"Counting the time, it should be almost here, right?"
A few days later, Kagura's enrollment procedures were also completed. Upon receiving the notification, Kagura brought her luggage to the Tracen school gate the next day.
A few days ago, when she went to tutor Excellent Quality, Kagura also exchanged contact information with her. Excellent Quality had arranged to meet her at 8 AM yesterday to report to school together, and also asked her to give a tour. It was now 7:45 AM. Kagura always had a habit of arriving half an hour early for things, so she had already been waiting there since 7:30 AM.
"Kagura~! Have you been waiting here long?"
After waiting a few more minutes, Kagura heard a rapid footsteps coming from a nearby street. She saw the red-haired Uma Musume carrying a large pile of things, hurrying over from a distance.
Since she could now live directly in the Tracen dorms, Excellent Quality no longer needed to stay in her original room. So today, Excellent Quality moved in with her large pile of luggage, and also said goodbye to her enthusiastic landlord.
"Did you bring everything? Didn't you miss anything?"
"Phew... Phew! I brought everything! I also went to say goodbye to the landlord and everyone on the Shopping Street. Everyone was very happy and gave me a lot of snacks to bring to school, so I was delayed a bit. After all, we lived together for such a long time, it's a little hard to leave..."
Excellent Quality, panting from running with a large pile of luggage, stopped in front of Kagura, leaning on her suitcase and taking small breaths. Kagura wondered if it was her imagination, but even though she hadn't seen Excellent Quality for only a few days, she felt that Excellent Quality seemed to have grown taller and her figure seemed to have improved a bit.
"That's great~ Soshi, coming from your hometown to Tokyo, it's very lucky to have so many people care about you in this unfamiliar city."
"Hehe... Yes, when I first moved here, I was always worried that I would be bullied because I couldn't integrate into the city environment... But whether it's the Shopping Street back home or the Shopping Street here, everyone on the Shopping Street is so warm and kind, it's really great..."
"That's why I say, Soshi, you shouldn't always be so unconfident. You're also a very likable child."
Saying this, Kagura reached out and stroked Excellent Quality's head, who was slightly taller than her. Excellent Quality didn't dodge, just smiled foolishly, seeming to enjoy the feeling.
"Of course there are times when I think, 'Maybe I can do it too!' Otherwise, I wouldn't have come to Tracen!"
"Since you're ready, then... shall we go?"
One thing Kagura found quite amazing was the green-clad lady at the school gate; she always felt that no matter the weather, rain or shine, she would always see this lady standing there when she came to the entrance of Central Tracen Academy. Even now, during the summer break, when she and Excellent Quality arrived at the school gate, they still saw her standing there.
"Oh, are you two here to register?"
"Yes, Miss Hayakawa Tazuna, please open the gate for us."
During this period, since there weren't many people in the school, the gate wasn't wide open as usual. Kagura had to ask Hayakawa Tazuna to open it to get in.
"Alright, Inari Kagura, and this… I remember, is it Excellent Quality?"
What surprised Kagura even more was that Hayakawa Tazuna seemed to know all the students. Even if they weren't wearing school uniforms, she could recognize if they belonged to the Academy, even students like Excellent Quality who hadn't officially enrolled yet. This made Kagura very curious about how Hayakawa Tazuna managed to do it. Even if she had indeed read through the entire student roster, memorizing so many students was terrifying.
"Eh? Does this big sister know me?"
"I saw you on the student roster. After all, you're the child with the highest score in the theoretical exam this year. Your theoretical exam score is as excellent as your name. Congratulations on entering Tracen Academy with your outstanding talent and hard work."
"Ahaha…"
Excellent Quality, a bit embarrassed by Hayakawa Tazuna's praise, instinctively brushed her finger lightly across her face. She knew that Kagura's coaching during this period was indispensable for her excellent theoretical exam score.
"Little Kagura, this is your second time at Tracen, isn't it? Are you planning to officially register this time?"
"Yes, please take care of me from now on, Miss Hayakawa."
"Mm~ Please take care of me too~ If you're looking for the registration area, at this time, you can go to the atrium on the first floor of the Teaching Building. Maruzen-san and Rudolph should be there, and they will guide you through the registration process."
