There's Something Wrong with This Logistics Uma Musume

Inari Kagura raised an eyebrow and tilted her head back to look at the person who was much taller than her, waiting for him to continue.

"So, I want to discover your potential. Would you be willing to join my team?"

"Uh... sir, I'm not a student at Tracen Academy. I only came in to look around on Open Day."

"That doesn't matter. If you're willing, I can help you apply for Tracen's entrance exam. With your talent, little girl, passing the test definitely won't be a problem."

The tall man in the suit gave Inari Kagura a gentle smile and quietly waited for her response.

"I don't think that would be appropriate..."

"Are you worried because you don't have a legal identity?"

How could he know?! Did he investigate me?!

Inari Kagura fought to suppress her astonished expression. She was certain she had never seen this man before today. How did he know she was undocumented?

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

"Who are you... and what are your terms? What would I have to pay?"

Inari Kagura narrowed her eyes at the man. He clearly wasn't simple. Even though she wasn't familiar with the profession of trainer yet, she could tell that he was no ordinary trainer. Someone who could casually offer terms like these—unless he was boasting—probably came only from a major family like the Symbol family.

His terms were indeed tempting. If Inari Kagura were truly only eleven, just like her body, she might have impulsively agreed. But she didn't believe anyone would offer her such enormous help for no reason.

"Oh... you asked about that first? Little girl, you're not as naive as you look..."

Her question seemed to surprise him as well, but he recovered quickly. He bent down slightly, leaned closer to Kagura, and lowered his voice.

"I'm a trainer from the Mejiro family, here as their representative. The Mejiro family wants to adopt you. If you agree, you'll become a Uma Musume of the Mejiro family. Once you're old enough, you'll represent the Mejiro family in races. The Mejiro family will provide you with as much material support as possible. Rest assured, even if you fail to achieve results in races, the Mejiro family won't hold it against you."

"The Mejiro family..."

Inari Kagura had heard Speed Symbol mention this family before. Like the Symbol family, the Mejiro family was an extremely powerful and influential clan. Although they seemed somewhat like rivals, Old Mejiro and Speed Symbol had a fairly good relationship.

On the surface, the terms he had offered were practically indistinguishable from charity. Inari Kagura couldn't understand why such a major family would take an interest in her.

"It's all right, little girl. We'll have another chance to meet soon. You can take your time thinking about it. There's no need to decide until next time."

Seeing how conflicted Kagura looked, the man didn't pester her. He bowed slightly to her, then left.

10. Symbol

The trainer's sudden appearance disrupted Inari Kagura's original plans. She stood beneath the bulletin board and thought for quite a while. So focused was she that she didn't even notice someone approaching from behind.

It wasn't until Kagura felt a hand press down on her head and gently stroke it several times that she came back to herself. She saw that Rudolph Symbol had somehow arrived behind her. Judging by how sweaty she was, she had probably just finished some intense exercise.

"Kagura? Weren't you going to look at the teaching buildings? Why are you standing here? Or have you already finished?"

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

Kagura thought about it, but ultimately didn't tell Rudolph Symbol that someone from the Mejiro family had just tried to adopt her. She wanted to think it over and sort things out before seeking the Symbol family's advice.

Rudolph Symbol also stopped in front of the bulletin board with Kagura. As she gently rubbed Kagura's smooth black hair, she said,

"Oh? You find it interesting too? You can always see the students' wild ideas on the bulletin board, along with the occasional poster from a trainer recruiting members for their team. Whenever I'm under a lot of pressure, coming here to look at the bulletin board always helps me relax."

"That's true, though some of the posters are a little too visually shocking..."

Inari Kagura smiled and tried not to pay attention to the bizarre poster that appeared to show several Uma Musume planted in the ground like radishes. Maybe, just as Rudolph Symbol had said, the students here really did have some strange ideas.

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

Rudolph Symbol stopped rubbing Kagura's hair and spoke as if she had suddenly remembered something.

"Something? For me?"

