Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Chapter3 4

Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle. Part 4.

"Ah, there they come."

The principal members were all present on the first floor of the Rose Mansion. I don't know how they usually use it, but it was currently being used as a storehouse for the settings and props for the play.

Half of the room was occupied by those things, and the other half was occupied by six people holding scripts.

"Were we not having a standing rehearsal upstairs? Or was there another communication error to Yumi and I?"

At first glance, Sachiko-sama had a gentle tone, but there was clearly a feeling of objection to everyone.

"We heard you two were having some valuable time together, so we changed places in a hurry."

How regrettable, Rosa Chinensis answered. The other members had also been directed to where they stood, upon arriving at the Rose Mansion.

"Valuable time?"

Sachiko-sama and Yumi immediately looked at the culprit. Rosa Gigantea calmly looked away and began whistling.

"Because otherwise, you two don't seem to make any effort to have progress, at all."

Her excuse was extremely self-centered, but for some reason, everyone aside from "you two" agreed.

"Indeed. We found a valuable source of fun in going toward the school festival, but it has been quite uneventful. Boring."

"What is going on?"

"Sachiko has to become proactive enough to offer her rosary at least once a day."

One utterance after another, and each spoken in a completely serious tone. It was enough to make you wonder if these were indeed the top students of the school. From the looks of it, there was a fair chance that the rumors were spread by them, for fun.

"Have no concern over Yumi and I. Now, let us begin rehearsal."

Sachiko-sama suggested, looking fed up with everyone. Then, Rosa Chinensis clapped her hands, remembering, perhaps, in response to "rehearsal."

"Oh, I have to give Yumi-chan her script. I apologize for it being sudden, but we're giving you the Sister B part."

"Ah, I have a script, here."

Yumi pulled out Sachiko-sama's script from her bag.

"Oh, Sachiko, nice move."

Rosa Chinensis laughed, noticing the name "Ogasawara Sachiko" written on the back cover.

"Never you mind. I had already memorized my lines, so I had no use for it."

"Excuses, excuses. Yumi-chan, was her rosary placed in between the pages?"

"Eh!"

When she hurriedly flipped through the pages, Sachiko-sama coldly said, "Oh, how foolish, they are clearly simply teasing you," and walked where Rei-sama and Shimako-san were on stand-by. As if to substantiate that, Rosa Chinensis was trembling with laughter.

Come to think of it, if something were stuck between the pages, she would have already noticed. Plus, Sachiko-sama was not the type to do something that underhanded.

"Okay, let's start from the top. Yumi-chan, stand at the right wing and look inward."

"Yes."

It seemed like Rosa Chinensis was the director. When she stood where she was told, she was told it was alright to hold onto her script. Indeed, Rei-sama was holding one in her hand.

"There is no need to worry."

Sachiko-sama spoke before Yumi could act.

"Yumi has already memorized her lines."

Sachiko-sama looked proud, being able to say, "There is no need to worry," and Yumi felt quite happy that she was the reason for Sachiko-sama having that expression.

Perhaps even she could work hard enough to meet Sachiko-sama's expectations, and that she was not destined to perpetually disappoint-. Just that tiny action by Sachiko-sama could excite Yumi that much.

"Excuse me-."

Just as they prepared to begin the standing rehearsal, visitors arrived at the Rose Mansion.

"Ah, I'll get it."

In any case, Yumi, knowing that she was the newest of the people there, hurried to the door. When she opened the door, six students were there, and they all quickly bowed their heads, "Gokigenyou."

"Go, Gokigenyou."

Yumi hurriedly responded.

The six were not all one group, but rather three pairs, as their haphazard ranks and different behaviors expressed.

"We're the handicraft club, if we could see Rosa Foetida."

"We're the fine arts club, if we could see Rosa Gigantea."

"We're the invention club, if we could see Rosa Chinensis."

They were stiff with nervousness, as if they were reading from their national language textbooks that they had not prepared reading for.

When Yumi told them to wait and turned around, maybe they felt she couldn't hear them, but they said, "See, it's Fukuzawa Yumi-san."

