In the end, Dream Weaver still agreed to Chizuru Haibara's request—to compete in only one G1-level race this year.
After all, the three G1 races she could enter were all scheduled for December.
If she really went ahead and entered all of them as Sakura Bakushin O had suggested—well, she could probably win them, sure—but then the public's opinion of Chizuru Haibara would definitely turn into that of a heartless trainer exploiting her Uma Musume.
Dream Weaver hadn't really thought it through before, figuring more wins just meant more success.
Thankfully, Sakura Bakushin O's rather… unreliable strategy snapped her right out of that line of thinking.
In a way, I suppose she did help after all.
Once they'd reached this understanding, Chizuru Haibara and Dream Weaver discussed it and finally settled on the Hopeful Stakes at the end of December as their G1 target.
But to compete at the G1 level, you first need a strategy—a game plan to secure victory.
Dream Weaver initially thought of doing things the usual way: filing a request for the school to help sort it out. But Chizuru Haibara just mysteriously told her she had a faster method.
The next day, Dream Weaver found herself pulled along by Chizuru Haibara to a quiet, out-of-the-way corner of Central Tracen Academy.
Looking at the crooked wooden plaque on the door handle, with its all-too-familiar handwriting, Dream Weaver felt her eye twitch involuntarily.
"[Kasamatsu Uma Musume Enthusiast Club (Dream Weaver Support Association Headquarters) (Haibara-gumi)]."
She glanced at the sign, then at Chizuru Haibara beside her, pointing at the words with a tone of uncertainty.
"When you were scheming for the club president position before… it wasn't just to make all three of these names official at once, was it…?"
Chizuru Haibara's face stiffened a little too. She stared at the cramped handwriting on the plaque and muttered under her breath, "Darn it, I totally forgot about that part!"
Hearing this, Dream Weaver poked Chizuru Haibara in the side, then pointed to her own horse ears atop her head, giving them a little wiggle—but said nothing at all.
Yet somehow, it felt like she'd said everything.
"Are Uma Musume's hearing really that sharp?"
Chizuru Haibara could feel cold sweat beginning to form on her forehead.
"At this distance, anyone could hear you."
Dream Weaver gestured to the space between them—no more than a hand's width apart—and spoke matter-of-factly.
Chizuru Haibara's expression shifted from flustered to panicked, and then, strangely, to one of determination. She patted Dream Weaver's shoulder, her gaze turning profound.
"Dream Weaver… only you can make it right!"
"But you all are just messing around, aren't you?"
With that, Dream Weaver ignored Chizuru Haibara and stepped forward to pull open the door handle.
As she pushed the door open, before she could even make out how many people were inside the club room, a wall of overlapping voices surged over and engulfed her.
"I'm telling you, the student council is targeting us! They write all vague on the forums, but if I can't figure it out, I'll just submit a blank petition from the Haibara Group!"
"(Kasamatsu curse words)! How did the student council turn out like this? We need to come down hard on them!"
Nanno Sumire pounded the table as she shouted, completely unaware that someone new had appeared at the doorway.
"Um… Sumire, aren't you the 'Enforcer'? I'm supposed to be the 'Strategist,' right?"
Artisan Bell, sitting to the side, timidly raised her hand.
"Positions go to those with virtue! Can't I be both Enforcer and Strategist?!"
Nanno Sumire's face flushed with anger. She slammed the table, grinding her teeth.
"The competition's already tough enough as it is! Never mind that ridiculous trio, that self-proclaimed 'Confession Club' that joined recently is a serious rival we have to take seriously! This move by the student council… I bet Narita Brian is behind it, pulling their strings from the shadows!"
"In this critical moment of survival, what is our leader, Chizuru Haibara, even doing?! As a trainer, she has so many more opportunities than us—why hasn't she invited Dream Weaver to be her charge yet?!"
"(Kasamatsu curse words)! How can an adult like her be so petty?!"
Kobayashi Kaze, never one to shy away from stirring the pot, immediately started clapping like an enthusiastic sidekick, cheering from the sidelines.
"Yes! Sumire's right! Overthrow the tyrant Chizuru! Restore Kasamatsu's glory!"
Oguri Roman nodded in earnest agreement, addressing Nanno Sumire, "For Dream Weaver's sake, Sumire… please become the light!"
Even Artisan Bell didn't voice an objection this time, just sitting to the side with a helpless little laugh.
Watching this display, regardless of what Dream Weaver's expression might have been, the look on Chizuru Haibara's face was already dramatic enough.
She never could have imagined that just by showing up a little less often recently, she'd already been sidelined by Nanno Sumire.
If she'd arrived any later, what these girls might have done—she didn't even dare think about it!
Instinctively, Chizuru Haibara took two steps back, positioning Dream Weaver in front of her like a shield, and pointed at the rebellious traitors.
"Dream Weaver, go! Arrest them all for treason!"
Hearing this, Dream Weaver turned her head, glanced at Chizuru Haibara hiding behind her, then looked at the Kasamatsu Uma Musume across the room. She pointed at herself.
"Huh, me?"
'Didn't you just say yesterday not to openly tell everyone about having memories? And now you're ordering me around without a care… Aren't you afraid they'll figure it out?'
Hiding behind Dream Weaver, Chizuru Haibara offered an embarrassed smile. She'd been so enraged by these Kasamatsu girls that she'd momentarily lost her composure and acted on impulse.
Now that she'd remembered, she could only apologize to Dream Weaver with her eyes and silently mouth the words, 'I'll handle them from here.'
By now, the Kasamatsu Uma Musume had finally noticed Dream Weaver standing at the entrance, and they were completely frozen.
Nanno Sumire, who had been shouting the loudest just moments ago, flushed deep red.
Her finger trembled as she pointed at Dream Weaver, but no words came out—only a strange, gurgling noise from her throat.
Artisan Bell and Oguri Roman also stared, dumbfounded, at Dream Weaver's sudden appearance.
Kobayashi Kaze wasn't faring much better, but as a loyal member of the Kasamatsu sisterhood, even in her shock she remembered to pull out her phone, video call Nishimoto Makusa, and then point the screen right at Dream Weaver.
Even Chizuru Haibara had to inwardly acknowledge such devotion.
But now wasn't the time to praise Kobayashi Kaze. She cleared her throat lightly and stepped out from behind Dream Weaver, putting on an air of nonchalance as she addressed the Uma Musume.
"Before, when I wasn't making moves, you could call me Chizuru Haibara and I wouldn't mind."
"But now…"
With that, Chizuru Haibara patted Dream Weaver's shoulder.
"What should you call me?"
--+--
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.