There's Something Wrong with Your Logistics Horse Girl, Chapter 7

Inari Kagura raised an eyebrow, looking up at the person who was a head taller than her, waiting for him to continue.

"So, I want to scout you. Are you willing to join my team?"

"Uh... Sir, I'm not a student at Tracen Academy. I'm just here for the open day."

"That's not a problem. If you're willing, I can help you apply for Tracen Academy's entrance exam. With your talent, little sister, passing the test will definitely not be a problem."

The tall man in the suit gave Inari Kagura a gentle smile, quietly waiting for her reply.

"I don't think it's appropriate..."

"Are you worried about not having an identity?"

How is that possible?! Has this person investigated me?!

Inari Kagura tried her best to suppress her surprised expression. She was sure she had never met this person before, and today was definitely the first time. How did he know she was an unregistered resident?

"If you agree to join my team, little sister, identity and enrollment won't be a problem. You'll also get your own place to live and an income."

"Who are you... What are your conditions? What price do I have to pay?"

Inari Kagura narrowed her eyes at the man. Clearly, he wasn't simple. Even though she wasn't familiar with the trainer profession yet, she could tell that this person wasn't an ordinary trainer. Only a major family like the Symbol family would be able to offer such conditions so casually, unless he was bluffing.

The conditions he offered sounded tempting. If Inari Kagura was really only eleven years old like her body, she might have agreed impulsively. But she didn't believe that anyone would give her such great help for no reason.

"Oh... Asking that question first? You're not as naive as you look, little sister..."

It seemed that the other party was also a little surprised, but he adjusted quickly. He leaned down slightly, approached Kagura, and lowered his voice:

"I am a trainer from the Mejiro family, representing the Mejiro family. The Mejiro family wants to adopt you. If you agree, you will become a horse girl of the Mejiro family. When you are old enough, you will represent the Mejiro family in races. The Mejiro family will provide you with as much material support as possible. Rest assured, the Mejiro family will not hold you accountable if you fail to achieve results in the races."

"The Mejiro family..."

Inari Kagura had heard Speed Symbol mention this family. Like the Symbol family, the Mejiro family was also a very powerful family. Although they were somewhat like rivals to the Symbol family, Old Mejiro and Speed Symbol had a pretty good relationship.

On the surface, the conditions he offered were no different from doing charity. Inari Kagura couldn't understand why such a large family would take a fancy to her.

"It doesn't matter, little sister. We'll have a chance to meet again soon. You can think about it slowly. It's not too late to consider whether to agree next time."

Seeing that Kagura seemed very conflicted, the man didn't pester her. He bowed slightly to Kagura and then left.

10. Symbol

The sudden appearance of that trainer disrupted Inari Kagura's original plan. She stood under that bulletin board thinking for a long time. Focused on her thoughts, she didn't even notice someone coming up behind her.

It wasn't until Kagura felt her head being gently patted a few times that she came back to her senses, seeing Rudolph Symbol had come up behind her at some point. Judging by her sweaty appearance, she must have just finished a strenuous workout.

"Kagura? Weren't you going to see the teaching building? Why are you standing here? Or have you already seen it?"

"...I just thought the things on this bulletin board were interesting, so I stopped to take a look."

Kagura thought for a moment, but still didn't tell Rudolph Symbol about meeting someone from the Mejiro family who wanted to adopt her. She wanted to think about it more and sort things out before seeking the Symbol family's advice.

Rudolph Symbol also stopped in front of the bulletin board with Kagura, gently stroking Kagura's soft black hair while saying:

"Oh? You think it's interesting too? You can always see the students' whimsical ideas on the bulletin board, as well as the occasional recruitment posters for trainer teams. When I'm feeling stressed, coming to the bulletin board always helps me relax."

"Indeed, it's just that some of the posters are a bit too visually striking..."

Inari Kagura smiled, trying to ignore the strange poster that looked like several horse girls were planted in the ground like radishes. Maybe, as Rudolph Symbol said, the students here were a bit whimsical.

