Notes on the Nineteenth Maria-sama ga Miteru Novel, Part 4 (Final)

Part 4

In Library V


1+1+1-1+2=4. What kind of math is that?
The answer is, the number of people looking for Sachiko-sama.

Yumi and Touko-chan began, and when Minako-san participated, Touko-chan left, then Shimako-san and Noriko-san joined, which made the current 4 people.

"We'll look in the passage, Yumi-sama, you please go look at the desk."

"Y,yes."

Yumi instinctively responded to Noriko-chan's instructions, despite her being younger. Even though the library closed ten minutes ago, there were some number of students sitting around at the desks reading or studying now. At any rate, just looking around at people in the seats, she couldn't properly confirm whether Sachiko-sama was there or not.

Even when she turned to look at the row of desks lined up near the center of the reading room, there were many people standing in the way blocking the view.

"So, Sachiko-sama is missing in action?" Yoshino-san said, in the vanguard.

"Why do you say it that way?" Rei-sama said, with a serious face.

Four plus two equals six that they'd become, which you might think is excessive.

"I met the Rosa Foetida and Yoshino-sama in front of the stature of Mary...that's all."

Touko-chan obviously felt that it was her duty to explain how the Rosa Foetida sisters had become involved in the situation, so she had come back to do so. And.

"It seems like something has happened."

It was something strange, so it seemed natural that Yamaguchi Mami-san of the Newspaper club and Takeshima Tsutako of the Photography club should arrive.

"Uh, everyone."

In total, nine people. A large search party.

"We understand what Yumi-san wants to say. There's no one here who needs to be rescued. But, listen. We - Onee-sama and I - saw Sachiko-sama." Unexpected words flew out of Yoshino-san's mouth.

"Met? Where?"

"Here. In the middle of the Reading Room. She had come to return a book, and she called out to us."

"Eh."

At the moment, there was no difference in the new eye-witness testimony.

"Sachiko said that because she left you behind, she wanted to get back quickly. In that case, what could have happened --" Rei-sama's expression was uneasy, and everyone fell into silence.

"If it were something like that, unless she was in a rush, Yoshino should have waited and left the Library together with Sachiko."

"You're blaming me? If I said my throat was dry, would you say that you would go to the cafeteria and get me juice?"

"It's not your fault. I'm just...."

"Stop." Tsutako-san forced her way between the soeur. "If soeur are going to fight, please do it outside."

Coming to their senses, the Yellow Rose sisters said, "Sorry," and shut their mouths.

"But why didn't Sachiko-sama leave the library with the two of you, I wonder? Maybe she hadn't finished returning the book?" Yumi asked, with obvious doubt. Why, if she kept saying that she had to return, did she remain in the reading room?

"That's it," Yoshino-san said, as if she had just gotten an idea. "As usual, I noticed that one book in a series that is a different color, and I called Rei-chan over to look. Sachiko-sama also seemed interested and took that opportunity to go in--"

"That book?" Yumi shot a few steps forward, as she remembered. Her goal was the Japanese classical literature corner. There was one volume with something more to it. At the School Festival, when they had presented the play "Torikaebaya," Yumi and Yoshino-san and Shimako-san had noticed it. There was one volume in the same series that was a different color.

"...It's not there," she muttered, looking at the shelves.

About an hour earlier, when Yoshino-san and Rei-sama had been there, it had definitely been there, now there was space left for one volume.

"Sachiko-sama has it--?"

Manyoushuu and Taketori Monogatari and Houjouki were in their places.

Makura no Soushi wasn't there.

(E: Manyoushuu: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man'y%C5%8Dsh%C5%AB, is a famous collection of 8th century poetry. Taketori Monogatari http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tale_of_the_Bamboo_Cutter, aka Kaguya-hime, is a famous story about a bamboo cutter who finds a child in the woods, who turns out to be from the Moon. Houjouki is a 13th century tale of the hopelessness of humanity's superficial achievement.

Makura no Soushi is the famous "Pillow Book" by Heian author Sei Shonagon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pillow_Book. It is a famous collection of lists and personal insights written in the Heian period. Pillow Books were like journals - kept by nobles by their pillows in case of sudden inspiration.)



