This was a rather presumptuous request, and the dorm mother was, understandably, taken aback.
But Symboli Rudolf, drawing upon the eloquence honed during her tenure as Student Council President and her widely respected reputation, managed to convince her.
She was, after all, the renowned Emperor, an Undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume. Surely, she wouldn't do anything untoward to a cherished underclassman?
In the end, it was only after Rudolf's repeated assurances, and the dorm mother's belief that she truly was friends with Dream Weaver, that she produced the room key.
"Make sure you tell her yourself when you go in, alright?"
Rudolf nodded eagerly in response and followed the woman up to the second floor of the apartment building.
The nameplate bearing the number 201 was slightly yellowed, but polished to a shine.
The floor in front of the door was spotless, suggesting the dorm mother had been cleaning these past few days.
The key turned in the lock with a click. The dorm mother gestured for Rudolf to take over, stepping aside as she spoke.
"I won't go in. When you're done, just come back downstairs and return the key."
Watching her retreating figure, Rudolf swallowed hard. A nervous hand closed around the doorknob.
As an Uma Musume, she could easily have broken the door down without a key, but holding the knob now, the door felt impossibly heavy, as if she were about to open a portal to another world.
Only now did the full weight of what she was doing hit her.
Driven by a momentary curiosity, she was about to break into someone's room, even using her position as Student Council President to trick her way into getting the key.
Had she really become the sort of scheming "Night Emperor of Tracen" they wrote about on those forums?!
But the die was cast. There was no turning back now. Since she'd come this far, she might as well go in and have a look.
If worse came to worst, she could just say she'd barged in to deliver a school announcement!
Steeling herself, Rudolf pulled the door open. But instead of the evening sun, she was met with darkness. She froze.
The room had no windows, and naturally, no light source.
Though the world behind her blazed with sunset hues, the interior was as black as night, as if the door itself severed two different realms.
A sudden chill ran through Rudolf. She couldn't tell if it was from the early spring breeze or the gloom of the room.
The dorm mother had assured her this was the best room, the only one in this rundown building with both a kitchen and a bathroom.
Rudolf had expected to find a shabby but cozy little room, perhaps cluttered with the paraphernalia of youth, like the dorms she inspected.
But all she could see was darkness.
She felt along the wall near the door, searching for a light switch. Her fingers traced only dust and the peeling edges of wallpaper.
After what felt like an eternity, she finally found it.
A dim, yellowish light flickered on, illuminating the room's most reflective surface: a narrow, white single bed.
No, that wasn't right. Rudolf suddenly noticed the sheets were actually blue plaid, just washed to a pale, faded white.
It was unlike any bed she'd ever seen.
During dorm inspections, Uma Musume Dream Weaver's age always had brightly patterned sheets and thick, fluffy comforters, beds that practically invited you to jump in and be enveloped in warmth.
But this one, with its narrow, starkly white bed, felt only hard and cold.
She forced her gaze away, searching for something, anything, that might suit a young girl.
The "kitchen" the dorm mother mentioned was just a gas burner in the corner.
It was clean, devoid of food, as if its occupant had known she'd be away and finished everything off.
Only a cheap plastic bread wrapper lay discarded on top, probably from her last meal before leaving.
Rudolf picked it up. It was inexpensive, still bearing a red discount sticker. Dream Weaver must have bought it on the evening markdown.
But she was from two prestigious families. Even on her own, winning two G1 races should have earned her a considerable sum.
Why live so frugally?
A wave of dryness washed over Rudolf.
She recalled Dream Weaver mentioning how much she loved the cafeteria food.
The same food so many students grew tired of, scheming against the student council to order takeout just to avoid it.
Yet Dream Weaver ate it with such simple joy.
She forced herself to look away from the kitchen, turning her attention to the inner part of the room, hoping to find something there.
Uma Musume Dream Weaver's age always had hobbies.
Stuffed animals, games... Rudolf wanted to find something similar, anything to convince herself that Dream Weaver's frugality was a choice made to fund a passion.
Right, she liked watching anime, didn't she? Maybe there'd be some merchandise here.
Rudolf often saw such things during dorm inspections. She was sure she'd recognize it.
But there was nothing.
No merchandise, not even a television.
She loved anime so much, always unintentionally referencing obscure jokes that no one but Gold Ship understood. How could she not even have a way to watch it?
Rudolf didn't want to believe it, but she had to.
The room was simply too bare.
There was no place to hide anything.
A low, chipped tea table with a few well-thumbed textbooks.
A worn-down wardrobe containing a few Tracen uniforms, one tracksuit, and one set of casual clothes.
That was all Dream Weaver owned.
Rudolf picked up a book from the tea table. They were basic guides on teaching beginners how to run, but their margins were crammed with notes.
Clutching the book, she walked slowly to the bed and sat down, trying to imagine Dream Weaver there.
No television, not even a window.
Sitting here, she couldn't even watch the sunset. Just turn the pages of these books, over and over, under the dim yellow light.
There was nothing else.
Rudolf couldn't find a single thing that had shaped the Uma Musume known as Dream Weaver.
It was as if she were a void, with only racing inside.
No, maybe not even racing. Rudolf couldn't imagine such a lonely person having any room left in their heart for it.
In that instant, Rudolf understood Northern Starlight.
Understood why she'd taken leave to bring Dream Weaver along. Perhaps she was trying to fill that void.
A bitter laugh escaped her.
Not just at herself, but at all the Uma Musume at Tracen.
One after another, they'd sought Dream Weaver's affection, never once seeing who she truly was.
They just instinctively wanted another salvation from her, like in another world.
Was it too selfish, coming to someone like this seeking hope?
Rudolf dropped the book and lay back on the hard, narrow bed. A wave of exhaustion washed over her, its source unknown.
But then, she noticed a white envelope by the pillow, so inconspicuous she'd missed it entirely.
The first external object she'd found in the room. She shot up, disregarding privacy, and snatched the envelope, tearing it open.
She needed to prove something.
To prove Dream Weaver wasn't so empty.
That in this lonely room, she'd kept something for herself.
Inside were a photograph and a newspaper clipping.
The photo showed a bedridden Dream Weaver with an older Kasamatsu crew and the others.
The clipping was a newspaper article announcing her victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, shattering the European myth.
She held the trophy aloft, surrounded by Rudolf, Mr. C.B., Shinzan, and the others, all embracing her.
This must be from the other world, Rudolf thought, her hands trembling.
She didn't want to dwell on how Dream Weaver had this. She was suddenly struck by two things.
This envelope was the single possession Dream Weaver had kept for herself in this almost empty room. It lay by her pillow, as if she looked at it every night.
And she must have handled it with immense care. Rudolf saw not a single crease, the envelope so pristine it nearly blended with the bedsheet.
All strength left Rudolf.
She slumped onto the bed, draping the newspaper over her face, breathing in the air from another world through the dim light.
Had Dream Weaver done this too?
The thought echoed in Rudolf's mind.
--+--
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.