"Oh, right, come with me to the student council office. I have something to give you."

Stopping her hand from stroking Kagura's hair, Rudolph Symbol said as if she had suddenly remembered something.

"Something? For me?"

"It's hard to explain what it is. It's easier to just take you there and show you."

Rudolph Symbol didn't explain in detail what it was. Inari Kagura was stunned for a moment, but quickly followed Rudolph Symbol, who was walking ahead.

The student council office wasn't far from here. It was very fast for a horse girl to get there. When Kagura entered the teaching building, she was once again shocked by Tracen Academy's wealth and generosity. Not only was the interior well-decorated and the teaching facilities complete, but there were also various activity rooms besides classrooms, and even a swimming pool and a library!

Too rich... And the students here seem to be very rich too...

Putting aside everything else, even if they weren't rich, the students here seemed to come from good families. No matter how you looked at it, they were better off than she was back in college, when she had to worry about living expenses at the end of every month.

She didn't know why, but Inari Kagura felt that the students next to her were turning their heads to look at her a little too much when she walked down the hallway, making her a little embarrassed. She could only lower her head slightly to try to ignore those gazes as much as possible.

Walking through the hallway under the curious gazes of the students, Inari Kagura finally arrived at the student council office. It seemed that no one was inside at this time.

Rudolph Symbol walked to her desk and sat down, pulling a chair over for Kagura to sit down first. She also poured Kagura a cup of tea, and then lowered her head to start rummaging through the drawers of her desk.

Watching Rudolph Symbol rummage through things, Kagura inexplicably felt an unnatural feeling of being called to the office by her boss, only for the boss to be busy while she just watched and couldn't do anything. Fortunately, Rudolph Symbol didn't rummage for too long. Soon, she took out a stamped document and handed it to Kagura, along with a heavy paper bag.

Kagura curiously took it and looked at it, finding that it was a formal letter of employment, as well as a contract filled with writing.

"This contract is from Grandmother, Inari Kagura. From today on, you are officially a maid of the Symbol family. This paper bag contains your identity information, as well as your bank card, your work card, and your phone. Be careful not to lose them."

"Wow..."

The sudden flood of information made Inari Kagura's mind short-circuit for a moment. She tried to calm herself down and first looked at the contract. This was a formal proof of her job title. To her surprise, the Symbol family had actually decided to pay her a monthly salary according to the maid standard. Although it wasn't a lot, it also meant that she had a source of income.

This... must be Grandmother Speed Symbol's decision...

There were no traps in the terms of the document. Her identity was also naturally an orphan, without any unfamiliar relatives or anything like that. Kagura couldn't think of any reason why the large and powerful Symbol family would need to trick a penniless child like her.

To be honest, Inari Kagura had always been grateful to Speed Symbol for saving her, but she never expected that the Symbol family would be willing to help her to this extent, not only helping her with food and accommodation, but also giving her a lot of material help. Now, they had even solved the most troublesome issues of identity and income.

'Speed Symbol Granny is so kind... Sigh, how am I going to repay this favor...'

Although happy, Inari Kagura didn't take it for granted. She made a decision in her heart that even if Speed Symbol might not need her to repay, she would definitely find an opportunity to do something for the Symbol family in the future.

She remembered the Mejiro family's trainer who had come to find her earlier. She had been hesitating about how to respond, but now, her most troublesome problem had been solved, and she had an answer in her heart regarding their proposal.

"I... didn't expect... really, thank you so much!"

Inari Kagura lowered her head and bowed deeply to Rudolph Symbol. All she could do now was express her gratitude.

"Granny likes you very much. In the past month or so, you have indeed proven with your performance that you are an excellent maid. You deserve this."

As Rudolph Symbol spoke, she walked up to Inari Kagura, helped her up, and gently patted her shoulder to show encouragement and appreciation.

Although today was their first formal meeting, Rudolph Symbol quite liked this quiet and well-behaved horse girl. She rarely felt the same sense of naturalness when interacting with others at Tracen Academy, as the students there were too in awe of her, making it difficult for her to develop social relationships.