In the greenhouse, Miki sees a sleeping fairy.
Admired by many classmates.
Long black hair, third-year onee-sama
Just to see her brings happiness...
At Lillian Jogakuen, a real summer event occurred.


Library Book


Really, it all happened by chance.
Unwittingly treading upon the preceding visitor's steps, she went around the back of the school buildings where there was a greenhouse.
There, Miki found a sleeping fairy.

Of course, the person wore the same school uniform as she, she didn't have a doubt that who this person was - it was immediately apparent that she was the third-year onee-sama that so many of her classmates admired.

It was said that she was a descendant of an old noble family. It was said that she was engaged to someone from neighboring Hanadera Academy. It was said that she had a second-year petite soeur. Miki knew much about her, if only in rumor.

But, the truth was totally, for this person, far different from the workaday world. Really, for a second, one could mistake her for a fairy. That was partially the fault of the scattered red rose petals.

Potted roses lined up on a corner stand, carelessly moved aside to make a space, watched over her sleeping breaths. Long black hair cascaded down the ledge, like a carpet hung smoothly over stairs.

It was beautiful.

Miki had forgotten her original purpose for coming to the greenhouse, so she watched the other girl for a while.

***

It was the beginning of July, just past lunch.

Inside the greenhouse, it was warm - there was a little sweat on the nape of her neck.

Miki's fourth period class was gym - today was swimming.

"Dash!" When gym was finished, she and Yasumi-san had decided that they would race each other to see who could get to the school building first.

After swimming, she felt a little stiff, but her body was light and bouncy; the mood as she walked with a bounce and skip, her heavy hair swinging back and forth, and the pleats of her skirt too, was like she was in a dream.

Miki suddenly felt something painful in her right eye, so she squatted down where she stood.

"What's the matter, Miki-san?" Yasumi-san had noticed her, and come back.

"Bug." A bug had flown into her eye. Miki dabbed her right eye with her handkerchief.

"Let me see."

"I can't open my eye. It hurts."

"Maybe it would be better if you wash it with water. I'm pretty sure there's water in there." Yasumi-san turned her head to where the greenhouse was.

But Miki had never once gone in there. "Okay, if we're allowed. However, Yasumi-san has to go first."

"But..."

"I can’t go to the cafeteria. If I go there to wash my eye out, I'll be chased out."

Yasumi-san was today's bread duty person, at noon she had placed the order for their class' bread and now had to pick it up. The two had changed their clothing promptly and flew from the changing room for that reason.

"I'm sorry - I have to go." Yasumi-san accompanied Miki to the greenhouse entrance, but from there, turned and ran off quickly, disappearing towards the main school buildings.

Classmates that had changed more slowly appeared suddenly here and there along the path.

Miki opened the greenhouse door. The atmosphere inside was warmer and more humid than the outside air. Little by little, it gave her a high feeling.

"The water spout..."

The greenhouse wasn't large; the potted trees were about Miki's height. The plant pots were set on the ledge and in corners, so that she had no unobstructed view.

Unaccustomed as she was to the place, she wavered about which way to precede, when she caught sight of her.

A sleeping fairy.

How long did she gaze at the girl?

Even though she didn’t get to the water spout to wash her eye, tears spilled out, carrying with the little bug with them.

Even then Miki did not move.

But the time allowed her was limited. Outside the greenhouse, she could hear the joking voices of the other girls, which finally caused the fairy to awake.

Simultaneously, she opened both eyes wide, stood and said, "What time is it now?"

Before Miki could answer, "It's 12:37," the other girl had pulled a watch from her pocket and checked. She never seemed to see Miki, as she said "This is bad. It's already the fifth period."

This was a little confusing, since it wasn't past one o'clock, so Miki assumed that the girl was still a little "sleepy headed". So saying, the other girl turned and dashed off wildly.

"Um..."

Somehow, the girl managed to turn around running and return to stand in front of Miki once more.

"The exit...is that way." Miki didn’t understand how the girl could be so awake so quickly.

Covering her embarrassment with a smile, the girl said, "You'd better hurry too. Look, it's almost one thirty." With those words, she left the greenhouse.

