Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume9 Chapter7

8 - 3 = Right

Part 1.

" – So, the priest will bring the medallions on the day of the event, and we'll have to meet him and take delivery of them. This job will be entrusted to the boutons."

The good old second-floor of the Rose Mansion.

"Next is the rose corsages for us to wear."

Shimako-san explained the arrangements for the Yamayurikai organized first-year welcoming ceremony.

"Roses … do you think it's necessary to use fresh flowers? Just as long as they're obviously our colors, that should be enough right? If we went with artificial flowers, they could be reused next year and the year after."

Rei-sama muttered, tapping on the report paper with a mechanical pencil.

Today was the kendo club's day off. Consequently, they'd reconvened the meeting that had been canceled the other day.

"Artificial flowers?"

Sachiko-sama thumped the table. Her whole body screamed, "You expect me to wear an artificial flower!?"

As expected from a true upper-class daughter. But in that case, what was she going to do about graduation, when they did traditionally use artificial flowers? Even as she was thinking these extraneous thoughts, Yumi felt a little relieved.

Sachiko-sama was getting her health back. She wasn't in perfect condition, but she had more or less returned to normal.

Because the reviled cherry blossom season was almost over.

Yumi hadn't been able to observe Sachiko-sama up close this time last year, but she fully expected that Sachiko-sama would continue to improve until the ginkgo nuts ripened in the fall.

"Well, I'm not saying we have to go with artificial flowers. But fresh ones are a bother. I'm just suggesting we consider it."

Rei-sama stressed, seeing it through to the end.

"In that case, I vote against it."

Even though nobody had said anything about having a vote. The way Sachiko-sama announced that she wasn't planning on changing her mind no matter what counter-arguments were offered was either honesty or stubbornness.

"Rosa Chinensis votes for fresh flowers."

Shimako-san laughed and recorded Sachiko-sama's vote in the meeting minutes. This was either due to sympathy or just because she was too serious.

(Huh?)

There were some cherry petals buried in Shimako-san's fluffy hair. Unusually, she'd been about five minutes late to the meeting, so she must have been beneath the cherry trees again.

Yumi tilted her head sideways in confusion.

About 80% of the cherry blossom petals had already fallen. And yet, Shimako-san didn't seem to be brooding. On the contrary, she was in high spirits. Cheerfully advancing the meeting, as though something good had happened to her.

Incomprehensible.

Although that was how she'd always been – Shimako-san's patterns of thought and action were inscrutable.

"What do you think, Yumi?"

"Huh?"

Suddenly hearing her name called, Yumi hastily stood up.

"… You're not in class now."

"Ah, right. Sorry."

So sit down.

"We're discussing whether to go with real or fake flowers."

Yoshino-san whispered, as though informing her classmate which page of the textbook they were on.

"The artificial flower corsages are more expensive, but they have the advantage of being reusable … "

Before Shimako-san could finish her explanation, Yumi shouted out "Real flowers!"

"Huh?"

"Um … I'd prefer real flowers."

"Why?"

Sachiko-sama asked with a sharp gaze that indicated she wouldn't accept the answer, "Because my onee-sama prefers fresh flowers."

"Well, at last year's welcoming ceremony, the Roses and boutons had real flowers, and they were really beautiful and moving. And then, when I was welcomed by them as the leaders of the entire student body, I was really happy, well, how should I put it … um."

She wanted the juniors to have those feelings too.

"I see."

Despite its incoherence, Sachiko-sama quietly listened to Yumi's speech and nodded.

"I know what you mean. Yoshino-chan, did you feel the same last year?"

"There was definitely something like that, right?"

Yoshino-san fished for Shimako-san's agreement. But Shimako-san's response was:

"I'm sorry. I don't remember the particulars of that event."

"Why not?"

Yumi asked. It was only one year ago. Shimako-san herself seemed somewhat doubtful, saying, "I wonder why."

"Probably because you were fixated on a certain somebody, no?"

Hearing Sachiko-sama's callous remark, Yumi and Yoshino-san were taken aback, as was Rei-sama who must have heard something from Yoshino-san. Speaking, or even hinting, about that "certain somebody" was prohibited in front of Shimako-san, who was thought to be feeling uneasy about the falling cherry blossoms. But apparently Sachiko-sama wasn't aware of that. She probably hadn't paid attention to any gossip for the entire time that the cherry flowers had been blooming.

