"Oh! Isn't that..."
Kagura had just returned to the kitchen from chatting with Curren Chan and started preparing today's lunch when she noticed another commotion at the cafeteria entrance—this time, a particularly loud one. She and Curren's group glanced over, curious to see what big shot had come in this time.
"That's..."
A tall, black-haired Uma Musume entered, her steps swift like a breeze. Her white and green outfit was simple yet sharp, giving off a sense of effortless grace. Noticing everyone staring, the Uma Musume casually tipped the small hat atop her head, flashing a charismatic smile and waving at the people inside.
Instantly, the cafeteria erupted into noise, drowning out all other sounds. Kagura strained her ears for a while before she caught what the crowd was shouting—the name "Mr. C.B."
Mr. C.B.? I remember she's…
Kagura had heard of this Uma Musume. As a senpai just slightly older than Rudolf Ojou-sama, there was a fair chance she'd become a future opponent, so Kagura had done some research on her in her spare time. As far as Kagura knew, Mr. C.B. had already completed the legendary Triple Crown this year and was now among the most popular Uma Musume at Tracen Academy.
Online, almost every conversation about Rudolf Ojou-sama inevitably mentioned Mr. C.B., their fans frequently arguing heatedly over who was stronger. But without any official matches yet—and given Mr. C.B.'s Triple Crown achievement—the majority leaned towards her.
"Alright, alright! I can feel everyone's passion~! But if this keeps up, I won't be able to walk anymore! And I still need to find someone inside!"
Surrounded by overly enthusiastic fans, Mr. C.B. helplessly raised her voice. Thankfully, most of them were considerate students who quickly cleared a path for her.
"Thanks for your support, everyone! Thank you! Oh, by the way—I haven't been back in a while, so I forgot the layout here. Does anyone know where the student kitchen is?"
"Over there!"
Almost simultaneously with Mr. C.B.'s question, Kagura, still innocently watching from afar, felt every gaze in the cafeteria lock onto her.
"Oh! Got it! Thanks, everyone!"
Clearly, Mr. C.B. was here looking specifically for her. Even someone with Kagura's mental fortitude couldn't help feeling nervous; after all, the person before her was the genuine Triple Crown champion—a living legend at Tracen.
Suddenly, the entire cafeteria went eerily quiet, leaving only the clear, crisp sound of Mr. C.B.'s footsteps. Stopping at the student kitchen's window, she leaned down slightly and smiled warmly at Kagura.
"Kagura-chan, right? I'm Mr. C.B.—nice to meet you! Your Ojou-sama is swamped today, totally buried in work, and can't get away for lunch, so she asked me to pick it up for her."
"Oh… Oh! Coming right up!"
Given today's crowd, Kagura had already planned to deliver lunch herself, assuming Rudolf Ojou-sama would be stuck. But she never imagined Rudolf could persuade someone like Mr. C.B. to fetch her meal—their relationship must be closer than Kagura had guessed.
Kagura quickly packed a bento box and handed it to Mr. C.B., offering a plate of Osmanthus Coconut Cake as well.
"Mr. C.B.-senpai, would you like to have something to eat too?"
"Oh? Is this for me? Thanks a lot! Then I won't hold back!"
She picked up a small cake piece with a toothpick, popped it into her mouth, and immediately showed a satisfied expression, nodding appreciatively. She quickly reached for another piece.
"Your Ojou-sama's always bragging about your cooking skills. Now that I've tried it myself, it really lives up to its reputation!"
"You flatter me, Mr. C.B.-senpai. I'm glad it suits your tastes."
"Hehe… I've heard Kagura-chan makes radish cakes, too. Honestly, that's what I really want to taste."
It seemed Mr. C.B. was quite familiar with her—at least in terms of cooking. Rudolf Ojou-sama must have chatted about Kagura frequently.
"You prefer radish cake, senpai?"
"Haven't tried it yet, but I love radishes—anything made from radishes, really—so I'd love to try yours."
"I see. Unfortunately, I didn't bring any ingredients today… but if you have time in the future, I'd gladly make some for you."
"Oh-ho Really? Then I'll definitely drop by soon. I'll say it in advance—sorry to trouble you, Kagura-chan~"
Mr. C.B. happily flashed a victory sign, then suddenly leaned closer, lowering her voice as if remembering something important.
"By the way, Rudolf mentioned you run daitō, right?"
"Huh? Uh… Yeah, I do. Why?"
"Nice! Finally found someone running daitō! I'm a chaser myself—how about running a few laps with me when you have time?"
"Senpai… bullying rookies isn't nice…"
Kagura, caught between laughing and crying, shook her head repeatedly. Training with Rudolf Ojou-sama or Maruzensky-san was one thing—but running against a Triple Crown champion like Mr. C.B.? That was just willingly getting destroyed.
"How can you call it bullying rookies? Just run a couple laps with me—I'll teach you how to run for the Triple Crown!"
"…Really?"
Kagura felt tempted. The Triple Crown was Rudolf Ojou-sama's ultimate goal, and next year's races weren't so far away. Picking up experience now could spare her from bothering Eclipse-san too often.
"For real! I have some free time lately anyway. Besides teaching you some fun tricks, we could even hang out. That wooden plank Rudolf probably just stays holed up in her office all day—she probably never thought about taking you out for fun, huh?"
"Hahaha… Going out might not be necessary, but if senpai is willing to give me pointers, I wouldn't mind at all."
"Alright, it's a promise. Let's exchange contacts—message me whenever you're free, okay?"
Thus, under the envious gazes of nearly every bystander outside, Mr. C.B. pulled out her phone and exchanged contacts with Kagura. Taking advantage of Kagura's distraction, she mischievously reached out and squeezed Kagura's cheeks vigorously before leaving with the lunchbox, waving stylishly as she went.
"Mr. C.B.-senpai and Kagura-chan… seem super close…"
"Senpai directly squeezed Kagura-chan's cheeks! They must know each other pretty well, right? Kagura-chan's always supporting the Student Council President, so they've probably interacted before..."
"I heard senpai praising Kagura-chan just now… Is it too late for me to learn cooking from Kagura-chan?"
…
The cafeteria burst into chatter again, this time with a very clear focus. Kagura had never experienced a scene like this before in her life and, terrified, fled back into the kitchen.
Can I just say it's because Mr. C.B.-senpai is naturally friendly!?
Though Kagura had long grown used to people randomly squeezing her cheeks, Mr. C.B.'s casual grab clearly had far-reaching consequences. She could even overhear Uma Musume outside seriously discussing transferring to become Support Uma themselves!
Being an idol is way too scary!!!
Huddled in the kitchen, Kagura buried her head into the counter and let out a silent wail in her heart.