Myriad Dreams temporarily pushed aside her worries about the Arc de Triomphe and the Gold Family's "surprises."
She decided to head out of the academy to a nearby convenience store to buy some snacks and change her mood.
Although most Uma Musume have a singular obsession with carrots, the first thing she did upon entering the store was habitually head straight for the shelf next to the cash register, skillfully picking up several packs of her favorite chewing gum.
'As expected, this is the only thing that really puts me at ease...' she thought to herself.
Stuffing the gum into her pocket, she was just about to see if there were any fresh, crisp carrots when a sharp, dissatisfied complaint reached her ears.
"Hey! Pocket, look! Over there! And over there too!"
Myriad Dreams instinctively looked toward the source of the voice and saw two Uma Musume standing not far away.
One was pointing excitedly at a giant electronic screen on the outer wall of a building across the street, while the other looked in the direction she was pointing.
It was Narita Top Road and her roommate, Jungle Pocket.
Myriad Dreams also looked up in that direction. One look, and she nearly choked on her own saliva!
There on the giant screen, looping in a flashy, golden, and extremely eye-catching font, were the words:
"A Grand Celebration for Our Little Sister, Myriad Dreams, for Earning Her Spot in the Arc de Triomphe! Go for it!!"
Below the text was a photo of her after her victory in America, sandwiched between Gold Ship and Stay Gold with a stiff expression (she was clearly photoshopped).
The background featured chibi avatars of the Gold Family members— Orfevre, Dream Journey, Nakayama Festa, and others —all wearing exaggerated smiles and waving tiny flags.
But wait, there was more!
Myriad Dreams stiffly turned her neck and discovered that it wasn't just that one screen. Several prominent advertising screens along the shopping street were simultaneously broadcasting "congratulatory advertisements" with nearly identical content!
For a moment, it felt as if the entire street had been bought out by Myriad Dreams and the Gold Family!
Jungle Pocket crossed her arms and curled her lip.
With a hint of subtle bitterness in her voice, she said to Narita Top Road, "Hmph, see that? Another rich-person's display. It's just participating in the Arc de Triomphe, yet she makes it so public, wanting the whole world to know. Really..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear.
At this moment, Myriad Dreams had completely petrified on the spot.
Her cheeks turned a deep crimson at a visible rate, and even the tips of her ears became pink.
'G-Gold Family... everyone... you're way... way too enthusiastic?!'
She let out a silent scream in her heart.
'I just want to go to a race, I didn't want to debut as an idol! And who is your 'Little Sister'?! Did I ever agree to this?!'
Looking at that incredibly prominent "Little Sister" title on the screen and her own awkward face in the forced photo, she felt a rush of heat go straight to her head.
Her toes were curling with embarrassment.
'This is great... now... everyone really does know...'
Myriad Dreams wanted to cry but had no tears.
Right now, she just wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into or turn invisible on the spot.
She could even feel the gazes of the surrounding pedestrians focusing on her, accompanied by pointing and whispering.
Silently, she pulled up her non-existent collar and lowered her head, pretending to be an unrelated passerby.
Like a startled ostrich, she fled at maximum speed from this "social death" scene shrouded in Gold Family Love, completely forgetting about the carrots she had intended to buy.
'From now on... do I need to wear a mask whenever I go out...'
That was the only thought in Myriad Dreams's mind at that moment.