"Huh?"

Shimako-san blinked, taken aback. Her expression clearly showing that she was thinking about that "certain somebody."

Had she stepped on a land mine? Was she going to explode?

But what on earth would a Shimako-san explosion look like? – No-one there had ever seen one before, that was for sure.

Yumi's heart was racing. Dormant volcanoes erupted far more violently than active ones.

As for Shimako-san.

"Ah, right. That may be it."

She uttered ecstatically, contrary to the expectations of everyone that had been watching on with bated breath.

"Sh-Shimako-san … ? Hello?"

That may be it? Did you understand that she meant you were fixated on Sei-sama?

Speaking as though it were a compliment. It was hard to tell if this was due to Shimako-san's composure, or if she'd spoken improperly due to the comfortable condition in her mind.

However, Shimako-san completely missed the reaction from the outfield.

"So Sachiko-sama and Yumi-san are voting for fresh flowers."

She added a vertical line next to the earlier recorded vote, making a T shape.

"Yoshino-san?"

"Real flowers are fine."

A second horizontal line was added, turning it into an odd looking F.

"Well, I wasn't insisting that we had to go with artificial flowers."

Rei-sama also agreed with fresh flowers, and then Shimako-san added her own vote, making the result the kanji character for correct, 正. Just like that, the decision was unanimous.

"Then we shall continue the tradition of using real flowers for the corsage."

All the attendees in just one character. With only five people, differences of opinion were quickly settled. It had the advantage that it made the meetings quick, but it was a little bit sad too.

"We've settled on fresh flowers for the Roses."

Yoshino-san said, her hand raised.

"But what are we going to do for the boutons? Last year there were a lot of people near me who were confused. The Roses wore blooming flowers in their respective color and the boutons wore flowers that hadn't blossomed yet, but it was hard to tell from a distance."

Indeed. If the boutons flowers were too small then it would be hard to make out the color, but if they were too big then they'd be too hard to differentiate from the Roses.

In Yoshino-san's case, she was already Rei-sama's petit soeur by the time of the welcoming ceremony, so she would have known who the Roses were. But, generally speaking, the welcoming ceremony was the first opportunity the new freshmen had to see the members of the Yamayurikai.

"The first-years didn't participate in last year's election, and the point of the welcoming ceremony is to introduce the Yamayurikai, so I think we should make it more obvious."

So Yoshino-san proposed that the boutons didn't wear corsages of the same color as the Roses.

"Our role as boutons is a minor one for this event."

At the group wedding of the Yamayurikai executives and the first-year students. Indeed, the boutons were second-in-command. Despite the way she was always talking, Yoshino-san seemed to understand this.

"Sounds good."

Sachiko-sama nodded in admiration too.

"But it'd be better if there was something to identify you as our assistants."

Rei-sama had a point too. The conversation continued while Yumi sat there looking bewildered. But there was no way someone who didn't raise their hand during class discussions could keep up with this pace.

"So if we exclude the colors red, white, and yellow, then – "

"Salmon pink!"

Yumi shouted, not wanting to miss her chance. She felt bad that she hadn't been participating in the meeting. But she had raised her hand properly.

Had her voice been too loud? For a moment, the place fell silent.

"Ah … um?"

Finally.

"Right. That would be fine."

Sachiko-sama smiled gently. Rei-sama, Shimako-san and Yoshino-san gave a nod of approval too.

Salmon pink was a mixture of red, white and yellow. So it was like it was the color of their team.

"Their team." Yumi was once again reminded of the fact.

Until now, it had been eight people.

Three graduated, and now there were five. It was a bit too sparsely populated, so there was room for other people to enter, but just quietly Yumi liked the space.

Was a petit soeur really necessary?

Sei-sama and Sachiko-sama had taken their time getting a petit soeur, and while they may not have felt exactly the same as Yumi, it probably wasn't a completely different feeling either.

If it's just these people here with me, then I'm fine with that – such was Yumi's desire.

At the time when their five opinions had become one.

Shimako-san and Yoshino-san would surely have felt the same way.

Part 2.

Yoshino-san's warning had most definitely not been forgotten.

But while she was being careful, it wasn't something she was constantly thinking about.

Those ringlets. Touko-chan.

Perhaps she'd been following Sachiko-sama's directive of only showing up "occasionally," because she hadn't been back to the Rose Mansion until now. But she kept catching them by surprise, by showing up at unexpected times in unexpected places.

