As previously mentioned, Agnes Tachyon always acted like she was experienced and mature, someone who could effortlessly navigate through emotional matters. She often teased and joked around with Kitahara Sota, appearing like a confident woman who’d been through countless battles in matters of the heart.
However, all her supposed expertise was entirely theoretical.
Despite being immersed in the chaotic environment of Tracen Academy—especially given her role as a shady potion-seller—her heart wasn’t exactly pure anymore; if not outright tainted, it certainly wasn’t spotless. And since she frequently collected feedback about her potions’ effects, she’d inevitably picked up countless stories involving trainers and Uma Musume, or even romantic dramas between Uma Musume themselves, giving her an inflated sense of emotional understanding.
But the critical point was this:
Theory was still just theory.
It was like her skills as a trainer—on paper, she was flawless, but when it came to actual practice, reality always showed her how inexperienced she truly was.
Right until the moment Kitahara approached her, Tachyon felt perfectly calm. She’d been mentally rehearsing how she would tease him for daring to reject her generosity earlier, thinking it would remind him exactly who was the master in their little dynamic.
But the instant he knelt down and gently gripped her ankle, her playful expression froze in place.
No amount of theoretical knowledge or practiced composure could disguise the harsh reality:
Her practical experience in romance was a grand total of zero.
Forget practical experience—ever since enrolling at Tracen Academy, aside from brief exchanges when selling her suspicious potions, she’d barely even spoken to any men. Those trainers who did buy potions from her hurriedly fled afterward, terrified of lingering too long around the infamous mad scientist.
On top of that, due to her obsession with experiments (causing trouble), Tachyon rarely ventured outside, further limiting her social interactions. Before joining Kitahara’s team, she could count her friends on one hand—fewer even than Grass Wonder—and there certainly weren’t any men among them.
Thus, with excessive theoretical knowledge combined with zero practical experience, she had developed a false sense of confidence—a “that could never happen to me” sort of mentality.
She’d already experienced something similar at the clothing shop incident earlier, but since she’d narrowly managed to hide her embarrassment, she’d quickly brushed it off as an isolated fluke.
Not only had she dismissed it, but that minor setback had actually fueled her stubbornness, making her feel as though Kitahara had tricked her. Ever since, she’d been waiting for a chance to retaliate.
And yet…
The moment she felt the warmth and strength from his hand gently grasping her ankle, though she maintained outward composure, Tachyon’s tail instantly started wagging uncontrollably behind her. A hot blush quickly rose to her ears.
Teasing? Plans? Mischief?
Sure, it all sounded good in theory. During the brief moments as Kitahara approached, she’d mentally rehearsed several scenarios to toy with him.
But the second he touched her, all the carefully prepared words got stuck in her throat, and when his fingers gently massaged her ankle, she found herself completely frozen in place.
G-Guinea pig-kun, I’ll let you off for today…
Immediately realizing her predicament, Tachyon promptly surrendered, abandoning all mischievous thoughts.
Just endure this shoe-changing moment. I’ll get my revenge another time…
“Nnn—!”
She almost let out a cry, quickly muffling her voice behind her sleeve.
Because right at that moment, a subtle yet electrifying sensation traveled from her leg up to her brain.
She glanced downward in confusion, only to find that Kitahara hadn’t immediately put on her replacement shoes. Instead, he was now carefully, methodically massaging her ankles and calves, entirely focused and serious.
Her eyes widened, panic surging up inside.
Wh-wh-what are you doing, Guinea pig-kun?!
She couldn’t comprehend Kitahara’s actions and instinctively moved to stop him.
But before she could voice any objection, another gentle yet electrifying sensation pulsed through her body, utterly obliterating what little composure she had left.
Those indescribable sensations wove through her mind, mixing chaotically with suppressed emotions and breaking her fragile mask of calmness. A deep blush spread uncontrollably across her face.
No longer trying to stop him, Tachyon quietly watched Kitahara’s concentrated expression. Strange emotions fluttered inside her chest, making her heart race uncontrollably.
So… Guinea pig-kun likes this sort of thing…?
Well… if it’s him, I suppose it’s okay…
Besides…
Observing his earnest expression, Tachyon felt an odd satisfaction swell within her.
I knew it. Compared to a brat like Tokai Teio, my legs really are much better, aren’t they?
With that thought, she unconsciously raised her leg slightly, subtly pushing it closer into Kitahara’s hands, assisting his gentle movements.
Unbeknownst to her, however, Kitahara’s inner thoughts at that moment were entirely different from what she’d imagined.
