"Come to think of it, there's still some time before bed. Nice Nature, is there anything you want to do?"
"Ardan just said to turn off the lights and listen to the rain. I want to try it too."
"But you're afraid of thunder..."
"With you by my side, I feel completely at ease..."
I see. This girl just wants to be spoiled.
Kagura had already realized that Nice Nature wasn't actually afraid of thunder. She was afraid of being alone. She had come looking for Kagura because she felt lonely. Still, Kagura didn't expose Nice Nature's little scheme. It wasn't a bad thing, anyway.
She didn't hurry to turn off the lights. Instead, Kagura filled a kettle and put it on the electric stove to boil. She brewed a pot of tea for herself and Nice Nature, poured them each a cup, then took out some senbei she had bought while shopping for ingredients earlier. She placed them on a small plate and carried it to the table by the window.
Only after making all these preparations did Kagura call Nice Nature over to sit down. Then she went to turn off the room's lights.
"Hmm hmm hmm~ What a refined pastime. I never knew you knew how to enjoy yourself, child."
A voice only Kagura could hear floated by her ear. She felt Eclipse gently breathe against it, making her itch a little.
Miss Eclipse, you should calm down and enjoy it too. You'll find it very comfortable.
Kagura replied to Eclipse in her heart, then fell silent. She simply picked up a senbei and began crunching on it.
Nice Nature didn't make a sound either. As she listened to the rain, she secretly watched Kagura. In the quiet darkness, the faint light from outside illuminated a small corner of Kagura's cheek. The soft patter of rain lingered in her ears, as if everything around her had been covered by a hazy, dreamlike boundary. In that indistinct atmosphere, Nice Nature felt dazed, as though she were dreaming.
What a strange feeling... It's so comfortable...
The light, airy sensation made it difficult for Nice Nature to tell.
Did she like listening to the rain, or did she like listening to it together with the person sitting across from her?
She didn't know. But she felt that things were just fine as they were.
50. The Mejiro Family's Invitation
Nice Nature spent the most comfortable night of her life so far.
For Kagura, who slept in the same bed as her, however, the night was not nearly as comfortable. Just as Kagura was about to fall asleep the previous night, Nice Nature suddenly wrapped herself tightly around her, forcing Kagura awake for quite a while longer. Then, when she woke up that morning, she discovered that she had been sleeping on her side, while Nice Nature was clinging to her back like a koala and hugging her.
Is Nice Nature trying to practice a chokehold in her sleep?! Honestly...
"Nice Nature... wake up..."
Kagura couldn't move in this position, so she had no choice but to call out and wake Nice Nature, who was still wrapped around her. She was glad she had changed into pajamas before going to bed last night instead of sleeping in her shrine maiden outfit.
"You smell so good... Mm...?"
The groggy Nice Nature stirred when she heard Kagura's voice. Kagura thought she was about to wake up, but instead, Nice Nature pressed forward. Kagura had been lying on her side, but with that one movement, Nice Nature pushed down on her shoulder and pinned her completely beneath her.
What the heck...? Weren't you getting up?!
Kagura raised her hands and tried to push Nice Nature away. She didn't know whether Nice Nature had dreamed about something delicious, but Kagura, whose strength was inferior to Nice Nature's, pushed her lightly several times without moving her at all. Compared with Kagura, Nice Nature had an obvious advantage in both build and strength.
After pinning Kagura down, Nice Nature seemed to have found something delicious. She crawled closer to Kagura's neck, sleepily opened her mouth, stuck out her little tongue, and licked her once before biting down on Kagura's neck.
"Ow!! Nice Nature, don't bite me like I'm food!!!"
Tears sprang to Kagura's eyes from the pain. Startled by the stimulation, Kagura instinctively jerked her whole body. Nice Nature was jolted awake by the sudden impact.
"Daikon cake... Huh... huh?!"
