Kagura gave an awkward laugh, not saying that she was actually sighing over the Uma Musume who had unfortunately run into Rudolph Symbol later on.
"Let's go, little sister! We'll go down and welcome Rudolph!"
After rubbing Kagura's head, Maruzensky grabbed her under the arms and lifted her up, intending to bring her along to welcome Rudolph Symbol. Toujou Hana had also stood up and looked ready to go with them.
"Head of the Family?"
Kagura, who had been lifted up, looked at Speed Symbol. Speed Symbol merely smiled and shook her head, showing no intention of getting up.
"You young people go. Akikawa and I will stay here and chat, so we won't intrude. You youngsters should go down and congratulate her."
Knowing that she and her granddaughter didn't quite share the same wavelength, Speed Symbol had no intention of going out and dampening their mood. The young people could celebrate among themselves. As for this elder, there would be plenty of opportunities to say whatever she wanted after the celebration.
15. The Victors' Stage
Elsewhere, Rudolph Symbol had just come off the track and entered the passage leading backstage when she spotted several familiar faces.
"Yo! Maruzensky, Kagura, and Trainer—you're all here!"
"Of course! How could I miss Rudolph's debut race? You ran so—cool! Kagura couldn't take her eyes off you!"
Holding Kagura in her arms, Maruzensky offered Rudolph Symbol her congratulations in an exaggerated manner.
"Congratulations, young lady. You ran beautifully."
Kagura pulled one hand free from Maruzensky's arm and gave Rudolph Symbol a thumbs-up.
"Thank you for your support. I'll keep running just like I did this time."
As she spoke, Rudolph Symbol stepped forward and reached out with both hands. She held Kagura's soft, fair cheeks and rubbed them, and her warm palms made Kagura, who had grown a little chilly from the wind outside, feel cozy.
Kagura didn't really mind people being physically affectionate with her, but she still couldn't quite understand why everyone around her had started hugging her or rubbing and pinching her whenever they got the chance after she became an Uma Musume. Speed Symbol, Rudolph Symbol, Maruzensky—it was all of them. Did she really feel that good to touch?
"Congratulations, Rudolph. That was a beautiful race."
Compared with her classmates, Toujou Hana was much calmer as a Trainer. She simply walked over and lightly patted Rudolph Symbol's shoulder in encouragement.
"I'm sorry, Trainer. I didn't follow the tactics you asked for later on."
"It's fine. You read the situation clearly and made the best choice. Whether it was my decision or yours, as long as it won the race, it was the right one."
While watching from above, Kagura had actually heard Toujou Hana calling out later in the race. When Rudolph Symbol had forcefully broken through during the second half, Toujou Hana had seemed worried for a moment, but Rudolph Symbol's performance quickly put her at ease.
"Come to think of it, Rudolph, you still have to perform on the Victors' Stage, right? Shouldn't you go get ready?"
Hearing the crowd outside shouting Rudolph Symbol's name with feverish enthusiasm, Maruzensky suddenly remembered and reminded her.
"I'm on my way there now. Maruzensky, Trainer, would you like to come backstage and take a look?"
From Rudolph Symbol's conversation with the other two, Kagura also learned something else related to racing—the Victors' Stage. Only the winner of a race was qualified to appear on the stage afterward, where she conveyed her charm to the audience through singing and dancing.
Why is there such a victory mechanic that has nothing to do with racing and sounds so embarrassing to outsiders?? Isn't Uma Musume supposed to be a sports anime?!
Seeing that they seemed quite happy about it, Kagura couldn't understand it at all and could only complain inwardly. She remembered that when her best friend had recommended Uma Musume to her, she had called it a heartwarming sports anime.
There really is something wrong with this world... Whatever. It's not like I'm the one going up there. As long as the young lady is happy...
Looking at the confident Rudolph Symbol, Kagura could only set aside this bizarre mechanism that seemed strange no matter how she looked at it.
In any case, she wasn't the one performing, and she would probably never have the chance to go up there herself. Watching as an audience member was fine. She didn't mind performances with an idol-show flavor.
