"Hmm? Excellent Quality, what are you doing wandering around here?"
It happened to be a rest day, and Maruzensky, who was about to head to the Tracen Dining Hall to freeload a meal from Kagura, saw Excellent Quality wandering around the road by the sports field near the Teaching Building, seemingly looking for something.
"Ah, Maruzen senpai! Have you seen where Kagura went?"
"It's almost noon, isn't she in the Dining Hall?"
"Kagura said she was resting today, so she didn't go to the Dining Hall... I didn't see her in there either."
"I see... Then she was probably called away by Rudolph. By the way, Fine Motion, what are you looking for the little sister for?"
Hearing that Kagura was resting today, Maruzensky suddenly remembered this and felt a bit regretful.
"I heard Kagura finally had some free time, and I wanted to ask her to go out and play with me..."
Normally, Kagura always seemed to have endless work, and even when she was free, she would come to tutor her. To avoid disturbing Kagura, Excellent Quality rarely took the initiative to ask Kagura to go anywhere. Today, she heard Kagura was resting, so Excellent Quality wanted to pull her good friend out for a walk, but she couldn't find Kagura today.
"How about trying the Archery Club? Rudolph likes to shoot arrows when she's free. Maybe she even dragged Kagura over there today."
Maruzensky thought for a moment. Rudolph Symbol also happened to be resting today. If Kagura hadn't gone out to play anywhere by herself, she was most likely dragged away by Rudolph Symbol. And her friend usually only had that one hobby. Besides the Archery Club and the dorms, Maruzensky couldn't think of anywhere else Rudolph Symbol would be when she was resting.
"Uh... Maruzen senpai, could you take me there... I... I'm not very familiar with the way..."
Excellent Quality, who was still unfamiliar with the school, had no idea where the various clubs were located, so she could only ask Maruzensky to lead the way.
"Of course, I'm also curious what the little sister is doing in her free time. Just follow me."
..."Senpai... I mean, could I ask you something?"
Walking in the Teaching Building, searching for the Archery Club's location, the small Excellent Quality looked up at Maruzensky.
"What's wrong? Soshi, do you have a question?"
"It's just... how can I talk to people as naturally as you do? I always want to ask Kagura to play with me, and there are some things I want to tell Kagura... but I don't know how to start..."
Excellent Quality lowered her head, blushing, and asked in a twisted, soft voice.
"Well... that's a very youthful problem! But there's no secret to this kind of thing, it just depends on individual talent. Maybe when Soshi grows up a bit, you'll be able to do it too~ But if it's about that child Kagura, you actually need to be more proactive. She has a very passive personality. If you're also timid, then neither of you will make a move."
"More proactive... is that right?"
"Yes, for example, if you want to hug her, just act a little spoiled and ask her if you can hug her, and she'll agree immediately."
Maruzensky's feeling towards Kagura these days was probably like this. Although she looked young and innocent, she understood everything she needed to. She always gave Maruzensky an unfathomable sense of mystery, but her personality was very good, and she was very tolerant of acquaintances most of the time.
"Just like this time, you want to ask her out to play, right? You should find her a day in advance and ask her if she can go out with you tomorrow. Be proactive! It's best to act a little spoiled, and she definitely won't refuse you."
"I understand! I... I will try to be more proactive!"
Excellent Quality nodded seriously. She didn't know if she could really be as proactive as Maruzensky said.
She actually always had a small wish in her heart. She wanted Kagura to pay more attention to her. She knew that Kagura was a Support Musume, and supporting professional Uma Musume was Kagura's duty. So, Excellent Quality had always been working hard, striving to be like Rudolph Symbol, to become the one who could be supported.
'If I'm excellent enough... will I be able to have Kagura as my exclusive Support Musume? Will Kagura look at me more?'
Excellent Quality didn't know where such thoughts came from, but she really hoped to become closer to Kagura, like true friends. Now, she always felt that her interactions with Kagura were like a parent with a child.
"It's good to be young~"
Seeing Excellent Quality walking with a thoughtful expression, Maruzensky couldn't help but smile.