For example, the day before yesterday.

By chance, Yumi and Sachiko-sama happened to be heading home together when they ran into Touko-chan at the main building entrance, as though she'd planned it.

"Shall we head home together? Touko was kept back late with club activities."

Hearing that, it was kind of hard to say, "Walk home alone, you're getting in our way." Sachiko-sama showed no hesitation before allowing her to accompany them.

"You said you were in a club, which one did you join?"

"The drama club. Sachiko onee- … ah, Sachiko-sama."

She'd been in the drama club ever since upper elementary school. Her favorite role so far was when she played Sara from A Little Princess in her second-year of middle-school. Her most boring role was "Sleeping Beauty" in sixth-grade of elementary school. Because she spent most of her time sleeping and had very few lines.

– Touko-chan enthusiastically told Sachiko-sama all this and more.

Yumi was right there as Touko-chan followed "Sachiko onee-sama" around, but nothing Touko-chan said was of interest to her so all Yumi could do was trudge along like an extra, with Touko-chan's report as background music.

(Serenity now, serenity now.)

Yumi mentally recited. Touko-chan was simply happy to see her beloved relative. It would be absurd to get flustered because of that. As the petit soeur who received the rosary, she had to show more presence of mind.

"Touko always thought that in high-school she'd be in a club with Sachiko onee-sama. So it came as quite a shock at lunch when you said you weren't in any clubs. You stopped all your extra-curricular lessons too, so Touko can't join in there either."

"Yamayurikai work keeps me busy."

"Then Touko will help out there."

Touko-chan said like a spoiled child, linking her arm around Sachiko-sama's.

(Se-serenity now, serenity now.)

"If you have that much free time, you should devote it to the drama club."

"Oh, but Rosa Foetida's also in the kendo club, isn't she? Touko thought she could be helpful to Sachiko onee-sama."

"If the time comes, I'll ask you."

"Alright."

Serenity now, serenity now. But when Yumi heard that they'd met at lunchtime, that spell was instantly broken.

Even today.

At the end of the lunch break, as they were making their way from the Rose Mansion through the courtyard, there was a loud voice coming from above for some reason. Turning to look at the source, there was Touko-chan standing on the external fire-escape stairs, waving and shouting.

"Onee-samas, thanks for all your hard work!"

Naturally, those words of appreciation were directed to the three Roses walking in front. Her performance was way too overboard, and she stood out far too much.

* * *

"That Touko-chan, she's totally after it."

Yoshino-san said, looking solemn.

"After what?"

About the same time that Yumi asked this, Yoshino-san provided a clear explanation.

"A petit soeur spot."

"Wh-who's?"

Yumi raised her head from writing in the duty log. The lead in her pencil snapped.

"Well, let's see … "

Yoshino-san grabbed one of her braids by the tip and stroked her cheek like she was applying rouge.

"It's certainly not the Yellow Rose family."

"How do you know that?"

"Our personalities clash. You must have seen it, right? The way she was snarling at me."

"Yeah, I guess."

Yumi tentatively agreed. Touko-chan had just been matching Yoshino-san's snarling, though. But now that she'd escaped to a safe place, Yoshino-san assumed the high moral ground.

Like now. How she was looking down on her friend writing in the duty log.

"…"

There was a melancholy to the classroom after school had let out for the day. It was like the haiku, "Summer grasses, All that remains Of soldiers' dreams" – although they hadn't had traditional Japanese today. There were only a handful of students remaining in the second-year pine classroom, most had already left. Some had gone home, others to club activities.

She fondly remembered this melancholic feeling.

Usually she'd go to the Rose Mansion after school, but today all three of the Roses had other things to do so there was no meeting. Since she was on duty, Yumi hung around writing in the duty log, and Yoshino-san kept her company.

"So when you said she's after a petit soeur spot … did you perhaps mean Shimako-san's?"

Yumi timidly ventured. While Shimako-san was also a second-year, she was already Rosa Gigantea, so in a sense she was most in need of a petit soeur. And since Touko-chan had already said that she wanted to help out at the Rose Mansion, their interests were fully aligned. Fully aligned, but –

Was there really that much contact between the two? Until now, she'd never even considered the possibility of Shimako-san and Touko-chan becoming soeurs.

"Or Yumi-san's."

"Huh!?"

