Because Rudolph Symbol still needed to maintain her training, and with Kagura's enrollment arranged, Speed Symbol and her group did not stay in Niigata for too long, returning to Tokyo on the third day.
Because Tracen was still on summer break, according to Rudolph Symbol, most students were not at school.
Additionally, Kagura's enrollment procedures would take a few more days to complete, so for these few days, Kagura temporarily continued her normal activities as before.
"Ah!"
"Kagura, you're finally back!"
Back in Tokyo, as Kagura carried her basket to the Shopping Street to buy ingredients, she hadn't even entered when she saw her friend, Excellent Quality, on the outskirts.
Excellent Quality, who was originally leaning against the wall, either thinking or spacing out, quickly noticed Kagura and happily trotted over to hug Kagura and bounced twice.
It was clear that Excellent Quality was very excited; her tail was wagging so fast it was almost a propeller.
"I'm back~ Soshi, you look so happy... wait, no, shouldn't you be at school at this time?"
"Why are you here today?"
Kagura reached out and hugged Excellent Quality.
She suddenly remembered that she had come in the afternoon today, and according to Excellent Quality's schedule, she should still be in class at school at this time.
"That's because I'm on vacation, of course!"
"I have summer vacation!"
"And, I graduated safely!"
"Hmm?"
"Soshi, you graduated this year..."
Slightly surprised, Kagura was hearing for the first time that Excellent Quality was graduating.
This meant that Excellent Quality was now in the summer before advancing to the next level of schooling.
"By the way, Soshi, are you going to a higher school?"
"Where will you be studying next?"
"Hehe~ I can't even believe it myself, but I was accepted into Tracen, and it's Central Tracen!"
"After summer vacation ends, I can go to Central Tracen for school."
Saying that, Excellent Quality took out something that looked like an acceptance letter.
After a quick glance, Kagura seemed to understand why Excellent Quality was in such a good mood today.
No wonder the Shopping Street was decorated everywhere with various small colorful flags and other decorations.
It was evident that Excellent Quality was truly loved by the shopkeepers on this street.
"Congratulations, Soshi, wasn't your dream to go to Central Tracen?"
Kagura smiled and congratulated Excellent Quality.
She knew that Excellent Quality's biggest dream right now was to get into Central Tracen, so this could be considered her dream coming true.
"Thanks to you, Kagura, for tutoring me all this time, otherwise, I was worried I wouldn't pass my theoretical courses!"
"Most of this is Soshi's own hard work~ I just helped a tiny, insignificant bit."
"Really!"
"Kagura, you're always so humble..."
Saying this, Excellent Quality leaned into Kagura, whom she was holding in her arms, and rubbed her face against hers.
"Now that I've finally entered Central Tracen, I'll find a way for you, Kagura, to have a chance to go to school too!"
"Well..."
Evidently, Excellent Quality hadn't forgotten the promise she made long ago, and Kagura was happy to have such a caring friend. However, when Excellent Quality mentioned enrolling in Tracen, Kagura suddenly remembered that she would also be going to Tracen soon. Wouldn't Soshi become her classmate then?
"...I also have good news to tell Soshi."
Kagura decided to inform Excellent Quality of this news first. After all, they would be classmates in the future, so there was no harm in letting each other know.
"Hm? Kagura's good news?"
"The Symboli Family helped me re-register my identity. The Young Lady said she wants me to go to Tracen Academy to take care of her daily life... so I'll also be reporting to Tracen in a few days, as a Support Musume."
"Eh!!!!?"
Excellent Quality's face showed an expression of disbelief, and she let out a high-pitched shriek.
"That's great! I knew it was a pity for a smart child like Kagura not to go to school. In that case, we'll be classmates, won't we?"
After a brief moment of surprise, Excellent Quality was so happy that she immediately picked up Kagura and spun her around a few times. Although they were both Little Horse Girls, Excellent Quality was still a bit taller than the short Kagura.
"By the way, what's a Support Musume, Kagura, as you mentioned?"
"This..."
After briefly recalling the concept of a Support Musume that Tojo Hana had explained to her, Kagura simplified the long explanation a bit and gave Excellent Quality a simple explanation.
"I see, so there are Uma Musume like that... Hmm..."
After listening to Kagura's explanation, Excellent Quality seemed to be deep in thought, looking pensive.
Kagura quietly waited for Excellent Quality to think for a while, and seeing that she seemed to be hesitating to speak, Kagura finally asked:
"What's wrong?"
"Ah... it's just, Kagura is going to be a Support Musume, right? I... I mean..."
Excellent Quality stammered, looking down and appearing a bit nervous, a faint blush spreading across her fair cheeks.
