Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume7 Chapter4 3

Golden Rose Uproar. Part 3

Knock knock.

Rosa Chinensis knocked on the door to the educational guidance room.

After about ten seconds, the door was opened from inside.

"Oh my. What kind of disturbance were you girls involved in?"

The sister in charge of student guidance asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

"There's something we have to say in relation to the Torii Eriko-san matter."

Normally, students wouldn't involve themselves unnecessarily, but Rosa Chinensis had marched to the educational guidance room, head held high, and did what had to be done. Yumi watched on with admiration from her position near the back of the line.

"Something you have to say?"

"In short, a defense. We've brought a witness along too."

"A witness?"

The sister looked momentarily puzzled, but then Rosa Gigantea gave the "witness" a pat on the back, forcing her forwards.

"I-I'm Tsukiyama Minako."

Not having had time to prepare herself, Minako-sama was still flustered when she introduced herself.

"Tsukiyama Minako-san … ahh, the head of the newspaper club. I was just thinking about summoning you."

She was beckoned inside. At that point, Rosa Chinensis inquired, "Is it alright if we accompany her?"

"Who do you mean by "we"?"

The sister looked over the entire group assembled outside the educational guidance room then asked:

"Surely you don't mean everyone?"

"Yes."

Rosa Chinensis replied, a serious look on her face.

"That's quite a lot of people."

One, two, three, four … all up there were six students arranged behind Rosa Chinensis.

"Please. We're all friends."

If it had just been the two Roses, they may have been allowed to enter easily. But Rosa Chinensis was not compromising. Yumi and the others watched on in fascination, relying completely on Rosa Chinensis.

"Wait here for a moment."

As the sister was about to withdraw from the entrance momentarily, to consult with the teachers inside, Rosa Chinensis drew alongside Minako-sama and grabbed her hand. The sister smiled wryly when she saw this, as she hadn't intended to use that opportunity to take Minako-sama along with her.

"You're a sneaky one."

Rosa Gigantea whispered into Rosa Chinensis' ear.

"So there's a fool here who would surrender their trump card and get turned away at the door, then?"

"Nobody said that."

Hohoho. The two Roses traded sly laughs, like conniving courtiers from a historical drama. It didn't really matter either way, but they were laying it on a bit thick.

"Alright. Come inside, all of you."

The sister returned, her discussion finished, and opened the door wide.

"However, you are not to speak unless asked to directly. Understood?"

The conniving courtiers, their subordinates, and everyone else responded like good girls, saying, "Yes ma'am."

"Pardon me."

As they all filed in one-by-one, the first thing they did was confirm who was actually in the room. Yumi stood next to Yoshino-san, and her eyes sparkled as she surveyed the line-up.

The educational guidance room wasn't as small as the club rooms, but it certainly wasn't spacious either.

The first thing that caught her eye was the school principal and the third-year chrysanthemum class home room teacher seated next to each other on a sofa. Seated facing them was an unknown middle-aged man and Rosa Foetida. Three younger men stood, perhaps due to lack of chairs, behind the sofa.

"Eriko, you were at school?"

Rosa Gigantea called out, forgetting her promise to not speak unless spoken to.

"Yeah, and didn't that turn into a royal pain."

Rosa Foetida wasn't in her own world today, but she was sulking.

"I was on my way home, and had made it to the back gate when that announcement was made. Thanks to this lot, I had to head back to the main building."

She angled her chin at the four men when she said, "this lot."

As she looked at the faces in turn, Yumi was surprised. Until now, they had all been resting in the photographs in the pocket of her school uniform.

The well-built man that had been sitting in a deck-chair by the hotel pool.

The serious looking man who had been escorting Rosa Foetida to the platinum seating area of a concert hall.

The tall, slender man who had been picking out matching high-class suits with Rosa Foetida.

Identifying them just by their physique and facial expression probably wouldn't offend anyone. And, in that regard, they matched the descriptions of A, B, and C from "The Golden Rose."

"The four of them stormed into the staff room and started causing an uproar. Unacceptable."

