Are the Three Goddesses Real?
Injuries from the Dream Cup healing in just a day or two?
Beneath his sunglasses, the grandfather's weathered face tightened with a look of utter consternation. Without another word, he chose to step outside alone to clear his head.
Just moments ago, Barbatos—who until recently needed a wheelchair to move—had suddenly appeared before him, standing upright on her own two feet.
It felt like a scene straight out of a drama: a dying patient startlingly sits up, a sudden and improbable return of vitality.
And she'd spoken with him so calmly, so openly, never once explaining how her legs had recovered.
Instead, she talked about how she'd met his granddaughter, and all the things they'd experienced together at Tracen Academy.
These were stories he, as her grandfather, had never heard before.
Sky-chan would occasionally share bits about school life with him, but never the tales Barbatos recounted.
That first-day prank, the little white lies, their initial bet, joining Team Canopus, her debut race, the Prince Cosplay at the cultural festival with Seiun Sky…
Barbatos had a way with words. With just a few phrases, she could paint a complete picture, making each memory feel vivid and real, as if he'd been there himself.
Though he came across as a tough, burly man, a bit rough around the edges, the grandfather was no fool.
Seiun Sky's cleverness had come from somewhere, and his own life had given him plenty of experience. He could sense, in Barbatos's every word and gesture, a genuine fondness for those shared moments with his granddaughter.
He could feel how much she cared for his little Sky.
It was only at the very end that she finally mentioned how her injuries had healed.
And honestly, compared to everything she'd just shared, the mystery of her overnight recovery didn't seem to matter as much anymore.
He had no intention of spreading it around, either.
It was just… a lot to take in all at once.
The fact that Barbatos had told him about the Dream Cup and the Three Goddesses—something strictly forbidden to disclose—proved that her relationship with his granddaughter had moved to a whole new level.
And the grandfather was one hundred percent certain: it had been his granddaughter who confessed first.
Barbatos didn't seem like the type to make the first move.
But there was no denying it—this Barbatos was the one who had… well, won over his precious granddaughter.
Stepping out of the house, he walked along the street, the air still carrying the festive scent of the New Year.
Puddles here and there had frozen over in the low temperature, turning into delicate sheets of ice.
The grandfather unconsciously pulled his leather jacket tighter. For the first time, this man who never felt the cold sensed a genuine winter chill—one that seemed to bite right into the bone.
It felt like only his trusty jacket could offer any warmth anymore.
After all, his own cozy, heartwarming little granddaughter had been spirited away by that Barbatos.
He hadn't voiced any objections.
If he expressed disapproval, Sky-chan would be upset, caught in the middle. He knew she would marry someone someday.
He just hadn't expected her to bring someone home after only a few months at school.
Grandpa wasn't mentally prepared for this.
"Uncle Seiun, why aren't you at home with Sky during the New Year?"
Just as he was lost in the winter's bite, a familiar, warmly matronly voice called out. The woman was pleasantly plump, embodying the comfortable, robust charm of middle age.
As she spoke, her hands moved in effortless, habitual gestures, giving off the friendly vibe of a neighborhood committee auntie.
She'd been the family's neighbor for decades. Though decades younger than him—closer in age to Seiun Sky's father—she still respectfully called him 'Uncle.'
Being a longtime neighbor, she knew his character well, knew how utterly doted on his granddaughter was.
Ever since Seiun Sky left for Tracen Academy, he watched every one of her races, followed every bit of news.
The usually reserved Seiun Kaito would share his joy with the neighbors whenever his granddaughter won a race.
To all the local folks, Seiun Sky was their hometown pride. From her debut race onward, she was three for three—not a single loss.
She'd even beaten that older-generation fan favorite, the 'Kikuka-shō Uma Musume' they all talked about—Super Creek.
So, knowing Seiun Sky was back home, they all figured Seiun Kaito would be glued to her side. Who'd have thought he'd be out and about at a time like this?
"Uh…"
The grandfather hesitated. Why had he come out?
The moment he thought it, that infuriatingly smug face of Barbatos popped into his mind.
Despite his hardened, tough-guy exterior, he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud—how could he admit his precious little granddaughter had been taken from him?
"Heh, don't tell me it's because of that… what's-her-name… Wind God, right?"
Being neighbors for so long, the middle-aged woman could read the situation.
Wasn't this just like the soap operas? Daughter brings a partner home.
Last night, the news of Seiun Sky and Barbatos visiting the shrine together had spread like wildfire among the older folks.
Those close to the Seiun family had seen Sky's races. They might have only heard of Barbatos in passing, not really following Uma Musume competitions closely.
But the human urge for gossip is impossible to hide.
Especially during the New Year, with little Sky bringing another Uma Musume home for the holidays.
All it took was one older person spotting them, and by the next morning, the whole neighborhood knew. Even if they were just friends, they'd be labeled a couple by now.
Seeing Uncle Seiun's state pretty much confirmed the rumors.
"Don't mention that kid. Gives me a headache just thinking about it."
The grandfather sighed helplessly.
He wasn't usually one for chatting with the neighborhood ladies, but right now, he needed to vent.
"Oh, come now, what's there to be headache about? Frankly, I was thinking if Sky ever had trouble finding someone, I'd work up the nerve to play matchmaker for my own boy."
"And look! She's already brought someone home in no time at all."
"Between you and me, if it were someone else, you might have an even bigger headache."
"Someone else?"
The grandfather's mind, still stuck on his granddaughter and Barbatos, couldn't quite switch tracks.
"Just think! What if Sky brought a boy home? Wouldn't that be worse?"
"You'd have to worry about whether he's decent, what he'd do for Sky, if they're even compatible, if she'd be heartbroken if they broke up…"
"Now look at this Wind God. Also an Uma Musume. Famous, popular—that goes without saying."
"Mainly, I hear she's on the same team as Sky. They're together at school all the time. They must know each other inside out."
'More than teammates. They're classmates. Roommates.' the grandfather mentally added.
Then, in his mind, he replaced Barbatos's image with the son of the woman before him—a boy he'd watched grow up, one he knew fairly well.
The next instant, he realized it wasn't a headache he felt. His fists were clenching.
Suddenly, that pig Barbatos, who had barged in and claimed his precious cabbage, seemed just a tiny bit more… acceptable.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, 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!
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If you guys wanna check it out.