Although Kagura wasn't particularly familiar with this lively crowd of little Mejiro girls, when Ardan led her diverse swarm of younger sisters over, it only took Kagura a few moments to take control of the scene. These kids had been endlessly curious about her personal life, but fortunately hadn't asked anything too intrusive yet. Kagura could still smile and talk comfortably, sharing stories about her school life and funny incidents with her friends. Even Mejiro McQueen, who had intended to manage her sisters at first, ended up joining the curious listeners.
——You really have some incredible magnetism with children. How is it that you can get along so well with kids of all different kinds?
Seeing Kagura easily tame that noisy bunch, Eclipse-san couldn't help but sigh in amazement through a quick message on the phone.
It's just a skill I was forced to pick up during holiday family gatherings... Not that big of a deal.
After chatting with the kids for a bit, Kagura had quickly grasped their personalities. The chestnut-haired tomboyish Uma Musume who gave off a cool aura was Mejiro Ryan. She seemed pretty familiar with McQueen, and despite being just a child, had a surprisingly strong physique—clearly someone who exercised regularly. With a carefree and energetic personality, she seemed interested in physical training, and had apparently tagged along today because Old Mejiro mentioned Kagura helping Rudolf Ojou-sama with training at school.
Another one was the brown-haired, slightly reckless Uma Musume, Mejiro Palmer. Her personality resembled Ryan's in being a bit rough-and-tumble. Kagura felt like this child would be well-suited for a daitō. It wasn't that Kagura had already seen her adaptability clearly in just a short time, but Palmer's blunt and straightforward temperament seemed hardly fit for more tactical positions. Especially after witnessing her bizarre running posture just moments earlier, Kagura couldn't help but think that Palmer had been oddly excited since she approached her. Something felt subtly off, though Kagura couldn't quite place it.
Then there was a black-haired Uma Musume who appeared extremely serious and cold on the surface but actually had a soft, insecure personality—Mejiro Dober. She seemed close with Ryan, and Kagura felt she was reminiscent of Nice Nature when they'd first met, shrinking away timidly. Curiously, despite her lack of self-confidence, Dober displayed an oddly high affection toward Kagura, which puzzled her slightly.
Lastly, there was Mejiro Bright, seemingly the youngest—a gentle, obedient little Uma Musume with a slightly airheaded charm. Honestly, Kagura found herself envying Bright's pretty brown curls a bit. Although she was just a child, she already had a graceful, delicate presence like a young lady. While the other girls surrounded Kagura with endless questions, Bright quietly watched from the side, only occasionally adding a gentle remark or two.
They really are a diverse bunch… I'm a bit jealous of the Mejiro family's kids. They must never feel lonely with so many sisters around.
As an only child, Kagura never had the experience of siblings, but today seeing the harmonious relationships among these children, she felt a bit of longing. She had heard they'd be having a tea party later in the afternoon and couldn't help but admire the warm atmosphere of such a large family.
Originally, Kagura planned that after their walk, everyone would simply return to their rooms to rest until lunchtime. Unexpectedly, this lively bunch of children trailed after her directly to her own room. Ardan, worried about any unforeseen chaos, had no choice but to follow along. McQueen, who normally was attentive to etiquette, had initially tried to prevent this situation, but seeing all her sisters joining in, she ended up dropping her sense of propriety altogether and tagging along.
"Kagura-oneesan~ Tell us more of the story you didn't finish earlier!"
Naturally, Kagura couldn't talk endlessly about school, so midway through she had shifted to sharing some short stories she'd read once on a certain forum. Unexpectedly, these kids were completely hooked—especially Mejiro Ryan, who persistently clung to Kagura, begging for more stories. Even Ardan was visibly curious, eagerly waiting for Kagura to continue.
"Oh dear, young ladies, Kagura-sama's room is still being tidied up. Please don't all rush in at once... It will be difficult to move around…"
The maid who had been tidying Kagura's room was astonished when she saw such a large group of Uma Musume suddenly flood in—even Ardan had come along. Usually, only the senior family members like Mejiro Ramonu or Ardan had enough authority to gather everyone at once. Yet Kagura, who was essentially an outsider—though certainly a highly valued guest of the family—had somehow managed to spontaneously organize a gathering of this scale. It was rather bewildering to witness.
"Um, Maid-san, let me help tidy up. After all, I am a maid at the Symboli household myself…"
"No, no, we absolutely cannot allow our honored guest to do this—"
"Maid-san! We'll help too! No need to trouble Maid-san any further!"
Before the maid could finish, the group of young Uma Musume around them eagerly raised their hands, volunteering to help Kagura tidy her room.
Feeling things were getting slightly out of hand, the maid looked toward the only person present with any real authority—Mejiro Ardan. Ardan simply smiled and nodded slightly, signaling the maid to leave things in her and her sisters' care.
I suppose this can be a chance for everyone to practice a bit and also bond with Kagura-san…
"Kagura-san, since you're more experienced in housework, I'll leave everyone's coordination to you."
Thinking this, Ardan sent the maid off first, handing the authority to Kagura. All the Uma Musume—including Mejiro McQueen—looked at Kagura expectantly, awaiting her instructions.
Originally, Kagura had intended to handle restoring the room to a usable state by herself. But now with this enthusiastic army of little helpers at her side, it wasn't hard to guess why Ardan had so readily agreed to let everyone help. A quick glance at Ardan's expression was enough for Kagura to understand Ardan intended to give her younger sisters some valuable experience. She paused thoughtfully for a moment, then began assigning tasks clearly to each little Uma Musume:
"Ryan, you're quite strong, so you and McQueen should carry that stack of things over there out of the room. Palmer, your athletic ability seems good, so you'll clean the floor with me. Dober and Bright... You two can tidy up the window area; afterward, feel free to rest on the bed."
"Ah, Kagura-san, actually, I can also…"
Seeing Kagura deliberately skipping over her name, Ardan quickly raised her hand, wanting to assist somehow.
"Ardan-sama, your health is naturally frail, so leave these strenuous chores to us. Just rest nearby—I'm sure Family Head-sama wouldn't want you tiring yourself over trivial matters like this. However, since I definitely won't be able to watch everyone closely by myself, I'll have to trouble Ardan-sama to keep an eye on your younger sisters. If any sudden problems arise, please step in to take charge."
"Alright… Well then, everyone heard clearly, right? If so, let's get started. We must finish tidying Kagura-san's room before lunchtime!"
Ardan fully understood the concerns from both Kagura and her grandmother. And since her sisters were also here watching, she refrained from showing any disappointment.
"Yes!!"
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T/N: WHY DONT THEY JUST GIVE US A NAME FOR FAMILY HEADDDDDDDDDD
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dont worry bonus chaps will be released on sunday
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