After the experiment, Agnes Tachyon finally set Shirayuki's time inside the device at thirty minutes.
Any longer, and her head would not be able to handle it. Any shorter, and they would not be able to test much of anything.
Air Shakur watched from the side with a face full of question marks. She could not understand what was going on with this girl called Shirayuki and this guy called Chiya. Every time Shirayuki came out, Chiya would clutch his head and scream. Air Shakur almost thought they were performing some kind of cult ritual.
As expected of Agnes Tachyon's trainer.
His head had problems, just like hers.
And when she asked what was going on, he refused to answer.
Damn it.
Now I'm really curious.
I really want to know!
"You bastard!"
"What did I do!?"
Fujiwara Chiya was startled by her.
Air Shakur grabbed his collar, then sat down in a sullen mood.
"Nothing."
Anyway, I'm just an outsider. Once I get the data, I'll go work on my own software. You people can do whatever you want.
A few drops of cold sweat slid down Fujiwara Chiya's face.
As expected of Agnes Tachyon's friend. She really has personality. I knew anyone who could be friends with Tachyon couldn't possibly have a normal head!
And so, with both of them silently muttering, "This damn person is crazy," about each other, today's experiment came to an end.
Before he left, Agnes Tachyon said, "By the way, Trainer, this device can also be used for training. Or rather, this device was made for training in the first place. Come by whenever you need it."
You're too polite.
Why not just move this thing into my dorm room? Then we can experiment there.
After experiencing it once, Fujiwara Chiya was completely addicted. If this thing could be turned into a game, it would definitely sell like crazy. They could adjust the body data and let everyone experience what it felt like to be an uma musume.
Unfortunately, because of his constitution, Fujiwara Chiya could not play with it for long. It was like how people with heart problems could not ride roller coasters.
Unless he somehow got another device for himself.
"I'll come by often."
After making that promise with Agnes Tachyon, Fujiwara Chiya left the room.
When Agnes Tachyon said this device represented a breakthrough in Domain technology, that was entirely based on the fact that their test subject was Fujiwara Chiya.
The reason was memory synchronization.
The instant Shirayuki came out, the two of them synchronized their memories. Fujiwara Chiya would rapidly experience everything Shirayuki had gone through. That was the key.
When an uma musume entered the Domain, she would not realize that she was in the Domain. Or rather, she would not be aware of anything at all. She might even forget that she was currently racing.
If Shirayuki entered the Domain inside the virtual world, then after she came out, Fujiwara Chiya would reexperience the Domain in the form of pure memory.
During that process, he could think.
In other words, Fujiwara Chiya would experience the Domain of an uma musume from the perspective of an observer.
In the entire history of uma musume, this was something unheard of.
After reaching that conclusion, even Agnes Tachyon's usually calm face had rarely shown an excited expression. Paired with those lightless eyes of hers, Fujiwara Chiya nearly mistook that mad scientist for a yandere.
A yandere uma musume.
Was there anything more terrifying than that?
After leaving the laboratory, Fujiwara Chiya headed to the training grounds as usual.
Unlike before, there was someone extra on the track this time.
The person was wearing a tracksuit, hat, sunglasses, and a face mask, covering their face completely. They looked like a suspicious pervert peeping at little girls outside an elementary school gate.
However, Fujiwara Chiya knew this person's true identity.
Hayakawa Tazuna.
She had said she would become Shirayuki's training partner and return to training.
But she had not said she would return in this form!
If not for the tail sticking out and revealing her identity as an uma musume, this person would be caught by the disciplinary committee in less than half a minute.
She was way too suspicious!
"Chiya," she whispered.
"Seriously, Tazuna, we can train when no one else is around too. Isn't it stuffy wearing all that?"
Her head was covered so tightly that no one would recognize her.
"It's fine. It would be bad if the students found out I'm an uma musume."
"They can't know?"
"Mm. I signed a confidentiality agreement with Central back then. In truth, the fact that I'm an uma musume was not something even you were supposed to know, but… well, you know. Under those circumstances, there was no way you wouldn't find out."
What Tazuna was referring to was naturally the time they had seen each other honestly and openly.
She swayed her tail. Fujiwara Chiya remembered the various miraculous uses of an uma musume's tail in bed and quickly stopped his thoughts before they went somewhere dangerous.
"In any case, there are various special circumstances on my side too. For now, this is the only way."
"Fine."
Shirayuki walked over beside them.
Running alongside someone powerful was the fastest way to improve an uma musume's strength. It allowed one to directly see the gap between oneself and a much stronger uma musume.
After so many rounds of training, Shirayuki was no longer the silly sweet girl she had once been. She now had the strength to go toe-to-toe with Hayakawa Tazuna.
At least, that was what she believed.
"Shirayuki!"
With a childish, energetic shout, a lively little foal ran over and hugged Shirayuki from behind.
Tokai Teio looked up and said, "Let's train, Shirayuki!"
Ever since Shirayuki became the Empress, Tokai Teio spent half her time accompanying the President, and the other half lingering beside Shirayuki.
After all, she was determined to become the pinnacle of uma musume. Once she became Student Council President, Shirayuki would be her right-hand woman.
So she had to start developing the habit of ordering Shirayuki around freely right now.
"Teio, I'm going to train with Tazu… cough, I mean, I'm going to train with her."
Shirayuki gestured toward Hayakawa Tazuna in front of them.
"A suspicious person!"
Tokai Teio immediately became alert.
Who would wear a face mask and sunglasses inside Tracen!?
She asked on the spot, "Who are you?"
Hayakawa Tazuna hesitated a few times before finally answering,
"You are not worthy of knowing."
"Hah??"
Not only was she suspicious, she was absurdly arrogant!
When has this Tokai Teio ever been treated like this?
She got down from Shirayuki's back and stood in front of Hayakawa Tazuna, facing her off.
Although Teio was small, her aura was not weak at all.
Facing this arrogant person who had also come to steal her right to train with Shirayuki, Tokai Teio was not about to indulge her.
She placed her hands on her hips and said, "Fine. If you want to train with Shirayuki, then you have to get past me first. I want to see what kind of strength you have that lets you say something like that."
"Teio, this might not be a good idea…"
"What's not good about it? Shirayuki, just watch how I take this person down!"
Tokai Teio raised her thumb confidently.
"You want to challenge me?"
Hayakawa Tazuna's muffled voice came through the mask.
"Wrong. You're the one challenging me. Get it straight who the challenger is!"
Tokai Teio proudly puffed out her chest.
"Tazuna, Teio is…"
Fujiwara Chiya tried to step in and smooth things over, but Hayakawa Tazuna raised a hand.
Behind her sunglasses, her emerald-green eyes looked toward Tokai Teio.
"I think it is about time someone suppressed these children's arrogance."
The news that Tokai Teio would be racing a mysterious uma musume spread through Tracen in an instant.