I could clearly sense that in the eyes of netizens, I had solidified my image as a goofy, beautiful girl. Someone took a picture of me and even posted a recording with sound in a group chat, yet no one recognized me... Is the power of a mental stereotype really that strong?
But it was a blessing not to be recognized. Otherwise, the fan group would have exploded again, and I'd rather avoid that!
Lost in these thoughts, I was called by Kitahara and boarded the plane back to Tokyo. The whole way, I mulled over this issue and finally came to the safest conclusion: I would create an alias for the official racetrack—a gentle but utterly frenzied horse girl on the track. Online, however, I would be her complete opposite: a goofy, beautiful girl.
"Isn't this just making things difficult for myself? Maybe just being honest with my fans would be better?"
Both options had their pros and cons. If I revealed my identity to my fans, it would be the same as announcing my streamer persona to the public. Then, any negative comments would likely be dug up by anti-fans, becoming a loaded gun pointed at my head.
But creating an alias would be mentally and physically exhausting. Either way, there would be serious consequences. In the end, Huiyi decided to ask Kitahara for advice, as she wasn't sure if the negative online comments about horse girls could be dealt with.
After all, back in the day, Rice Shower, hailed as the "Black Assassin," faced a lot of passive-aggressiveness and even ostracism in her daily life after breaking Mihono Bourbon's undefeated Triple Crown streak and Mejiro McQueen's Tennō Shō (Spring) three-peat.
It was a good thing Rice Shower had a gentle temperament. If it had been Huiyi, she probably would have thrown a massive fit, resorting to tears, tantrums, and threats.
I'm a *, I can't handle that kind of pressure.
After the flight landed and they took a taxi back to Tracen Academy, Huiyi felt a surge of confidence, holding the bank card specifically for her race winnings. After returning to her dorm and quickly unpacking, she took a shower, changed into casual clothes, and packed her shoulder bag. Without lingering, she left the academy again.
While in Hakodate, Agnes Tachyon had recommended a wellness center to Huiyi, saying that its medicated baths were excellent for conditioning the body. At the time, she had dismissed the idea due to the cost. Although she had the black card from Satono Diamond's owner, Huiyi didn't want to use it.
Now that she had her own money, she naturally put the plan back on her agenda.
[Loving Family Chat Group]
Huiyi: I'm going for a medicated bath to get rid of the chill from my debut race. I'll be back to the dorm late. Kitahara-san, please ask Fuji Kiseki-senpai for a leave of absence for me!
Putting her phone down, she watched the scenery flash by outside the taxi window. Huiyi stretched her petite body in the small space. By now, Tachyon's potion was almost completely worn off, and a dull ache started to creep into her legs. It was time to find a more permanent solution.
After all, she couldn't rely on Agnes Tachyon's potions forever. If Tachyon ever had a mischievous thought and added a little something extra to the medicine, Huiyi's life would be over.
A few minutes later, the taxi stopped in front of the wellness center Tachyon had recommended. After paying the fare, Huiyi stepped inside curiously.
"Welcome. What service can I get for you?" The greeter was also a gray-haired horse girl, but she completely outclassed Huiyi in both height and figure. Huiyi's gaze lingered on her for only a moment before looking away.
Huiyi picked up the service menu from the front desk and pointed to the hot medicated bath. "A bath to expel cold, I want the most effective one. Um... I ran in the rain during my debut race, and I feel like the chill has gotten into my whole body. It's so uncomfortable," she said, twisting her neck. The gray-haired attendant smiled knowingly.
"Of course, we'll prepare it right away. Please wait a moment."
Huiyi nodded and started scrolling through her phone on the bench. The uproar in her fan group about the winner's concert had died down, and the group members were now chatting about a new game. Scrolling up, it seemed to be a 2D game called Mita.
Someone even asked Huiyi to stream it. As if, she thought. How could I, Huiyi, play a 2D game like that? I'd probably get dragged into some weird fandom drama. So, she directly refused: "The streamer doesn't play 2D games. Find someone else."
But the next reply piqued her interest.
"Streamer, streamer, it's a horror game. Come on, play it. I guarantee it'll scare you into ending the stream."
Hmm? A 2D game with this fresh art style and cute girls is a horror game? Huiyi scoffed at her phone and sent a voice message: "Horror game? 2D? Scare me into ending the stream? You've got to be kidding me~"
Making a mental note of the game, Huiyi heard that her bath was ready. Led by a staff member to a private room, she was immediately hit by a thick medicinal aroma that made her a bit dizzy.
"Ahem... What is this smell? It smells like spices for stewing," Huiyi said, pinching her nose and waving her hand in front of her face. So much for the "fragrant medicinal scent" described in dramas and novels. No medicine ever smells good!
The staff member explained, "The main ingredients are ginger, asarum, cinnamon twig, and atractylodes, among others. They're for expelling wind and dampness." After all, it was a medicated bath with ties to medicine, and the attendant had also studied psychology, so she could naturally tell what Huiyi needed.
Before leaving, however, the attendant added a word of caution: "But if your condition is severe, please remember to see a doctor. Medicated baths are for conditioning and can't cure everything."
Left alone in the room, Huiyi went to the locker and undressed. Just inhaling the hot, steamy air in the room made her feel flushed. Patting her cheeks, Huiyi could feel that they were even hotter than the room's temperature.
"It's so hot in here... and there's no ventilation. Phew." But she had to admit, the wellness center was generous with its ingredients, making the high price worthwhile. Huiyi, with her slender frame wrapped in a towel, crouched by the tub and dipped her toe in, shivering instantly.
"So hot! Are they trying to give me a medicated bath or boil a horse girl?!" She crouched there for a moment, stunned. But that didn't seem to be a solution. Finally, holding her breath, she slowly put one foot into the water.
The water was scalding, with herbs floating on the surface, the steam making Huiyi even dizzier. But after adjusting, the temperature felt about right. She then slowly, still wrapped in her towel, submerged herself up to the edge of the tub.
However, she only let the water come up to her mid-chest, because Huiyi knew very well that if she submerged her entire body, she would most likely pass out from the heat.
Relaxing in the hot water, Huiyi let out a long sigh. Her long, loose hair floated on the water's surface. The piercing ache in her bones was slowly fading with the soak. It seemed Tachyon wasn't completely unreliable after all...
-------
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