Chapter 23: Friendship Training – Agnes Tachyon

Suddenly, I found myself facing the greatest crisis of my life. The cause stood right in front of me—this particular horse girl.

"Hmm, not bad legs you’ve got there. Come on, what do you say? If we go all in, the effect will double!"

"U-Um…?"

"Ah, I haven’t introduced myself yet, have I? I’m Agnes Tachyon! I heard about you from Café."

Agnes Tachyon. Also known as the Faster-Than-Light Princess. In her hand was a test tube filled with a dark, ominous liquid.

Wait. Is that even safe to drink? That stuff’s definitely toxic!

"Those legs of yours… fascinating. You might just be able to prove my theory."

"Your… theory?"

"That’s right! The ultimate limit of a horse girl’s speed—and what lies beyond it. I want to see it for myself!"

"Uh, why me though? There are plenty of amazing horse girls out there."

"You really don’t understand your own worth, do you!?"

Tachyon leaned in close—way too close—until I could feel her breath on my face. I instinctively backed away.

She pointed at my legs, her eyes gleaming with manic curiosity.

"Those legs! The durability to mimic Sakura Bakushin O’s running form without breaking down! The explosive power to unleash that kind of acceleration even as a Junior! Though, it seems your endurance suffers as a trade-off."

That’s… quite an evaluation.

Well, I’m not exactly copying Bakushin O’s stride perfectly. I do absorb the impact properly, after all.

"To think you can imitate her running without breaking anything—astonishing."

"‘Like that’…? Uh, is there something wrong with it?"

"Hmm? So you didn’t notice. That style only works because it’s done with Sakura Bakushin O’s body."

Huh? So Bakushin O’s body is built tougher than mine?

"Simply put, someone with your body type can’t naturally perform that kind of run. It’s a technique better suited to someone like Silence Suzuka. Bakushin O’s build is about the absolute limit. And besides, that form isn’t even meant for such intense last-minute bursts."

"Wait, so if I keep mimicking that, it’s… dangerous?"

"Hmm. Mind if I take a look at your legs?"

Tachyon’s examination was surprisingly professional. Honestly, she could pass for a trainer. Then again, I do remember her acting as a sort of assistant trainer in Café’s storyline in the app…

"Yes, your legs really are fascinating."

"So, what’s your verdict?"

"Absolutely fine! Your legs are naturally suited for sprinting—and just as naturally gifted for closing runs, too. As if they were bestowed upon you by the gods themselves! Hm, so that explains why you could replicate Bakushin O’s move safely. Still, the localized stress on your limbs should be greater than hers. Are you hiding some kind of secret?"

Just from a touch, she could tell that much. Agnes Tachyon really is an incredible researcher.

She stared at my legs with something close to envy.

"Um, so, about that…?"

"Ah, right, my reason for calling you here! How about it—care to try one of my potions? Of course, you’ll be rewarded."

"Yeah, I don’t think drinking some sketchy liquid without my trainer’s permission is a good idea…"

"Then get your trainer’s permission! Don’t worry, the academy already approved my experiment proposal."

She’s efficient, I’ll give her that… but is it really safe!?

I do remember side effects in the app—like glowing legs, for one. But Tachyon hates doping with a passion, so maybe that’s fine. Still, getting banned from racing would be… bad.

"Besides, isn’t it something you want? The data on Symboli Rudolf, for instance?"

"…Café-san told you, didn’t she?"

"She did indeed! That you’re interested in that style of running. So, how about it? Don’t you want the full, detailed data on her?"

"Uuugh…"

I pulled out my phone and called my trainer. After a few rings, my partner’s familiar voice came through the speaker.

"What’s wrong, Lux? Did something happen?"

"Ah, yeah, I’m with Agnes Tachyon right now."

"Tachyon… don’t tell me she’s inviting you to one of her experiments?"

"Bullseye, Trainer."

Their voice immediately dropped a tone. So Tachyon’s reputation really is well-known.

Still, the reward she’s offering is too tempting to pass up.

"She says she’ll give me Symboli Rudolf’s data if I take part in her experiment."

"Of course it’s Rudolf’s data… hmm. This is tricky."

"So it is a bad idea? I can back out if it’s too risky."

"Well, she has filed the proper paperwork with the academy, so technically, it’s allowed…"

Their tone was hesitant. They were clearly worried.

"Alright, fine, Lux. You can participate—but be careful. I’ve heard your body might… glow or something afterward."

"Uh, o-okay…"

"It’s your call whether to go through with it. But if you ever feel unsafe, stop immediately, alright?"

So… they were worried about me. My trainer really is too kind. I couldn’t help but squeeze my phone tightly, smiling a little.

Anyway, I’d gotten permission. Time to get it over with and claim that precious Symboli Rudolf data.

"Looks like you’re done. So, you’ll take part in the experiment?"

"Yes. Just don’t forget the promised Symboli Rudolf data, okay?"

"But of course! Though I must say, you act like a completely different person when you talk to your trainer, hmm?"

Ah, crap. I let my guard down. Whenever I talk to my trainer, my “true self” slips out. Now Tachyon’s seen it too.

I scratched my head and gave a sheepish laugh, hoping to play it off.

"Never mind. It’s irrelevant to the experiment. Now, about this potion—"

"That color looks insanely toxic! What is that supposed to be?"

"Simply put, it’s a formula to enhance training efficiency."

