The rain fell in a steady, pelting drizzle.
Darkness receded, and her senses slowly stirred back to life.
Her eyes snapped open. The girl found herself standing inside a house.
The lighting was dim, the smell of damp earth filled her nostrils, and a thick, watery humidity clung to her entire body. She shivered involuntarily from the chill.
"Where is this?"
Her eyes scanned the surroundings in confusion.
An unfamiliar room.
Spartan furnishings, rough-hewn tables and chairs, walls built of stone.
On the wall beside her, yellowed paper was pasted, covered in complex, antiquated script that was no longer in use.
Shifting her feet, she noticed a hanging lamp fixed to the wooden beam above her head, a candle inside flickering quietly.
The overwhelming sense of age made her think she'd accidentally stumbled into a long-abandoned farmhouse.
Yet, though the place felt old, the tables, chairs, and floor were all clean, clearly tended by someone.
Especially the hanging lamp.
The dripped and solidified wax had only formed a thin layer; it had obviously been replaced recently.
So, someone was living here?
The thought spurred her towards the door.
Instinct told her something was wrong.
Appearing here for no reason had to have a cause. Until she figured it out, she decided it was best not to raise any alarm.
And for some reason, she was here, but Sunday Silence wasn't with her.
Now, she was truly alone.
What's going on…
She held her head, still trying to piece together her situation.
She reached the wooden door and turned the poorly-made copper handle. With a grating creak, the handle jammed in place, refusing to turn.
Locked?
No, that didn't seem right…
With an Uma Musume's strength, even a locked flimsy wooden door could be broken open.
But no matter how much force she used, it wouldn't budge. The seemingly thin door was held fast by some invisible force.
She was trapped.
"Is someone there?"
A calm voice came from deeper within the room, followed by the sound of a chair scraping and footsteps.
Crap, she'd been discovered!
Panic fluttered in her chest. Her eyes darted around, searching.
There was one other way she could leave this place, but that hope was quickly dashed.
Why wasn't there a single reflective surface in this room? Not even a piece of glass!
The only thing with a bit of shine was a cup on the table, but you couldn't fit a fist in it, let alone a person.
No other choice!
Just as she clenched her fists, ready to smash through the door, the handle outside jiggled with a grating sound.
Someone was outside, about to enter.
This…!?
Her heart leapt into her throat.
Suddenly, she felt like a turtle trapped in a jar.
What to do?
No time to think. The footsteps drew closer. Behind her, the previously immovable door inexplicably swung open.
Whoosh—
A cold draft brushed her back.
The room's occupant stepped out.
It's over—
The girl thought.
But then, her eyes widened.
She recognized the person facing her.
Flame-red hair cascaded over her shoulders, with a streak of snowy white falling across her forehead. A girl with tanned skin stood before her.
It was the person she'd seen in her dreams.
Why… was she here?
"I was wondering when you'd be back."
The other girl suddenly crouched down, her gaze directed behind the girl.
There, with long black hair reaching her ankles and golden eyes that twinkled like stars against the night sky, was another figure.
A wave of familiarity instantly flooded the girl's mind.
That invisible red thread had been reconnected.
"Sunday Silence…"
Right at her feet.
So small.
It was a Sunday Silence who only came up to her thigh.
Perhaps she was too used to seeing the older version; seeing this tiny one so abruptly felt disorienting.
"What happened to you… and where is this?" the girl asked.
But the other girl acted as if she didn't notice her, walking straight into the room.
"You went running again, didn't you? I told you not to go out in the rain."
"It's the sky's fault, not mine."
"It was overcast this morning. Going out in weather like this, weren't you just asking to get soaked?"
The red-haired girl sighed, took a towel hanging from the wall, and crouched in front of the young Sunday Silence, gently drying her hair.
From start to finish, neither of them seemed to notice the girl standing by the doorway.
Frowning, lost in thought, she finally realized the problem.
Could it be… this is also a dream?
She'd had similar experiences before—seeing scenes she didn't remember, hearing voices she'd never heard.
If that were truly the case, this was far too realistic.
The dreams she usually knew were vague, their details, including people's voices and appearances, fading upon waking.
But here, not only were the appearances and voices clear, even the surroundings were sharply defined.
And even more incredible, she could actually feel things here, touch them physically.
A real dream?
That seemed the best way to put it.
Watching the young Sunday Silence snatch the towel and dry her own hair, the girl fell silent.
She'd suspected for a long time that these so-called 'dreams' were actually Sunday Silence's memories.
Why they manifested this way, she didn't know. But judging from her earlier inability to leave the room, perhaps the owner of these memories wanted her to keep watching.
"Ah-choo! Ah-choo—!"
A tickle in her nose. The young Sunday Silence, still drying her hair, let out a series of sneezes.
"Ah… your clothes are soaked through too. Stop drying your hair for now and go take a bath. Warm your body up, or you'll catch a cold."
"I don't catch colds that easily, I'm— ah… Ah-choo!"
"Alright, alright. Just go soak in some hot water for now."
"Stop using that tone like I'm a child!"
Despite her words, she obediently followed the red-haired girl back into the room.
The girl hurried after them.
"I don't have any other clothes for now. The humidity outside is too high, the laundry I washed can't dry. Just wear this for now."
As she spoke, the other girl pulled out a white shirt.
"That's your clothes, isn't it."
"Yeah, it is."
Sunday Silence made a face of disgust.
"Hey! My clothes are clean too, you know!"
"...Whatever. Better than being naked."
She began taking off her top.
Huh!? Am I supposed to be seeing this?
Standing behind them, the girl felt flustered and uncertain.
After all, from all the times they'd changed clothes, she'd gathered that Sunday Silence didn't want her seeing her body.
Embarrassment… or rather, shyness—one of the few things that didn't seem to fit her character.
But this Sunday Silence was a child, so maybe it was okay to keep watching…
Thinking this, the girl remained where she was.
"Need any help?"
"I can undress myself."
As she spoke, Sunday Silence took off her simple coat, her long hair spilling down her back from her neck.
Then, the girl saw Sunday Silence's body.
Her eyes slowly widened.
Her chest was bound with rough, black cloth strips. Her body revealed prominent ribs pressed tight against her skin. Her shoulders and arms were abnormally thin.
Thin…
So thin…
For a young girl in her growing years, her body was far too skinny.
The girl narrowed her eyes. She didn't understand what Sunday Silence had gone through in her past.
Just as she was about to keep watching, the red-haired girl suddenly stood up and walked over to her.
Huh?
"Sorry, 'Successor'. What comes next isn't for you to know yet."
"How are you—"
Before the girl could speak, the other's finger touched her forehead. Her body was forced backward, out the door. With a 'thud', the door shut, and a dizzying sensation washed over her.
The world grew darker before her eyes. The voices of Sunday Silence and the red-haired girl from inside the room faded away.
Growing more distant, fainter.
Then—
"Hah… Hah…"
Gasping for air, the girl's eyes flew open.
Unable to distinguish sky from ground, a giant clock hung overhead. She was back in that space of blue and purple.
She pressed a hand to her forehead; her skin felt faintly, unnaturally warm.
"Bad dream?" A soft voice sounded in her ear. Turning her head, she saw 'herself' reflected in the mirror.
"I think I was just…" She opened her mouth, images of the young Sunday Silence flashing before her eyes.
That gaunt body, as if it had never been properly cared for.
And that unyielding, unconcealable pride that never changed.
"Hm? What is it?"
"...No, it's nothing." The girl shook her head, her fingers still touching her forehead.
The tingling warmth remained.
Someday, I'll find out.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, 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.