After stepping out of the black sedan, Mejiro Ramonu pressed a hand to her forehead, feeling unwell. The mountain road, left unmaintained for who knew how many years, had been so bumpy that even a champion Uma Musume like her—who'd won the Triple Tiara—felt a little dizzy.
She took a deep breath, then turned to the driver up front.
"Remind me to compensate the people who came here before," she said.
The driver, a steady man from the Mejiro family who had just opened the car door for her, gave a calm nod. "Young mistress, would you like me to accompany you? I've been here several times with my colleagues before—it might be of some help."
"No need. Past failures have already proven that won't work."
"Let me speak with her alone."
"After all… by blood, I am her elder sister."
With a wave of her hand, Mejiro Ramonu motioned for the driver to stay where he was, then lifted her gaze toward what lay ahead.
In the depths of the mountain in late winter, not a trace of life could be sensed. Once snow buried the world, even the air she breathed turned bitingly cold.
As her eyes fell upon the dilapidated Western-style mansion half-buried under a blanket of white, she couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath.
She lives in a place like this?
Having grown up in the privileged environment of the Mejiro family, Mejiro Ramonu simply couldn't comprehend how anyone could live here. What was the difference between living in a place like this and surviving in the wilderness?
"I really must bring that child away from here… even if it takes force," Mejiro Ramonu murmured under her breath, staring at the old, drafty mansion.
Over a month ago, her grandmother, Mejiro Asama, had begun sending people here, trying to bring back the Mejiro bloodline that had been left outside the family. But no matter how many times they came, the Uma Musume dwelling deep in the mountains stubbornly refused to leave.
As the most responsible of the younger generation and a candidate to succeed as family head, Mejiro Ramonu had been entrusted with this important task—to personally bring the Uma Musume named Northern Dreams back to the Mejiro household.
Though once she returns, her name will probably become Mejiro Dreams, she thought, trudging with difficulty through the deep snow.
Before being assigned this mission, even she—a candidate to lead the Mejiro family—had been completely unaware that Northern Dreams carried Mejiro blood.
Grandmother Mejiro Asama seemed to have wanted to keep it hidden. It was only because no one else had succeeded in bringing Northern Dreams back that she finally entrusted the task to Mejiro Ramonu.
And Ramonu hadn't delayed. Using the resources at her disposal, she immediately began investigating Northern Dreams.
"The Uma Musume who won the Kikuka-shō by a staggering five lengths, defeating the 'Shadow Roll Monster.' So powerful that she was selected to compete in the Arima Kinen."
"But just as everyone was eagerly awaiting her second showdown with Narita Brian, she suddenly broke her promise and vanished—just like after her debut race."
Recalling the information she'd gathered, Mejiro Ramonu pursed her lips.
Northern Dreams' victory in the Kikuka-shō had been controversial. Many of Narita Brian's staunch supporters refused to acknowledge the five-length margin, clinging instead to the arguments of a former commentator—insisting Northern Dreams had merely caught Narita Brian off guard.
Some even spun the commentator's demotion into a conspiracy, claiming on social media that the established families were manipulating the horse racing world, forcibly propping up an Uma Musume from a noble house to snipe Narita Brian.
Their reasoning? The elite families didn't want a non-elite Uma Musume to win the Triple Crown.
The first time she'd heard that absurd theory, Mejiro Ramonu had nearly laughed in anger. Since when did the great families wield that much power? And the idea that they could "lock down" the Triple Crown within their circles was even more ridiculous.
So far, there had only been four Triple Crown winners in total—since when did the families have the power to control who earned that honor?
But the tide of public opinion had already turned, and it was beyond Mejiro Ramonu's power to stop it.
Especially now that Narita Brian had just won the Arima Kinen by three lengths, triumphing over a field of powerful rivals. Unlike in her classic year, this time her opponents included legendary Uma Musume who had already won G1 races.
Winning against such fierce competition had only boosted Narita Brian's popularity further—and in turn, the negative rumors surrounding Northern Dreams grew louder and more widespread.
The same old argument: if she could really defeat Narita Brian head-to-head, then why had she avoided a match during the classic races? And why skip the Arima Kinen?
To many spectators, this was clear proof that she lacked the confidence to beat Narita Brian.
But Mejiro Ramonu, a Triple Tiara winner herself, saw things differently. Even from race replays, she could clearly sense the gap between Northern Dreams and Narita Brian. And as a candidate to lead the Mejiro family, she knew far more than the average person.
There was only one reason Northern Dreams hadn't participated in the Arima Kinen: she was holding a funeral for her grandmother.
Here, in these remote mountains where no one ever visited, a promising Uma Musume had given up glory within her reach, choosing instead to shoulder the public's misunderstanding and scorn—all to lay to rest her last remaining family member.
The thought made Mejiro Ramonu's hands clench into fists. That same complex emotion she'd felt when first learning the truth welled up inside her once more.
How she wanted to stand before those reporters and rebuke the ignorant spectators—to condemn the sheer malice they'd poured out over a mere war of words. Did they ever stop to think how much pressure their words could place on an Uma Musume?
Losing a loved one, missing out on glory… Mejiro Ramonu hardly dared imagine how much pain Dream Weaver must be carrying in her heart.
But as a scion of a great family, speaking out now would only make things worse.
So the only thing she could do was bring Dream Weaver back to the Mejiro family, hoping that the warmth of family and kin might comfort the young girl who had endured so much misfortune.
Firm in her resolve to bring Dream Weaver home, Mejiro Ramonu finally reached the decrepit Western-style mansion. The snow-covered front door wasn't fully closed but stood slightly ajar.
Through the gap, she could see cobwebs and dust covering the main hall. Her sense of disbelief deepened.
For a moment, she wondered if the driver had taken a wrong turn. Could an Uma Musume really be living in a place like this?
But she quickly composed herself. Whether she was here or not, she had to go in and see. Frowning, Mejiro Ramonu pushed the door open and stepped inside.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 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!
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If you guys wanna check it out.