In the end, because of Eclipse's sudden interjection, the original duo became a trio.
Agnes Tachyon seemed to be in high spirits, chatting with Eclipse the entire way. Eclipse also appeared to be in a better mood than before. Although she didn't say much, she responded to most of what Tachyon said and would even answer a few questions from time to time.
The only unhappy person was Shinji Kitahara, who was walking in the front. Listening to the chatter behind him and thinking about his bleak future, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart, wondering what sins he had committed to always end up in situations like this.
Amidst Shinji's sighs, the trio smoothly arrived at their destination.
Then, it was shopping time.
Since they were leaving the school and to avoid causing widespread panic, Tachyon had for once changed out of her iconic white lab coat. She wore a purple, off-the-shoulder sweater with black trousers. With a faint smile on her lips, she looked like a completely different person from the mad scientist she usually was, even exuding a hint of allure.
As for Eclipse, she was in her perpetual all-black attire. From the ear covers on her head to the stockings on her feet, everything was black, just in varying shades. It should have been a very ordinary outfit, but paired with her delicate face and unique temperament, it had a distinct charm of its own.
Add to that the grim-faced Shinji in the front, and such a peculiar combination naturally attracted the gazes of passersby. Many people even mistook them for famous horse girls and came up to ask for autographs and photos, though they were, of course, all refused.
Amidst this hustle and bustle, the three of them walked around the shopping district, ducking into a few supermarkets along the way. They now held several bags filled with things they each needed.
Tachyon's bag was the smallest but also the most expensive. The black, sealed bag contained something that, just from its aura, you knew was trouble. But it made sense; she could get most of her experimental materials from Tracen, and the rest could be purchased by委托人 (wěituōrén - proxies). What she had to buy herself were naturally the things that weren't convenient to report to the school.
Eclipse's bag was medium-sized, mainly filled with incense, bath supplies, tail care lotion, and other small items she might need for daily life that weren't provided in the dorms. All in all, it amounted to a sizable package.
As for Shinji Kitahara...
Folders, notebooks, a clipboard, sets of pen refills, various miscellaneous items... Most of it was stuff a trainer needed, with a small portion being things his dorm was missing, as well as various articles of men's clothing. All told, he had two large bags, with a big clipboard tucked under his arm.
Eclipse had wanted to help him carry some of the load, but Shinji refused, because he knew the main event was yet to come.
The clothing store. And it was one that specialized in horse girl apparel.
Due to their physical constitution, the quality requirements for clothes for horse girls and human women were on completely different levels. Naturally, they couldn't be sold in the same place and had even formed their own dedicated industry chain and various brands.
But the shop Shinji brought them to was not a chain store of any of those famous brands. Not only was its location a bit remote, but compared to the glamorous shops on the main street, it could even be described as shabby.
"Um, Mr. Guinea Pig... Trainer."
Looking at the dilapidated storefront, Tachyon frowned and couldn't help but speak up. "If you don't have enough money, I have some extra funds I can lend you. You should know how important clothing is to a horse girl's body. Even if you're short on funds..."
"You'll understand when we go inside."
Shinji was too lazy to explain and directly led them through the door.
Contrary to the dilapidated exterior, the interior of the shop was surprisingly nice, so much so that it even surprised Tachyon.
Under the warm lighting, several rows of display cases stood in silence, showcasing various horse girl garments neatly categorized. Just from the sheen of the fabric, you could tell they were not ordinary goods, and the materials used were not commonly seen on the market.
"You're back again, you brat."
Behind the counter, an elderly horse girl with wrinkled skin looked up and spoke to Shinji in a gruff tone. "Made a fortune at Tracen, have you? Then this old lady won't be giving you a discount today."
"Fine by me. The Tracen cafeteria is free anyway. I can spend as much as I earn now," Shinji shrugged. "Besides, I've really been in your care all these years, Granny. It's only right to give back a little."
"Just a couple of compliments and the brat's tail is already in the air," the old horse girl scolded with a laugh, then continued. "Forget it. You should save some money. With your personality, you'll probably get kicked out of Tracen before long. Don't come crying to this old lady about being broke then—go pick out your things."
After speaking, the old horse girl lowered her head again and went back to handling the clothes in her hands, ignoring Shinji.
After they finished talking, Tachyon curiously poked Eclipse and asked in a low voice, "Who is that?"
"A granny who helped us in the past. She used to live in the countryside and specializes in making clothes for horse girls. Her skills are excellent, but because everything is handmade, her output is low, and she doesn't like fame, so very few people know about her."
Eclipse explained briefly and then started picking out clothes with Shinji.
While they were choosing, Tachyon couldn't help but wander around the shop curiously.
She looked left and right, her fingers occasionally brushing over the surface of the garments, feeling the texture that was completely different from mass-produced brands. Her expression gradually began to change.
She admitted she had misjudged. She never expected to find such an outstanding horse girl clothier in such an inconspicuous place.
Unlike other horse girls who only knew about training, as a scientist, Tachyon had systematically studied the knowledge of a trainer and had done in-depth research on an interesting elective branch: Horse Girl Clothing Science.
Unlike normal human women, horse girls, especially racehorses, have extremely high mandatory requirements for clothing. And compared to appearance, practicality is their primary consideration.
Quality and durability are, of course, fundamental. But beyond that, the weight of the clothes, their elasticity, friction properties, and even the accompanying lace are all factors that need to be carefully considered and can sometimes directly determine the outcome of a race.
