The woman before them, impossibly young-looking, was Agnes Tachyon's mother, Agnes Flora.
She seemed caught off guard by Agnes Tachyon's sudden return home, a flicker of surprise passing over her face.
When her eyes swept over the few figures standing behind her daughter, her expression settled back into its usual calm, though a hint of contemplation now lingered in her gaze.
It wasn't common for Agnes Tachyon to bring outsiders home.
She never had much fondness for involving herself with family affairs, and letting her classmates come into contact with her relatives was even less to her liking.
"Are you working?"
Using that same unchanging, matter-of-fact tone she used with everyone, Agnes Tachyon addressed her mother.
"Perfect timing, I just finished a stretch of work."
Guiding them to sit on the sofa, Agnes Flora stood up and opened the cabinet, rummaging for tea to serve her guests.
"Ah... please, don't go to any trouble on our account."
Manhattan Cafe couldn't help but speak up.
The woman before them was a renowned figure in the horse racing world. Just standing there, she exuded an aura of authority.
She really didn't want to impose on such an important person.
"Cafe, it's alright. Today, you are guests."
Even before any introductions were made, she accurately said Cafe's name, and her tone suggested she had known of her for a while.
"Surprised? Well, you're Tachyon's classmate. It's only natural I'd know of you."
"Yes, you're right..."
A few minutes later, the aroma of black tea and coffee filled the room. Seeming to know Cafe's preference, she had specifically chosen some stored, ground coffee beans.
"Of course, it would be even better if there was sugar in it."
Agnes Tachyon, holding her cup of black tea, remarked to her mother.
"I had thought attending Tracen Academy might change you a bit. But in the end, it seems nothing has changed at all, Tachyon."
"If we're talking about physical changes, there have been plenty over these years. Most of my cells have been renewed. The me sitting here now is a brand new me."
It was subtle, but Cafe could still detect a trace of constraint in Agnes Tachyon's voice.
That Agnes Tachyon, who was so forthright even in front of Symboli Rudolf, the Chairwoman, and even the JRA Central officials, had finally adopted a more subdued attitude when facing her own mother.
This was truly a rare sight.
"Cafe, this child Tachyon must have caused you quite a bit of trouble, hasn't she? Thank you for looking after her at school."
Adopting a motherly demeanor, Agnes Flora nodded her thanks to Cafe.
This made Cafe feel both flustered and deeply honored.
"No, not at all! Tachyon has helped me a great deal. If anything, I'm the one who has been looked after..." She waved her hands hurriedly in response.
"Hehe, just as I'd heard. Cafe is a very good girl."
After letting out a meaningful chuckle, Agnes Flora's gaze slowly shifted to the young girl beside Manhattan Cafe.
A face as delicate as a porcelain doll, paired with a black jacket and a white coat, gave her a faint, distinguished air.
The moment Agnes Flora's eyes met hers, she froze.
Her body gave a noticeable jolt.
"So similar..."
The words escaped her lips almost unconsciously.
"Ms. Flora?"
Seeing the woman locked in a prolonged stare with her 'friend,' Manhattan Cafe spoke up, puzzled, finally pulling Agnes Flora back to the present.
"Ah, my apologies." She straightened up as if waking from a dream. "Is this young lady also a friend of Tachyon's?"
Agnes Flora had never heard of such a person being around her daughter.
From the very first glance, a strange feeling had welled up in her heart.
"Yes, I suppose I haven't introduced her yet. She's my friend. Her name is—"
"Sunday Silence."
The girl spoke. "My name is Sunday Silence. A pleasure to meet you, Agnes—"
'Agnes Flora. Just call me Flora.'
At that moment, that peculiar sound echoed in the girl's ear once more.
'Flora... Your name doesn't sound... very interesting.'
'Nonsense, it's a lovely name!'
Again, it was a conversation she'd never heard, voices she'd never known, like shards of a broken mirror reflecting fragments of scenes both familiar and alien, flashing before her eyes.
"Flora..."
The girl uttered woodenly.
Cafe sucked in a sharp breath.
'Friend,' no matter what, you can't just call an elder by their first name! And she's such a notable figure too, it's far too impolite!
Just as Cafe was about to apologize for her 'friend's' rudeness, Agnes Flora laughed.
"Haha, Flora, haha~ How long has it been... How long since anyone has called me that directly. Sunday Silence, was it? What a lovely child."
She was laughing with genuine delight.
Huh? What was going on?
As Cafe puzzled over why Agnes Flora was so delighted, Agnes Tachyon, who had been silently drinking her tea, finally set her cup down.
"Mother, could I have a few words with you?"
Her flat tone instantly drew everyone's attention.
"Tachyon." Having laughed her fill, Agnes Flora placed her hands on her knees, the color fading from her cheeks.
"Of course. You wouldn't have come all the way from Tracen just to visit me, would you?"
"As expected of you, Mother. You know me so well." Agnes Tachyon let out a light laugh. "That's right. I came this time because there's something I need to ask of you."
I see...
A faint wave of disappointment washed over Agnes Flora. "What is it?"
If it was something that made her daughter come home personally, it certainly wasn't about buying lab equipment or being short on funds.
"It's not actually all that complicated. It's about my friend here, Miss Sunday Silence."
Agnes Tachyon's glance slid toward the girl.
"Due to some... special circumstances, her identity is not something that can be widely known. So I'm hoping, Mother, that you can arrange for her to be transferred into Tracen."
"..."
As soon as the words fell, the air sank into an eerie stillness.
What?
Agnes Flora wondered if she had misheard.
"The specific details aren't something I can share. But without exaggeration, my friend here is an extremely important existence, both for Tracen and for Uma Musume in general. She's currently caught up in some trouble. So I'm hoping, Mother, that you can help her obtain a legitimate identity within Tracen."
Agnes Tachyon laid it out plainly, without any beating around the bush.
"Tachyon... Do you understand what you're saying?"
Agnes Flora's tone was stern.
What her daughter was asking was for her to help this girl secure a position at Tracen while concealing her true identity.
Never mind Tracen's standing in society. If such backdoor dealings were ever discovered, it wouldn't just be the school—the entire family would be tarnished!
The risks and the difficulty were far too high.
"Of course I understand. Precisely because I understand, I came here." Agnes Tachyon stated frankly.
"If possible, I am willing to bear all responsibility. Whether it's the URA, the family, or Tracen, all blame can be placed on me. As long as she can be brought into Tracen."
These words not only made her mother's eyes widen, but even Cafe beside them was shocked.
"Tachyon, no matter what, this is too—"
"Sorry, Cafe. Please stay quiet for a moment."
Agnes Tachyon cut her off.
Looking at her daughter's unusually stubborn expression, Agnes Flora frowned slightly. Her gaze swept over to Sunday Silence, whose eyes were flickering faintly beside them.
After a few seconds of silence, Agnes Flora finally spoke. "Could I speak with her alone?"
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T/N: Sunday Silence mated w/ Flora to get Tachyon, just in case people don't know
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T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 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.