When Rosa Foetida shrugged her shoulders, the man beside her trembled. He was neither A, B, nor C. He was the middle-aged man from the high-class Japanese restaurant.

"Unacceptable? That's what your behavior was."

He shot up, his patience apparently reaching its limit. – Then, Rosa Chinensis, who was standing right there, held out her right hand and said:

"It's been a while, sir."

(Huh?)

"You look like you've had a rough day today."

Rosa Gigantea added, and "sir" smiled, nodding slightly.

"Ohh, Youko-chan and Sei-kun."

(Huhhh?)

Yumi's mind was reeling. Apparently Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Gigantea both knew this man too.

"I'm a mess, I know. I was in the middle of a meeting at the shopping center when the call came, so I didn't have time to change into something better."

Loose knit sweater and jeans. The jacket he was wearing over the top with the "OO Shopping Center" logo looked a bit more stylish.

"And the boys?"

"What could I do? I was at work when dad called, saying, "Eriko-chan's in trouble.""

A was wearing a gridiron uniform, not a baseball one.

"Same here."

B was wearing a white coat, like a surgeon or something … tough break, Minako-sama.

"Same."

C looked like he'd come straight from a photo-shoot, still wearing expensive clothes and grumbling, "I wonder if they'll charge me for these." On closer inspection, Yumi recalled having seen him in a TV drama.

" – so there they are, Eriko's father and brothers."

Rosa Chinensis introduced them.

"Huh!?"

Minako-sama, Sachiko-sama, Rei-sama, Shimako-san, Yoshino-san and Yumi, six people in total, all cried out in surprise. Her father and brothers. So even if she had been going out on what looked like dates with them, they were family, so there was no problem at all. Quite the contrary, in fact, she was out having fun with a chaperone – .

"See, I told you there'd be a misunderstanding. All you guys, with no family resemblance, vying for my attention. And on top of that, you joined in too, dad. This family, it's something else."

Rosa Foetida said, fed up, and her father and three older brothers all protested immediately.

"Why are you saying such harsh words, Eriko-chan?"

Rosa Foetida's father said, then A, the oldest brother chimed in too.

"You never used to be such a cold child."

Lamenting.

"You're our family's idol."

"Don't snuff out the flame in our hearts."

Next was B, the middle brother, followed by C the youngest, all adding their bit.

Their appearances were all different, but they all seemed to share a weakness for Rosa Foetida. Almost lovestruck even.

Watching on, Yumi thought that it was indeed "something else." To prepare such gorgeous dates for your daughter or younger sister wasn't really something that the average family would do.

"Basically, it's like this."

Rosa Foetida's explanation was as follows:

Eighteen years ago, a single daughter was born into the Torii family. Coming after three boys, the long-awaited daughter was well cared for. There was an age gap between the boys and her, so when her brothers got jobs and found themselves with money to spare, they bought her things she wanted as gifts, and took her to interesting places. Initially everyone was fine with this, but then the brothers started monopolizing her time with their invitations. Probably trying to outdo each other, the money flowed like water.

"Then one day, mom couldn't watch it anymore and she let fly."

A monthly limit was set on the amount of money they could spend, and the amount of time they could spend with their little sister. In order to return a degree of normalcy to Eriko-chan's life.

"Since the beginning of winter, I'd been using my exams as an excuse to turn down all their invitations. But ever since the results were published, I've had the overcrowded schedule of a pop idol."

Her brothers had been saving up their time and money. And then her father joined in too –

"My mom lied to Yumi-chan because she was too embarrassed to tell the truth. That the grown-up men of the family were going out on dates with her daughter. Even going so far as to get her a hotel room, in order to monopolize her time. Because of that, every day I've been showing up at school sleep deprived."

"But, I just wanted to watch videos with you without anyone interrupting."

"What's wrong with wanting to see the best night skyline from a high floor with your younger sister?"

"If I'd thought you'd have enjoyed a late night drive, I would have taken you back home."

"An all-night monopoly … "

They were all saying pretty much the same thing. The four men of the Torii family were all squirming.

