Maria-sama ga Miteru Volume 4 Chapter 2

Maria-sama ga Miteru Volume 4 Chapter 2

The next morning, Yumi went to school earlier than usual and went to the library.


The Lillian Girls Academy middle school and high school library reading rooms opened at seven thirty. The students that were in charge of looking after the library didnt arrive until later, so as to not burden the supervising teacher too much, borrowing and returning books wasnt allowed until eight, but it was a good system for students that wanted to do pre-cla.s.s research or finish studying. -Of course, Yumid never taken advantage of this before.


"Umm, a book of roses, a book of roses&h.e.l.lip;"


There was no Rosa Canina in her plant encyclopedia at home. Not just Rosa Canina, but there was no Rosa Chinensis, Rosa Foetida or Rosa Gigantea, either, so it was quite useless. Even though nine species for breeding and seven species for gardening, for a total of sixteen, species of roses were in it. Finally realizing that there were many types of roses, she decided to look it up in the library. Shed already concluded that because it was called Rosa Canina, that it must be a rose.


Seven fifty. When she went straight to the library and then into the reading room, one of the three catalogue computers was luckily open.



The search requested you to choose between author, t.i.tle or keyword, and then prompted you to enter the name or words. Yumi, of course, chose keyword and entered "rose."





Please wait. Searching...



(How long will it take?)


-But it immediately finished.


"Eek."


Showing restraint in the quiet library, Yumi covered her mouth.


(Eek&h.e.l.lip;)


She casually entered "rose," and found her screen flooded with entries. There were so many hits the list kept going.


(What, what should I do?)


It was like yanking on the roll of toilet paper, and then finding the roll kept spinning and spinning.


Spin spin spin spin.


When will it end? Probably until you could see the earth-colored wick in the middle. Then what do you do with the enormous amount of toilet paper in your hands?


(Ummm.)


How worrisome. Well, it wasnt actually toilet paper so she didnt have to worry about being overwhelmed by the white sheets all over the floor.





4712 entries.



After the message showed up on the computer, she hit back.


(Phew.)


Saved. The computers toilet paper had an automatic re-wind.


(However.)


If she went through each of the 4712 entries, the day would be long over. And shed only been up for a couple hours since waking up, too.


The list was ordered by name, rather than relevance or price of the book. So the first one on the list was a novel t.i.tled, "Ahh, my beloved, you remind me of a rose."


(Time to go further down the list.)


Bringing her mouse cursor to the scrollbar, she dragged the list down to where t.i.tles began with "rose." She wondered if there were books in the library that actually were about roses, but she found out that the system catalogued books from the university library and the elementary and kindergarten libraries, too, so if needed, they could move the books around. A useful system.


But even such a useful system was useless if the user computer illiterate, like pearls before swine, or praying into a horses ear&h.e.l.lip; wait, that might be wrong. Anyways, her search was apparently bad, because "rose" ended up with all sorts of things, like "rose-like blood-splatter," so it was dreadful indeed. She wished it would at least divide things into categories.


"Umm, excuse me-"


As Yumi frantically tried to search, someone suddenly touched her shoulders from behind.


"Ah, yes?"


At first, she thought she was being cautioned for using the computer so long.


"Im sorry, Ill be done in a moment."


But that was wrong. Because no one was at the other two computers anymore.


"Indeed. I think you should be done now, though, f.u.kuzawa Yumi-san."


That person smiled. Yumi didnt recognize her. From her ambiance, she felt like an uppercla.s.sman. Her first impression was, "She looks cool." Maybe it was because of her short, straight hair, or maybe it was her looks. She looked cool, but on top of that, she was also pretty.


"Uh, umm-"


The other computers were open, so why did she need to leave? Yumi became confused. Then, she reached past Yumi and told the computer to conclude the search.


"You should finish research during lunch break or afterschool, I think. At least, if you dont want to be late."


"Eh!?"


She looked at her watch. Eight twenty-one. Wow. The early bell had already rung, and the morning prayer would be broadcast soon.


"Thank you very much. I completely forgot."


"Youre welcome. Im part of the library committee, so its part of my job. &h.e.l.lip; Now, lets hurry."


She had also seemingly come straight to the library after coming to school, as she picked up her bag and coat and left the library with Yumi.


"Yumi-san, were you looking up roses?"


"Yes."


Yumi nodded, walking quickly.


She wondered how she knew, for a moment, but remembered she had finished the search for her. Of course shed caught a glimpse of the screen.


"My encyclopedia at home doesnt have them listed. Even Rosa Chinensis."


