Xingyun Liuge chose the horse-girl-approved way of dealing with this maddening "hurry up and get married" nonsense:
Beat me first.
She was going to run a training race anyway. Who she ran with did not really matter.
Of course, Agnes Tachyon was clearly not used to British turf, so there was not much practical value in using her as a benchmark. But that hardly mattered. The point was not reference data. The point was making sure Tachyon stopped interrupting her running at such a critical moment.
This was still the Classic year, for heaven's sake. Why was anyone already talking about horseplay or marriage? Shouldn't those things wait until the Dream Trophy circuit? Or at the very least until the senior division? Right now she was still a baby!
That said, if anyone ever actually called her a baby to her face, Xingyun Liuge would absolutely fall out with them. Baby, baby? At my age? Seriously?
Agnes Tachyon was hauled upright on the spot, then dragged along at what was practically flight speed all the way to Epsom Racecourse.
Why had Xingyun Liuge wanted to go running the moment she landed, before she had even entered the villa? Because she had already asked Shardari to help her reserve time on the course. She had been waiting for this.
The instant the two of them stepped inside, they drew every eye in the place. A few accredited reporters even hurried over with cameras, hoping to get a commemorative photo with her. After all, this was the freshly crowned American Triple Crown winner, and one who clearly intended to shine on both turf and dirt. After what she had shown in the 2000 Guineas, who in their right mind would dare declare that she could not conquer British turf as well?
Even the most confident hosts and commentators no longer dared make any bold predictions. What if she crushed them flat afterward?
One reporter wanted an interview, while one with quicker instincts went straight for a question.
"Miss Xingyun, what are your thoughts on the upcoming Epsom Derby and Oaks?"
Xingyun Liuge answered without hesitation, "Friendship first, competition second."
Then she launched into an impeccably proper follow-up: the racecourse was for training and competition, and all interview requests should be directed to her trainer.
At that point, no matter how impatient the reporters were, they had no choice but to follow procedure. Otherwise, both the Royal Racing Association and Tracen would make sure they regretted it. More importantly, all kinds of factions were vying for Xingyun Liuge now. If the Royal Racing Association failed to recruit her and decided afterward to blame some reckless reporter for giving her a bad impression of Britain, nobody would be able to bear that responsibility.
Shardari had already been waiting there. She was the second "familiar face" Liuge met in Britain, and before she knew it, she had been recruited to serve as the judge for this training race.
Looking at Shardari, Agnes Tachyon's expression did not change much, but inwardly she was genuinely surprised. The girl did not really resemble Oguri Cap in appearance, but the aura was exactly the same—vaguely silly, like the sort of person who could eat endlessly.
And Britain was a culinary wasteland. Agnes Tachyon almost wanted to offer her condolences. Aside from fish and chips and French cuisine, what was there to eat here?
With that jumble of thoughts still in her head, the two horse girls entered the gate.
Turf Training Race — Approx. 2400 meters — Sunny — Good Going
When Shardari dropped the red flag, the gates flew open with a crash.
Brown ponytail whipping wildly in the rushing wind, red eyes blazing with excitement, Agnes Tachyon looked as though she had encountered something worthy of burning her life away for in a desperate sprint.
She usually seemed unserious enough already, but now she looked even more unhinged, as though every cell in her body was radiating madness. It was the sort of sight that made people instinctively wary.
Since taking to the track, Xingyun Liuge had rarely seen an expression this warped. The closest comparison was Alysheba at her most desperate. But Agnes Tachyon did not seem to be literally burning herself out.
It was then that the sharper horse girl noticed something odd. According to fluid dynamics, the airflow around Agnes Tachyon should not have been moving like that—unless she was hiding something.
Streams of data like strings of ones and zeros seemed to flicker through Xingyun Liuge's eyes. Her mind raced, equations flashing through her consciousness before vanishing one after another, until they settled on a single set of figures:
83–55–81.
Realization dawned.
So Agnes Tachyon was not flat after all.
Not only was she not flat, she was actually fairly decent—solidly in the medium range.
Xingyun Liuge reflected on this sincerely for a moment, then reached a conclusion:
Whatever.
She had only known Agnes Tachyon for a short time, and horseplay had never even crossed her mind. Clearing up the misunderstanding changed nothing. Besides, compared to medium, she still preferred large and extra-large.
Agnes Tachyon, of course, had no idea Liuge had spare mental capacity for thoughts that ridiculous. From the very start, she was running at full power. She was not suited to front-running tactics, but this was a training race with only the two of them. If she did not go all out from the opening stride, she saw absolutely no path to victory.
As a researcher, one had to explore the unknown and turn impossibilities into possibilities. Since that was the case, how could she possibly allow herself to be shackled by some mere issue of tactical suitability?
She only wanted to go faster—faster and faster still.
Her goal was the absolute limit of speed.
Yes, the softness of turf slowed her down. So what? That did not matter in the slightest. All she had to do was run so fast that those little frictions were left so far behind they no longer meant anything.
As a horse girl, Agnes Tachyon naturally knew how intoxicating it felt to race headlong into the wind.
Since she had stepped onto the track, the only thing she wanted was the open, empty, peerless view that existed only at the very front of the pack. Even if her opponent was Xingyun Liuge, she still had to say it.
No—because her opponent was Xingyun Liuge, she had to say it all the more.
If she did not even have the courage to voice what she truly wanted, how could she ever hope to pursue the extreme she longed for? Even as an assistant, that would make her utterly unqualified.
With that thought, the air of mania around Agnes Tachyon grew even stronger, as if something fundamental inside her were beginning to mutate.
In a place even Agnes herself did not notice, tiny golden motes of light appeared around her ponytail and tail. They were still small, no more than fireflies drifting through the night, but they were real, and they were already exerting subtle effects.
Given time, they would surely grow and develop into something astonishing. Perhaps they would one day turn Agnes Tachyon into something like her own name suggested—a particle faster than light.
"You may look strange, but you're definitely happy right now, aren't you, Agnes Tachyon? It's written all over your face."
Xingyun Liuge ran alongside her, shoulder to shoulder. Tilting her head, she looked at this horse girl with her peculiar obsession, smiling as if amused by a private joke.
Hearing Liuge's voice, Agnes Tachyon turned her gaze sideways as well. Her eyes seemed tinged with crimson, as though she might use any means necessary to win if it came to that.
Then Agnes Tachyon bared her teeth, the madness in her grin growing stronger still.
"Of course," she said. "I'm going to overtake you."
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
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Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
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Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 248
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Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
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Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 145
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 115
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My Harem Is Indescribable 100
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"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 67
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
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The Most Filial Son Under Heav 85
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 78
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 80
Checking In in Demon Slayer 85
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 100
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 85
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 90
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 75
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 80
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The Gacha Merchant Who Started 80
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 80
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 57
The Uma Musume Who Became 55
I'm Definitely Not the King of 60
After Maxing Out Every Class 45
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Honkai: World Modulation Mode 34
I, the Elden Sword Saint 27
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 24
No One Knows Pokémon Better 18
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 20
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