Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume3 Chapter2 3 (section)

===<noinclude>The White Rose. </noinclude>Part 3.===

"Well, wasn't that a flashy summons."

Rosa Chinensis, who was waiting in the Rose Mansion salon, spoke first.

"Personally, I've never been called like that, so I'm a bit envious."

Said Rosa Foetida.

"Thanks."

Waving her hand, Rosa Gigantea nimbly proceeded to the center of the room and lowered herself into an open seat.

A somewhat nostalgic three-shot of the Roses.  Yumi simply stared in adulation – oh, how splendid.

However, should they simply be elegantly smiling to each other, like that?  Even though she was told Rosa Gigantea was not Suga Sei, Yumi was still overflowing with questions, yet unable to digest the news.  But the ones that were waiting at the Rose Mansion casually mentioned the summons, then showed no signs of caring.

"Here."

Shimako-san entered the stage and passed around steaming teacups.  Even Yoshino-san, who entered the room with her, was placing sugar and sticks of powdered milk on the table.

All of which meant there was nothing left to prepare, so Yumi added water to the electric kettle and sat down.

"You were at the guidance office?"

Sachiko-sama, sitting next to her, whispered to Yumi.

"… Yes."

At first, she thought she would be scolded, but Sachiko-sama simply whispered, "I see."

Sachiko-sama did not come to the guidance office.  She was also hesitant about reading the novel.  Perhaps she was not comfortable with her little sister sticking herself into Rosa Gigantea's past.  But Rei-sama said nothing to Yoshino-san, too.

In any case, they had a toast with black tea over finishing exams.  She didn't know who brought it, but someone laid out marketplace cookies on tissues.

It had been a while since they last held a tea party, and it could even be the last time this year everyone got together like this.

"Let me say something."

After some time, Rosa Gigantea stood up and declared.

"I already told Yoshino-chan and Yumi-chan, but the rumors of me writing a novel, well it wasn't me.  –That's all."

That's all.  And after that concise declaration, Rosa Gigantea quickly sat down and sipped tea, like nothing happened.  She even commented, "It's wonderful," about the tea Shimako-san poured.

"Was that why you were called?"

Rosa Chinensis asked.

"That's why."

"So?"

Rosa Foetida said.

"Nothing.  I said it wasn't me, and they let me go.  That's all.  I haven't read it myself, and I didn't even know that sort of rumor was circulating until just now.  So even if they were to ask me questions, I wouldn't have had anything to say."

The teachers had also not read the novel, but the rumor was circulating, so they called her to the office to ask her about it before they left for vacation.

"And you really didn't write it?"

Rosa Chinensis confirmed, and Rosa Gigantea raised her right hand and said, "I swear to Maria-sama."

"Understood.  Then this case is closed.  What do you think, Rosa Foetida?"

"No objection.  Rosa Chinensis."

The two Roses nodded, and quickly concluded things.

(Eh-!?  That's all?)

Deep down, Yumi shouted, unsatisfied.

Of course, in reality, Rosa Gigantea was probably saying the truth, so there was no problem with concluding things by taking her word.  But she thought the Roses would try to find out who began the rumors, and come up with a way to suppress them in the future.

Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida probably paid the rumors little-to-no heed, so they weren't very attached to the topic of Rosa Gigantea.  But Yumi ended up wailing after reading "Forest of Thorns," and ended up thinking the main character was Rosa Gigantea, so she didn't feel satisfied with things being cleaned up this abruptly.

(Ahh… but the topic's already completely about Christmas.)

Completely, but also incompletely, combusted.  At this rate, she'd end up consuming her exam break by pondering about Rosa Gigantea.  –And when she thought about that, she realized this was no different than a peeping tom.

(In the end, I was just another of Rosa Gigantea's stalker-ghosts.)

Rosa Chinensis, Rosa Foetida, Sachiko-sama, Rei-sama, and Shimako-san.  The reason why they weren't being proactive was because they weren't acting out of curiosity.

She felt a little, well, no, considerably depressed.  Being such a shallow, easily excitable person seemed extremely out of place here, she ended up thinking.

She was feeling so ecstatic after being chosen by Sachiko-sama to be her sister, but aside from appearance and intelligence, maybe she was missing something fundamental.  Something that came with you when you were born, so it was something she'd never be able to attain.

(… Depressing yourself more and more to the point where you can't even stand back up on your own.  I'm so stupid.)

Just as she felt herself hanging her head in shame, something fell from overhead and hit her square in the forehead.

"?"

After one bounce, it landed next to Yumi's teacup.  The rolling object was a silvery sphere, and remarkably small.  When she lifted it, she realized it was chocolate, wrapped in silver paper.

When Yumi looked around, the suspect gave herself up by waving slightly with her hands on the table.  Everyone else simply continued their discussion.

(What is it, Rosa Gigantea?)

When she lipped the question, this time Rosa Gigantea opened both of her hands.

(10?)

Then she made a cross with her index fingers.

(X?)

Then she opened her palms again, and then pointed to her face.

(Ten, X, ten, face?)

She didn't understand.  When she twisted her face in thought, Rosa Gigantea repeated her movements again, but this time she lipped her words.

(Ten times ten.)

10x10… was, of course, 100.  100, and face…?
"Life's many phases!?"

Yumi stood up.
Of course, the maidens' discussion came to an abrupt halt, and everyone looked at Yumi.

"What?  Yumi-chan, do you have something to say?"

Rosa Foetida asked, like she was asking a child a question.

"Ah… umm.  No, -I'm sorry."

Blushing red, she sat down.

"Don't be half-asleep."

Sachiko-sama cautioned with a whisper.

(I wasn't half-asleep, though…)

As for the ringleader, her shoulders were visibly trembling in the seat diagonally across from Yumi, and she even had tears in her eyes.

(And I was worried over this person…)

It began to seem foolish, so she decided to stop being negative.

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