"My brothers are all such sis-cons that they can't get girlfriends either."

Rosa Foetida said, cutting right through them.

Sis-con. The abbreviation of sister complex. Basically, in love with their sister.

"What a horrible thing to say."

"Even though it's the older brother's duty to protect his younger sister until she gets married."

"No, not just until she's married, we always have to get along well as a family."

The brothers had reached the point where they were trying to use tears to get their way.

"I think that's quite enough."

The school principal intervened in the conversation. Probably deciding that this family feud / pseudo-lovers quarrel wasn't going to be resolved any time soon.

"There had been various reports made to the school that Eriko-san was out on the town at night with various men. But we realized they were all members of her family, so we were not intending to make a fuss about it. Naturally, we regret the manner in which this rumor was spread by the school newspaper. Perhaps we have not been as scrupulous in our guidance as we should have."

At the mention of the school newspaper, the head of the newspaper club, Minako-sama, bowed her head and said, "My deepest apologies."

"As you can see, the newspaper club recognizes this too."

The school principal said, leaving implied the question, "Is there a problem?" So apparently the school hadn't summoned them here, instead the Torii males had proactively invaded.

"So then, principal, are you saying that everything in this newspaper is a lie? While they've obviously made a huge mistake in claiming that we're date club customers, they have captured the finer details of our physical appearances."

Father Torii placed the paper, crumpled from being grasped tightly, on the table and tapped it. Looking closely, it was the latest edition of the "Lillian Kawaraban," published that day. No. On even closer inspection, it was actually a copy, or a fax, of the paper, and not the real thing.

"At the very least, I'm sure the second half is all fiction. There's nobody like Teacher D employed at this school."

Hearing the words of the school principal, Minako-sama nodded furiously. It looked like it had all become too much for her, and she was lost for words.

"You're not all just trying to protect him, are you?"

Rosa Foetida's father looked searchingly at all the teachers and students assembled there. Brave of him to capture those who dwelt in Maria-sama's garden, as Lillian's Girls Academy was also known, and accuse them of being liars. Especially since there were two nuns in that very room.

"They're not about to start lying to the vice-president of the PTA."

Rosa Chinensis said, smiling, after raising her hand.

"If you have any doubts, you could take a look in the high-school and middle-school staff rooms. The elementary school and kindergarten are a bit further afield, but if you so desire, I could guide the way."

Rosa Gigantea added, her hand raised as well. Her pose saying, "I know you didn't ask me, but it's better that I spoke up." Was she honestly trying to abide by the instructions that the sister had given them when they entered the room, that they should only speak when asked to directly? No, earlier she'd spoken up on her own.

"Mm …"

Rosa Foetida's father faltered. He could have dug his heels in and said, "Lead on," but that wasn't an easy option to take. Even if he wanted to, visiting all the staff rooms in the entire school would be quite a task.

"Like I said, there is no such person."

"But, Eriko."

"While she may work in the school office, dad's cousin's daughter, one of your distant cousins, still thought it best to intervene and send the fax."

(Huh? The school office?)

It was true. Taking a closer look at the paper from earlier, the words, "Lillian's Girls Academy – Office," appeared in small print at the bottom of the page.

"So there's no truth to what's written here, then?"

"Truth? Of what?"

"Ahh … umm … well. Tell me that you're not in love with anyone."

Mumble, mumble. It was a topic that Rosa Foetida's father seemed uncomfortable talking about. Looking at it from the daughter's point of view, Yumi thought it was something she wouldn't want to be asked either, but that didn't stop her from listening in. In a way, it was equivalent to replacing the male relatives.

"I am."

Rosa Foetida announced clearly, wiping away her father's earlier inarticulateness.

"In love with someone."

"Huh?"

Rang out, but it wasn't from Rosa Foetida's father. Nor her brothers. It came from the students, all except Rosa Chinensis, Yumi and Minako-sama.

The males of the Torii family were unable to respond to such a shocking declaration, and appeared to be on the verge of fainting. The teachers were – alas, Yumi didn't have enough time to complete her observation.

