"By the way, Kagura-chan, have you already decided what to cook for lunch?"
Watching Kagura walk ahead while frequently stopping to check her phone's navigation app, Maruzensky noticed her shopping seemed very purposeful, prompting her curiosity.
"Yes. Besides lunch, I also wanted to look for some other ingredients… Maruzensky-san, do you know where I can buy lap cheong?"
"Huh? Lap cheong…hmm…I've never heard of it."
Maruzensky, who usually handled her own cooking with minimal care, naturally had no idea about where to obtain such ingredients. Her cooking style was strictly based on whatever the nearby supermarket had left.
"Uh…it's a kind of dried sausage. It's commonly used in cooking in the neighboring Huaguo."
Kagura wasn't sure how to explain Chinese dishes to a Japanese Uma Musume who knew absolutely nothing about them. Although this ingredient wasn't essential for the dish she wanted to cook, it was still her favorite flavor.
"A specialty from Huaguo? Then you'll have to visit a specialty import store. Unfortunately, there aren't any near Tracen."
"I thought so…"
She sighed with slight disappointment. Within Kagura's accessible range, there were no Chinese specialty stores. Online shopping, although convenient, couldn't deliver instantly either.
Fortunately, though she couldn't find the ingredient she wanted most, Tracen's kitchen was very well-stocked with cooking utensils—whether for Western, Japanese, or Chinese cooking.
"What kind of dish are you planning that uses something like that?"
"It's actually pretty simple—rice cooked in a clay pot with various ingredients… You can just understand it like that."
Kagura didn't know exactly how to describe Huaguo's special dishes clearly to someone from Japan, so she could only roughly outline the cooking method. The actual name, "claypot rice," would have been too abstract for someone unfamiliar.
"Ohh…so the pork ribs and fermented black beans you just bought are for that?"
"Yup! I promise you'll like it, Maruzensky-san"
To let her friends taste something new, Kagura had bought extra ingredients. She wasn't sure how good her cooking was from her friends' perspective, but judging by Maruzensky's eager expression this entire trip, it probably wasn't too bad.
Gathering ingredients for claypot rice had been Kagura's main objective today, as she'd decided on making it for lunch. Aside from that, inspired by her plans to start her food video channel, she'd also intended to purchase ingredients for several complicated and rarely-made famous Huaguo dishes. Unfortunately, the results weren't very satisfying—many necessary items simply couldn't be found in Japan. She needed another way to source authentic Huaguo ingredients. Although online shopping was feasible, her current financial situation wouldn't allow it, so she reluctantly pushed her ambitious cooking project further back.
Leaving the last supermarket, Kagura carefully checked her purchases. Seeing it was almost time, she began heading back.
This time, as expected, Maruzensky served dutifully as the walking shelf. Kagura felt very grateful to this overly helpful (?) Uma Musume senpai. If she'd gone shopping alone, she probably couldn't have bought so much, given her small build. Even with Uma Musume's strength, carrying space was still limited.
"Thanks again, Maruzensky-san, I feel a bit guilty having you carry everything again..."
"It's no problem at all—just remember to make some for me later!"
Carrying an armful of groceries, Maruzensky smiled and shook her head casually, indicating Kagura needn't feel awkward. After all, it wasn't like she was doing it completely for free—she'd been craving Kagura's cooking for a long time.
Of course, her initial willingness to help Kagura wasn't just because she wanted to freeload food. She'd also hoped to figure out exactly what made Kagura so strangely attractive—why she always found herself unconsciously drawn toward her. But after spending the entire morning shopping together, Maruzensky still couldn't quite pinpoint it. She concluded it must be because Kagura's aura and personality were naturally mother-like, effortlessly pulling others in.
Ahh, how wonderful would it be if I had a Support Uma like this…
Following Kagura's gently swishing tail, Maruzensky felt a bit envious of Rudolf.
While quietly following Kagura on their short walk back toward Tracen Academy, Maruzensky suddenly noticed a familiar figure approaching from the opposite direction. Kagura, walking in front, also lifted her head at the same moment, and their eyes met directly. Kagura could distinctly feel the newcomer's gaze locked on her.
Driven by curiosity, Kagura stopped and quietly observed this Uma Musume slowly walking toward her. The other girl had an elegant, towering figure, considerably taller than Kagura's petite stature.
She was exceptionally beautiful—well, every Uma Musume Kagura had encountered thus far had been gorgeous, but this one stood out differently. Tall, mature, with dark hair styled neatly behind her head and a beauty mark near the corner of her eye, she exuded an enchanting, mysterious charm. Unlike Rudolf's gentle dignity or Maruzensky's youthful exuberance, she carried herself more like a composed noblewoman.
Kagura also noticed that, like several other Uma Musume she knew, this black-haired girl had a streak of white hair framing her forehead—though clearly different from Rudolf's distinctive highlight.
"Good morning. I didn't expect to run into you both here—Kagura-san, Maruzensky."
"…Do we know each other?"
Hearing the girl immediately call her name, Kagura instinctively grew wary.
"You haven't met me before, but I'm already aware of you. Allow me to express my sincere gratitude for helping my younger sister yesterday when she collapsed on the track."
Her voice was calm and mature, carrying an inexplicable authority. Kagura felt a distinct pressure even before they stood face to face.
Kagura quickly understood why the girl knew her name. The only incident involving her on the track yesterday had been Mejiro Ardan's accident. Since this Uma Musume referred to Ardan as her younger sister, clearly she was also from the Mejiro family. Being from such a prestigious family, it wasn't strange she already knew about Kagura.
"Ramonu, what brings you out here?"
Maruzensky recognized her and greeted casually.
"I came to follow up on Ardan. You know how stubborn she can be, and I was worried… But what about you? Why are you here, and carrying all those things?"
"I came out grocery shopping with this little one—we're preparing lunch."
"Is that so…"
Mejiro Ramonu nodded briefly, then returned her attention directly to Kagura.
"Kagura-san, regarding that earlier issue, we acted too abruptly. Allow me to offer my sincere apologies."
"You don't need to be so formal, Ramonu-san. I didn't really mind it… After all, I intended to decline anyway."
Apparently, that trainer who approached her previously had been sent by Ramonu. Kagura herself hadn't taken the matter seriously, as she'd already planned to refuse.
"I see… That's good, then."
Though unsurprised, Ramonu visibly relaxed a little at Kagura's reply.
"Although I hesitate to ask, there's something else I'd like to request from you, Kagura-san. Would you mind?"
"Go ahead—if I can help, I'll consider it."
"My younger sister continues to cause trouble. In the future, if you happen to see her doing something dangerous at school again, please keep an eye out and stop her."
As Ramonu spoke, the oppressive aura around her faded away completely. Now she appeared simply as an older sister troubled and exasperated by her younger sibling's antics.
"You don't need to mention that, Ramonu-san—I'll watch out for her anyway."
"Then thank you again, Kagura-san. Unfortunately, I have urgent business to attend to, so I'll be going first. If you have time later, please feel free to visit the Mejiro estate. Our family head also expressed a desire to thank you personally."
With that, Mejiro Ramonu politely nodded toward Kagura and slowly walked away.