"No. It's just 12:38," Miki murmured. Where the girl had been asleep on the ledge just a moment ago, there lay a book.

"Is that the case?" Miki removed her wristwatch and shook it up and down. "What? It's stopped?" Just a little while ago, when Yasumi-san had passed in front of Miki's desk, she had taken Miki's palm and turned it over to look. If fifth period was over, that meant that during recess, someone had tampered with the watch setting - but that was impossible, she thought.

***

To be sure, Miki asked Yasumi about her.

"The person I admire?"

"Look, the third year student, the one with long, smooth, black hair."

"Ah. You mean, Sa-ko-sama?"

"S-Sa-ko-sama?" Miki has asked in return. Every time she said it, she wondered why upperclassmen at Lillian Jogakuen were called "-sama" - it was just the custom.

Yasumi-san nodded. "It's my personal name for her, inside my heart. At any rate, it's just a whim - when it comes to what to call them, I didn’t want to be one of the nobodies. I wanted to be different. It's okay. The day I use her personal name will never come." That was definitely what Yasumi-san had said, that she called her that inside her heart, but, did she feel free to do that?

"So? Why do you want to know about Sa-ko-sama?"

"Ah. Nothing. I just wondered what class she's in."

"Third year, Pine group, however.... What do you mean by 'Ah. Nothing'? You're interested in her, huh?"

"Sorry. I met her back there in the greenhouse."

"Met her!?" Yasumi-san turned her eyes. It looked as if a big misunderstanding was about to be born, so Miki hurriedly denied anything.

"Not really 'met', so much as 'saw'."

"Did she speak to you?"

"She asked me the time."

"And?"

"Before I could answer, she ran out impatiently. Maybe, she had mistaken the time, I think." She scribbled the figures 12:37 on her pad, noting that it was just past 1:30. Sa-ko-sama's watch short hand and long hand had been extremely mistaken.

"So, Miki-san what happened?"

"I washed my eye out, then came back from the greenhouse." And ate lunch, went to her fifth period lesson. Now, she was in front of Yasumi-san's eyes.

"Why are you running after her?"

"Running after what? Run after, what do you mean?"

"For example...yeah. Um, what would be the best way to say this?"

Inside her heart, she desired "Sa-ko-sama", even if Yasumi-san didn’t understand. A latecomer fan like Miki wouldn't be ready to do anything, she'd think.

No. It was up to her. She could have left well enough alone, then. But Miki looked forward to returning the book.

It was one volume of a collection of classical Japanese literature, The Pillow Book . Using The Pillow Book as a pillow for sleeping among the plants - she almost started laughing. At that, she reflected that Sa-ko-sama was probably more accurately compared to a reborn Sei Shonagon, rather than a fairy. The book had a lovely light purple cover, exactly the kind of thing that would make a nice pillow.

I'd better return it quickly, she kept thinking as she rushed through fifth period. If she was to apologize, she'd have to learn what class the other girl was in.

But, now, she knew it was third year, Pine class.

Miki glanced at the classroom clock. It was about 7 minutes before sixth period. To make it to the third-year classrooms and back, she'd have to hurry up and get there and back in about five minutes.

"So, then..."

"Sorry, Miki-san. We'll have to continue this conversation after I come back from the bathroom."

"Ah, Yasumi-san." She called after her to stop, but Yasumi's footsteps could be heard galloping down the stairs. "I was going to try and persuade her to come with me to the Third-year, Pine class.... Oh well, I guess I'll have to go alone."

While it was true that the upperclassmen were the objects of the underclassmen's admiration, they also found them frightening. When they walked in front of their classrooms, they did so in large groups, too nervous to talk. No first-year would ever be brave enough to approach a third-year for the first time alone.

However, Miki found herself standing in front of the third-year Pine class. As she waited for Sa-ko-sama, the book clutched in her hands, little by little it grew heavier.

"Um, excuse me..." as she stood next to the door, her heart beating, a student's voice came through.

"Yes?"

However, this nervousness made it impossible for her to address this person with whom she had no relationship, saying "what is your name?" like some reception clerk.

