"Every time I go out to eat with you, Kagura... why am I always the one stuffed full?!"
After wandering through the snack street with Kagura, Nice Nature looked down at her slightly bloated belly, then back up at Kagura's unchanged figure, feeling she'd been tricked somehow.
"Because the one who can't control herself every time is always you~"
"Then why can Kagura control herself?!"
"Maybe because I eat slowly. Eating too fast means you don't feel full as easily, so you end up eating way more. If you're watching your weight, you should slow down."
Remembering Nice Nature's ravenous devouring moments ago, and looking at her now, pouting gloomily, Kagura couldn't help but laugh. Anyway, her task of taking Nature out to unwind today was complete. The rest was Trainer Minamizaka's problem to handle.
Though I bet Trainer Minamizaka would just smile helplessly seeing Nature like this.
Thinking about how indulgent Trainer Minamizaka was with Nice Nature, Kagura felt reassured again—she and Nature had really made a good call picking him.
Setting aside the slightly overfed Nice Nature for now, Kagura had again witnessed just how warmly the folks on the shopping street treated her. And not just Nice Nature—Kagura herself had also gotten some special treatment as her friend. She even met a group of her fans here, who eagerly asked her for a photo. Although taking pictures in her miko attire embarrassed Kagura a bit, she overcame that small feeling of shame.
After posting today's update on her Umastagram, Kagura received a DM from Curren-chan within minutes.
[Curren Chan]:Wow! Kagura-sensei looks so beautiful today! I didn't know Kagura-sensei had a shrine maiden setting too!
[Curren Chan]:Also, where is this? It looks super cute! Can I get a location? Why does it feel like Kagura-sensei always finds these hidden snack and shopping streets?
Kagura was slightly puzzled how Curren-chan managed to send a DM the instant she posted—did this girl just stare at her phone all day?
Incidentally, after Curren-chan had visited and reviewed the snack street Nice Nature previously recommended, business there had exploded. Nice Nature had mentioned several shop owners had contacted her, saying they were overwhelmed and looking to hire extra help.
[Inari Kagura]:I have a friend who's really good at finding places like this. She's always bringing me to these hidden gems.
[Curren Chan]:Does your friend use Umastagram? Can you recommend her to me?
"Nature, what do you think?"
Kagura held out her phone to Nice Nature, who was still gently rubbing her belly. Nature leaned in to read the screen, eyes widening.
"Huh?! Curren-chan?! That super influencer who brought tons of customers to the shopping street!? Kagura, you know her!?"
Nice Nature instantly perked up. She clearly remembered the shopping street vendors enthusiastically talking about this influencer Uma Musume.
"Yeah, actually… My post was what brought her there last time... Ah, I think I forgot to tell you—Curren-chan's one of my fans…"
"Eeeh?!"
Nice Nature made an incredulous noise. She knew Kagura had plenty of followers online, but she hadn't expected the famous Curren-chan to be among them.
"So, Curren-chan's pretty interested in you. Want to add her?"
"I… Is that really okay?"
"What are you so nervous about? Curren-chan's even younger than me—a really cute and friendly kid."
The feeling of inferiority in Nice Nature's heart hadn't completely faded, and Kagura knew it wasn't something she could resolve quickly. She kept gently guiding Nature toward things that could boost her confidence.
Encouraged by Kagura, Nice Nature finally gathered the courage to pull out her phone and nervously typed Curren-chan's username, sending the request.
The moment Curren-chan accepted the friend request, a torrent of messages flooded Nature's screen at lightning speed:
[Curren Chan]:Hi! You must be Kagura-sensei's friend~ I'm Curren-chan! Nice to meet you!
[Curren Chan]: Are you a classmate the same age as Kagura-sensei, or are you her senpai?
[Curren Chan]:I heard you're really good at discovering new shopping streets—do you love exploring them normally?
[Curren Chan]:What snacks do you usually like eating with Kagura-sensei?
...
Curren-chan's typing was so quick Kagura almost suspected she'd prepared the messages beforehand, just waiting for Nice Nature's friend request.
