Kagura teased Nice Nature a little as she set several plates on the table. Since those old Uma Musume had arrived without warning today, she hadn't brought enough ingredients. The ingredients in Tracen Academy's kitchen had also happened to run out, so aside from the portions she prepared for Nice Nature and Rudolph Symbol according to nutritional-balance standards, she had only made fried rice for everyone else.
"I couldn't help it. I didn't know you were coming, Head of the Family. We're out of ingredients today, so all I can make is fried rice. If you're hungry, you'll have to make do."
"I don't mind... You didn't have to prepare anything for me, actually. Kagura, aren't you tired?"
Speed Symbol didn't really care what she ate. Back when she still lived at home, she had already known that Kagura was an excellent cook. Even ordinary fried rice tasted delicious when Kagura made it. She was only worried that Kagura would exhaust herself.
"I'm fine... I don't really feel tired. By the way, Nature, you exercised quite a lot today. I'm going to give you a massage. Is your roommate in the dorm?"
"You mean Sunday Silence? She usually is, but why do you ask?"
"I want to go to your dorm and massage you there. I'm worried I'll disturb her or make her misunderstand."
Although Eclipse had explained why Uma Musume's legs were so sensitive, Kagura still couldn't accept it completely. In particular, Nice Nature's cries whenever Kagura massaged her were simply too easy to misunderstand. Kagura was even afraid that one day the disciplinary committee would come knocking and drag her away.
"How about coming to our dorm, Nature? I don't mind."
Mejiro Ardan stopped eating her fried rice and offered the suggestion. She was rather curious about what Kagura's massage routine was like.
"If Miss Ardan doesn't mind, then I have no problem."
Kagura had mainly asked whether they should go elsewhere because she was worried Ardan disliked noisy places. After all, Kagura wasn't a trainer and didn't have a training room of her own. It was also inconvenient to ask Toujou Hana to lend her one at this hour, so she could only do it in the dorm. Since Ardan agreed, there was no reason they couldn't do it in her dorm.
While Kagura was speaking, Old Mejiro had already silently finished the fried rice in front of her. Every so often, she glanced toward Speed Symbol. Speed Symbol knew that her old friend had skipped lunch to come and lurk here today, so she simply gave her own portion to Old Mejiro as well.
"What do you think? I told you her cooking was good."
"Stop talking. I'm afraid I'll lose control and hit you..."
Old Mejiro buried her head in her food, unwilling to deal with the smug Speed Symbol beside her. Never before had she so deeply understood what it felt like to have a seal leap right into her face.
"Tsk, so stingy. When you stole my trainer back then, I didn't give you any attitude."
"Don't slander me out of nowhere! I got him to choose me through my own ability! How can you call that stealing?"
"I'd believe the nonsense from you, you shameless woman, if I were an idiot. I'm telling you, people who steal from others always get what's coming to them."
"Tch, why couldn't that come a little later..."
Old Mejiro buried her head in her food with a sullen expression, looking like a sulking girl. Combined with her school uniform, it reminded Speed Symbol of the time when she had still been a student, running races. A wave of nostalgia washed over her.
"Are you planning to have her race under your family's name in the future?"
"If she's willing, she can. If she isn't, I won't force her. I think it would be better not to tie her to the Symbol family. She'll be better off flying on her own."
Speed Symbol had considered having Kagura compete under the Symbol name at first, but she no longer had that intention. If Kagura took the initiative, though, she wouldn't mind.
"Sigh... So many years have passed, and you're still the same old good person."
"Of course. If I were like you, would our trainer have chosen you back then?"
"Can we stop talking about trainers?"
"I found Kagura a few months ago."
"You...!"
Old Mejiro's blood pressure seemed to shoot up. She raised a hand as if she were about to pound the table, then lowered it again as though afraid of disturbing the other Uma Musume present. In the end, all she could do was angrily poke Speed Symbol in the forehead with one finger while Speed Symbol grinned shamelessly.
