Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume7 Chapter3 1 (section)

===<noinclude>Umbrella Maker's Wife. </noinclude>Part 1===

If there's a single white horse mixed in with a pack of chestnut ones, then regrettably it will draw attention to itself.

If there's a single senbei rice cracker in a plate of sweet biscuits, it's only human nature to reach out for that first. Even for those who don't like senbei that much.

So perhaps this was fate.

"–"

Among the group of high-class men, there was a single man of meager means.

( … Bear?)

The bear-man that she ran into at the city zoo said, "Do you want something to eat?" then tore off a chunk of his roasted sweet potato and offered it to Eriko.

"Here."

"It's roasted sweet potato."

With his reply finished, his gaze shifted back to the elephant.

"Umm."

He looked at the elephant as though in a daze, or deep in thought, and even when she called out to the bear-man he didn't turn to look at her. 

Eriko reluctantly muttered a thank-you then tasted the sweet potato.

(You mustn't accept things from strange men.)

She'd been told this by her family ever since she was a child, and for the first time in eighteen years Eriko broke this rule.

(You have to be careful because you're so cute Eriko-chan.)

However there hadn't been a single hint of danger from the man with his back to her. He looked like he'd already completely forgotten that he gave half his roasted sweet potato to a female high-school student.

"It's my first time with an impolite man like yourself."

Eriko kicked a pebble towards his feet. 

For someone with a weakness for the rare, it was impossible.

Passing the time and pretending not to notice, even though there was an interesting man right there in front of her.