Following Rudolph Symbol backstage, Kagura entered a place like this for the first time in both of her lives. Maruzensky had slipped in with her, while Toujou Hana, saying that she didn't want to disturb the children's celebration, stayed outside instead of following them in.
"Wow... Little sister, you can even do makeup? I feel like you know so many things. You're amazing..."
After making a round backstage, Maruzensky discovered that Kagura was applying makeup to Rudolph Symbol in front of a mirror and couldn't help feeling surprised.
"I know a little. I learned a few things from Head Maid before. The young lady is already so beautiful that she doesn't need anything too complicated. It's quite simple."
Kagura smiled modestly while carefully applying makeup to Rudolph Symbol.
The Uma Musume were all beautiful, so doing their makeup was very easy. Kagura didn't need to use any complicated techniques. In fact, she had never seen an Uma Musume with poor looks. Even an older Uma Musume like Speed Symbol looked full of vitality.
As for why Kagura knew how to do all this, learning a few tricks from Head Maid was one reason. The bigger reason was that her otaku best friend from her old life loved cosplay, and Kagura had always been the one to do her makeup. Over time, she had mastered quite a few unusual techniques.
It didn't take long for Kagura to finish Rudolph Symbol's makeup. After checking the time, she saw that it was almost time for Rudolph Symbol to go onstage.
"I didn't expect someone your age to be so good at makeup... Head Maid should be learning from you instead, right?"
Knowing how capable her own Head Maid was, Rudolph Symbol teased her with a smile.
"No, no, you're flattering me. I still have a long way to go~ By the way, after running such an intense race today, you must be hungry, young lady. Is there anything you'd like to eat?"
Remembering the task Speed Symbol had assigned her on the way there, Kagura asked:
"Hm? That old woman ordered a hotel, didn't she? Can't we just leave this sort of thing to the hotel staff?"
"Head of the Family told me to borrow the kitchen there and cook you all a meal. She said she absolutely wanted you to try it at least once. I don't really know what Head of the Family is thinking..."
Kagura didn't really understand why Speed Symbol insisted that she prepare this celebratory feast. Speed Symbol had said before that she loved Kagura's cooking, but Kagura hadn't expected her to give up the hotel's food for it. Fortunately, the hotel really did have a section of the kitchen available for guests to borrow, so Kagura wouldn't be left without a stove. She only needed to prepare the ingredients.
Pushing aside the many questions in her mind, Kagura decided to first find out what she needed to know. She took out the small notebook and pen she carried with her and looked at the other two.
"Does the young lady have any preferred flavors? Or a particular cuisine she likes? For now, I only know Chinese and Japanese cooking. I'm not very familiar with Western food yet. Miss Maruzensky, you can also tell me what you like to eat. As long as I know how to make it and can find the ingredients, I can prepare it tonight."
"That old woman really knows how to make people work. Just make whatever you can manage, Kagura... I don't have any particular preferences. Something light would be fine. What about you, Maruzensky?"
"I'm easy~ Something a little sweet sounds good."
"Okay, got it. Go release your charm onstage without worry! I'll have dinner ready by the time you come back, young lady."
Kagura nodded and finished making her notes. Then she put away the notebook and pen and prepared to leave. She planned to watch the so-called Victors' Stage from the audience for a while, then go buy the ingredients for dinner.
"Little sister, it won't be convenient for you to buy all the ingredients alone, right? I'll come with you."
When she heard that Kagura planned to buy ingredients later, Maruzensky immediately volunteered. For some reason, Kagura felt that Maruzensky was being a little too enthusiastic.
"Sure. If you don't mind the trouble, Miss Maruzensky, you're welcome to come along. I'll find you after the Victors' Stage ends."
Kagura didn't think too much of it and nodded. After all, she hadn't brought the small cart she usually used when grocery shopping. Having another person to help carry the groceries would be very useful.
Out of curiosity, Kagura went to the audience seats to watch the so-called "Victors' Stage." She had to admit that it really was a highly entertaining performance—at least Rudolph Symbol's was. If she treated it like an idol concert, she could give it a score of ninety.
So what does this have to do with running?!
No matter how hard she tried, Kagura couldn't understand the connection between the two. Then she thought that this was an anime world, and some things didn't need to make complete sense.
