Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume7 Chapter1 3

===<noinclude>The Beginning. </noinclude>Part 3===

"They must know that the walls have ears, but still they were careless."

The widely acknowledged ace of the Lillian's Girls Academy high-school photography club, Takeshima Tsutako-san, laughed.

It was after school.

The students with club activities had scattered to the various club rooms, ovals and gymnasiums, while those not in a club had mostly gone home, but Fukuzawa Yumi remained in the classroom. She had been about to head towards the high-school student council building, the "Rose Mansion," when she was forcibly detained by Tsutako-san.

"Tsutako-san, you weren't just asked to join the debate club, you were also asked to join the drama club, weren't you?"

Yumi asked, stunned, and Tsutako-san responded suggestively with a suppressed laugh. From that response, it seemed so. But on that front, perhaps she had a ways to go yet.

Tsutako-san had just finished relaying the evidence provided by the three first-year newspaper club members, even imitating their voices.

Apparently the newspaper club members were unaware that Tsutako-san was in the room next door, and had forgotten that the printer wasn't running, so in their excitement their voices had become quite loud.

"Lacking a natural immunity, girls raised at an all-girls school tend to get excited talking about boys. It's such a shame that they couldn't control themselves."

Ignoring the fact that she'd been raised at an all-girls school too, Tsutako-san gazed sympathetically in the direction of the clubhouse. As far as Yumi was aware, Tsutako-san had never gone out with anyone either.

" – and this is photographic proof."

"…"

Photographic proof. The words echoed in Yumi's mind.

"This – "

"You should be able to tell just by looking. Who that is."

"Well, of course I know that."

It was undoubtedly Rosa Foetida in the photographs that had been spread out across the desk. But what Yumi didn't know was why Tsutako-san had taken these photographs.

"It backs up what the newspaper club was saying. I thought I'd see what I could find, and – "

"This … is like the work of a detective or private investigator."

All the photos looked like they'd been taken secretly. To Yumi it looked like it was bordering on criminal.

"It's both during the week and on weekends. Their ages cover a broad range from twenties to fifties, and they're all different types. About the only common feature was that all the men spent money freely."

"How do you know?"

"For one thing, they were all wearing expensive clothes. Plus where they went on their dates. I don't know about the earlier ones, but the ones I saw were all quite pricey."

High-class restaurant. High-class hotel pool. A present of a high-class brand suit, plus matching shoes and bag.

"In-incredible."

High-class, high-class, high-class.

A smorgasbord of high-class.

It was a phrase that Yumi wasn't well acquainted with in her life. About the only thing she had was her high-class onee-sama.

"Yeah, it makes you envious, doesn't it? Say, Yumi-san, in the world we live in, do you think it's possible to get something for nothing?"

"…"

"There's always a hidden side to something that seems too good to be true. Those things acquired with such apparent ease would still involve some form of compensation."

"And that's … what?"

"Indeed."

"Indeed?"

So either Tsutako-san really didn't know, or she meant, "Think about it on your own," or she simply didn't want to say. Either way, it meant she wasn't going to explain further.

"What about these?"

Yumi pointed at the photographs, taken from various angles in various locations, showing Rosa Foetida together with different gentlemen.

"They're yours, Yumi-san."

"Mine?"

"If it's too much of a burden, tear them to shreds and throw them in your bin at home. It's no bother."

Since Tsutako-san would still have the negatives. It seemed that, having stuck her nose into someone else's business, now she was trying to draw other people in.

"It's just a feeling I've got. I don't want the newspaper club stirring things up, like during the Yellow Rose Revolution. So I followed her, pretending to be a detective. I've got a bad feeling about what would happen if they turned this into a newspaper article."

"A bad feeling … "

"These glasses of mine, they bring things into focus, but they don't add color, so to speak."

"Mmm."

"But this, this steadily changed them into sunglasses."

"Huh?"

"So with this, I pass the baton to you with your 20-20 vision. Best of luck."

"Best of luck, huh."

Such a dilemma. However, Tsutako-san quickly gathered the photographs spread out across the desk and stuffed them into Yumi's hand.

"When Rei-sama discusses it, you can use these as proof."

"You want me to talk to Rei-sama?"

Student #30 on the second-year chrysanthemum class roll, Hasekura Rei-sama was Rosa Foetida's petit soeur.

"No, that's not what I said."

Tsutako-san responded, as she rose from the chair. While it wasn't what she said, it was still an option.

"Tsutako-san."

"I'm sorry I detained you for so long. Shouldn't you be going to the Rose Mansion soon?"

Tsutako-san picked up Yumi's school bag and offered it to her. Looking at the clock, they'd been talking for fifteen minutes already.

"Gokigenyou."

Yumi took her bag, and hastily turned towards the exit.

"Ah, Yumi-san."

"Yes?"

When she turned around, Tsutako-san mumbled, "Nothing. Sorry." Apparently it wasn't all that important.

"I just thought, because it's you Yumi-san, you might go directly to Rosa Foetida and get an answer from her."

Tsutako-san said, then waved good-bye. Although what she meant by that, Yumi had no idea.