Floating back into that dark, void-like expanse, Dream Weaver felt a strange sense of peace, almost as if she'd returned home.
But before waiting for the mission results to tally up, she felt there was one thing she needed to settle first.
The power that had surged through her during her final conversation with the Phantom at the Arc de Triomphe still left her feeling a bit puzzled.
Dream Weaver felt as though she hadn't actually done anything, yet a warm strength—different from anything she'd felt before—had poured ceaselessly from her heart.
She had a pretty good guess where that power came from.
Her chest, which had remained as hot as a flickering flame even amidst the cold December rain of Paris, had already whispered the answer. She just needed to be sure.
However, the System was never one to dawdle. Before Dream Weaver could even think to call up her inventory, the notification chime rang out.
[Main quest complete. Calculating rewards.]
The moment the cold voice faded, a translucent blue screen flickered into existence before her eyes.
--+--
[Scenario Mission: Twin Stars Above the World]
[Mission Complete]
[Mission Evaluation: Grade S++]
Description:
She was once the most radiant star in this world, stepping onto the turf as a vessel for the expectations of others, winning only to satisfy their hopes.
Through victory after victory, she carried the world's weight and became the perfect vessel.
Yet, just as she reached the precipice of the peak, a race known as the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe left her fractured.
Perhaps it was because of those cracks that she developed a consciousness—the desire to do something for herself for the very first time.
Yet, an Uma Musume cannot simply discard her duty as a vessel; she could not bear to let the hopes of others fall through. And so, she continued to run as a hollow shell until time itself began to melt her away.
Time flowed on, and the star fell.
Having fulfilled her purpose as a vessel, she naturally left the track, leaving the world to the next shining star.
Yet, for some reason, even though her mission was over, she felt a desperate longing to outrun time itself.
But the world had already found another star to take her place. If she couldn't achieve her heart's desire when she was whole, what hope did she have now that she was on the verge of shattering?
Why not simply accept fate? Why not make peace with the curse and walk toward a new future?
Her answer was a resounding "No."
And so, the faded star flared to life once more.
The curse was lifted, the crown bestowed.
The Uma Musume who once ran only for the sake of others finally claimed victory for herself.
This was a triumph that belonged to her alone.
--+--
[S++ Evaluation Rewards: 20,000 SP + Memory Storage Drive]
[Special Item Unlocked]
[Maximum Evaluation Achieved]
[Hidden Mission Accomplished]
[Evaluation Rank Upgraded]
[Hidden Item Unlocked]
--+--
This was, without a doubt, the longest list of rewards Dream Weaver had ever seen. Windows and pop-ups crowded her vision, piling on top of one another until she could barely see.
"At this rate, I'm starting to wonder if the results screen is going to get so big one day that I won't even be able to fit it in my line of sight," she muttered.
Dream Weaver shook her head, whispering a small complaint as she began clicking through the windows. It felt a bit like trying to close all those annoying pop-up ads when she first logged onto a computer at the Tracen Academy library.
The "S++" grade, which sat well beyond the usual limits, was certainly a surprise.
The items were also vastly different from the skill upgrade vouchers she was used to, sparking her curiosity. But before diving into those, she had to confirm what the System's arrival had interrupted.
"System, open inventory."
With a quick thought, another translucent blue screen appeared in her cleared field of vision.
There were four new item icons in the bag—clearly the spoils from this scenario and the high-rank evaluation. Dream Weaver ignored those for a moment, focusing her gaze instead on an item shaped like a star.
Reading the updated description of the "Star of Stars," she fell silent for a long while before letting out a soft sigh.
"So that's how it was."
"A reward for a hidden mission... No, it's more like your help, isn't it? Honestly, even after everything, she's still helping people. I guess that's just what it means to be an Uma Musume who runs for the sake of others."
Halfway through her sentence, she paused, rubbing her chin as she talked to herself.
"Wait, actually... isn't she helping herself? Does that make my compliment sound a bit narcissistic?"
She pondered it for a second, but soon realized that overthinking such things was not only pointless but also made her look a bit silly since she couldn't reach a conclusion. She promptly tossed the thought to the back of her mind.
Having confirmed her suspicion, Dream Weaver's heart finally began to settle from the lingering adrenaline of the Arc de Triomphe.
Just as she was debating her next move, the four new items in her inventory began to glow faintly, as if nudging her to take a look.
"Did new items always have this kind of special effect?"
She scratched her head, unable to quite remember. Still, since the rewards were sitting right there, she had no reason to delay.
Her eyes drifted over the icons until she decided to focus on the one that looked like a hard drive. She recalled it being the evaluation reward—a completely new type of item, unlike anything she'd seen before.
--+--
[Memory Storage Drive]
Description:
Even when separated by different worlds, those who have forged deep bonds can still recall those memories. However, perhaps because of the nature of dreams, those memories are not always perfectly precise.
By giving this item to someone you met within a Scenario World, you can cause all of that person's memories and achievements from that world to manifest in reality.
Note: "Do you have any idea how expensive hard drives are these days?" A man sighs, massaging his temples as he stares at his nearly full computer storage.
--+--
Ignoring the bizarre note at the end, Dream Weaver poured all her attention into the effect of the Memory Storage Drive.
Her first instinct was a bit wary; the way people were already chasing her down because of this memory-retention mechanic made her feel like a sheep surrounded by wolves. Why would she want to go looking for more trouble?
But she quickly moved past the frustration as a realization dawned on her.
She suddenly thought of an Uma Musume who would be perfect for this.
"If I gave this to Agnes Tachyon... could it serve a much greater purpose?"
Following the usual patterns, Agnes Tachyon was undoubtedly one of the candidates who could inherit memories from the Scenario World. But looking at what she had achieved in that world, inheriting just a few memories of Dream Weaver felt like a waste.
In that world, Agnes Tachyon had been forced off the track due to injury. Because of that, she had spent years in research—and she had succeeded.
By the end of that scenario, not a single Uma Musume ever had to retire again for the same reason.
If she could use this Memory Storage Drive to bring Agnes Tachyon's years of pharmaceutical research back to reality, it could quite literally change the entire world.
Dream Weaver didn't know the Agnes Tachyon of the real world yet, nor did she know if she had even started her research. But regardless, the drive in her hand was a powerful tool with the potential to rewrite the future.
--+--
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.