After comforting Rice Shower and ensuring she had regained her confidence, Myriad Dreams finally returned to the dormitory, her body weary but her heart fulfilled.
As soon as she pushed open the door, she saw Yaeno Muteki sitting by the desk holding a book.
Her eyes, however, were clearly not focused on the pages, she looked as though she had been waiting for a long time.
Seeing Myriad return, Muteki set the book down and naturally stepped forward.
Like a small animal confirming its territory, she leaned in close to the side of Myriad's neck and hair, sniffing gently.
Immediately, her brow furrowed slightly. She looked up with a probing gaze.
"Dreams... why is your scent mixed with that of several other Uma Musume?"
The refreshing aura of Seiun Sky and the faint, timidly sweet fragrance of Rice Shower were both faintly discernible.
Myriad Dreams' heart skipped a beat. She let out a helpless sigh and reached up to rub Muteki's hair.
"Your sense of smell is as sharp as ever, just like a dog's."
She gave an honest account: "I just went fishing with Sky for a while, and on the way back, I ran into a dejected Rice, so I spent a moment comforting her."
She paused, and seeing Muteki's eyes narrow slightly, she quickly waved her hands in addition.
"Nothing really happened! It was just normal chatting and encouragement!"
Observing Myriad's slightly frantic and eager-to-explain expression, the sliver of suspicion deep in Yaeno Muteki's eyes finally dissipated a little.
She understood Myriad's personality and knew she was always gentle and defenseless toward her friends.
Although she still felt a bit salty, she ultimately chose to believe her.
She let out a soft "Hmph," accepting the explanation without further prying.
Only then did Myriad Dreams breathe a sigh of relief.
After a quick wash, she collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion.
Before sleeping, she didn't forget to take out her phone to send a message to her mothers at home, Brilliant Radiance and Swift Stride, letting them know she had arrived back in the country safely and that all was well.
Once that was done, she sank peacefully into dreamland.
The next morning, Myriad Dreams prepared to head to the cafeteria for breakfast.
Not long after leaving the dormitory building, she coincidentally ran into Seiun Sky, Yaeno Muteki (who seemed to "just happen" to be heading to the cafeteria too), and a much more energetic-looking Rice Shower.
Naturally, the four of them began to walk together.
Just then, the phone in Myriad Dreams' pocket rang. The caller ID "Mom" flickered on the screen.
She smiled and made a "wait a moment" gesture to her companions before answering the call.
"Good morning, Mom!"
From the other end came the gentle yet vibrant voice of her mother, Brilliant Radiance.
"Dreams! Good morning! Are you adjusting well back in Japan? It must have been exhausting traveling around these past few days."
"It wasn't that bad, Mom. Everything is great," Myriad Dreams replied with a smile, her heart feeling warm.
"That's good, that's good..." Brilliant Radiance's voice trailed off, her tone becoming somewhat hesitant and measured.
"Um... Dreams, there's something Mom wants to say to you... It's just, as an Uma Musume, strength is important, but character is also very important. Especially regarding matters of the heart... you can't be too... too much of a flirt, you know?"
As it turned out, Brilliant Radiance and Swift Stride had also watched the live broadcast of the American race a few days ago.
Naturally, they had not missed the shocking moment when Myriad Dreams was forcibly kissed by Silver Charm after winning the title!
The two of them had jumped up from their sofa in pure shock at the time.
Recalling that Myriad Dreams and Yaeno Muteki already seemed to have a deep connection (they vaguely knew their daughter was very close to this roommate), Brilliant Radiance felt it was necessary to give her daughter a warning.
She was just about to tactfully dive into a lecture about the importance of "fidelity" when—
"Myriad~ Who's on the phone?" Seiun Sky leaned in curiously.
Yaeno Muteki also silently moved a step closer, though she didn't say a word, her presence was incredibly strong.
Rice Shower also spoke up timidly but kindly toward the phone's microphone: "H-Hello..."
On the other end of the line, Brilliant Radiance and Swift Stride froze instantly upon hearing several distinct girls' voices suddenly popping up and greeting them so warmly.
Myriad Dreams, still unaware of the gravity of the situation, smiled into the phone.
"Mom, it's Sky, Muteki, and Rice. We're heading to the cafeteria together."
An eerie silence fell over the other end of the line.
'Wh-who are they?! Besides that silver-haired one, how are there so many other girls around our Little Dreams?! And they all sound so close?!'
Brilliant Radiance and Swift Stride looked at each other in bewilderment.
For a moment, the lecture they had prepared got stuck in their throats, and they didn't know how to continue.
"Mom? What's wrong? Is the signal bad?" Myriad Dreams looked at her phone in confusion.
"...No, it's nothing."
Brilliant Radiance's voice sounded complex, carrying an indescribable sense of helplessness and... resignation?
"Dreams, you... just get along well with your friends. Take care of yourself. Mom is hanging up now."
With that, before Myriad could respond, the call was abruptly disconnected.
Myriad Dreams held the phone as it emitted a busy tone, looking completely blank.
"???"
'Why is Mom acting so weird today?'
On the other end of the line, Brilliant Radiance put down her phone and met the gaze of her wife, Swift Stride, who shared the same subtle expression.
Simultaneously, the two let out a long, meaningful sigh.
Brilliant Radiance propped her head in her hand and spoke in a tone mixed with worry, helplessness, and a hint of wry amusement:
"Swift... our Little Dreams..."
She paused, finally voicing the conclusion that left her heart in such a tangle.
"...has become a 'player'."
Imagining the scene of their daughter surrounded by all kinds of beautiful Uma Musume, the couple felt relieved that their daughter was so popular, yet they couldn't help but feel deep anxiety over her future "romantic debts."
It seemed that they absolutely had to find time for a serious talk with their daughter about her views on relationships!