"Haha, old girl, you're still just as cute when you get angry as you were back then."
"Enough. What's it to you..."
Old Mejiro lowered her head and resumed eating.
Seeing that Old Mejiro had become embarrassed, Speed Symbol stopped teasing her. She then noticed Akikawa Yayoi beside her, smiling as she watched them bicker with an expression that clearly said she was enjoying the show. At some point, the few young Uma Musume had also fallen silent and begun watching.
"That was great! Why did you stop?"
Akikawa Yayoi looked as though she wanted more, and the young Uma Musume were also staring over with curious expressions.
"...Eat your food! Eat! What are you looking at?"
"Request! Give us a little more!"
"Don't fool around! Focus on eating!"
Although it was a pity that she hadn't gotten to hear more gossip, Kagura felt that cooking this dinner had truly been worth it. She had heard so many interesting stories that she no longer felt tired from cooking.
Of course, after enjoying all that gossip, Kagura didn't forget to massage Nice Nature. She brought Nice Nature back to her own dorm.
"Lie down. Get on your stomach."
"Yes~"
Nice Nature obediently took off her shoes and socks before lying facedown on Kagura's bed. Kagura climbed up beside her and sat down, choosing the most suitable spot to apply force.
This was only the second time Nice Nature had visited Kagura's dorm. Kagura's bed carried a comforting scent. The moment Nice Nature lay down, that scent wrapped tightly around her, and drowsiness surged over her.
Mejiro Ardan sat on the opposite bed, watching with great interest as Kagura worked on Nice Nature. She was curious about what other amazing skills Kagura possessed.
After finding the right spot, Kagura reached out, pulled up the hem of Nice Nature's shorts, gently grasped her pale thigh, and carefully began applying pressure—
"Mm! Ah..."
Nice Nature, who had been somewhat dazed, immediately snapped awake and hurriedly covered her mouth with her arm. She hadn't expected Kagura to control the pressure so perfectly this time. The moment she began, it was almost the ideal force.
Even with her mouth covered, Nice Nature could hardly stop herself from occasionally letting out a soft, comfortable cry. Mejiro Ardan was left staring in amazement. Nice Nature's ears sprang up and drooped with Kagura's movements. It was obvious that she was thoroughly enjoying herself, and the occasional breaths that escaped made Ardan feel a little itchy with curiosity.
Kagura always wanted to ask whether it was really that comfortable, but as someone who had experienced it herself, she knew that being massaged really did feel that good to an Uma Musume. Nice Nature's reaction was perfectly normal. It was simply difficult to understand the difference in their physical structure from a human's perspective.
Why do I suddenly want to try it...?
Mejiro Ardan found herself inexplicably interested. She suddenly wanted to experience the sensation herself, but it was already getting late, and it would be inappropriate to trouble Kagura any further. She could only suppress the impulse for now.
Kagura's technique is incredible... It feels so good...
Nice Nature bit her lip hard as she lay facedown, doing her best not to make any sounds. The sensation was becoming addictive. She felt Kagura's palm gently stroke, knead, and massage her skin as she sank into the warm, peaceful atmosphere. Her consciousness grew hazy, like a small boat tossed aimlessly across the sea by wave after wave, suspended between drowsiness and wakefulness.
She suddenly understood what Kagura had felt when Nice Nature massaged her before.
In her dazed state, Nice Nature had no idea how much time had passed. When she finally came to and the pleasant sensation gradually faded, she felt someone poke her cheek twice.
"Nature, wake up. It's time to go back and take a bath."
59. The Shopping District's Beloved Darling
On the track, Nice Nature had completed one round of training and was resting between exercises. Kagura was tallying the training data while discussing with Eclipse whether they had noticed any problems just now.
"Kagura, um... after training ends today, could you come out with me for a walk?"
"Hm? Sure. But what made you think of that all of a sudden?"
Kagura lowered her phone and looked over at Nice Nature. She did have the free time. If it took too long, she could simply have Rudolph Symbol follow her instructions and find something to eat in the cafeteria. After all, technically, she was still on vacation today.
