Ardan came back quickly, carrying a small bag.
"Have you been waiting long?"
"Not at all."
"That's good then. Here, for you."
With that, Ardan pulled out a long plastic-wrapped item from the bag and handed it over.
"Ice cream?"
Nearl looked a little surprised at the cold treat in her hand—to her, this was a rare snack indeed.
Of course, it wasn't that Nearl couldn't afford ice cream. As an Uma Musume with 23 consecutive local wins and two OP race victories in the central circuit, her funds weren't exactly limitless, but buying a simple ice cream was hardly a stretch.
However, on one hand, most of her money was sent back to Komori Orphanage, and she generally only spent on training or daily necessities.
Now that she was in the central circuit, training supplies were reimbursed, and meals were even free—Nearl hadn't spent a single coin in quite some time.
On the other hand, she had few personal desires.
Without any interest in entertainment, there was simply nothing to spend on. Someone who didn't even drink regular beverages—how could you expect her to buy ice cream?
"Yeah, I looked around the area. Sadly, there weren't any cake shops—just a few convenience stores. So, sorry about that, ice cream was the only option."
Ardan clasped her hands together in front of her chest, offering Nearl an apologetic smile.
But the gesture was more than enough. Ardan had indeed given Nearl a sweetness she had never tasted before.
Yes, this creamy ice cream—even counting her past life—was something Nearl had never once tried.
Of course, she knew what ice cream looked like, including all the major brands, but she had never tasted a single one.
In her past life, it was due to illness; in this life, when she was young, it was poverty.
Later, it was Nearl's own self-restraint, never spending on such indulgences. So until today, she had never tasted creamy ice cream.
"…"
Taking a small bite, the cool sensation spread across her tongue. After a brief, slight sting, a rich, sweet creaminess slowly bloomed—like ink dispersing in clear water.
Thick, sweet, smooth—a texture entirely different from sugary water. The frozen temperature seemed to lock in the sweetness even more, unlike regular cream which could easily become cloying.
"It's really good."
Nearl spoke with a hint of wonder. Perhaps her hesitant manner seemed so unusual that Ardan couldn't help but ask:
"Nearl, why do you look like you've never had ice cream before? And you're taking such tiny bites."
"Because I really haven't. This is probably my first time."
"What! No way—Oguri Cap said you used to eat ice cream with her when you were little."
Ardan found it hard to believe. For a moment, she didn't know how to describe Nearl's… clean way of living.
'It's almost as if she has no personal desires at all…'
That's what she thought to herself.
"Oguri? Oh, that time."
Nearl seemed puzzled at first, then it clicked after a few seconds.
"I did bring her something in the summer when we were kids, but it was homemade with sugar water—hardly what you'd call ice cream. At best, you could call it a popsicle, but really it was just frozen sugar water. Not the same as the creamy ice cream you bought, Ardan."
"Hmm… frozen sugar water?"
Ardan chewed on the words, trying to glean something about Nearl's past from them.
'After all, I've already made up my mind—I want to keep spending time with Nearl, to learn more about the real her.'
That was the mindset Ardan held while interacting with Nearl. Her connection with Nearl was fundamentally different from that of other horse girls who knew her.
"Nearl, did you know… my birthday is in less than a month."
Resting her elbow on the table, her cheek propped against her palm, Ardan watched Nearl carefully savoring the ice cream and suddenly spoke those words.
"I know. Is there something you'd like as a gift?"
"Mmm, no."
Ardan shook her head, looking earnestly into Nearl's eyes.
From their first meeting until now, Ardan always felt those pale golden eyes were growing brighter and brighter.
"My family will definitely hold a party for me, but… that's not what I want. It's not that I dislike everyone—their blessings are sincere—but such a large gathering always feels… unreal to me."
A happy yet helpless smile hung on her face. Even Ardan, the model young lady of the Mejiro family, could grow weary.
"Everyone's joy and blessings are so overflowing, far beyond what I can genuinely feel. So every year, my birthday feels hollow. Only the next day, when I go to Tracen Academy and receive small blessings and gifts from classmates, does it finally feel real."
"Ah, so I really did have a birthday."
At this point, her lowered eyelids lifted, and Ardan looked directly at her friend sitting across from her. In her sparkling violet eyes, Nearl's figure was reflected.
"So this time… could I trouble a certain knight to sneak me out for a stroll after the family party is halfway through?"
Her eyes shimmered with hidden emotion, her expression both shy and expectant—Ardan's charm was practically off the charts right now. And how would the knight she hoped for respond?
"Faced with such a beautiful lady's request, I imagine that knight would surely agree. Who knows—maybe there's even another small gathering waiting for her after the escape."
Setting down the ice cream stick, Nearl also smiled. But this smile was different from her usual gentle one.
She quietly closed one eye, the corner of her mouth curling into a playful, slightly mysterious grin.
"Please wait patiently, milady."
"Hehehe, so you have this side to you too, Nearl? I thought you never joked around."
Covering her face with both hands, Ardan couldn't hold back her soft laughter. But why exactly was she hiding her face? Perhaps her blushing earlobes held the answer.
However, Ardan hadn't brought up her birthday just to get Nearl to ask her out—she had quietly tucked away another motive.
Now was the moment to reveal it.
"No, suddenly I feel like I'm at a loss. I've told you my birthday, but I still don't know yours, Nearl."
Ardan said this with a touch of sorrow. As the young lady of the Mejiro family, mastering emotions was a required skill—putting on a pitiful act like this was all too easy.
Though Ardan despised wearing a mask around others and normally avoided such tactics, today was an exception.
"You could have just asked me. My birthday is…"
Nearl hesitated for a moment, finally choosing the day she was adopted by Komori Party as her birthday. To her, that was the start of her new life.
"Oh, that day?"
Ardan seemed thoughtful, a series of little ideas already taking shape in her mind.
"By the way, Ardan, there's something I'd like to give you."
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! 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.