Mejiro Ardan, who carried the bloodlines of both the Northern family and the Mejiro family, occupied a position on the family tree quite close to Dream Weaver's own late mother. Perhaps it was this deep, blood-borne connection that made their appearances so strikingly similar.
However, aside from Dream Weaver, no one else ever mistook the two.
For one, Dream Weaver's mother had passed away early, so very few had seen both her and Mejiro Ardan side-by-side.
For another, their auras were worlds apart.
The main reason Dream Weaver confused Mejiro Ardan for her mother in her youth was simply because this was their first meeting. The shock of seeing that familiar face was simply too overwhelming.
Now that she had calmed down, she wouldn't make that mistake again.
Dream Weaver stood up and helped Mejiro Ardan finish washing the cups, then naturally took her hand and led her to the sofa in the living room.
They sat down together, and without a word, Dream Weaver quietly leaned her head against the other's shoulder, watching the pale blue strands of hair sway gently before her eyes in the soft breeze.
Watching this attitude of being completely ignored, Mejiro Ramonu rubbed her temples helplessly and sighed.
"I thought you said you wouldn't mistake her for someone else?"
Startled by the words, Dream Weaver jolted, instinctively straightening her back and staring doubtfully at Mejiro Ardan beside her.
"When did this happen?! To think I was ensnared without even realizing it!"
She frowned, muttering to herself.
"Could it truly be an illusion spell?"
Mejiro Ardan, having already learned about Dream Weaver's background from Mejiro Ramonu, naturally felt a wave of pity for the girl. Combined with the innate connection of their shared bloodline, her heart grew increasingly fond of Dream Weaver.
Seeing Dream Weaver stroking her chin in thought, Mejiro Ardan simply gave a gentle smile, guided Dream Weaver's head onto her lap, and said softly, "What does it matter? Isn't this quite nice?"
As she spoke, she gently combed her fingers through Dream Weaver's hair, carefully smoothing out the slightly tangled black strands.
It had been so long since anyone had patted her head. Lying on Mejiro Ardan's soft thighs, Dream Weaver's gaze unconsciously grew hazy. In her blurred vision, Mejiro Ardan once again overlapped with the image of her mother.
It was as if she had returned to a carefree past; seeing her mother's serene, youthful smile made the pressures in her heart fade away without her notice.
Dream Weaver nuzzled against Mejiro Ardan's soft stomach and mumbled, "Forget it. What's so bad about the world of illusions anyway?"
Watching the inexplicably harmonious pair, Mejiro Ramonu's eye twitched. Why did she feel like she was no longer needed here?
She watched in silence for a moment longer before rising from her chair and slowly heading towards the door. Given the current situation, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Dream Weaver would be staying here.
Just as she reached the doorframe, as if suddenly remembering something, Mejiro Ramonu turned back and called out to Dream Weaver, who was practically buried in Mejiro Ardan's embrace.
"Dreams, you'll be living in this cottage from now on, then."
"Is there any luggage you need from the Northern family's place? I'll have the driver make another trip."
Mejiro Ramonu's words once again snapped Dream Weaver out of her immersion. She instinctively shivered, then leapt up, covering her eyes and shouting.
"Fell for it again! How cunning!"
Because Mejiro Ardan looked so much like her mother, Dream Weaver had instinctively let her guard down and relied on her. But now, fully alert and with her eyes shielded, under this 'complete defense,' Dream Weaver finally had a chance to think clearly.
Recalling the earlier conversation, she realized she had let her heart's defenses crumble the moment she saw Mejiro Ardan.
Not only had she forgotten about staying away from the Mejiro family, she'd even forgotten the principle she'd set for herself at the beginning: not getting involved with the people of this scripted world.
She'd started babbling unconsciously, just like she would in front of her mother, completely forgetting that the person before her wasn't her.
'Dream Weaver, oh Dream Weaver, how could you fall so low? Have you forgotten the vows you made earlier?!'
Gritting her teeth, Dream Weaver scorned her own weakness internally. Even if this Mejiro Ardan looked exactly like her mother, she shouldn't have been so defenseless!
Thinking this, Dream Weaver immediately turned her back on Mejiro Ardan and made a dash for the door.
Mejiro Ramonu, who was near the door, saw that there was actually still a chance to turn things around and raised an eyebrow. Seizing the moment as Dream Weaver rushed over, she grabbed her firmly.
"Let me go! I don't want to stay with the Mejiro family!"
Facing Mejiro Ramonu, Dream Weaver naturally felt none of the closeness she did with Mejiro Ardan, and thus held back no courtesy.
Feeling her wrist caught, Dream Weaver immediately struggled and snarled at Mejiro Ramonu. She even subconsciously unleashed a fraction of her zone; razor-sharp thorns, almost tangible, pierced through Mejiro Ramonu's sleeve and dug into her skin.
But facing this unbearable, stinging pain, Mejiro Ramonu's expression didn't change. Her grip on Dream Weaver's hand only tightened.
"Are you really going back?! To live in that dilapidated, drafty Western-style mansion with no water or power in weather like this? Not even an Uma Musume could endure that!"
"What would a pampered young lady like you know, talking so self-righteously! Let me go! You have no right to keep me here!"
Seeing Dream Weaver struggle even more violently, Mejiro Ramonu could no longer maintain her calm expression. As Dream Weaver resisted, the stinging sensation piercing her skin grew more intense. Pressured by this bone-deep sense of danger, she too subconsciously activated her zone.
"You carry the blood of the Mejiro family! I will not allow you to throw yourself away like this!"
The domain of Mejiro Ramonu, once known as the Demonic Flower on the racetrack, unfurled. As the first winner of the Triple Tiara, her immense pressure descended upon Dream Weaver like a mountain.
Under this formidable zone, Dream Weaver's shoulders slumped slightly. But she was not an Uma Musume who would be crushed by zone pressure alone. She had felt this same level of oppression countless times before from the likes of Orfevre and T.M. Opera O.
And her answer every single time was absolute defiance.
A cold glint flashed in Dream Weaver's eyes as a fierce red light erupted from their depths like blazing fire.
"So you really intend to force me to stay with the Mejiro family! You'll truly stop at nothing to achieve domination in the Tenno Sho Spring and Autumn double, will you!"
"Even my mother died young because of this damned Tenno Sho double, didn't she! I will end it. The Tenno Sho Spring and Autumn double you all seek—I will sever that glory right under the Northern family name!"
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, 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.