Kagura almost saw the phone radiating a blinding social glow, under which Nice Nature appeared incredibly tiny. Compared to Curren-chan's piano-like typing speed, Nice Nature's trembling fingers couldn't even send a single reply. The gap was overwhelming—Nature was seconds away from melting down like Bocchi-chan.
Th-this is the dazzling aura of a social butterfly!! This battle's way too unfair for our poor Nature!!
"Aaah… Ka-Kagura! Help meee…!"
"Pff—"
Seeing Nice Nature immediately give up and beg for help, Kagura laughed helplessly. Curren-chan's enthusiasm wasn't something just anyone could handle—even Kagura herself, seasoned in socializing, nearly buckled under Curren-chan's barrage when they first became friends.
Still, proper replies were a basic courtesy. Kagura leaned against Nature's shoulder, holding her arm, guiding her responses while reading her screen. Nature's brain had already turned to mush. She'd been overwhelmed by Curren-chan's rapid-fire texting, and now, with Kagura pressed so close, intimately guiding her, she was practically overheating.
Wait, could Kami-sama have seriously heard my wish today???
...
When Kagura and Nice Nature returned to Tracen, the sun had already set.
Kagura still needed to deliver the ingredients she'd bought earlier to the cafeteria. Seeing Nature's flushed face after a full day of excitement, Kagura told her to head back to the dorm first to rest, going to the cafeteria herself.
It was past dinner hour, and few students remained inside. Kagura quickly dropped the ingredients off in the kitchen refrigerator and left immediately.
Eclipse-san, this morning you said you wanted me to perform a Kagura dance, right? I'll grab my kagura suzu from the dorm and find somewhere quiet—will that be okay?
"Oh~ Sure! Didn't expect you to volunteer like this, Kagura."
Because she was still in her miko robes, Kagura could hear Eclipse-san's voice clearly. Eclipse-san sounded pleasantly surprised.
Returning your faith is important, after all. I figured I'd better do it now before I forget again.
Kagura had never actually performed a formal ritual like this before—today was her first time. As for the kagura suzu, it had appeared quite mysteriously: when she'd first unpacked her miko robes at Tracen, she'd found this slightly heavy bell hidden within one of the sleeves, though its weight was negligible for an Uma Musume.
Her wish was for Eclipse-san's recovery, so she was happy to do anything that might help.
Ahhh... seriously, Kagura's rare initiative, and Nature-chan isn't even here to see it! Nature-chan, don't forget your wish!
Eclipse was naturally touched by Kagura's concern, recalling Nature's wish from earlier today. Of Nature's various wishes, the last one was the most feasible for Eclipse to assist with. Now the question was—how to get Nature to witness this?
It took Kagura barely five minutes to retrieve her kagura suzu. At night, the school grounds were mostly empty, and the only suitable place she could think of was the track field.
Indeed, no one else was on the darkened track. Standing there, dressed in white-and-red robes, Kagura was almost invisible.
"Strange… Did I leave something behind?"
Nice Nature had just prepared to shower when she felt she'd forgotten something. Driven by this puzzling feeling, she left her dorm room, quietly exiting Ritto Dorm to check.
Passing by the empty track field, a clear, melodious chime caught her attention. She turned toward the sound and slowed down.
In the distance stood a petite shrine maiden, standing gracefully on the track near the far wall. She lifted her arms, tiptoed, and raised something—a bell. The soothing chime came clearly through the quiet night air.
That's… Kagura?? Why is she here? Is that… a kagura dance!?
Rather than interrupting Kagura, Nature stood frozen by curiosity. She'd always wanted to learn more about Kagura. Tonight, for the first time, she could watch Kagura acting fully as a shrine maiden, so she resisted calling out to her friend.
Beneath the faint moonlight, Kagura's small figure seemed almost luminescent. She gently began dancing, movements soft and elegant. The soothing chime matched her delicate steps, moonlight flowing like a glowing feather robe around her.
Nature stood transfixed by the dreamlike vision.
"So beautiful…"
Though the word felt inadequate to describe an eleven-year-old girl, it was the only word Nature could find.
The dance lasted only minutes, but it felt unforgettable. Finished, the little shrine maiden quickly glanced around shyly, then vanished before Nature could call out to her.
I've never seen Kagura like this before… She really is so beautiful… and even dances so gracefully…