Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume12 Chapter6 2

Songs of an Angel. Part 2

Even if Sachiko-sama just stood there silently, she was constantly kept busy by other people approaching her.

Sachiko-sama would be exchanging greetings, expressing her thanks for past events, and inquiring as to the health of the other person's family, even as she was eating food.

Whenever a new guest came to see them, Yumi would also stop eating and greet them. It was always immediately obvious whether or not they had heard the rumors about her based on their reaction.

There were people who pointed at her behind her back and said, "The Koshihikari Rice Princess is wearing white," but she ignored them and didn't let it bother her.

"So, is everyone having a good time?"

Abruptly, a voice called out over a microphone.

Yumi looked around with a quizzical expression, not understanding the situation. Sachiko-sama also looked confused as she ate a slice of prosciutto.

There was, unmistakably, a master of ceremonies holding a mic.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting for so long. Tonight's leading lady is about to make her entrance. A round of applause, please."

Acquiescing to the MC's request, the invited guests clapped their hands.

A gray-haired old lady in a wheelchair, who must have been waiting on stand-by until now, was wheeled into the center of the room.

"So it begins."

Kashiwagi-san, who had made his way over to them unnoticed, whispered softly into their ears.

"The Saionji family's matriarch's birthday party. They're typically indifferent, but every so often they have these events to show off their facade of family togetherness."

Quite the harsh words from Kashiwagi-san.

"It's their great-grandmother's birthday? … I had no idea."

Sachiko-sama murmured. Indeed, their invitation had made no mention of this – although all the other guests seemed to know.

"Happy birthday, great-grandmother."

Yukari-sama approached the wheelchair carrying a bouquet of flowers. Her great-grandmother idly regarded the scene in front of her. She didn't stretch out her hands to accept the flowers, so Yukari-sama laid the bouquet on her lap and withdrew. The room fell gravely silent. It looked like the great-grandmother wasn't going to say, "Thank-you," no matter how long they waited, so the MC interjected, looking to liven things up.

"From her great-granddaughter Yukari-sama, a gift of 88 roses for her 88th birthday. A big round of applause, everyone!"

The guests came to their senses and remembered to clap.

"We'll now be accepting gifts of music, which she so loves. Take it away, Yukari-sama."

Yukari-sama seated herself at the grand piano and said, "For my great-grandmother," then played the standard piano piece, "Für Elise". Despite her dedication, it didn't seem as though her great-grandmother's name was Elise. Probably.

Following that, Yukiari-sama's cousins and other relatives stepped forward one at a time to play their favorite instruments.

The great-grandmother didn't seem particularly interested, regardless of who was playing, or what they were performing.

After a little while, people from outside the Saionji family came forward to play an instrument. Kyougoku Saeko-sama played the flute, while Ayanokouji Kikuyo-sama played the mandolin.

Touko-chan played the violin and Yumi was surprised by how skilled she was. But no matter how good the performance, the great-grandmother neither spoke nor clapped.

"Their great-grandmother loved their old villa, and she's still angry that her grandchildren tore it down and rebuilt it, destroying its charm by chopping down all the trees in the process. When she hurt her leg falling down the slippery stairs, they used that as their excuse."

Kashiwagi-san explained the internal affairs of the Saionji's household, even though nobody had asked. While it had initially looked as though great-grandmother Saionji had dementia, apparently she'd just closed her heart to her family due to despair.

"By the way Yumi-chan, do you play an instrument?"

"I played the piano a little when I was young. But it's been so long that I couldn't play anything now."

As she answered, a terrifying thought crossed Yumi's mind.

"... So you can't do something like that?"

"M-me – ?"

Coming to this realization a fraction quicker than Yumi, Sachiko-sama stiffened as she listened to the saxophone performance.

Although she'd been on the lookout for something, never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined that they'd use this method of attack.

What should she do? Yumi and Sachiko-sama looked at each other, and then:

"Yumi-sama."

Yukari-sama called out.

"Would you like to offer up a musical performance for my great-grandmother?"

There it was.

The way the situation had evolved meant there was no time for a strategy meeting with her onee-sama.

"Anything will be fine. Just tell me your preferred instrument – we have pretty much all of them here."

"…"

Apparently Saionji-sama's family was a musical household.

