Volume 9 Chapter 2 (1/2)

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”Oh, isn't that Noriko-san over there?”

”Huh?”

Hearing her naround as she walked along the path lined with ginkgo trees turned around Her short bob-cut hair swayed gently like abrook

”Gokigenyou”

There were three girls wearing the sa amiably

”You're by yourself? If you'd like, we could walk to class together”

”… Umm”

Noriko thought, ”This is bad”

Despite instinctively turning to look at them, Noriko had absolutely no idea who it was that had called out to her

”Well, it's only been four days since the entrance ceremony It's probably too much to ask that you've remembered our names?”

”Hah … ”

Obviously she couldn't respond to the sirls with, ”Actually, I don't even remember your faces” Instead, Noriko adopted the saenyou everyone” Since they called out to her, they were probably in the same class

”Forgive me, I haven't been able to memorize everyone in the class's name just yet”

”That's understandable Noriko-san took the entrance exam to come to Lillian's from another school”

The three girls then politely introduced themselves with, ”I'm Touko,” ”I'm Atsuko”, ”I'm Miyuki”

”Touko-san, Atsuko-san, Miyuki-san”

As a courtesy, Noriko recited the na the honorific ”-san” to their nah she still wasn't quite used to that

(Touko, Atsuko, Miyuki Touko, Atsuko, Miyuki Touko, Atsuko, Miyuki … it's not happening)

Their polite self-introductions would probably be wasted effort Because, by tootten this incantation

(It's because they all look the same)

They each had different faces and hairstyles, but the overall impression was still the same

With their old-fashi+oned unifor, they were all innocent, kind-hearted, adorable angels

(Although since I got in, they ree)

Looking around, all she could see ell-hters

”Now, Noriko-chan Shall we go? Come on”

”Hah”

Having been stared down by the angels, Noriko could only follow along behind them

”Ever since the entrance cereet to know you better Noriko-san”

Said the girl with ringlets hanging past her ears, who had called herself Touko It was a retro hairstyle that wasn't all that common on the street but it didn't look out of place at all here, perhaps due to the antique design of the school uniform

The problem was the uniform

The cloth that was reen, the ivory sailor collar with a line through it, that was soht after these days Add to that, it was rare that skirts were kept beneath the knee,the set was three-fold white socks and black leather ballet-style shoes, it was just -

(Where is this place? What century is it in?)

As she walked, Noriko idly gazed at the row of girls None of theered species question, they were just wearing the clothes Until now, nobody had ever been rude enough to consider the possibility of redesigning the uniform

(However)

As she lumbered on, Noriko plucked at the hem of her pleated skirt

It looked as though she was the only one that thought that, no matter how she looked at it, the uniform didn't suit her But that was probably all in her mind

I'irls

Noriko knew full well that she was the exception

”At the entrance cereave the welcome as the the new students' representative, didn't you?”

When Noriko raised her head, waiting there were Touko's sparkling eyes It looked as though their conversation wasn't over yet

”The welcome … what of it?”

She chose her words with care Until she fully understood what type of place this was, she should take care not to stand out

”Nothing, it's just that you draw attention to yourself by virtue of being the one who gave that welcome”

Touko smiled at Noriko's odd expression as she tried to decipher those words, then gently adjusted the shape of Noriko's ribbon

”A disheveled ribbon would draw even more attention”

”It would be bad if you were cautioned by an older student”

- She seemed to be a meddler

The path through the ginkgo trees ht at the point where the path forked

There was a sarden at this location

In the s it a sht in thethe students as they arrived froate

”Maria-sama Please watch over us today as always, so that we can live our life properly in accordance with God's teachings”

In front of her, Maria-saels beside her wholeheartedly offered up their prayers

(Please forgive me, Maria-sama)

Noriko imitated her three classmates and joined her hands in prayer Then, deep in her heart, she felt regret

(Honestly, someone like me isn't qualified to stand before Maria-sama)

When she opened her eyes and gently looked up, Maria-sa back at her, and no reply was forthco

”You were praying quite earnestly there, Noriko-san What were you discussing with Maria-sama?”

The sreater feelings of guilt

”Ah U that I'd quickly become accustomed to school life”

Noriko answered, with a strained smile

”My! Maria-sama will surely look after you”

The three angels agreed, their shi+ning eyes showing not even a trace of disbelief

( … Ah, a bed of nails)

Would she be able to survive three years at this place? Noriko surreptitiously sighed

Even though her school life was only just beginning

- Reverse ”Hidden Christian”

That was the iven herself

(My hobby's viewing Buddhist statues, yeah)

In her spare time, she'd visit Buddhist temples and ad you could say out loud at a Catholic school

There was no ie of Kannon inside the statue of Maria-sama

A long tio, persecuted Christians would pray before statues of the virgin Mary shaped to look like the Goddess Kannon, but she wasn't even close to being that devout Noriko was simply charmed by the beauty of the shape of Buddhist statues

The cherry trees were visible froroup classroom

Since they'd been in full bloom on the day of the entrance ceremony, the branches were now quite bare But even so, when the wind blew, there was a scattering of petals like the first flurries of snow

The sister in charge of religious education was telling a story related to the bible scriptures

(If it hadn't been snowing that day … )

Noriko would ponder this from time to time

Speculating that she wouldn't have been here

Another place would have been made for her, not here, and that place ht?

