In the early morning two days later, Inari Kagura woke up early as usual, quickly changed her clothes, pulled out the luggage she had packed last night, and then went to make breakfast for Speed Symbol, who was still asleep.
Speed Symbol, who woke up even earlier than usual, finished washing and came out. Seeing the breakfast already prepared on the table, she knew it must have been Kagura who woke up early to make it, as the Head Maid was still resting at this hour.
"Oh dear… You've gone to so much trouble again. I was originally thinking of eating out. Is it alright for you to wake up so early?"
Seeing that the sky outside was just barely light, Speed Symbol worried that Kagura waking up so early might harm her health.
"It's fine, I went to bed early last night. Didn't you say you wanted to leave early? So I thought we should eat early to depart…"
"Alright… You come and sit down to eat too, don't stand."
Watching Inari Kagura sit down beside her, Speed Symbol suddenly remembered something: Inari Kagura still didn't seem to have any clothes of her own. Aside from the miko outfit she wore when she arrived, all the other clothes in her wardrobe seemed to be maid uniforms.
Although Inari Kagura looked good in a maid uniform, it wasn't suitable for a girl to always wear the same outfit.
"Speaking of which, I never remembered to buy you a couple of outfits. Since we're rarely going out, how about I find some free time and buy them for you?"
"No, no, no, no need! I myself…"
"Hey, don't be stubborn. Children don't understand these things. I'll take care of it."
Seeing Kagura about to refuse, Speed Symbol simply forked a shrimp dumpling and popped it into Inari Kagura's small mouth, silencing Kagura, who had originally intended to say something. Her message was very clear—no refusing.
Kagura bit and swallowed the shrimp dumpling. Seeing Speed Symbol's expression, she knew that this time Speed Symbol truly wasn't going to let her decline, so she could only nod:
"Then… thank you, Family Head…"
"Good child."
Speed Symbol affectionately stroked Kagura's little head. To be honest, after this period of time, she really wished she had a granddaughter like Kagura. Rudolph Symbol was too temperamental when she was young, giving her terrible headaches. It was only after meeting a quiet and sensible good child like Kagura that she realized raising a child could be such a joyful experience.
Kagura didn't dodge Speed Symbol's hand. She just lowered her head and ate her breakfast silently, only her ears occasionally flicking twice, indicating that their owner was in a good mood now... Tokyo to Niigata was still a bit of a distance. Kagura was curious how wealthy families traveled long distances, but in the end, she found that Speed Symbol still chose the simple and unpretentious Shinkansen.
Kagura acted as a luggage rack this time, carrying both her and Speed Symbol's luggage. There wasn't a lot of luggage, and for an Uma Musume, this amount of weight was far from enough to make her feel pressured, which made her once again marvel at the strength and power of Uma Musume.
However, Kagura felt an unusual pressure even before getting on the train this time, not from the luggage on her back, but from the environment.
"Wow… that little maid over there is so cute…"
"Look, such a cute Little Horse Girls, is that cosplay?"
From the station to the train car, Kagura, as a maid, was quite conspicuous. Kagura could feel countless gazes focused on her, and she could even hear people taking pictures of her, making her, who was already a bit unsociable, feel like she was about to melt like Bocchi.
'Why didn't I think of this sooner?! Isn't this like wearing cosplay on a high-speed train?!'
Kagura, whose ears were already folded down, suddenly realized something and couldn't help but wail in her heart.
Speed Symbol, who came with her, looked much more low-key. Her attire looked like a middle-aged mother traveling: sunglasses, a sun hat, and a fresh white tracksuit. She pressed her ears down and blended perfectly into the crowd.
"Haha, Kagura, you're very popular."
Seeing Kagura's embarrassed look, Speed Symbol, sitting next to her, patted her shoulder with a smile.
"Family Head… I feel like I'm about to turn into an oyster…"
"To become an excellent Head Maid, you must remain calm, graceful, and elegant at all times."
"Although that's what they say…"
Maintaining a proper sitting posture was already making Kagura feel a bit overwhelmed. She realized very clearly that there was still a big gap between herself and the perfectly graceful Head Maid of the Symboli Family.
"Excuse me, if I'm not mistaken, are you perhaps from the Symboli Family…"
Fortunately, the awkward situation didn't last long. A woman wearing glasses, whose attire and demeanor exuded the aura of an elite professional, walked up to Speed Symbol and asked her in a low voice.
Speed Symbol made a shushing gesture, motioning for the lady to stop, took off her sunglasses, and then slowly asked:
"Shh—don't say it out loud. If I'm not mistaken, that uniform… Miss, you are a Trainer from Central Tracen, right?"
"Ah, Miss Tojo, good morning! What are you doing here?"