"Therere a lot of modified species of roses. Though, shouldnt it have Rosa Chinensis? Its a major species, as many roses nowadays used it as a root."


"Is that so?"


"Yes."


She probably didnt mean it that way, but Yumi felt a bit down when she giggled. The sister of Rosa Chinensis en bouton was learning about the rose Rosa Chinensis from someone else. She walked through the entrance, disparaging herself. However, the library committee student was well-versed about roses-.


"Umm, do you know of the rose Rosa Canina?"


Maybe, she thought, and she asked after placing her shoes in the shoe boxes.


"Rosa Canina?"


After repeating the question, she immediately replied.


"Yes, I do."


It was an unexpectedly quick turn-about. After searching so hard, she couldnt find the answer, but now she found it in a simple place.


"Its a rose, after all?"


"Yes."


"What sort of flower is it?"


When she shot questions in quick sequence, she was countered, "What sort do you think it is?"


"What sort&h.e.l.lip;"


In truth, shed never even stopped to imagine it. But she was an undercla.s.sman who was being taught. Plus, she didnt have much time left. The number of students in the hallway had dwindled, and even those students were jogging.


"If I were to come up with an image off the top of my head&h.e.l.lip; a black rose."


There was already a red, white, and yellow rose. And if, as Rei-sama said, Rosa Canina was a Lillian student and challenging the traditional red, white and yellow boutons, then she must have a strong personality. So, black. Plus, from a personal viewpoint, she was more of a villain, so it was definitely black.


"Correct."


She narrowed her eyes and answered.


"Rosa Canina is a black rose."


Just then, the late bell began ringing.


"Ah, thats not good. Thank you very much, gokigenyou."


Yumi bowed slightly and began running. The cool girl calmly walked to the second-year cla.s.srooms.


"Lets meet again, f.u.kuzawa Yumi-san."


After she whispered thus.








"Did something happen with Sachiko-sama?"


She stood, holding the broom and staring into s.p.a.ce, when Tsutako-san leaned in and peered into her face.


"Why?"


Yumi remembered to sweep the floor. Then, Tsutako-san went and brought a dustpan and placed it just beyond the pile of dust. They werent in the same cleaning group, but she stood there anyways, like it was natural. Her cleaning group already finished, apparently.


It was cleaning time, after school.


"Yumi-san, youre in an unusually gloomy state. When that happens, the reason must be Sachiko-sama. Plus, you were almost late to the morning prayers today, too."


"Tsutako-san, I appreciate you helping with cleaning, but&h.e.l.lip;"


"I know, I know, its because of Rosa Canina, right?"


"How did you-"


"I read your mind. Who do you think I am?"


The photography club ace, Takeshima Tsutako-san.


"I heard the details from the newspaper club captain."


"&h.e.l.lip; You were just eavesdropping."


Yumi interjected as she swept the dust onto the dustpan. The students in her cleaning group had begun running a moistened mop across the wooden floors, where shed finishing sweeping.


"Oh dont be like that. Anyways, it sounds like Sachiko-samas in a pinch."


"True."


She took the dustpan from Tsutako-san and bee-lined for the garbage bin. But the photography clubs ace hounded her. Usually, she would just be getting in the way of cleaning, like this, but she was helping, so Yumi couldnt complain.


In the end, Yumi would have her uneasiness pried out of the shadows by Tsutako-san.


"So basically, Yumi-san is pondering over her raison detre."


"Raison detre?" Thats right, she would spontaneously pull out difficult words or phrases and make the conversation difficult. Thats what Takeshima Tsutako-san did.


"Raison detre, or in other words, your personal charm point that no one else can hope to match. You are f.u.kuzawa Yumi because of this, for instance. Of course, most people never figure out what makes them attractive."


"Attractive? My charming, baby racc.o.o.n face? Or being a natural airhead?"


When Yumi put away the broom and dustpan into the cleaning locker, looking exasperated, Tsutako-san looked extremely serious and said, "Not that kind of superficial thing."


"For example, Yumi-san is here. And with that, some peoples lives have changed."


"Even if I dont do anything?"


"Of course."


Even if the pitcher throws the same ball, if the angle of the bat changes just a bit, it could end in either a home run or a foul, she said. Yumi didnt watch baseball much, but she still got the idea.


Even if it began from the same spot and went the same distance, with just a small turn the landing spot would change completely. Is what she was trying to say. Even the smallest of incidents could affect a person and change their life.


"Isnt that dreadful?"


"It is dreadful, life. But, thats what makes it fun. Perhaps Sachiko-sama thought, in a good way, that her life would change by choosing Yumi-san to be her sister?"


"Hmm."