Maybe the others might not have appreciated this bland newcomer opening the door to the Rose Mansion as if it were her home, she repented. After all, Yumi's current standing was not even Sachiko-sama's sœur, but rather "that person who did not know her place and managed to refuse Sachiko-sama's proposal," so it would not have been surprising had people thought it awkward.

When she returned to the first-floor room and spoke to the Roses about their visitors, they replied, "Have them come in," so she awkwardly went back to call the six people in.

"Please."

"Apologies for intruding."

The six politely bowed and entered.

"But, I'm so glad."

One of the handicraft club members mumbled in the foyer.

"I had no idea what I was going to do if Rosa Chinensis came out and opened the door. But it was Fukuzawa Yumi-san."

"Eh?"

Yumi double-took as she closed the door.

"As much as I admire the Roses, they are somewhat unapproachable. Fukuzawa-san, I do not mean to offend, but you are a more intimate type of person."

"I agree, we were so relieved, too."

The fine arts club students nodded.

Apparently, they had not all agreed to arrive at the same time, but had all simply gotten stuck in front of the Rose Mansion. When they finally settled themselves down, they called in, and Yumi had opened the door. It was probably a feeling very similar to when Yumi and Tsutako-san had first come to the Rose Mansion, and Shimako-san had called to them from behind.

"It's curious, with Fukuzawa-san walking in and out of the Rose Mansion, the Roses feel a lot more accessible and human."

Wow. It was a completely different reaction than she expected.

"I'm sure there are things going on that I don't know, but to be honest, I thought, it'd be nice if Fukuzawa-san were to become Sachiko-sama's little sister."

Ahh, I see. –Yumi thought.

She had grown timid from her own selfish imagination, but it seemed not everyone was particularly critical about Yumi. Realizing that, Yumi felt a huge burden lifted from her shoulders.

The fine arts club members had come to the Rose Mansion to discuss some finer points about the backdrops they were working on, the handicrafts club members had come to confirm the costume fitting for tomorrow, and the invention club members had come with their tricks for the magic scenes.

The rehearsal was halted once again, but Yumi had finally been able to see the serious faces of the Roses. She had a very fun-loving and carefree image of them in the Rose Mansion, but originally, even Yumi only had the serious, difficult-to-approach image of the Roses.

"There is quite a bit of help from other clubs, isn't there."

Already one completed bit of scenery was leaning against the corner of the room. Having gone through the hands of the fine arts club, it was extremely realistic, but also illusory. For her, an image of a backdrop was very fuzzy, and trying to think hard about it invoked a feeling akin to the jagged, green, vinyl leaf-like object placed in the middle of hand-rolled sushi.

"We only formally commissioned the dance club. The rumors of the Yamayurikai executives' sponsored play spread by word of mouth, and a whole lot of people gathered and volunteered to help. We were actually intending to just wear our normal clothing and use some of the dormant backdrops in the school warehouse."

Rei-sama, who was playing the part of the witch and the prince in today's rehearsal, explained.

"Every club is already busy with the school festival, but they've been going the extra mile for us. They said, it's a good change of pace, or it's a good source of inspiration. … Well, they make fantastic things for personal use, too."

Having a surplus of good mood and being able to have fun with something else are both probably nutrition for their products.

When their matters were complete, and everyone settled back into getting ready for the rehearsal, the six students whom were preparing to leave asked.

"Umm, would you mind if we watched?"

Rosa Chinensis happily responded, "Sure," and with that, the fine arts club, handicraft club and invention club all clumped together and squealed, "Kyaa."

(Eek…)

For Yumi, she was about to have an audience for her first rehearsal.

"Everything is alright." Sachiko-sama said, without any hesitation, and smiled brilliantly.

"Just do as you did before."

Immediately, she felt better. Of course, she just had to do what she did on the second floor.

Miraculous.

Rei-sama was supposed to be the witch, and Cinderella was supposed to be the one having a magic spell cast on her.

Sachiko-sama had reason to say the script was of no use for her. She had completely memorized her lines, was splendid, and even those standing on the stage with her struggled to stop staring at her.

When she looked at the corner of the room, the six visitors were likewise entranced by Cinderella.

Yumi felt proud.

Isn't Sachiko-sama fantastic?

She shouted jubilantly, deep down in her heart.

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