When she opened her eyes and saw Kagura pinned beneath her with tears in her eyes, Nice Nature, who had just woken up, felt as though her CPU didn't have enough capacity to process the situation.
"I'm truly sorry!!"
Nice Nature lay flat on the floor in a full dogeza, apologizing to Kagura, who was still changing clothes on the bed.
"Sigh... Nice Nature, with sleeping habits like yours, if I ever sleep with you again, I'll have to find a rope and tie you up. Otherwise, I'm genuinely afraid you'll get hungry and start gnawing on me."
"I... I didn't know this would happen either. I never used to do this when I slept..."
Kagura finished buttoning her clothes and putting on her socks before jumping down from the bed and putting on her shoes. Seeing Nice Nature still lying on the floor, afraid to get up, Kagura sighed helplessly, walked over, and pulled her to her feet.
"All right, all right, stop lying there. I'm not that bothered by it. But you really should find a way to fix your sleeping habits. What if you sleepwalked over and gnawed on your roommate?"
"But I've never gnawed on my roommate... Today was the first time I even found out I had this problem..."
Nice Nature was just as baffled. She had lived with her roommate for so long without the other girl ever mentioning anything like this. In fact, her roommate had even praised her for sleeping soundly and quietly. So how had this happened today?
"By the way, Kagura, you're still taking the day off today, right? Why are you carrying a small bag? And these clothes... They're not what you usually wear. Are you going somewhere important?"
Seeing Kagura preparing to leave in unusually formal clothes, Nice Nature couldn't help asking curiously.
"The waitress named Invincible whom we met yesterday just sent me an invitation. She said her senior wanted to invite me somewhere."
"The waitress's senior? Somewhere? Can I come too?"
"She asked me to go alone, so... Nice Nature, I can't take you with me."
"Huh? You only just met her, and now she wants you to go meet her alone? Be careful, Kagura. What if she has bad intentions? You should definitely take me with you!"
Nice Nature found the whole thing suspicious and insisted on going along.
"...No, I don't think we need to worry about that. I know her senior and her senior's family. Her senior invited me to their house as a guest. You should have heard of her. Her senior is the young lady of the Mejiro family."
Early that morning, Kagura had received a message from Invincible. She had invited Kagura out, asking whether she had time that day. The Mejiro family was holding a banquet and wanted to invite Kagura over to thank her for helping Mejiro Ardan before.
"The Mejiro family? That famous clan?"
"Yes. They've already invited me several times. It would be rather rude not to go again. I don't know when I'll be back, so I probably won't be at school today either. Remember to eat your meals on time."
As she spoke, Kagura rose onto her toes and patted Nice Nature's head, reminding her to eat and train on schedule. Nice Nature had looked as though she wanted to say something, but she fell silent, hesitating.
After sending Nice Nature back to her dormitory, Kagura finally went downstairs. Fuji Kiseki was at the entrance and greeted her, asking why there had suddenly been such a commotion in her room. Kagura merely explained that she had been frightened by a cockroach that had appeared out of nowhere and that it was nothing serious.
After leaving the dormitory, Kagura put on her hat. Seeing that the sky was still somewhat overcast, she checked that she had packed an umbrella. Then she took out her phone and was just about to contact Invincible when she suddenly saw a new deposit in her bank account. The amount was quite large, too.
What's going on? I'm pretty sure today isn't payday.
Still confused, Kagura opened the details to see where the money had come from. She checked the transfer note, which read: "Logistics Uma Musume's share of the race prize money."
Oh, right. This is the prize-money share. The contract did mention that Logistics Uma Musume would receive five percent... But can five percent really be this much? Are the prizes for races at this level that high?
Just then, Kagura saw a text message pop up. The sender was Rudolph Symbol.
Kagura, you should have just received a payment. According to the regulations, the trainer and Logistics Uma Musume are both entitled to a share of the race prize money. The trainer's portion has already been sent as well. This portion is yours.
