There's Something Wrong With You, My Logistics Uma Musume

"Nice! There's finally a girl who runs the long-distance race! I'm a chaser. When you have time, come run a lap around the track with me?"

"Senior... bullying beginners isn't fun..."

Kagura shook her head repeatedly, caught somewhere between laughter and tears. Running with Rudolph Symbol and Maruzensky was training. Running with Mr. C.B., a Triple Crown champion, felt more like deliberately getting herself blown apart because she was too stubborn to know better.

"How can you call it bullying beginners? Come run two laps with me, and I'll teach you how to run the Triple Crown Race!"

"...Really?"

Kagura was slightly tempted. The Triple Crown Race was also Rudolph Symbol's goal, and next year Rudolph Symbol would be running it. It was not that far away, so building up some experience now would save Eclipse a little trouble next year.

"Really! I happen to be taking a break these days. Besides teaching you some fun things, I can take you out to play when I'm free. That plank of wood Rudolph spends all day in the office. She surely never thought of taking you out, right?"

"Ahaha... We don't necessarily have to play, but if you're willing to give me some guidance, Senior, I certainly have no objections."

"Good. Then it's settled. Let's exchange contact information. Remember to call me when you're free over the next few days."

Thus, under the envious gazes of the countless bystanders outside—gazes so sharp they could nearly pierce a person—Mr. C.B. took out her phone and exchanged contact information with Kagura. While Kagura was distracted, she also reached over and vigorously rubbed Kagura's cheeks. Then she carried her lunchbox away just as stylishly as she had arrived, waving goodbye as she left.

"Senior Mr. C.B. and Kagura... They look like they have a really good relationship..."

"Senior even reached out and pinched Kagura's cheeks just now. They must know each other pretty well, right? After all, Kagura has always been supporting the student council president, so she must have interacted with Senior Mr. C.B. too..."

"I also heard Senior praising Kagura just now... Is it too late for me to ask Kagura to teach me how to cook?"

The cafeteria became lively again, though this time the topic was far more specific. Kagura had never witnessed a scene like this in her life, and she was so frightened that she ran into the kitchen to hide.

Can I say that Senior Mr. C.B. is just naturally familiar with everyone and that's all?!

Kagura had already grown used to people casually pinching her cheeks a few times whenever they met her, but the impact of Mr. C.B.'s casual rubbing went far beyond that. She had even started hearing some Uma Musume discussing whether they should transfer to the Logistics Department!

Being an idol is way too terrifying!!!

Hiding in the kitchen, Kagura hugged her head and lay face-down on the stove, releasing a silent wail in her heart.

Meeting an Online Friend in Person Before She Was Ready *2

After hiding in the kitchen for quite a while, Kagura finally dared to come out once the cafeteria had emptied somewhat. Not daring to linger in such a crowded place, she said goodbye to Machikane and her parents before hurriedly leaving the cafeteria with the snacks she had made.

Before she left, Machikane's parents also asked for her contact information. However, they did not seem to have added her to chat. Looking at the messages she received afterward, Kagura discovered that Machikane's parents actually wanted to ask about positions related to the Logistics Department at Central Tracen Academy.

You want to apply?

Yes. That child Machikane is clever and talented. Getting into Tracen Academy is practically certain. We want to come along and take care of her.

Exactly. So we wanted to ask Kagura, the best student in the Logistics Department, what you usually do there. Is there anything we can help with?

That...

It was clear that the two parents deeply loved their daughter. They were even willing to apply to Tracen Academy's Logistics Department just so they could come along. Kagura also sent them the Logistics Department's work procedures and some of its rules and regulations.

After putting away her phone, Kagura heard another burst of noise in the distance. Mr. C.B. seemed to be active around the track. Kagura could hear the fanatical cheers coming from there, as well as the dense crowd so packed that it was impossible to tell where one person ended and another began. Students and passersby alike had gathered there, and the influence of a Triple Crown Uma Musume was on full display.

She's really incredible... Senior Mr. C.B.

Kagura did not dare go anywhere near that side again. She still remembered the massive group of students' gazes in the cafeteria that afternoon. If Mr. C.B. suddenly took it into her head to rub Kagura a few more times, Kagura feared she might not make it back to her dorm alive.

