Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume2 Chapter5 2

Fighting Maidens. Part 2.

Yumi had never even watched a kendo match on TV.

So she had no idea how Rei-sama was supposed to win, but Sachiko-sama filled her on while they were watching.

First, that it was a team match, rather than an individual one.

While there were matches to decide individual winners, in this case, the four schools chose five people to represent them. In order of strength, the five were titled Taishou, Fukushou, Chuuken, Jihou and Senpou, and the Senpou[1] fought the Senpou, the Taishou fought the Taishou. And Rei-sama was Lillian's Taishou.

Even though these schools were considered the top four, their students changed year to year, so there was rarely an occasion where you could definitively say one school was the absolute best. Takurazawa school, which won last year, had their Taishou, Fukushou and Chuuken all graduate, so most people didn't expect them to be repeat champions.

The favorites this year were Oonaka girls' high, and Lillian girls' academy. Unfortunately, we'd lost last year at the semi-finals, but this year Hasekura Rei returned as a Taishou, after being the Fukushou as a first-year student.

Because there were only four schools, each match was a semi-final and a final. They drew for matchups and, luckily, Oonaka and Lillian weren't paired.

The fencers from the four schools entered the floor and sat, encircling the fighting area.

Yumi glanced at her wristwatch.

Two in the afternoon. The surgery was hopefully going well.

Yoshino-san's surgery was supposed to have begun at nine. Yoshino-san had apparently painstakingly insisted that the surgery be held today. At first, Yumi thought she didn't absolutely need to have it be today, but Yoshino-san probably had her own reasons for fixating on this date. It might be something you'd never know until you end up in that situation yourself.

She expected an athletes' pledge, or that someone important would make an announcement, but the match actually simply started. The first two combatants stood up, and the referee blew a whistle.

"It's exciting."

After emptying the pack of milk coffee, she put the box under her seat to keep it out of the way. The sandwiches had already been settled into their stomachs at a ratio of Yumi: 4, Sachiko-sama: 2.

But, Sachiko-sama, like, for one of her sandwiches, the olive oil was soaked into the bread, or she had another sandwich with white and brown bread, but she didn't like the brown bread because it had caraway in it. She was full of complaints, so Yumi ended up having to finish everything. Maybe she was picky because she was a rich princess, but Yumi thought Sachiko-sama's mother must have a hard time packing lunch like that. Ah, because it was Sachiko-sama, it was probably a maid or something.

"Don't wander about, watch the match."

Sachiko-sama suddenly grabbed Yumi's jaw and turned her back to the matches, like a shower lever.

(Gosh- when Sachiko-sama does something like that, it just makes it even harder to concentrate!)

That said, she found herself sucked into the matches anyways. The matches continued, and the Oonaka and Takurasawa Taishou stood, facing each other.

As expected of the Taishou, even for a newbie like Yumi, their superior skills to the previous four was evident. And for whatever it was worth, they seemed to have more vigor, too.

Along with a clean PANG! sound, the Oonaka Taishou stepped back. Simultaneously, the three referees lifted a white flag.

"That meant it was a clean blow, right?"

After watching four matches, Yumi was getting the hang of things. Even if it looked like a good hit, unless a flag went up, it didn't matter.

"It was a brilliant strike to the mask."

Sachiko-sama gasped in admiration, and praised the Oonaka Taishou.

"You're pretty knowledgeable about kendo?"

"Suguru-san used to do kendo."

"---"

Suguru-san, meant full-name Kashiwagi Suguru. He was Sachiko-sama's cousin, a third-year student at Lillian's neighboring Hanadera Institute, student council president, and a handsome, intelligent young man. Plus, he was Sachiko-sama's fiancé, as decided by their parents, preferred males… Anyways, he's a rather awe-inspiring person.

Speaking of which, what happened to Kashiwagi-san? Did they extinguish their engagement?

The first semi was a 4-1 rout by the Oonaka girls. Next, the Lillian students stood up.

Rei-sama.

Was radiating willpower, even though it was just the Senpou match. I'll definitely win! You could feel her determination.

Maybe it was because she was preparing herself for the kendo matches, but Rei-sama looked different than normal, sporting a scarier face than usual.

The Tsukimigaoka high school we were against was a private coeducation school, so you could hear throaty voices whether they won or lost. It was in stark contrast to the pure-yellow cheers of Lillian.

The Senpou and Jihou were both defeated by Tsukimigaoka, but the Chuuken and Fukushou both won. Next was the Taishou, Rei-sama.

If they lose, they fall to the consolation round. If they win, they go to the finals against Oonaka. It was all down to the Taishou.

"What pressure…"

"Don't worry, she'll win. If she loses here, she wouldn't be able to face Yoshino-chan."

Yumi thought Sachiko-sama's words were on the mark.

Rei-sama stepped into the fighting circle with her mask, bowed to the Tsukimigaoka Taishou, and the match began.

Rei-sama was beautiful, standing tall with her shinai in front of her. She wanted to show Yoshino-san this scene.

(Oh shoot, I should have brought a camera.)

How clumsy, to realize it now. Just as she was humbled by her guilt, she noticed a flash from the audience.

"Tsutako-san…!"

"Oh, Yumi-san. Gokigenyou."

She turned around for an instant, hearing her name, but then immediately returned to concentrate on the match. As expected of the photography ace. She'd never let a chance for a good photo go by. On second look, the newspaper club captain was by her side. She, too, looked immersed in reporting.

(I'll ask for a copy of the photo later.)