Yumi's instinctive reaction was disbelief, and she nearly fell off her chair. But Yoshino-san didn't seem to be lying or joking, as she coolly watched Yumi's agitation and quietly said:

"In name only. If she becomes your petit soeur, then Sachiko-sama will dote on her, right?"

Indeed, to become a member of the Yamayurikai it was necessary to become one of their petit soeurs. To accomplish that, she'd have to target one of the older students without a petit soeur, and if Yoshino-san and Shimako-san were excluded then that left –

Yumi shivered all over. Using her to become Sachiko-sama's "grand-daughter." That such a person could exist.

"Or a hostile takeover."

"H-hostile takeover!?"

Again, Yoshino-san was scaring her with those terrible words.

"She might kick you out of the way and run for Rosa Chinensis en bouton."

"No way."

"It's not impossible. Sachiko-sama could get you to give the rosary back, and then hand it over to Touko-chan. It's a more direct method than aiming for "grand-daughter.""

"Oooh – "

This was strangely persuasive coming from someone who had once returned their rosary to their "onee-sama."

"But, well, it's fine as long as I don't give the rosary back, right?"

Yumi made a show of laughing it off. It was more for her own self-confidence than anything else.

"Yumi-san, do you really have that self belief?"

"Huh?"

""Touko's always been better suited to Sachiko onee-sama than you.""

Yoshino-san imitated Touko-chan's voice, playing cute.

"Ooh."

""How can Yumi-sama possibly be up to the task?""

"St-st-"

"… Would you still be able to stand up to her if she said that?"

" – Hold on, this rosary carries a heavy responsibility."

But this was a hypothetical conversation.

Assuming Touko-chan wanted to join the Rose Mansion, that didn't mean she'd already decided to target Sachiko-sama. Obviously, she'd never even talked about dislodging Yumi.

"By the way, who will we ask to help?"

"Huh?"

After all this idle chatter, Yoshino-san suddenly changed topic.

Yumi felt exhausted, since it looked like all the talk about Touko-chan launching a hostile takeover had just been a way to waste time. She'd been a fool to take it seriously and worry about this and that.

"Come on, hurry up with the duty log. If we don't think of someone today, we can't negotiate with them tomorrow, right?"

" … Right."

Yumi and Yoshino-san had been given the homework task of scouting one person to assist them. Shimako-san was Rosa Gigantea, but she was also a second-year like Yumi, so didn't yet have a petit soeur. The tradition was that the Roses would place a medallion around the necks of every first-year, and it was vital that they each had someone to assist them.

"We're supposed to choose, since they'll have to work closely with us boutons, right?"

" … Yeah. But will we find someone who wants to do it?"

Naturally, it would be unpaid work. And they'd be standing alongside Shimako-san. Shimako-san said she was entrusting this task to them, but people she approached had probably kept their distance. It wasn't that anyone disliked her, but she was incredibly beautiful.

(Although I'm used to it by now.)

Standing beside a beautiful person.

""Beauty, bouton's private conversation.""

Click.

The pair squinted at the dazzling flash.

"Ah!"

They both must have had the same thought, because they simultaneously stood up and crowded around the newcomer.

"Wait, Tsutako-san."

"Wh-what's this about?"

Seeing their unusual reaction, Tsutako-san panicked and held her camera up high with both hands, in a rather odd pose.

"Are you free on the afternoon of the Maria Ceremony?"

" – How could I be? The photography club's involved in the first-years' welcoming ceremony too, you know."

Hearing that answer, Yoshino-san and Yumi sighed in despair. While it wasn't something Tsutako-san would have been overjoyed to accept, they had expected she would do so because of their history together.

" … I see."

Tsutako-san the photography ace wouldn't be without her camera for the main event of the welcoming ceremony, the handing out of medallions.

"Then how about we ask Katsura-san? She's in Shimako-san's class."

"So what's this about?"

Tsutako-san finally lowered her camera back to waist height as she asked this question.

"We're looking for an assistant. Someone to stand in for Shimako-san's petit soeur … "

Yoshino-san got that far when they heard the sound of laughter coming from someone else.

"Hohoho. I heard that, everyone."

"Ma-Mami-san."

What the heck, was she always just lurking around waiting to appear? It was a mystery. Incidentally, this time she'd appeared from somewhere behind Tsutako-san, but – .