"Um... Sorry to bother you. Are you Teacher Kagura?"

Just as Kagura was wondering whether she should look for Nice Nature, she heard someone calling her from behind. She turned around and saw a young Uma Musume with pink hair and twin ponytails hanging over her shoulders watching her cautiously. It was as if she had recognized someone familiar while out on the street, but was not sure enough to approach with confidence.

"Hm? That title... Are you one of my fans on Umastagram?"

As far as Kagura knew, only her viewers called her that. Since she made Chinese cooking tutorial videos, she had recently begun seeing viewers call her "Little Mama" in her comment section, but those were still a minority. Most people still called her Teacher Kagura.

"Y-Yes!! I'm 'The Uma Musume I Stan'! I guessed that Teacher Kagura might be a student at Tracen Academy, so I've been waiting for the academy's open day. After finally managing to enter Tracen Academy during the open day, I finally got to meet Teacher Kagura!!"

As she spoke, the little Uma Musume hurriedly rummaged through the small shoulder bag she carried with her. Then she took out a little notebook and a pen, lowered her head, and offered them to Kagura with both hands.

"Teacher Kagura! Please! Could you give me your autograph?!"

"Oh my... Little one, it's only an autograph. It's nothing important. I'm not some huge celebrity, so you don't have to be so solemn."

Kagura hurriedly helped the excited fan back up. She felt a little happy. She had not expected to meet one of her fans on a day when Mr. C.B. had stolen all the attention.

She took the pen and signed her name in the neat, elegant handwriting she usually used for taking notes. Then Kagura carefully clipped the pen back onto the notebook and returned both items to the fan.

"Thank you so, so much!!! I will treasure Teacher Kagura's gift forever and preserve it with the utmost care!!"

"Hehe, can I call you Little Stan?"

Seeing how nervous and excited the child was, Kagura could not help wanting to laugh. She raised a hand and patted the girl's shoulder to calm her down. Meeting a large crowd of fans would indeed make Kagura nervous, but with only one fan—and a child at that—she could not get nervous.

"Ahhh...! Y-Y-Yes, you can!! Teacher Kagura... called me little sister... Teacher's hand..."

"Little Stan? Uh... Are you all right?"

Seeing the fan looking as if she was about to ascend to heaven, Kagura felt that her gesture had had the opposite effect. Not only had it failed to calm her down, it seemed to have made her symptoms even more severe.

"Res...!"

Under the astonished gaze of Kagura, the medical student, the young lady released a cry as if her soul had broken free. She hugged the little notebook blissfully, her nose bleeding, and fell backward.

"Little Stan?! Are you all right?!"

Kagura hurriedly set down the box of snacks she was carrying and crouched on the ground. Out of professional habit, she checked the girl's breathing first. After confirming that it was steady and unobstructed, and that emergency artificial respiration or CPR was unnecessary, she checked her pulse. After confirming that everything was fine, she examined the rest of her body. In the brief span of less than ten seconds, the fan had already woken up on her own.

"Huh...? What happened to me...?"

"Um... Little Stan, you just fainted. The amount of blood was a little alarming... Does this happen often? If it does, I suggest you go to the hospital."

The amount of blood the fan had lost really was frightening. Based on her experience, Kagura suspected that the child might have a low platelet count or some kind of blood-clotting disorder. She was considering whether to contact a hospital. Such problems were quite troublesome and difficult to resolve in a short time, but if they were left untreated, they would undoubtedly affect the child's entire life. Kagura's principles would not allow her to ignore it.

"Ah! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!! I didn't mean to cause Teacher trouble! I'm fine. I've been like this since I was little. Ehehe... I bleed whenever I get too excited. I've been to the hospital, and the doctor said there was nothing wrong! Please don't worry!"

The little Uma Musume hurriedly climbed to her feet and patted her chest to show that she was fine. She even jumped twice on the spot to demonstrate that there was nothing wrong with her.

Hey, hey... With that amount of blood, you can still call yourself fine? Uma Musume really can't be judged by human medical common sense...

