Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume8 Chapter9 3

Autumn Bonds. Part 3

At the time, I may have been telling myself that, rather than anyone else.

"Things like remaining married for life are, in and of themselves, miraculous."

I wasn't sure how Shimako would take that.

Soon enough summer vacation arrived.

I spent that long summer vacation like any other student. Since I wasn't thinking at all about exams, I didn't have any summer lessons.

I went with Youko to visit Sachiko at her house when invited, and pulled an all-nighter watching movies alone. I did other things, like homework, when the mood struck me.

On top of that.

Perhaps feeling the sting of Shimako's words, I took some cat food to the school courtyard a number of times. The cat was there a few times, but in general it was somewhere else, out of sight.

I'd leave a small amount of cat food in a spot near the school building, out of the rain. It would be gone the next time I came, which I interpreted favorably as a sign that the cat was alive and eating the food.

Even if the pet food was being eaten by some other animal, that wouldn't have really bothered me either.

With the summer vacation over, the athletics carnival took center stage. I caught wind of a strange rumor.

That Shimako was going to be Sachiko's petit soeur.

"What's the meaning of this?"

During a break, I went to Sachiko's classroom and pressed her for an answer. But this was Sachiko, so she regarded me with an annoying iciness.

"Why should I listen to your complaints, Rosa Gigantea?"

"Huh?"

"I didn't think I needed anyone's permission to choose a petit soeur."

Even when talking to an older student, she was able to put forward a sound argument. As expected from Youko's petit soeur – I quietly marveled at this.

Little by little, the number of people watching us started to increase. A dispute between Rosa Gigantea and Rosa Chinensis en bouton. This kind of interesting spectacle didn't happen all that often.

However.

"You're serious about Shimako?"

"Yes."

We didn't have any spare capacity to pay attention to our surroundings. Scratch that, I was the only one without the spare capacity, Sachiko was simply refusing to acknowledge them.

"These last few months I've been observing Toudou Shimako of my own accord. Consequently, I've come to the conclusion that she is an indispensable resource to the Yamayurikai."

"So you'd take her as a petit soeur because she's indispensable to the Yamayurikai?"

I couldn't read Sachiko's heart. But as long as she didn't deliver a knock-out blow by saying that she wanted Shimako as her petit soeur, then I wouldn't accept them as soeurs.

"What sort of reason would you accept, I wonder. Would it be more persuasive if I said I chose her because of her face?"

"– !"

I saw red, instinctively balling my hand into a fist. Why was it that I was still upset by badmouthing of my graduated onee-sama? I barely managed to restrain my fist within my skirt pocket.

After giving me a single glance, Sachiko said:

"If you value Shimako that much, why don't you ask her yourself?"

"What's that about me and Shimako … !?"

I was flustered when the conversation turned towards me. Indeed, somewhere in my heart I'd been making light of it. Shimako couldn't be anyone's petit soeur. So she'd naturally be at the Rose Mansion.

There are other ways of making Shimako a Rose. – I thought back to what Youko had said. So that was it, if she became Sachiko's petit soeur, then she would be Rosa Chinensis the year after next.

Shimako becoming Sachiko's petit soeur. Indeed, she didn't need to seek permission from anyone.

Perhaps I had been the first to spot Shimako. But I hadn't made a move. Scared of having an intimate relationship with anyone. Despite that, I wanted to keep Shimako constantly in sight – such a cunning person.

So now that Sachiko had made her move, it was a mess. I lost my cool.

Was there value in having Shimako? – Almost certainly.

However.

Even if it was all done and dusted, I fundamentally didn't know when to give up.

"What do you know about Shimako?"

In response to my question, Sachiko said, "Not much," and tilted her head.

"But treating her the way we currently are is no good for her. That much I do know."

"Ah."

"It can't stay the way it is. We either have to let her go, or someone has to officially take her as their petit soeur and bring her in to the Rose Mansion."

"–"

I was lost for words.

"Ah … "

Right.

Why hadn't I noticed? How had I forgotten? Just what it was that Shimako needed right now.

"Alright."

I agreed meekly. I'd prided myself on being the one who best understood Shimako. But despite that, I'd forgotten the most important thing and it took my junior, Sachiko, to teach me that. A complete loss of face. No, I'd never had any face right from the start.

"Alright, but I'm not handing over Shimako."

Something broke inside me, but in its place something else began to grow.

"So what do you intend to do?"

Sachiko asked, looking dubious. Then I hit her with a declaration of war.

"Make her my petit soeur."

The audience gathered behind Sachiko went "Ooooh." Perfect. No turning back now.

"… You're going to come from behind and snatch her away?"

"Don't be absurd, I'm not snatching anything. After all, Shimako hasn't accepted your rosary yet, right?"

In that case, this conversation was taking place before the start line.

No, maybe the sound of the starting pistol was still echoing around, but as long as the finishing tape hadn't been cut, there was still time enough.

And if the tape had been cut – . I'd come from behind and snatch her away.

"Why would you think that?"

The bell signaling that class would soon begin rang out as Sachiko spoke.

"Why?"

I said, swiftly turning away.

"Because I'm obviously better for Shimako."

Looking back over my shoulder, I winked at the gallery surrounding Sachiko.

I was confident of victory.

Sachiko would never sacrifice a lesson to participate in the war for Shimako.

I remembered Shimako's class as I ran through the hallway.

First-year peach group.