"You're all so distant. I'd pitch in and help if only you'd ask me."

"But, but, the newspaper club is covering the event."

Yumi and Yoshino-san naturally backed away. It was impossible to tell what Mami-san was thinking. For one thing, their relationship wasn't that distant at all.

"Well of course we're covering it. But we're not going to be writing articles during the event. My onee-sama … the club president will surely be running around everywhere like a chicken with her head chopped off."

"…"

Yumi could just imagine it, but she couldn't respond. Tsukiyama Minako-sama was that type of person.

"So I was thinking I should cover it from inside, for when she strikes out. By using the view from inside the welcoming ceremony, I can cover it brilliantly. And because I'm coming at it from a different angle, she won't be hurt as much if I write a better article than her."

"…"

All three were thinking that she was a wonderful petit soeur. But even more frightening. Minako-sama was simple and easy to understand, but Mami-san was ominous because no-one could tell what she was thinking.

"Let me just say straight away, we can't pay you for this."

Yoshino-san cut straight to the point, and clapped her hands together in a "Let's do business" gesture. The task of finding an assistant had been entrusted to the boutons.

It seemed the mood had shifted from one of complete opposition, but even at the start that hadn't been Yumi's position. Mami-san would do the job well. She probably wouldn't lie or exaggerate in her article. So as long as she didn't focus on the troubles of the Yamayurikai, it should be fine to invite her inside.

They'd all be better off it the feud between the Yamayurikai and the newspaper club came to an end soon. As long as they respected each others' position, they should be able to have a good relationship, resulting in a better school newspaper and a better student council.

Part 3.

"Shimako's acting strangely."

Sachiko-sama said softly.

The second-floor of the Rose Mansion. The biscuit door, the one and only entrance, was open. So they would know if someone was climbing the stairs. This was a secret gathering.

The "someone" was Shimako-san. The members of the Red and Yellow Rose families were meeting at lunchtime, without Shimako-san. So the entire assembly was just four people.

"Um. Shimako-san's been acting strangely for a while now."

Yumi and Yoshino-san looked at each other, "Right?"

"In what way?"

"She's been spacing out, looking at the cherry blossoms."

"That's fine. It was to be expected."

Sachiko-sama waved her hand, as though she was sweeping "that" away.

"Huh?"

"When Rosa Giga … no, when Satou Sei-sama left, I thought she would become listless like that. I suppose you could call it a reaction. Despite appearances, they'd become emotionally dependent. On each other."

Despite appearances could have referred to their hands-off or, rather, their non-clingy soeur relationship.

"Oh, really?"

"We thought she'd be overcome by it. But Shimako's behavior has changed, so we have to change our plans."

"Overcome?"

Rei-sama had a sharp tongue. What she seemed to want to say was that they were going to let her wallow in her sadness, then offer her a helping hand at an appropriate time.

"Don't you think Shimako wants her heart to be open? Until now, it's been difficult because Sei-sama had been encamped in front of the door, so our only chance was through generational change."

"Hah."

"That's what we had in mind, but that Shimako. Recently, she's been strangely happy."

Sachiko-sama thumped the table in frustration. Shimako-san seemed happy, and normally that would be fine, but apparently this had happened before their offer. On top of that, they didn't know why, which was more than Sachiko-sama could stand.

On this matter the two soeurs were alike. Sachiko-sama and Yumi both grandiosely thought they would be the one to save Shimako-san.

"How much do you two know about Shimako?"

Sachiko-sama asked abruptly, looking serious.

"Um. Well, she sees attachment as shackles, and wants to be free to go anywhere at any time. And Sei-sama said that Shimako-san thought of herself as a dog, a lone wolf that can't join a pack."

"Say what?"

Yoshino-san had an expression of utter bewilderment. A reversal of their usual roles. Yoshino-san had been in a different class during their first year of high-school, so it was only natural that she would have less information about Shimako-san.

"A lone wolf … I see, that's an oddly fitting phrase."

"It's hard to see her as a wolf or a husky, so I don't think we should worry. Now, a chihuahua or a toy poodle, that would obviously fit."

"Don't derail the conversation, Rei."

"I'm just saying, we should focus on Shimako-san herself."

Rei-sama shrugged.

"Um … about Shimako-san's situation, do you two … ?"

"We're aware of it."

"W-w-w-w."

Surprised by their answer, Yumi unintentionally imitated a jackhammer.

