Northern Starlight once tried to change the twisted outlook Dream Weaver had on life.
She even thought, for a time, that she had succeeded—at least, in daily interactions and outward behavior, Dream Weaver seemed no different from any other girl.
But it was only now that Northern Starlight finally realized the changes she'd made were only skin deep.
The legacy Dream Weaver had brought with her from her previous life into this world remained coiled deep within her, silently shaping her, driving her forward.
She was an impure Uma Musume.
She lacked that instinctive, primal love for running.
The sole reason she set foot on the track was for others. Even as the number of "others" grew through the scripted worlds she later experienced, the core logic beneath it all never changed.
In a sense, she was like a gacha machine—a wish-granting device.
People would turn their hopes and affection into coins, drop them in, turn the crank, and receive the hope they sought in return.
To someone like Tokai Teio, who had placed all her dreams on her own shoulders and held no expectations for Dream Weaver, such a machine was naturally a blank, meaningless void.
What Teio couldn't accept was the fact that her dreams had been taken by a girl as empty and mechanical as that.
Now, faced with Northern Starlight' earnest words, Dream Weaver could only blink in confusion.
"Do what…?"
"But… there's nothing I want to do, either?"
From Dream Weaver's perspective, she was already happy.
The suffocating pressure that had once loomed over her like a mountain was gone.
The prize money from two G1 titles meant she had no financial worries at all.
If she wanted, she could even order a serving of tonkatsu from the food street outside campus every single day!
After all, the school cafeteria alone was enough to cover the energy she burned during training. This was an expense beyond mere survival!
So the true value of that tonkatsu went without saying. It signified a clear departure from the realm of basic living and an entry into a life of genuine enjoyment.
She was already this happy. Wasn't the only logical next step to help others who weren't so fortunate?
After laying out this theory for Northern Starlight, Dream Weaver watched as her expression shifted from serious to… pained.
"It's just tonkatsu… Mom doesn't remember raising you that lean, you know…"
Despite lacking formal education, Northern Starlight was still an Uma Musume.
Her physical abilities were undeniable, and taking on manual labor—things that had once been second nature on the track—was a breeze for her.
Even after quitting her long-hour job for Dream Weaver's sake, she'd maintained a normal life. She'd rented an apartment in Tokyo, filled it with appliances, and never skimped on meals.
If not for the savings Northern Starlight had built up, Dream Weaver would never have been able to afford the training and exams to get into Tracen Academy in the first place, with her income and expenses so completely out of balance.
"But relying on Mom isn't the same as relying on myself—"
"What's yours and mine?! Dream came into this world from my body! There's no separation!"
Before Dream Weaver could even finish, her words were smothered by Northern Starlight tackling her into a bear hug.
Gasping for air, she patted frantically at Northern Starlight' arm, her voice muffled against her chest.
"Wasn't I adopted?! And let go, I can't breathe!"
"Don't care, don't care, don't care! Dream is my child, and that's final!"
Unexpectedly, this only made Northern Starlight hug her tighter. Still holding Dream Weaver, she fished her phone out of her pocket with her free hand and dialed.
"Mom! Your granddaughter can't even afford tonkatsu anymore! Send her money, quick!"
The sheer force of personality and practiced wording made it hard not to suspect Northern Starlight had used this exact line plenty during her school days.
On the other end of the line, Northern Starlight's mother, busy with work, narrowed her eyes. A sharp, chilling glint flashed in them as she immediately turned to her secretary and issued an order.
"Go bring our young lady back. I can no longer tolerate her staying in that environment a moment longer."
The secretary gave a grave nod.
A few phone calls later, a group of large men in black suits and sunglasses—practically carbon copies of yakuza extras—were speeding toward Tokyo in a fleet of sleek black sedans.
Before Dream Weaver could process what was happening, Northern Starlight seemed to have another idea and reached for her phone again. This time, it would undoubtedly be a call to Mejiro Asama.
Still unaware of the storm these two calls were about to unleash, Dream Weaver instinctively tried to stop her.
But her B-Rank Power was no match for a professional manual laborer like Northern Starlight.
Completely unfazed, Northern Starlight powered through Dream Weaver's attempts to block her and dialed another number.
"Auntie! Dream in danger! Come quick!"
Far away in Tokyo, Mejiro Asama set down her phone with a grave expression, staring at the mere seconds-long call log in silence.
After a long moment, as if finally making a decision, she picked up the red landline on her desk and dialed.
"Ramonu, the Mejiro family affairs are in your hands for now. Consider it training for the heir apparent."
Without waiting for Mejiro Ramonu's response, she grabbed her coat and rushed out the door.
If the first call hadn't quite registered, Northern Starlight' brief, urgent message this time sent a very unpleasant premonition shooting through Dream Weaver.
Northern Starlight' gaze was firm. She looked at Dream Weaver and spoke.
"Dream, you can't find what you want. You can't find what running means to you, right?"
"Then it's time to go looking! Let's experience everything interesting this world has to offer! Forget the racetrack for now—the point is, we can't put this off any longer!"
"Take a leave of absence! Before the Japanese Derby, I swear I'll help you find what you're searching for!"
At this point, Northern Starlight had abandoned any hope of single-handedly reshaping Dream Weaver's worldview.
She'd made up her mind.
Even if she had to batter down the walls around Dream Weaver's heart with a saturation bombardment of love and sweetness, she would do it.
Combining the strength of two great families, the Northern family and the Mejiro family, she would make sure Dream Weaver broke free from her inner emptiness and found something she truly wanted to dedicate herself to.
Northern Starlight refused to believe that in a world full of so many things, there wasn't a single one capable of moving Dream Weaver's heart.
"This is ridiculous…"
Dream Weaver barely managed a soft protest before Northern Starlight slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to her feet. Pointing at the setting sun, Northern Starlight made a vow.
"I will absolutely make you human!"
To Northern Starlight, this was a signal.
The very fact that Dream Weaver was questioning the meaning of her running proved she had already begun to develop a consciousness that sought self-discovery.
This was a good opportunity.
Northern Starlight didn't care about Triple Crowns.
She only wanted her daughter to have a normal outlook on life, to be able to love herself before loving others.
--+--
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.