"How did things come to this..."
"We were all supposed to be comrades, weren't we..."
The whispers echoed in the empty meeting room, her voice trembling with disbelief.
Shiragawa's gaze fell upon the polished surface of the table, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, knuckles whitening from the strain.
Just earlier today, she had been cheering wildly for Shinzan's brilliant performance.
Yet, barely an hour later, the very Shinzan she had admired had suddenly become an enemy.
How could Shiragawa possibly accept this?
She didn't want to believe that the Shinzan who had saved her dreams would make some kind of shady deal with Europe, as had been said. Yet she also understood that Dream Weaver would never lie.
Caught in this tangle of extreme and complex emotions, Shiragawa was utterly at a loss for what to do.
Symboli Rudolf massaged her temples.
The intel team she'd tasked hadn't replied yet, so for now, she could only rack her own brain, trying to recall everything she knew about Shinzan.
Hearing Shiragawa's trembling murmur, she instinctively wanted to comfort her.
But the thought that Shinzan was now an enemy, and that she, as the team leader, had failed to detect such a threat, made her increasingly agitated. Her tone inadvertently sharpened.
"She's always been like that, hasn't she…"
"Using her strength to get what she wants, never stopping to think about the consequences! Compromise, compromise, and compromise again!"
"With the power she wields over half the Japan region, far greater than ours, if she were truly determined, the world wouldn't be in this state!"
"Shiragawa, Shinzan is our enemy now!"
Hearing Symboli Rudolf's words, Shiragawa shot to her feet. Clenching her fists, she shouted to everyone in the room.
"But... but Miss Shinzan really helped us, helped so many Uma Musume!"
"If it weren't for Miss Shinzan, many Uma Musume wouldn't even have the qualifications to enter Central Tracen Academy!"
"Maybe there's a reason... perhaps she wants Dream to defeat her, using her own prestige to help Dream reach even greater heights..."
But the louder her protest grew, the more unease churned within her.
Anyone could see that Shiragawa had already, deep down, accepted the fact that Shinzan was now an enemy.
No matter how unwilling she was, the idol she admired had ultimately become the final obstacle on the road to the Triple Crown.
Yet she still refused to admit it, refused to believe that the Miss Shinzan who had saved her dreams could do such a thing.
She couldn't bear the thought of her dearest friend and her idol clashing on the track until they were both bloodied. She couldn't even imagine that scene, so she could only desperately argue in Shinzan's defense.
Just as Symboli Rudolf took a deep breath, ready to speak, Dream Weaver, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, stood up.
Her movements were unhurried, yet carried an undeniable presence.
"Whether Shinzan has changed or not, whatever her reasons may be, she has already entered the Kikuka Sho."
Dream Weaver rose, meeting everyone's gaze as she declared loudly.
Her voice was clear and firm, each word seemingly tempered and honed.
She surveyed everyone in the meeting room, her eyes finally settling on Shiragawa. Her gaze held understanding, but even more, an unshakeable resolve.
"Whether she has unspeakable hardships or power that shakes the heavens, what we must do will not change—"
The name Shinzan meant too much in this world. Both Shiragawa and Symboli Rudolf were troubled, agonizing over this name becoming synonymous with 'enemy.'
Living here, having always listened to the legends of Shinzan, no matter what they thought of her, they couldn't escape the emotions this name evoked.
But Dream Weaver was different.
Her goal was clear, so clear it didn't even need repeating.
Even before arriving in this scripted world, she had already made up her mind. No matter what, she would complete her mission.
The path she had walked was far beyond what the Triple Crown trail could encompass.
Burning herself to break through predetermined limits, bearing expectations to revive local Uma Musume, shouldering the burden to restore her mother's family's glory.
Dream Weaver's steps had carried her through one story after another, one script after another. Even after reaching the end of several paths, she still hadn't stopped.
Her goal, the reason she stepped onto this stage—that figure still lying in the hospital bed as if asleep—that was the unwavering resolve that had driven Dream Weaver forward all along.
And now, she had reached the final stretch.
Completing this script would allow her to accumulate the final 100,000 points. Completing this main quest would grant her the long-coveted Proof of Triple Crown.
The chance to save her mother was right before her eyes, within reach if she just stretched out her hands.
How could Dream Weaver possibly hesitate? How could she possibly retreat?
Whether it was Shinzan, or some peerless powerhouse suddenly emerging from some corner of the world, no matter who stood in her way, Dream Weaver had only one answer.
"I will finish the road to the Triple Crown. I will defeat her fairly and squarely in the Kikuka Sho, defeat this three-time defending Triple Crown Uma Musume praised by the gods!"
"I will overcome her, and then—"
"Win it all!"
Everyone in the meeting room stared at her, spellbound.
Dream Weaver's eyes, dark as night, shouldn't have been particularly bright, yet they all felt they were witnessing the most dazzling light of their lives.
Mr. C.B. suddenly remembered the first time she had seen her.
Back then, she herself had lost her fighting spirit, only to be practically dragged by Dream to the selection race, witnessing the beginning of their story firsthand.
The Dream Weaver of that time had shone just like this.
Symboli Rudolf quietly unclenched her tightened fists, blinking somewhat dazedly.
Her memory also returned to that selection race. She had only meant to help Dream Weaver, who was speaking with two European trainers then.
But the moment she witnessed that crimson figure galloping down the track, she had been utterly captivated. That streak of red light piercing through the course remained etched in Symboli Rudolf's mind to this day.
"In the end, you gave us all a push again, didn't you..."
Symboli Rudolf suddenly laughed softly.
"That's because it was Dream who brought us all together in the first place."
Shiragawa replied quietly. Before meeting Dream Weaver, she had never imagined she would dare to rebel against the European Uma Musume racing world, let alone imagine facing her idol Shinzan as an enemy.
Dream Weaver was simply moving forward, yet she had inexplicably drawn so many people who wanted to stand by her side. Mr. C.B. was like that, Symboli Rudolf was like that, and she herself... was like that too.
"What a mischievous person you are."
Shiragawa gazed at Dream Weaver, who seemed to glow in her eyes, and whispered under her breath.
--+--
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.