"What's that w-w-w-w supposed to mean? Did you want to ask, "Why?" or, "What situation?""

" … Both."

Returning to her senses, Yumi blushed and looked down. Why did it always turn out like this?

"The reason Shimako's so withdrawn is that her family runs a Buddhist temple. I found this out through my grandfather on my mother's side, who's a parishioner at Shouguu … the temple where Shimako's father is head priest."

"I heard about it from Rei. From memory, around the time of the student council elections."

Rei-sama and Sachiko-sama unemotionally explained the "circumstances."

"Ah … so that's what it was."

It was strange, but Yumi wasn't particularly disturbed by learning Shimako-san's secret. And she was more predisposed to surprise than calm acceptance.

Apologies to Shimako-san, but Yumi's thoughts were, "Is that all?"

But Shimako-san kept it locked up inside, not telling anyone probably because she was worried about their reaction. She didn't want their pity. She was ashamed of herself for keeping her friends in the dark.

"I hadn't heard this."

While she'd been silent, Yoshino-san's cheeks had puffed up. Given the way they shared everything in their relationship, she seemed angered by Rei-sama's silence.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She thumped her fists into Rei-sama's shoulder.

"I was keeping it from you on purpose."

"That's right. We discussed it together and decided not to tell either of you two."

With Sachiko-sama looking at her, the thumping stopped. An agitated Yoshino-san glared at the imposing Sachiko-sama and asked:

"But why?"

"Because we decided that Shimako needed normal friends. Hearing her secret would change how you interacted with her, right? Back then, Shimako had to face the ordeal of farewelling Satou Sei-sama on her own. Pity would just get in the way. We wanted her to have friends that would stand with her unconditionally, despite not knowing her circumstances. And you did."

It was hard to understand but, basically, they were the right people in the right place at the right time. Yoshino-san seemed to accept this explanation, because she silently lowered her fists.

"But why's the temple such a big deal?"

"That's because Shimako's far too serious."

"It's proof that, unlike us, she treats her religion seriously."

Unlike us. – That's right, Shimako-san was a devout Christian.

"Ah."

Yumi suddenly remembered.

"What is it?"

"That might have been why Sei-sama didn't invite her to the New Year's shrine visit … "

"Ah. Naturally she would have known. But she graduated without doing anything."

"Leaving Shimako to handle it herself."

"Ah, um."

Hearing this stinging criticism from the two Roses, Yumi thought it was a bit unfortunate that no-one was offering a defense for Sei-sama.

"I don't think it was that she didn't do anything, but that she couldn't do anything. She understood Shimako-san too well, so she couldn't take drastic action."

But it wasn't much of a defense, because all it seemed to do was spur on their complaints.

" – Well, it's just like her to be that irresponsible. To postpone the problem, and push it onto us."

Push it onto you, Sachiko-sama? It wasn't as though Sei-sama had left you with some request regarding Shimako-san that you absolutely had to carry out.

"But now that we know about it, we have to take drastic action. Shimako's onee-sama has been silent, but we can't hold back."

Filled with fighting spirit, Sachiko-sama tried cracking her knuckles. – But, unfortunately, no sound came out.

"So, why are you telling us this now?"

"Because an opportunity has arisen."

Rei-sama answered.

"Spending all your time at school worrying is no fun, right? When she became Rosa Gigantea, we made up our mind … it'll take drastic action? Fine, we'll do that."

"It can't be small scale. Since she's worried about it so much, it has to be done on a big stage."

Sachiko-sama sidled over to Rei-sama. They impishly glanced at each other.

"For instance, she could confess in a "Lillian Kawaraban" article."

"Or she could announce it in front of the whole school."

The two Roses counted on their fingers as they talked.

Yoshino-san loved this kind of plotting, and couldn't help but join in.

"The first-years' welcoming ceremony is coming up soon."

"Right. We thought of that, but it would be quite difficult."

Sachiko-sama stopped counting on her fingers and crossed her arms across her chest, as though in thought.

"Why?"

"Because Shimako has to say it herself. What would cause her to unravel her years of caution? She's made up her mind to drop out of school if it was ever found out, you know."

She wants to remain free, to go anywhere at any time. Shimako-san had said that. She must have had that determination so that she could leave school if her family situation was ever discovered. It was unlikely that someone who had thought about it that much was going to reveal their secret lightly.

