Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume4 Chapter8 4 (section)

===<noinclude>With the archenemy. </noinclude>Part 4.===

When we returned to the Japanese-style room, no one was there, so when we wandered around trying to find everyone, we found aunt Sayako in the living room we first sat down in.

"Oh, you two, would you like sushi?"

Aunt Sayako had been going to and fro, but she decided to wait at the living room to tell us where everyone had gone.

"Umm."

The two of them simply nodded, not knowing whether they were asked if they liked sushi or if they were hungry.  Of course, they liked sushi, but they'd been munching on pastries while playing cards, so they weren't particularly hungry.  Rosa Gigantea seemed to feel the same.

"Mother, just how many did you order?"

Sachiko-sama came from the foyer carrying three varnished wooden boxes.  And aunt Sayako placed an index finger to her jaw as she looked up and thought.

"Umm… eight, I think."

Sachiko-sama raised an eyebrow.

"Do you remember how many people are here?  There are only six."

Of course, I thought.  I silently supported Sachiko-sama.     There are only six, so what kind of calculation ends up with eight?

"But, I thought young men eat a lot."

"But we were grabbing snacks, so I don't think anyone is that hungry?"

"I didn't think that deeply about it.  Gosh, Sachiko-san, you don't have to be so harsh."

Feigning cross-ness, aunt Sayako rolled her eyes at Sachiko-sama.

(… Cute.)

It might be rude saying this about an older woman, but aunt Sayako was so cute you'd want to hug her.  Soft, gentle, and refined.  Someone you might want to just sit in a room, like an ohina-sama, and watch.  They looked so similar, being mother and daughter, but she was so different from Sachiko-sama.  Oh, but Sachiko-sama sulks in front of Rosa Chinensis, too.

"More importantly, Sachiko-san, do you know where the tea cups and tea caddies are?"

"Suguru-san poured tea a moment ago, did he not?"

"I'm asking because I can't find Suguru-san.  All the housekeepers being away is a little inconvenient."

She seemed to truly mean it, and I thought, wow, that's not really the kind of sentence a regular person would utter.  Ever.

(She might be even more of a princess than Sachiko-sama.)

Born into good lineage, married into a plutocratic family, and surrounded by servants, I suppose if you're a wife of a house like this, you would never once pour tea for yourself.

"Though I do know where the teapot is.  Oh, Sachiko-san, can you put the tea leaves into the teapot?  But I couldn't find the tea caddies, either.  Oh, but we received tea as a New Year's gift, where did we put them?"

"…"
As I thought, aunt Sayako-sama had not poured tea for herself in years.

"Aunt Sayako, I'll pour the tea."

Noticing this, Rosa Gigantea stepped forward.  Actually, I was just pondering whether I should tag along, too.  Kashiwagi-san was pouring tea on top of the wagon, so the tea caddies were probably on the wagon.  And we'd split up the dishes for washing before we began the poetry game, and washed them, so the tea cups were probably still in the drying machine.

"Then, Yumi, come help."

"Yes."

I carried the sushi with Sachiko-sama.  Five varnished wooden boxes were stacked at the foyer.  She really ordered eight boxes, aunt Sayako.  But personally, it was the first time I'd seen sushi in square boxes, as opposed to sushi tubs.

When I began walking, carrying three, Sachiko-sama stopped me, "Wait," and then took one.

"Oh, onee-sama, I can carry three."

"Just wait."

She said, and she walked in front of me.

"Yumi."

After five steps, Sachiko-sama suddenly stopped.

"Yes?"

So, I stopped, too.

"… Thank you."

"Huh?"

I didn't know why I was being thanked, so I asked back with an oddly high-pitched voice.  But onee-sama, as usual, just continued forth, having said what she wanted to say.

"Onee-samaaa."

Onee-sama was carrying more sushi boxes than me, so why was I being thanked?

I stood for a moment, left behind in the dark hallway, and mumbled to myself.

"I don't understand."

But, my heart felt like it was about to burst.

Even without understanding exactly what she meant, I still felt the feelings behind what onee-sama said to me as she stepped in front of me.

So, even if I may not have gotten everything, I still answered, "Yes," and followed her.

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