The Archery Club wasn't in a particularly secluded place. Maruzensky led Excellent Quality for five or six minutes, and the two arrived at the entrance of the Archery Club.
The entrance door wasn't closed, and Maruzensky could hear movement inside. It seemed Rudolph Symbol was most likely there, and the young, childlike voice inside should be Kagura's.
Excellent Quality and Maruzensky quietly snuck in, poked their heads in, and looked inside. In front of the target range, Rudolph Symbol was holding Kagura, helping her adjust her bow-drawing posture. Kagura's movements still looked very clumsy, so she must have only recently started.
"Rudolph~ Playing with the bow again?"
Maruzensky naturally walked out to say hello. Excellent Quality saw her walk out and quickly followed.
"Oh? Maruzen? Why are you here? Haven't you always been uninterested in archery?"
Rudolph Symbol released Kagura, straightened up, and looked at Maruzensky. Kagura also put down her bow and turned to wave at Maruzensky and Excellent Quality.
"I'm not here to shoot arrows. I ran into Soshi on my way to eat. Soshi said she was looking for that child Kagura. I guessed you probably lured that child here, and she didn't know the way, so I brought her."
"Soshi? What's wrong? Do you have homework to ask me about?"
Kagura, still wearing her protective gear, hung her bow back on her back and looked curiously at the now somewhat nervous Excellent Quality.
"It's... it's just... that! I... I want to go out for a walk with Kagura this afternoon, can... can I?"
"Huh? I saw you were so nervous I thought you had some trouble you wanted my help with. Of course you can do something like that, Young Lady. Do you have any other arrangements this afternoon that require me to accompany you?"
It was rare to see Excellent Quality take the initiative to ask her out for a walk, so Kagura naturally didn't intend to refuse her. To be safe, Kagura still decided to ask Rudolph Symbol if there were any arrangements later.
"No, these few days are all rest days. It's a rare chance to relax. You should also go out for a walk with your friend. It's rare to see Fine Motion proactively tell you she wants to go out and play."
"It really is... Well, Young Lady, I'll be leaving first, okay? Remember to eat according to the meal plan for lunch!"
"I'll pay attention. Go on, go on, have fun!"
Watching Kagura take off her protective gear, put it aside, and then leave with the nervous and slightly incoherent Soshi, Rudolph Symbol suddenly felt a little emotional.
"These two children are really interesting, especially that child Kagura, don't you think so too?"
Maruzensky snuck over and patted Rudolph Symbol.
"Hehe... This is quite good. Kagura hasn't stopped for several months to take care of me. She should relax a bit. I still need to find an excuse to give her some pocket money and let her rest."
"That's right, she's practically become your mom. Didn't she just tell you to eat according to the meal plan?"
Maruzensky had also seen the meal plan Kagura made for Rudolph Symbol. In reality, it wasn't a detailed menu, but a list full of nutritional components. Kagura cooked every day according to that list.
But that wasn't the most amazing part. What truly shocked Maruzensky was that Kagura cooked every meal according to the same meal plan, yet the dishes that came out for each meal were completely different. It could be said that she had cooked for so long without repeating a single dish, and Rudolph Symbol's physique was maintained perfectly, just as she had calculated.
"Yes, after all, I need to control my physique. Being overweight would affect training, and that's not good."
"I really envy you, you guy... Can you consider giving Kagura to me? How much money would it take to redeem that child from your family? I'll pay double!"
"Hey, hey! What's this talk about redeeming people? Don't make our Symboli Family sound like human traffickers. I can't even imagine what I'd do without her now."
Rudolph Symbol had completely given up struggling and replied righteously. She felt quite happy to be spoiled by Kagura.
"Me too! At least you get to eat every day! Do you know how I lived on those days I couldn't eat?!"
"Whose fault is it that you're so lazy and don't learn to cook..."
"You don't know how to cook either! Why don't we think about what we're going to do for lunch today since Kagura isn't here?"
"There's still the Dining Hall, you know. Although the Tracen Dining Hall's food isn't as good as Kagura's, it's not bad. Or are you suggesting I go into the kitchen and show you a thing or two?"
"Please, absolutely do not have such dangerous thoughts! I'm going to the Dining Hall right now!"
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