After finishing up in Dober's room—since it wasn't particularly large, and the five little Uma Musume had already mastered the cleaning techniques—it took just over half an hour.
The other little girls' rooms weren't particularly surprising: Ryan's room had exercise equipment lying around, Bright's was overflowing with stuffed toys, and Palmer's room had items as bewildering as she herself was. Kagura couldn't wrap her mind around it—there was makeup, golf clubs, and even a shovel for digging dirt lying around in a corner. Compared to Dober, who secretly sketched manga, the items in these other rooms were oddly ordinary.
When they reached McQueen's room, at first glance it seemed normal enough. But then Kagura noticed the baseball gloves and other baseball-themed paraphernalia on top of the cabinet, as well as how Mejiro McQueen repeatedly blocked said cabinet whenever she was supposed to be cleaning the walls. Kagura immediately knew what was going on.
McQueen… even if you try to shield that cabinet, I already know exactly what's hidden in there…
McQueen was easy to read. Kagura didn't even need to open that cabinet to know there was definitely food hidden inside. As for why McQueen was acting so suspiciously, Kagura only had to glance at Ardan standing by the doorway to guess the reason—after all, McQueen's weight management was strictly supervised by Ardan herself.
"McQueen~ If you want to hide something from Ardan-ojousama, you really shouldn't lean against that cabinet so much, you know."
Unable to bear it any longer, Kagura whispered this advice to McQueen, who was standing on a chair pretending to wipe the wall.
Startled, McQueen nearly fell off the chair. Turning around, she saw it was only Kagura, and let out a sigh of relief:
"Oh… It's just you, Kagura-oneesan… I thought Ardan-oneesama was behind me…"
"What, you're relaxed because you think I won't scold you? Aren't you afraid I might tell Ardan-ojousama?"
"Please, spare my secret stash!"
McQueen immediately begged for mercy, hands clasped in a pleading gesture. After her previous snack hoard had been confiscated, this was her last refuge. She really didn't want Ardan to find it.
"You little glutton… Ardan-ojousama is doing this for your own good, you know. Be careful or you'll really end up turning into a little chubby pony."
Kagura gently flicked McQueen's forehead with a smile, sending the little snack-fiend back to work.
Returning to the door, Kagura found Ardan waiting there patiently.
"You've worked hard, Kagura-san."
"Hardly. The little ones are doing all the work; I'm just directing from the side."
"Kagura-san, don't think I haven't noticed you constantly hovering near them, ready to step in and help whenever they're about to mess something up."
Though Kagura hadn't intervened directly much this afternoon, Ardan had seen clearly. Kagura wasn't any less tired than the little ones actually working—she'd repeatedly followed close behind, ready to catch anyone who wobbled and nearly fell off a chair.
"Well… As long as their work has meaning, that's enough for me. It strengthens their bonds, cleans their rooms, and teaches them a valuable skill. My own fatigue doesn't matter."
"Really now, Kagura-san…"
Seeing how Kagura genuinely treated these little ones as her own younger sisters, Ardan suddenly found herself lost for words.
If only Kagura-san were a member of our Mejiro family… If only we really had an older sister as gentle and capable as she is…
...
Once she'd guided the little Uma Musume to finish cleaning the last room, Kagura's tasks for the day were finally complete.
Having worked all day, the little girls had voracious appetites. Dinner became a battlefield; their repeated requests for more food had the Mejiro chefs scrambling frantically. McQueen especially was eating so ravenously that if Ardan hadn't kept watch, Kagura feared she might've turned into a vacuum cleaner, devouring everything within reach.
After dinner, as Kagura was strolling down the corridor, she ran into Mejiro Ramonu, who was also wandering around.
"Thank you, Kagura-san. The girls have grown closer thanks to your efforts. We deeply appreciate everything you've done for our family."
"You can consider it a favor for Ardan-ojousama. After all, she wanted to teach the kids a lesson but also hoped they'd improve their relationships and teamwork. At least today, they've gotten along pretty well, haven't they?"
"You've done so much for my sisters, despite not being related to us. The Mejiro family will always remember your kindness. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask. We'll do everything we can to help you."
Mejiro Ramonu spoke with her usual quiet intensity, yet Kagura felt less pressure from her tonight. Ramonu seemed particularly relaxed for once.
