"Thank you for your patronage~"
Carrying a large pile of ingredients out of the store, Inari Kagura glanced at the shopping receipt in her hand. After confirming the amount and the ingredients she was carrying, she confidently put the receipt back into her maid uniform pocket.
She had been here for almost two months now. After adapting to her new job, she found that even at full intensity, her current job was much easier than her previous work. Compared to sitting in an office all day seeing patients or reading an academic paper for a whole day, wandering around outside was much more comfortable.
As she gradually became familiar with her work, her range of activities expanded from the Symboli Family mansion to the city's Shopping Street. The task of purchasing ingredients was now officially entrusted to her. Fortunately, the Head Maid had a good relationship with the elders on the Shopping Street, and after taking her, the newcomer, around a few times, the nearby shopkeepers all remembered her. She also began to move around the Shopping Street alone.
Her activity outside also allowed her to learn more about the world and meet a member of her own kind—an Uma Musume. There was a somewhat insecure red-haired Little Horse Girls on the Shopping Street who often helped shopkeepers move things. When Kagura came to buy things, she would even help guide her. After getting to know that Little Horse Girls, Kagura learned her name: Excellent Quality.
"Kagura, are you planning to buy anything else? You look a bit overloaded. Shall I help you carry it back?"
Excellent Quality, who had coincidentally met Kagura while shopping today, followed her out of the store. Looking at the large bags of ingredients in Kagura's hands, Excellent Quality couldn't help but worry about her friend.
Excellent Quality heard from the elders on the Shopping Street that Kagura was a year younger than her, and it seemed she had lost her family and was helpless, only able to work for others to survive. Therefore, she took extra care of her friend.
"No need~ I'm perfectly fine, carrying this much isn't a problem. But you've been shopping so late today, Soshi. If you don't go back soon, everyone on the Shopping Street will start to worry about you."
Kagura poked Excellent Quality's forehead, who was slightly taller than her, reminding her to hurry back.
For some reason, Excellent Quality seemed to really want her to call her 'Soshi-nee' or 'older sister,' but Kagura still thought of her as a child. After all, she was only ten years old physically, while Excellent Quality was a solid eleven. Having already passed her twenties, she felt it was a bit strange to call a child in her early teens 'older sister,' so she just stuck with the name Soshi.
To be honest, Inari Kagura really wanted to complain about the names of Uma Musume. Her own, Speed Symbol, and Excellent Quality—Inari Kagura at least sounded like a human name, but Excellent Quality sounded like it had a lot of room for complaint. Yet, everyone around her seemed to be used to it, making her wonder if something was wrong with her.
"Hmm... It does seem a bit late. Kagura, be careful walking alone! If you run into that weirdo again who wanted to touch your leg the other day, be sure to kick him hard!"
"Ahaha... I know, I'll be careful."
After giving Kagura her instructions, Excellent Quality hurriedly ran off. Kagura took out her ingredient list and compared it, confirming she hadn't forgotten anything, then began to prepare to return to the Symboli Family mansion.
During this time, she had truly felt the physical Soshi of an Uma Musume. If it were her old self, carrying such a large pile of tens of pounds of ingredients, she would be exhausted after walking just one kilometer. But now, she could fast-run three or four kilometers with a pile of things, even doing some acrobatic moves along the way, and not feel very tired when she ran back to the Symboli Family mansion.
As a former doctor, she tried to analyze her body structure using the knowledge she had learned, hoping to gain a better understanding of the Uma Musume species. But she quickly gave up. Not to mention she couldn't dissect herself, this species completely contradicted the biological knowledge she had learned. Perhaps this was what her best friend used to say: 'You don't need to understand things from the second dimension so clearly.' She found that if she had any questions about the Uma Musume, thinking by herself was far slower than directly asking Eclipse.
'I should have listened to that guy and watched Uma Musume races...'
Looking at the sky gradually turning dark, Kagura sighed softly. Although she wanted to speed up and return to the Symboli Family mansion quickly, the city roads had a speed limit of 40. If she ran any faster, she would be invited by the police officer to have tea.
Not long ago, she had tried running at high speed on the street, reaching 70 km/h at one point. This not only attracted many onlookers but also nearly got her pulled over by the police for a lecture. What shocked her even more was that a man, chewing on a lollipop and exuding a frivolous aura, actually walked up and asked if he could touch her leg!
Inari Kagura, who was already somewhat introverted, felt as if she had a thorn in her back at that moment. After politely refusing him, she fled in a panic. After that day, she never dared to run so openly on the street again.
At a crossroads, Kagura, laden with things, stopped on the road. Eager to return, she couldn't help but feel a little frustrated looking at the red light in front of her.
"Even an Uma Musume has to wait for a red light..."
"Oh, little sister, are you the Uma Musume that the Trainer mentioned a few days ago, who was running away on the street?"
Kagura, still looking at the red light, suddenly heard someone calling her from behind. She turned around and saw two Uma Musume, much taller than her, walking up from behind.
They were wearing blue, uniform-like school clothes. One of the chestnut-haired Uma Musume had a strangely authoritative air, with white highlights on her forehead, which reminded Kagura of Speed Symbol at home. The one who called out to her was also a chestnut-haired Uma Musume, but unlike the serious Uma Musume next to her, this Uma Musume had a mature and charming aura, not at all like a student.
"Sorry, I don't know what Trainer you're talking about."
"He's just a man with a lollipop, about this tall."
The serious chestnut-haired Uma Musume gestured to an approximate height, and Kagura immediately recognized who she was describing.
"That lollipop weirdo... Yes, something like that happened. He helped me deal with the police at the time, and he also asked if he could touch my leg. Uh... Are you two...?"
