Volume 9 Chapter 9 (1/2)
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Yumi was already nervous
The four instigators, plus Touko-chan, had gathered before 7:30 in the Rose Mansion for a final , which had just ended Since they had to arrive at school before the two leading actresses in order to set out their net
”Yoshi+no, you're in charge of escorting shi+mako to the chapel when she arrives”
”Roger”
”Yumi-chan, you're to wait by the first-year shoe lockers and let us know as soon as Nijou Noriko arrives at school”
”Okay”
Rei-saned roles
”Now, Touko-chan”
”Ye~s I've got to get the juzu”
She was in high spirits Even her ringlets seeained extra bounce somehow
”I wonder if Nijou Noriko will have brought the juzu today”
Not a ically
Indeed The juzu That was the main point Without it, they couldn't proceed with Rei-sama's rewrite of the script, ”The Maria Ceremony Inquisition”
”Ah, but, it's always been kept hidden in her bag, even up to yesterday She was probably planning on waiting until Rosa Gigantea had some free time after the Maria Ceremony to return it to her”
”Huh!?”
What did you just say Touko-chan? That you've been peeking inside your class every day?
(They're friends, friends)
Yumi shook her head, and recited this in her mind
”Well then, let's pray for success”
Everyone nodded at Rei-saned locations There wasn't another anized The next ti the event itself
Yumi hurried to the shoe locker room
On the way, her eye was suddenly caught by the statue of Maria-sama at the end of the corridor Unlike every other day, Maria-sama was adorned with a floral necklace Today was the Maria Festival
When she was young, today of all days she'd try to be a good girl, and not fight with her friends But this year, she found it a bit difficult to look Maria-saht in the eye
Yumi hoped that once it was all over, she'd be able to properly confess to Maria-sama
She was looking forwards to being able to proudly proclaim, ”That's my friend”
(- But if things go south, that won't happen!)
She spotted shi+mako-san ahead of her down the corridor, much earlier than they'd expected her to arrive at school
”Oh no”
Yumi immediately hid behind a pillar If they ht at the start According to the script, Yoshi+no-san was supposed to get shi+mako-san to assist her because Yumi was late to arrive
(W-what should I do … )
She had to get to the shoe boxes so she could watch for Nijou Noriko But shi+mako-san was in her way There weren't that many people that had arrived at school just yet that she could try and fool shi+ she was just another face in the crowd either
(Well, in that case I've got no choice)
Yumi turned back, climbed the stairs, then walked towards thethe long way around
”fukuzawa-san, quiet in the hallway”
Thanks to the teacher's warning, she hadn'tat her watch, it was 7:45 Nijou Noriko generally arrived a bit after 8, but that was just an average, so there was some variation either earlier or later Especially for students who caught the bus from the train station, traffic problems that caused a 10 to 15 minute delay were a common occurrence
Descending the stairs, as she was turning towards the shoe-boxes, Yuhly the sa none the wiser
(Sorry)
Instinctively she clasped her hands together
”… What are you doing, Yumi-san?”
”Oowah”
Her heart jumped
”Ma-mami-san”
”Gokigenyou Did so happen to shi+mako-san?”
”No, not at all”
”Really?”
”Yeah … ”
”Well, okay But it's definitely s on these last few days It see too deeply, instead waiting to see how it turns out Especially since you've reserved me a front-row seat”
”Ahahaha”
So that's hoas
It would be pointless trying to deceive her Ma the role of shi+mako-san's assistant today When it happened, she'd know the inside story
”Um, Mami-san”
”I know, I know, keep it a secret from shi+mako-san But in return, when it's over, I want the full story An intervieith Rosa Chinensis or Rosa Foetida to accompany the article in the ”Lillian Kawaraban””
”I can't pro, but I'll have a ith my onee-sama”
”Okay I'll keep quiet for today”
The way she airily walked away showed she was looking forward to it But Yumi, still startled by these events, didn't have time to enjoy herself
”Gokigenyou, Yumi-sama”
”Gokigenyou, Rosa Chinensis en bouton”
It looked as though there were always first-years who knew all about the Yah-school, as Yureeted by a succession of students she didn't knohile she waited near the first-year shoe boxes Although the polite juniors were actually quite cute
”May I inquire as to who you're waiting for?”
The end result was that one of them approached her
(This isn't good)
She was totally standing out Even though Yumi had been chosen for this task on the basis that Nijou Noriko would walk by without noticing her What had she done to attract this much attention?
(Maybe I should move)
Since she didn't have to worry about being spotted by shi+mako-san, Yumi decided tothe rooed, so Yumi moved further back to the point where she could just make out the entrance and resumed her stakeout
(Black, longish bob cut … )
As 8 o'clock approached, Yurew steadilyfor had not yet appeared Yumi wouldn't have mistaken her in a line-up of students, but it was possible that she could have slipped past unnoticed in the crowd
(Maybe I should have waited by her shoe box, even if I did stand out)
Just as Yuirl walked past her
(Huh … !?)
She see, ”It's her” Yuain, but there was no fluorescent paint or gold thread, just a girl in a nor away from her But there was no doubt that it was Nijou Noriko
(Ah, ah)
With her legs in a tangle, Yumi frantically chased after her The plan was that Yu in a different corridor, after confir that Nijou Noriko had entered into the first-year camellia classroom
Unaware that she was being followed by an older student, Nijou Noriko walked cal to happen to her today - On that point, Yumi could sympathize
(Hm?)
She suddenly stopped in the middle of an empty hallway
(What is it?)
