Meanwhile, Rudolph Symbol, who had just come off the Racecourse and entered the exit tunnel to go backstage, saw a few familiar faces in the passage.
"Yo! Maruzen, Kagura, and Trainer, you're all here!"
"Of course! How could I miss Rudolph's debut race? You ran so—cool! Kagura was so captivated she couldn't take her eyes off you!"
Maruzensky, holding Kagura in her arms, expressed her congratulations to Rudolph Symbol with a touch of exaggeration.
"Congratulations, Young Miss, you ran very coolly just now."
Kagura pulled her hand out of Maruzensky's arm and gave Rudolph Symbol a thumbs up.
"Thank you for your support. I will continue to run like this in the future."
Saying this, Rudolph Symbol stepped forward, extended her hands, and cupped Kagura's soft, tender little face, rubbing it gently. The warm palms made Kagura, who had been feeling a bit cold from the wind earlier, feel toasty warm.
Although Kagura didn't particularly dislike intimate contact, she still couldn't quite understand why, after becoming an Uma Musume, people around her always liked to hug her and rub against her or pinch her whenever they had nothing to do. Speed Symbol, Rudolph Symbol, and Maruzensky were all like this. Was she really that nice to pet?
"Congratulations, Rudolph, a beautiful victory."
Compared to her classmate, Tojo Hana, as the Trainer, was much calmer. She simply walked up and gently patted Rudolph Symbol's shoulder in encouragement.
"I'm sorry, Trainer, I didn't follow your requested tactics later in the race."
"It's okay. Your observation of the situation was very clear, and you made the best choice. Whether it's my decision or your decision, as long as it leads to winning the race, then it's correct."
Kagura had actually heard Tojo Hana's voice from above while watching the race. When the race entered its latter half, Rudolph Symbol broke through powerfully. Kagura remembered feeling a moment of worry at the time, but Rudolph Symbol's performance quickly reassured her.
"By the way, Rudolph, you still have to go to the Winner's Stage, right? Aren't you going to get ready?"
Hearing the crowd outside passionately shouting Rudolph Symbol's name, Maruzensky remembered something and reminded her.
"I'm just about to go. Maruzen and Trainer, do you want to come backstage and see?"
...From Rudolph Symbol's conversation with the two, Kagura also learned another thing related to racing—the Winner's Stage. Only the winner of the race had the right to ascend the stage after the race and convey their charm to the audience through song and dance performances.
'Why is there a victory mechanism that has nothing to do with racing and sounds so exhausting? Aren't Uma Musume supposed to be a sports anime?!'
Seeing how happy they seemed, Kagura, completely unable to understand, could only grumble inwardly. She remembered her best friend telling her that Uma Musume was a very healing sports anime when she recommended it.
'This world really has something wrong with it... Never mind, it's not me going up there. As long as the Young Miss is happy...'
Looking at the confident Rudolph Symbol, Kagura could only choose to set aside this mechanism, which looked strange no matter how she viewed it.
Anyway, she wasn't the one performing, and she wouldn't have the chance to go up in the future. It was perfectly fine to be an audience member and enjoy the show. She wasn't opposed to watching idol-style performances.
Following Rudolph Symbol backstage, this was Kagura's first time entering such a place in both her lives. Maruzensky also snuck in, but Tojo Hana said she didn't want to disturb the children's celebration and stayed outside.
"Wow... Little sister, you can even do makeup? I always feel like you know so many things, you're amazing..."
Maruzensky, who had returned after a tour backstage, was surprised to find Kagura doing Rudolph Symbol's makeup in front of the mirror.
"I know a little. I learned a few tricks from the Head Maid. The Young Miss is so beautiful, she doesn't need very complicated makeup. It's quite simple."
Kagura smiled humbly while carefully applying makeup for Rudolph Symbol.
Uma Musume were all very beautiful, so applying makeup was easy for them. Kagura didn't need to use very complex techniques. In fact, Kagura had never seen an Uma Musume with low beauty. Even an elderly Uma Musume like Speed Symbol looked very spirited.
As for why Kagura knew these things, learning a few tricks from the Head Maid was one reason. More importantly, her otaku best friend used to love cosplay, and Kagura always helped with her makeup. Over time, she learned many strange and unusual techniques.
