Agnes Tachyon fell silent, closing her eyes without uttering a word.
"So you're actually worried about me? I can agree to the second condition, but my self-control isn't exactly reliable. Whether I can actually hold back will depend entirely on you keeping an eye on me."
Her half-opened eyes hid their usual madness, appearing unexpectedly gentle.
Agnes Tachyon reached out and tapped Nearl's shoulder, a hint of inexplicable amusement coloring her tone.
"Mm…"
Without a word, Manhattan Cafe stepped forward, wrapped her arms around Tachyon's waist, and pulled her back a step.
Fortunately, Tachyon was in an oddly good mood at the moment, so she willingly took a few steps backward.
"So, I've already agreed to both of your conditions. Now you have to keep your promises too, my dear assistant."
"Miss Agnes, I only agreed to test your medicines, cook for you, and look after you. I didn't accept the role of assistant. And out of those three, only testing the medicines is my actual promise—the other two aren't guaranteed to be my top priority."
Nearl corrected her firmly.
"Tch!"
Tachyon turned her head away with a soft click of her tongue, but when she turned back, her expression was as bright and cheerful as ever.
"Fine, just testing the medicines is enough. You know, it's usually so hard to convince—I mean, persuade—other Uma Musume to test my formulas."
As she spoke, she pulled a small spray bottle from her pocket.
"Perfect timing, I just finished brewing a new formula. I'll have to rely on you to try it out, Nearl."
"You're really a troublemaker."
Manhattan Cafe frowned at the spray bottle in Tachyon's hand, then shot a worried glance toward Nearl.
Such a clearly emotional look was impossible to miss. Nearl smiled gently back at her.
"Do I just spray this directly?"
"Mhmm, of course."
Tachyon nodded proudly, watching Nearl with eager anticipation.
"Hurry, hurry—I really want to see this formula's actual effects. Even though I have a general idea of its direction, mutations are totally possible. But I promise it won't endanger anyone's life, so don't worry."
She patted her chest confidently, mainly hoping Nearl wouldn't hesitate.
To her surprise, Nearl didn't hesitate at all—she just calmly sprayed a few bursts onto her face.
The motion was so natural, her expression so relaxed, it was as if she wasn't holding an unknown concoction with uncertain ingredients and unpredictable side effects, but rather a bottle of facial toner.
"Ah!"
Manhattan Cafe watched anxiously, instinctively reaching out to stop her. But this was Nearl's own decision—she couldn't force her own will onto her.
Luckily, SS seemed to drift out like a stand behind Cafe, comforting her in a voice only Nearl and Cafe could hear.
"Don't worry. Don't forget who Nearl is. Removing any negative effects would be effortless for her."
Only then did Cafe relax.
But Tachyon had no invisible friend to reassure her. She was left alone to wrestle with her own tangled feelings—a mix of worry and excitement.
'Come on, I want to see the results already. But what if the side effects are something terrible?'
'Maybe I really should prepare an antidote. Even if Nearl is my little guinea pig, keeping the guinea pig healthy is still a scientist's responsibility.'
Several minutes passed. Nearl looked down at herself, carefully assessing her condition, then shook her head at Tachyon.
"I don't feel any different."
That only made Tachyon ponder more deeply.
"That shouldn't be… I can't be sure about the negative side effects, but based on the combination, there should definitely be some. They shouldn't just not show up."
"But I really don't feel anything."
"Hmm… then give the bottle back to me."
Once she had the glass container in hand, Tachyon rubbed it thoughtfully for a while before reluctantly suggesting a possibility.
"Maybe it's because your body is just too strong, Nearl. I mean, people with different builds have different tolerances. Not that you're heavy or anything!"
"So?"
"Looks like we really do need a control experiment."
As she said this, Agnes Tachyon shifted her gaze toward Manhattan Cafe, who had been watching quietly the whole time.
"!"
Cafe's ears pressed flat back against her head, and the fur along her tail bristled slightly. Her resistance in that moment was unmistakable.
"No."
"Cafe…"
"Don't even think about it!"
Shaking her head vehemently, Cafe firmly refused Tachyon, leaving no room for negotiation.
Truth be told, while Cafe never enjoyed being a test subject, there was still about a fifty-fifty chance she'd give in out of soft-heartedness—after all, Tachyon had once been the only person she really talked to.
So occasionally, she'd still get tricked into drinking one of Tachyon's concoctions.
They were never harmful—Tachyon was cautious in that regard—but the side effects could be truly unpleasant, and some even made her look ridiculous.
Like the time her whole body turned as white as cream, or when her voice became deep and rugged like a man's, or the worst one—when she lost her sense of taste for a whole day…
In short, she didn't want to test it, especially not in front of Nearl. What if this time the side effect made her look hideous?
"It'll be fine, really—"
As always, Tachyon tried to sweet-talk her. She knew Cafe too well—a little persuasion mixed with an emotional appeal usually worked.
"Miss Agnes, please remember our agreement."
Nearl quietly reminded the eager Tachyon.
"Hah? Fine then. Guess I'll have to test it myself."
With no other choice, Tachyon took the final route.
It wasn't that she disliked testing her own medicines, but if the results affected her intellect—like that shrinking potion last time—things could get troublesome.
But now, with Nearl as a rare control subject, the timing was too good to pass up.
"Psssh—"
The mist settled on her skin, cool and refreshing at first, but then… nothing.
"?"
She opened her eyes in confusion, looking herself over before turning to Nearl.
"Do I look any different?"
"No."
Nearl shook her head with certainty.
"Hmm, that's strange. Why, though?"
"Maybe this formula just happens to have no side effects?"
Manhattan Cafe suggested.
"Well, that possibility can't be ignored either. I suppose we really do need more Uma Musume to test it. For example… you, Cafe."
"Eh?"
"Don't think you're getting away. This formula's positive effects are confirmed—it'll definitely strengthen your leg muscles. You're someone important to me; I'd never let you get hurt."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Tachyon clapped a hand over her lips, her face showing clear disbelief. Cafe reacted the same way.
"Tachyon… that was so cheesy. Do you usually talk like that?"
"Cheesy? Not at all! I really do like you. You've always stayed by my side when I felt lonely—isn't that just normal friendship?"
"!!!!"
This time, the blush on Tachyon's face was impossible to hold back.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! 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.