"Question! Little sister, do you yearn for a stage like that?"
The orange-haired girl had appeared beside her at some point and was smiling at her. The cat on her hat meowed as if in agreement.
"Me? Although I think being an idol is a dazzling profession, I don't think it suits me."
Kagura was startled by the sudden appearance of Akikawa Yayoi, but she quickly composed herself and shook her head.
"Why? Do you dislike it?"
"It's not that I dislike it... I just don't think I'm the kind of person who can shine that brightly. For me, just being a maid like this... would be enough."
"So you lack confidence?"
"...You could put it that way."
Kagura didn't dislike idol activities, but she wasn't like her otaku best friend. Asking someone like her to do this would be difficult, to say the least. Besides, she had no confidence in herself. She was just an ordinary girl who could be found anywhere, without the dazzling aura Rudolph Symbol possessed.
Akikawa Yayoi nodded thoughtfully, blinking her limpid blue eyes several times.
"Question! When Rudolph's race ended, I noticed that your expression wasn't happy. What were you lamenting? Or were you afraid of something?"
How did she know...? Had the chairwoman been watching me the whole time?
Kagura hadn't expected that even her slight sigh for the Uma Musume behind Rudolph Symbol would be noticed by this child. It seemed that Akikawa Yayoi's powers of observation far exceeded her appearance. Chairwoman Akikawa couldn't be judged by her childish looks at all.
"I just think the other Uma Musume... had it pretty rough. Beneath that dazzling light, all their effort and sweat seemed insignificant, so small... Nothing is more despairing than a hardworking genius, is there?"
"Oh—"
That exclamation came from Akikawa Yayoi. Kagura followed the sound and saw her looking at Kagura with great interest.
"Question! If you replaced Rudolph on the track with yourself, would you feel sorry for the others?"
"No. It's like school exams. The number of outstanding spots is always limited. If you want to move forward, you naturally need the resolve to crush other people's dreams. Rather than give away a victory out of pity, I think it's better to rely on your own strength like Miss Rudolph and make the other Uma Musume think, 'Ah, there was nothing they could do about losing to her...'"
After pausing, Kagura remembered something she had heard from Eclipse not long ago that seemed appropriate here. She organized her thoughts slightly before speaking.
"...'In my era, every opponent considered defeating me the highest honor.' That's the mindset a competitor standing at the peak ought to have, isn't it?"
If she were standing on the track, and if she truly possessed strength like Rudolph Symbol's, she would absolutely crush her opponents without mercy just as Rudolph Symbol had. That was the correct attitude toward competition.
Having endured countless important examinations in her previous life, Kagura naturally had no use for pointless sympathy. No matter what kind of exam it was, the number of spots available for passing and advancing was fixed every year. If she got in, that meant someone else had been pushed out. There was nothing to pity. Worrying over such things was incredibly foolish.
That's what I say, but if I were actually up there, wouldn't I probably be one of the Uma Musume getting crushed from behind? That speed beyond the limits of humanity...
Kagura thought silently. She didn't believe she could outrun a monster like Rudolph Symbol. When she had crossed the finish line just now, she had been so fast that Kagura couldn't even see her clearly. That girl had practically flown over the grass!
Akikawa Yayoi nodded in satisfaction, leaned forward, and took Kagura's hands. She came so close that she was almost pressed against Kagura's face, then looked at her expectantly.
"Praise! Little sister, I like you very much! Would you consider coming to Tracen Academy? I can let you skip the selection process and go straight to the written examination. I can even provide you with special guidance from the chairwoman!"
"Eh? Um... Chairwoman Akikawa... that doesn't seem appropriate..."
"Don't cause trouble, Akikawa. I still want to eat more of Kagura's cooking."
Speed Symbol, who had been hiding and crouching behind them for a while, walked over and pulled the excited Akikawa Yayoi back. She looked extremely pleased as well. She had originally thought that a gentle and kind child like Kagura might feel unnecessary sympathy for the Uma Musume behind Rudolph, but Kagura's unexpected answer had raised Speed Symbol's opinion of her even further.
"Ah, Head of the Family, when did you get here?"
