Carrying her anxieties regarding the Arc de Triomphe, Myriad Dreams had just stepped onto the training ground.
Before she could even begin her warm-up, a vibrant shout that made her spine tingle approached rapidly from the distance:
"Little Sister!!!!"
In an instant, Gold Ship performed a bizarre, drift-like slide right in front of her.
Her trademark grin (an obvious mixture of mischief and excitement) was plastered across her face.
"Hehe, good news!"
Gold Ship slapped Myriad Dreams on the back with enough force to make her stumble.
"In a few days! Our Gold Family is preparing to hold another grand banquet! It's specifically to celebrate your entry into the Arc de Triomphe!"
"I guarantee this time will be even livelier and more full of surprises than the last two! As the guest of honor, you absolutely have to come!"
"B-Banquet?!"
Those words acted like a curse, instantly awakening fragments of unbearable memories in Myriad Dreams's mind.
At the first gathering, the moment she walked through the door, an overexcited Stay Gold had pounced on her and bitten her tail, the pain nearly causing her to perform a high-jump on the spot.
The second time was even more ridiculous, she had been "kidnapped" right at the convenience store entrance by Gold Ship and Stay Gold, who teamed up to throw a sack over her head and haul her off to the Gold Estate...
Those two unpleasant experiences had left deep shadows on both her tailbone and her soul.
"NO—!!!"
Myriad Dreams let out a short shriek.
Her body reacted faster than her brain as she spun around and bolted, her legs exerting a force comparable to a race's final spurt.
She left behind only a blue afterimage and a tearful cry that scattered in the wind:
"I—AM—NOT—YOUR—LITTLE—SIS—TER—!!! JUST LET ME GO—!!!"
Watching Myriad Dreams flee like a startled rabbit, Gold Ship's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, her smile collapsing.
She scratched her gray hair helplessly.
"Aieee... Little Sis is overreacting, isn't she? We clearly have the best intentions..."
She grumbled all the way back to the Gold Estate, a place forever filled with the unexpected.
Seeing Gold Ship return alone with a dejected expression, Orfevre guessed the result immediately. She pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed.
"Honestly... Little Sis is just too stubborn. We only wanted to give her some encouragement."
Dream Journey swirled the teacup in her hand and said leisurely, "Since she's that resistant to a banquet... let's drop it. Forced melon isn't sweet."
Orfevre nodded, accepting this reality, but a cunning light quickly flickered in her eyes.
"If we aren't holding a banquet, then so be it. However..."
She looked toward Stay Gold and Nakayama Festa sitting nearby.
"We can wait until she's at the Arc de Triomphe to prepare a surprise for her! After all, our Little Sis is setting out for the world's highest stage, how could she go without the family's support?"
Hearing this, Stay Gold's eyes lit up instantly. She nodded excitedly.
"Yes, yes! A surprise! We have to give Little Sis a huge surprise!"
Though Nakayama Festa remained relatively composed, she gave a slight nod to show her agreement.
She wasn't opposed to giving that powerful "Little Sister" a bit of encouragement.
Dream Journey watched as the group reached a consensus. She finished her tea in one gulp and made the final call:
"Mhm. Then it's settled."
And so, the planned farewell banquet was cancelled due to the protagonist's fierce resistance.