—Oh, nice! See? I told you racing was profitable!
Eclipse's praise flashed across the screen.
Kagura quickly typed out a message of thanks and sent it to Rudolph Symbol. Her somewhat nervous mood immediately relaxed considerably.
After adjusting the hat on her head, Kagura informed the green-hatted lady at the school gate that she was heading out. As the gate opened, Kagura saw someone who surprised her.
"Miss Mejiro Takamine?"
The black-haired, mature Uma Musume—Mejiro Takamine—seemed to have been waiting at the school gate for some time. When she saw Kagura come out, she walked over and greeted her.
"Good morning, Kagura. I'm glad you accepted our invitation."
"Good morning, Miss Mejiro Takamine. I only did a small favor. I'm deeply honored to receive an invitation from the Mejiro family."
Kagura bowed slightly in the manner of a maid, making Mejiro Takamine raise an eyebrow before quickly returning to her normal expression.
"You're too modest. If everyone could perform a small favor like yours, the world would certainly become a better place... But enough of that. Come along."
"All right."
Kagura nodded and followed Mejiro Takamine into the luxurious private car that had been waiting at the school gate. She had a subtle feeling that there had been a trace of... approval in Mejiro Takamine's gaze just now.
Why do I have such a strange feeling...?
She couldn't help wondering whether accepting the Mejiro family's invitation had been the right decision.
51. Calling Her That Upon Their First Meeting...
The Mejiro family truly lived up to its reputation as a great clan on par with the Symbol family. The mansion looked extremely imposing. Still, Kagura had grown used to staying at the Symbol family's estate, so she was no longer easily impressed.
"Young lady, Miss Kagura, we've arrived."
When Kagura felt the slight tremor of the brakes, the old butler driving the car reminded them that they had reached their destination.
"Please, Kagura. You get out first."
Mejiro Takamine always gave off a faint air of oppression. Even if it was unconscious, it made Kagura feel a little uncomfortable.
Fortunately, Kagura had grown accustomed to interacting with important figures during this period. She wasn't affected by Mejiro Takamine's presence. After getting out of the car, she followed her into the Mejiro family's courtyard.
"I've been waiting for you... Kagura, welcome to the Mejiro family."
Kagura had been wondering who she would meet first after entering. She had thought she might happen to run into some young lady who liked peeking out from beside the door. She never expected Old Mejiro to come out personally to welcome her.
"Greetings, Madam Head of the Family. I never expected you to come and receive me personally... It's an honor!"
Kagura immediately lifted her skirt, bowed, and curtsied to Old Mejiro. Now that she was out representing the Symbol family, even as merely a maid, she couldn't allow her conduct to bring shame upon them.
"Hahaha, you're a distinguished guest who helped one of our children. Naturally, we couldn't neglect proper etiquette. You needn't be so formal... Takamine, someone from the Symbol family will be arriving soon. Stay here and receive them. I'll take Kagura inside first."
"Understood."
Mejiro Takamine nodded, glanced at Kagura, then turned and remained by the entrance.
Hearing that someone from the Symbol family was coming, Kagura was just about to tell Old Mejiro that she would stay by the entrance to receive them as well, but Old Mejiro stopped her.
"Child, you're our guest. It would be improper to make a guest wait by the door. Don't worry. Takamine will receive Old Symbol and the others properly. Come inside first."
"...Yes, Madam Head of the Family."
Since Old Mejiro had put it that way, Kagura couldn't very well refuse again. She could only nod and agree for the time being.
Although Old Mejiro looked very old, her steps were steady and her posture upright. She was a vigorous old Uma Musume, and much easier to talk to than Kagura had imagined.
"I heard about you from Takamine, child. Regarding Ardan, thank you so very much."
"It was only a small favor. Madam Head of the Family, you really needn't be so solemn..."