"Seriously!? What kind of mechanism—"

At that instant, a gleam of light flashed in Tachyon’s otherwise clouded eyes.

"I’m so glad you asked! This potion increases the load on your legs—more strain means faster growth, right?"

"Uh, I don’t think that’s necessarily how it works…"

"Only for basic strength training, of course!"

So basically… it’s like one of those weighted-training gadgets from a sports manga. This is definitely not safe.

Either unaware or unconcerned by my doubts, Tachyon lifted the test tube to my lips. Surprisingly, it had no smell. With a color that awful, I was expecting something horrible.

"Now, bottoms up! All in one go!"

"Glug, glug… pah! Huh. No taste at all."

"If it tasted terrible, it could skew the results. I’m very considerate that way."

About a minute after drinking the potion, my body started to feel slightly warm.

How should I describe it…? It was kind of like that loose, limber sensation you get right after a light warm-up. Agnes Tachyon pressed a thermometer gently against my forehead.

"Hmm, there’s a slight rise in body temperature. Only a marginal increase, though—well within the margin of error. Alright then, let’s move on. Try running a little."

"Uh, any distance in particular?"

"You specialize in short distances, right? Then go all out in a sprint."

"Ugh… full power? You’re not making this easy for me."

Still, it was part of training, so I’d better give it my best. I took my position at the starting line, stamping down lightly to set my footing.

At Tachyon’s signal, I launched forward, gliding smoothly across the track.

With no other horse girls around to get in the way, I could open up right from the start. That said, my strength lies in my finishing kick, so I made sure to conserve my legs for the stretch.

"Hmm, so her late kick is her weapon—but that doesn’t mean she’s weak in other areas. So her choice to run from behind is simply a matter of temperament."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tachyon tapping away at her tablet, recording data.

But I couldn’t afford to think about that now. Entering the final straight, I unleashed my signature burst of acceleration—just like always. I chased after the phantom image of Mihono Bourbon ahead of me, pushing through the imaginary finish line at full force.

Half a neck’s difference. No matter how many times I do this, I still can’t shake Bourbon’s shadow. Can I really beat her someday…? No—don’t think like that. I will beat her next time.

"Good work! Excellent, truly excellent! I gathered some very valuable data! I think I’ll have to request you for the next trial, too!"

"As long as my trainer approves. But… are you sure you can afford to pay me back? That last reward was way too generous."

"No problem! Symboli Rudolf’s data was just a teaser, after all!"

"Just a teaser…? Then what kind of data are you really sitting on?"

If I pressed her about it, she’d probably just dodge the question with that airy smile of hers. Guess I’ll settle for the Rudolf data for now.

"So, how do you feel? Any extra fatigue compared to usual?"

"Yeah, it feels about as tiring as if I’d run two races in a row."

"Ah, so the ‘double strain’ effect is confirmed. Here—these are your recorded times. How do they compare to your normal runs?"

The numbers were slower. Not dramatically, but noticeably.

So, the potion really did work—but would it be useful in practice? I wasn’t so sure.

"In other words, my theory was correct!"

"And, um, what exactly are you planning to do with this theory now?"

"Hmm? Oh, I’m not planning to do anything with it."

"Wait—what?"

What’s that supposed to mean? Then why even run the test?

"This potion exists purely to prove my theory. Once I confirm the results, that’s all I need."

"Ah… so it’s a proof-of-concept kind of thing."

"Precisely! I like how quickly you catch on. Well, if you want, I don’t mind giving you one of the spares as a gift."

Honestly, it’s not like the potion is totally useless—but I don’t really need it right now. My body’s close to fully developed at this point; my real challenges are refining my running form and optimizing my race strategy.

So yeah, no reason to use that stuff. And honestly, taking it without Tachyon around makes me nervous.

"I’ll pass, thanks."

"Hmm, so you trust me that much, do you? You think as long as you’re with me, you’ll be fine?"

"Let’s just say… someone like you always has a countermeasure prepared."

"Ha! I’ll take that as a compliment!"

Tachyon looked pleased with herself—probably because the experiment turned out just as she’d hoped.

Then she tossed something lightly toward my chest—thunk. A USB stick?

"Your reward for today. I’ve got to go compile all this data now, so if you’ll excuse me!"

Before I could even thank her, Tachyon had already vanished from sight.

That horse girl really is a whirlwind. I’ve got a feeling I’ll be seeing a lot more of her. Judging by how she spoke, she’s still holding onto a lot of things I’d like to get my hands on.

Clutching the USB stick, I hurried straight to the trainer’s office.

"Trainer! I got Symboli Rudolf’s data—here!"

"Ah, so you went through with the experiment after all. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, nothing major. Though Tachyon looked very satisfied with how it went."

I plugged the USB into the trainer’s PC and opened the files inside.

There were way more folders than I expected. I figured I’d find a few unofficial race videos at best—but this was a treasure trove.

"These are… Symboli Rudolf’s lap times? And here—this must be her race path mapping."

"She only said it was detailed data, but I didn’t expect it to be this detailed."

"Incredible. Looks like your decision to accept the experiment paid off."

Even an analysis of Rudolf’s running form was included.

If this was just a teaser, then what kind of data was she keeping locked away?

Agnes Tachyon—the horse girl chasing the dream of light-speed. For just a moment, it felt like I had glimpsed the depths of her mind—and a chill ran straight down my spine.