Who knows how long it took, but Agnes Tachyon finally exhaled, having finished digesting that massive heap of information.
She looked at Dream Weaver with a heavy, pitying gaze, patting her on the shoulder.
"You've certainly had it rough," Tachyon muttered.
Dream Weaver met her eyes with the look of a weary veteran watching a fresh recruit skip toward the edge of an abyss without a clue. She let out a sharp, cynical laugh.
"Exactly. So don't go talking about the 'Cup' so lightly anymore. You have no idea what that word actually entails."
"Thank you... for the guidance."
At this point, how Dream Weaver and Agnes Tachyon actually knew each other didn't seem to matter much. When a survivor of a battlefield—someone who had endured the terrifying glares of over a dozen Uma Musume—was standing right there, anyone would only want to ask one thing.
"Sorry, I know it's a bit rude, but I really have to know... which one do you like the most?"
Manhattan Cafe set down her coffee cup, her inquisitive gaze fixed directly on Dream Weaver.
After processing such explosive news, she, like everyone else, was dying to know the answer hidden in Dream Weaver's heart.
Agnes Tachyon leaned in as well, her eyes blinking with an infinite thirst for knowledge.
Dream Weaver didn't deflect or tell them not to ask such things. Instead, she put down her own teacup and spoke to the two of them with absolute, unwavering sincerity.
"I want them all."
"Huh?"
"What?"
The voices of Tachyon and Cafe overlapped in a chorus of shock. Both stared in disbelief at this greedy soul who had the audacity to say she wanted everyone.
But Dream Weaver? Dream Weaver just puffed out her chest, meeting their stares with total composure.
"Talk about not judging a book by its cover..."
"I can't believe such an unashamed playboy actually exists..."
Seeing Dream Weaver look so self-righteous, Tachyon and Cafe couldn't help but marvel.
Perhaps this was truly what it took to capture the hearts of over a dozen Uma Musume; her way of thinking was simply on another level.
"Because I can't bear to give any of them up," Dream Weaver said, her gaze steady despite their skepticism. "Everyone... they are all my treasures!"
Growing up in an orphanage, Dream Weaver had instinctively developed a personality geared toward pleasing others. But because she had lived a life where she never put herself first, she found it impossible to cast aside the affection offered by others.
The words Tachyon had offhandedly tossed out in the scenario world might have actually been true.
Deep down, Dream Weaver truly loved seeing people cry over her tragic circumstances.
The sadder they were, the more she could feel her own importance in their hearts—the more she felt the reality of being loved.
How could someone like Dream Weaver—someone who gave others hope while craving their love as her greatest treasure—ever abandon even a single fragment of that affection?
Even knowing the future wouldn't be easy, she resolutely chose the path of "all of the above."
As long as an Uma Musume clearly expressed her love, Dream Weaver would respond to each and every one of them.
"That is my resolve!"
"Don't say something so 'playboy' with such a cool expression and tone..." Tachyon's lip twitched. She wondered if Dream Weaver was genuinely missing a few screws.
In the face of such a staggering declaration, Manhattan Cafe actually began to clap, showing her respect for such a dedicated sense of commitment.
Compared to digging into how the two knew each other, she was now far more amazed by this legendary playboy—one likely unprecedented in the entire history of Tracen Academy.
"I didn't expect you to be just as popular here..."
After a few seconds, Tachyon shook her head in wonder.
She had thought the Dream Weaver from the dream world—the one worshipped as an idol by almost an entire generation—was the peak of charm, but the real-life version was clearly a master of the craft.
"So, you didn't come to find me just to escape your crazy love life, did you?"
"Something like that."
Having finished her explanation, Dream Weaver cleared her throat and looked at Tachyon with a dead-serious expression.
"Tachyon, is there any chance... you could develop a potion that lets a person multitask two minds at once?"
"Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"
"Because, if I could constantly keep two trains of thought running... I might be able to handle dates with several Uma Musume in a single day!"
Tachyon was struck dumb.
It took a full thirty seconds for her to recover from the shock of that statement. She rubbed her temples and let out a long, weary sigh.
"It's... not impossible. But if I were to develop something like that now, it would take a very long time."
"After all, my skills have been a bit 'rusty' lately."
Since Manhattan Cafe was still present, Tachyon couldn't speak plainly and used "rusty skills" as a code.
Fortunately, Cafe wasn't well-versed in scientific research and didn't suspect a thing; she was still reeling from Dream Weaver's bombshell.
"That's fine. I have a way to get your skills back instantly."
"Instantly? Impossible. Dream, you might have a misunderstanding about research. Some things can't be done overnight—"
Before Tachyon could finish, Dream Weaver cut her off with a sharp look.
"Manhattan Cafe, since this is a life-threatening crisis, I'm going to have to borrow Tachyon for some help."
"Oh, right!"
Finally snapping out of it, Cafe nodded quickly in agreement.
"It certainly sounds like a dire situation. Good luck to you both."
"And... safe travels?"
Seeing that Cafe had no objections, Dream Weaver didn't delay. She grabbed Tachyon's hand, stood up from the sofa, and headed straight for the clubroom door.
Dream Weaver needed an environment where they could talk freely. With Cafe there, it was inconvenient to lay everything out on the table. Tachyon seemed to sense her hidden intent, so she followed quietly behind.
Once they stepped out and closed the door, they walked to a spot where they were certain Cafe couldn't overhear and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"To think you'd tell such an outrageous lie just to get me out here."
Tachyon waved her sleeve in front of Dream Weaver's face. Because of that final move, she assumed everything Dream Weaver had just said was merely a joke meant to shock Cafe.
"What do you actually want to talk about, dragging me out here even at the cost of your own reputation?"
"So you saw through me." Dream Weaver smiled. "I guess the potion for two minds was a bit too much?"
"Wait, what?"
Tachyon tilted her head, looking at Dream Weaver with total confusion.
"Huh?"
"Only the part about the two-mind potion was a lie? Then... all that stuff before?"
Tachyon felt her heart, which had finally settled down, begin to churn all over again.
"Of course it's all true," Dream Weaver replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
--+--
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.