Oh, how about a Taiko drum, then? She could have asked for some improbable instrument, but the incredible shame that would befall her in the unlikely event they actually had the item meant that she rejected this idea immediately.

"Come now, don't be shy. Speak up, please."

Thank-you for your polite request, but unfortunately I lack the ability to entertain you with those musical instruments.

The correct answer to this problem was probably to say that she couldn't do it. She couldn't do what she couldn't do, and if she couldn't admit that then it seemed like it would turn into an even worse situation.

However.

You can't play any musical instrument at all? What kind of household were you raised in? – Yukari-sama hadn't said anything just yet, but Yumi could imagine what she would say, and that really ticked her off.

The other guests were looking on in excitement, wondering what was happening. There were some looks of sympathy mixed in there, from people that had already guessed the situation.

"They're just gonna ruin the party, huh?"

Kashiwagi-san whispered this so that only Yumi could hear. She had no idea what he was trying to do, but she was at least grateful for his sympathy.

"Alright then."

Yumi strode towards the middle of the room.

"Yumi … !?"

Sachiko-sama grabbed Yumi's hand to stop her. Discomfort was written all over her face. It was undeniable proof that she was looking out for Yumi.

Sachiko-sama hated running away. But the feel of her palm conveyed the screams of her heart – that Yumi had taken this far enough and should stop.

But don't worry, onee-sama, it'll be alright. – Yumi gently extricated her hand.

I'm not as delicate as you fear I am, onee-sama. Because no matter how much damage I take, I've got enough fighting spirit to quickly restore my onee-sama's gentle smile.

"Regrettably, I'm not proficient with any musical instrument. But I will perform a song in honor of your great-grandmother's birthday."

Yumi started by greeting Yukari-sama's great-grandmother, before taking a breath.

"~Maria-sama's soul, that is ~"

In front of such a large crowd, performing a cappella, and to make matters even worse, the song was, "Maria-sama's Soul."

Yumi was astounded by her own bravery – if she'd thought about it calmly, she would have been outraged by the idea of singing in front of everyone.

But, she had accepted an invitation to a birthday party (even if she hadn't been aware of that), so it would be inexcusable for her to not offer a present. She wasn't singing because of what Yukari-sama had said, she was singing for Yukari-sama's great-grandmother's sake.

Her voice didn't have the same beauty or volume as Shizuka-sama's in Italy, but she was satisfied that she was putting her heart into it.

Her voice shook on the high notes, but she was determined to keep going until the end. Because this song was a gift.

An interlude suddenly flowed in after she'd finished the first verse. Turning around, she saw Sachiko-sama at the grand piano, playing an accompaniment that matched Yumi's pitch.

It felt good to have Sachiko-sama accompany her on the piano as she sang. It wasn't a four-handed piano performance, but it felt the same as when they had played like that. It polished her soul, and her voice poured out, soaring to greater heights.

While she was singing, it felt to Yumi as though she was breathing in Maria-sama's clear, blue sky.

The sound of the piano went silent.

It was then that Yumi realized she'd sang the whole song.

All sound had disappeared from the room, it was deathly silent.

Maybe she'd made a colossal mistake by not reading the mood of the room.

Feeling nervous, she looked around the room and her eyes met Sachiko-sama's as she stood up from the piano. Sachiko-sama smiled softly and gave a small nod, indicating, "Well done."

Clap, clap, clap.

Where was that coming from? A quiet and slow round of applause.

Yumi was surprised when she found the source. The sound was coming from the palms of Yukari-sama's great-grandmother.

It was the first time that great-grandmother Saionji had applauded today, so the guests were surprised, but since she was today's leading lady they hurriedly started clapping. Reluctantly, those who had been watching on with curiosity joined in the round of applause, as did the instigator, Yukari-sama.

It looked like great-grandmother Saionji was beckoning her, so Yumi hurried over and knelt beside her wheelchair. Whereupon she stroked Yumi's cheek and smiled.

"Thank-you. That was a wonderful song. It took me back oh so many years."

It seemed to Yumi as though their great-grandmother may have had memories of singing that song in her youth, so she took the mountain lily from her hair and offered it to her, saying, "Here, have this."

"It's Maria-sama's soul, isn't it?"

"Yes."

It was the answer to a riddle that only those who had etched the lyrics of that song into their memories would know.