Who could the person she likes be? Dream Weaver pondered this while facing Orfevre from behind the curtain.
Following the typical progression of confessions in The Withered Hollow in the Courtyard, the trainer seemed a strong possibility.
With the bond of three years as comrades-in-arms, falling for an older, steady, and reliable trainer appeared perfectly normal.
At least from what Dream Weaver knew, several Uma Musume in the whisper tunnel had developed feelings for their trainers this way.
But other possibilities existed too.
For instance, falling for another Uma Musume who ran alongside them on the track.
As rivals who recognized each other's worth, fierce emotional clashes on the field could sometimes spark unexpected feelings off it.
"What I wish to know is how We might grow closer to her."
Imagining such scenarios, Dream Weaver's thoughts were cut short by Orfevre's statement.
She cleared her throat lightly to cover her distraction before asking, "'Grow closer' is a bit vague. How far has Your Highness progressed with your Queen?"
It seemed a perfectly ordinary question.
One's approach depended entirely on the existing relationship—the chasm between being complete strangers and already being friends with the one you liked was vast.
Dream Weaver skillfully blended her own curiosity into the query. Faced with such a normal question, Orfevre naturally showed no hesitation.
"We have forged a considerable bond! We always exchange smiles and conversation when we meet, and inviting her to a fashion exhibition during break was no trouble at all!"
So, just an ordinary friend, Dream Weaver thought, but said aloud, "Have the two of you ever done anything… special together?"
"Special?"
Orfevre hesitated, seemingly failing to grasp the word's meaning.
After a moment, she suddenly erupted in anger, slapping the table and shouting, "How dare you! As my subject, how could you ask such a thing!"
"W-what business is it of yours whether We've… We've done that sort of thing with her or not!"
So, that's a no, Dream Weaver mused, shaking her head slightly.
Who would have thought that Orfevre, for all her fierce and imposing presence, hadn't even experienced any 'special scenarios' with the other party?
It seemed they really were just ordinary friends.
To placate the angered princess, Dream Weaver lowered her voice and replied, "Your Highness, please calm your anger. This old subject merely seeks the most precise answer for the divination."
Hearing this, and considering that the person behind the curtain was a complete stranger—neither knowing who the other was—Orfevre simply flushed and shouted, "If we'd already done that, would We even need to come here for a divination?!"
Dream Weaver tilted her head in confusion, feeling their understanding of 'special scenarios' might differ slightly.
But she didn't dwell on it.
Recalling the romance stories from the whisper tunnel, she continued, "Since Your Highness and your Queen are already friends, there are many ways to grow closer."
"You could invite her out on a proper date. Not to ambiguous places like fashion shows, but to locations with a more romantic atmosphere, like amusement parks or aquariums."
"I've heard that in special environments, hearts tend to soften a little more."
This was the counsel of a seasoned strategist.
Even Orfevre gave an acknowledging hum, signaling she would take the advice.
"Then, you should show her more care. When you notice she's troubled, take the initiative to offer help. Give her the impression that you're reliable and trustworthy."
"That way, she'll unconsciously come to depend on you."
"But during your usual interactions, remember to create some ambiguous moments and atmosphere for just the two of you. If you only help her like this, you'll end up as just good friends, never lovers."
Though she'd never been in love herself, having devoured countless stories from The Withered Hollow in the Courtyard recently provided a wealth of reference material.
Speaking so authoritatively now made Dream Weaver feel like a true master of theory.
Her earlier fluster with King Halo was purely because the other might like her, which made her nervous. But acting as a strategist for a friend?
In that role, she was invincible!
Orfevre agreed with most of Dream Weaver's advice, but furrowed her brow upon hearing the latter part.
"Ambiguous moments… must they only happen when we're alone?"
"Creating ambiguity in public is far too difficult. It's better to attempt that once your relationship has deepened."
"So, at this stage, We can only be with her alone?"
Dream Weaver immediately sensed something amiss. Was it inconvenient for Orfevre to be alone with her crush?
Was the other party a student from another school? A long-distance relationship? It couldn't be an online romance, could it?
Curiosity flaring, Dream Weaver instinctively leaned closer to the curtain and pressed, "Is it inconvenient for Your Highness?"
Orfevre, hearing this, wore a rare look of defeat and said unwillingly, "She's surrounded by too many other Uma Musume. Even We cannot pull her into such a setting."
To think the person Orfevre liked was so popular.
Still unsatisfied, Dream Weaver pressed on, "How can it be impossible? You invited her to a fashion show before. Why not just invite her out again?"
Orfevre gritted her teeth, seeming to struggle with the words.
But thinking the other didn't know her identity, and to achieve her goal, she forced herself to continue.
"That time… that fashion show… there were others. I wasn't alone with her."
For some reason, this sounded strangely familiar. Dream Weaver frowned, puzzled. "But you invited her. Why were there others?"
Orfevre took a deep breath, pausing a long while before continuing.
"It was one of her friends. They've known each other for a long time—longer than We've known her, We should say."
"Though I hate to admit it, that person happens to have some expertise in fashion too. At Tracen Academy, she's known as a genius in the Fashion Department. She's even participated in professional fashion shows as a student."
"That person… that person heard we were going to a fashion show and simply inserted herself, saying she wanted to come along!"
Orfevre gnashed her teeth, her resentment almost palpable in a low growl.
"We couldn't refuse in front of her!"
The more she listened, the more familiar it sounded.
Dream Weaver felt cold sweat trickling down her forehead.
She swallowed hard, clinging to the hope it was just a coincidence, and asked, "That fashion genius… she wouldn't happen to be an Uma Musume I know, would she?"
"Who else could it be?!"
"That damned Kobayashi Kaze! Those Kasamatsu girls are nothing but traitorous rebels!"
"We were willing to overlook their fangirling out of past camaraderie, but We never imagined they harbored such sinister schemes in secret, daring to sabotage Our date!"
Listening to the thump, thump, thump of fists pounding the table behind the curtain, Dream Weaver felt her own heart begin to pound in sync.
Wasn't this exactly what happened when she went to the fashion show with Orfevre?!
Back then, she'd thought Kobayashi Kaze worked hard on her racing outfit, and it was a rare chance, so why not invite her along?
She'd spent quite some time persuading Orfevre about it.
--+--
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.