Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume9 Chapter7 3

8 – 3 = Right . 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.