"It's hard to explain, and giving you all the details would be troublesome. It'll be faster to take you there and show you directly."

Rudolph Symbol didn't explain exactly what it was. Inari Kagura was briefly stunned, but she quickly followed Rudolph Symbol, who had already walked ahead.

The student council office wasn't far away, and at a Uma Musume's speed, they arrived quickly. Once Kagura entered the teaching building, she was once again stunned by Tracen Academy's wealth. Not only was the interior beautifully decorated and fully equipped with teaching facilities, but aside from classrooms, there were all kinds of activity rooms. There was even a swimming pool and a library!

It's ridiculously wealthy... And the students here all seem pretty rich too...

Setting aside whether they were truly wealthy, the students here clearly seemed to come from good families. No matter how she looked at it, their circumstances were much better than hers had been back in college, when she used to worry about her living expenses every month.

For some reason, Inari Kagura felt that the rate at which the students turned to look at her while she walked down the corridor was far too high. It made her feel embarrassed, and she could only lower her head slightly, trying her best not to pay attention to their gazes.

Under the students' curious eyes, Inari Kagura walked down the corridor and finally reached the student council office. At this hour, it appeared to be empty.

Rudolph Symbol sat down behind her desk, pulled over a chair for Kagura, and let her sit. She even brewed Kagura a cup of tea before lowering her head and beginning to search through the drawers of her desk.

Watching Rudolph Symbol rummage around, Kagura inexplicably felt as though she had been summoned to an office by a superior, only to sit there awkwardly while the superior busied herself with work. Fortunately, Rudolph Symbol didn't take long. Soon, she pulled out a stamped document and handed it to Kagura, along with a heavy paper bag.

Kagura accepted them curiously and looked them over. She discovered that the document was a very formal letter of appointment, followed by a contract filled with dense writing.

"This contract is from Madam for you, Inari Kagura. From today onward, you are officially a maid of the Symbol family. This paper bag contains your identification documents, bank card, work ID, and phone. Make sure you keep them safe and don't lose them."

"Wow..."

The sudden flood of information left Inari Kagura's mind short-circuiting for a moment. She tried to calm herself and first read through the contract. It served as formal proof of her employment status. What surprised her was that the Symbol family had decided to pay her a monthly salary according to the standard for maids. It wasn't extraordinarily high, but it meant she now had a source of income.

This... must be another decision by Madam Speed Symbol...

There were no traps in the terms of the document. Her identity was listed as that of a perfectly ordinary orphan, with no unfamiliar relatives added to the record. For the time being, Kagura couldn't think of any reason for the wealthy and powerful Symbol family to trick a penniless child like her.

To be honest, Inari Kagura had always been grateful to Speed Symbol for saving her. But she had never imagined that the Symbol family would be willing to help her to this extent. They had not only solved her food and housing problems, but also provided her with substantial material support. Now, even the most troublesome issues of identity and income had been resolved.

Madam Speed Symbol is such a kind person... Sigh, how am I ever supposed to repay this debt?

Although she was happy, Inari Kagura didn't take any of this for granted. She made up her mind that even if Speed Symbol didn't need anything in return, she would find a chance to do something for the Symbol family in the future.

She remembered the trainer from the Mejiro family who had come to see her earlier. Before, she had been hesitating over how to respond, but now the biggest problem troubling her had been solved. She also had an answer to his proposal.

"I... I didn't expect this... Thank you, truly!"

Inari Kagura lowered her head and bowed deeply to Rudolph Symbol. At present, all she could do was express her gratitude.

"Madam likes you very much. Over the past month or so, you've also proven through your performance that you're an excellent maid. This is what you deserve."

As she spoke, Rudolph Symbol walked over to Inari Kagura and helped her up. Then she gently patted Kagura's shoulder in encouragement and praise.

Although today was technically their first formal meeting, Rudolph Symbol liked this quiet and obedient little Uma Musume quite a lot. She rarely felt as at ease with anyone at the academy as she did when talking with Inari Kagura. The students at the academy were all too intimidated by her, which made it difficult for her to develop friendships.