"Wh-who is it?"

Rei-sama asked Rosa Foetida, not raising her hand for permission to speak.

The "Ronin Umbrella Maker" floated into Yumi's mind. The person that Rosa Foetida wanted to marry. If she was in love, it could only be with him.

"Yumi-chan, let me borrow those photos."

Quick as a flash, Rosa Gigantea had thrust her hand into the pocket of Yumi's skirt.

"Wah"

"Sor-ry!"

Rosa Gigantea pulled out the entire bundle, and thumbed through the photos one-by-one until she found the one she was looking for, then held it in front of Rosa Foetida's face.

"Him?"

It was the photograph that Yumi had expected. The one at a zoo, with Rosa Foetida looking at a bear of a man eating a roasted sweet potato.

"Oh my. This is a really good photo. May I have it?"

Rosa Foetida asked, looking at what Rosa Gigantea held in her hand. Rosa Gigantea simply said, "Well … " and turned to Yumi. Stumped, Yumi's only response was, "I'll have to ask Tsutako-san." Since Tsutako-san had said that she could throw it away, it could probably be considered Yumi's property, but she thought it was better to get the photographer's consent.

– But that was completely straying from the main topic.

"Eriko, answer me. Has this man seduced you?"

Rosa Foetida's father asked, his blood pressure seemingly on the rise. Yumi was starting to worry if he was going to be alright.

"Yes or no."

Foolishly he stood up, but the brothers behind him made him sit back down again. His middle-age spread was getting in his way, quite the inconvenience.

"This is the man I love, but I haven't been seduced."

"Ah – "

The four Torii men all made a similar pose, hands on their heads. Like a line of Munch's scream. A simple yes or no probably would have been less shocking.

"Torii-san, how do you know this gentleman?"

The school principal asked.

"A few days ago, I ran into him at the zoo. He knows a world that I've never seen."

"A few days!?"

The brothers exclaimed, and the principal soothed them saying, "Now now."

"So, what kind of person is he?"

The oldest brother carried on, taking over from his father who had lost the will to argue. In his gridiron uniform, he was the very image of fighting spirit.

"If you're asking what he does for a living, then he's a teacher at Hanadera. But his primary occupation is a romanticist."

"What's a romanticist?"

The three men seemed to have mistaken it for a new type of profession. Like a hair stylist or a makeup artist.

"Does he make umbrellas, by any chance?"

Minako-sama asked suddenly. The four men had seemed pleased to hear he was a teacher, and were getting a bit rowdy.

"No matter how much I think about it, I still don't understand the phrase "Ronin Umbrella Maker." Rosa Foetida, you said to Yumi-san, "I want to be the wife of a ronin umbrella maker," right?"

She'd just exposed the fact that she'd been eavesdropping on their conversation. But Minako-sama was completely oblivious to that.

"Wife?"

The middle brother cried out. The way he'd singled out the important keyword while ignoring the rest highlighted his natural attention to detail.

At any rate, what the heck's a ronin umbrella maker romanticist … Inside her innocent head, Yumi just couldn't picture the bear-man with a sword on his back winding colorful paper around an umbrella.

"Eriko-chan, you … you've gone and got engaged to this … this unemployed teacher who makes umbrellas to survive?"

The brothers minds appeared to be emptying too. What happened to the explanation that he worked at Hanadera?

"Ronin umbrella maker was just a figure of speech."

Rosa Foetida shrugged, her hands reaching up around her shoulders.

"So what you meant by "a ronin umbrella maker's wife", was that you wanted to suffer through life's hardships with him?"

Rosa Chinensis asked, without raising her hand for permission to speak. The sister's warning appeared to be going almost completely unheeded.

"Suffer life's hardships… ? Yeah, that sort of thing."

"Hardships?"

Rosa Foetida's father stirred from his slumber. A fresh breath of life had entered his withered body.

"I won't allow it."

The breath of life entered all the nooks and crannies of his body, extending his index finger towards Rosa Foetida.

"We raised you carefully, lovingly, my daughter, to keep you as far away from hardship as possible. What of all your parents' efforts?"

