Once again, this script world had cast Dream Weaver as a student at Tracen Academy.
Living in the dorms meant having a roommate, but Dream Weaver never expected that the class monitor—who seemed to exist just to introduce the world's setting—would turn out to be hers.
Then again, that might explain why the monitor had been so unusually kind to her, constantly pushing her to train harder with an almost exasperated, "you-could-be-so-much-better" attitude.
In that case, simply calling her "the class monitor" wouldn't do. If they were going to be roommates for at least a whole year, Dream Weaver really needed to learn her name.
But asking directly felt awkward. After all, the girl seemed to know her so well—wouldn't it come off as rude to turn around and ask her name now?
Just as Dream Weaver was wrestling with this, head bowed in thought, she noticed a small difference between this world's gym uniform and the real one: a small white nametag was sewn over the chest, displaying the wearer's class and name.
Following that clue, Dream Weaver subtly let her gaze drift toward the monitor's chest.
But before she could make out the words, her roommate blushed bright red, clasped her hands over her chest, and looked at Dream Weaver with a pitiful expression.
"Th-this is just natural! No matter how much you want them, Dream, I can't just give them to you!"
Dream Weaver froze for a second before realizing what she meant. She gritted her teeth and shot back, "Who wants those?!"
Despite the strange misunderstanding, Dream Weaver eventually managed to read her roommate's name during the mutual training session later that day.
"Shiragawa."
"Hm? What is it, Dream?"
On their way to the cafeteria after class, Dream Weaver had unconsciously spoken the name aloud, drawing a curious look from Shiragawa herself.
"Nothing. It's just… for some reason, that name really seems to suit you."
"Like the person matches the name? Is that a compliment, Dream?"
Shiragawa scratched her cheek shyly, her dark braids swaying behind her with the movement.
"Suppose so," Dream Weaver replied noncommittally.
When the two arrived at the Tracen cafeteria, deep in conversation, Dream Weaver suddenly noticed that the crowded room—packed with Uma Musume—had gone quiet.
Every pair of eyes seemed to be drifting in their direction.
She glanced left and right but didn't spot any famously recognizable Uma Musume. Puzzled, she poked Shiragawa in the side and whispered, "Am I… famous or something?"
Shiragawa gave her a look that was hard to interpret, then silently turned Dream Weaver around by the shoulders.
"They're looking at her," she said, pointing into the distance.
Dream Weaver followed her finger and finally understood the moment she recognized the figure standing across the room.
"Oh, the President."
Indeed, the Uma Musume who had captured everyone's attention simply by appearing was none other than the real Tracen Academy's student council president: Symboli Rudolf.
So ingrained was Rudolf's identity and image in Dream Weaver' mind that she murmured the title without thinking.
"Pre…sident? Dream, what are you talking about? She's the young lady of the Symboli family!"
But what Dream Weaver hadn't anticipated was that, in this world, the Uma Musume so firmly linked in her mind with the student council president hadn't yet taken up the role.
"Given her talent and the success she's bound to achieve, she might become president someday," Shiragawa admitted.
"But Dream… she's actually a year below us, you know."
"Huh?"
But Dream Weaver hardly noticed. The idea that Symboli Rudolf could be her junior was far more shocking than a change in nickname.
Seeing her space out again, Shiragawa sighed and patiently explained, "The Symboli family is an esteemed lineage, and Symboli Rudolf is the most outstanding of her generation. Everyone's had high hopes for her since she was little."
"Lots of people say she might be the second Japanese Uma Musume after Miss Shinzan to win the Triple Crown titles."
"So even though she's officially a student here at Central Tracen, she hardly ever comes to class or trains on campus. That's probably why everyone's so curious about her."
After listening to Shiragawa's rapid-fire explanation, Dream Weaver finally calmed down.
Right—she already knew this script world differed from reality.
This particular script was even more drastically different from the real one. So what if Symboli Rudolf was her underclassman here? Nothing to be shocked about.
"Shiragawa, you really know a lot."
"I only know what I know! You're the one who's clueless, Dream."
Having inherited zero memories in this script world, Dream Weaver had no rebuttal. Not wanting her roommate to think she was a total airhead, she quickly changed the subject.
"But you don't seem that interested in Symboli Rudolf?"
"Everyone else was staring, but you didn't even turn to look."
If Dream Weaver hadn't asked, Shiragawa wouldn't have so much as glanced Rudolf's way.
"It's because everyone sees her as Miss Shinzan's successor…" Shiragawa muttered under her breath.
Dream Weaver gave a faint, wry smile. She'd forgotten—Shiragawa was a devoted fan of Shinzan. Of course she wouldn't feel warmly toward the one everyone hailed as Shinzan's heir.
Besides, if there was already a "successor," didn't that mean Shinzan was about to retire?
Even though Rudolf had been on break lately, away from the track, and even the Triple Crown honors she once effortlessly claimed had been snatched by European Uma Musume, Shiragawa still didn't want to admit her idol was nearing retirement.
So with a quiet grumble, she nudged Dream Weaver from behind, steering her toward the cafeteria entrance.
"Let's just eat, already! I still have to tutor you in cultural theory tonight, you know? Thinking hard burns a lot of energy too!"
Seeing that Shiragawa had forgotten the "you're an airhead" line, Dream Weaver naturally didn't object, and the two entered the cafeteria together.
--+--
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.