"Please believe… miracles can happen."
The gentle young man spoke softly, comforting the volatile, trembling-eyed girl before him—Agnes Tachyon.
"Even if this illness is terrifying… trust me. I've successfully treated Tokai Teio's fractures before."
"Even if recovery isn't immediate… in a few months… there will be a turning point. Believe in me."
Lin Anran continued, his tone unwavering.
Agnes Tachyon, who had been staring up at him with ruby-like eyes shimmering with emotion, slowly steadied her gaze. Her piercing pupils locked onto the young doctor's face with an intensity that bordered on unsettling.
'Was it his imagination, or had her breathing… gotten just a little faster?'
'If I can cure her…'
'Then she'll willingly hand over that gold!'
"Fine."
Agnes Tachyon, now calmed, responded with a single clipped word. Yet her eyes never left Lin Anran's face.
Then, from the depths of her oversized white sleeves, she produced a pen and paper with a flourish, scribbling down her contact details in swift, decisive strokes.
Her crimson eyes burned into him as she spoke, each word deliberate.
"Dr. Lin… I'll remember you."
Once finished, she thrust the paper toward him.
"I'll be back…"
And with that, the legendary genius—hailed as the equal of the great Symboli Rudolf—ceased her sprint.
Agnes Tachyon turned, walking away at a leisurely pace until she vanished from Lin Anran's sight.
--+--
Half a day later…
In the principal's office at Tracen Academy, a small group had gathered.
From the petite, usually cheerful principal Akikawa Yayoi, to the secretary Hayakawa Tazuna, even the Student Council President Symboli Rudolf and high-ranking officials from the URA—all wore expressions of grim severity.
Because not long ago… Agnes Tachyon had announced it herself.
She was withdrawing from racing indefinitely, plagued by injury.
[Indefinite Withdrawal]—what a crushing phrase.
For a horse girl—no, for any athlete—it meant uncertainty. It meant not knowing if she could ever return. It meant… preparing for retirement.
"At first, the one who seemed destined to become Japan's next racing symbol… was last year's Teio. But after an Unbeaten Double Crown, she fractured her leg and lost her chance."
"Then, in the Spring Tenno Sho… she suffered a second fracture. Even if Dr. Lin healed her, returning to peak form would be near impossible."
"And the next hope… was Agnes Tachyon. Her talent was undeniable. Everyone said if nothing went wrong, she'd achieve an Unbeaten Triple Crown."
"But now—the unthinkable has happened!"
It was Symboli Rudolf who spoke first, her voice heavy with regret.
"And unlike fractures, which can heal with time—even if they lower one's limits—Agnes Tachyon's condition is tendonitis. A hundred times worse. A true death sentence for racers."
"Even Dr. Lin, who could mend fractures… is powerless here."
The usually bubbly principal Akikawa Yayoi couldn't muster her usual smile.
"Stay calm! I've contacted every top specialist in Japan besides Dr. Lin. We're running tests—maybe there's a perfect treatment."
"There's still hope. At least… It's treatable."
But she knew. That "maybe", that "hope"—it was slim.
Even a one-in-ten-thousand chance was still a chance… but would it ever come true?
Not just in Japan. Even in Europe and America—vast regions with far more advanced racing scenes—cases of horse girls recovering fully from tendonitis?
Almost nonexistent.
This illness had plagued racers for decades. A true nightmare, with barely any successful recoveries worldwide.
"Surgery, stimulation therapy, shockwave therapy, regenerative medicine…"
"Overseas, they've tried everything. But at best, they can only achieve partial recovery."
"With current medical technology? A full cure is… a miracle."
Because horse girls were creatures of speed. In a race, even half a second could mean the difference between first place… and dead last.
So even a 5% drop in performance? That could turn a champion into a mid-pack finisher—or worse.
"Treatable" and "fully healed" were worlds apart. The former meant her racing days were over.
Agnes Tachyon—Japan's next rising star, a supernova of talent—had shone brilliantly… and burned out like a shooting star.
The shockwaves would ripple through the entire nation. Fans, racers—everyone would reel from the blow.
"The much-anticipated [Platinum vs. Agnes Tachyon]… may never happen now."
A URA official sighed, frustration creeping into his voice.
"We'll have to redistribute promotional resources to lower-ranked Derby contenders."
"Let's just hope… someone steps up. A talent to match Agnes Tachyon, so the public isn't left disappointed."
"Who'll be next? Platinum? Jungle Pocket? Or a foreign dark horse?"
First, Platinum's Irregular triple crown challenge. Now, Agnes Tachyon's withdrawal.
Who would rise after the fall of Tokai Teio and Agnes Tachyon? Who could match—or even surpass—Symboli Rudolf as Japan's new legend?
Right now… no one could say.
After all…
Would the next genius just be another shooting star?
Was there any horse girl who could defy fate?
--+--
Days later…
In the infirmary, Lin Anran sat at his desk, fingers tapping against his keyboard.
On the screen, a document listed the rivals Platinum would face in the irregular triple crown:
[Irregular Triple Crown: Oaks, Japan Derby, Kikuka Sho]
[Oaks Rivals: Mejiro Dober, Kyoei March]
[Japan Derby Rivals: Agnes Tachyon, Jungle Pocket, Kurofune]
[Kikuka Sho Rivals: ?? (Undecided)]
With a sigh, the scheming young doctor deleted [Agnes Tachyon] from the list. He clutched his head, wailing in exaggerated despair.
"Tachyon… Tachyon…"
'Without you… how am I supposed to make money now?!'
'Guess I'll have to… hustle at the Oaks instead.'
--+--
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.