On her way back, Gold Ship felt like she had forgotten something. But after thinking hard, it seemed like nothing was missing. So, she decisively gave up thinking about it and instead rushed back to Tracen Academy to find the target she had in mind.
At this time, her trainer was being "invited for tea" by the event organizers and the Committee staff. Although Gold Ship was the one who skipped the Winning Concert, her trainer, Okino, certainly couldn't escape responsibility.
Okino, who had been preparing to watch Gold Ship dance, had no idea he was suddenly going to be the scapegoat. He was still in a state of utter confusion when he was dragged away.
'I knew being that girl's trainer would be trouble!'
Okino helplessly endured several hours of "re-education." He was extremely cooperative on the surface, but in his heart, he knew: it wasn't that he didn't want to discipline Gold Ship; it was that he couldn't. Or rather, no one could probably discipline that Demon King. He couldn't imagine anyone who could. So, while he promised the Committee members that he would go back and lecture her, in reality, he would, at most, mention it briefly.
Come to think of it, he had also forgotten to train Gold Ship's dancing ability. Could it be that the Demon King skipped the Winning Concert because she didn't know how to dance? That... couldn't be, right? Okino suddenly thought of this, and a cold sweat broke out. If that was the real reason, then it really was his responsibility. And he might have to face the wrath of a furious Demon King when he got back. He was going to die, wasn't he?
'Maybe... I just won't go back today.'
Life was, after all, more important than responsibility.
Meanwhile, Gold Ship had already found the person she was looking for.
"Oh my? I didn't expect a guest to come knocking on my door."
The somewhat scruffy-looking horse girl put down a beaker glowing with an eerie light and turned to look at the guest who had just barged into her lab.
Gold Ship had zero self-awareness that she was the rude guest who had kicked the door in. She walked over, grabbed a chair for herself, found an empty table, and threw the chair onto it. She then leaped up herself, and like an acrobat, her body landed steadily in the chair just as it settled on the tabletop.
After striking a pose she deemed sufficiently arrogant, Gold Ship finally spoke, "You're the 'Dark Scientist' from the rumors, right?"
"Kukuku~ That's right. I am that Dark Scientist."
Agnes Tachyon laughed.
"So, little one, you've come to me, the Dark Scientist... are you looking to buy a potion to strengthen your body? Or perhaps you want..."
"Alright. This great one isn't interested in your weird experiments. I'm here to recruit you, Agnes Tachyon. Don't you want to witness a realm of more speed, more strength? It's a brand new field, completely different from the 'Zone'!"
The domain that exploded from Gold Ship's body made Agnes Tachyon swallow the rest of her prepared lines. She stared in shock at the girl who could release and retract her domain at will, and began to seriously consider Gold Ship's words.
"...Can you let me see it first?"
"Of course."
Gold Ship hopped down from the chair and walked to the door.
"Don't just stand there, let's go. To the training grounds. I'll let you witness this great one's power. Feel honored. You're the first person to see my true strength."
Hearing this, Agnes Tachyon excitedly followed.
On the training grounds, Gold Ship used most of her "skills" for Tachyon to see. Watching the figure on the track casually clocking a time that surpassed the world record, the smile on Tachyon's face was uncontrollable. She never thought something this good would just fall from the sky and land right on her head.
"So, how was it?"
Gold Ship asked, walking over after finishing a lap.
Agnes Tachyon said, ecstatic, "Wonderful! This is another, all-new realm a horse girl can reach? How in the world did you do it?"
"Hmph. This great one was born with it. Skills, domains... I mastered them the moment I was born into this world and opened my eyes. You all are the ones who are so weak it's strange," Gold Ship said with utter disdain. It was precisely because she had this power since she was a child that she never fit in. If she hadn't regained her memories, she would have started to question her own origins.
"This great one can organize the skills I've mastered into written knowledge. I want you to use this knowledge to research a way for other horse girls to learn skills. To that end, I can also cooperate with some of your experiments. Can you do it?"
Agnes Tachyon nodded frantically.
"Please leave it to me!"
"Hahaha! Good! Then from today, you are this great one's Number One Henchman." Gold Ship laughed, then casually pulled the bank card her "Gold" family had given her from her pocket and tossed it to Tachyon. "Take this and use it. If it's not enough, this great one will just go win a few Major Stakes prizes."
"O-oh! Wonderful, Boss!"
