Dragging her nearly broken body back to the dormitory, Myriad Dreams collapsed onto her bed, throwing herself down alongside the heavy Winter Cup trophy.
This race had been far more brutal than her previous battle against Marvelous Sunday.
If her newly awakened Zone hadn't confused the perceptions of Symboli Rudolf and Oguri Cap at the final moment, the outcome would have been truly unpredictable.
The dorm door creaked open.
Yaeno Muteki walked in, wearing a rare, tender smile of pure relief.
"Congratulations, Myriad. To win a G1 championship so quickly— and the Winter Cup, no less, one of the most prestigious races of all."
Seeing her, Myriad Dreams' eyes lit up.
She forced herself upright and held the shining trophy out with both hands, offering it to Yaeno Muteki.
Yaeno Muteki froze as the trophy was pressed into her hands, her ice-blue eyes filled with confusion.
"This is...?"
Myriad Dreams scratched her cheek bashfully, her voice soft but firm:
"Because... I saw how disappointed you were before, not being able to qualify and settle the score with Oguri Cap-senpai. I thought I should at least win this championship for... you."
She paused, meeting Yaeno Muteki's disbelieving gaze with a weary but sincere smile.
"That's why I campaigned for votes and stood on that track. This trophy... I wanted to give it to you from the very beginning."
Yaeno Muteki was completely stunned, the trophy in her hands felt as if it possessed a searing heat.
First came disbelief, then a surging tide of emotion broke through all her defenses.
A misty layer of tears quickly blurred her vision, and a moving blush swept across her cheeks.
The next second, to Myriad Dreams' surprise, Yaeno Muteki suddenly threw her arms wide and pulled her into a tight embrace.
The hug was accompanied by a slight tremble, filled with an indescribable mix of excitement and gratitude.
"Thank you... Myriad... really... thank you so much..." she choked out, burying her face in Myriad Dreams' shoulder, her voice thick with emotion.
Myriad Dreams stiffened at first, then relaxed, gently hugging her back with a tender smile.
"Heehee, it's okay. As long as Yaeno-san is happy, that's better than anything."
Hearing this, Yaeno Muteki stepped back slightly.
She wiped the moisture from the corners of her eyes.
Though the blush remained on her face, she displayed a bright, cloudless smile.
"From now on... don't call me 'Yaeno-san' anymore."
She looked directly into Myriad Dreams' eyes, her voice holding a shy sort of determination.
"Just call me 'Muteki.' Calling me by my surname all the time is too formal."
Myriad Dreams readily agreed, nodding with a smile. "Mhm! Okay, Muteki."
"Mhm!" Yaeno Muteki— now just Muteki— nodded back emphatically, as if they had just completed an important ritual.
Then, as if reaching a sudden resolution, her eyes sparkled with intensity.
"To repay you, I've decided!"
"???"
Seeing this sudden spark of fighting spirit, Myriad Dreams felt a flash of foreboding.
"I've decided to teach you the ultimate secrets of the Kongō Yaegaki Style, without holding anything back!"
"Wa-Wait! No need, really! Yaeno— I mean, Muteki!" Myriad Dreams waved her hands in a panic.
As a lazy person who would never sit if she could lie down, the mere thought of that kind of rigorous training made her feel like her life was over.
However, Muteki grabbed her frantic hands, her gaze burning with an undeniable sincerity:
"Please, don't be modest! Consider this my... most important token of appreciation!"
Myriad Dreams hung her head, wanting to cry but having no tears.
Was she being modest? She was being terrified!