"Agnes Tachyon, tying up a trainer is a serious crime!"
With both his hands and feet firmly bound, Fujiwara Chiya sat on the chair, loudly protesting.
"Now, now, don't be so tense, Trainer Chiya."
Sitting on the desk in front of him, Tachyon crossed her legs and looked down at him with a faint smile.
"If you let me go now, I can pretend none of this ever happened. But if you don't…"
"If you keep talking like that, I might just stuff a sock into your mouth."
Tachyon lifted her foot and waved it slightly in front of him, then made a motion as if about to take off her sock.
Under that silent threat, Chiya swallowed and immediately shut his mouth.
He remembered what a senior once told him. There had been a trainer who got into an argument with an Uma Musume and, relying on his size, tried to discipline her physically. The result was that the much smaller Uma Musume pinned him to the ground and beat him without mercy.
Never try to fight an Uma Musume.
To them, a human body is no different from a child's.
When Tachyon tied him up earlier, he had no chance to resist at all.
Only an Uma Musume can defeat another Uma Musume.
That had long become a universal truth.
"If I'm not mistaken, Fujiwara Shirayuki should already be on her way here, right?"
"What!?"
Chiya's heart skipped a beat.
"I see. Looks like I'm right."
Tachyon smiled as she observed his reaction.
"This is the third floor. No one can see inside from outside. It's already after work hours, so there are no other people nearby. There were no calls during our conversation either. So tell me, how did Shirayuki know what's happening here?"
Chiya quietly looked away.
I need to stop Shirayuki from coming…
"If she doesn't come, I won't let you go."
Tachyon leaned forward slightly.
"If Fujiwara Shirayuki doesn't show up, then tonight, you and I will be staying in this room together."
"What…"
Chiya's eyes widened.
She had already reached her conclusion. This was just her way of proving it.
Even if he managed to get through today, what about tomorrow? Or the day after? Once this experimental maniac set her sights on him, excuses meant nothing. She had already tied him up. There was nothing she would not do.
"At first, I only thought Shirayuki's body was unusually sensitive. I didn't expect to uncover such a big secret."
Tachyon stepped closer and used her foot to lift Chiya's chin, forcing him to look at her.
"Based on your explanation, I have two hypotheses."
"First, you and Shirayuki share memories. At certain intervals, you gain access to each other's experiences. That would explain why you know what she does, why you have her conditioned responses, and why she understands your situation down to the smallest details."
A faint scent of soap drifted into Chiya's nose.
This is humiliating…
As a trainer, being toyed with like this by an Uma Musume was beyond disgraceful.
"Second…"
Her voice softened.
"You and Shirayuki share consciousness. In other words, you are Shirayuki. The two of you are actually the same person."
"…Just kill me."
Chiya gave up completely.
Not only was he tied up, his secret had been completely exposed.
Everything had been seen through.
"You are a very valuable subject, Trainer."
Tachyon gently touched his face, as if examining a specimen.
"Hurry and let Shirayuki come here so we can end this little farce. If she comes, I'll release you. If she doesn't…"
She leaned closer and whispered by his ear.
"Then tonight, you'll be sleeping with me."
Just as she finished speaking, there was a loud thud at the door.
"Ah, it seems 'you' have arrived."
Tachyon raised an eyebrow.
Unfortunately, the door was locked from the inside.
"For your information, I made a spare key last night. It's on the windowsill outside. If you don't want to break the door, you can go get it."
Chiya stared at her in disbelief.
She smiled like a little devil.
At this point, he felt completely trapped. Every move he made had been anticipated.
He recalled the warning a senior once gave him.
"That girl Agnes Tachyon is way too bold. Can't anyone stop her?"
The answer had been simple.
"No one can. Just make sure you never get involved with her. We can't win against her."
Agnes Tachyon was a notorious problem child.
And a genuine genius.
With a click, the office door opened.
Shirayuki stepped inside.
"Shirayuki-san."
Tachyon smiled faintly.
"Looks like you found the key."
"You…"
Shirayuki's expression was dark.
"As promised, I'll release this adorable trainer."
Tachyon moved behind Chiya and untied the ropes.
The moment he relaxed, thinking he was finally free, she suddenly leaned in.
Her teeth lightly caught his ear, and her tongue brushed against it.
The soft, warm sensation and the faint sound made both Chiya and Shirayuki cry out at the same time.
Seeing their synchronized reaction, Tachyon smiled meaningfully.
Confirmed. It's the second case.
After locking the door again, Chiya and Shirayuki sat on the sofa, facing Tachyon.
There was nothing left to say. He had no way to resist her probing.
"Do you have any black tea?" Tachyon asked.
It looked like she intended to settle in for a long talk.
"I'll check."
Chiya rummaged through the cabinet and pulled out a dusty pack of tea.
"It's been sitting here for a while…"
"That's fine. I just need something to drink."
Tachyon licked her lips slightly. Her mood had never been better.
At first, it was just a slip of the tongue that caught her attention. Even if there was only a five percent chance, she would not let it go.
Two individuals. One human, one Uma Musume.
Hope.
"So, how long has this state been going on?"
"Less than… a month."
Chiya answered hesitantly.
"That short? I thought it might have been since birth… no, that wouldn't make sense. You wouldn't make such a basic mistake if it were."
She tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"I see…"
After taking a sip of tea, she continued.
"To distinguish whether you are Chiya or Shirayuki, you trained yourself to react based on names, didn't you? When someone calls Shirayuki, you respond as Shirayuki. When someone calls Chiya, you respond as Chiya."
"You can't consciously manage both identities at once, so you chose the fastest method. Muscle memory."
Respond first. Think later.
"To reach this level in less than a month… you've trained quite hard."
She gave a small nod of approval.
Chiya, however, felt like prey being praised by a predator.
In her eyes, he seemed even more valuable now.
"Do you know what caused this?"
"No idea. I just woke up one day and could sense both bodies."
"I see. Then what about Shirayuki? Are your personalities merged? Or do you take turns? What does separation feel like? How far does this shared consciousness extend? Is there a distance limit? What happens if one of you loses consciousness…"
She stopped herself and coughed lightly.
"Anyway, you probably don't fully understand your condition either. Without experiments, it's impossible to uncover the truth."
"Experiments!?"
Both Chiya and Shirayuki flinched.
"Of course. With such a rare subject, it would be a waste not to experiment. I've already come up with more than twenty ideas."
"No way! I'm not helping you with any experiments!"
This time, Shirayuki was right there beside him. He was not backing down.
"My, my, Trainer."
Tachyon set down her cup and stepped closer.
"Your secret is currently known only to me. To everyone else, you and Shirayuki just look like siblings with perfect synchronization."
"In other words, we are the only two who share this secret."
"Tachyon…"
"Relax."
She stood up straight.
"I'm not saying I'll expose you. But in exchange for keeping your secret, how about helping me with some experiments?"
Her dark red eyes fixed on him.
"Don't worry. I won't trouble you outside of experiments. And if your identity ever causes problems, I'll help you. If I could figure this out, others might too. Having me on your side is not a bad deal."
Chiya narrowed his eyes.
"This was your condition. If I help you, you help me when I'm in trouble."
"Of course. I keep my word. You are my guinea pig, and in return, I protect you. Fair, isn't it?"
"…Guinea pig?"
"Yes. Guinea pig."
Tachyon walked over to Shirayuki and gently lifted her chin.
"You're a guinea pig. He's a guinea pig. Everyone is a guinea pig."
She smiled.
"So, from now on, please take care of me, Guinea Pig-kun."
Looking into those dull crimson eyes, Chiya had a strong feeling.
He would never escape this little devil's grasp again.