After six days of training, Nice Nature's running style had improved tremendously. Kagura had identified and corrected many of her old bad habits, and her stamina had improved a little as well. She had also taken first place in the mock race two days ago. Although Kagura didn't dare guarantee that she was invincible among her peers, she certainly wouldn't look bad on the track.
"Tomorrow is the school selection race. I want to... go back and see everyone. I also told everyone there yesterday that I would come visit."
"...Oh, you mean the people from the Shopping District."
"Yeah. I came to Tokyo alone from my hometown, and everyone, including you, Kagura, helped me so much. Without all of you, I definitely wouldn't have made it this far."
As she spoke, Nice Nature nodded firmly.
"Before I got into Tracen Academy, I used to imagine myself competing. I thought it would be a long time before I took the initiative to enter a selection race and look for a trainer. I was afraid that if I failed, I wouldn't dare think about what came next... But now that you're by my side, Kagura, I don't seem to be as afraid anymore."
"Oh, Nature... Why are you suddenly being so serious..."
Even Kagura, an adult, became embarrassed. She instinctively turned her slightly flushed face aside. Nice Nature also realized what she had just said, and her fair cheeks quickly turned red as she stammered helplessly.
"Anyway... if you have time, Kagura, please come to the Shopping District with me!"
It took Nice Nature a great deal of effort to force out that sentence. Once she finished, she turned and fled back onto the track to continue running.
After training ended, Kagura and Nice Nature returned to their respective dorms to change before setting out for the Shopping District.
Before they even entered the Shopping District, Kagura and Nice Nature saw from far away that its outer streets were covered with balloons, streamers, and little flags. Even from a distance, the place radiated a festive atmosphere.
Kagura thought about the date. Today clearly wasn't any holiday. With all the decorations and banners, anyone would have thought it was New Year's.
"What are they doing?"
Nice Nature craned her neck in confusion, but they were still too far away for her to see what was happening.
After the two of them drew closer, a man in a kimono standing at the entrance to the Shopping District saw them approaching. He whistled as a signal, then waved toward them.
"Nature! And Kagura! Welcome back!"
"Ah, the butcher's owner! Long time no see!" "Mr. Morichika! Long time no see!"
Kagura and Nice Nature were extremely familiar with the Shopping District, so they recognized him immediately and waved back.
"Long time no see. Oh! Nature, you've grown quite a bit! Looks like you've been eating well since going to school. But Kagura, why do you seem thinner?"
"Is it that obvious? It feels like everyone who knows me has been saying that."
Kagura herself hadn't noticed anything, but Speed Symbol and her other old acquaintances had all said that she had lost weight recently. Perhaps her recent exercise levels really had been excessive.
"Of course it is! Kagura, you're still young. Don't imitate those young ladies and go on diets. Girls look better with a proper amount of softness. You look listless when you're too thin!"
"I'm not dieting... Maybe I've just been exercising too much this month without replenishing enough."
"That won't do. If the Head Maid at your place saw you like this, she'd be heartbroken. I'll give you some meat to take home later!"
"N-no need. I'm really not going hungry. If you can go hungry in a place like Tracen Academy, where even the cafeteria is all-you-can-eat, then something must be wrong, right?"
Although Kagura was constantly busy cooking for several Uma Musume at Tracen Academy, she still ate quite well every day. No matter how busy she was, she would never neglect her own stomach. That was her principle. Besides, she felt that her appetite had actually increased recently, yet even so, her weight had somehow dropped.
By then, Kagura and Nice Nature had entered the Shopping District. Kagura discovered that not only were little balloons and flags hung everywhere, but a banner had also been stretched across the middle.
Celebrating Nature's Successful Entry into the Tracen Academy School Selection Race!
It was obvious that the banner had been handwritten, though the lettering was fairly pleasant to look at. Nice Nature stood there in a daze, staring at it in astonishment for a long time without saying a word.
