The way Uma Musume looks at me is so scary!

After saying that, she turned her gaze to the bewildered Xiu Xingmeng and smiled at her.

"The curse in the Northern bloodline has been passed down for generations, and the ancestors certainly could not sit idly by. In order to resolve the conflict between bloodline and body, the Northern family began research long ago."

"This research has been passed down through generations in the family like a torch of hope."

Grandmother's tone was long and profound, as if every word carried her feelings for her family in the North. As the head of the family who had received the last torch, she wanted to pass on this hope that had been passed down for generations to Xiuxingmeng.

"When it was handed to me, the Northern family didn't have much time left, so I dismissed all my retainers, sold all the family's assets, and invested all the funds into this final research."

"All for... to be able to catch up with this moment."

Upon hearing this, Xiu Xingmeng suddenly realized why, besides herself and her grandmother, there was only a dilapidated Western-style house left in the Northern family. It turned out that her grandmother had invested all the Northern family's funds into a certain research project.

At this point, even the slow-witted Xiu Xingmeng realized what her grandmother meant by "opportunity" and what hope she was referring to.

"Like treating an illness, does the box contain a potion that can remove bloodline curses?"

She followed her grandmother's gaze to the safe. Could this seemingly ordinary box contain the antidote to the curse that had plagued the Northern family for generations?

Upon hearing Xiu Xingmeng's words, the grandmother pondered for a moment before chuckling softly.

"I prefer to call it a limiter rather than a medicine for treating diseases."

"Use it when you feel that your body can no longer bear the talent in your bloodline. It will calm the boiling power in your bloodline back down, and the curse will naturally disappear."

In her grandmother's eyes, the Northern family's bloodline was never a disease, and the so-called curse was merely the price that the descendants had to pay for their inability to bear the glory of their ancestors. Rather than a cure, she preferred to see it as a limitation.

"After things calm down, won't the competition stimulate the awakening of bloodlines? If the Northern Blood is activated again, the curse will also awaken, then this limiter will be useless, won't it?"

Before her grandmother could answer Xiu Xingmeng's question, the middle-aged man who had been silent spoke up.

"Previous versions would indeed be like that, but this time it has reached the perfect final form. No matter how much stimulation it is, the bloodline erosion will only stop at the moment the limiter is used."

Upon hearing the word "erosion," Grandmother frowned and offered a reminder.

"That's not erosion, it's the guidance of our ancestors."

My mistake.

The middle-aged man did not try to argue, but silently lowered his head and admitted his mistake.

Just then, Xiu Xingmeng heard that familiar mechanical system notification sound in her ear.

Phase 1 Task Completed

[Rewards have been distributed]

Before she could even wonder when the reward would be distributed, her grandmother spoke up.

"Xingmeng, go and take it."

"This is the last gift I can give you."

As soon as he finished speaking, the serious-looking middle-aged man carried the box to Xiu Xingmeng and slowly held it up in front of her hand.

"Miss Star Dream".

Under their gazes, Xiu Xingmeng gently took the box and slowly opened it.

Before her was a golden potion in a transparent bottle, the masterpiece that the Northern Family had created to break the curse, passed down from generation to generation.

As it appeared, the translucent blue screen also came into Xiu Xingmeng's view.

Bloodline Limiter

[Durability: 1/1]

[Introduction: The powerful bloodline of our ancestors is both a blessing and a curse. While bestowing outstanding talents upon their descendants, it also cuts off their future paths. Perhaps only when a descendant with qualities comparable to their ancestors emerges can they fully bear this power. Unfortunately, the Northern Family no longer has that time.]

To ensure the continuation of the family line, generations of people and countless funds were poured into custom-made limiters for future generations. Once used, these limiters would permanently stabilize the runaway bloodline and completely dispel the curse that had been entangled with the Northern family.

Looking at the medicine in front of her, Xiu Xingmeng was momentarily stunned.

Because she did not inherit the script's memories, she had no real concept of the so-called glory of the Northern family. Apart from winning the competition, she simply replicated the appearance of those noble ladies from her memories on the field.

But when the potion, which had consumed the efforts of several generations of the Northern Family Heads, appeared before her, Xiu Xingmeng suddenly felt a strong sense of history. This was not just an ordinary prop, but a legacy left to future generations by the Northern Family members who had endured the pain of bloodline over countless years.

My grandmother's leg was broken because of a curse in her bloodline, and her peers and ancestors must have had similar experiences.

However, they did not give up in the face of such a twisted fate. The bloodline of the Northern family betrayed them and forced them to leave the arena, but they silently endured with a hope for their descendants, passing on the hope of breaking the curse through relay.

