Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume12 Chapter5 1 (section)

=== <noinclude> Searching in the Mist. </noinclude>Part 1 ===

"Red pine. Larch."

Sachiko-sama pointed out the different trees in the woods.

"Judas tree."

Informing Yumi of their names as they slowly walked together.

"Maple … its leaves turn to red in Autumn."

Sachiko-sama had an incredible knowledge of the trees in their vicinity. But her knowledge wasn't just limited to trees – every faint bird cry would cause her to stop and say, "That was a narcissus flycatcher," or, "That was the call of the blue-and-white flycatcher." 

It was Thursday.

Sachiko-sama had awoken unusually early and invited Yumi on a pre-breakfast stroll.

"Watch out, there's some broken branches over there."

Fog had rolled in and they were enveloped in a white world.

They should be fine as long as they kept going straight ahead, but the thick milk-colored fog completely cloaked everything around them to the point that Yumi felt her confidence slipping, even though they were actually walking along a path.

That said, even if they did veer slightly off course, they'd feel the cool morning dew on the ferns and other ground cover against their legs.

"I like the fog too."

Her eyes were partly closed not because she was squinting, but because she was smiling. It seemed like the fine spray of water surrounding them had sharpened her senses. 

"I wanted to show this to you."

At that moment, Yumi understood that Sachiko-sama didn't simply like everything about this region.

What she loved was the woods surrounding her villa.

Sachiko-sama probably thought of everything in the guidebooks – all the shops, walking tours and art galleries – as being in some distant town, since none of them were here. Basically, it didn't matter to her whether they existed or not.

The delicious pastries that Gensuke-san fetched on his bike for their daily breakfast.

All the locally sourced meat and vegetables that Kyo-san cooked with.

The handmade jam from one of the neighborhood ladies.

The rich honey from an old retiree who had taken up beekeeping as a hobby.

Fresh wasabi from a marsh a short distance away.

Sachiko-sama liked all these things. But that was the extent of it. She didn't go out and buy them herself, nor did she go and visit where they were made.

As a result, spending all day in the villa didn't bother her at all.

To Sachiko-sama, this place must be like a familiar childhood room. She was inviting Yumi in to a space that she'd spent so much time playing in on her own.

"Onee-sama."

Yumi grabbed onto the arm in front of her. She vowed to never let go of her onee-sama again, even if it was painful, or her arm got hot.

"What's the matter? Is the fog scaring you?"

Yumi shook her head at Sachiko-sama's question.

"We'll be fine if we stay like this. The mischievous fairies only come for people traveling alone, you know."

They walked on, arms tightly linked.

On the other side of the fog, Gensuke-san's bike light shone as he made his way home.