Kagura suddenly remembered that this fan was not human. Strange accidents outside the bounds of common sense were probably normal for her.

"Forget it... Little Stan, can you tell me your name?"

"Digital! My name is Agnes Digital!"

"Agnes Digital... What a cute name. It's just as cute as you are."

"T-Teacher Kagura... Please don't praise me like that anymore... I'm afraid I'll faint again and embarrass myself in front of you..."

After Kagura praised her, Agnes Digital's face immediately turned red. She hurriedly turned her head away, not daring to look Kagura directly in the eyes.

This child is really shy when she isn't freaking out.

To be honest, Kagura thought the bashful Agnes Digital was quite cute. It was just that the way she acted when she went crazy was truly bizarre. Kagura had once thought that so-called crazed fans only existed online. She had never expected to encounter a living example in real life. It was certainly rare.

"By the way, Little Agnes, you messaged me privately before and said that you wanted to eat something I made, right?"

"Huh? I did... N-No, don't trouble yourself, Teacher Kagura! I only wanted to meet you..."

"You were able to infer where I was from various clues, and you had the determination to find your way here. For someone your age, that's already remarkable. A child with such determination and perseverance deserves a 'reward.'"

As she spoke, Kagura took a small plastic bowl of almond tofu from the basket she was carrying and handed it to Agnes Digital along with a disposable spoon.

"This is almond tofu I made. I hope you like it, Little Agnes. I still have something to do, so I can't stay much longer. If you can come in again next time, find me in the cafeteria. I'll make you something delicious on the spot."

"Yes! Yes!! Thank you, Teacher Kagura!!"

Agnes Digital watched as Kagura slowly walked away. A strange flutter rose in her heart. She was still too young to understand what this feeling was, so she did not dwell on it for long.

She used the spoon to scoop up some of the almond tofu Kagura had given her and put it into her mouth. Agnes Digital could not help widening her eyes. She had never tasted such a sweet dessert. She did not know why, but the seemingly ordinary dessert she ate today was more delicious than anything she had ever tasted anywhere in her life. That sweet sensation enveloped her completely, filling her with happiness.

Teacher Kagura is so gentle, and her cooking is so good... She's amazing...

She Worked Herself to the Bone So Her Teammates Could Get Some Experience

"Oh, oh!! Junior, your cooking is genuinely excellent! Is this radish cake? The flavor really leaves an impression!"

Mr. C.B. sat beside the table, eating the radish cake on the plate while voicing her quiet praise.

"I'm glad you like it, Senior. I was worried you might not be used to Chinese desserts."

"As long as it tastes good, who cares whether it's Chinese food, Western food, or Japanese food? It all has to go into the stomach anyway. If the stomach says it works, then it works!"

Mr. C.B. always gave Kagura the impression of a big sister from the northeast. Unlike Sirius Symbol, who had a similar carefree personality, Mr. C.B. lacked Sirius Symbol's faint air of aggression. She was more like the wind—free, unconstrained, and completely unrestrained.

Today was Kagura's third day back at school. Tracen's open day had finally passed as well. Over the past two days, Kagura had nearly been too frightened to enter the kitchen. Only after the crowds had thinned today did she dare return to work there. She also informed Mr. C.B. that she was free today.

"Junior, you should be free this afternoon, right? Perfect. Shall we go run a couple of laps around the track today?"

Of course, Mr. C.B. had not made a special trip to Tracen Academy merely to eat. What she looked forward to even more was the upcoming bullying—training session. She was curious what kind of ability Inari Kagura, whom even the student council president praised without end, truly possessed.

"I did agree... but I still hope you'll go easy on me, Senior."

"Don't worry. You haven't even reached your full potential yet, so I won't make things too difficult for you! After we finish running today, I'll take you out for a meal."

"Huh?"

"Mm. I'll take you to the Ginza Hotel."

"The... Ginza Hotel?!"

Kagura froze completely.

Even though she rarely went to the Ginza district, she knew how expensive the food there was. Although a Triple Crown Uma Musume was not short of money, Kagura felt that she was only going to accompany Mr. C.B. for a couple of laps. There was no need to make such a grand production of it.