At this moment, Xiu Xingmeng felt that she understood why her grandmother often talked about the glory of the Northern family, and why she always liked to stay in that magnificent hall and silently wipe the portraits of the past.

To her, what stood there was not a cold picture frame, but a group of vibrant relatives who had fought together for the future of their northern home.

Chapter 164 Mejiro

"Miss Hoshino? Do you want to use it now? If you want to use it later, we will temporarily store the limiter to avoid some unnecessary risks."

After confirming that Xiu Xingmeng had seen the potion, the middle-aged man slowly spoke up. After all, no matter how well it was described, it was still just a potion, and its effects would inevitably be weakened depending on the environment. If Xiu Xingmeng didn't need it now, he would temporarily store it in a safe place.

What he didn't know was that the moment the potion appeared in Xiu Xingmeng's eyes, it was no longer just a simple potion.

Once confirmed by the system, it has become a kind of item. As long as its durability remains unchanged, its effect will not diminish. And is there any safer place to store it than the system inventory?

"I will use it as soon as possible."

Xiu Xingmeng nodded, and as she spoke, she took the safe from the middle-aged man's hand, intending to put the potion back into the system after he left.

However, as soon as she finished speaking, she heard her grandmother behind her let out a somewhat sentimental sigh.

"Choose to use it as soon as possible instead of exploring the limits of your talent...?"

"That's good, and it's safer this way. Compared to the elusive talent, your life is more important, Star Dream. Your current strength is already sufficient."

"It's a pity... if only she had thought that way back then..."

Her muttering to herself puzzled Xiu Xingmeng, but she didn't press the matter further.

After all, her grandmother's tone sounded somewhat sad, and her words might be referring to the story of one of her peers or descendants. Xiu Xingmeng didn't want to cause this old woman, who had dedicated almost her entire life to the Northern family, to be reminded of those memories again.

After listening to Xiu Xingmeng's words, the middle-aged man nodded, bowed to the two of them, and then spoke.

"I understand. I'll head back to the Mejiro family now. Feel free to contact me anytime if anything comes up."

After he finished speaking, he quietly left the room.

Xiu Xingmeng, however, was still reeling from what he had just said and nearly dropped the safe in her hand.

The Mejiro family? !

Isn't that the prestigious family that her grandmother despised the most? Xiu Xingmeng clearly remembered that one of the main reasons her grandmother wanted her to win the consecutive championship of the Emperor's Spring and Autumn Tournament was to break the record left by the Mejiro family in the Emperor's Spring and Autumn Tournament.

But why is the man in front of me from the Meguro family? Could it be that the potion he's holding was also made in collaboration with the Meguro family?!

Surprised, Xiu Xingmeng subconsciously turned her head and looked at her grandmother with a puzzled expression.

Seeing her surprised look, the grandmother from the Northern family pondered for a while, then sighed as if she had made up her mind and patted the edge of the bed beside her, gesturing for Xiu Xingmeng to sit down and listen.

"Since we've already said so much, one more thing won't make a difference."

After Xiu Xingmeng sat down, her grandmother looked into Xiu Xingmeng's deep black eyes and spoke slowly.

"The Mejiro family... or rather, the Mejiro Asama family. It's a feud left over from our generation. I won't go into the details with you; the old folks always have some things they take to their graves."

After saying this, her grandmother gently pressed down on Xiu Xingmeng's hand, indicating that there was no need for her to comfort herself; she knew her own body best.

"However, there is actually a connection between the Mejiro family and the Hokuto family."

"As you know, prestigious families often arrange marriages to maintain their superior bloodlines, and the Mejiro family is one of them."

"It is because of this relationship that the Mejiro family is willing to help with the limiter. Otherwise, even if the declining Northern family had assets, it would not be able to end its mission in my generation. We... I need the help of the medical community."

Upon hearing this, Xiu Xingmeng's guess gradually became clear: the grudge between her grandmother and the Megumi family was actually limited to Megumi Asama alone.

Furthermore, because the Mejiro family had a marriage alliance with the Hokuto family, the Mejiro family helped the Hokuto family make medicines out of this relationship.

And now, the only one the Mejiro family can rely on for assistance is the last descendant of the Northern family to inherit the surname—

It can only be myself.

Xiu Xingmeng pointed to herself with a somewhat dazed expression, as if she were repeatedly asking her grandmother a question through gestures.

“That’s right, Hoshino. You have the blood of the Mejiro family in you.”

Upon hearing that her guess had come true, Xiu Xingmeng was momentarily stunned. She thought that it was already quite extraordinary that she could possess the blood of a prestigious family in this script world, but she did not expect that this blood of a prestigious family was not limited to the Northern family. The Meguro family, which she had heard about before, also had a share.