Thinking she'd been spotted, Yumi immediately looked for a place to hide, but unfortunately there was nothing large enough for her to hide behind
(Outside?)
Nijou Noriko was looking out through an open
Indeed, the weather was fine today Just like Maria-sama's soul
(Even so, what's with that expression?)
Even froentle and kind Or, to put it another way, she looked happy
After Nijou Noriko had departed carrying her bag, Yumi went over and looked out thefro
She knew she'd lost
No, it had never been about winning or losing But it was the final realization that she should entrust shi+mako-san to this first-year, Nijou Noriko
Fraures of shi+ cardboard boxes full of medallions
Sachiko-sama and Rei-sama walked side-by-side
Ahead of them was the first-year camellia class The classroom that Nijou Noriko was in
Yu a couple of steps behind them, unsure of her place
Would it really all be resolved peacefully after starting with an attack like this?
Perhaps being given this chance to come clean would be a nuisance to shi+mako-san Perhaps she'd prefer to have an uneventful time at school, nestled close with Nijou Noriko as her petit soeur
”What are youabout, Yumi?”
”U”
”Yu~ we can't do anything about at this point”
”Ah, right”
There was no point saying it if they weren't going to listen
Sachiko-sama told her to stand back a bit, so reluctantly Yu idly out the , Yu for soh effort into her acting for it to look strained, or like she was ha it up Instead, she'd taken on the role completely
”Would youNijou Noriko-san over?”
Sachiko-sama said to a student in the vicinity of the classroom's front door
”Alright”
The student seemed completely shocked by the sudden appearance of the two Roses, but quickly straightened up and responded
”Please wait here a moment”
Handling it splendidly
At the saer disappeared into the classroom, Touko-chan quietly left her stand-by position in the hallway and entered through the rear door
(Oooh, it's started … )
There was no turning back now All she could do was give it her best and not worry about the outcome
Nijou Noriko ehtly confused when she saw Sachiko-sah they weren't the people she expected to have called for her
”Gokigenyou Are you Nijou Noriko-san?”
Rei-sama broke the ice
”Yes … ?”
Nijou Noriko responded carefully, as though trying to sound out her opponent's state of mind
”Hmm”
Sachiko-sama looked her up and down
”So this … ?”
The conversation was hard to follow froh, if it followed the script, she should knohat they were saying even if the volu very well If the world ca the volume-up button
(Ah!)
Rei-sarabbed Nijou Noriko's chin, angling her face left and right, up and down
”What are you doing!”
Her voice was so loud that it reached Yu at the older student Quite the strong appearance
From her position, Yumi could only see the backs of Sachiko-sama and Rei-sama But she didn't have to see their expression to know they were pleased hat they'd seen of Nijou Noriko They probably wouldn't have accepted so assaulted as a candidate for shi+mako-san's petit soeur
According to Rei-sama's script, the two Roses would ask Nijou Noriko a couple of rao Since the main reasons they came here were so they could reet the juzu
But Sachiko-sa They were provoking her, as though they wanted to start a fight Yu a bit too far
”Wait a minute”
See, told you so Enraged, Noriko called out to the an explanation for the shabby treatment she'd received Rei-sama returned alone to her earlier position and answered:
”So you want to knoe came to see you? It's because anted to see your face”
”You came to see my face?”
Crushed right at the outset, Nijou Noriko seemed to crumple, and Rei-sama asked her a question of her own
”Do you like Toudou shi+mako?”
That question was the only one that reached Yumi clearly
”I do”
(Alright!)
Alone in a corner of the hallway, Yu why she was posing victoriously, she could see a glorious future ahead
”Okay Good luck to you”
Having been told that, Nijou Noriko looked confused as she went back into her classroom Touko-chan passed her on the way, and when she spotted Yun
The juzu of fate was thus delivered into the hands of the Yamayurikai executive
The ceremony took place with no teachers or nuns present
The high-school division of Lillian's respected the independence of its students, so the student council generally operated without adult supervision
(Oooh, this takes me back)
Yu
It was the afternoon following the priest'smass There were approximately 200 first-years assembled in the chapel, already seated in their six class blocks Exactly one year earlier, Yulian, and was ih at that tiined that one year later she would be Rosa Chinensis en bouton
”Why are you sneaking around?”
Yu there was Sachiko-saap On her chest was a dazzling, deep crie Unfortunately, it was not the flower Rosa Chinensis, nor was the white one Rosa Gigantea, or the yellow one Rosa Foetida Although no matter the flower, it could only look better when Sachiko-sa it
”Your rose is crooked”
Sachiko-sae attached to Yuently chided her petit soeur It didn't seeed from before, but it was probably subtly different to her onee-sa to calm her nerves
”Yumi”
”Yes?”
”… No, never mind”
Sachiko-sa but then stopped Her hands seehtly Perversely, Yumi felt relieved when she saw her onee-sa that side of her peek out from time to time made her all the more human, which made Yumi happy
”You look really pretty, onee-sama”
”Huh?”
Yu hands with her own
”Let et a proper look at you”
”… Alright”
Just as Sachiko-sa her per echoed around them
”Tsutako-san”
”Personally, I'm more interested in you Red Rose soeurs”
Tsutako-san peeked in through the door and said, ”There”
”More interested? Than what?”
”Maot shots of shi+ood ones in the ”Lillian Kawaraban””
”… That Mami-san”
Yu soe attached to her chest Even so, her deductions had led her quite close to the truth
”Well, it's fine She'll keep quiet during the welco ceremony, like she promised”