"Its a good thing, is what I mean. Sachiko-sama didnt want a sister like her. You hear it a lot, that people seek people who have what they dont, you know?"


It sounded like she was generalizing quite a bit. She was no match for Tsutako-san when it came to a verbal discussion.


When they finished cleaning the rear-half, and then the front-half, they brought the desks back to their original positions. When Yumi dragged a desk to the right place, Tsutako-san took the chair that was placed upside-down on the desk, lowered it to the floor, and turned it around. The students that finished wiping the blackboard would then rinse their dust cloths and wipe the desks. And, when you finished all of that, cleaning would be finished. The painstaking waxing was done once every two weeks, so they didnt do that today.


"I&h.e.l.lip; What should I do?"


"You have to think of that yourself."


Even though Yumi cordially listened to her, Tsutako-san simply left her alone when it came to a crucial topic.


"Youre cold."


"Yup. Human relationships are different, person to person, you know? Sachiko-samas sister is Yumi-san. Im just Yumi-sans friend. So all I can do is divert the newspaper clubs information to illegal channels."


Then, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her student notebook.


"Kanina Shizuka (蟹名静). Second-year wisteria cla.s.s, attendance number ten. Shes part of the chorus."


"What?"


"Rosa Caninas ident.i.ty. You hadnt found that out yet, right?"


Shed taken a photo, too, but she hadnt developed it yet, so shed bring it tomorrow. Said Tsutako-san, extremely proud of herself.


"Thank you, Tsutako-san!"


Its good to have friends. Plus, for all her c.o.c.kiness, she did her share of work.


"How do you write Kanina?"


"Kani, from hair crab, and na, from name."


"What an unusual name."


"Well theres an Ebina (海老名 - Ebi = shrimp), so Kanina isnt that far off."


"Mmm."


Yumi took out her own student notebook and jotted it down. She would ask Yoshino-san later if she knew anything about "Kanina Shizuka-sama."


"Mmm, thats all?"


Tsutako-san looked let-down.


"Is that bad?"


"Come on, Yumi-san. Kanina becomes Rosa Canina. What are your thoughts, on such an embarra.s.singly straight nickname?"


"Oh, right, I didnt notice."


She found out this morning that Rosa Canina was a real rose, and that it was a black rose, so she ended up being satisfied. So her real name was more like simple memorization. All she really cared about was that it was a name she hadnt heard before. After all, no matter what that persons name was, she was still Sachiko-samas opponent.


"Get a grip. Howre you going to weather the storm like that?"


That hurt. That really hurt. Because she didnt need to be told it.


"However. Onee-samas Yamayurikai staff election episode is quite a burden, but then you think about going through that, and living through your onee-samas exam as well as her graduation, like Shimako-san, and now youve got problems, dont you think?"


"Oh, Rosa Gigantea is taking exams?"


How unbelievable, Yumi thought. Because she never looked like she was, and to start with, were people taking exams allowed to wander around in that manner?


"Maybe, apparently. At the very least, no ones heard her talk about a priority entry into Lillians university or junior college. Right, Shimako-san?"


Seeing Shimako-san step into the room by chance, Tsutako-san forcibly dragged her over.


"Eh? What? Onee-samas course?"


Shimako-san tilted her head.


For a moment, Yumi thought, "No way," but then she rejected the notion. After all, even with how "their" relationship was, even Shimako-san had to have heard about what Rosa Gigantea planned to do after graduating. After all, it was already in the countdown stages, being after New Years.


But.


As Yumi and Tsutako-san held their breaths and watched, Shimako-san looked extremely serious and said.


"I wonder&h.e.l.lip;?"


As expected of the my-pace Shimako-san. "Come to think of it, what does she plan to do?" said Shimako-san, as if shed just now thought of it.


"&h.e.l.lip; h.e.l.lo, Shimako-san. Why dont you ask something that important directly?"


It was dead winter, but Tsutako-san still had a sweat drop.


"Indeed. But, it wasnt that I couldnt ask, but rather that I forgot to ask. But I understand, Ill try to remember asking the next time I see her."


Smiling like an angel, Shimako-san went to her seat and took out note-taking equipment from her bag. The water vapor on the gla.s.s windows reflected the sunlight and illuminated Shimako-san.


Shimako-san looked so white that it wouldnt have been a surprise if angelic wings sprouted behind her. Not so much the color of her skin, but her existence, as a whole. If Yumi could see peoples auras, Shimako-san would no doubt be white. As expected of the white rose family.


When Yumi pointed that out, Tsutako-san snickered.


"Then Yumi-san is always blushing, so youre part of the crimson rose family."