But for some reason, the younger Inari Kagura could communicate with her very naturally. She was also clearly far more mature in her thinking than the ordinary students at the academy. Rudolph Symbol sometimes had the illusion that Kagura was a classmate her own age, rather than a little junior.

"You've walked around the school today. What do you think? Do you like it here?"

"Mm... It would be hard not to like a place like this... The environment is so good. I'm a little envious of the students who get to study here."

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

That was the truth. Inari Kagura really did envy the Uma Musume who studied here. She didn't particularly care whether she went to school, but imagining what daily life at this academy would be like—there was no way she could honestly say she wasn't envious.

"I see..."

Rudolph Symbol nodded. Before asking Speed Symbol for permission to recruit Kagura, she had to confirm Kagura's attitude. Although Kagura's answer hadn't clearly shown any desire to attend the academy, Rudolph Symbol felt that Kagura didn't care much about the matter. Or rather, it wasn't just school. During her run earlier, she had also seemed to lack any strong desire to win, making Rudolph Symbol feel that this child was difficult to figure out.

It feels like this child is missing a clear goal. Is that because she hasn't had much contact with other Uma Musume?

As a Uma Musume, Inari Kagura possessed tremendous talent, but she seriously lacked common knowledge related to Uma Musume. She also had an easygoing attitude toward her goals and seemed to lack ambition. Rudolph Symbol had noticed this as well. She wondered whether exposing Kagura to more Uma Musume might awaken her desire to win. That was also why Rudolph Symbol had felt better when Toujou Hana asked Kagura whether she wanted to run a lap earlier.

After all, even if she had lost her memories, the instinct to compete should not have disappeared along with them. Rudolph Symbol didn't want to see such a rare promising talent buried.

"Um, Head of the Family, is there anything else? If not, I'll get out of your way first?"

Rudolph Symbol, who had been pondering her next step, heard Inari Kagura's voice. She came back to herself and hurriedly nodded.

"Oh! All right... I don't have anything else for now. What about you? Is there anywhere else you want to look around?"

"Not for now... Well, I don't think so. I want to go back to the Symbol family first. I should still have time to make lunch."

Inari Kagura had already toured all of Tracen Academy that morning. She had learned everything she wanted to know and had also made 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 deliberately assigned her less work during that initial period. Even cooking had been left to her only every other day. In the end, however, Speed Symbol had been won over by her cooking and housekeeping skills. These days, Inari Kagura was basically responsible for planning and directing the cooking and grocery shopping.

The reason for that arrangement was simple. Aside from Kagura's own eagerness to take on the work, Speed Symbol had helplessly admitted that day—with a wry smile—that her tastes had already been spoiled and she could no longer get used to the food prepared by the previous maids.

"You're still going back to cook? You really take your work seriously."

"After all, the Head of the Family really likes the food I make. If you have the chance, would you like to come back and eat with us sometime, Young Miss?"

"If I get the chance, I definitely will. Today... well, I still have some work to take care of."

Rudolph Symbol smiled helplessly. Although she wanted to show this likable little Uma Musume around a little longer, her schedule really wasn't very open today. Besides, she had another guest waiting outside, so she couldn't leave just yet.

"Then I'll be going. Young Miss, if you need anything, just contact me directly."

Inari Kagura bowed slightly to Rudolph Symbol in farewell, then left the student council office.

The office fell silent for a short while. Before long, a gentle knock came from outside.

Rudolph Symbol raised her head and looked toward the door. She could roughly guess who was outside. Judging by the time, the visitor should have arrived.

"You stood outside for so long and only knocked now. What could you possibly need to tell me that required so much hesitation? Mejiro Takamine."

11. The Two Heads of Family

Inari Kagura, who had left first, soon returned to the Symbol family residence. Her estimate of the time had been correct. She put away the large pile of things she had just received and still made it back in time to prepare lunch.