"Kagura, would you be willing to... be my... uh, I mean... when I can compete in the future, would Kagura be willing to... support me?"
Although Excellent Quality spoke haltingly, Kagura generally understood what she meant. This was naturally not a problem; she had always taken care of Excellent Quality, and for her, it was just a part of her daily routine.
"Of course, Soshi, as long as you don't mind, I certainly have no problem."
"How... how could I dislike Kagura! I'm overjoyed that a caring child like Kagura is willing to support me!"
"You, I think you're just craving something! Here, I just made some radish cake. This time I added some taro, want to try it?"
Saying this, Kagura raised the basket she had been carrying and shook it at Excellent Quality. She knew Excellent Quality always loved her cooking, so before coming back to buy groceries this time, she had used the extra ingredients the Head Maid bought this morning to make some food to bring along.
"Yes!"
Excellent Quality nodded without hesitation, wagging her tail and looking at Kagura with anticipation.
'Ah... I wish I had a younger sister like this.'
Seeing Excellent Quality like a pet waiting for dinner, Kagura couldn't help but want to laugh. She took out a small bag containing steaming taro radish cake from the basket and handed it to Excellent Quality, reminding her to be careful not to burn her mouth.
Of course, Kagura also didn't forget that she was there to buy groceries. Taking Excellent Quality, who was still engrossed in eating, Kagura walked into the Shopping Street and began her shopping for the day.
"Yo~ Little Kagura, I haven't seen you for a few days. Is it the usual today?"
"Yes, please prepare the usual ingredients."
Seeing the shop owner go inside to prepare the ingredients, Kagura also rummaged through her pocket to get ready to pay.
"See, as soon as you're back, that Soshi child is much more energetic. Hey, Soshi, did Little Kagura bring you food again? Did you say thank you?"
"Mmm mmm (Yes!)"
Excellent Quality, with her mouth full of taro radish cake, made an indistinct sound and nodded vigorously.
Kagura took the change from the shop owner's hand and put it back in her pocket, then took out another small bag of snacks from her basket and handed it to the shop owner. The shop owner, an uncle, looked at the small bag in his hand with some surprise:
"This is..."
"My homemade snacks. They might not be as delicious as those sold in stores outside... Hehe, it's mainly to thank you, Uncle Shop Owner, for taking care of me all this time. Just a small token of my appreciation?"
"Ah ah...! That Soshi child was right, Little Kagura is indeed an angel... If only my daughter could be so sensible and obedient..."
"Hey, hey, Uncle Shop Owner, control yourself..."
From the shop owner's touched expression, it was clear that he had probably been tormented by his daughter quite a bit.
After bidding farewell to the touched shop owner, Kagura and Excellent Quality, who was still eating voraciously, headed to her next shop. After checking out, Kagura also gave the owner of this shop a bag of homemade snacks.
Along the way, she visited so many shops, and some shop owners even tasted the snacks on the spot. Kagura didn't know if the shop owners were exaggerating or if they were really that delicious; she felt that judging by the reaction of one particular shop owner, he was on the verge of having his clothes explode like a character from *Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma*.
After checking her shopping list to confirm all the ingredients were bought, and seeing that it was still early and she didn't need to rush back to cook, Kagura finally looked at Excellent Quality, who had followed her the whole way:
"Soshi, you don't have any homework to do now, do you? What have you been doing lately?"
"Gulp... Mmm! Me? I've been looking at Tracen's practice questions in advance..."
Hearing Kagura ask her a question, Excellent Quality quickly swallowed the food in her mouth.
"Do you need my help?"
"Eh? Does Kagura have time today? Don't you need to go back and cook?"
She had originally thought it would be nice to just walk with Kagura and do nothing, but hearing that Kagura had time now, Excellent Quality suddenly had some other ideas.
"I have some free time within my schedule, and I've already messaged the Head Maid to say I might be back a little late, so there's no rush."
"Then... then why don't you come to my house? Just... for some guidance?"
Excellent Quality tentatively invited Kagura. Although Kagura had tutored her from time to time before, Kagura had never been to her house. Having always been taken care of by Kagura, she really hoped to have a chance to host Kagura once. Unfortunately, Kagura's schedule was usually very tight, and Kagura didn't have a phone to contact her with before, so she had never found the opportunity.
"To tutor at Soshi's house? Won't it bother your aunt and uncle?"
"No, no, that's my temporary residence. My parents are back in our hometown, and I live alone. There's no one else at home!"
As if to prove the reliability of her statement, Excellent Quality even puffed out her slightly developed chest, trying to look dependable.
"Then... I'll impose?"