One zabuton for Tsutako-san!


The pitiful part was that Yumi couldnt make a retort.








"Second-year wisteria cla.s.s Kanina Shizuka-sama? Oh, the chorus songstress?"


Yoshino-san immediately answered, in the second-floor conference room of the Rosa Mansion. Plus, she even groaned, "Rosa Canina because her name is Kanina," so Yumi was impressed. Tsutako-san was probably hoping for that sort of reaction from Yumi.


"Yoshino-san, do you know her well?"


"No. But shes pretty famous."


"&h.e.l.lip; I see."


She could only nod. In Yumis case, she didnt really remember anyone she didnt actually come in contact with.


"Shes pretty, with long hair. She did a vocal solo of Aria during the school festival, dont you remember?"


"I was probably eating curry with Sachiko-sama."


"Thats right."


Yoshino-san laughed and shut the windows. While their onee-sama were attending the election management committees explanatory session, the two of them cleaned the room, so they kept the window open despite the cold weather.


"Shall we take a break?"


Yumi stood up without waiting for an answer and flipped the two teacups over. The electric kettle was making bubbling sounds, and hot steam escaped from the little hole. The water had just finished boiling.


"A rest."


Yoshino-san revolved her shoulders. It was right after cla.s.sroom cleaning, so theyd been running around cleaning all day. But they couldnt help it, the Mansion with spider webs wasnt a proper sight. The two sisters of boutons pondered over what they could do to help their onee-sama and decided that, at the very least, they could make it so their onee-sama would be able to sit comfortable, and undertook, not quite a major cleaning, but a pretty decent amount of cleaning. Theyd done most of the cleaning prior to the years end, so this was more of the surface-area cleaning.


"Yoshino-san, would you like coffee?"


"Yes. And plenty of powdered milk, please."


"OK."


Rosa Foetida brought a collection of stick-coffee as a gift during the second-semester closing ceremony, saying she was sharing part of her New Years gift, so the Rose Mansion drinks were currently extraordinarily rich. Yumi first placed a stick of coffee, milk, and sugar into each cup, and as per request, placed an extra milk stick into Yoshino-sans cup, and added an extra sugar stick into her own. Then, she poured boiling water into the cups. Because it was just the two of them, that was it. They wanted to limit how much washing theyd need to do, so they didnt use a spoon to mix. Plus, the process ended up mixing the coffee pretty well, anyways. Of course, it didnt need to be said that they didnt use a tray, either.


"The election management committees explanatory session, what do they do there?"


Yumi mumbled, absent-mindedly. As theyd finished cleaning, when she sat down in her chair, it felt like all of the exhaustion crept up at once. I dont want to do anything more, was how she felt.


"When, and how theyll hold the elections, for one. How candidates should sign up. What violates the election process. I guess they explain those things?"


"Mmm."


Sounds difficult, Yumi thought.


"What do you mean, mmm, you know were going to go through it next year?"


"What!?"


"Get a grip, Yumi-san, were becoming bouton in April."


"Umm&h.e.l.lip; thats true-"


After she nodded, she started, "Wait." There was, of course, the matter of becoming a Rose down the line, something shed taken pains to not think about, but the situation was different now because of Rosa Canina, wasnt it?


If they lost in the election, then Rosa Chinensis next year wouldnt be Sachiko-sama. And when Kanina Shizuka-sama becomes the new Rosa Chinensis, her sister would be the bouton, so there was the possibility that Yumis next two years would change dramatically.


"Yumi-san, you cant possibly be thinking that Sachiko-sama might lose, can you?"


On the other side of the vapor rising from the teacups, Yoshino-san looked at her, menacingly.


"Shimako-san is like that, too, but you shouldnt have that kind of pa.s.sive att.i.tude. When someone challenges you, you stand and take it. If we, the boutons sisters, become fainthearted, theres no way our onee-sama can fight full strength."


"Oh, yes."


Shed been lectured, without realizing it. But it was true, shed imagine for a moment she and Sachiko-sama living a normal school life. Not the uppercla.s.sman everyone admired, but just her "onee-sama." It actually sounded kind of nice.


"If youre considered the successor, youre supposed to win the election. So try losing to some independent newcomer. Yumi-san, howre you going to cheer up your onee-sama as her little sister if things came to that?"


Youre right, is all she could say. So in truth, she needed onee-sama to win.


When they finished slowly sipping down their coffee, the three boutons returned to the Rose Mansion.


"Would you like a drink?"


While Yoshino-san washed the used cups, Yumi walked next to the table the boutons were sitting around and asked for their orders, like a good waitress.


