"Thank you so much for today! Thank you for teaching me, Teacher Kagura! I'll be sure to remember everything you taught me!"
Because she had given Fine Motion on-site instruction, this course inspection took Inari Kagura more time than usual.
It was Fine Motion's first time receiving guidance like this. Although Inari Kagura had not had her actually run and train on the course, after going through all of that, Fine Motion still felt tired. For this young princess, who had only just left home, this was the first time in her life she had experienced what it felt like to grow exhausted from serious study.
On the train back, the two of them finally managed to get seats. Inari Kagura saw Fine Motion sitting beside her with her phone in her hands, only to close her eyes and start nodding off every now and then, and knew she was probably tired.
She really is a princess. Even as an Umamusume, if she hasn't trained, she's still delicate.
"Are you tired, Miss Fine Motion? Would you like to rest for a bit?"
Inari Kagura's gentle voice slipped into Fine Motion's ears, startling her awake from her doze. When she turned her head, she saw Inari Kagura smiling at her while patting her own lap. From the look of it, did she mean for Fine Motion to lie down there?
Inari Kagura was now the same height as Fine Motion. Both of them were 158 centimeters tall, so letting Fine Motion lie down like that would not be a problem. There also were not many people on the train right now, so there was no need to worry about anyone seeing them.
"N-No, sleeping on someone else's lap would be far too rude! I couldn't trouble you like that, Teacher Kagura! I might have been too absorbed in studying this morning… I'm a little hungry… and a little sleepy."
"Hungry, huh… Then how about I treat you to a meal today, Miss Fine Motion? Is there anything you'd like to eat?"
"Food… I only just arrived here, so I don't really know much about the area yet. Do you have any recommendations, Teacher Kagura?"
"Oh? Do you have any preferences, Miss Fine Motion?"
When it came to food, Inari Kagura was wide awake. She and Nice Nature often wandered through the streets and alleys of Tokyo, and they had discovered quite a few good places. She believed finding a shop Fine Motion would like should be no problem. And if that failed, she could always make something herself.
"Mm… I want to experience more of… um, the things everyone usually eats."
"Oh~ So what they call commoner food?"
Inari Kagura quickly summarized Fine Motion's request. After all, Eclipse had mentioned similar needs to her before. By now, Eclipse had already become hopelessly addicted to commoner food.
Fine Motion quickly nodded. In the past, she would have agonized for ages over how to make a request like this to someone else. She had not expected Inari Kagura to understand what she meant so quickly, which gave her a relieved feeling, as if she had been pardoned.
Teacher Kagura really is so considerate!
"I understand. Once we get off, I'll take you to look around, Miss Fine Motion. If you're tired now and need to rest, but don't want to lie down, you can lean on my shoulder."
"Eh… No need… I can just lean against the seatback…"
"The curve of this train seat isn't suitable. If you fall asleep leaning against it, your neck will hurt badly when you wake up. One nap, and you might not be able to turn your head afterward."
Fine Motion, not quite convinced, tried leaning back against it. Then she discovered that it really was quite torturous on the neck. A few minutes would be fine, but if she slept like this for dozens of minutes all the way back to Tracen, her neck might actually snap when she woke up.
"Guh…"
Looking at Inari Kagura beside her, who had already turned back to her phone, Fine Motion, too sleepy to hold out much longer, swallowed. After hesitating for a moment, she could not help making her request.
"Um, Teacher Kagura, could I… lean on your shoulder?"
"Hehe~ Of course~"
Inari Kagura had long since expected that Fine Motion would not be able to endure, so she immediately agreed. Fine Motion waited a little while before honestly leaning against Inari Kagura's shoulder.
Eh… What is this feeling…
The moment she gently leaned over and closed her eyes, Fine Motion felt a comfortable, peaceful aura envelop her, relaxing her from her tense state. As she relaxed, exhaustion immediately welled up. Very soon, her consciousness sank into darkness.
...
"Wake up, Miss Fine Motion~ We're at the station~"
Fine Motion did not know how much time had passed before her consciousness slowly cleared.
She felt as if she had dreamed a very distant dream. It was as though she had returned to childhood, to those carefree days, when she leaned against her mother's chest and listened to her mother sing and tell her stories.
