Just like every holiday before it, New Year's break seemed to slip away in the blink of an eye for Dream Weaver.
Though the days felt oddly fleeting, she'd actually packed quite a lot into this holiday.
She'd formally visited the Mejiro and Northern families with her mother, met the outstanding Uma Musume of this generation from the Mejiro house, reconnected with Matikanetannhauser, visited the shrine with everyone from Kasamatsu, and was even dragged by T.M. Opera O to see a production of The Phantom of the Opera, among other things.
With her schedule jam-packed nearly every single day, Dream Weaver found herself oddly relieved when it was finally time to return to school.
For her, going to class was far more relaxing than being on break.
Tying two red ribbons behind her head and changing into her uniform, Dream Weaver patted her cheeks and stepped out of her apartment into the morning sun.
She exchanged her usual greetings with her elderly landlady, boarded the train—which, as always, gave her the vague feeling of being watched—and hadn't taken more than a few steps past the gates of Tracen Academy before familiar Uma Musume began coming up to say hello.
Chatting so much she nearly lost track of time, Dream Weaver hurried along and barely made it to the classroom one minute before the bell.
What followed was the most ordinary of routines: her mind wandered during general studies classes, she chatted about this and that with Sakura Bakushin O between periods, and come lunchtime, she headed to the cafeteria to eat, all the while feeling an inexplicably sharp gaze boring into her back.
Just when Dream Weaver thought her first day back would pass by uneventfully, one person's arrival abruptly shattered the calm.
"Tokai Teio?"
Dream Weaver said, a bit puzzled as she looked at Tokai Teio, who was now standing right in front of her.
Their interactions over the past few months had been limited.
Though they'd occasionally run into each other at the student council, Dream Weaver's schedule was so packed she rarely had spare time to spend with Uma Musume she'd met outside of the scripted world.
So, seeing Tokai Teio suddenly block her path did come as something of a surprise.
That little-girl poutiness Tokai Teio used to have seemed to have faded for some reason. Now, with her poker face, she carried an air of unexpected maturity.
"Dream Weaver… your next goal is the Triple Crown, right?"
"Naturally."
"I thought so."
She lowered her head, letting her bangs—like streaks of white starlight—fall over her brows, hiding the expression on her face.
This New Year's had been a mix of joy and trouble for Dream Weaver.
For Tokai Teio, however, the holiday consisted of just one thing: watching the replay of the Hopeful Stakes, over and over again.
As a genius, she naturally possessed a genius's eye.
After countless viewings, she'd become certain of one thing: the Dream Weaver in the Hopeful Stakes was a true monster.
It wasn't just Sakura Yamato and the others—even Tokai Teio herself knew deep down that victory would have been utterly impossible.
The only ones who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Dream Weaver were the truly world-class champions.
Rather than feeling discouraged upon reaching this conclusion, Tokai Teio's first reaction was to laugh—a laugh born from the sheer absurdity of the world.
Her life, up until now, had been incredibly smooth sailing.
Her extraordinary talent was recognized from a young age, making her widely known; her idol, the one she admired most, Symboli Rudolf, held her in special regard; and amid countless expectations, Tokai Teio quietly set her own lofty ambition.
That ambition was to become an Undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume, just like Symboli Rudolf.
Yet, the goal she pursued, everything she had strived for, had turned to dust in her debut race—her very first time on the track.
She had lost. Undeniably lost.
No matter how much she tried to brush it off, Tokai Teio knew in her heart that she could never become an Undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume.
Her "undefeated" status had vanished from the very beginning.
Still, an undefeated record was inherently uncertain. Even someone as strong as Symboli Rudolf had faced defeat, let alone herself, just starting out.
So, back then, Tokai Teio had only felt a little downcast before bouncing back with renewed optimism, throwing herself into training with twice the effort, driven by the conviction that she would defeat Dream Weaver.
Off the track, she remained the beloved, dazzling Tokai Teio everyone admired.
But on the track, her mindset had matured considerably.
Had things continued that way, Tokai Teio would have stepped into the Satsuki Sho as a stronger version of herself—ready to challenge the rival who had once bested her in her very best form.
But all of that changed with the Hopeful Stakes.
In front of Symboli Rudolf, Tokai Teio might still have been able to act somewhat like her old self, even indulging in a bit of spoiled behavior.
In private, however, or around others, the smile on her face had noticeably faded.
Truth be told, even with Symboli Rudolf, she couldn't bring herself to be as unreservedly playful as before.
Last time they met, she'd ended up fleeing the student council office mid-conversation and leaping down from the corridor.
Tokai Teio was a celebrated genius, an Uma Musume who had been looked up to since childhood, and the acknowledged successor of the Emperor, Symboli Rudolf.
Growing up in such an environment had naturally shaped her into a somewhat pampered, girlish figure.
One could say that everything that made up Tokai Teio's past was built upon the doting her talent had earned her.
And her goal of an Undefeated Triple Crown was the very reason Tokai Teio could accept all that doting with a clear conscience.
If I'm destined to become a great Undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume like President Rudolf, then it's only natural to be pampered a little, right?
A bit of playfulness is fine, isn't it? Even slacking off a little during training or drinking extra Hachimi shouldn't matter.
Someone like me deserves this kind of affection.
But this sense of entitlement had grown fragile under repeated blows.
Starting from her debut race, a gnawing unease had swelled within Tokai Teio.
Deep down, she knew that everything in her life was built upon her highly-touted talent.
If she failed to achieve her Undefeated Triple Crown goal, the first half of her life as the Uma Musume known as Tokai Teio would become a blank page.
Having lost her "undefeated" status, Tokai Teio threw herself into training with even greater intensity, even giving up her beloved Hachimi.
She was determined to catch up, to win the remaining Triple Crown races, to prove she was still worthy of that affection—to prove that the first half of her life as Tokai Teio hadn't been meaningless.
And then, the Hopeful Stakes arrived.
The race named "Hope" was, for Tokai Teio, nothing short of utter despair.
The more she understood, the more despairing she became. The clearer her comprehension grew, the harder it was for Tokai Teio to imagine how she could ever defeat Dream Weaver.
The undefeated record was gone.
The Triple Crown was slipping from her grasp.
The very foundation of Tokai Teio's existence seemed to be crumbling at the edges.
--+--
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.