Without spending too much time, Kagura quickly finished Rudolph Symbol's makeup. Checking the time, it wasn't long until Rudolph Symbol's turn on stage.
"I didn't expect you, Kagura, to be so young yet so skilled at makeup... That Head Maid of ours could probably learn from you, couldn't she?"
Rudolph Symbol, knowing the skill level of her own Head Maid, joked with a smile.
"No, no, you flatter me, I still have a long way to go~ By the way, Young Miss, you ran so intensely today, you must be hungry, right? Is there anything you'd like to eat?"
Remembering the task Speed Symbol had assigned her on the way, Kagura took the opportunity to ask:
"Hmm? Didn't the old woman book a Hotel? Shouldn't that be left to the Hotel staff?"
"The Chairwoman said she wanted me to use the kitchen there to cook a meal for you all, saying you absolutely must try it once. I don't really understand what the Chairwoman is thinking..."
Kagura wasn't quite sure why Speed Symbol insisted on her preparing this celebratory feast. Although she had heard Speed Symbol say before that she really liked her cooking, giving up the Hotel's food for it was beyond her expectation. Fortunately, the Hotel's kitchen did have an area that could be borrowed for cooking, so Kagura wouldn't be without a stove. All she needed to do was prepare the ingredients.
Pushing a heap of doubts out of her mind, Kagura decided to first understand what she wanted to know. She took out her small notebook and pen and looked at the other two:
"Young Miss, do you have any flavor preferences? Or any particular cuisines you like? I currently only know Chinese and Japanese cuisine; I'm not very familiar with Western food yet. Miss Maruzen, you can also tell me if there's anything you like to eat. As long as I can make it and find the ingredients, I can prepare it tonight."
"That old woman really likes to make trouble for people. As long as you can manage, Kagura, that's fine... I don't have any particular preferences, just something light would be good. How about you, Maruzen?"
"I'm easygoing~ Something a bit sweet would be nice."
"Alright, understood. Go release your charm on stage with peace of mind! I'll have dinner ready for you when you return, Young Miss."
Kagura nodded, made her notes, then put her small notebook and pen away, preparing to leave. She planned to watch the so-called Winner's Stage from the audience for a while, and then go buy ingredients for dinner.
"Little sister, it must be inconvenient to go buy ingredients alone, right? I'll come with you, too?"
Hearing that Kagura planned to go buy ingredients later, Maruzensky immediately volunteered. For some reason, Kagura felt that Maruzensky was unusually enthusiastic.
"Alright, if Miss Maruzen doesn't mind the trouble, you're welcome to come with me. I'll find you after the Winner's Stage ends."
However, Kagura didn't think too much and agreed to Maruzensky's offer. After all, she hadn't brought her usual shopping cart today, and having an extra person to help carry groceries would be very nice... Out of curiosity, Kagura went to the audience to watch the so-called "Winner's Stage." Undeniably, it was indeed a very spectacular performance, at least Rudolph Symbol's performance was. If viewed as an idol concert, she would give it a high score of 90.
'So what does this have to do with running?!'
Kagura couldn't figure out the connection between the two. Thinking that this was, after all, an anime world, she didn't need to understand everything too clearly.
"Question! Little sister, do you aspire to such a stage?"
The Orange-hair girl, who had walked up beside her at some point, smiled as she looked at Kagura. The cat on her hat also meowed in agreement.
"Me? Although I think being an idol is a dazzling profession, I don't think I'm suited for it."
Kagura was startled by the sudden appearance of Akikawa Yayoi, but she quickly composed herself, shook her head, and replied.
"Why? Don't you like it?"
"It's not that I don't like it… It's just that I don't think I'm the kind of person who can shine so brightly. For me, just being a Head Maid like this… is probably enough."
"So, you lack confidence?"
"…You could say that."
Although Kagura wasn't against idol activities, she wasn't like her otaku best friend. It would be somewhat difficult for someone like her to do this, and she didn't have much self-confidence. She was just an ordinary, common girl, completely lacking the dazzling aura of Rudolph Symbol.
Akikawa Yayoi nodded thoughtfully, her bright blue eyes blinking a few times.
"Curiosity! When Rudolph's race ended, I saw that the Little Horse Girls' expression was not one of happiness. What were you regretting, or what were you afraid of?"