...Excellent Quality's house wasn't big; it looked like a standard single-person residence.
Kagura placed the basket of groceries at the entrance, so she could easily pick it up when she left, then took off her shoes and walked into Soshi's house.
"Eh... Eh, Kagura, please sit over there. I... I'll go make you some tea!"
Feeling that Excellent Quality was probably hosting someone at her home for the first time, Kagura could tell she was a bit nervous. After all, she was still a child. Although Kagura agreed and sat down at the Living room table, she kept an eye on Excellent Quality's movements, worried that the nervous child might cause some accident.
'Soshi... she should be fine, right?'
Although she couldn't see Excellent Quality in the kitchen from where she sat, Kagura could still hear some sounds coming from the kitchen.
After a while, Kagura, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, feeling nothing seemed amiss, was immediately re-alerted by the sudden sound of some metal objects falling to the floor and water spilling in the kitchen. She heard Excellent Quality's shriek and quickly stood up and ran to the kitchen.
"Soshi! What happened?"
Pushing open the kitchen door, Kagura saw Excellent Quality sitting on the floor, rubbing her lower back and buttocks. Not far from her, on the floor, she saw an overturned kettle, with water spilled everywhere. Fortunately, Excellent Quality had only come in to get water, and the water inside hadn't boiled yet.
"Eh... Eh... Kagura... I..."
"Stay in your current position and don't move. I'll check you."
Kagura carefully observed the situation in the kitchen and also saw a stool that shouldn't have been there, as well as an unopened can of what looked like tea leaves on the counter. After looking at the high cabinet that was open and not yet closed, Kagura could roughly guess what had just happened to Excellent Quality.
"I... I'm fine! I just fell off the chair and knocked over the kettle, Kagura, you really don't need to..."
"This stool isn't exactly short. Listen, Soshi, let me take a look."
As a doctor, Kagura naturally wouldn't believe a patient who said they were fine. She had seen too many patients who said they were fine only to make things worse by delaying. To prevent Excellent Quality from really getting hurt, she decided to examine her carefully.
Excellent Quality seemed to be stunned by Kagura's sudden serious demeanor and froze in place. Kagura walked over, told her not to move, and then began to check Excellent Quality for any other injuries.
'This is the first time... I've seen Kagura like this.'
Normally, Kagura always gave off a quiet and gentle impression. This was the first time Excellent Quality had seen such a serious and imposing Kagura.
Kagura reached out and gently touched Excellent Quality's forehead and arm, occasionally asking if she felt anything unusual. Uma Musume bodies are generally quite robust, and Excellent Quality's fall was just a minor bump. Aside from a sore bottom, there was no other obvious discomfort.
After examining Excellent Quality and confirming that she hadn't sustained any other serious injuries, Kagura breathed a sigh of relief, reached out, took Excellent Quality's hand, and carefully helped her up:
"Good thing you're okay... Soshi, let me do it."
...A few minutes later, Kagura brought a steaming cup of tea to Excellent Quality.
"Wuwu... I wanted to serve Kagura myself..."
Excellent Quality's enthusiasm visibly plummeted, her ears drooped listlessly, and she looked very disappointed.
"You, you're not tall enough and you can't stand steadily, so don't do such dangerous things. I'm here to tutor you, there's no need for all this."
Kagura also reached out and gently stroked Excellent Quality's head. She knew Excellent Quality always tried to act like an older sister, a senior, in front of her, but she was still just a child.
"I just... I've always been taken care of by Kagura. Even though I'm older than Kagura, I also want to do something for Kagura..."
"Then... before you do something dangerous that you're not confident about, tell me first, okay?"
Saying this, Kagura lowered her hand from Excellent Quality's head, then gently hugged her from behind while she was still sitting.
The sudden movement made Excellent Quality's ears twitch in surprise. She had never so clearly felt Kagura's presence, that gentle feeling, like a mother, relaxing and calming, making Excellent Quality feel an urge to just lean on Kagura and do nothing for a while.
"Mmm..."
Kagura also raised her hand and gently stroked Excellent Quality's head, as if comforting a child. She purred like a cat.
A moment later, seeing that Excellent Quality had calmed down, Kagura let go of her. Excellent Quality reluctantly tried to nuzzle Kagura's hand, but she quickly controlled herself.
"Alright, Soshi, we've delayed long enough, it's time to start."
Sitting back down next to Excellent Quality, Kagura reminded her.
"Eh? Start what..."
Excellent Quality, still a bit dazed from coming out of that gentle embrace, subconsciously asked.
"Didn't you ask me to tutor you? Go get your questions."
"Ah! Okay! I'm going!"