"Do you want to drink bitter j.a.panese tea?"


Sachiko-sama asked the other two.


"Sounds good."


Answered Rei-sama. Shimako-san said she didnt care. The three of them looked tired.


"Bitter j.a.panese tea."


When Yumi repeated the order, Rei-sama added, "Cups are fine."


"I didnt think Rosa Canina was going to be lady Kanina Shizuka."


They had probably walked through the school hallways, the stairs, and other such places without saying a word. After seating themselves on familiar chairs and ordering drinks, the boutons relaxed themselves and began discussing. While they poured bitter tea, Yumi and Yoshino-san pointed their listening antennae in their direction.


"I dont really know, but she was the one who sang Aria at the school festival, correct? She looks very different from then."


Yumi thought, "Hmm, hmm, so that person did an image-change over the winter," when she heard Shimako-sans words. However, she also realized that the Aria songstress was famous indeed.


"Cutting her hair short during the winter of her second year, is just like Rosa Gigantea. Like shes carrying on a tradition."


"You dont say!"


She wasnt Sachiko-sama, but even Yumi thought, "You dont say!" Because if someone looks up to Rosa Gigantea that much, then they would be an adherent to Rosa Gigantea, and then you would a.s.sume that sort of person wouldnt issue a proclamation of war to the Yamayurikai staff. People cut their hair all the time, even without any reason.


"Come to think of it, didnt Kanina Shizuka-sans name come up as a potential sister for Rosa Gigantea, way back then?"


"Yes, there was such a rumor."


As the two second-years conversed, the three first-years simultaneously went, "What!?" Itd happened at least a year ago, so of course, it was their first time hearing this.


"Is that true?"


Yoshino-san didnt even wait to place the teacups in front of each person, instead rushing toward the table with the tray.


"Just a rumor, Yoshino-chan. After all, it didnt turn out that way, did it?"


Sachiko-sama and the other two took their cups off the tray.


"Yup, yup, it was just the Lillian Kawaraban running off with a story again."


"&h.e.l.lip; Oh, was that all?"


Of course, Rosa Gigantea en bouton, Shimako-san, sat there in the midst of them, so that was proof enough. The newspaper club apparently took a poll on who was likely to become Rosa Giganteas sister.


Yumi and Yoshino-san took their own cups and sat next to their respective onee-sama. The green color of the j.a.panese tea looked exceptionally bitter, so in Yumis case, she diluted it with water from the pot. The others, however, sipped it deliciously.


"She looked a bit like Shiori-san."


Everyone was quieted by Sachiko-samas sighing comment. Everyone knew about Rosa Gigantea and her heart-breaking split with her friend.


"Shiori-san aside, she stood out since middle school, so I actually even a.s.sumed she would be a Rose Mansion resident at some point."


Because she was a traditionally beautiful person, and there was no one that wouldnt be intoxicated by her singing voice. -Rei-sama explained, about Kanina Shizuka-sama. However, the current Rosa Foetidas preference was "rare goods," so the handsome youth who was invincible with a shinai, Rei-sama, ended up becoming her little sister.


"Had Shiori-san not been here, would Rosa Gigantea have asked Kanina Shizuka-sama to be her sister?"


When Yumi asked, Sachiko-sama pondered, "I wonder."


"Before she met Shiori-san, Rosa Gigantea didnt make contact with other people. Plus, she became the Rosa Gigantea of now solely because she met Shiori-san."


"Ah&h.e.l.lip; I see."


Anyways, Rosa Canina, or Kanina Shizuka-sama had also come to the election management committees explanatory session.


The deadline for registering candidacy was some time later, but they explained the process leading up to the election today. Anyone could partic.i.p.ate. The school made numerous broadcasts for people intending to announce candidacy during cla.s.sroom breaks, so today was supposed to be the first time the candidates would see each other.


"There were a number of wisteria cla.s.s students following her around. Rosa Canina, Rosa Canina. It was not a pleasant sight to behold."


"But, she is alone."


Hearing Sachiko-sama, Shimako-san replied.


"I understand. But, its discomforting, thats all."


She likes what she likes, she hates what she hates. -Very like Sachiko-sama.


But does that mean Kanina Shizuka-sama is fascinating enough to have her own contingency of supporters? Yumi still couldnt consent to that knowledge. Maybe she was still dragging the concept of the "black rose" along.


(Discomforting.)


She poured hot water into a small teapot and added seconds to everyones cup as she thought. If Sachiko-sama was discomforted, then she was discomforted, too.


As Sachiko-samas sister, she couldnt forgive anyone who would strain onee-samas beautiful face.