Speed Symbol didn't seem to recognize Tojo Hana, but Kagura did, so she greeted Tojo Hana and gave Speed Symbol a brief introduction.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Tojo Hana. Since you're on the train to Niigata today… you're also here to watch that child's debut race, right? It seems she chose you among the three."
"You already know about our affairs, Madam."
"Of course, after all, she is my granddaughter… I'm also curious to see what kind of person she chose as her Trainer."
Speed Symbol smiled and asked Kagura to move a bit to make space for Tojo Hana to sit down.
"Speaking of which, Speed Symbol Madam, this child is your…"
"Kagura is my personal maid, accompanying me to take care of me this time. You should have seen her a few days ago."
Speed Symbol must have known that Rudolph Symbol had taken Inari Kagura to Tracen. Since Kagura knew Tojo Hana, it meant that Rudolph Symbol must have taken Kagura to meet her Trainer that day.
Kagura wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but she felt Speed Symbol's gaze suddenly sharpen, like an examiner observing a student entering an exam room:
"Trainer Tojo, I remember Rudolf took this child to Tracen for a run the day before yesterday. What do you think of this child?"
Hearing the topic shift to herself, Kagura blinked curiously, looking at Tojo Hana next to her.
Tojo Hana had seen Inari Kagura run once at the school. Although it wasn't a formal test, she could discern many things. However, at the time, some questions were left unasked due to their unfamiliarity.
"How old is Kagura this year? Has she undergone Soshi?"
"11 years old, I think. Soshi… what does that mean?"
"It's a growth phenomenon in Uma Musume. After Soshi begins, the Uma Musume's body shape undergoes significant changes; it's one of the signs of an Uma Musume's maturation."
"I see… I apologize, I'm not very familiar with this matter."
Kagura couldn't confirm if she had experienced Soshi just by hearing the concept, so she could only honestly shake her head.
"I've checked; that child hasn't undergone Soshi yet, I can guarantee that."
Speed Symbol next to her interjected to clarify.
"She hasn't undergone Soshi yet…"
"How about it, Trainer Tojo? Do you have a general understanding of this child in your mind?"
Speed Symbol narrowed her eyes, staring intently at Tojo Hana.
Kagura vaguely understood Speed Symbol's purpose. She seemed to be using herself as a test, evaluating the Trainer's professional qualities.
"Kagura should belong to the type with extremely strong explosive power. I believe she can perform excellently in short distances to a mile. To determine her adaptability to other distances, I need more experimental data. Regarding stamina, I cannot confirm it based solely on current observations. From the information I currently have, if I were to devise a training plan, I believe…"
Tojo Hana began to speak a long string of things Kagura couldn't quite understand, like a report. She listed some data and theories, and also mentioned things like running style adaptability, which left Kagura a bit confused. Speed Symbol next to her, however, kept nodding slowly, looking very satisfied.
"Very good, very good… Trainer Tojo, your professional qualities are quite solid. It's clear that you are a very planned and confident Trainer, and I heard from that child that you are very responsible. Having a Trainer like you is a blessing for the Uma Musume."
"You flatter me. I haven't really seen Kagura run many actual races. These are all just inferences drawn from experience. If I have the chance, I'd still like to feel her legs and take a look… Speaking of which, Kagura asked me what a Trainer is before. She doesn't have a Trainer yet, does she?"
"That's right, she hasn't reached that age yet… Trainer Tojo, if you want to check this child's legs, after we get off the train, if this child agrees, it's not a problem."
"Hmm…"
For some reason, Kagura felt like she was being targeted. The Trainer's gaze held a certain enthusiasm, just like when her roommate used to roll excellent stats on equipment in games.
"Then, Trainer Tojo, I have one last, more personal question for you. If it makes you uncomfortable, you can choose not to answer."
"Please speak, Madam."
"Suppose the running style your Uma Musume has mastered and loves most allows her to unleash extreme speed, making her unbeatable against any opponent… but it might cause harm to her body. Would you let her continue using her running style, or would you devise a safer, but not as fast, and less preferred running style for her?"
"An Uma Musume's body is a precious and fragile treasure. As a Trainer, protecting the safety of my students is my undeniable duty. I respect my students' wishes, but if it would harm them, I would dissuade them and help them find a better method. No matter what, I cannot make a decision that would cause harm to the children under my care."
Without any hesitation, Tojo Hana immediately answered. It was clear that these were her heartfelt words.
'What a good Trainer, truly dedicated to her students.'
Tojo Hana left a very good impression on Kagura: she was rigorous, serious, and highly responsible, the type who is outwardly cool but inwardly warm. She must be a very popular Trainer at Central Tracen.
"A very insightful answer, Trainer Tojo. No wonder that child chose you… I look forward to your future performance."