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

"According to the Head of the Family, it's one of her good friends. I wonder who it is."

The few maids helping Kagura in the kitchen seemed quite curious. Inari Kagura was also curious which of Speed Symbol's friends had come. If she could find the Head Maid, she probably could have asked who this "friend" was, but she couldn't figure out where the Head Maid had gone.

However, Inari Kagura didn't need to know that much. All she had to do was focus on preparing lunch, then deliver it to Speed Symbol.

Inari Kagura's work efficiency still left the other maids in the kitchen baffled. For a child, she was almost too capable, and her technique was extremely practiced. Some of the maids who had only recently joined could barely follow her movements, giving them the illusion that Inari Kagura was the senior and they were the newcomers.

It didn't take long for Inari Kagura to finish preparing lunch. As usual, she placed the dishes on a serving cart and pushed it toward the living room.

"...Children should be allowed to live happily. We can't let them get involved in our affairs so early."

"I understand... Sigh..."

After knocking and receiving permission to enter, Inari Kagura had just pushed open the door when she heard two elderly women chatting inside. One was naturally Speed Symbol, while the other had an unfamiliar voice. Kagura couldn't make out the content of their conversation clearly.

"Head of the Family, lunch is ready."

"Kagura, don't rush off. Come over and eat with us."

"This... wouldn't that be inappropriate?"

Kagura stopped arranging the tableware and looked at Speed Symbol in confusion. She had been planning to leave quickly so she wouldn't disturb Speed Symbol and her friend, but she hadn't expected Speed Symbol to ask her to stay.

Although she felt somewhat uneasy, Kagura still obeyed and sat down beside Speed Symbol.

She took the opportunity to observe Speed Symbol's friend. She was also an elderly Uma Musume, but she looked just as energetic as Speed Symbol. Her hair was white. This was the first time since arriving in this world that Inari Kagura had seen hair of such a pure white.

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

Kagura noticed that the old Uma Musume across from her was looking at her as if studying something.

"Old Mejiro, don't keep looking at her like that. This child is rather shy. Be careful not to frighten her."

As she spoke, Speed Symbol placed a hand on Kagura's head and gently rubbed it.

I'm not as shy as you think, Head of the Family...

Kagura was indeed nervous, but not because that gaze put pressure on her. That wasn't the reason. She knew the other woman was merely curious. The problem wasn't the stare; it was the way Speed Symbol had just addressed her.

—Old Mejiro.

Unless there was another Mejiro, this was probably the Mejiro family mentioned by the trainer that morning. And considering how well she seemed to get along with Old Symbol, this Old Mejiro was most likely...

I should have realized it sooner... The Head of the Family's good friend is the head of the Mejiro family!

That was the real reason Kagura was nervous now. She stared at the other woman without realizing it, while Old Mejiro stared back. After a while, the other woman finally revealed a kindly smile.

"I'm sorry, dear. I'd only heard Old Symbol mention you, so I was curious and looked at you a little longer. I didn't frighten you, did I?"

"It's fine... No, really..."

If someone wanted an explanation for the phrase "sitting on pins and needles," Kagura felt that taking a picture of herself right now and pasting it into the dictionary would be the best possible definition. Fortunately, Speed Symbol spoke up in time and adjusted the atmosphere. The living room returned to its relaxed, conversational mood.

Once the atmosphere had settled down, Kagura carefully began eating. Fortunately, people here in Japan were served individual portions, so she didn't need to reach across the table for food. If she had needed to serve herself in this situation, Kagura wouldn't have known where to begin.

Thankfully, Old Mejiro didn't bring up anything that made Kagura uncomfortable. She only asked a few questions about Kagura's current life, giving her chances to join the conversation every now and then.

"Your cooking is wonderful... Little Kagura, I once visited my granddaughter in the neighboring country. She served me a meal like this then. It's a flavor that brings back memories."

"Thank you for the compliment. Does Your Excellency's granddaughter live in Huaguo?"