What an absolute disaster these legs are…
Massaging Tachyon’s ankles and calves, Kitahara inwardly cursed at the mess he’d discovered.
It was similar to why he avoided closely watching Uma Musume train—because it physically pained him to see things done so badly. Aside from other concerns, this was another reason he typically avoided touching their bodies directly.
Although he’d clearly noticed Tachyon’s numerous physical issues from a distance, knowing her poor lifestyle and uneven diet had greatly impacted her legs, he still felt breathless upon direct contact.
Not in the literal sense, though—Tachyon’s feet didn’t smell at all, even after running the race. After all, Uma Musume were still girls who cared greatly about their image. As idols and athletes, thorough foot care, scented supplements, special socks, shoes, and even diet adjustments were all commonplace practices.
With enormous funds poured into these industries and likely some blessing from the Three Goddesses, many Uma Musume even ended their summer training smelling lightly fragrant rather than sweaty.
However, at this moment…
Honestly, Kitahara knew perfectly well his current actions were somewhat inappropriate.
But he just couldn’t resist.
It was like being an Italian watching someone bake a pineapple pizza, or a Chinese person forced to witness strawberries dumped into Mapo tofu—absolutely unbearable.
His original plan had been to swiftly change Tachyon’s shoes and be done with it.
Yet the second he gripped her ankle, that powerful sense of disharmony overwhelmed his mind, compelling his hands to move on instinct.
He touched, pressed, and massaged.
Every point precisely located, each movement expertly controlled, applying just the right pressure.
Driven purely by professional instinct, he adjusted and alleviated the worst issues. Though it was impossible to fix everything instantly, at least the overall imbalance was reduced to a tolerable degree.
When Kitahara finally returned to his senses, Tachyon’s tail had stopped wagging. She sat motionless, face buried behind her oversized sleeves, trembling slightly.
Kitahara wasn’t surprised.
Even Eclipse had struggled to withstand his massages at first, and Tachyon was a sickly Uma Musume undergoing this treatment for the first time.
Well… this is a bit awkward.
Seeing her state, Kitahara felt slightly embarrassed. He wondered why she hadn’t protested during the three-minute-long massage, but quickly brushed off the thought. After all, if someone willingly gave him such a pleasant massage, he’d also stay quiet and enjoy it secretly rather than complain.
Finishing up by slipping on her spare shoe, Kitahara hesitated slightly when looking at Tachyon’s other leg.
Leaving the other leg untreated felt somehow wrong, both for symmetry and injury prevention.
After a brief internal struggle, he turned and gently asked Tachyon if she wanted the other leg massaged too.
After a short silence, Tachyon replied softly, almost whispering.
“…Yes.”
Without further hesitation, Kitahara began massaging her other leg.
The familiar warmth flooded her senses again, leaving her utterly dazed beneath her sleeves, cheeks flushed crimson, eyes glazed with unfamiliar emotions.
What am I doing?
Tachyon had no idea.
Initially, she planned to tease Kitahara, but now she had become his plaything instead.
I’m supposed to be the master here…
Yet despite her thoughts, her body yielded obediently, even instinctively assisting his movements.
At this moment, rather than him being her guinea pig, she was behaving more like his obedient pet.
Minutes later, after finishing the massage, Kitahara stood up, washed his hands, and waited quietly, giving Tachyon time to recover.
Later, still shy and unable to look him in the eye, Tachyon quietly handed him the shoes she’d worn during her victory.
“…These are for you.”
Her voice shook slightly, face hidden.
Kitahara quickly understood and accepted, realizing her earlier teasing had partly been leading up to this sweet gesture.
She can be pretty cute sometimes, huh?
He left shortly afterward, leaving Tachyon alone to prepare for her upcoming victory performance.
As he waited outside, Kitahara glanced toward the stage.
“The Winner’s Concert, huh…”
He had a vague theory—maybe these idol performances were modern-day offerings meant to please the Three Goddesses, like ancient ritual dances of old. After all, even goddesses had to eat, right?
But he didn’t linger on the thought for long.
Soon, the lights illuminated the stage, signaling Tachyon’s performance.
Kitahara watched quietly, unaware that next to him, Tokai Teio’s eyes had subtly shifted downward, staring fixedly at his hands. Her sensitive nose instantly detected the faint, lingering scent from earlier.
“Trainer-san…”
Her soft murmur was swallowed by the rising cheers from the stage.
No one else heard.
—
T/N: I want to be both in their places…
This is a fan translation of 人在特雷森，专职摆烂 by 多功能复读机 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
Reader discussion
0 Comments
Be the first reader to share a thought about this chapter.