"Nervous?"
Kagura sat at the edge of Rudolf ojou-sama's bed, gently massaging her back while softly asking.
"Not really. A lot calmer than I expected, actually."
Maybe it was because she'd been practicing that new running strategy nonstop lately. Like a student who'd diligently reviewed almost all the practice questions and then learned the test would only be taken from that same set, Symboli Rudolf felt oddly calm, far less anxious than she'd imagined.
"That's good. It's just an easy race, after all. Ojou-sama should just run however you feel."
"Mmm… I'm sorry for troubling you to come all the way to my dorm."
"I told you, there's no need to be so formal."
Tonight, Kagura had specially come to Rudolf's dorm upon her request. Initially, she'd been at Ritto Dorm, helping Nice Nature with her homework—after all, school had started, and Nature was beginning to encounter daily assignments. She would usually pile up the tricky questions, waiting for Kagura's help whenever she was free.
So when Kagura had to leave suddenly today, Nice Nature looked quite downcast. Kagura could only hug her to comfort her, promising to bring her favorite radish cakes tomorrow.
Lately, Kagura's massage skills had improved significantly. Rudolf ojou-sama clearly enjoyed it; her ears happily flicked back and forth as she lay face-down, a rare sight that Kagura seldom got to see in public. Clearly, Rudolf was in a genuinely good mood right now.
In truth, it would've been easier for Kagura to sit directly on Rudolf's back to apply more force—her arms weren't particularly long, and being so petite and lightweight, it wouldn't have bothered Rudolf at all. But Kagura refrained, thinking it would be disrespectful.
"Kagura…have you ever thought about your family? Do you ever miss home?"
Rudolf suddenly asked, still lying on her stomach.
"Why the sudden question?"
Right now, the word 'family' didn't hold much meaning for Kagura. She couldn't return to her original world anyway, and here in this world, she lived quite comfortably without any family. So her attachment to such a thing wasn't strong at all.
"I was just reminded of something a friend mentioned…just curious, so I asked casually."
"No, I haven't thought about family. Besides, I can't remember anything clearly. I'm living perfectly fine on my own."
"I see…"
Seeing Kagura answer without hesitation, Rudolf nodded slightly. The question she'd wondered about for a long time finally had its answer, so she decided not to mention it again.
Rudolf couldn't help but admit that Kagura's massage was truly excellent, the pressure perfectly balanced. Rudolf felt that her grandmother had probably used up quite a lot of good luck picking up a child like Kagura at their doorstep—but if luck was indeed a thing, it had certainly been worth it.
Feeling Kagura's gentle, calming presence, Rudolf's consciousness gradually blurred in relaxation, vaguely noticing Kagura slowly easing her pressure.
"Good night, Ojou-sama…"
Kagura noticed Rudolf was drifting off, so she gradually reduced her strength to avoid waking her. Tomorrow would be Rudolf's second race—and Kagura's first time officially supporting her in a race. Naturally, Kagura hoped Rudolf could perform her best, which would also help improve Kagura's future work.
Stopping her movements, she carefully turned Rudolf over onto her back to let her rest comfortably, quietly left the dorm room, and gently closed the door behind her.
…
Returning from Rudolf's dorm, Kagura opened the door to her own dorm room. Originally, she intended to rest early so she could wake up to attend Rudolf's race tomorrow. But tonight, upon entering, Kagura noticed a faint fragrance—a scent clearly not hers, indicating someone else had been here.
Kagura immediately glanced toward the other bed in the room. Sure enough, the beddings, untouched for months, had been clearly rearranged.
Looking more closely, she found a note left on the desk:
[Thank you, Kagura-san. You've been cleaning my bed all this time, haven't you? I'm so sorry for the trouble! Thank you so much! Please accept this little gift as a token of my appreciation!]
The handwriting was neat and refined, clearly the graceful script of a young lady well-trained in calligraphy.
——Oh? Looks like your roommate is finally back. Wonder what kind of child she is?
Eclipse-san had been curious about Kagura's mysterious roommate for quite some time now. Unfortunately, throughout the entire summer break and even into the new semester, this mysterious roommate had never shown up or even set foot in the dorm. If Kagura hadn't been cleaning regularly, the bed would've been covered in dust long ago.
Besides the note, there was also a small pink gift box placed neatly on top. The packaging was delicate, adorable, and Kagura could faintly smell cream and fruits drifting from it.
'This smell…cake? So this must be my roommate's greeting gift?'
As an experienced foodie, Kagura was extremely sensitive to food fragrances, instantly recognizing what was inside. Curious, she opened the packaging. As expected, there was a small cake topped with strawberries, peaches, and mangoes, along with a faint aroma of durian. Judging from its appearance alone, it wasn't cheap.
After taking a curious bite, Kagura confirmed even further that this was no ordinary cake from a regular bakery. Its price tag undoubtedly far exceeded everyday cakes, definitely the kind of high-end goods Kagura wouldn't dare glance at normally. Clearly, this roommate came from quite an affluent background.
Regrettably, tonight Kagura still hadn't gotten the chance to see the mysterious roommate. Although she'd clearly returned and had even left this gift, it seemed she didn't have time to linger at school, hurriedly departing after leaving behind these few items.
"How odd… Just what could keep this girl so busy? Not returning to school for so long, even skipping out on gym class would be something at least…"
Happily finishing the unexpected treat, Kagura felt this was quite a pleasant surprise. Yet, unfortunately, she still hadn't gotten a glimpse of her roommate nor figured out why she never came back.
Still, today's situation confirmed at least one thing: her roommate hadn't left the school completely. It was just certain circumstances keeping her away, only allowing her to briefly pop up like tonight.
'Who could she be…?'
——Alright, alright. Calm down, child. You'll have plenty of opportunities later to meet this roommate. Don't forget there's a race tomorrow. If you sleep late, you won't be able to wake up.
Eclipse-san's timely reminder appeared promptly on Kagura's phone. Realizing it made sense, Kagura decided to set the issue aside for now. Quickly finishing her washing up, she turned off the lights and settled into bed.