should report Narita Brian's embarrassing antics to Symboli Rudolf, but on second thought, if even a random Uma Musume passing by knew about it, the Student Council President surely already did.
Thinking about how the Student Council, led by the dignified Symboli Rudolf, actually housed such an absurd Uma Musume, Teio's respect for the President actually managed to climb a level higher.
While she was chatting with the passerby, several other Uma Musume had unknowingly approached from the distance, walking straight toward Dream Weaver and Mejiro Ardan.
Sensing that things were about to take a turn for the worse, Tokai Teio hurriedly asked, "Who are they? They look like they're looking for trouble. Should we go over and stop them?!"
Before she could rush in to provide backup, the passing Uma Musume grabbed Teio by the shoulder and quickly explained.
"They share the same Trainer as Dream Weaver. They're probably just looking for her to start their daily training. Look, it's almost time for class anyway—it's time for a shift change."
Nanno Sumire led the group up to Dream Weaver and Mejiro Ardan.
Seeing the two of them standing uncomfortably close, she turned her head with a soft huff. Placing her hands on her hips, she spoke to Mejiro Ardan.
"Time's up. We're taking her with us."
Without waiting for a response, she took Dream Weaver by the hand and led her toward the training grounds.
Mejiro Ardan, left standing there, didn't seem annoyed. This was simply the pre-arranged schedule; the time each Uma Musume got to spend with Dream Weaver was strictly defined.
If she had to find fault, she was the one in the wrong for accidentally overstaying her welcome today, prompting Nanno Sumire and the others to come looking.
Besides, as someone who viewed herself as an older sister figure, Mejiro Ardan wasn't about to interfere with Dream Weaver's normal social life.
Her greatest enemy would always be King Halo—someone who occupied the same niche as her, vying for the title of the "best big sister."
As for Admire Vega, who had inexplicably joined the fray, Ardan felt she wasn't nearly as much of a threat as Mejiro Ramonu.
"We may all be 'sisters'... but who's the best has yet to be decided," Ardan murmured to herself. She packed away the lunch box and left the scene, followed by Narita Brian, who had been waiting nearby.
Watching the crowd disperse, the passerby Uma Musume patted Tokai Teio's shoulder. "Well, the show's over. Let's head to class; we've got training sessions this morning."
Tokai Teio frowned, finally realizing this Uma Musume looked familiar. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull the name to the surface. She asked hesitantly, "And you are...?"
The girl froze, her face flushing with a mix of shame and annoyance as she barked, "We're classmates! Classmates! Didn't we debut together? I know I wasn't very noticeable since Dream Weaver was in that race, but the upcoming Wakakoma Stakes is just you and me!"
Hearing that, Teio finally remembered. She rubbed the back of her head, looking sheepish. "Sorry about that, Nice Nature. I've been so focused on Dream Weaver lately that I've been a bit absent-minded."
Nice Nature could only throw her hands up in resignation. They were rivals from the same debut race, but she'd missed this year's Satsuki Sho and the Japanese Derby due to injury.
Even if she had competed in the Triple Crown, she doubted Tokai Teio would have remembered her.
Back in the classroom, whenever anyone got near Teio, she was always muttering Dream Weaver's name under her breath. How could anyone else make an impression like that?
Furthermore...
Nice Nature glanced at Tokai Teio, who was staring dreamily at Dream Weaver's departing back, and let out a helpless sigh.
She wondered if Teio realized that her habit of lurking in corners to watch people was pretty much on par with Narita Brian's behavior.
"Let's go. Since this morning's class is at the training grounds, you don't have to just stare from afar. You can watch her out in the open."
Nice Nature patted Teio's shoulder again. Teio snapped out of it, nodded quickly, and the two of them followed behind Dream Weaver toward the training area.
Because it was a scheduled class, by the time Tokai Teio had finished check-in and was cleared for autonomous training, Dream Weaver and Nanno Sumire's group had already finished a set and were taking a break.
"Every time I see these results, it feels unreal."
"Are you actually an Uma Musume? Or some kind of super robot?"
Chizuru Haibara finished recording the data, tucked her notebook away, and gave Dream Weaver's head a playful, messy rub.
"I can outrun a super robot too," Dream Weaver replied, looking up at Chizuru from where she sat by the track.
She had previously lost to the mechanical Uma Musume, ST-2, controlled by Sugar Lights for various reasons, but now, she was 100% confident she wouldn't lose again.
Seeing her so certain, Chizuru couldn't resist teasing her. "What if they can fly? Super robots usually fly in the atmosphere, don't they?"
Dream Weaver suddenly remembered that in the previous Scenario World, Sugar Lights really had added that kind of functionality to the mechanical Uma Musume; it just hadn't been used because it was a mock race. Still, she refused to admit defeat on the track. She stood her ground.
"Even if it's a super robot, I won't lose!"
Chizuru laughed and ruffled her hair again. It seemed no Uma Musume ever wanted to lose a race, so she stopped teasing.
"A couple of vintage anime geeks... I don't get the whole 'super robot' thing," Nanno Sumire chimed in, poking Dream Weaver's cheek before she could respond.
"Anyway, summer is almost here. The watermelons at the Nishimoto family farm are almost ready. Dreamy, when do you have time to go back to Kasamatsu with everyone to play?"
She didn't give her a chance to answer before continuing, "Old man Haibara misses you too. I heard his stomach grew a whole size just from thinking about you."
"That's just the old man getting fat. Middle-aged guys put on weight easily," Chizuru interjected.
"Then let's go back and see the school! Kasamatsu is completely different from what you remember. I heard they even laid down a special turf training track!"
"How about summer break? After the seaside training camp, let's all go back to Kasamatsu together."
"Sounds like a plan! Remember that mountain where we went for a picnic? We can go back there and have Mr. Haibara do a barbecue!"
Tokai Teio watched them from a distance. Seeing Dream Weaver surrounded by friends, her face lit up with a radiant smile, Teio couldn't help but whisper to herself.
"So she really is... that popular."
--+--
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.