"Okay~ Thank you, Miss Hayakawa~"
After the gate opened, they bid farewell to the always-smiling green-hatted lady, and the two finally entered Tracen Academy.
Excellent Quality, who was officially entering for the first time, kept looking around curiously, occasionally asking Kagura a few questions. Seeing her ears and tail wagging excitedly, Kagura knew that the child must be overjoyed.
Although Kagura wanted to take Excellent Quality on a tour of the school, both she and Excellent Quality were still carrying a lot of luggage. They had to find their dorms and drop off their bags first before they could continue their exploration.
"Morning~ Little sister… Oh, is this child your friend, little sister?"
In the atrium on the first floor of the Teaching Building, Kagura predictably saw Maruzensky, who was already waiting there.
"Yes, she's also a new student enrolling this year, named Excellent Quality."
"Eh~ I'm Maruzensky, nice to meet you, little sister."
"H-hello! I-I'm Excellent Quality!"
Meeting other Tracen students for the first time, and clearly seeing that this one was an older senior, the naturally young and somewhat unconfident Excellent Quality started to speak a bit indistinctly.
"Haha, don't be nervous, student. Since you've come to Tracen, just treat us like friends."
Hearing the commotion from the entrance, Rudolph Symbol, who was originally inside, also walked to the entrance to greet the two new students.
"Good morning, young lady."
"Morning, Kagura. Is this the friend you met on the Shopping Street? I remember her, she's Excellent Quality, the student with the highest theoretical exam score among this year's new students, right? Your performance is as excellent as your name. I hope you continue to run at Tracen and find your own shining path. I am Rudolph Symbol, the Student Council President of Tracen, and it's a pleasure to meet you."
Rudolph Symbol was as formal as ever, even when greeting new students. Kagura now understood why other students didn't dare approach her. Although she looked kind, as long as she was in work mode, she exuded an invisible aura of authority.
"Y-yes! Senior, you flatter me, I still have much to learn!"
'What a dignified senior… As expected of the young lady from the Symboli Family…'
Excellent Quality quickly bowed to Rudolph Symbol in response. She suddenly realized something: Kagura's address for this Uma Musume senior, and her name—clearly, this was the young lady who had helped Kagura enter Tracen to study.
"Since you're here in the atrium now, you're here to inquire about the registration process and dorm arrangements, right?"
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Rudolph Symbol quickly brought the conversation back on track, and both of them nodded.
"Actually, the registration process is pretty much done here. You just need to sign your names on the list here. As for the dorms… here, these are your keys. They have your dorm room number and building. Don't go to the wrong one and disturb other students still at school."
With that, Rudolph Symbol handed them two paper bags containing welcome gifts and their dorm keys. Excellent Quality picked up her dorm key, looked at the room number written on it, then glanced at Inari Kagura beside her. After seeing Inari Kagura nod in agreement, she leaned over to look at the room number on Inari Kagura's key:
"Eh… what a shame, we're not in the same dorm… I thought I could be assigned to a dorm with Kagura."
Seeing that Kagura's key had a room number one floor higher than hers, Excellent Quality couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. She had been hoping Kagura would be her Roommate.
"It's fine, I also live in Aodong Dormitory. If Soshi wants to find me, she just needs to climb one floor~"
"Hmm… Um, President Senior, can I apply to change dorms?"
"No, Excellent Quality. It's a school arrangement, and we don't have the authority to change it arbitrarily. Don't be disappointed; getting to know a new Roommate is also a good thing. Encounters with the unknown are part of a colorful academy life."
Rudolph Symbol and Kagura could tell at a glance that this child, Excellent Quality, definitely wanted to be assigned with someone she knew, as they were already friends before enrollment. However, Tracen's arrangements didn't take students' social situations into account, and besides, meeting a new Roommate wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
"Well, Soshi, other students will be coming to register later, so let's not bother the President anymore. Let's go to the dorms and put our things down. Aren't you tired of carrying all that?"
"Okay… Kagura, you lead the way, I still don't know how to get to the dorm building."
Fortunately, Excellent Quality didn't stay dejected for long; she quickly recovered her spirits.
"Alright, don't walk too slowly, be careful not to get lost."
"I definitely won't get lost with someone as big as Kagura leading the way!"