Orfevre didn't cry out, nor did she let her tears fall. She simply remained in that position, face buried in her hands, sitting numbly on the cold edge of the bed.
Her gaze, stubborn and lost, still fell through the gaps between her fingers onto Dream Weaver's sleeping face.
Dream Weaver sat quietly beside her. She had thought Orfevre would rush toward a bright future like everyone else, but even after winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Orfevre didn't seem particularly happy.
Instead, what Dream Weaver saw deep in her eyes was—
Loneliness.
The one rival she had acknowledged lay fallen before her, and her own silhouette had become a phantom perhaps forever out of reach.
When Dream Weaver had said those words to Orfevre back then, she had hoped to encourage her—to lift her spirits so they could stand together as true rivals in the Japan Derby.
But she never expected that those very words, meant to inspire Orfevre at the time, would after the Derby become chains that bound her.
Orfevre had become the pride of all Japan, the absolute monarch reigning over her generation, making the name of the House of Gold shine throughout the world. She had lived up to everyone's expectations.
But the rival she herself had longed for had turned into a fleeting illusion—one she could never approach, no matter how hard she tried.
Seeing the loneliness in Orfevre's eyes, a flicker of regret passed through Dream Weaver's heart.
If only she hadn't walked down those stairs that day, if only she hadn't said those words… then perhaps the name Dream Weaver wouldn't have taken on such weight in Orfevre's heart.
Then, even if she met the same fate, Orfevre might still have been able to move forward.
Because of her, everyone at Kasamatsu Tracen had found a bright future. So Dream Weaver believed that even if her departure saddened them, the ending would still be a good one.
But what about Orfevre? Was she to carry this regret, returning again and again to this hospital room, repeating the trivialities of daily life over and over?
Was this small hospital room to become her prison?
Dream Weaver bit her lip, lost in thought.
Just then, Orfevre, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke.
"Those so-called strong rivals might be opponents for the Golden Tyrant, but they can never become the fated rival of Orfevre."
"Only you are special. You are the one chosen by both Orfevre and the Golden Tyrant. So…"
"I shall wait for you… I will wait for you, until the day miracles happen."
"After all, as my destined rival, you've always been one to work miracles, haven't you?"
She let out a soft laugh—one entirely unlike the smile everyone expected of Orfevre.
There was no monarch's pride in that smile, no arrogance, no wild intensity. She simply smiled like an ordinary Uma Musume, from the bottom of her heart.
That was all.
"Let me stay here a little longer."
Having flown directly from France to Tokyo without adjusting to the time difference, she could no longer fight her exhaustion. After speaking, she laid her head down beside Dream Weaver and slowly closed her eyes.
Outside the window, the cloud that had obscured the bright moon had drifted away unnoticed.
The cool moonlight once again spilled unreservedly into the room, gently bathing Orfevre's sleeping face.
Those always sharp, stern features now looked unexpectedly soft and serene under the moon's glow—utterly unguarded.
Dream Weaver gazed at Orfevre with mixed emotions.
Unlike the finality of her last scripted mission, this time, with her vital signs still present, she seemed to have given everyone a glimmer of hope. Just like with Oguri Roman, Orfevre too held onto hope for her awakening. It seemed everyone believed she could work another miracle.
But this was no longer something Dream Weaver could decide. Burdened by everyone's expectations, she could only curl up, hugging her knees, hoping the system would be merciful and give them all a good ending.
Time flew by in anticipation. Before Dream Weaver knew it, the bright sun had already risen outside the window, and the sound of nurses moving about echoed once more in the hallway.
Suddenly, she felt her mind grow hazy, an irresistible urge to close her eyes and sleep washing over her.
Was this the precursor to leaving the scripted world?
Dream Weaver clenched her teeth, biting down hard on her lower lip, trying to use the pain to sharpen her fading consciousness. But in her spirit form, her body had long lost all sensation. An overwhelming drowsiness, like rising tidal waves, pushed her again and again into a deeper, darker abyss.
She didn't know how long she drifted in that darkness before a clamor of voices reached her ears. It seemed everyone from Kasamatsu Tracen had arrived in the room. Though she couldn't see, Dream Weaver could recognize each voice.
"You're here too?"
That should be Nanno Sumire speaking. She didn't seem surprised by Orfevre's presence.
"Well, today is a special day after all."
Kobayashi Kaze added from the side. It seemed the relationship between the Kasamatsu Tracen group and Orfevre had grown quite friendly over the years.
"Just wonderin' why Gold Ship isn't here. The Arc is in October, right? Even if she needs time to adjust, she doesn't need to go this early, does she?"
"Who knows? Whenever you ask, she says she's got a hundred-year promise with Dream, so she's gotta bring the best gift to find her or somethin'."
Nishimoto Makusa's resigned reply drew light laughter.
"Still can't understand a word she says, as always."
The voices around grew noisier. Dream Weaver wanted to see what everyone looked like now, so she instinctively blinked—and was surprised to find a faint glimmer of light piercing the darkness.
"But it's rare for almost everyone to be here. How about we take another group photo?"
That sounded like Artisan Bell. Dream Weaver could vaguely make out her figure pulling a phone from her bag.
"But what about Gold Ship? We can't just use Orfevre as a stand-in, can we? Even if they're both from the Gold Family…"
"What's the big deal? I've got a photo of her from last year on my phone. We can just hold it up—counts as her bein' here!"
Kobayashi Kaze said triumphantly, waving her phone in front of everyone.
Dream Weaver's vision grew clearer. She could now see everyone's figures. They all seemed to have grown up a bit—even Kobayashi Kaze, who'd always been petite as if she'd never fully matured, now looked more like an adult.
She blinked again and realized it wasn't just her vision—she could move her body too. But just as she was wondering what was happening, she noticed her perspective seemed to be… from the bed?
The warm scent of sun on blankets drifted past her nose. A soft sensation enveloped every part of her. Dream Weaver's fingers easily lifted a corner of the quilt.
Just then, she saw everyone with their backs to her raising a camera, looking like they were about to take the photo.
A mischievous idea came to her. Quietly, she propped herself up halfway, stretched out two fingers in a peace sign behind everyone's backs, and softly said along with their voices:
"Cheese!"
Artisan Bell took the camera off the selfie stick and was about to pass it around when she suddenly noticed something odd. She froze, tears welling uncontrollably in her eyes.
Noticing her reaction, everyone instinctively followed her gaze to a corner of the photo.
There, crowded behind everyone, was a familiar figure—popping into the frame with a peace sign, smiling at the camera.
"Did I scare you?"
A long-unheard, familiar voice sounded from behind them, tinged with the satisfaction of a successful prank.
A miracle had truly happened.
Everyone thought it in their hearts, without a single word spoken.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 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.