This sounded incredible, especially when one thought of the flashy outfits horse girls wore in races, like long skirts, large capes, and some even winning in high heels. It didn't seem scientific at all.
And it indeed wasn't scientific.
Tachyon herself had once been troubled by this problem, until she came into contact with certain things through her research. From that day on, she knew that the Three Goddesses truly existed, or at least their influence did, and that this world had a side unknown to the general public. The existence of horse girls could not be explained by pure science, at least not current science; it was tinged with elements of mysticism.
And Horse Girl Clothing Science was partly a product developed based on this 'mysticism,' which was why it appeared somewhat unscientific on the surface. A large part of her current bizarre potion-making ability was also based on this foundation.
But that wasn't the point right now.
Stroking the clothes in front of her, the interest in her eyes grew stronger. If a horse girl who didn't know about this came here, she would probably just think the clothes were nice. But in the eyes of an expert like her, each of these garments was a work of art.
It wasn't that mysticism didn't have to follow science. On the contrary, mysticism and science were essentially the same thing. So-called science is mysticism whose principles have been analyzed, and so-called mysticism is science whose principles have not yet been analyzed but can be directly applied.
To give a simple example, using mathematical formulas, a formula you can understand and apply is science. A formula you can't understand but can use to get the answer is, to you, mysticism.
Generally speaking, horse girl attire comes in two styles. One is primarily based on science, with some mystical elements added for support. The other is primarily based on mysticism, with some slight modifications according to scientific principles. The former generally looks more in line with common perception and has a simpler, cooler style. The latter is generally more flamboyant, with things like long skirts, wedding dresses, and even high heels mostly coming from this side.
But the clothes now in front of Tachyon had reached a considerable height in both aspects, and the two sides coexisted harmoniously, operating without any conflict, even promoting each other.
It was no exaggeration to say that a horse girl clothier of this level, if she went to one of the major famous horse girl families like the Symboli or Mejiro family, would immediately be treated as an honored guest and would most likely be appointed as the exclusive clothing designer for the young ladies of the family.
She was very curious how a horse girl clothing designer of this caliber could be in such a dilapidated shop, unnoticed.
"Because I believe clothes are meant to be worn, but some idiots always want to mess with other things," the old voice suddenly rang out, filled with disdain. "I hate it when people point fingers at me in this regard, especially those amateur idiots. I couldn't stand their stupid behavior, so I went to the countryside, and then I met that brat."
Tachyon looked up in surprise and found that the elderly horse girl was standing next to her at some point.
"Hello, Granny." Tachyon greeted her politely, but the old horse girl just waved her hand.
"Don't mind me. Old people always like to ramble. I can see you know your stuff. If you're interested, buy a few pieces. Also..."
She looked Tachyon up and down. "From the looks of you, you must be a horse girl from the main Tracen campus, right? Are you one of the girls that brat is training now?"
"...Yes."
"Then let him pick for you. That brat is useless at everything else, but he has a knack for this. Not even I, the designer, can see as well as he can—don't be ashamed. You have to know how to use your resources. Being thin-skinned is a woman's greatest taboo."
"Okay."
As the famous mad scientist on campus, Tachyon was not the type of thin-skinned horse girl who was easily embarrassed. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to create those insane potions. Since this elderly horse girl, who was clearly not simple, had such a high opinion of Shinji, she naturally wouldn't ignore her advice. She decided to pick two styles she liked and let Shinji help her with the rest.
Everyone has their specialty. And most importantly, she was very curious to see just how far Shinji could go and if he could give her any more surprises.
Just then, Shinji and Eclipse finished picking out their clothes. After walking over and greeting the old horse girl, Shinji spoke again. "Granny, there's something I want to discuss with you."
The old horse girl looked at him impatiently. "If you have something to say, say it. Don't dawdle."
"I'd like to ask you to design a few sets of racing silks for the horse girls under my name."
So-called racing silks (also known as 勝負服, shōbufuku - battle/winning clothes) are the outfits horse girls wear when they race, especially in important races. Although every piece of clothing in this shop could be used as racing silks, they weren't custom-made. They were fine for everyday wear, but they were a bit unsuitable for a real race—at least in Shinji's eyes.
The old horse girl didn't hesitate. "How many sets?"
"Um..." Shinji thought for a moment. His two charges definitely needed them. Tachyon's full-fledged development was halfway through, so she would definitely be racing soon, so she needed one too. Special Week and Oguri Cap were planning to debut, so it was good to reserve a spot for them in advance. As for Ms. Grass...
No, let's reserve a spot for Ms. Grass too.
On one hand, although she wasn't technically on his team, she was here to help and was also Special Week's friend. On the other hand, he was afraid that if Ms. Grass saw that everyone else had racing silks, she would ask, "What about me?" Just thinking about that scene made his conscience ache.
So it was better to reserve a spot for her as well. If she didn't want it, he could just cancel it later. Or he could have two sets made for someone else. It was better to be prepared.
After finishing his thoughts, Shinji looked up and replied, "Six sets."
Silence.
"Uh, is that too many? Then I can cut a few..."
"No, it's not many. At least not for me." The old horse girl looked at him as if he were a dead man, her tone filled with pity. "But for you, it might be a bit much."
Shinji Kitahara: "...?"
He's not the one wearing them. What does it have to do with him?
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