"The shop we're looking for should be around here. I heard there would be many people queuing, but there's no such queue nearby." Gold Legend looked around. "Could it be all sold out?"
"It's too early to give up now," Oguri Cap said calmly, swallowing her Takoyaki.
Today was a long-awaited gourmet tour with Oguri Cap.
Ever since Oguri Cap's birthday confession, Gold Legend had been trying to avoid Oguri Cap.
However, Oguri Cap always appeared calm and composed, without any hint of panic.
Although she learned from Tamamo Cross that Oguri Cap's appetite had decreased by one-third, this didn't explain anything. She waited calmly.
Then, after almost a month, Legend finally approached her again.
"I recently discovered some new delicacies, want to go check them out together?"
She started with a topic no different from usual, as if nothing had changed.
"Okay."
Oguri Cap's reply was also as usual.
Then the two flew for an hour and 45 minutes to Hokkaido, and then drove for another hour to this rural town.
In a sense, that's quite impressive.
"Hmm, the address is indeed here, but there are no customers." After wandering around for a while, Legend tilted her head. "Did we come to the wrong place?"
"Hmm? Excuse me, ladies? Can I help you with something?" A red-haired uncle approached and asked.
"...Are we being hit on?" Gold Legend was surprised; she didn't expect to encounter this situation.
"Generally speaking, no one would want to hit on an Uma Musume," Oguri Cap said.
Indeed, setting aside the generally high moral standards of people in this world, just the physical prowess, which is more than three times that of an average male, deters most people from thinking about hitting on an Uma Musume.
"Oh dear, a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. I just saw you two wandering around, so I wanted to ask if I could help." The uncle waved his hands, indicating he had no other intentions. "Although I look frivolous, I am not a frivolous person, and I am already married; my wife is also an Uma Musume."
"Ah, I apologize, I judged you by your appearance." Gold Legend apologized frankly.
"No worries, it's not the first time anyway." The uncle accepted readily. "So, is there something you need?"
"Ah, Uncle, do you know where this [Legendary Carrot Hamburg Steak] is sold?" Legend asked.
"Un-uncle? Ah, I've reached that age, haven't I..." The uncle seemed a bit dejected. "As for the carrot hamburg steak you mentioned, I'm sorry, but we don't make it anymore."
"Eh? Are you the owner? Then why don't you make it anymore?" Legend quickly reacted.
"Well, it was just a side job, a part-time gig to pass the time." The uncle smiled. "Later, because my daughter went to study in the city, things got a bit busy at home. Although I occasionally set up a stall, it's pretty much semi-retired now."
"I see, I'm sorry, Oguri, for making you come all this way for nothing." Gold Legend apologized to Oguri Cap.
"It's fine, anywhere is okay as long as I'm with you." Oguri Cap showed a slight smile.
"Did the two of you travel a long way?" the uncle asked.
"Yes, we came from Tokyo." Legend scratched her head, feeling a bit embarrassed. After all, traveling such a long distance just to eat something was slightly mortifying.
"Oh my, that really is… In that case, would you like to have lunch here? Although it's just home cooking, it's surprisingly delicious," the uncle said with a smile.
"Eh, is that really alright?" Legend hesitated.
"No worries, no worries. It would be rude to let guests who traveled so far leave empty-handed."
Legend opened her mouth, wanting to say something else.
Then Oguri Cap's stomach rumbled.
"Legend, I'm hungry." Oguri Cap rubbed her stomach, sounding a little wronged.
"...Then we humbly accept your offer."
"No problem at all. My daughter hasn't been back for a while, so it's nice to have you two here to liven things up." The uncle smiled carelessly... The two Uma Musume followed the uncle to a villa, which must have been his home.
"Wife, make some extra lunch, we have guests today!" The uncle shouted inside as soon as he entered the door.
"Hmm? What are you suddenly talking about?" A beautiful Uma Musume came out, presumably the wife.
"Oh my, what lovely guests." The wife walked to the entrance and immediately saw the well-behaved Legend and Oguri Cap.
"Excuse us for imposing." x2
"Don't worry about it! It's rare to have guests. It's been quiet since Xiao Su left for school." The wife cheerfully led the two Uma Musume to the living room. "You two wait here; I'll go cook."
"...I'll help." Legend was still shy around strangers and couldn't bear to freeload while sitting idly, so she found an excuse and followed the wife.
"..." Oguri Cap sat obediently.
"Say, are you interested in that girl?" The uncle leaned closer with an ambiguous smile.
"...Yes." Oguri Cap blinked and nodded.
"Oh, I knew it! I thought the atmosphere between you two was strange," the uncle said proudly.
"...Is it that obvious?" Oguri Cap tilted her head.
"Ah, after all, you're still young. For someone my age, some things are obvious at a glance." The uncle smiled mysteriously. "Do you want to take things further with her?"
"Please guide me." Oguri Cap blinked again, answering very straightforwardly.
"Come, come, let me tell you..." The uncle began instructing Oguri Cap with a giddy, auntie-like smile.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen.
