Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume9 Chapter9 5

Behind the Scenes of The Maria Ceremony Inquisition. Part 5.

The sparkling juzu was really pretty.

Flecks of light scattered around the chapel, like a portent of some visitor from heaven.

"This is yours, right Noriko-san?"

"It's not mine."

Nijou Noriko flatly denied it. Probably expecting the actress Touko-chan to break into a soliloquy and not wanting to suffer through it.

Then she dutifully asked how Touko-chan came to believe that she was the owner of the juzu, and, with the end justifying the means, Touko-chan made something up.

Sachiko-sama stepped in when the situation escalated and they started growling at each other like a pair of dogs.

"What do you say, Noriko-san. Is this your property, like Touko-san claims?"

"I told you it wasn't."

Perhaps it was hard for her to reign it back in now that her spring had sprung, but of all things, Nijou Noriko was now snarling at Rosa Chinensis.

"You'd swear that in front of Maria-sama?"

"Of course."

Because the juzu was Shimako-san's. To a degree, they'd expected that answer from her.

"Well then, I can throw it away, right?"

"Huh!?"

Nijou Noriko had been puffed up with pride, but when she heard this she was thrown into confusion.

The juzu flew free from Touko-chan's hand, tracing an arc through the air. Rei-sama caught it.

"If it doesn't belong to you, then it's none of your concern, right?"

Intentionally trying to anger her, Rei-sama juggled the juzu, then spun it around her finger.

"So you're asking me to destroy the juzu to prove my faith? … Alright, I confess. It's mine."

"Noriko!"

Shimako-san jumped in. The agitators mentally raised a fist in triumph – just another little push.

The climax was at hand. It would end with Shimako-san admitting that the juzu was hers and acknowledging her situation at home.

But the other first-years knew nothing of this, so they started murmuring when Rosa Gigantea stepped in.

(Now, Shimako-san!)

Getting impatient, Yumi wanted to give her her cue.

However.

"Shimako-san, don't say anything unnecessary."

The strangest thing happened, Nijou Noriko stopped Shimako-san. Then she said the cool line, "At the moment, I'm the one with the problem."

"Nice attitude."

Sachiko-sama smiled radiantly. Her stunning smile that could make anyone raise a white flag.

But Nijou Noriko didn't surrender. She babbled on for a while about hypotheticals, then held out her hand and said, "Give me back the juzu."

"Not yet."

Rei-sama smiled.

"If you want it back, tell us who it belongs to."

Even though she knew. A sustained assault. The interrogation was as terrifying as the two Roses were beautiful. Yumi thought this even though she knew the inside story. Nijou Noriko must surely be frightened. It wouldn't seem strange if she broke down in tears.

(Huh?)

Yumi heard a soft rustling sound, and looking over she saw Mami-san stealthily moving her hands behind her back. Yumi peeked at her backside, and saw she was jotting down some shorthand notes in her student diary.

(Incredible…!)

Huge respect for her reporter's spirit. And her special ability. It was like she had eyes in the back of her head.

"Answer the question, Noriko-san."

Hearing Sachiko-sama's voice, Yumi went back to watching the unfolding scene. The interrogation was still in progress.

"It's – "

Then she seemed to finally be lost for words. The situation had completely turned against Nijou Noriko.

"What's the matter, Noriko-san?"

Then Nijou Noriko looked down, as though to shut out all the noise that was pouring down upon her. What was she thinking? It looked as though she couldn't find the answer she wanted within her heart, but was still searching for it.

"Say something, Noriko-san."

"What happened to your earlier spirit?"

There was no let-up in their attacks.

Sachiko-sama and Rei-sama had been forged by the previous Roses, and they seemed to follow their lead as they reveled in the role of villain.

Watching in silence, Shimako-san smiled weakly. One moment she was standing behind Nijou Noriko, and then:

"That's quite enough!"

She shouted as she stepped forwards. The only other time Yumi had heard Shimako-san raise her voice like that was during their performance of "Cinderella" at the cultural festival the previous year.

She took a deep breath, then said:

"I'm the owner of that juzu."

"Shimako-san!"

Nijou Noriko screamed.

"Shimako-sama."

"Rosa Gigantea."

Shimako-san silently let the cries of her name wash over her. She had probably been first to arrive at the answer that Nijou Noriko was searching for.

"Would you care to explain?"

Sachiko-sama asked Shimako-san after the noise in the chapel had died down.

"Before that, I'd like you to excuse Noriko's behavior. Noriko was just protecting me."

It was just like Shimako-san to protect Nijou Noriko. Saying that if there was a penalty, she should be the one to pay it.

"No, I should be the one … !"

Nijou Noriko jumped in. But then Rei-sama gently put her arm around her shoulder and whispered something in her ear. Probably asking her to stay quiet for a little while. Now that the conversation was finally heading in a good direction, they didn't want Nijou Noriko muddying the waters.

"Why would a devout Christian like you – "

Nobody breathed as they awaited the next words.

"Because my family runs a Buddhist temple."

Words could not express how beautiful Shimako-san looked as she faced the chapel's cross and made this magnificent declaration.

The face of someone who had sacrificed themselves, but gained something.

Everyone was speechless.

(… She finally said it.)

It was hard to believe it had gone that well. On the way, they'd departed from the original scenario a fair bit, but the end result had been just fine. Shimako-san seemed to walk easier, as though a load had been removed from her shoulders, when she went over to Nijou Noriko and said:

"You worked so hard to protect me, I'm sorry."

"Shimako-san!"

The pair embraced. Nijou Noriko cried like a child, despite her somewhat cold exterior.

(Huh … )

How did that happen? Tears were streaming down Yumi's cheeks too.

(Wawawa.)

One after another, the tear drops fell from her chin onto the chapel floor, making a polka-dot pattern. She thought it was foolish of her, since she was one of the people that set the surprise, but now that her spring had sprung Yumi found she couldn't reign it back in.

Clap, clap, clap, clap.

"You finally said it, Shimako-san."

Sachiko-sama said as she applauded.

"Oh brother. This year's entertainment was fairly over the top, wasn't it."

Rei-sama shrugged.

"Huh?"

The crying, hugging pair raised their heads and looked around.

"A big round of applause to Shimako and Noriko-san for showing us a vision of beautiful sisterly love!"

Sachiko-sama's voice resounded through the microphone, followed by surging waves of applause echoing around the chapel. The atmosphere in the place was already like a concert, and although no-one said it, they were all thinking, "Yes!"

Whether Shimako-san's confession was real, or just part of the entertainment, it was all good. Either way it was deeply moving. The vast majority of the students seemed to feel that way.

"This is for the best, right?"

Yumi couldn't stop herself from asking.

"Don't you think it's fine?"

Sachiko-sama said, smiling.

" … Right. I guess you're right."

At any rate, the juzu was safely returned to Shimako-san, and Shimako-san looked refreshed, like she'd cast out her demons.

Tsutako-san captured it all with her camera.

Mami-san was already writing it out in her student diary.

Just as they were about to get the welcoming ceremony back on track.

"Touko!"

Nijou Noriko's furious roar echoed around the tall ceiling of the chapel.