"And Flightline, too, is plagued by illness." After writing down Flightline's name, Agnes Tachyon paused briefly.
"If you'd seen her race outfit, you'd wonder how she could dress so conservatively in a place like America."
"Aside from her own preference, there's another major reason—Flightline has a truly terrifying scar on her back, running from her neck down along her spine all the way to her hips."
Agnes Tachyon brought out a laptop and set it in front of Platinum.
What played now was a recording of Flightline's training. On the screen, a figure dashed across a dirt track, kicking up clouds of dust.
Since it was a recording, it was hard to make out exactly what Flightline was like, only that she was a figure clad entirely in black.
Though she wore her race outfit, it truly covered her completely—a dark green coat enveloped her entire body, leaving not an inch of her back exposed.
"This one's a bit of a joke, isn't she? Wearing her race outfit during training." After watching for a few seconds, Platinum offered her blunt assessment.
Whatever. It wasn't like she'd be racing against her anyway.
They were separated by half the globe—might never even meet. Better to speak her mind now.
If anyone asked, she'd just say Flightline was no match for Tokai Teio; if they pressed, she'd claim Flightline couldn't outrun her.
"Training?" Agnes Tachyon looked at Platinum with a faint, ambiguous smile. "How could I possibly have such far-reaching connections to get my hands on Flightline's training footage at the racetrack?"
"Look closely, this is a world-class race—the Malibu Stakes!"
As Agnes Tachyon spoke, the camera finally pulled back from Flightline, widening to show the entire track. Only then did Platinum see the other Uma Musume trailing behind Flightline!
...Huh?
For a moment, Platinum felt her teeth chattering. Then her cheeks began to tremble, and soon her whole body was shaking like a sandglass rustling. She covered her face, startled by her own reaction—
A few seconds later, she realized what this feeling was. It was [shock].
Right at that moment, Flightline crossed the finish line.
"By a massive eleven-length margin, Flightline wins the Malibu Stakes! Can you hear it? The cheers from the entire Santa Anita Park—audible from Alaska to Maine!"
"Flightline has lived up to Secretariat's legacy; she has taken the baton of an era from Secretariat's own hands!"
The camera focused on Flightline again. Now that she was no longer moving at high speed, it finally captured a clear, close-up view of her.
The dark green coat was wrapped tightly around her, making it hard to tell her height without a reference.
But there was no doubt she was slender.
Apart from the dark green coat, everything else on Flightline was pitch black, like ink. That small streak of white hair on her forehead stood out starkly instead.
Surprisingly, Flightline's face didn't match Platinum's expectation of deep-set eyes, sharp features, and vivid lips.
Instead, she had thin, sharply defined crimson lips, like they were carved with a blade, and tightly knit brows that gave her a somewhat severe appearance.
Beyond that, Flightline had pitch-black eyes. Dark, dark eyes that seemed to swirl slowly like black holes.
Flightline ignored the camera, turning instead to walk toward the infield. She stepped onto the edge of a guardrail, her steel-heeled boot clinking sharply against the metal.
Then, she undid the fastenings of her dark green coat, raised her right hand, and flung the coat high into the air. The hem of the coat danced in the wind, billowing like a banner.
Sure enough, beneath the coat she wore a black shirt. This was a creature cloaked entirely in black.
The crowd's cheers and the rustle of the coat abruptly ceased. The video ended, the screen freezing on Flightline's frowning face.
At some point, Agnes Tachyon had moved behind Platinum.
She reached out, her wide sleeves draping over Platinum's neck like arms. Agnes Tachyon narrowed her eyes, smiling, a crimson glint flashing in her pupils.
"See, Platinum? You've said it yourself—you're the most naturally gifted Uma Musume in this world."
"The final opponent you must face is her."
"This is my condition—I will devote myself to treating your Soul Dissolution Syndrome, to training your body and your legs with maximum efficiency."
"In return, you must not lose. You cannot lose a single race. If you lose, I'll consider you no longer worthy of my support, and I'll find myself a new favorite."
"Likewise, if you can do it... I'll do anything for you. Not only will I cure your Soul Dissolution Syndrome, if you want a star from the sky, I'll pluck it down for you."
The arms around Platinum's neck suddenly tightened. Along with the searing warmth from Agnes Tachyon, Platinum felt a choking sensation.
Agnes Tachyon's smile widened, stretching nearly to her ears. She held Platinum gleefully, whispering honeyed words into her ear as tender as a lover's, sweet enough to make one's bones melt.
"So, can you do it?"
Damn it... What's gotten into Agnes Tachyon? Cold sweat dripped down Platinum's back. The arms around her neck felt like a damp snake, ready to twist and snap it at any moment.
Only now did Platinum truly realize just how dangerous Agnes Tachyon was.
How did someone like her even get into Tracen Academy? Symboli Rudolf, did you even screen the incoming students? Letting someone like Agnes Tachyon into Tracen Academy is like throwing a wolf into a flock of sheep!
By all reason, Platinum should say something smooth and reassuring now. Then Agnes Tachyon would release her, sighing about how she knew she hadn't misjudged her...
But Platinum was scared. Genuinely terrified.
Agnes Tachyon was just too frightening. Platinum was already starting to regret following that fortune-telling advice to seek her out at the café.
"...What if I said, I'll try my best, give it a shot—would that be acceptable?" Platinum stammered, tentatively and cautiously.
She really didn't think she'd ever have a chance to cross paths with someone like Flightline. And judging by that display, how could she possibly win?
Wouldn't it be better to just race domestically, earn some money, and call it a day?
Perhaps caught off guard by such a spineless reply, even Agnes Tachyon fell silent.
"Or maybe... uh, we could sign some kind of buffer agreement? Like, avoiding a race doesn't count as a loss, losing once doesn't count, bad weather doesn't count..." Platinum carefully pressed her advantage while she could.
Staying alive—nothing shameful about that.
"...I never imagined you'd need training starting from this aspect," Agnes Tachyon sighed softly, then began to laugh again.
"Hahaha! But that's what makes it interesting!"
"Do you really think you can escape, Platinum? Don't forget... you're the one who came to me of your own accord."
--+--
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.