"Your efforts, papa? You mean, the way you spoiled me?"

"Teachers, please talk some sense into my daughter. Tell her she has to give up this man and stay in school."

Even when asked directly, the nuns seemed reluctant to intervene in this father/daughter quarrel.

"That's not really … "

"Yeah."

Rosa Foetida wasn't actually working at a date club. She was just seeing a guy. That wasn't a reason for her to drop out of school, much less be expelled.

While it was an old school, established during the Meiji era, it was now attended by modern girls. They would riot if there was any nonsense.

"Mr Torii. Right from the beginning, the school has had no problem with the actions of your daughter."

See.

The school principal seemed greatly perplexed. First of all, this disturbance had been started by Rosa Foetida's father and brothers, and not by any action the school had taken.

"Fine. Even if you won't say anything, I'm sure my daughter's eyes will be opened. She'll have to learn what happens when she ignores her father's advice and runs off into the arms of some man. That she won't be able to graduate from high-school, or attend the university that she worked so hard to get in to. When she comes running back in tears, it will be far too late. Of course, her allowance will stop too."

Oh, now come the threats. Still, that was her father's trump card. It was tough for a child when their funds were cut off.

"What do you think?"

Rosa Chinensis quietly asked Rosa Gigantea.

"It's not looking good. He doesn't understand Eriko's personality at all."

The pair nodded, both in agreement.

"Opposing her is only going to spur her on even more."

"And pressure from parents is one way to turn a child rebellious."

Basically, the opinion of Rosa Foetida's closest friends was that the excessive interference coupled with Rosa Foetida's personality meant this approach was likely to be counterproductive.

"At any rate, bring this man here. I'll have a few choice words with him, and tell him to leave my daughter alone."

"Don't be absurd."

There was no way a daughter would happily introduce her boyfriend to a father who was dead-set on breaking them up.

"Where is he? Hanadera Academy?"

Rosa Foetida's father stood up. The three brothers followed behind him, like Suke-san and Kaku-san, as they headed towards the door … Although there was one too many, it was like Mito Kōmon and his two samurai heading out to confront some evildoer.

"Please don't make any more of a disturbance than you already have."

Rosa Foetida chased after the line of nobles. If they marched over to Hanadera Academy, it would become a major incident embroiling two high-schools.

Just then.

"Umm, I was just stopping by."

The door opened, and who should appear but the bear-man.

"Y-y-you."

Rosa Foetida's father and brothers could only point and stammer at the enemy's unexpected invasion.

However.

"… How?"

Rosa Foetida herself was the most surprised of all.

"I'm not sure I understand what's going on exactly, but – "

He looked back over his shoulder and there was Takeshima Tsutako-san.

"I was on my way home when I saw four of the five men show up at school, so I was feeling sorry for the one that had been left out."

Tsutako-san hadn't known that the bear was really a teacher at Hanadera Academy, so she went back to the area around the zoo where she'd taken the photo, and accosted him as soon as she saw him. Saying only that there had been a serious incident with Torii Eriko-san.

"Ah, sorry, I haven't introduced myself. I'm a science teacher at the neighboring Hanadera Academy high-school. My name's Yamanobe."

Yamanobe-sensei turned towards the people in the room and bowed deeply. His beard covered most of his face, making it hard to tell his age, but he looked neater than the image in the photograph. He seemed sincere, which helped form a good impression.

"You, how dare you take our Eriko – "

Rosa Foetida's oldest brother looked like he was about to hit Yamanobe-sensei, but the father and two other brothers used all their strength to hold him back.

The oldest brother looked like he wanted to kill the man in front of him, and the rest of the family couldn't overlook an assault happening right there. And what would happen if a gridiron player really did punch someone? – Normal people were easily broken.

"Umm, what on earth is going on?"

Yamanobe-sensei didn't appear to understand anything about the situation he was involved in. Even when he was nearly attacked, he just looked on in confusion.

Then Rosa Foetida took a step forward and said:

"Yamanobe-san, would you take my hand in marriage?"