Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Chapter1 2

Monday of Uneasiness. Part 2

"Oh, so that's what happened."

Katsura-san, who sat in front of her, just laughed when she heard the story.

"You were so gloomy when you showed up to class, I was wondering if you ran into a molester in the train or something."

"A molester might have been better."

"Why?"

"It doesn't stick with you."

"Yumi-san, it seems you haven't run into a molester."

"I commute by bus."

Students of Lillian Girls' Academy generally took a circulation bus from M Train Station's North Exit at JR town to get to school. Both of them were the same in this regard, but Katsura-san took a crowded train to get to M Station, whereas Yumi took a bus to M Station South Exit, resulting in the difference in pleasantry—or unpleasantry.

"Wasn't there talk about a Lillian rail car, though?"

"There is one, but you know, it's more like the Yamayurikai council gathered everyone together so that Lillian students all crowd into the second car from the back. But because of day duties and club activities and the likes, if you leave too early there aren't enough students, so it's kind of pointless."

Apparently, because rumors circulated, female students from schools other than Lillian had begun using that car, making it pretty effective against molesters. Of course, there was no real method of squeezing out males, but evidently the number of gentlemen with the courage to step into a car full of young women was not very high. That, and there was hardly any opportunity to make any suspicious moves anyway.

The Lillian uniform used a non-lustrous black cloth that seemed like it had a drop of green and was very refined throughout. The ivory sailor collar with a single black line was tied up as is into a tie. During this season, the one-piece, low-waist plaited skirts were knee-high. Combine all this as a set with the threefold white socks and the ballet-style leather shoes and you get a very traditional outfit. One that had a firmly rooted popularity with ordinary people as well as, of course, the uniform maniacs. This attractive outfit advertised a lady's upper-class stature. And sailor uniforms attracted unwanted attention as it were, too.

"Trains are crowded, so I always check how I look beforehand."

Saying that, Katsura-san, using Yumi as a mirror, acted out how she fixed up her forelocks and re-tied her tie. Like this, she meant.

"I see. I was so careless."

Yumi bent over her desk. Then, Katsura-san patted her head, as if saying "there, there."

"Pretty much. But people that can sit elegantly as they ride to school wouldn't think of these things. Don't worry about it, it's not a big deal."

"It is a big deal."

"As long as we forget, it's fine, isn't it?"

"Why?"

"Because she's the star of Lillian Girls' Academy. Stars don't worry about each and every amateur."

Stars and amateurs.

Even though it was the truth, or rather, because it was the truth, it hurt. Katsura-san's consolation was a bit of an extreme treatment.

Incidentally, Katsura was a name and not a surname. At Lillian, nicknames generally did not exist. The custom was to speak to those of the same grade as "–san." When speaking to an upperclassman, "-sama."

"There's no helping withering when you're called out like that. The only first-year in our class that can handle being spoken to by a 'Yamayurikai' council member is her."

And with that, Katsura-san shot a glance behind her. Following her line of sight, Yumi saw Toudou Shimako step into the room.

"Gokigenyou, Katsura-san. Gokigenyou, Yumi-san."

As she greeted the two, Shimako-san elegantly advanced to her seat.

"Go-gokigenyou."

Yumi and Katsura-san looked at each other, as if they wanted to ask, "What're you so embarrassed about?"

Even though they're the same age, the discrepancy was enormous. Although completely unlike Sachiko-sama, Shimako-san was also stunningly beautiful.

Looking at her depressed you, making you think, beautiful people are beautiful even from when they were young. Any hope of becoming as beautiful as Sachiko-sama just by becoming a second-year high-school student was snuffed out, just like that.

"Did you hear?"

Katsura-san began whispering, so Yumi also lowered her voice.

"That Shimako-san became Rosa Gigantea en bouton? Even skipping over the 2nd-years."

It was famous. The story about Shimako-san exchanging sisterly vows with Rosa Gigantea despite being a 1st-year student.

"Not that."

"Not that?"

Implying that it was the latest scoop, Katsura-san put her index finger over her lip and said "Onee-sama told me." Her grande sœur was a tennis-club senior, who was in the same class as Sachiko-sama.

"Shimako-san . . . not only did Rosa Gigantea propose, but apparently so did Sachiko-sama."

"Ehh—!"

"Yumi-san, you're being loud."

The two of them scrunched up over a single desk. It was a spectacle very un-befitting of ladies, but the two of them had not noticed. –Maria-sama, please forgive them. No matter what generation it is, women love rumors about other people.

The Lillian Girls' Academy's sœur system was said to have been born out of the school's attitude of respecting the autonomy of its students in High School. As students graduated from compulsory education—in which they lived under the management of teachers and Sisters—they were expected to lead an ordered life with their own power. The sœur system was adopted so that elder students could guide their little sisters through this rather overwhelming time. As that system became completely immersed throughout the school, it became such that even without any strict school regulations, the pure and righteous school life was passed down from generation to generation.

Sœur meant sister in French. Presumably in order to prevent confusion with Sisters, they avoided using English. Originally every senior and underclassman was called sœur, but eventually it became a way of designating two tightly bonded girls. No one was sure when the ritual of vowing to become sœurs through a give-and-receive of a rosary began.

"According to the stories, Sachiko-sama proposed first, but she accepted Rosa Gigantea's hand, even though it came later."

Katsura-san seemed a bit disdainful, but she was definitely getting excited by the rumor-mongering.

"I wonder if she just preferred white over crimson."

"That's not the point. Sheesh . . . Yumi-san, you're a bit weird. See? When you're in Shimako-san's class of people, you can even have your pick between two roses."

"Your pick, that's such a despicable wording."

"But, truth be told, Sachiko-sama was rejected."

"Mmm."

What a wasteful thing to do, thought Yumi.

"What do you mean 'mmm,' don't you think it's horrible?"

"Why? If you can't have two onee-sama, you do have to pick one."

"And you pick the one that came later?"

"But it's not a race."

"Yes it is!"

And thus did Katsura-san conclude the discussion, heaving a sigh. Come to think of it, she had exchanged sœur vows the day she joined the tennis club.

"Speaking of which, what about Rosa Foetida?"

"Rosa Foetida is peaceful and secured with a 3rd-year, 2nd-year and 1st-year."

"I see."

For Yumi, as opposed to Rosa Gigantea and Rosa Chinensis en bouton fighting over Shimako-san, the fact that neither of them had younger sisters was more surprising.

"Either way, the reality is, Sachiko-sama proposed to her, and she didn't immediately accept."

As she said that, Katsura-san looked at the clock. The bell would ring for the morning prayers.

Then, a hymn would sound from the school broadcast system. Aside from the once-a-week morning prayer at the Sanctuary, everyone prayed in their classroom. Everyone sang the hymn, listened to the principal speak, then calmed their spirits and offered prayer to God.

Please allow me to live righteously today.

However, on this day, despite praying, Yumi had the feeling that she was about to be jarred from her peaceful daily life.

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