"Blah, blah, blah... gah..."
Staring at Hishi Miracle, who was curled up in the corner of the clubroom muttering nonsense with her head in her hands, Dream Weaver tilted her head in confusion.
The girl had only just finished her mock race. Before anyone could even get a word in, Hishi Miracle had bolted out of the virtual pod, scrambled into the corner, and started babbling incoherently.
Dream Weaver shook her head. Whatever Hishi Miracle was going through was a mystery, but she walked over and knelt down beside her anyway.
"What happened?"
She spoke softly, stroking Hishi Miracle's fluffy white hair to comfort her. But when Hishi Miracle looked up and saw it was Dream Weaver, she recoiled even deeper into the corner.
"Yikes! It's the demon, Dream Weaver!"
Dream Weaver's lip twitched. She nearly lost her composure right then and there. She'd used the gentlest tone she could muster, only to be hit with a review like that.
"I see now."
Just as Dream Weaver was at a loss for words, Sugar Lights spoke up from behind, flipping through the logs as if she'd found the smoking gun.
"Miracle chose the Maximum Difficulty setting. No wonder she's acting like this."
"Maximum Difficulty?"
For the lower difficulty levels, Sugar Lights had only been able to use past data for the simulation.
But with the real Dream Weaver standing right there, any data they needed could be tested at a moment's notice.
Even though her physical peak was starting to wane, when combined with her actual race data, the Maximum Difficulty version of Dream Weaver was the most authentic simulation the virtual diving device could produce.
For an Uma Musume who hadn't even run her debut race to challenge a world-class runner ranked in the top three—if not number one—it would be a miracle if her spirit wasn't crushed into a million pieces.
Now Dream Weaver understood why Hishi Miracle was huddled in the corner babbling, and why she'd greeted her with such a terrifying label.
She scratched her head, feeling a bit helpless. Hishi Miracle was usually the queen of slacking off; what on earth had possessed her to be so ambitious today and try the hardest setting?
"Alright, alright. It was just one mock race. Don't be so depressed—I'll buy you a crepe later!"
Hearing that, Hishi Miracle lifted her head from the crook of her arms, looking up with pitiful, watery eyes.
"Really?"
Because of her weight management, Dream Weaver usually kept Hishi Miracle on a short leash regarding high-calorie treats like crepes.
Usually, the girl had to sneak them like a secret agent. To have her trainer actually offer to treat her was practically a dream come true.
Seeing her depression vanish at the mere mention of a crepe, Dream Weaver had a nagging suspicion she was being played.
But looking at Hishi Miracle's pathetic expression, she couldn't bring herself to take it back. She gave a reluctant nod.
"Is it... is it really all-you-can-eat?"
As Dream Weaver agreed, the light slowly returned to Hishi Miracle's eyes. Before she knew it, the girl was sitting bolt upright.
When did I ever say all-you-can-eat?!
Dream Weaver wanted to shout it out, but she was afraid of crushing the mood Hishi Miracle had finally recovered. She gritted her teeth and gave in.
"Fine... yes!"
"Woohoo!"
A brilliant, radiant smile bloomed on Hishi Miracle's face. She sprang out of the corner instantly, making Dream Weaver feel more certain than ever that she'd been swindled.
Before she could press the issue, Liberty Island appeared behind her out of nowhere, staring at her with a look of pure resentment.
"That's not fair. Why does Miracle get a reward? I want one too."
Sandwiched between them, Dream Weaver sighed. She gave up on worrying about whether Hishi Miracle had tricked her and turned to Liberty Island.
"Fine. Ask for whatever you want."
Then, remembering who she was dealing with, she added:
"And just like Miracle, it's all-you-can-eat."
A winner's smile spread across Liberty Island's face. It wasn't that she craved sweets that much; she just didn't want Hishi Miracle to feel more special in Dream Weaver's heart than she was.
Even if that "special" status was only measured in desserts.
Hishi Miracle, however, was completely oblivious to Liberty Island's competitive streak.
She was lost in her own little world of celebration, counting on her fingers and debating which crepe toppings would make the perfect combination.
"First come, first served! We want in too!"
Just as Dream Weaver thought she could catch her breath, Agnes Tachyon's voice piped up. She was waving her oversized sleeves, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
She looked like she was enjoying the chaos and was more than happy to join in on the highway robbery.
"You can't play favorites, you know."
Even the usually reliable Sugar Lights chimed in. Realizing there was no escape, Dream Weaver stopped struggling. She stood up and made a grand, sweeping gesture.
"Fine! To celebrate the completion of the device, we're having an all-you-can-eat dessert victory banquet today."
"My treat!"
The words were barely out of her mouth before she was swept up by the group and ushered out of the clubroom. Hishi Miracle was leading the charge, acting as if Dream Weaver might vanish if they didn't get to the cafeteria this very second.
The group made their way toward the dining hall. Although it wasn't mealtime, desserts were usually kept ready or could be whipped up from prepped ingredients in minutes.
Besides, since Tracen Academy was full of Uma Musume who burned through calories like fuel and were mostly teenage girls with a serious sweet tooth, you could almost always find something sugary at the cafeteria.
Of course, these extra treats weren't free.
On the way there, now that the deal was sealed and there was no fear of a reversal, Hishi Miracle started chattering away about her experience in the virtual race.
"It was seriously insane!"
"The Trainer just gave me one look and my legs practically turned to jelly. If I hadn't known it was a virtual world, I don't think I would've even had the courage to step onto the track."
Listening to her, Liberty Island—who hadn't done the virtual dive yet—asked curiously:
"Was it really that intense? Or are you just so scared of the Trainer normally that you hallucinated the whole thing?"
"It's absolutely true! I swear on my next crepe—if I'm lying, I won't eat a single bite!"
Liberty Island gasped. If Hishi Miracle was willing to make a vow that extreme, she had to be telling the truth.
"The aura, huh..."
Sugar Lights mused, rubbing her chin in thought.
"I don't recall the virtual diving device being programmed to record something like that. Based on the projected results, it should only be able to simulate physical data."
"Could there be a bug in the system I didn't catch?"
Seeing her stressing over technical glitches, Agnes Tachyon just gave a light chuckle.
"That's just the potential of an Uma Musume for you. How could a mere machine ever explain everything?"
Without waiting for Sugar Lights to reply, she stepped up beside Dream Weaver, slung a sleeve-covered arm over her shoulder, and started loudly demanding a coffee—one she intended to turn into a dessert by adding an ungodly amount of sugar.
--+--
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.