The next day, Kagura went out to buy groceries as usual.
Before she even entered the Shopping Street, she saw her friend—Excellent Quality—standing by the roadside at the exit of the Shopping Street, with a backpack on her back.
"Morning~ Kagura, are you buying groceries again today?"
"Yes, I'll probably be buying groceries from now on.
Soshi, why are you standing here?"
"I'm about to go to school.
Speaking of which, Kagura, you come here so early every day; are you not attending school?"
Speaking of school, Excellent Quality just remembered that every time she had seen Kagura this past month, she had arrived to buy things around six o'clock.
Calculating the time, even if she rushed back to the Symboli Family, made breakfast, and left with her purchases, she would most likely be late for the nearest school.
"Soshi, you know... I'm undocumented, so even if I wanted to go to school, I couldn't."
Although Kagura was quite indifferent about attending school or not, with her education, even without going to school, she had already mastered those bookish knowledge.
When she had free time, she could even tutor Excellent Quality, who was currently in school.
"That makes sense... No, wait! You didn't go to school at all, but you're so much better at studying than I am?!"
Excellent Quality showed an incredulous expression.
Kagura's occasional tutoring over the past month had given her the illusion that Kagura was a top student.
But thinking about it carefully, this month she had learned from the Head Maid of the Symboli Family that Kagura was a helpless orphan, and her identity was still a mystery, so no school would dare to accept her.
"I just learned by feeling things out; no one taught me anything, and I don't understand the principles of many things.
Soshi, you're so smart; study hard in school, and you'll definitely be better than me in the future."
Kagura humbly spoke without changing her expression, and just as she was about to reach out to pat Excellent Quality's shoulder to encourage her, her hand had barely lifted when Excellent Quality, who was a head taller than her, suddenly stepped forward and then vigorously hugged her.
"I know what my level is... Thank you, Kagura, for always taking care of me.
When I get into Tracen Academy and can compete, I'll definitely find a way for you to go to school too!"
"Well... it's good that Soshi has such intentions, but you need to take care of your own studies first, and then consider such unimportant matters, okay?"
"Don't say that! Kagura's matters are not unimportant at all!"
Excellent Quality was a little displeased with Kagura's statement and puffed out her cheeks, making a very cute angry expression to protest.
Seeing Excellent Quality's round, cute appearance, Kagura felt a warmth spread through her.
Being cared for indeed felt good, even if the other person was a child younger than herself (in a spiritual sense).
However, seeing Excellent Quality so confident, Kagura was also a bit curious if Tracen Academy was really that amazing.
It wasn't the first time she had heard the academy's name.
She heard it was where the strongest Uma Musume in the country gathered.
Leaving aside how Uma Musume's strength was measured, would the people there really help an undocumented person like her?
Kagura didn't quite believe it; she felt she was already very lucky to have met a good person like Speed Symbol.
"Oh, right, Soshi, I might not be able to come for a day or two in a few days."
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
"The Head of the Family is going out and said she wants me to accompany and take care of her.
I don't know how long I'll be gone, so I might not be able to come here to tutor you for a while."
Kagura could see that after hearing this news, Excellent Quality's motivation visibly dropped, and her ears drooped.
"Ah... it's okay.
If it's work, just focus on it.
Without Kagura, I can definitely solve those difficult problems myself!"
Although Excellent Quality tried to make herself seem reliable, Kagura could feel her grip on her tightening slightly.
After all, she was still a child, and her little reluctance couldn't be hidden at all.
"You silly goose... Alright, alright, hurry up and go to school.
If Soshi keeps clinging to me like this for a few more minutes, you'll be late."
Kagura let Excellent Quality hug her for quite a while before gently pushing Excellent Quality, who was still holding her tightly.
Only then did she reluctantly let go.
"Mmm mmm... Alright! When you come back, remember to make me radish cake!"
"Okay~ Okay~ If you want to eat it, when I come back, I can make it for you every day.
Now hurry up and go to school!"
Time for school was tight, so Excellent Quality didn't linger.
After saying goodbye to Kagura, she quickly ran off.
Watching Excellent Quality disappear from sight, Kagura continued walking into the Shopping Street.
"Yo! Little Kagura, good morning! Are you buying groceries again today?!"
As soon as she entered the Shopping Street, Kagura was greeted warmly by several early-rising shopkeepers. Thanks to Excellent Quality, Kagura had built good relationships with the shopkeepers on this street in just one month. It was clear that Excellent Quality was very well-liked on this street.
"Soshi, that child, seems much brighter lately, and I heard her grades have improved a lot. It's all thanks to your diligent care."
While picking out some meat and checking out, the shopkeeper enthusiastically chatted with Kagura while cutting the meat as she requested, and even slipped her more meat than usual.
Although Inari Kagura was one or two years younger than Excellent Quality, the shopkeepers on this street could all see that the younger Inari Kagura was clearly more mature, and Inari Kagura had always been the one looking after Excellent Quality when they were together.
"Oh, no, it's only natural for friends to help each other. There's no need for such thanks."
"Soshi, that child, is a bit introverted and lacks confidence. She doesn't have many friends, so she really needs someone her age like you to help her. It's just a small token, please take it, don't be shy."
Unable to refuse such generosity, Kagura thanked the enthusiastic uncle and then put the meat she bought, along with the extra portions, into the basket on her back.
It wasn't just one shopkeeper; when Kagura went to other shops to buy things, the other shopkeepers also insisted on giving her something. Kagura truly witnessed how beloved Excellent Quality was on this street. After buying all the ingredients she had planned, Kagura found that she had significantly more ingredients than she had anticipated when tallying them up.
'A lot of extra ingredients… Definitely more than we can use in one day.'
The Symboli Family's ingredients were always bought and used on the same day, never kept overnight, emphasizing freshness. Speed Symbol and the servants certainly wouldn't be able to eat all these leftover ingredients. Adhering to the principle of not wasting food, Kagura pondered over the extra ingredients, and an idea popped into her mind.
'Tomorrow morning, it should still be before the time to leave with the family head. I might as well make breakfast for Soshi, and then use any remaining ingredients to make small pastries. Tomorrow, when I buy groceries, I can bring some pastries as a thank-you gift to the shopkeepers… Yes! That's the plan!'
Planning what she would do tomorrow, and after checking to make sure she hadn't missed or forgotten to buy anything, Kagura finally left the Shopping Street.
The shopkeepers watched Kagura leave, and just as they were about to go back inside their shops to pass the time waiting for customers, they suddenly saw a chestnut-haired Uma Musume, not commonly seen on this street, run past the storefronts.
However, that Uma Musume had made some disguise, wearing sunglasses and a mask. The shopkeepers couldn't see her face, only her white highlight on her forehead and the Tracen Academy uniform she wore.
It wasn't surprising to occasionally see a few Uma Musume passing by on the street. The shopkeepers, who felt she looked somewhat familiar, watched curiously for a while, but the Uma Musume quickly disappeared. Unable to figure out who she was, the shopkeepers all went back to sit down.
Because of this, they didn't notice that the Uma Musume had quietly followed Kagura, who had just left a short while ago.