"I just came down. The moment I stepped out of the elevator, I heard Akikawa trying to poach someone from my household. That won't do. Kagura has spoiled my palate lately, and I'm counting on her to cook for me."
While lying through her teeth with a serious expression, Speed Symbol grabbed Kagura by the shoulders and pulled her over, even raising a hand in front of Kagura as if declaring ownership.
"What a pity! But if you want to come to my home someday, little sister, you can visit Tracen anytime. Just tell the big green sister at the school gate. She'll bring you in for a tour."
"Okay... okay..."
Overwhelmed by Akikawa Yayoi's excessive enthusiasm, Kagura's speech became somewhat unnatural.
What kind of strange nickname is "big green sister"...? That lady would definitely be furious if she heard it!!
Although Kagura had also been captivated for quite a while the first time she saw that green-clad woman at the entrance of Tracen, she truly couldn't understand why anyone would dress entirely in green in everyday life—shining green, at that.
Watching the enthusiastic Akikawa Yayoi hum a cheerful little tune as she left and returned to her seat, Kagura finally relaxed a little. Rudolph Symbol's performance was nearly over, and it was time for her to set out and buy the ingredients.
16. You Did It! You Really Did It!
To make it back in time for dinner, Kagura didn't linger in the audience seats for long. As promised, Maruzensky left the audience with her and went to the supermarket to gather ingredients.
"Miss Maruzensky, the carrot you picked isn't very fresh. It's probably the kind that gets discounted in the evening."
Maruzensky was naturally much less discerning about daily life than Kagura. At that moment, she wore an incredulous expression, her gaze darting between the radish in her hand and the one Kagura had picked, as if trying to find what was different.
Ah, what an incredibly genuine look of confusion... I probably looked like that the first time I picked vegetables at a market too...
Seeing Maruzensky's baffled expression, Kagura couldn't help wanting to laugh. She seemed to see her former self in it. The difference was that she was no longer the kitchen novice who couldn't even tell scallions from chives.
Since arriving at the Symbol family's home, Kagura had tended to buy higher-quality ingredients, then look for a balance in price once the quality was sufficient. This differed from her shopping habits in the past. After all, the Symbol family wasn't short on money, while she still had to consider living expenses.
Although discounted evening ingredients could occasionally be good, the odds were ultimately low. This was especially true of meat and fish. To buy good-quality ones, she generally had to arrive early, and she had already come too late.
"Um... Little sister, how exactly do you tell whether ingredients are fresh?"
"Some can be judged by looking at the surface. Others need to be touched or tapped. There isn't any fixed method. I suppose... it's all by feel?"
"I'm finished. My common sense about daily life is actually worse than that of an amnesiac little Uma Musume..."
Maruzensky stared at the radish for half a minute before finally conceding helplessly.
Having already planned the menu, Kagura moved purposefully between the different sections, selecting ingredients. Maruzensky had nominally come to help Kagura, but once they arrived, she realized that she couldn't help much. Aside from seasonings and drinks, which she could find, Kagura selected almost everything herself. Maruzensky was like a mobile shelf following behind her and carrying things.
Although this was Kagura's first time at the supermarket, she seemed extremely familiar with the process of finding ingredients. Even without knowing the layout, she quickly located what she wanted by following the signs, as if she had done this thousands upon thousands of times. Maruzensky, who usually bought groceries casually and sometimes lived on fast food whenever she was tired, was deeply surprised.
For some reason, Maruzensky saw a certain radiance in that small black-haired Uma Musume ahead of her—the same kind of radiance she had once seen in her Uma Musume mother.
—She's younger than me, yet she feels almost like a mother.
Looking at the white earring hanging from Kagura's left ear, Maruzensky inexplicably felt an urge to wrap an arm around Kagura's waist and play a prank on this serious child. In the end, however, she suppressed it with her powerful self-control.
She had come along so proactively partly because she genuinely wanted to help Kagura and keep her from getting tired, but also because she was curious. She had discovered that Kagura seemed to possess some inexplicable attraction for her. In particular, whenever she held Kagura, she felt an indescribable sense of relaxation and comfort that made her want to hug Kagura again and again.
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