"However, you are not actually a descendant of the first generation of intermarriage. Your mother also has Mejiro blood."

"However, she has a stronger Meguro bloodline, so her hair is light blue. The Northern family bloodline is dominant in you, so you did not inherit your mother's hair color."

At this point, Grandma couldn't help but sigh.

The Northern family's last hope, the most talented Northern Star Dream, turns out she is not of pure Northern blood; she also carries the blood of the Mejiro family, which she despises the most.

Perhaps part of Grandmother's prejudice against the Mejiro family stemmed from their bloodline. In her eyes, the Mejiro family's lineage was like a stain, tainting the last hope of the North with a repulsive aura.

However, it seems like a good thing now, since my body can't hold on much longer, and I can't leave Xingmeng, a child, alone in this dilapidated mansion.

The Mejiro family might be a good choice...

While her grandmother was lost in thought, she didn't notice that Xiu Xingmeng's body stiffened suddenly after hearing what she had just heard, and an inexplicable intuition urged her to find the answer.

"A light blue-haired...mother?"

A figure kept flashing through her mind, and her heart pounded wildly at the thought. Xiu Xingmeng murmured cautiously to herself.

"..."

"Can't remember? ...Well...you were young when she passed away."

After a moment of silence, Grandmother slowly spoke, pointing to the door and gesturing to Xiu Xingmeng.

"Do you remember that framed painting with the curtain hanging in the ancestral hall? That's where your mother is..."

Before she could finish speaking, Xiu Xingmeng rushed out of the room while saying sorry. Her all-out sprint quickly kicked up a cloud of dust in the corridor, but even though Xiu Xingmeng was covered in dust and cobwebs, she did not stop. In fact, she became even faster and arrived at the hall in just a few seconds.

Standing before the portrait covered by a curtain, Xiu Xingmeng's hand, still trembling as she held the curtain, had a vague idea of ​​what was going on.

To stop her trembling hands, she tied off the red ribbon that was tied behind her hair and wrapped it around her hand, just as she had done countless times in moments of fear and anxiety.

Then, the curtain was pulled down in one swift motion.

The black curtain slid down in mid-air, and the horse girl in the picture frame twirled her light blue hair with her fingers, giving Xiu Xingmeng a familiar, gentle smile as if she were looking at someone outside the picture.

Looking at the familiar figure before her, Xiu Xingmeng subconsciously tightened her grip on the red ribbon in her hand and murmured to herself.

"Mother?"

Chapter 165 The Past

The weight of the word "mother" in Xiu Xingmeng's heart is self-evident.

She entered the script world again and again in order to save her mother who was lying in the hospital, but Xiu Xingmeng never expected that her mother's figure would appear here.

In the first two scenes of the script world, Xiu Xingmeng had not heard a single word about her mother, so she subconsciously felt that there was a barrier between the world line of the script world and reality. But when Xiu Xingmeng looked at the figure in the picture frame, that originally indestructible high wall instantly vanished.

The line between reality and the script became somewhat blurred in Xiu Xingmeng's mind, as if taking a step in a certain direction would bring her back to reality.

If the boundary between the two is so blurred, does that mean...?

"Was my mother also the eldest daughter of the northern family... the Mejiro family?"

"So, is the reason she's unconscious because of the curse of that Northern family bloodline?!"

Thinking of this, Xiu Xingmeng subconsciously turned her head and looked towards her grandmother's room.

There, there is a bloodline limiter that the Northern Family completed by combining the efforts of several generations of family heads, and it has been transformed into an item by the system.

Does that mean that if I bring that item back to reality, I will have hope of saving my mother?

This idea left Xiu Xingmeng's mind blank. If that were the case, wouldn't she no longer need to run after completing this script world? After all, she had already achieved her goal, hadn't she?

Thinking of this, Xiu Xingmeng felt a strange sense of unease, but she patted her cheeks to force herself to put this trivial matter aside. The most important thing now was her mother's matter.

She took one last look at her mother in the picture frame, wiped her ashen face with the back of her hand, as if trying to appear safe and sound in front of her mother.

Even though Xiu Xingmeng knew that what she was seeing was just a painting.

"Mother, wait for me a moment, I'll be back soon."

After smiling and saying those words to the figure in the picture frame, Xiu Xingmeng turned around again and walked with firm steps toward her grandmother's room.

She now needs to know more about her mother's story, and her grandmother is her best source of information. At this moment, Xiu Xingmeng no longer cares whether it will be abrupt for her to ask such a question later without the script memory. All she wants now is to know everything about her mother.

What kind of past did the mother who raised him alone, who gave him love and warmth, have, and why did she run away from home?

Embroidery Star Dreams needs to know these things.