"First-year, Peach group, Horibe-san? I didn't ask your name, though..." Nodding slightly, she walked down the hallway towards the stairs. There was no doubt about it, this was the upperclassman she had met in the greenhouse. The shoulder of her school uniform was dirtied with traces of something white, where she had laid on it during her nap.

"I'm sorry. It's just, I feel we've met somewhere. Ummm, Horibe-san?"

"It's Houribe. Houribe Miki."

"Houribe? Hm, written as in 'congratulations'? It's a good name, with congratulations in it. Your ancestor must have been a blessed Shinto priest?"

"Yes. A long time ago, though."

"The characters have a strange sound, but I guessed the kanji right the first time, by starting with your honorable ancestor's occupation." Not only was she rich and beautiful, it seemed that Sa-ko-sama had extensive knowledge.

"Then, I wonder is Miki from 'Omiki' ?" (E: Omiki is sacred or ritual sake served at shrines.)

"It's hiragana. But, it's likely that it came from 'Omiki.'" (E: "Omiki" is written in kanji. Miki is telling Sa-ko-sama that her name is written only in simplified letters - as many girls' names are - not kanji, so that while it might have originally come from "Omiki" it wasn't spelled the same way.)

"Wonderful"

She thought back to the greenhouse for second, seeing this person from afar, and now, here she was, near that extraordinary person, and being sociable with her.

"Houribe-san. I'm terribly sorry to be an inconvenience, but I'm in a hurry, there's something I have to do. Perhaps you could come back once again after school. I think I will be here then."

I have to go to the bathroom, Miki thought. What she had to do wasn't very urgent, but surely she could just hand over the book and leave quickly.

"Um, here." Miki held out The Pillow Book.

"Oh," Sa-ko-sama's eyes sparkled. "I understand. I met you in the greenhouse."

"That's right."

"Thank you. I had every intention of returning this to the library, the staff is sure to scold me when I do. I want to do something to thank you, what would be good?"

"That's all right, I can't think of anything."

"Well, if you think of anything, let me know."

Even given the opportunity, she couldn’t think of anything. Miki silently bowed her head. "Excuse me. I know there's somewhere you have to be shortly,"

But, Sa-ko-sama just shook her head back and forth. "I was going to go to the greenhouse. But thanks to you, I don’t have to." She smiled gently, as the sixth period chime sounded.

After all that, she missed her opportunity to talk with Yasumi-san about it. Partly, because Yasumi-san had admired Sa-ko-sama for longer than she had, when they spoke about it, she had a sort of felt criminal. Even thought she was innocent, she didn't report back.


***

From that day forward, Miki spent every day it seemed, in the library, perusing the circulating room. Perhaps, when Sa-ko-sama came to return the book, Miki would be able to see her. Although she was filled with anticipation, she wouldn't walk around the library. Rather, she didn't want to meet her here. Miki confirmed the exact place where The Pillow Book had been removed from the Japanese classical literature series. Why, she wasn't entirely sure herself.

One day, The Pillow Book had been returned. Immediately, Miki took the book from the shelf. Why? Some other person borrowing it would be a problem, she suddenly thought.

The library staff lent it out, it was in her own handbag and she was at peace. Now, she wouldn't have to worry about it at all. At least she didn't have to go to a bookstore to look for a paperback edition of The Pillow Book. I didn’t matter whether or not it was the library copy of The Pillow Book, it was still The Pillow Book, but.

***

The final exams for the first school term were over. Tomorrow, for a little while, the students were released from exams to rest and relax.

As Miki returned from cleaning to her classroom, their footsteps echoing, Yasumi-san told her that she was very excited. "I got Rosa Foetida's autograph!"

"Ah."

They reached their classroom, and their remaining classmates surrounded Yasumi-san. Miki left and headed for the hallway towards the library. She turned back, thunderstruck.

Yasumi-san's brand new autograph was a single page on which was written Rosa Foetida's full name and date, side-by-side, the words inscribed in magnificent characters.

"I plucked up my courage and called on her in her classroom, and said, "Please sign this." I was a little surprised but, she cheerfully signed."

What Yasumi-san was saying was, even if she asked for the popular upperclassmen's autographs at the upcoming graduation, there would be a lot more competition and the competition would be tougher, but at the end of the day as they left, the possibilities would be greater.