"Oh, you truly are a good child. I wish my Xiao Su could bring back a child as virtuous as you." The wife quickly fell for Legend's astonishing charm and polite demeanor.
"You flatter me," Legend said with a smile.
"Not at all. Speaking of which, Legend-chan, would you be interested in becoming my son-in-law?" the wife asked with a smile.
"Uh... Please allow me to decline. I am an Uma Musume, and I am, tentatively, female." Legend felt awkward.
"It's fine, it's fine. My daughter is also an Uma Musume," the wife said, smiling. "Isn't love between Uma Musume quite common?"
"...Is that so?" Why didn't I know?
"Yes, after all, Uma Musume live longer than humans, so in my experience, it's more common for Uma Musume to be together. People like me who marry humans are the rare ones," the wife explained with a smile.
"I see." I really didn't know that. "But even so, if I became your son-in-law, you still wouldn't have grandchildren."
Yuri is endlessly good, but sadly, they can't reproduce.
"Who said that?"
"Huh?"
"While Uma Musume certainly can't do that, they can have children," the wife said, confused. "The Three Goddesses bless Uma Musume who truly love each other, and their union will yield a crystalized child. That should be common knowledge."
"WHAT?!!"
Legend was stunned!
"Did you perhaps zone out during class, child? You're very much like Xiao Su in that regard." The wife smiled happily... After a while, the wife brought the dishes to the dining table one by one and called the two in the living room for dinner.
Gold Legend was still immersed in shock, and Oguri Cap sat down next to her.
"...Wife, what did you tell her?" The uncle sat next to his wife and asked curiously.
"Guess?" The wife smiled.
Oguri Cap picked up her rice bowl and blinked.
"Here, Legend, you try a bite first." Oguri Cap picked up a piece of carrot hamburg steak and brought it to Legend's mouth.
"...Huh? Oh." Still processing, Legend ate the carrot. "It's really yummy."
"Is that so? I'll have a bite too. Mmm... delicious!"
"Eat more if you like it," the wife said happily. "By the way, are you two sisters?"
"No." Before Legend could speak, Oguri Cap denied it. "I want to be in a different relationship with Legend—something more intimate..."
Gold Legend buried her head in her food, pretending not to hear.
"Oh dear, it seems I said something unnecessary." The wife glanced between the two of them, revealing an auntie smile.
"Alright, alright, hurry up and eat. The food won't taste good cold," the uncle said, smoothing things over with a laugh.
After they had eaten their fill, Gold Legend and Oguri Cap, feeling guilty for imposing, helped clean up and then bid farewell to the couple.
"Thank you for your hospitality. We apologize for the trouble," Gold Legend said, bowing.
"It was no trouble at all. It's rare for the house to be so lively," the uncle said with a smile. "We are the lucky ones to see your smiling faces."
"That's right. Make sure to visit again next time," the wife also said, smiling.
"If we get the chance," Legend promised.
"Oh, since you came all this way, we don't have much to give you right now. Why don't you draw a fortune slip?" the wife suddenly suggested.
"You, honestly." The uncle looked helplessly at his wife. He knew she was in high spirits and didn't stop her, simply giving Legend and Oguri Cap an apologetic look.
"Hmm?" x2
"I learned this from Senior Machikane when I was in school, and it's very accurate! I heard Senior Machikane also sent her daughter to Tracen. I wonder if Xiao Su will run into her." The wife seemed to recall something. "Speaking of which, since you two are Uma Musume from the Tokyo area, I assume you attend Tracen Academy?"
"Yes," Legend nodded.
"In that case, if you happen to meet an Uma Musume named Nice Nature there, could you help us look after her? She's our daughter."
"...Okay."
This must be what they call fate.
Legend silently sighed internally.
"That's wonderful. Now, come, draw a slip, draw a slip."
Legend reluctantly drew one.
"Let me see. Hmm, 'Your destined person is already waiting by your side'? La la la!" The wife immediately became excited.
Gold Legend and Oguri Cap exchanged a silent glance, then looked away.
"Then we shall take our leave."
After saying goodbye to the couple, Legend and Oguri Cap got into the car for the return trip.
In the car, Gold Legend looked at the fortune slip in her hand again. Suddenly thinking of something, she teased, "Oguri, do you think the person waiting is you?"
"..." Oguri Cap remained silent.
"...Say something, you're making this awkward."
"Must I wait?"
"What?"
"I said, must I wait?" Oguri Cap looked directly at Legend, her eyes shining.
"That's a truly cunning answer," Legend unconsciously averted her gaze.
Oguri Cap's eyes dimmed.
"...But you're right. There are many things I still need to accomplish." Legend forced herself to turn and face Oguri Cap, speaking with resolve. "So, please give me a little more time. Until then, please stay by my side and guard me, my destined person."
Oguri Cap stared in surprise at the blushing, trembling Legend. She understood the immense resolve behind those words.
She suddenly laughed, a very happy laugh.
She said, "Okay."
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