But for some reason, the younger Inari Kagura could communicate with her very naturally. In terms of thinking, she was also significantly more mature than the average student at the academy, giving Rudolph Symbol a fleeting illusion that Kagura was like a classmate of her age, rather than a young junior.

"How was your tour of the school today? Do you like it here?"

"Well... it's hard not to like a place like this... The environment is so nice, I'm a little envious of the students who can study here."

After thinking for a moment, Inari Kagura replied with a smile.

This was the truth. Inari Kagura was indeed envious of the horse girls who could study here. Although she didn't care about going to school or not, imagining the daily life in this school, it would be a lie to say she wasn't envious.

"I see..."

Rudolph Symbol nodded. Before asking Speed Symbol for someone, she had to confirm Inari Kagura's attitude. Although her answer didn't explicitly express a desire to come to the school, Rudolph Symbol felt that Inari Kagura didn't seem to care much about this aspect. Or rather, not just about going to school, she also gave the impression of not having a strong pursuit of victory during the run just now, making Rudolph Symbol feel that this child was a little unpredictable.

'It feels like this child lacks a clear goal? Is it because she hasn't had much contact with other horse girls?'

As a horse girl, Inari Kagura was very talented, but she severely lacked common knowledge related to horse girls, and she also had a very easygoing and unaspiring attitude towards goals. Rudolph Symbol also saw this. She pondered that if she could let her have more contact with other horse girls, it might awaken her desire for victory. This was also the reason why Rudolph Symbol's mood improved when Toujou Hana asked Kagura if she wanted to run a lap today.

After all, even if she had amnesia, the instinct to compete should not disappear along with her memories. Rudolph Symbol didn't want to bury a good seedling that she had finally discovered.

"Um, Miss, is there anything else? If not, I won't disturb you any longer?"

Rudolph Symbol, who was pondering what to do next, heard Inari Kagura's voice. She came back to her senses and quickly nodded:

"Oh! Okay... I don't have anything for now. How about you? Is there anywhere else you want to see?"

"Not for now... um, I don't think so. I want to go back to the Symbol family first. I should still be able to make it back in time to prepare lunch."

Inari Kagura had already toured the entire Tracen Academy this morning. She knew everything she wanted to know, and she also had some plans for her future. The only thing she was worried about now was Speed Symbol at home.

She could tell that Speed Symbol had intentionally arranged less work for her during the previous period, and she was only allowed to cook every other day. However, Speed Symbol was eventually conquered by her cooking skills and housework skills. Now, Inari Kagura was basically responsible for and in charge of the cooking and grocery shopping.

The reason for such an arrangement was simple. In addition to Inari Kagura's own active acceptance, Speed Symbol also smiled helplessly that day and admitted—her taste had been spoiled, and she couldn't get used to the food made by the original maids anymore.

"Still have to go back to cook? You're really dedicated to your work."

"After all, the head of the family likes to eat the food I make. If there's a chance, Miss, would you like to come back for a meal too?"

"I'll definitely come if I have the chance in the future. Today... well, I have some work to do."

Rudolph Symbol smiled helplessly. Although she still wanted to take this likable little horse girl around, her schedule today was indeed not that spacious. Moreover, she had a guest waiting for her outside, and she couldn't leave now.

"Then, I'll leave first. If Miss needs anything, just contact me directly."

Inari Kagura bowed slightly to Rudolph Symbol to say goodbye, and then left the student council office.

The office fell into a brief silence. Not long after, a gentle knock on the door came from outside.

Rudolph Symbol looked up at the door. She could probably guess who was coming. Judging by the time, they should be arriving soon:

"Standing outside for so long, and only knocking now. If you have something to say to me, why hesitate for so long? Mejiro Takamine."

11. Two Family Heads

Inari Kagura, who had left earlier, quickly returned to the Symbol family. She had calculated the time correctly. She went back, put away the large pile of new things she had obtained, and even made it in time to prepare lunch.