The snow of roughly a o coirl had changed the course of Noriko's life

- She'd lost out in the fiercely competitive entrance exams

She hadn't tasted a setback related to studying She was h-school entrance exarade on all the mock exaiven her the seal of approval, saying she'd definitely pass

So as it that she was currently here? For no other reason than that on the day of the entrance exam, she wasn't able to make it to the examination hall All the seals of approval in the world didn't count for anything if you didn't take the test

On the day before the entrance exam, Noriko was in Kyoto

That day was the one day every twenty years that a certain temple made their statue of Kannon viewable to the public - Once in twenty years If she let that chance escape, she'd be 35 by the tiain

She didn't even think about it Chiba and Kyoto were close enough for it to be a day-trip

However

(As they say, going's easy, it's the co back that's hard)

Unfortunately, bullet-train services were suspended due to heavy snow So, the only option she had was to accept the offer she'd already received to attend Lillian's Girls Academy

”Nijou-san, are you listening?”

”Ah, yes”

The sisters didn't get angry, even when the students looked out the s

Maria-sa was all they'd say

”There's also Chapter 15 in the Gospel According to Luke”

It was the story about a shepherd with 100 sheep, asking if he'd leave behind 99 sheep to search for the one that had gonewith parables

The sister was still lecturing as she spread her arms wide

”The Lord will not abandon those who seek his assistance Let us pray together For God is pleased e guide his lost little lambs”

After school

The girl with the French braids, her na like that, looked straight at Noriko and said:

”Noriko-san, if you'd like, we could go and check out the various clubs together”

”Ahh, clubs … ”

”For extra-curricular activities Are you involved with any, Noriko-san?”

”No, not really”

”Then please come You really should join a club”

Atsuko(probably)-san said, her eyes glittering Then she went on to say that faive speeches to some of the cultural clubs As expected from a school for noble ladies

”Obviously there's clubs for flower arranging, tea cerei clubs, arts and crafts clubs, as well as an abundance of sports clubs”

”Hah”

”Incidentally, Touko-san's joining the drama club Miyuki-san and I have decided to join the scripture reading club If you'd like, we could all study scripture together”

”S-scripture?”

It was a surprise attack, so her voice irl with the French braids didn't notice Noriko's reaction, instead crooking her neck slightly and s

”How about it?”

”Well … ah, I' I have to do today”

After she said this, Noriko thought, ”There wasn't a better way of turning her down? Soain tomorrow”

”Really? That's a shame”

Thankfully, she withdreithout any further objection A club for reading bible scriptures sounded totally unappealing

”I'm sorry, especially since you went out of your way to invite enyou”

Noriko grabbed her bag and sped out of the classroom

If she waited around, she'd just get invited to another club, and that would be a pain She should change out of her indoor shoes, or at least get out of the school building Now then, what to do?

She'd used ”things she had to do” as an excuse for declining the invitation to attend the scripture club, but there was no real reason for her to hurry home

(Maybe I should take the long way home)

She could go hoht away, but she'd hit the peak for club-free students heading hoate and the railway station would be pretty crowded Even though it'd be coh-school students from Lillian's Girls Academy, she still wanted to avoid the rush

Things would be a lot different if she left it 30 minutes Noriko decided to kill some time

But having said that, it hadn't been that long since she'd entered into this school She still didn't fully understand where all the paths led Since Lillian's Girls Acadearten to university all on the one cae

If she'd been here since kindergarten, this would probably be just like her own backyard, but for so out of their territory would be like getting lost in the woods without a co too far

(Having said that)

She had no purpose She'd probably run into one of the sports clubs if she strayed onto an oval The bible scripture club was obviously out of the question, but Noriko didn't plan to join any other extra-curricular groups either

She'd been carried into high-school by momentum Given that, she'd co and she'd set her sights on the university entrance exams in three years' time

It wasn't as though the once in twenty years choice had ruined her life If she studied hard, she could be back on track in three years

Avoiding the sports grounds, she walked along the path that led to the auditoriu fro the rear of the school building To Noriko's eyes, the roughly one-third of flowers that re to the past

(That reminds me)

She suddenly remembered What about that cherry tree?

Behind the auditoriuo trees

On the day of the entrance cere which class she was in from the list posted in front of the auditoriu It was then that she caught sight of its semi-fluorescence, and was oddly charmed by it

Why was it that only that cherry tree was that pretty?

”I guess it'll have dropped most of its flowers too”

Fro around, that was the obvious conclusion to draw

But Noriko felt an odd confidence That she'd definitely make it in time

That cherry tree was somehow different to the others

It was divine, it was as sublimely beautiful as a shi+nto shrine's sacred tree

She turned towards the auditoriuradually replaced with ginkgo trees

When she finally reached the auditoriuht pink flower petals on the ground

Searching back through herThe petals underfoot steadily increased

It should be just around the next corner As though it were a signpost, a single branch protruded into her field of vision

( … There!)