Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume9 Chapter9 1

===<noinclude>Behind the Scenes of The Maria Ceremony Inquisition. </noinclude>Part 1.===

Yumi was already nervous.

The four instigators, plus Touko-chan, had gathered before 7:30 in the Rose Mansion for a final meeting, which had just ended. Since they had to arrive at school before the two leading actresses in order to set out their net.

"Yoshino, you're in charge of escorting Shimako to the chapel when she arrives."

"Roger."

"Yumi-chan, you're to wait by the first-year shoe lockers and let us know as soon as Nijou Noriko arrives at school."

"Okay."

Rei-sama briskly confirmed their assigned roles.

"Now, Touko-chan."

"Ye~s. I've got to get the juzu."

She was in high spirits. Even her ringlets seemed to have gained extra bounce somehow.

"I wonder if Nijou Noriko will have brought the juzu today."

Not a morning person, Sachiko-sama spoke lethargically.

Indeed. The juzu. That was the main point. Without it, they couldn't proceed with Rei-sama's rewrite of the script, "The Maria Ceremony Inquisition."

"Ah, but, it's always been kept hidden in her bag, even up to yesterday. She was probably planning on waiting until Rosa Gigantea had some free time after the Maria Ceremony to return it to her."

"Huh!?"

What did you just say Touko-chan? That you've been peeking inside your classmate's bag every day?

(They're friends, friends.)

Yumi shook her head, and recited this in her mind.

"Well then, let's pray for success."

Everyone nodded at Rei-sama's words, then scattered to their assigned locations. There wasn't another meeting organized. The next time the five were all assembled would probably be during the event itself.

Yumi hurried to the shoe locker room.

On the way, her eye was suddenly caught by the statue of Maria-sama at the end of the corridor. Unlike every other day, Maria-sama was adorned with a floral necklace. Today was the Maria Festival.

When she was young, today of all days she'd try to be a good girl, and not fight with her friends. But this year, she found it a bit difficult to look Maria-sama straight in the eye.

Yumi hoped that once it was all over, she'd be able to properly confess to Maria-sama. 

She was looking forwards to being able to proudly proclaim, "That's my friend."

(– But if things go south, that won't happen!)

She spotted Shimako-san ahead of her down the corridor, much earlier than they'd expected her to arrive at school. 

"Oh no."

Yumi immediately hid behind a pillar. If they met here, their plan would go awry right at the start. According to the script, Yoshino-san was supposed to get Shimako-san to assist her because Yumi was late to arrive.

(W-what should I do … )

She had to get to the shoe boxes so she could watch for Nijou Noriko. But Shimako-san was in her way. There weren't that many people that had arrived at school just yet that she could try and fool Shimako-san into thinking she was just another face in the crowd either.

(Well, in that case I've got no choice.)

Yumi turned back, climbed the stairs, then walked towards the main entrance before descending the next set of stairs, taking the long way around.

"Fukuzawa-san, quiet in the hallway."

Thanks to the teacher's warning, she hadn't managed to escape unscathed. Looking at her watch, it was 7:45. Nijou Noriko generally arrived a bit after 8, but that was just an average, so there was some variation either earlier or later. Especially for students who caught the bus from the train station, traffic problems that caused a 10 to 15 minute delay were a common occurrence.

Descending the stairs, as she was turning towards the shoe-boxes, Yumi caught a glimpse of Shimako-san from behind, in roughly the same spot Yumi had been before her detour, and looking none the wiser.

(Sorry.)

Instinctively she clasped her hands together.

"… What are you doing, Yumi-san?"

"Oowah."

Her heart jumped.

"Ma-mami-san."

"Gokigenyou. Did something happen to Shimako-san?"

"No, not at all."

"Really?"

"Yeah … "

"Well, okay. But it's definitely smelled like something's been going on these last few days. It seems interesting, but I haven't dug too deeply, instead waiting to see how it turns out. Especially since you've reserved me a front-row seat."

"Ahahaha."

So that's how it was.

It would be pointless trying to deceive her. Mami-san was playing the role of Shimako-san's assistant today. When it happened, she'd know the inside story.

"Um, Mami-san."

"I know, I know, keep it a secret from Shimako-san. But in return, when it's over, I want the full story. An interview with Rosa Chinensis or Rosa Foetida to accompany the article in the "Lillian Kawaraban.""

"I can't promise anything, but I'll have a word with my onee-sama."

"Okay. I'll keep quiet for today."

The way she airily walked away showed she was looking forward to it. But Yumi, still startled by these events, didn't have time to enjoy herself.

"Gokigenyou, Yumi-sama."

"Gokigenyou, Rosa Chinensis en bouton."

It looked as though there were always first-years who knew all about the Yamayurikai members even though they'd only just entered high-school, as Yumi was greeted by a succession of students she didn't know while she waited near the first-year shoe boxes. Although the polite juniors were actually quite cute.

"May I inquire as to who you're waiting for?"

The end result was that one of them approached her.

(This isn't good.)

She was totally standing out. Even though Yumi had been chosen for this task on the basis that Nijou Noriko would walk by without noticing her. What had she done to attract this much attention?

(Maybe I should move.)

Since she didn't have to worry about being spotted by Shimako-san, Yumi decided to move from the shoe-box room to the hallway adjoining the room. But even then, her situation wasn't all that much changed, so Yumi moved further back to the point where she could just make out the entrance and resumed her stakeout.

(Black, longish bob cut … )

As 8 o'clock approached, Yumi grew steadily more nervous. The face that she'd been intently searching for had not yet appeared. Yumi wouldn't have mistaken her in a line-up of students, but it was possible that she could have slipped past unnoticed in the crowd.

(Maybe I should have waited by her shoe box, even if I did stand out.)

Just as Yumi was starting to head back, a girl walked past her.

(Huh … !?)

She seemed to sparkle for a moment, as though someone were saying, "It's her." Yumi rubbed her eyes and looked again, but there was no fluorescent paint or gold thread, just a girl in a normal school uniform walking away from her. But there was no doubt that it was Nijou Noriko.

(Ah, ah.)

With her legs in a tangle, Yumi frantically chased after her. The plan was that Yumi would report to Sachiko-sama and Rei-sama, who were waiting in a different corridor, after confirming that Nijou Noriko had entered into the first-year camellia classroom. 

Unaware that she was being followed by an older student, Nijou Noriko walked calmly along the corridor. She had no idea what was going to happen to her today. – On that point, Yumi could sympathize.

(Hm?)

She suddenly stopped in the middle of an empty hallway.

(What is it?)

Thinking she'd been spotted, Yumi immediately looked for a place to hide, but unfortunately there was nothing large enough for her to hide behind.

(Outside?)

Nijou Noriko was looking out through an open window.

Indeed, the weather was fine today. Just like Maria-sama's soul.

(Even so, what's with that expression?)

Even from a distance, her face looked gentle and kind. Or, to put it another way, she looked happy.

After Nijou Noriko had departed carrying her bag, Yumi went over and looked out the window from where she'd been standing.

"–"

She knew she'd lost.

No, it had never been about winning or losing. But it was the final realization that she should entrust Shimako-san to this first-year, Nijou Noriko.

Framed by the rectangular window, she could just make out the figures of Shimako-san and Yoshino-san carrying cardboard boxes full of medallions.