She was glad she was friends with Tsutako-san. Actually, when she asked about it later, she found out the Roses didn't even bother thinking about cameras, simply relying on Tsutako-san. Rather than a newbie using a disposable camera, a semi-pro using an advanced camera was certain to produce better photos. Plus, if they left it to Tsutako-san, they'd be better able to focus on the matches.

The Taishou match was, as Sachiko-sama predicted, dominated by Rei-sama. She pounded away with mask and torso shots, to the point where Yumi would have readily raised a flag. The Tsukimigaoka Taishou was forced into a more defensive game, but because she was the Taishou, she might have been driven by pride to swing back every so often.

"Brilliant."

Sachiko-sama yelled at her side. Simultaneously, three red flags went up. It was too fast for Yumi to have noticed, but Rei-sama's forearm blow had been clean.

"Sachiko-sama is really athletic."

Sachiko-sama smiled bitterly at that.

Anyways, Lillian got past the semis, and Rei-sama had a win under her belt.

"Huh…?"

It was rather late, but a question suddenly formulated in her head.

"At what point would Rei-sama count as having won?"

Did that mean Lillian winning? Or Rei-sama winning all of her matches? Or-.

"Yoshino-san didn't mean that sort of victory, I think."

Then, what did she mean? As Yumi tilted her head to the side, the finals match began. There's almost no time for rest.

During the finals, the Senpou went to Oonaka, the Jihou went to Lillian. Chuuken draw, Fukushou Lillian, and so Lillian was ahead.

"If Rei-sama wins, we win!"

Excitedly, Yumi grabbed Sachiko-sama's arm, but Sachiko-sama didn't look very pleased, so Yumi quickly pulled her arm away.

"That's not it. I don't mind the arm."

"Eh?"

"That's not good."

She had no idea what was wrong. Lillian was ahead with two wins, one loss and one tie, and Rei-sama was next, so it was like presenting a club to an ogre.

"Oonaka's Taishou is really strong."

"Strong?"

"They had to have three wins by Fukushou."

"They had…!?"

She was talking as if Rei-sama was going to lose. But, they were two and two against Tsukimigaoka, so Tsukimigaoka was a stronger team than Oonaka. So Rei-sama, who beat the Tsukimigaoka Taishou, was certainly going to beat the Oonaka Taishou…

"That's not how it works."

If it were Tsukimigaoka versus Lillian, everything was primed for Lillian to win. But it was simply that the Lillian first-years were nervous at beginning the match, so they didn't show their full potential.

"The Oonaka Taishou is a rank holder."

"Rank holder?"

"Yes, around san-dan."

"Rei-sama?"

"Ni-dan."

"What does that mean?"

"… You really don't know anything, do you."

Sachiko-sama sighed, exasperated. Apparently it starts from shodan, and goes ni-dan, san-dan, etc. But in the case of Sumo, the lower numbers are stronger. –Well, she didn't say that outloud though.

"What happens if Rei-sama loses?"

Because then they would both have two wins and two losses and a draw.

"The team with the most points wins."

Currently, Lillian was winning by one point. So, if Rei-sama were to lose by one point, they'd be tied. And if that happens.

"They both send out a representative for a one-point match."

"But. If that happens, they'd both send their Taishou."

"Of course."

"Then, we'll lose…!!"

If she lost once, Rei-sama wouldn't be able to win the second one.

"That doesn't mean Rei-sama is going to lose."

"Well, true."

But, Sachiko-sama said it first. That it was bad. That the Oonaka Taishou was a san-dan and strong. Ahh, but what happens then?

Yoshino-san, eagerly awaiting Rei-sama's victory?

Their relationship?

Actually Yumi had gone off on her own and believed that if Rei-sama showed good results here, Yoshino-san would accept the rosary again.

Rei-sama with a match victory, and Yoshino-san with successful surgery, they'd both be able to walk down a fresh, new road as sisters. And everything would end happily. Is what she thought.

"It's beginning."

Sachiko-sama quietly announced.

That's right. Yumi had to watch Rei-sama for Yoshino-san.

(If that were to happen, maybe she'd be okay with just that win before…)

When she glanced at the watch, it was four. How was Yoshino-san's surgery?

Rei-sama did her best.

Newbies couldn't tell the difference between skill. But Rei-sama seemed more intimidating. You could feel her determination to win. Her voice was louder, too.

But.

Maybe it was the difference in skill. "What happens then" happened.

When they were locked, with their shinai against each other, and Rei-sama tried to pull off, her opponent was a split-second faster and landed a torso hit.

The gathering of black one-piece girls all lowered their shoulders, "Darn." Of course, Yumi was among them.

The match continued to a decisive Taishou fight. Both Taishou took off their masks, wiped away sweat, and set up to fight again.

Right before she put her mask back on, even though she lost, Rei-sama looked mysteriously serene. Yumi had no idea why that was the case.

Her eyes were calm, like a pool of water with not a single wave. It was completely different from eyes that have simply given up and wandered elsewhere. No, she was just not quiet, it was like she had found her wick. Like a polished, cleaned katana was gripped by her soul. Anyways, she looked completely focused.

(I wonder what happened?)

They were leading the match, but her loss put them all back at the start, so there must have been a tremendous amount of pressure. The word victory was draped over her shoulders, and she had to win in order to vindicate the efforts of the other four, and she had to beat an opponent she'd just lost to. Yumi thought that must be taking a heavy toll on her psyche.

This was it.

Even so, Rei-sama looked like she'd already won.

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Translator's Note

titles

• Taishou (大将), Fukushou (副将), Chuuken (中堅), Jihou (次峰), Senpou (先鋒)
• Respectively, General, Second-in-command, Mainstay, Second Guard, and the Advance Guard