Volume 32 Chapter 6 (1/2)

Seely an annual tradition, the 'Search of the Rose Mansion for the Third Years' Forgotten Iteraduation ceremony

That 'seely' was deliberately added in there because she hadn't participated in this last year Noriko was only a first year Although she'd heard about this from her onee-samas

”Well then”

”Shall we make a start?”

”I guess so”

Having arrived a little late due to going to the staff roo just finished their lunch, the three second years stood up

The second floor of the Rose Mansion 2pm

Seeing the three seniors starting to move off, the first years Noriko and Touko quickly attended to the washi+ng up then followed after them

The stage was the seldom used room on the first floor Since it had been mainly turned into a warehouse there was the possibility that treasures could be discovered between the strata So they held this annual excavation, to try and find the personal belongings of the graduating seniors and return them to their owners

There were five people in this search party Naturally, the third years did not participate

”Well, this shouldn't take too long”

Were the words of Rosa Chinensis en bouton, fukuzawa Yumi-sama

”Even so, we have to do this for appearance's sake”

Rosa Foetida en bouton, shi+ant lady

”Oh, do you think on't find anything?”

This was Noriko's onee-sa a second year, she was Rosa Gigantea Even if you took away the rose-colored glasses Noriko saw her through, she was still a beautiful, kind and smart - an impeccable lady

”I wonder if ill find anything”

As the descended the creaking stairs, the attitude of thewith enthusiasm

There was a reason that everyone was so ambivalent about this search Because they knew they weren't going to find anything

So lunch or after school, when both Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida happened to be present the conversation had turned to the search for lost items At which point, Rosa Chinensis proclaimed:

”Well, in otten any of s”

And then gave a sh, like ancient nobility in a coht they wouldn't find anything of hers Support from that didn't just coo, when the three second years went into the first floor room for an unrelated matter, they reported that they hadn't seen any personal belongings of Rosa Chinensis or Rosa Foetida

(On top of that)

Noriko let out a sigh

She hadn't said anything because she didn't want to trouble Yu she had witnessed Rosa Chinensis co out of the room on the first floor of the Rose Mansion

Having declared that nothing would be found, it would have been e was, so she had probably done a check prior to the search Noriko hadn't actually seen this, but she assu too

So even though they were going to search, they weren't going to find anything And because they had to search for things they wouldn't find, there was no sense of tension

So while the search last year took place two days prior to the graduation ceremony, this year because it was a search 'for appearance's sake' that 'wouldn't take long' they were holding it the day before the graduation cererave , they didn't see a need to leave a whole day free to return any items

The second years were all so off their seniors

The rooe, but it didn't get ht That probably explained why it was used so infrequently, and over tia closet

According to shi+mako-san, this here they had previously rehearsed for their plays - although Noriko wondered if that was true Because that story could have happened at ht?

At any rate, Noriko had only ever known it as a storeroos It could probably do with a good clean out sooner or later

”Well then, let's decide on our areas and get started”

The room was divided into five blocks, and the search commenced Because the number of items differed between each area, when they were finished they would help someone else out

”You don't have to look between each sheet in the piles of cardboard”

”If so is sealed, there's no need to open it But for those things that have the lid open, just take a quick peek inside”

”Understood”

”If you see someone's private property, you should still pick it out even if it's not Sachiko-sama or Rei-sama's”

”It'll either be ours or someone else's”

”Hahaha”

Having begun, it was surprisingly fun It wasn't a personal item, but Noriko found some stationery from the Rose Mansion underneath a desk Unfortunately, the tip of the felt-tip pens had dried out, so they wouldn't be able to use them

After about twentyready to call it a day, Noriko called out in surprise Caught between two cardboard boxes, she could see so

”What? What?”

Everyone gathered around It was probably a decoration, or a scrap paper used to make a note, but she wasn't really sure exactly what it was

However

”Ahh, that's - ”

Having slid the boxes apart and pulled out the item, shi+mako-san turned and looked at the Red Rose sisters, Yumi-sama and Touko

It was a black ribbon

It was a bit short to use for wrapping and it looked quite sturdy, so it was probably a hair ribbon

Neither Rosa Chinensis nor Rosa Foetida used ribbons in their hair Yoshi+no-sath nor the volume to deal with that And neither shi+mako-san nor, obviously, Noriko used ribbons So the only people in the Rose Mansion that it could possibly belong to were the Red Rose sisters The pair of them both used similar ribbons to tie their hair, one on each side of their head - although they wore different colors

”Is it yours, onee-sama?”

Touko asked Yumi-sama Which probably meant Touko had no recollection of it

Yumi-sama stared fixedly at the ribbon she retrieved from shi+mako-san then And then

”… It's mine”

She ly

”What took you so long?”

Yoshi+no-sama butted in

”Oh, I didn't expect to find it again, so I was a bit surprised”

Well, that's true Because they were searching for Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida's belongings, it would be a bit disorienting to find soht lost

(Huh?)

So away at Noriko's mind She could understand the surprise The person herself had even said so But why did Yumi-sama seem so absentminded?

”Co those ribbons lately I suppose it's because you lost one of theed to drop one of them”

Noriko watched as Yuhed nervously in response to Yoshi+no-saht, Yumi-sama still seemed somewhat absentminded

After Yoshi+no-saht for about 30 seconds, before finally calling the conversation to a close with:

”Well, I think we're finished with the search, don't you?”

”Yeah”

shi+reed

”Then, I suppose we're done for today”

It looked as though Yu she had to do

”Looks that way Don't worry about tomorrow”

”Right, right We've already done enough preparation and practice”

Yumi-sama's behavior was incredibly easy to understand, so shi+mako-san and Yoshi+no-sao do what you have to do' beam

”Thank-you Touko, you can go home ahead of me”

Leaving them with those words, Yumi-sama sped out of the Rose Mansion

”I wonder what that was all about?”

shi+mako-san and Yoshi+no-sa their friend even though they didn't knohat her urgent business was Meanwhile Touko reone through

Because Noriko was standing diagonally behind Touko, she couldn't see what expression was on her face If she would just turn this way, Noriko would be able to deter lonely or not

Noriko thought she should talk to her, but didn't knohat to say As she was hesitating, shi+mako-san called out

”Touko-chan”

Touko seemed normal as she turned around

”Yes?”

”Do you want to follow Yumi-san?”

shi+mako-san asked her so directly that Noriko started to feel nervous Touko too seemed a little bit surprised

”No”

But she was s as she shook her head

”I think that whatis in some way related to Rosa Chinensis”

So I would be an inconvenience if I were to follow her, see

Noriko finally thought she understood the situation Yuone off to see Rosa Chinensis And Touko had understood this immediately

So when they left the roo Yoshi+no-sama and shi+mako-san up the creaky staircase Noriko followed after her, as though charmed by her hair That's not to say that Touko-chan didn't want to follow after Yus inside herself

”If you really want to, you shouldn't hold back, you know”