She was fortunate to get this autograph, by being quick, because most of them, when they are in a hurry only scribbled their names, but this one was good.

On those points, this one was without rivals, interesting to read, writing that was worth being trampled for, today she had done well. If she had been refused, tomorrow was after exam break. Rosa Foetida would surely forget a first-year's face, she reasoned.

"So, it was a good get." Yasumi-san made the peace sign with pride.

"Nice. I wonder if she would do that for me, too." Her classmates were filled with envy.

"Hang on," Miki put out a hand towards Yasumi-san. "Yasumi-san, um, Sa-ko-sama's autograph...." If there was a way to get it, she would know the right way.

"Sa-ko-sama? Ah, Sa-ko-sama is really strange to approach. Before I even tried, I figured Rosa Foetida was nice, and now my favorable impression has gone up."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that, after all, I'm just one of many fans. Strong fans. It would be better to change our job to a different star. One without a souer."

"So what..."

"Hey, what's with the disappointed face?"

"'Disappointed'?"

"It's okay. We're friends. We can overcome any obstacle."

"Eh?"

"Where are you going? Let's go home together?'

"I'm sorry, I'm going to the Library. Go ahead without me." Miki left her handbag, and left the classroom.

"Miki-san, hey. Wait up!" Yasumi-san called for her to stop, but she didn't turn back.

What she was going to do, she didn't really know. In any case, her first intention was to go to the library and get an extension of the loan.

It was the break after exams, and since the due date was the same day as the end of term ceremony, she wasn't sure that she'd be able to return it by then.

She might not finish reading it, or not be able to return it on that day to the library. Not that she was saying that, only, in case, she was mistaken.

She didn’t want to go back to the classroom right away, so she walked around the outside of school buildings aimlessly.

She didn’t feel like seeing Yasumi-san. Whether the other girl would take offense, she didn’t know but, anyhow, when she was startled, Yasumi-san had a tendency to say horrible things.

She killed time wandering around, when she saw a familiar face coming around the side of a building, alone.

"Oh."

The other person noticed her too, and stopped where she stood. She was probably coming back from school to get her book bag.

"Sa-ko-sama. Ah-" As soon as she had said it Miki muttered, "whoops" and pressed her mouth shut. Before she had even realized it, she had called her by Yasumi's nickname.

"I like it. It's not school. My family and relatives usually call me Sa-ko or Sa-chan. Uhhh, Houribe....so, it would be Miki-san, right?"

"Sa-ko-sama. Just now, when you said that, a vision of a pair of sake bottles popped into my head." (E: Sa-ko-sama says, "Miki" but Miki uses the phrase "Omiki Tokkuri" which is the bottles for sake. So, Sa-ko *is* giving her a nickname...not just using her name.)

"You've got good intuition." Sa-ko-sama smiled brightly.

Just then, in front of Mary's statue, it looked like Sa-ko-sama's beautiful face overlapped the Blessed Virgin's smile.

"What are you thinking about?"

Miki told her, about the conversation with Sa-ko-sama about her giving something to Miki in thanks. "'Make me your little sister,' is what I'd say, but it's hopeless." She said it as a joke, but Sa-ko-sama wore a serious face.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Because I already have a little sister."

"Then, may I please have your autograph?"

"Autograph?"

"On this book."

"Book...?"

Because she had opened the paper cover, Sa-ko-sama couldn’t tell what book it was.

"That's fine."

It looked like she hadn't noticed that it was the library book, Miki thought. "Here," she pointed to the inside cover of the book.

"You want me to write my name, right?" Sa-ko-sama took the book.

"Yes." Even as she answered, Miki's heart was pounding with excitement.

Now, Sa-ko-sama took the cover, no, just one page, and turned it over. There was the imprint of the library rubber stamp.

In passing, she wasn't interested in first-year student's reading, but she was moderately interested in what book she was signing.

Sa-ko-sama saw the title. She may have not wanted to see it, or she may have felt negatively when she saw it, but she said nothing. Sa-ko-sama turned one more page, then went back to the cover. From a bag, she took out a fountain pen and, in neat characters, signed her name, adding, "To Houribe Miki-san" above it, then handed it back to Miki.

