[Agnes Tachyon: If the opponent is Platinum, it might be a bit tricky.]
But would you lose?
[Agnes Tachyon: Nah, I'd win!]
A declaration of victory before the Japan Derby!
With absolute confidence, Agnes Tachyon knocked on the door of the infirmary.
A few moments later, she heard footsteps approaching from inside.
The door swung open, and standing before her was the clinic's resident doctor—the somewhat famous Lin Anran!
Lin Anran hadn't expected the visitor to be… a brown-haired horse girl draped in a large white coat.
Her eyes, a dazzling ruby-red, immediately locked onto his face.
For a brief moment, the two stared at each other, each reacting differently.
Lin Anran instantly recognized her—this was the very obstacle standing in the way of Platinum's Irregular Triple Crown!
This was… Agnes Tachyon!!
But why was she here?
What he didn't expect was for Agnes to suddenly curl her lips into a meaningful smile, eyeing him up and down with keen interest.
Her gaze held a strange mix of calm detachment and the excitement of examining a rare treasure—like she was appraising something of immense value.
Definitely not the reaction of a normal horse girl seeking medical help.
Truth was, she'd known about him long before Tracen Academy ever caught wind of Lin Anran's existence.
Agnes, obsessed with topics like "the latent potential within Uma Musume biology" and "the limits of speed," needed to study the world's most elite racers.
But as they say, "the physician cannot heal themselves." She couldn't exactly run and study herself at the same time—she'd need a research partner, or perhaps a little "guinea pig" to cooperate with.
And in America, there wasn't just one or two, but multiple monstrous racers even more terrifying than her! Agnes figured that instead of finding someone to study her, she might as well study those freaks of nature—which was how she stumbled upon rumors of a certain young doctor they all seemed to orbit around.
Agnes was convinced—this mysterious doctor had to be something special.
"Lin… An… Ran. That's the name, if I remember right."
She took a step forward, closing the distance, then continued.
"Dr. Lin, fresh from America. Good afternoon."
"Agnes Tachyon?"
Lin Anran blinked in surprise, immediately recognizing the genius Uma Musume—no, the mad scientist—he'd only seen in passing the day before.
Logically speaking, he should know her, but she shouldn't know him, right?
Usually, an infirmary was like a homeroom teacher's office—most students avoided it unless absolutely necessary.
So why would this renowned prodigy, this monster of the track, come knocking at his door? Not only that, but she'd called him by name and even knew he was from America.
The black-hearted young doctor had only been in Japan for about two weeks. He'd never publicly mentioned his American background—at most, students would assume he was just a foreign physician.
That kind of information should've been known only to Tracen Academy's higher-ups, right?
Lin Anran quickly brushed it off. Agnes wasn't your average horse girl—if she'd dug up his details from the student council or elsewhere, it wasn't that strange.
More importantly… why was she here?
Don't tell me…
After Tokai Teio, is Agnes Tachyon about to become my second golden goose?!
The mere thought sent a mix of nervousness and excitement bubbling in his chest.
He hadn't even felt this tense when transforming into Platinum and stepping onto the racetrack—or even the Winner's Stage. Maybe it was because the petite Pegasus girl carried an assassin's calm and poise in her small frame.
Lin Anran took a step back, gesturing for Agnes to enter.
But Agnes wasn't here because she thought something was wrong with her legs—no, she was far more intrigued by the young doctor standing before her. His scent was pleasant, and his medical skills were supposedly exceptional.
'Fascinating. A doctor important enough to catch the attention of America's monsters… He's definitely not ordinary.'
'That scent of his isn't just alluring—his ability to heal Teio's fracture is unheard of!'
'His research value far surpasses even that of a typical G1 champion.'
On one side, a black-hearted doctor only wondering if he could strike gold, utterly uninterested in anything beyond profit.
On the other hand, a horse girl who couldn't care less about her legs, convinced nothing was wrong—far more captivated by the enigmatic Dr. Lin.
And so, the two circled each other like predators.
The first to strike was the cunning adult—after all, his social experience far outmatched that of a horse girl who spent her days running, training, and holed up in research.
The despicable grown-up spoke first!
"Since you're already here, whatever the reason, let me give you a quick check-up."
"As an Uma Musume, you can't afford to neglect your legs."
"No charge for the examination—I just want to ensure you stay healthy and race well."
Lin Anran slipped into his usual warm, sunny demeanor—the same one that had put countless young racers at ease back in America.
As for the check-up fee…
Even if he did charge, how much would that even be?
The real money was in treatment, not diagnostics.
Back in the States, even when faced with seemingly talentless, hopeless racers, Lin Anran had resisted the urge to exploit them—choosing instead to play the long game.
And now, with a high-potential horse girl like Agnes? A seasoned swindler like him wouldn't rush things.
His earnest act caught Agnes off guard. After a brief pause, she gave a small nod.
After all, she had promised Manhattan Cafe she'd get her legs checked while she was here.
If this Dr. Lin was so professional, she might as well humor him. It wouldn't take long anyway.
With that thought, Agnes allowed the examination to proceed.
--+--
Nearly half an hour later.
Agnes, slightly surprised by how long this was taking, watched as the young doctor repeatedly touched her thighs and feet before finally pulling away.
Wait, since when did the check-up involve hands-on examination?
And why did he keep doing it over and over?
Now he's rummaging through the bookshelf instead of grabbing medicine?
A flicker of confusion—and rare unease—crossed her usually composed face.
"Dr. Lin, how is it? When can I rest?"
Lin Anran finally pulled a medical textbook from the shelf, flipping through it frantically before breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Well, if there are no surprises—"
"Ms. Tachyon, you can rest… indefinitely. "
There goes my golden goose… flown away!
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.