Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume20 Chapter3 (section)

===Part 1.===

The electric kettle was whistling and steaming away. "Cup... check. Spoon... check. The black tea... is still in there." It was Saturday. One forty-five in the afternoon to be exact. In the Rose Mansion, Yumi was preparing for the tea party by ticking off the needed accouterments with her finger. What looked to be a reception was coming from downstairs. Yoshino-san was carrying in two big woven handbag-looking things.

"These scones have arrived from the Confectionery Society."

"Whaa." Hot and fresh. The still steaming scones were inspected. Just peeping over the bag was a face. Delicious! Delicious!

"If Mami-san explains them, you'll understand. That said, I have to return..." Yoshino-san thus reported. She hastily scrawled a name on a name tag at the last minute. Mami-san replied, "Roger," which was her way of agreeing.

"But, why scones?" While it was sweet and nice smelling, Yumi had to ask.

"If one's talking about a tea party, the first thing that comes to mind is afternoon tea. If one's talking about afternoon tea, it should be black tea and scones."

"One... two... three..." the count was enumerated by Mami-san. "Given the number of people, we should have plenty," was mumbled.

"Except... Can we really accept this?" Although a provision of scones had arrived, until now she hadn't heard a single thing about them.

"It's okay. It's okay. Because the distinction is: 'support.'"

"Support? It's a problem when we don't discuss these things beforehand."

Yoshino-san crossed her arms in front of her breast and then spoke. "The Confectionery Society said that they had wanted to keep this a secret. If they turn out to be well-prepared we should dig in. It seems they don't have much confidence."

Comparatively they were baked well, but just to be sure Mami-san took one out of a handbag and with her hand broke it into a trisection (although the room was not limited to three occupants). This size could only be called a "taste." Yumi and Yoshino each tossed a corner into their mouths.

"I'sh good!" Munch, munch. It had an elegant and not too sweet taste. It seemed to be suitable for black tea.

"So? Do you still want to complain? Obviously, it's not easy to think of this as a free gift but..." Although Yumi wanted nothing more than a taste, Yoshino-san requested that Mami-san give her an explanation for the scones. Because one piece had already been issued and approved, she probably would be staying now.

"Since it's the Yamayurikai, it won't be bothersome. I promised to only take pictures of the scones to be placed on a staff-recruiting ad for the Lillian Kawaraban."

"A shrewd business person."

"One hand washes the other."

Mami-san acquired the face of a bad magistrate in an historical play taking a bribe. "We won't be setting up the shot until we put a plate of scones out."

Because there were many visitors today, the amount of cups, spoons, etc. housed in the Rose Mansion was insufficient. They subsequently borrowed some from the Home Economics room. For now, they would borrow to supplement what they had since there wasn't time.

"Isn't it okay if we just put out this basket?"

"I guess so." Thus, the woven basket of scones was arranged in the center of the table. Having done this, the room's preparations were complete. After that, all that was left was to invite the guests.

Desks and chairs from the school basement storeroom were borrowed and carried back. Although it was unusually tight--no, to be frank it had become considerably cramped--it seemed like it was probably all right. Immediately, all the members present took their seats and began to partake of one cup of tea each. Although they were drawing close to the appointed hour, if there was any free time, would it be all right if they went to the first floor room? Because the weather was favorable, they asked each other might it also be good to go out into the courtyard?

"Come to think of it, is Tsutako-san downstairs? I want to take a photo of the scones before it's too late," Mami-san inquired. With one hand, Yoshino-san poked the bread.

"Oh yeah, that's right. Tsutako-san, Tsutako-san! That Tsutako-san, who a moment ago couldn't refrain from talking about photographing the tea party; of course, she doesn't hear."

When the scones from the Confectionery Society had arrived, they had garnered all the attention. Although, Yoshino-san was going up to the second floor, Tsutako-san's purpose was to convey the message to the two people who were there. After they went to the second floor, they brought in the scones... is all that had actually happened.

"Why are you hesitating?"

When the plan for the tea party was announced, Tsutako-san and her tripod were dispatched, and two "okay"'s were given. Even this morning, when they attended the exact same class, of the three people present no one witnessed an ounce of hesitation on her part. Then, letting all this time pass, and even going so far as to come to the Rose Mansion, to simply refuse? Tsutako-san must have had some urgent business she was forced to run off to.

"She was saying something like, 'The place where the participants will enter and exit, if I maintain an adequate distance, I'll be able to get a snapshot. After the tea party ends, we'll arrange for the participants to hold a group photo, and then I'll capture a proper photo.'"

"Then, if the conditions are bad or there is some other crisis, there'll be no problem." Meanwhile, she might simply be saying, "I've had a change of heart."

"Tsutako-san was saying, if there's an outsider playing cameraman, the participants will be conscious of being photographed and probably won't be able to relax. See, even with an imperial court's dinner party, on television the dining halls are not depicted. It seems to be the same case here." [[Talk:Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume20_Chapter2|*]]

"Yeah. I have a hunch that is a terribly perfect reason for her disappearance." Therefore, she must have been caught up in a strange fetish. But still, Yumi was not easily convinced. Isn't Tsutako-san an obedient spirit?

"Since we'll be standing by in the club house during the tea party, if something happens, please call out. I don't want to have to tell you that, but... is that all right?"

"That might work, and it might not. I can't forcibly bring her back, can I? But that's fine. After all, I did bring the scones. During the tea party if there's a request for it, despite being incompetent, I can become the cameraman." Mami-san took a miniature camera out of her pocket and took pictures of the scones. She took photos from the right side and then from the left, changing the angle again and again. Because she was afraid it might not come out, she kept taking more shots. The shutter was closed with great frequency. The Confectionery Society is the same way - they are not altogether confident in their skills.

"Mami-sama, Umm... we should begin accepting guests soon...." The newspaper club underclassman who had been standing by on the first floor, and was now in the room on the second floor made a face.

"Ah! That's right. The name tags... name tags...." Mami-san had just finished scribbling on a name tag. Having done so, she left only two in the pile. Mami-san then stuck the remainder in a box, which was handed to the newspaper club rookie.

From among the two remaining name tags, Yumi and Yoshino-san wrote their own personal name tags and attached them to their chests. "Second-Year Pine Group Fukuzawa Yumi" "Second-Year Pine Group Shimazu Yoshino" As for those in attendance, an invitee would also stick a name tag to her chest.

"Well, then."

The newspaper club rookie confirmed the number of name tags and left the room. Mami-san called her to a halt with, "Wait a second." Her junior club member obediently stopped. Yumi saw this and thought "What now?"

"The extra cups that we've borrowed..."

"Yes."

"We have the cups... and we have the scones, and we have the blank name tags…"

"What's your point?" While she was questioning, Mami-san took a magic marker and furiously wrote a name. She produced two new name tags. "I was thinking Tsutako-san had mentioned the principal reason. Even though we're collecting data for the newspaper article, we're not Yamayurikai staff. If we continue to just wander around in the Rose Mansion, I think it will be a distraction. So..."

"Second-Year Pine Group Yamaguchi Mami?" Yumi took her name tag in her hand and read out the characters' pronunciation.

"That's right. We also have the qualifications to participate."<!--(Rei: except they didn't apply, and weren't chosen at random...)-->

"US?!" The underclassman took her name tag and held it up so they could see. Obviously, a cheek was pulled out in chagrin. Why was her name written there? The rookie underclassman's name read, "Takachi Hidemi." In so doing, Yumi learned her name for the first time.