"Thank you very much."

"You're welcome."

"Good-bye, Sa-ko-sama." Miki didn’t say "Good day," she said, "Good bye." (E: Miki doesn't say "Gokigenyou," she says "Sayonara.")

Sa-ko-sama answered "Good-bye," as well.

And, in front of Maria-sama's statue, they parted ways.

Back in her classroom, Yasumi-san was sitting in Miki's seat, reading a book. "I waited for you, just like I said."

As Miki entered, lifting her worried face, Yasumi-san gave her a small smile.

"Mm. Shall we go home?" Miki reached out to the side of her desk where she had left her book bag.

It was strange, now that she was finally face to face with Yasumi-san, the depression she had felt disappeared.

"What's the matter? Your eyes are all red." Yasumi-san stared intensely into her face.

"I had a bug in my eye, just a little while ago, but I'm all right now."

"Miki-san, another bug flew into your eye - you must be the type that bugs like."

"Hey, that's mean," Miki patted Yasumi-san's shoulder with a smile. Why - she didn’t know.

So, inside Miki's heart, it was over once and for all, but it wasn't really over. As she went home, she became amazed at what she had done. After all, it was a school possession, a library book, that she had had defaced.

No matter how lovely the handwriting was, they were still no more than human, mere scribbles. It wasn't any more defacing than inks stains, she rationalized.

She worried about it for a week, then bought a copy of "The Pillow Book," and studied it. "If I hadn't defaced it, I wouldn't have bought it." She concluded that she'd switch it with the newly purchased copy, so no one would know. The library staff might be surprised, she told herself, if Miki were to switch the books. But it would restore the series, which was the reason to do it.

Only, the new book was a revised edition and the front cover color differed a little. It wasn't light purple, it was pink.

Miki had stepped over and stood in front of the shelf, and her heart convulsed slightly. She wouldn't forget this ever, that was sure.

One volume only, of a slightly different color.

Surely this guilt would disappear eventually. She would graduate, get married, and even have children.

***

"Oh?" Shimako muttered, standing in front of the Japanese classical literature shelves.

"What?" Yumi was standing a little apart, examining a different genre of books. Her interest was piqued, and she left the book she held and walked over to Shimako-san. She had come here originally to find a book to read, but there wasn't anything good.

She had been looking for a reference book on making props for the school play, but she felt very happy coming to the Library's circulating room with her good friends.

"Did you notice? Look - the color of this book, isn't it subtlely different?"

"Ah, really."

Recently, Shimako-san had been on a classical Japanese boom. (E: "Boom" is slang that means to have a serious interest in something. Sei uses it in the Cherry Blossom arc, when Yumi asks what she should call her. Sei answers, "Inside me, Satou-san is my boom," i.e., "Deep inside, I have a thing for Satou-san." )

Because of that, Sachiko-sama, Yumi and Noriko-chan would point out books they had come across to Shimako-san.

But, this book was -

"Take it out."

Usually, Yoshino-san was the borrowing master.

"Borrow it and report back - what – why are you making that strange face?" Shimako-san asked and glanced again, thinking she had imagined it.

Past the writing lessons, Yoshino came around to the Japanese classical literature section with reluctance written on her face, because she had been cheerfully reading through a series of samurai novels, regrettable medieval literature. Looking like a 12-layer robe-wearing princess, not quite having the opportunity to brandish a sword.

"I haven't borrowed that." Just a little while ago, Shimako-san had called Yoshino-san a borrowing master.

"But. Hasn't not only Sachiko-sama and Yumi-san have, but even Noriko-chan taken this out? It's something I don't want to miss. If I hesitate, I wonder if Touko-chan or Kanako-chan might take it."

"Is that so?" It was so like Yoshino-san, Yumi thought, she hated to lose. If she felt that one of her companions was wrong, she'd react quickly.

"So, what were you saying 'really' about?" Yoshino-san peered at the book in Shimako-san's hands.

"The color is different. Only this one volume."

"Ah, yes. The Pillow Book, I see. For some reason, only this one volume was replaced, I wonder why."