"No need to be so formal, Ramonu-san. It really was no trouble at all."
"You're just as Ardan described… Ah, speaking of, Kagura-san—do you have time tomorrow?"
In the midst of their casual talk, Ramonu suddenly asked something Kagura never expected to hear from her.
Since Kagura had little to do these days, she naturally nodded, looking curiously at Ramonu. She knew that if someone asked her this kind of question, it meant they had something specific in mind.
Seeing Kagura nod, Ramonu slowly revealed her plan:
"If you're free, how about joining me for some morning exercise—two laps around the track?"
"Ramonu-san, do you want me to run with you? It's not impossible… as long as you don't mind, that is."
Kagura had guessed various possibilities, but being invited to a morning jog by Ramonu hadn't crossed her mind. Since Kagura had planned on morning exercise anyway, she readily agreed.
"Then it's settled. See you tomorrow morning, Kagura-san."
With that, Ramonu briskly turned to leave, looking as though she had other tasks waiting. Kagura felt Ramonu always seemed occupied; every encounter or conversation with her felt hurried.
After Ramonu left, Kagura checked the time. Realizing she'd wandered enough for today, she returned to her room instead of lingering in the hallway.
[Symboli Speed]:Iris sent me some photos. Did you lead the Mejiro girls through a big cleaning today?
[Inari_Kagura]:Yes, it was Ardan-ojousama's request. I was just helping her organize the little ones.
[Symboli Speed]:You really never stop working, do you? I told you before—when on vacation, stop finding things to keep yourself busy. Relax properly.
[Inari_Kagura]: I understand~ You should rest early too, Speed-sama. Don't stay up too late.
Just as Kagura sent her message, she heard a gentle knock on her door. After responding, Ardan poked her head inside. Ardan was in pajamas, her hair slightly damp from a bath.
"Looks like no little troublemakers snuck in here tonight."
Confirming no unwanted little guests had appeared, Ardan sighed in relief.
"After this morning's lecture from Ardan-ojousama, they were probably too scared to try anything. You're actually the first to visit me tonight. So, Ardan-ojousama, what brings you here so late?"
"Maybe because I was so worried about those little ones today… I'm a bit restless now and can't sleep. So I wanted to chat with you for a bit."
Ardan initially wanted to ask Kagura to sleep beside her, but the words changed on her lips. She truly did have trouble sleeping—she'd discovered her sleep improved greatly whenever Kagura was around. But directly asking Kagura, "Could you sleep with me tonight?" felt somehow inappropriate.
"Can't sleep, huh? Ardan-ojousama, if you don't mind, I might have an idea—but we can't do it in my room. It has to be in yours."
Although Kagura still didn't understand the underlying principle, it didn't stop her from applying previous solutions. Having handled similar situations before, she naturally referred back to them.
Ardan, who had just been silently regretting her inability to voice her request, stared blankly in surprise. She never expected Kagura would suggest visiting her room.
"What… What's your idea, Kagura-san?"
"I don't quite know how to explain it, but it should help. If you trust me, Ardan-ojousama, it might be worth trying."
Trusting Kagura wholeheartedly, Ardan agreed without hesitation.
Soon enough, Kagura followed Ardan to her room. Ardan was still curious about Kagura's intentions when she saw Kagura climbing onto her bed and beckoning her over.
"Kagura-san… this is…?"
"A method to help you relax. Well, I can't promise it'll work; this is my first time trying it. Come here, lie down, Ardan-ojousama."
Though puzzled, Ardan obediently climbed onto the bed and lay back as guided. She expected her pillow's softness—but instead felt another warmth entirely. Opening her eyes, she met Kagura's gentle smile.
Ardan realized Kagura was kneeling, and she herself was lying directly on Kagura's thighs—a lap pillow.
"Relax, Ardan-ojousama. Take deep breaths."
Ardan felt a familiar comforting presence enveloping her. Kagura's soft voice whispered gentle assurances, slowly guiding Ardan into sleep.
Ah… I truly trust Kagura-san this much already…?
Kagura's gentle lullaby gradually carried Ardan away, drifting her into tranquil sleep.
"Good night, Ardan-ojousama. Sweet dreams."