The mechanical Uma Musume's head snapped up, her vertical green pupils instantly erupting with a piercing light.
With heavy, rhythmic thuds, she began to close the distance toward Dream Weaver, one deliberate step at a time.
Though her pace was slow, she moved with an incredible sense of raw power, as if every footfall sent a tremor through the earth itself.
Perhaps stunned by the sheer weight of that presence, Dream Weaver stood frozen, making no move to retreat as the machine drew closer.
But then, the mechanical girl's once-fluid movements suddenly hitched.
Following a brief, frantic burst of mechanical static—clang!—she collapsed face-first onto the ground. As if jolted awake by the noise, Dream Weaver rushed forward to check on her.
She carefully rolled the mechanical Uma Musume over, letting out a sigh of relief only after confirming there wasn't a single scratch on her front.
Then, as if stroking a priceless work of art, she began to pet the robot's somewhat vacant-looking head.
With the initial shock fading, a closer look revealed that this mechanical girl wasn't nearly as exquisite or perfect as Dream Weaver had first imagined.
From the slightly simplified head design to the cumbersome limbs, it was clear she was still very much a work in progress.
Dream Weaver didn't care about any of that, though. This was her first time seeing a walking humanoid robot in the real world.
While it wasn't a giant unit like a Gundam, seeing a machine built to a human scale was enough to send her imagination into overdrive.
She poked the green power core on the robot's chest, trying to jumpstart it.
When it failed to respond, she didn't give up, instead experimentally shouting out phrases like "Equip!" or "Transform!"
Finally, after trying what felt like dozens of different voice commands, a dejected Dream Weaver slumped. Cupping the mechanical Uma Musume's cheeks, she muttered to herself.
"Can you really not transform into armor and attach yourself to a person?"
"I can't do the 'attaching' bit yet, but uploading a person's consciousness into a mechanical Uma Musume is certainly possible."
Just as Dream Weaver thought the machine had completely fried, it suddenly spoke.
Startled, Dream Weaver instinctively let go of the head, only to catch it again a second later as if terrified she might break it.
"I get the feeling you cherish this child even more than I do..."
A human voice drifted in from behind the robot. Dream Weaver didn't look back immediately; she waited until the light in the mechanical girl's eyes had completely dimmed before finally looking up.
Standing—or rather, sitting—before her was an Uma Musume in a wheelchair.
She wore a button-down shirt and trousers, giving her the air of a mature adult, though her somewhat petite stature put a large question mark over that assumption.
Having reviewed the files beforehand, Dream Weaver recognized her instantly. She dashed over, grabbed the woman's hands, and said with sparkling eyes:
"Regarding this mechanical Uma Musume... please, tell me everything!"
"I'm begging you, Professor Sweet Light!"
Agnes Tachyon, who had been watching the scene unfold from the sidelines for quite some time, shook her oversized sleeves with dissatisfaction.
"This isn't fair! Why is the treatment between us so drastically different? Is a robot really better than my formulas?!"
Dream Weaver had no intention of entertaining Agnes Tachyon's nonsense. Instead, she kept her glowing gaze fixed intently on Sweet Light.
Seemingly flushed by the heat of that intense stare, a faint blush crept onto the woman's face. She cleared her throat before speaking.
"Rather than Sweet Light, I'd prefer it if people called me Sugar Lights."
"No problem, Professor Lights!"
Dream Weaver agreed instantly, caring for nothing but the pursuit of robotic knowledge.
"And one more thing... I'm not a professor yet. The title should be 'Doctor,' actually."
"Absolutely not!"
Upon hearing this, Dream Weaver became inexplicably agitated. She gripped the other woman's hands and shouted passionately:
"How could someone as revolutionary as you just be a 'Doctor'? I'd say those people in charge of titles are all blind fools!"
She pointed toward the fallen mechanical Uma Musume behind them and cried out, "That... that is a Robot!"
"Seriously, why is the difference in treatment so huge?"
Agnes Tachyon walked up behind Dream Weaver, petulantly swatting at her head with her long, baggy sleeves.
Dream Weaver ignored her, instead pointing toward the mechanical Uma Musume with the nervous excitement of a young man meeting his crush.
"Can I know her name?"
Seeing that she truly loved the creation, Sugar Lights broke into a smile. No creator dislikes hearing praise for the work they poured their soul into.
"ST-2. Her name is ST-2."
"And for the record, the official name of my glowing potion is 'Uma Musume Potential Activation Formula - Revised = Grape Soda Flavor Edition,'" Agnes Tachyon chimed in, refusing to be left out.
Dream Weaver continued to ignore her, pressing Dr. Sugar Lights for more details.
Having been brushed off time and time again, Agnes Tachyon finally snapped.
She stepped to the side and used her large sleeves to physically turn Dream Weaver's head to face her.
"Listen to me! Robotics is just an immature technology. Our natural Uma Musume bodies are far superior to cold machinery! How could cold data and code ever replicate the infinite possibilities of an Uma Musume?"
Before Dream Weaver could even respond, Sugar Lights, feeling belittled, grew irritated.
"Machinery is exactly what offers a broader future! Setting aside the modules that can evolve infinitely with technology, virtual upload tech could allow an Uma Musume to escape physical injury entirely. A professional career could be extended indefinitely!"
"Furthermore, compared to innate talent, mechanical Uma Musume allow all competitors to stand on the same starting line. The only way to win would be through the wisdom and experience accumulated over the years."
Saying this, she patted Dream Weaver on the shoulder and declared loudly:
"An 'old-timer' like you, Weaver, could continue to write your own legend on the turf!"
Dream Weaver, who had zero self-awareness regarding being an "old-timer," pointed at herself as if to say, Me?
"Everything you just described can be achieved through biological modification! The potential hidden within an Uma Musume's body can't be matched by a machine!"
"Current Uma Musume simply haven't tapped into their full power. But with the help of my Potential Activation Formula, no one will ever be held back by the limitations of their body again!"
Seeing that neither could convince the other, they both immediately turned their gaze toward the third party in the room, hoping to win the tie-breaking vote from Dream Weaver.
"Dream Weaver (My dear guinea pig)! Which one do you choose?!"
Staring into those two pairs of intense eyes, Dream Weaver felt like answering this question might be hazardous to her health.
She let out a dry, nervous laugh.
"Can I... have both?"
--+--
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.