Maria-sama Ga Miteru:Volume17 Chapter 3 10

A Leisurely Dialog Part 10

"This is unconfirmed information."

Mami-san said with a hushed voice, sitting at the dinner table.

Conversing at the restaurant next to the hotel. Porcini mushrooms roasted until browned, together with whitefish, plated, and served.

"Just a while ago, Sakura class students supplied the story. Oh, this story is off the record, please. Because if I get stuck, I might put it in the Lillian Kawaraban."

However, the Sakura class supplied something that might be useful later. This story was a scoop, but it probably would turn out to be nothing. More than that, she was leaking a rumor before publishing it herself. But Mami-san continued, unconcerned with that. She'd been staying in Italy, so maybe her reporter's soul had grown a bit leisurely.

"For the evening class activity, do you know where the Sakura class went?"

"A stroll through Borghese gardens?"

Yoshino-san answers in a flash. It felt like a quick answer, without putting on airs.

"Yes. There was a small accident there."

"A single student strayed from the pack. If that was all, everyone knows that. I'm sorry, but that is not a scoop."

Tsutako-san pointed out. To which Yumi nodded "yes, yes" in agreement.

Eventually, that student was crying and wandering around the park. A kind, local, elderly, couple found her and took her to where her classmates were. When we returned from Trevi Fountain, some Wisteria class students told me in the hotel lobby. Perhaps that was when Mami-san heard the news.

"I dared to visit the student's room for an interview."

"...did she answer your questions?"

"Under a promise of anonymity. So we'll call her... A-san."

Sakura class arrived at Borghese Gardens with various conditions attached. Travel in groups of several people was one of them. Of course, at the beginning, A-san was in a group of seven friends. Map in hand, they walked around the park. Taking pictures next to the splendid sculptures, riding around on bicycles, waving at the many young locals, it sounded like wonderful fun.

"Then, did A-san lose sight of her group?"

"That's correct."

Mami-san lowered her voice.

"She was distracted by something, separated from her group, and wandered around unsure of where to go. The time to assemble drew near, they had to return soon. But it looks like her group did not notice that they were missing a person. It was getting dark around there, and it was far better to travel together, so each group should track its own roll call."

"So, what did they do? Really, Mami-san. You're putting too much emphasis on this. Folks are good-natured."

Yoshino-san was striking out with admonitions, but really she was just antsy to know what happened next. Mami-san knew that. This was certainly a pattern she picked up from writing the Lillian Kawaraban.

In the middle of all the students excited over topics like the Vatican in the daytime and Trevi Fountain at night, only this table had their heads together, whispering in private. Won't our classmates notice? Yumi thought they'd have to notice. But everyone else was fully engrossed in their own stories, so nobody noticed anything in this direction.

Still, Mami-san lowered her voice.

"She saw Satou Sei-sama."