After persuading the wealthy Mr. C.B. to give up on the excessively extravagant idea, Kagura felt that Mr. C.B.'s gaze held a little more approval and recognition.

"By the way, I heard that you were training that friend of yours before. If I run with you, won't it interfere with your training?"

"Are you talking about Nice Nature? She's already found a trainer through the selection race. She has her own training schedule now, so I don't need to keep accompanying her."

"Oh... I see. That's good."

Mr. C.B. nodded, speared the last piece of taro radish cake from the plate, and tossed it into her mouth. Then she let out a satisfied belch.

"This really is the best! What a pity I can't come to school every day... Why don't you come home with me, Junior? I'll raise you!"

"Senior... I told you, I've signed a contract..."

This was not the first time Kagura had heard someone ask her to come work for them. Both Mr. C.B. and Maruzensky had said similar things. Since both of them were mostly joking, Kagura did not pay much attention.

However, recently, more and more people on Tracen Academy's forums had been asking for her contact information. Especially after the incident involving Mr. C.B. in the cafeteria a few days ago, the people looking for her included both trainers and Uma Musume. Most of them wanted her to provide support for the Logistics Department or tutor them in their studies.

"By the way, Senior Mr. C.B., do you know a student named Daitaku Helios?"

"Daitaku Helios... I've seen her, and I've heard Rudolph mention her. She hasn't lost a single race since her debut. Isn't there a rumor at school that she's the one with the best chance of challenging Rudolph Symbol? Why are you asking? Investigating information about a rival?"

"Something like that."

Kagura asked because she wanted to learn what sort of person Daitaku Helios was. On top of that, Daitaku Helios and her trainer had been searching everywhere on the forums over the past two days for Inari Kagura's contact information. Of all the attempts to recruit her, theirs had been the most obvious. They had even directly stated that they were willing to pay whatever price was necessary to hire Kagura to support Daitaku Helios.

Since Daitaku Helios had not posted anonymously—in fact, she had used her real name online—Kagura quickly found out who she was. However, she had not yet had time to look up any information about her, so she merely mentioned her in passing to Mr. C.B.

"Rumors are just rumors, but in my opinion, Daitaku Helios is strong, yet she still can't shake your young lady's position. Her strength has flaws. Otherwise, she wouldn't be so desperate to find you. Trust me, Junior. I'm very good at judging people."

"I see..."

Kagura had no intention of switching teams. Fortunately, the people around her had kept her information strictly confidential, so Daitaku Helios still had no way of learning how to contact her. Besides, when Daitaku Helios had looked for her a few days ago, the cafeteria had been too crowded because of the open day, and Kagura had not gone to work there. Daitaku Helios had probably come up empty-handed.

If Daitaku Helios really came looking for her, Kagura had already decided to refuse. After all, she had signed a contract with the Symbol family. She would not make the decision to change teams before the contract expired.

Since she and the young lady are both running the Triple Crown Race next year, I should watch this student's races when I have time.

"All right, enough about that. Junior, have you finished putting away the dishes? If you have, we can go to the track!"

Mr. C.B. was not interested in paying attention to all sorts of other nonsense right now. Her heart was itching with anticipation, and all she wanted was to drag Kagura to the track and run a couple of laps.

There were not many people on the track today. When Kagura and Mr. C.B. arrived, only Toujou Hana and Rudolph Symbol were there.

"Good afternoon, Kagura. The person beside you is... Mr. C.B.? Are you two planning to...?"

Toujou Hana was clearly surprised to see Mr. C.B. approaching. This busy woman, who almost never appeared at Tracen Academy, actually had free time to come to the track today—and had brought Inari Kagura with her.

Toujou Hana had also heard a little about what happened in the cafeteria a few days ago. Mr. C.B. seemed to have gotten along quite well with Kagura. Judging by the athletic clothes she was wearing today, she had clearly come to the track for a run.

"Senior insists on dragging me out for a run... She also said she'd teach me how to run the Triple Crown Race, so... Um... We won't interfere with your training, Miss Toujou and Young Lady, will we?"