Why does this feel like the time that kid from my old village got into a top university?
Kagura had only seen such a grand celebration in the village where she had once lived. Considering Central Tracen Academy's status in this world, Nice Nature's achievement could indeed be compared to getting into a top university, so this kind of celebration wasn't strange. Still, the people celebrating her were all acquaintances without any blood relation to her, which Kagura found rather remarkable. Nice Nature had said that when she left her hometown for Tokyo, everyone had decorated the place in the same way to see her off. Perhaps she really did possess some special ability to win people over.
"Big Sis Nature! Sister Kagura! You're finally back!"
"Nature! Kagura! Welcome home!"
While the two of them looked up at the banner hanging overhead, a huge crowd suddenly poured out from the shops on both sides of the Shopping District. The children swarmed around them, hugging and clinging to them. In an instant, the entire street was jammed. The familiar shopkeepers and other residents who had received help from the two of them also came out of the shops on either side, enthusiastically calling out to them.
"Ah... Long time no see! Kids, everyone from the Shopping District! Thank you so much for your warm welcome!"
Kagura had wisely brought plenty of small candies and snacks with her, so she smiled as she distributed treats to the rowdy children. She also found time to glance at Nice Nature. Nice Nature was excitedly hugging and responding to the children and familiar faces around her, and Kagura seemed to see tears glimmering in her eyes.
This is wonderful. The people in the Shopping District are so simple and warm, just like the people in my old village. Nice Nature really is lucky to be loved by so many people...
Surrounded by the children, Kagura felt a warmth she hadn't experienced in the big city for a very long time. Perhaps only small neighborhoods and villages could still offer scenes like this.
With the enthusiastic cooperation of the neighbors and shopkeepers, the entire Shopping District became as lively as a festival. It even attracted curious passersby, who wondered what was happening in a place that had no holiday to celebrate.
Deeply moved, Kagura took out her phone and recorded several clips of the Shopping District's festivities before posting them to her Umastagram.
Machikane Curren: Wow! It's so lively! Teacher Kagura, are you in Tokyo right now? Which street is that? I want to visit sometime too!
When Kagura picked up her phone again after playing around for a while, she saw that Machikane had sent her a private message. She typed a reply and sent her location as well.
Inari Kagura: This street is only so lively because there's something to celebrate today. Normally, it's just an ordinary Shopping District. If you're coming for a festival, you might be disappointed.
Machikane Curren: I see! But I'm not coming for a festival. I mostly want to experience that simple, down-to-earth atmosphere.
Inari Kagura: If that's what you want, you're welcome to visit. I used to buy groceries here all the time.
After replying to Machikane's final message, Kagura put away her phone and looked around for Nice Nature. She found her still surrounded by a large group of uncles and aunties.
However, unlike when Kagura had first met her, Nice Nature had once been extremely self-conscious and lacking in confidence. Recently, she seemed to be gradually breaking free of that insecurity. It was as though she had changed from "Can I really do this?" to "I can probably do it sometimes too!"
"Nature~ Once your selection race begins, we'll all go cheer for you! Do your best!"
"Hehe... Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to cheer me on! I wanted to say, like before, 'Please don't expect too much from me'... But I'm not always timid and hesitant like I used to be. Thank you for all your encouragement. I'll do my best not to let down your hopes! And I won't let down the name 'Nice Nature' either!"
Nice Nature's expression was firm, filled with resolve. Kagura knew that all her encouragement and training during this period had not been in vain. The first-place finish in the mock race had especially given Nice Nature a great deal of confidence.
A few days earlier, Nice Nature had told Kagura that she had met a younger Uma Musume in the park, a child around McQueen's age with extraordinary talent. However, the girl had not yet reached full maturity, and Nice Nature didn't know whether she was a student at Tracen Academy. Nice Nature herself had originally had no intention of competing either, but Kagura's sudden proposal had greatly accelerated her plans to enter the selection race. Otherwise, she probably wouldn't have considered it until after reaching full maturity next year.
Before you continue