However, today, Speed Symbol wasn't the only one at home. After Inari Kagura returned, she learned from the other maids that a guest had come to the house today, and she had to prepare some extra dishes.

"I heard from the head of the family that it's her good friend who came. I wonder who it is."

The maids who were helping Kagura in the kitchen seemed very curious. Inari Kagura was also curious about which friend of Speed Symbol had come. If she could find where the Head Maid had gone, she should be able to ask who that 'friend' was.

However, for Inari Kagura, she didn't need to know that much. She just needed to focus on completing the preparation of lunch now, and then deliver it to Speed Symbol.

Inari Kagura's work efficiency was still a mystery to the other maids in the kitchen. As a child, she was too capable, and her techniques were quite skillful. Some of the maids who had just arrived were dazzled, giving them the illusion that Inari Kagura was the senior.

It didn't take long for Inari Kagura to quickly prepare lunch. As usual, she loaded the dishes onto the trolley and pushed the trolley towards the living room.

"...Children should be happy. Don't let children get involved in our affairs so early."

"I understand... Sigh..."

After knocking on the door and receiving permission to enter, Inari Kagura heard two old people chatting inside as soon as she opened the door. One was naturally Speed Symbol, and the other was an unfamiliar voice. As for the content of their conversation, Inari Kagura didn't hear it too clearly.

"Head of the family, lunch is ready."

"Kagura, don't rush to leave. Come, let's eat together."

"This... isn't it appropriate?"

Kagura, who was still setting the table, stopped her movements and looked at Speed Symbol with some confusion. She was thinking of leaving quickly without disturbing Speed Symbol's chat with her friend, but she didn't expect Speed Symbol to ask her to stay.

Although a little uneasy, Kagura still followed the request and sat down in the seat next to Speed Symbol.

She also took the opportunity to observe the Speed Symbol's friend, who was also an older racehorse, but looked as energetic as the Speed Symbol. The other woman's hair was white, the purest white Inari Kagura had ever seen in all her time in this world.

"...She's the child, isn't she?"

Kagura noticed the old racehorse was looking at her, as if studying something.

"Old Mejiro, don't give her that look. This child is a bit shy, you'll scare her."

As she said that, the Speed Symbol gently ruffled Kagura's hair.

I'm not as shy as the Head of the Symbol family thinks...

Kagura was indeed nervous, but not because the gaze was putting any pressure on her. That wasn't why she was nervous. She knew the other woman was just curious. The problem wasn't the gaze, but what the Speed Symbol had just called her.

--Old Mejiro.

Unless there were other Mejiros, it was most likely the Mejiro family that the trainer had mentioned this morning. And, seeing that she was on good terms with the Old Symbol, this Old Mejiro was probably...

I should have known... the Head of the Symbol family's good friend is the head of the Mejiro family!

That was the real reason Kagura was nervous now. She subconsciously stared at the other woman. Old Mejiro was also staring at her. After a long while, the other woman finally gave her a kind smile:

"I'm sorry, dear child. I just heard the Old Symbol mention you and was curious, so I took a few extra glances. Did I scare you?"

"No... it's okay..."

If you needed an example of what it meant to be sitting on pins and needles, Kagura felt like a photo of her current state would be perfect to paste directly into the dictionary. Fortunately, the Speed Symbol spoke up in time to adjust the overall atmosphere, and the living room returned to its leisurely mood of chatting.

Once the atmosphere had normalized, Kagura dared to cautiously start eating. Fortunately, meals in Japan were served individually, so you didn't need to reach across the table for food. If she had to do that in this situation, Kagura wouldn't know where to start.

Fortunately, Old Mejiro didn't bring up any topics that would embarrass Kagura, only asking about her current living situation, which gave Kagura a chance to chime in every now and then.

"Your cooking is really good... Little Kagura, I went to the country next door to see my granddaughter before, and she served me food like this too. It's a really nostalgic taste."

"Thank you for the compliment. Does your granddaughter live in China?"