'How could she… Was Chairwoman watching me the whole time back then?'
Kagura hadn't expected that her slight emotional reaction to the other Uma Musume would be noticed by this child. It seemed Akikawa Yayoi's observational skills far exceeded her appearance. This Chairwoman could not be judged by her childlike exterior.
"I just felt that the other Uma Musume… were quite unlucky. Their efforts and sweat, beneath that dazzling light, seemed insignificant, so tiny… There's nothing more despair-inducing than a hardworking genius, isn't there?"
"Oh—"
The exclamation came from Akikawa Yayoi. Kagura followed the sound and saw Akikawa Yayoi looking at her with great interest.
"Question! If Rudolph on the Racecourse was replaced by the Little Horse Girls, would you feel sympathetic?"
"No, it's like school exams; the number of excellent spots is always limited. To move forward, one naturally needs the resolve to crush the dreams of others. Rather than giving away victory, I think it's better for Uma Musume to feel 'Ah, it's no wonder I lost to her' by relying on her own strength, like Miss Rudolph…"
After a pause, Kagura recalled a certain phrase she had heard from Eclipse not long ago that seemed quite fitting for this moment. She organized her thoughts slightly before speaking:
"…'In my era, all opponents considered defeating me to be the highest honor.' Isn't that the mindset a competitor at the pinnacle should have?"
If she stood on the Racecourse, if she truly had the strength of Rudolph Symbol, she would absolutely, like Rudolph Symbol, mercilessly crush her opponents. That was the correct attitude towards competition.
Kagura, who had experienced countless important exams in her previous life, naturally wouldn't have such useless sympathy. No matter the exam, the number of spots available each year was limited. If she got in, it meant someone else was pushed out. There was nothing to sympathize with; being indecisive in such a strange situation was quite unwise.
'Although I say that, I feel like if I went up there, I'd probably be one of those Uma Musume who got crushed, right? That speed beyond human limits…'
Kagura thought silently. She didn't think she could outrun a monster like Rudolph Symbol. When that girl crossed the finish line, she was so fast Kagura couldn't even see her. That girl was practically a Grass Wonder!
Akikawa Yayoi nodded in satisfaction, leaned in, grabbed Kagura's hands, and, almost touching Kagura's face, looked at her with anticipation and said:
"Praise! Little Horse Girls, I like you very much! Would you consider coming to Tracen? I can let you skip the screening and go straight to the written test, and I can even offer you special guidance from the Chairwoman!"
"Eh? Uh… Chairwoman Akikawa… This isn't quite appropriate…"
"Stop it, Akikawa. I still want to taste Kagura's cooking for a while longer."
Speed Symbol, who had been hiding and squatting behind for a while, walked up and pushed the seemingly excited Akikawa Yayoi back. She also looked very pleased. She had originally thought that Kagura, this gentle and kind child, might have some unnecessary sympathy for the other Uma Musume, but her unexpected answer raised Speed Symbol's evaluation of Kagura even higher.
"Ah, Lady of the House, when did you arrive?"
"Just came down. As soon as I exited the elevator, I heard Akikawa trying to poach from my family. That won't do. Kagura has spoiled my palate lately, and I'm counting on her to cook for me."
While telling a serious lie, Speed Symbol grabbed Kagura's shoulder and pulled her closer as if declaring ownership, shielding her with her hand.
"Regret! However, if the Little Horse Girls ever want to come to my house in the future, you can visit Tracen anytime. Just tell the green big sister at the school gate, and she'll take you on a tour."
"Okay… Okay…"
Intimidated by Akikawa Yayoi's overly strong enthusiasm, Kagura's speech became a bit unnatural.
'What kind of strange title is "green big sister"… That lady must be very angry when she hears it!!'
Although Kagura herself was captivated for quite some time when she first saw the green-clad lady at the Tracen gate, she truly found it hard to understand why someone would wear an entirely green outfit, especially a brightly shining green, in everyday life.
Watching the enthusiastic Akikawa Yayoi hum a cheerful tune as she left and returned to her seat, Kagura finally breathed a slight sigh of relief. Rudolph Symbol's performance was also nearing its end, and she needed to prepare to go buy ingredients.