Two days later, Dream Weaver found herself being bundled into a car with a dazed expression, only then learning about the whole affair. She never imagined that Kasamatsu Tracen, despite being so strapped for cash, could actually pull together a spring outing.
Wait, no—it was already May, so it really ought to be called a summer outing. Were they trying to mimic Tracen Academy's seaside summer training camp or something?
Dream Weaver shook her head slightly, gazing at the scenery whipping past the window.
Come to think of it, she'd never actually taken part in Tracen's summer training herself. In the real world, by the time she tested into Tracen, summer training had long since ended. And during her first scripted world, she hadn't even made it to summer—she'd already fallen before the Satsuki Sho.
"Could this actually be my first time joining an event like this?"
Unconsciously, Dream Weaver began to feel a flicker of anticipation. She'd heard plenty about Tracen Academy's seaside summer training—who would've thought she'd get a taste of it first here at Kasamatsu Tracen?
What's more, the thought that this might be her last group activity with everyone at Kasamatsu made her cherish it all the more. This time, at the seaside, she was determined to create wonderful memories with all of them.
Meanwhile, back at the Kasamatsu school gate, a crowd of Uma Musume were psyching themselves up. With the Dream Weaver Comprehension Championship about to begin, they shot competitive glares at one another, snorted, and turned away, waiting for Satou Ken to arrive with the car.
It couldn't be helped—that beat-up second-hand van only had seven seats. After squeezing in a few teachers and Dream Weaver, plus all the supplies they had to bring, there really wasn't room for anyone else. This group of Uma Musume would have to wait for Satou Ken to drive back to Kasamatsu and take a second vehicle to their destination.
But they'd forgotten one thing.
Gifu Prefecture, where Kasamatsu was located, was landlocked. The nearest beach was at least seventy kilometers away. Even with Satou Ken's skilled driving, there was no way he could make a round trip in such a short time.
Yet, already fired up with competitive spirit, they were beyond rational thought. As they waited anxiously, the familiar shape of that second-hand van gradually came into view.
No one said much—the pre-race trash talk was already over. If this were a racetrack, then climbing into the van now was like entering the starting gates. Everyone was ready to fight for the lead in the competition to come.
Behind the wheel, Satou Ken frowned in confusion, occasionally glancing at the A/C vents. He wondered if he'd turned the cooling too high, since he was feeling downright chilly.
But no matter how he adjusted it, the cold feeling remained. So he drove on toward their destination in that icy atmosphere.
Before long, Satou Ken arrived with the Uma Musume at the planned spot. The girls, who had been too busy sizing each other up to notice the changing scenery outside, finally stepped out of the vehicle.
And what they saw left them stunned.
Sunlight filtered through the forest canopy, dappling the lush green leaves with shards of light. Gold Ship even thought she heard birds chirping from among the trees.
Not far ahead, a crystal-clear stream meandered over smooth stones. Well-worn rocks basked lazily in the warm glow. Dream Weaver had already hiked up her pants and was idly trailing her feet through the water.
Hearing the commotion, she glanced back and saw the stunned expressions on the other Uma Musume. Puzzled, she asked, "What's with the shocked faces?"
Nanno Sumire, whose expectations had been completely shattered, instinctively replied, "We thought we were going to the beach…"
Artisan Bell chimed in, "And we even brought swimsuits…"
Hearing this, Dream Weaver nodded understandingly at first, then shrugged helplessly. "Well, what can you do? The beach is just too far. The school doesn't have the money to book hotel rooms by the sea for all of us, so we had to pick someplace closer."
"See? Principal Haibara and the others have already got everything ready. We'll be able to start grilling soon."
As she spoke, Dream Weaver pointed toward Koutarou Haibara, who was busy oiling the grill nearby.
It might not be the legendary seaside summer training, but this was nice too. In her previous life, Dream Weaver had experienced spring outings like this—barbecues in the woods. At least she had some experience she could put to use.
But Nanno Sumire and the others weren't taking it so well.
They'd spent the last two days carefully choosing swimsuits to match what they imagined Dream Weaver would wear. They'd been fully prepared to win the Dream Weaver Comprehension Championship, only to burst out of the gate and suddenly be told the race was canceled.
Now it was a barbecue party instead.
Who could accept that?!
Seeing everyone suddenly deflate for some reason, Dream Weaver asked curiously, "Principal Haibara said this was a surprise specially arranged for me. Shouldn't you all have known a little about it beforehand?"
Faced with her question, the Uma Musume fell silent. They couldn't very well admit that they'd spent the last two days entirely focused on picking swimsuits and competing with each other, without ever bothering to ask the teachers where the outing would be.
Just then, Gold Ship—who had just failed in an attempt to catch a bird—brushed some leaves off her shoulder, stood next to Dream Weaver, and struck a world-weary pose. "Humans," she intoned deeply, "always repeat the same mistakes."
Dream Weaver looked up at Gold Ship's overly serious face and said flatly, "Aren't we Uma Musume?"
"Oh, really? I forgot!"
"Maybe feel the horse ears on your head when you say things like that."
Dream Weaver shook her head and ignored Gold Ship, who had already wandered off to do her own thing. Resting her chin in her hands, she gazed absently at the babbling stream.
Even though this was likely her last group activity with everyone at Kasamatsu, Dream Weaver still hadn't figured out what she should do to create those "wonderful memories."
Maybe grill for everyone?
She glanced over at Principal Haibara and Kitahara, who were already hard at work. She had a feeling that if she went over now, she'd just be shooed away.
Or maybe she could try catching fish in this stream, relying on an Uma Musume's reflexes?
Dream Weaver looked down at her wiggling toes under the clear water. Even if there were fish in this stream, she doubted she could catch any and serve them to everyone.
Still unsure what to do, Dream Weaver found herself reminiscing about her days at Kasamatsu Tracen with everyone.
Whether it was the daily horsing around, being dragged into the city by Nanno Sumire and the others, helping Nishimoto Makusa with the rice harvest, or visiting the shrine together on New Year's Day—aside from that very first debut race where she'd motivated every one, it seemed like she'd always been swept along by the flow.
Just as Dream Weaver was reflecting on how everyone else had given her these memories, the other Uma Musume—having recovered their spirits—were already quietly devising a new plan.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, 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!
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If you guys wanna check it out.