"Ardan and Takamine are both the children I love most. Unlike Takamine, Ardan was born frail, yet she refuses to resign herself to obscurity. She's always doing things that make our hearts jump into our throats, like the time she went out to train under the blazing sun... Sigh, our whole family has been worn to the bone worrying about her. If only that child were half as obedient and well-behaved as you."
Old Mejiro sighed. It seemed that she was just as helpless when it came to Ardan.
Kagura could understand Old Mejiro, and she could also understand Mejiro Ardan's thoughts. According to Maruzensky and Rudolph Symbol, Mejiro Ardan was an Uma Musume full of dreams and perseverance. She refused to spend her youth sinking into eternal obscurity and always wanted to test her limits by doing something. It was her way of rebelling against fate, and Kagura could understand that perfectly well when it came to young people.
Mejiro Ardan's actions might not seem like much to her, but to Old Mejiro and the other family members who cared for her deeply, they weren't acts of rebellion at all. They were pure terror. Along the way, Old Mejiro had recounted many of Mejiro Ardan's "glorious achievements," and Kagura was already sweating just listening to them. She didn't dare imagine how many times her heart would have stopped that day if she had been a servant of the Mejiro family.
"...Fortunately, that child has good luck in some strange ways. For example, when she went to Huaguo before, she met a very kind junior. Child, you met that junior a few days ago too, didn't you? The girl named Invincible. While Ardan was in Huaguo, that child took care of her the whole time. She saved us a great deal of worry and also made Ardan much more cheerful and sunny. I have a feeling that there's some sort of wonderful connection between her and Ardan. Rather than friends, they seem more like family—like sisters."
"I see. No wonder Miss Invincible said she came here with Miss Ardan. It was so she could take good care of Miss Ardan, right?"
"Yes. That child said she didn't feel comfortable letting Ardan travel alone, so she personally escorted her all the way back to our home. As you know, Ardan's body is far too fragile. We caused that child a great deal of trouble."
Invincible looked no older than thirteen or fourteen, so Kagura hadn't expected her to be the one caring for Ardan all this time. She was truly a remarkable young person.
Old Mejiro's casual conversation almost never strayed from Mejiro Ardan. Kagura didn't mind chatting with an elderly lady, but to be honest, the Mejiro family didn't seem entirely normal to her. She felt that they had some ulterior motive. She had been wondering about something for a while, and this seemed like a good opportunity to ask Old Mejiro about it.
"Come to think of it, Madam Head of the Family, I previously had some contact with the Mejiro family's trainer... He came looking for me because of Miss Ardan, didn't he?"
"...You're very clever, child. That trainer said you were far more mature than children your age. It seems he was right."
Old Mejiro didn't answer directly, but her words amounted to an admission. Kagura's earlier guess was confirmed: the Mejiro family wanted to adopt her so that she could take Mejiro Ardan's place on the racecourse.
"If our abrupt approach made you uncomfortable, I apologize, child. The Mejiro family won't trouble you with such a strange reason again."
"Madam Head of the Family, there's no need to be so polite. I understand your thoughts. But I want to know—why me?"
"Because you truly have great talent. In you... I seem to see the shadow of another person..."
As Old Mejiro spoke, she raised a hand and gently brushed aside some of Kagura's hair, touching her cheek.
Kagura didn't dodge. She simply met Old Mejiro's gaze. She felt that Old Mejiro was looking through her at someone else. Kagura knew that the person she was seeing was Eclipse, but she had no intention of revealing Eclipse's existence.
"Just like her... You're far too much like her..."
Old Mejiro's voice was very soft, barely more than the movement of her lips. It seemed she didn't want Kagura to hear her muttering, but Kagura's hearing was excellent. She still managed to piece together most of what Old Mejiro was saying.
"Madam Head of the Family?"
Kagura tilted her head in feigned confusion and looked at Old Mejiro.
"I'm sorry. I was simply reminded of something and became a little sentimental. I hope you won't mind an old woman's curiosity."
Before you continue