Guinea pig… that is, the common test subject often seen in research labs.
"Guinea Pig-kun"—that was what Agnes Tachyon almost blurted out from beyond the door, but she managed to hold her tongue.
For Agnes Tachyon, who adored scientific research, ordinary people usually didn't pique her interest. But Lin Anran's promise and comfort from last time had struck a rare chord within her.
Not to mention, he was also tackling tendonitis—a shared interest that made him a kindred spirit.
Even more compelling was his mysterious prowess as a doctor, capable of treating fractures, which instantly catapulted him to the top of Agnes Tachyon's list of fascinating research subjects.
So, for Agnes Tachyon—who was now preparing to retire due to injury—Lin Anran wasn't just some Uma Musume; he was a doctor and a companion. That made conversation with him all the more engaging, and gradually, he became the "Guinea Pig-kun" she'd been looking forward to.
As Agnes Tachyon's inquiry echoed from outside…
Inside the infirmary, Lin Anran recognized it instantly. That's Tachyon's voice?
She's his beloved big spender! As long as there's gold to be squeezed, he'd treat her like royalty!
He'd already handled those small fries in Europe and America who couldn't cough up a single coin—still managed to leave them with an excellent impression of him.
As for someone like Agnes Tachyon, who could probably yield more gold than Secretariat, Dahlia and Ruffian, combined—how could Lin Anran not be enthusiastic?
Agnes Tachyon is the real deal! (In gold-farming terms, that is.)
The unscrupulous young doctor promptly closed the file of race records, hiding it from view, before glancing at another document on his screen.
This other file was titled—[Tendonitis Treatment Materials]. Right after the race, Lin Anran had immediately called in some favors to get his hands on these.
He'd already anticipated Agnes Tachyon's visit today—likely drawn in by the excuse he'd used for not showing up at the Oaks.
Different trades are separated by mountains. As exceptional as Agnes Tachyon was on the racetrack, when it came to the medical treatment of Uma Musume, she clearly couldn't gather much intel in a short time.
And no matter how shady a doctor Lin Anran was, his goal was to treat horse girls to make money—not to outright scam them.
After all, only successful treatments could build a reputation—then you could cast a long line to catch a big fish! And it was safer that way!
Those naive Uma Musume loved to run more than anything. As long as their legs fully recovered, they'd surely be willing to pay a little extra!
So Lin Anran was more than satisfied with his career as a horse girl doctor. And when facing his cash cow Agnes Tachyon, he'd put on his best face as an outstanding physician!
Immediately, Lin Anran stood up and went to open the infirmary door.
But the moment the door swung open, his pupils constricted abruptly, and he stared in mild surprise at the figures outside.
Aside from the all-too-familiar Agnes Tachyon, there was… another horse girl? Was that… Tachyon's friend, Manhattan Cafe?
Lin Anran's mind instantly raced, dredging up a past, cringe-worthy miscalculation he'd rather forget!
In his eyes, it was one of the few embarrassing moments since he'd transmigrated into this world…
As a player of both Uma Musume and Arknights, even though he skipped most of the story, he still remembered a few things. For instance…
This girl named Manhattan Cafe had a racing history that included wins in the Kikuka Shō, the Arima Kinen, and the Tennō Shō (Spring)—pretty impressive results.
Back when the unscrupulous young doctor was still in America, he'd run into an unassuming, petite, dark-haired girl. Compared to the Manhattan Cafe he'd pulled in the Uma Musume mobile game, she was ninety percent similar!
Weren't Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa from the anime also foreigners?
To look that similar—no mistake, it had to be Manhattan Cafe. Even if it wasn't her, she had to be a twin or something. Gold was gold, no matter what!
Lin Anran had been wide-eyed, convinced he'd struck gold, when he noticed the dark-haired girl was injured and in terrible shape. Without hesitation, he began treating her.
At the time, the dark-haired girl hadn't debuted yet and couldn't afford the medical fees. She was about to sign an IOU when…
Lin Anran shook his head, refused outright, tore up the IOU without even looking, and declared, "It's precisely because I don't want promising horse girls like you to suffer injuries that I chose to become a doctor."
Not only that, the unscrupulous young doctor even held the little filly's soft hand and encouraged the insecure, overlooked "Manhattan Cafe" who wasn't taken seriously at school.
"Go for it. I'm sure you'll achieve great things in the classics."
"Even if you don't believe in yourself, please believe in me, who believes in you!"
In the eyes of that silent, slender, underrated dark-haired girl, the passionate but shady doctor seemed to transform into a ray of light piercing through her dark and gloomy life!
Yeah, Manhattan Cafe, who'd won the Kikuka Shō—surely she could recreate history, right?
Fuelled by that hope, Lin Anran left a perfect impression on the dark-haired girl and provided thorough treatment.
But when it came time to sign the discharge papers, something happened that left Lin Anran utterly dumbfounded.
Turns out, the name the dark-haired girl signed wasn't "Manhattan Cafe" at all. Nor was it some same-family twin sister with a different given name. It was…
——[Sunday Silence]!!!
A completely ordinary name—not even the right surname. Lin Anran realized… he'd mistaken her identity!
After all that effort, not a single cent paid, planning to reel in a big fish later—only to find out he hadn't saved Manhattan Cafe, but some nobody instead!
Must've just been a lookalike, not actually her. He'd gotten it wrong…
Dammit, what a loss!
Every time he remembered this embarrassing chapter, Lin Anran would fly into a rage, filled with deep regret!
Some time had passed since that incident, right up until Lin Anran recently flew to Japan…
Now, seeing Manhattan Cafe in the flesh, he couldn't help but recall that blunder.
Lin Anran couldn't resist taking a longer look at this Manhattan Cafe, comparing her to the dark-haired girl in his memory.
'They really do look alike, no wonder I mixed them up.'
'Whatever, it's in the past. The money I lost on that small fry Sunday Silence—I'll just make it back by farming gold from Tachyon and Cafe!'
The unscrupulous young doctor, reignited with fighting spirit in the weirdest way, put on a smile again as he gazed at Agnes Tachyon and Manhattan Cafe.
"Welcome!"
"What can I do for you two?"
Meanwhile, the expressionless dark-haired girl, Manhattan Cafe, sniffed the air lightly, tilting her head slightly.
'What's that smell? Kind of… fragrant?'
--+--
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.