Agnes Tachyon instantly bowed down. Faced with what Gold Ship was offering, she couldn't refuse in the slightest.
"Hahaha!"
Seeing Tachyon was so on board, Gold Ship was delighted.
Her earlier bad mood vanished instantly.
See? This great one is already starting her own enterprise. How could I be some 'kid lacking love'? Impossible! I'm the Demon King!
"Oh, right, Boss. Are you still recruiting? I have another candidate. She... she can definitely help us with our research!"
"Oh? Your 'good friend,' right? No problem. But can you convince her to become this great one's subordinate?"
"Please, rest assured and leave it to me!"
Agnes Tachyon had already made up her mind. She had to pull her good friend Manhattan Cafe into this. A "Boss" this generous was hard to find! Not only did she present a research plan with such a beautiful future, she also gave her a black card to spend freely!
"Good. Then tomorrow, this great one will give you the skill data. I hope you can show me results soon. After all, the races right now are just... so boring. You can't even call it entertainment. It's like a children's play-pretend. This great one doesn't want to keep running in races of this level."
Hearing this, the smile on Tachyon's face froze for a second. She never thought Gold Ship wanted to pass on her abilities for that reason. But a moment later, she became even more excited. She felt her choice today was absolutely correct. Only a horse girl like this could lead them into a new realm.
"Don't worry, Boss! I will do everything in my power!"
Having successfully subdued the scientist with advanced knowledge and a monetary assault, Gold Ship was in a great mood. She ran to the cafeteria, had a huge meal, and then went back to her dorm to sleep, completely forgetting about the Winning Concert and her abandoned trainer.
The next day, when her trainer cautiously asked her if she knew how to dance, Gold Ship finally remembered what she had forgotten yesterday. Her face immediately hardened, and she roared at him, "Are you questioning this great one's abilities?!"
Having intimidated her trainer and successfully bluffed her way out, Gold Ship immediately slipped away.
Okino scratched his head.
"What in the world... did she mean by that?"
Does she know, or not?
Should I get another horse girl to teach her? But if Gold Ship does know how to dance, doing that would be an offense to her "Demon King's" dignity...
Meanwhile, Gold Ship had already arrived at Agnes Tachyon's lab again. This time, Tachyon wasn't alone; there was another horse girl with long, straight black hair.
"Oh, Boss, you're finally here!"
Agnes Tachyon tried hard to put on a persona that didn't suit her.
Gold Ship waved her hand impatiently.
"You don't need to act like that. You're my subordinates, not my slaves. We're colleagues. You just have to respect me in your heart. This great one is very magnanimous. Right, here you go. This is the stuff."
Gold Ship pulled a file folder, about three fingers thick, from her school bag.
"So this is... the stuff."
Agnes Tachyon accepted the folder with a solemn expression.
This was the key to a new world. But she didn't open it immediately. Instead, she introduced her friend.
"Boss, this is my Number Two Henchman I told you about, Manhattan Cafe. Don't be fooled by her appearance; Cafe is very strong. And she has a special ability to... see things that others can't. She can cooperate with me on some... special experiments. She will definitely be a great help to our research."
Hearing Tachyon's introduction, Gold Ship suddenly remembered that setting. She remembered Manhattan Cafe, but not very well. When she played the game, she rarely trained this horse girl and had forgotten her backstory. Only now, with Tachyon's reminder, did she realize: this world has the setting for spirit-seers!
"Interesting. Hahaha! How interesting! Well then, Cafe, are you truly prepared to walk with me, the Demon King? And... can you 'see' anything on me?"
"...Mm. I'll... be in your care."
Manhattan Cafe nodded lightly, speaking very slowly.
"Then from now on, you are this great one's Henchman Number Two."
After seeing Manhattan Cafe successfully establish a "friendly" relationship with Gold Ship, Agnes Tachyon finally opened the folder and began to flip through the materials.
The moment she saw the professional terminology and the various bizarre concepts, Tachyon's eyes lit up.
"Boss... do you also understand science?"
"No. This stuff just... automatically popped into my head."
"Ooh! Natural-born wisdom! I really want to cut open your head and take a look!"
"Hey, hey! Are you getting a little too familiar?! I said you could be yourselves, but I didn't say you could commit insubordination!"
"Don't worry, Boss. Your head is still useful... for now."
"That means you're not giving up on the idea, isn't it?!"
...
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