"Ah…"
When she woke, Fine Motion felt refreshed. It had been a long time since she had slept so comfortably. The fatigue she had accumulated recently seemed to have vanished like smoke during this nap, and even her mood had improved considerably.
"How long did I sleep…"
Still not fully awake, Fine Motion asked in a daze.
"A little over forty minutes, I suppose. If you don't get up soon, I won't be able to get up either."
"Mm… Eh! Eh!! Sorry, sorry! Teacher Kagura, I-I-I'll get up right now!!"
Then she abruptly realized that she was still leaning on Inari Kagura's shoulder. Her little face flushed, and she immediately sprang upright.
Inari Kagura stood up as well. While Fine Motion had been sleeping, she had already planned out how to let Fine Motion experience some of Japan's commoner food. If they were talking about things workers and students ate, there were far too many types to get through in a single day. But Inari Kagura did have one shop in mind that was close to the station and easy to find.
"Ramen… Jiro?"
Umamusume were fast on their feet. Before long, Inari Kagura had brought Fine Motion to the place she had planned to visit.
"That's right. Miss Fine Motion, you were curious about what everyone usually eats, weren't you? This is one of them. Big portions, affordable, and filling."
"Eh… This place?"
Fine Motion looked curiously at the shop, seeming both expectant and excited.
"All right~ Don't hesitate~ In we go~"
Inari Kagura smiled and gave Fine Motion, who was still curiously looking at the storefront, a light push, gently nudging her into the shop.
The shop could not be called large. Rather, in a place like Tokyo, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, very few shops were especially large. Most were simply decorated, like a bar counter. This only made Fine Motion, who often went in and out of high-end restaurants, even more curious.
Yep… She really is a princess severely lacking in common sense…
Seeing Fine Motion's dazed expression, like a sheltered princess seeing commoner life for the first time, Inari Kagura could not help wanting to laugh. She was already very familiar with this shop. The owner even knew her. She pulled Fine Motion over to sit at the counter, then greeted the owner behind it.
"Good afternoon~ Ichiraku-jiisan! I'm here again!"
"Hm? You're… Kagura-chan?"
The shopkeeper popped out from behind the counter, looked at Inari Kagura in confusion, and asked a little uncertainly.
"That's right~"
"My, you've grown so much in such a short time! If not for that hair accessory and the way you talk, I almost wouldn't have recognized you! The usual today? And the one beside you is… your friend, Kagura-chan?"
"Mm~ That's right. I'll have the usual, extra scallions. And for my friend, just make a normal serving~"
"Oi! Coming right up!"
The middle-aged shopkeeper answered with great spirit, then turned and went below the counter to prepare the ingredients.
Inari Kagura led Fine Motion to sit on the stools in front of the counter. In the past, Inari Kagura had needed to put in a little effort to get onto these high stools. Now, she no longer needed to climb.
"Wow…"
Inari Kagura looked toward Fine Motion and was just about to say something, only to discover that Fine Motion's attention was no longer on her at all. Following her gaze, Inari Kagura found that Fine Motion was watching the owner cook ramen behind the counter with great interest.
To Inari Kagura, this was clearly a scene she had long since grown used to. But to this princess, it seemed to have a particularly powerful appeal.
"Miss Fine Motion, you seem very interested in ramen."
"Mm! I… I think it looks really interesting! And it smells so fragrant! It must be delicious. I want to see if I can learn how to make it!"
As she spoke, Fine Motion's tail began swishing excitedly. It was clear that she was in a very good mood right now.
"Hehe~ If you're interested, Miss Fine Motion, I know how to make ramen too. I can teach you."
"Really? Teacher Kagura knows how to make this too?"
"Mm!"
...
"Whew… That was so satisfying. So this is commoner food…"
"How was it, Miss Fine Motion? Did it suit your tastes?"
"This ramen is really delicious! Teacher Kagura! You said just now that you know how to make it too, right? Please!"
"Mm-hm~ If you want to learn, I'll teach you~"
---
T/N: I HAVE NO EXCUSE! EXCEPT THAT UHHH SPYTL! AND ASPENTL! HAS KEPT ME DISTRACTED! THOSE FIENDS! I will try to post more now...
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