Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume32 Chapter9 8

===<noinclude>The Ribbon's Path </noinclude>Part 8.===

Yumi split from Katori-sensei in front of the entrance.

"Oh."

Unexpectedly, the Fukuzawa Yumi character didn't make her way back to the school buildings, instead taking a large detour towards the path lined with ginkgo trees. Just before the path forks there's a small courtyard that contains the statue of Maria-sama. That must have been what she was aiming for.

(Of course.)

If she was retracing her memories, there was no way this place would be left out.

This was the place where Sachiko-sama first called out to Yumi.

The place where, on the night of the school festival, Sachiko-sama placed her rosary around Yumi's neck.

The place where, under Sachiko-sama's supervision, Yumi and Touko had become soeurs.

(Oops.)

The Fukuzawa Yumi character stopped abruptly. She was still a fair distance from her goal, but what she saw ahead of her made her give up on the idea.

There were already visitors in front of the statue of Maria-sama.

The figures of two people.

At first Yumi thought they were students on their way home who had stopped to pray at the statue. In that case, it would have been okay to wait a little while until they were finished – but she soon saw that wasn't quite the case.

The two of them weren't standing next to each other praying towards the statue of Maria-sama, instead they were facing each other. And one of them had their hand in their pocket and was slowly drawing something out – 

Yumi was too far away to see what exactly was being brought forth from the girl's pocket, but it was clear what was going to happen next.

Right now, a rosary was about to be transferred and a new pair of soeurs would be born.

Knowing that, it would be vulgar of her to wait until they were finished. In her mind Yumi whispered, 'Please, take your time,' and turned around and left.

Good luck, new soeurs.

All kinds of things will happen from now on, but don't give up.

There will be times when you cry, times when you'll be angry and times when you won't hear what the other's saying, but if you don't let go of each other's hands eventually you'll understand each other.

If someone asks you 'Do you like your onee-sama?' or 'Do you like your petit soeur?' and you can unhesitatingly answer yes then you'll be fine, and your partner will feel the same.

Such were the thoughts of the Fukuzawa character, who had a fair bit of experience as a soeur.