Kagura instinctively took a step back. Although she had already received a verbal warning from the police, she didn't know if there were any other legal punishments or other law enforcement agencies in this world. If there were, she would have to prepare to run.
"No, no, you can tell from our school uniforms, right? We're just students from Tracen nearby, not police or anything~"
With that, the mature chestnut-haired Uma Musume smiled and stepped forward, bending down and resting her hands on her knees to look at Kagura:
"What a cute child~! My name is Maruzensky, and the one next to me who looks a bit scary is Rudolph Symbol. We are Uma Musume from the Tracen Academy High School department. What about you, Little Horse Girl?"
"Inari Kagura, a passing Head Maid."
Facing unfamiliar strangers, Inari Kagura hesitated for a moment before cautiously giving her name. Unfamiliar with the composition of Uma Musume names, she didn't notice anything amiss.
"Head Maid? Not cosplay, but a real Head Maid? Whose Head Maid are you?"
"The Symboli Family's... Ah, the light's green now. Excuse me, both of you, I still have to rush back to make dinner, so I'll take my leave first!"
Kagura, who was halfway through her answer, heard the traffic light change to green. She quickly bowed to the two in farewell and then hurried away.
"Wow... she runs so fast! I didn't even get a chance to hug that child... I didn't expect such a young Uma Musume to have that kind of speed. It seems Trainer Okino was indeed right; she's a very promising child."
Maruzensky looked regretfully at Kagura, who had almost instantly disappeared down the street. She was a bit annoyed that she hadn't taken the opportunity to give her a couple of hugs.
Turning to her friend, the serious Rudolph Symbol was looking in the direction Kagura had fled, her solemn expression replaced by one of complete interest.
"Rudolf, that's your family's Head Maid. Have you seen her before?"
"No, but she is indeed wearing our family's servant uniform. She must be a new recruit that old woman hired recently. Heh heh, I wonder if she truly has good taste or just got lucky. What a pair of good legs."
"You're clearly showing that expression, aren't you going after her? You wouldn't be unable to catch up to a child who hasn't even fully developed yet, would you?"
Maruzensky, of course, knew how much her Junior loved talent. She usually went to great lengths to find good prospects, even traveling hundreds of kilometers to remote rural areas to scout people. This time, she was already so interested, yet she managed to hold back without saying a word.
"Don't say that, it might take a bit of effort. That child's speed isn't low, and she's so young, with so much time to grow and get stronger. She is indeed a child full of potential. But since she's my family's Head Maid, there's no need to worry about not finding her, right."
"Oh~ You've become quite a bit more composed."
"One always has to grow, but, Maruzen, do I look scary?"
"No, I think you're a very nice person."
"Then why did you tell that Little Horse Girl just now that I looked scary? Do you know that no classmates at school dare to approach me anymore?"
Rudolph Symbol smiled kindly and gently placed her hand on Maruzensky's shoulder. Maruzensky immediately felt a pressure.
"But Rudolf, your serious expression does tend to scare Little Horse Girls..."
"So all the more reason not to reinforce my unapproachable image! Please help me salvage my image!"
Pinching Maruzensky's cheek and tugging it twice, Rudolph Symbol let go of her and sighed. The traffic light, which had turned red, just happened to switch back to green.
"It seems I'll have to find time to go home. It's been a while since I visited that old woman."
"Take me with you! That child is so cute, I want to go to your house and pet the Little Horse Girl!"
"You should at least try to hide your desires a little..."
...—Kagura, did you notice anything special about those two people you met on your way back tonight?
In the evening, after finishing dinner, Kagura's work for the day was done. Kagura, who was changing clothes in her room after a shower, suddenly saw a line of text appear on the mirror in front of her.
"Hmm? Are you talking about Maruzensky and Rudolph Symbol? What about them? Aren't they just two ordinary high school students? Uma Musume aren't uncommon in this world, are they?"
—Doesn't the name Rudolph Symbol sound familiar?
The previous line of text disappeared, and soon another line appeared on the mirror.
"Rudolph Symbol... Rudolph Symbol... Symboli... Ah!!"
Prompted by Eclipse, Kagura suddenly realized what was amiss with the name. Although she hadn't met her, she knew that Speed Symbol had a granddaughter, who was just busy with her studies and not at home.
Students, Symboli, plus that almost identical hereditary streak of hair... "I forgot! They're all from the Symboli Family! Isn't that the family head's granddaughter who's been away from home for years!?"
Kagura let out a cry of disbelief.
—You just realized? Weren't you always curious about what Speed Symbol's child looked like? You finally met today, how do you feel about it?
"Hmm... she felt like the type who's a beautiful woman in men's clothing, a very cool Uma Musume..."
Kagura recalled the Uma Musume she met tonight. To be honest, she didn't find the other person scary. She had seen plenty of unapproachable people during her work; Rudolph Symbol was practically too kind in comparison.
Moreover, Rudolph Symbol gave her a reliable sense of security. Kagura quite liked people who were meticulous, had a certain dignity, and a good personality. Such people were less troublesome to deal with, and communication was also very convenient.
"...Hmm! As expected of the family head's granddaughter!"
—Is that all? No other thoughts?
"Should I have any other thoughts?"
—Tsk, it seems there's no problem. Never mind, we'll talk about it later. You've been busy all day, it's time to rest.
Without thinking too much, Kagura, dressed in her clothes, lay back on the bed, stretched comfortably, and then snuggled into the covers. After she lay down, she felt the bed sink slightly, and then a chill also crept in with her. She felt something pressed against her back.
"Good night, Miss Eclipse."
She was already used to Eclipse clinging to her every night. In reality, there wasn't any noticeable feeling, just a slight lightness.
As if responding to her good night, Kagura felt her head being gently stroked, and then Eclipse made no further movements.