After all, Shimako-san loved this school. She would want to stay here.

"So we have to find something that Shimako would be willing to sacrifice herself to save."

"And that's not easy to find."

Sachiko-sama and Rei-sama sighed. Just a bit more, just a bit more, and Shimako-san's walls would come tumbling down. That's probably why they'd decided to include Yumi and Yoshino-san in their discussions. Since they were in the same grade, perhaps they had an idea.

"We're just missing that one pawn."

No sooner had Rei-sama said this, then:

"If you're after a pawn, then one exists."

A fifth voice echoed around the Rose Mansion.

"T-Touko-chan!"

Four simultaneous surprised cries.

There had been no sound from the staircase. Despite that, the girl with the ringlets was standing in front of the door, or, actually, a foot inside.

"H-h-h-"

This time it was Sachiko-sama and Rei-sama that were left sounding like a jackhammer.

"How did you get there?"

"How? Through the front door, up the steps."

"Without making a single sound?"

"Oh – really? Wasn't it because you were all caught up in your conversation? Ah, but Touko is an actress, so she can walk silently too."

Touko-chan strode into the room without asking permission. Even Sachiko-sama was confused as she inquired about Touko-chan's earlier inexcusably rude opening line.

"Um, Touko-chan? Did you say something about a pawn?"

"Yes. There's a pawn in reserve."

"It's not you, right?"

Yoshino-san glanced sideways at Touko-chan.

"Unfortunately not. But they should be just as good."

Hearing her speaking so pompously, Rei-sama urged her on.

"So, what is it?"

"Nijou Noriko-san."

"Nijou Noriko? Who's that?"

"Touko's friend. She entered into Lillian's this year. She gave the address at the entrance ceremony."

Touko-chan puffed her chest out with pride. As though she was the one that gave the address at the entrance ceremony. Or their relationship was that close.

"Ah –. That could have been her name. At the time, I was thinking, "Who's that?""

Rei-sama ran her fingers through her short hair.

"She doesn't stand out all that much."

Whereas you stand out far too much. Everyone thought that, but no-one said anything.

"So, she has good grades? And?"

Sachiko-sama said, asking how they could use this Nijou Noriko as a pawn.

"Well."

Touko-chan's eyes suddenly glistened with moisture.

"Rosa Gigantea calls Noriko-san by just her name, with no honorific. And Noriko-san calls Rosa Gigantea "Shimako-san," as though they're friends."

The moisture turned into teardrops.

"I asked her, and they're not related or anything like that."

Her tears were obviously an act, like she was in an elementary school play. If Touko-chan wanted to be a real actress, she'd have to do better than this hackneyed acting. At any rate, this was undoubtedly her territory.

It must have shocked her find out that Shimako-san was close to this Nijou Noriko. So Touko-chan had been aiming to become Shimako-san's petit soeur after all.

But setting that topic aside for now.

"Shimako has a special first-year – "

"If that's true, then Touko-chan has indeed done us a great service."

The two Roses took the bait completely.

"I wonder if she's planning on taking her as her petit soeur."

"Who can say. I thought Shimako would have been a late bloomer."

"But she's already addressing her so familiarly."

They whispered their suspicions to each other, then in a loud voice agreed. The conversation had accelerated somewhat while Yumi was in a state of confusion.

"At any rate, we should be able to use Nijou Noriko. In that case, why don't we aim for the first-years' welcoming ceremony?"

"H-hold on a minute, please. You're planning on publicly humiliating Shimako-san in front of all the first-years!?"

Now that the discussion was turning to specifics, Yumi hastily called a stop to it.

"I said that before, right? It has to be in front of a large audience. Besides, the first-year welcoming ceremony is organized by the Yamayurikai, so the teachers and sisters stay out of it. It'll be easier for us to proceed under those circumstances. It would be absurd to try at the start or end of semester assemblies, parents' day would be completely impossible, and the school festival is too far in the future to even consider."

"But."

Would it be okay? Sachiko-sama smiled, seeing the question bubbling on Yumi's face.

"Don't worry. I've come up with a scenario that will make it all work out. Ah, that's right."

Then she turned to face everyone and said:

"You can't say a word about this to anyone, not just Shimako. We have to keep this a secret."

"Yes, of course!"

It was Touko-chan that answered so enthusiastically.

Yumi had mixed feelings about this, wondering why they had to bring Touko-chan into their group.

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