"Woo-hoo! I'm back!"
Entering the classroom, Bless the Moment raised her hand, clenched it into a fist, then splayed her fingers open: "Heeey~ Did you miss me?"
"Bless? You're back?"
Seeing the white-haired Uma Musume walk into the classroom, Kitasan Black's face lit up with surprise, but it quickly turned skeptical. "...You didn't sneak out by yourself, did you?"
"My dad dropped me off, you know?"
Bless the Moment replied with a grin.
"Oh, alright then. That's a relief."
Kitasan Black nodded.
"Auntie finally let you out?"
Watching Bless the Moment take her seat, Satono Diamond asked, taking advantage of the fact that the morning reading teacher hadn't arrived yet.
"What do you mean, 'let me out'?"
Bless the Moment expressed her displeasure at Satono Diamond's wording. "It's clearly because I've been on my best behavior lately that she felt reassured enough to give me back my freedom!"
No... The way you put it makes it sound even weirder.
The girls sitting around Bless the Moment collectively thought to themselves.
"Alright, alright, morning reading is about to start, everyone get ready... Oh, you're back, Bless."
Miyamori Jun'ta, a few books tucked under his arm, hurried into the classroom and stopped at the lectern, looking up to meet Bless the Moment's gaze right away.
"Sensei, don't you think you're a bit too early?"
The first words out of the seated Bless the Moment's mouth made Miyamori Jun'ta raise an eyebrow.
Trying to pick a fight on your first day back?
"Should I wait until after morning reading starts to come in?"
"No, you could just come in right as the bell rings."
"Are you telling me how to do my job?"
"Wouldn't dare, wouldn't dare. It's just a little suggestion from a student to her teacher."
The white-haired Uma Musume even made a gesture with her fingers for emphasis, but that 'little' gesture made Miyamori Jun'ta's eye twitch.
A little suggestion? Looks to me like you're planning something big!
"Go on, let's hear it."
He placed his teaching materials on the desk, indicating he was all ears for what Bless the Moment had to say next.
"I believe that as a teacher, while educating us is important, it's also crucial to manage the timing of entering and leaving the classroom properly."
Bless the Moment stood up. "Coming in before the class bell rings gives us this feeling of 'class is about to start immediately' pressure. And not dismissing class right after the bell rings just makes us feel the tension of 'next class is about to start, and I haven't even dealt with my personal needs yet'."
"You think me arriving now makes you all feel tense?"
Miyamori Jun'ta shifted his gaze from Bless the Moment to the other students in the classroom. "What do you all think?"
"Not at all, I think you're great."
"Uncle, forcing students to say things they don't mean isn't right."
"Am I forcing you to say things you don't mean?"
"No—pe—!"
The students chorused, dragging out the word.
Though young, Miyamori Jun'ta handled all the duties of a homeroom teacher quite well.
And he truly lived up to what he'd said on the first day of school: 'During class, treat me as your teacher; after class, you can think of me as a friend.'
The students all liked this young teacher who was a first-time homeroom teacher.
"What!"
Bless the Moment's eyes widened in disbelief. "I'm fighting for our rights as students, and you all betray me?!"
"Why? I thought we were in this together?!"
"Bless the Moment."
Miyamori Jun'ta rubbed his temples. "Morning reading is about to start. Please take your seat."
"But there's still a whole minute left!"
Bless the Moment protested.
"If you don't get ready for morning reading, I'll tell your mother everything you just did."
"Hah, can't win so you tattle to the parents? Such a childish trick."
The white-haired filly sneered, but her body obediently settled into her chair.
Childish? Effective is what matters!
Bringing up her mother really is the best way to deal with this girl.
Miyamori Jun'ta sat down, satisfied.
"Riiiiing—!"
Soon after, the bell signaling the start of morning reading sounded.
The students' noisy chatter was drowned out by the bell. When it faded, the classroom was filled once more, but this time with the clear, loud sound of students reading aloud.
"...Yuni, wanna join us?"
At noon, Bless the Moment, who was getting up to leave with Satono Diamond and the others, glanced over at the blonde Uma Musume's seat.
Seeing she was still sitting there, Bless the Moment called out to the two Uma Musume ahead of her, then quickly walked over and gently tapped Neo Universe on the shoulder. When the other looked up, she asked.
"...No, thank you."
Neo Universe's gaze went past the white-haired Uma Musume beside her, resting on Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond waiting by the door, then she shook her head. "You go ahead."
Having traversed so many parallel worldlines, Neo Universe had a certain degree of self-awareness.
Because she wasn't good with words and her speech was often hard to understand, being isolated for long periods was a common occurrence.
Although the classmates in this worldline hadn't done that, they all still kept their distance.
If she agreed rashly, she might just end up causing trouble for Bless the Moment.
It was better to refuse here.
"It's fine, it's fine, Kita-chan and Dia won't mind."
Seeing the hesitation in Neo Universe's eyes, Bless the Moment reached out, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her along. "Come on, come on! If we're late, we'll only get what the other students passed over!"
"..."
Pulled along by Bless the Moment, Neo Universe looked at the white-haired Uma Musume in front of her, then at the two waiting by the door.
...Thinking about it, having a meal with others once in a while might be nice.
Neo Universe stopped resisting and let the white-haired Uma Musume pull her out of the classroom.
"...Do you have time after lunch? I want to ask you about something."
Walking behind Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond, Bless the Moment secretly slowed her pace, putting some distance between herself and the two in front. Then, lowering her voice, she spoke to the blonde, blue-eyed Uma Musume walking beside her.
"Ask what?"
Neo Universe blinked, a puzzled look in her eyes.
"Some things I didn't get to ask last time you came to my place."
Bless the Moment replied. "Is that okay?"
"Okay."
Neo Universe nodded. "Where?"
"Let's go to the rooftop."
Bless the Moment quickly concluded the topic.
"I understand."
The blonde, blue-eyed Uma Musume nodded, indicating she understood.
"Bless, Neo Universe, what are you two talking about back there?"
Kitasan Black turned around, looking at Neo Universe and Bless the Moment who had fallen a few steps behind, and asked curiously.
"Just guessing what's good for lunch today."
"I heard from the cafeteria ladies they have carrot hamburger steak today."
"Eh? Really?"
Bless the Moment said with a laugh, quickening her pace with Neo Universe in tow to catch up with the two Uma Musume ahead.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, 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.