Leaving the hospital ward, Dream Weaver didn't linger. She hopped on a tram and headed straight for Central Tracen.
Although she wasn't wearing her school uniform, her student ID made it easy enough to clear the gates and enter the campus.
In truth, the ID probably wasn't even necessary. As the Uma Musume who had clinched the Japan Derby just two days prior, Dream Weaver could have likely slipped through on name recognition alone. The thought simply hadn't crossed her mind.
Upon returning to school, she didn't head to her classroom to ask her teacher for a leave of absence. Instead, guided by the memories of that "Script World," she made her way toward Agnes Tachyon's laboratory.
Fortunately, the layout of Central Tracen remained consistent across worlds. Had it been otherwise, she might have actually lost her way.
Without any trouble, Dream Weaver arrived at the building dedicated to research staff and pushed open the door to Agnes Tachyon's activity room, just as she had done many times before.
However, she wasn't greeted by that familiar, peculiar scent—that strange mixture of cloying sweetness and medicinal bitterness.
"The smell of coffee?"
Dream Weaver whispered in confusion. Turning toward the source of the aroma, she spotted an Uma Musume with black hair and golden eyes.
The moment the girl saw Dream Weaver, she paused her movements and set down the coffee pot.
"Dream... Weaver, right?"
"That's me. And you are?"
"I am Manhattan Cafe. I recognized you because I have a younger relative who is quite a fan of yours."
Manhattan Cafe gave a small nod. She rose from the sofa, took a cup from the cabinet, and poured a serving of coffee.
"Then again, having just won the Japan Derby, I imagine everyone in the school knows who you are by now."
"I suppose that's true."
Since Manhattan Cafe had already poured the coffee, Dream Weaver felt it would be rude to decline. She offered a polite reply and took a seat on the sofa, her eyes drifting around the room as she settled in.
The layout matched her memories perfectly. The various jars, vials, and computers Agnes Tachyon frequented were all in their usual places.
Combined with the vaguely familiar name of Manhattan Cafe, Dream Weaver quickly realized that this must be Tachyon's best friend.
In the Script World, this girl had apparently left Tracen temporarily due to family matters, which was why Dream Weaver had never actually met her there.
Still, she had heard bits and pieces about Manhattan Cafe from Tachyon—specifically her obsession with coffee.
Dream Weaver picked up the cup and took a small sip. After a brief pause, she gave Manhattan Cafe a warm, appreciative nod.
"This is wonderful coffee."
As the saying goes, an Uma Musume doesn't fall for the same trick twice.
Having been scolded for her poor etiquette while having tea with Northern Taste once before, Dream Weaver wasn't about to make the same mistake again.
Sure enough, a faint smile tugged at the corner of Manhattan Cafe's mouth upon hearing the praise.
"Your palate is far better than Tachyon's. She always insists on adding sugar."
"Honestly, coffee with that much sugar can hardly be called coffee anymore. It's more like coffee-flavored sugar water!"
At the mention of Agnes Tachyon, Manhattan Cafe's expression soured slightly. Dream Weaver didn't want to get bogged down in a debate about coffee—largely because she didn't actually know much about it—so she quickly steered the conversation elsewhere.
"Speaking of Tachyon, I actually came here looking for her. Do you know where she went?"
Manhattan Cafe looked at Dream Weaver with a hint of surprise. She hadn't expected Dream Weaver to be on a first-name basis with Agnes Tachyon.
Though she wondered just when and how the two had hit it off, Manhattan Cafe didn't pry. She took a sip of her own coffee before answering.
"She should be back soon. She mentioned she was going out to find someone."
"Actually, Tachyon has been acting rather... dazed these past two days. Do you have any idea why?"
"I... might have an inkling."
Sensing the reason behind Tachyon's distracted state, Dream Weaver instinctively averted her eyes.
But before she could find a way to dodge Manhattan Cafe's inquisitive gaze, the door to the activity room burst open.
"Dammit! Still not back? The Derby ended two days ago! Is she really this prone to slacking off at this stage of her life? She's acting just like Hishi Miracle!"
Agnes Tachyon stomped in, scratching her messy hair and muttering irritably to herself. She clearly hadn't noticed the extra person in the room. Before even looking at Manhattan Cafe, she shouted:
"Cafe! Get me a coffee! Extra, extra sugar!"
"You mean the coffee-flavored sugar water?"
"That's the one! See, Cafe, you understand me perfectly! So why were you acting all—"
Tachyon cut herself off mid-sentence. She finally realized that the voice responding to her hadn't been Manhattan Cafe's. It was a voice so familiar it made her head whip around instantly.
The moment she saw Dream Weaver sitting on the sofa, Tachyon's pupils shrank in sheer shock.
"If you need a caffeine kick and a sugar rush, wouldn't an energy drink be more efficient?"
"Exactly," Manhattan Cafe chimed in. "Adding that much sugar is a total waste of my beans!"
Watching the casual banter between Dream Weaver and Manhattan Cafe, Agnes Tachyon blinked in disbelief.
Then, under the silent gaze of the two girls, she wordlessly backed out of the room and closed the door.
A moment later, she pushed the door open again, peering around the room as if checking to see if the environment had somehow shifted in that split second.
When she saw that nothing had changed—and that Dream Weaver was indeed still sitting there—she finally processed the reality of the situation.
"You've got to be kidding me... this is completely unscientific..."
Tachyon murmured as she walked up to Dream Weaver. She reached out from her oversized sleeve and gently brushed her hand against Dream Weaver's cheek.
It was soft, warm, and undeniably real. This wasn't a hallucination.
Dream Weaver didn't pull away. Unlike her, who had already mentally prepared for this meeting, she understood Tachyon's shock. She reached up, placing her hand over Tachyon's.
"Speaking of unscientific, I think those potions of yours are far more guilty of that than I am."
"So... this is reality, okay?"
At Dream Weaver's words—which were practically a dead giveaway—Tachyon's eyes widened further. She whispered, "You... you remember too?"
"I remember. Including how a certain someone went crying into the infirmary and cycled through about fifty different facial expressions in the span of a few seconds. I remember all of it."
"You are more than welcome to forget that part!"
Tachyon's mood flipped instantly. In a fit of mock revenge, she gave Dream Weaver's cheek a sharp little pinch.
Sitting nearby and watching the scene unfold, Manhattan Cafe took a slow sip of her coffee.
She stared at the two of them, noting the suspiciously close distance and the cryptic, coded nature of their conversation. Finally, she set her cup down and spoke in a low, ghostly tone.
"What is this? A long-lost childhood friend falling from the sky?"
--+--
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.