Damage, stains, loss. Various misfortunes had befallen this book. Not to mention how many students had borrowed it over the years.

"The Pillow Book...hey?"

"What Yumi-san?"

"I don’t know. I just remembered something about it."

"What did you remember?" Shimako-san asked.

"Well. We have a copy of it at home. That book."

"This one?" Yoshino-san looked at the book, as if for the first time.

"Mmm. The Pillow Book. I'm sure I found it in the closet when I went to look for something."

"In the closet? Not on a bookshelf?"

"Mm. 'Mother really doesn't like classical literature' I thought when I saw it that time, so I noticed it."

"That does seem odd, why would she have it, if she doesn’t like it?" Detective Yoshino quickly began the investigation.

"Oh, why would she. Ah, right. Her name is written in it. 'To Houribe Miki-san,' it says. Houribe is my mother's unmarried name."

"You say your mother's name is Miki. Then, perhaps, is your father's name is Yuuichi, or Yuutarou?"

"..." Almost, but not quite. It is Yuuichirou. (E: Yoshino is guessing based on Yumi and Yuuki's names. Yu - *mi*, Yuu - *ki*, contain "Yuu" and the characters for "Miki." So, Yoshino posits two common male names for Yumi's father that begin with "Yuu".)

"If it says, 'To Houribe Miki-san' then it was a probably a present, wasn't it?"

"Ah, right. Yes, yes. It's coming back to me. There's another name written in it. Ah, Sayoko, I think. Oh, what was it. It was Chrysanthemum-something, Sayoko. Mm, Sayoko, I wonder. It's so average."

Since she had become acquainted with Ogasawara Sayoko, if she had seen that particular character, she would naturally read it as "Sayo." (E: There's just no way to show you this character, but many kanji can be read in different ways. It's meant to be ironic, here, that Yumi has met *the* Sayoko who signed the book, without realizing it.)

"Yumi-san, you're mother is an alumna? It's rather surprising that she would have the original library book from here."

She laughed at that, but inside, Yumi thought about it. About that time.

"It's the same as Sei Shonagon's "Sei". Wonderful, isn’t it?" Shimako-san smiled. (E: The character for "Sei" in Sei Shonagon and the character for "Sayo" in Sayoko are the same character, so she had the "same name" as the author of the book.)

A present of The Pillow Book from a person of that name, she commented.



In Library -- VI


"Onee-sama is in here. Absolutely!" Yumi declared with force.

"The basis for that is?" Rei inquired.

"Because that book isn't there."

"If Sachiko took that book out, that doesn't mean she's here."

"Onee-sama didn't borrow any books. She didn't go through the formal lending process, so she wouldn't take the book out."

"So then, she took it somewhere inside her to read, huh. However, there's always the possibility that someone other than Sachiko borrowed it."

"If that was the case, she would surely have returned to the Rosa Mansion already. If Onee-sama came here after someone else had borrowed it, she would have given up and returned; if after Onee-sama had come here, someone else borrowed it, Onee-sama would have accomplished what she set out to do anyway. There's no reason to think that she doesn't have the book."

"I see. So you're saying that, once she was satisfied that this volume alone was a different color, she took the book and moved somewhere where she became absorbed by it?"

Yumi nodded.

"But, Yumi-san was waiting."

"Don't say that, Shimako-san. Maybe the book was an apparition."

She thought she'd just read a page and couldn't stop. Such an avid reader as Sachiko, who always carried a book, wouldn't think anything of it.

"Anyway, she's absolutely here."

Because the younger sister declared it, the group who was going outside the Library for another search turned back, and looked with excessive concentration around the reading room.

Sachiko-sama was found, not long after. The spot where she was discovered was in the Reading Room, as Yumi had inferred.

Once they heard the news that she had been detected, everyone came running where, upon seeing the situation, they all said the same thing.

"I don't believe it..."

Sachiko-sama, who had had taken a seat at the examination table, was laying with her head across the seat next to her. For a moment, she was worried that she wasn't feeling well, but then she could see that she was breathing regularly in sleep, with a happy face as she slept, which told her that it was just a nap.

"She wanted to look at properly, but was too tired, after all, huh."

"I looks more like she was sitting and got dizzy and fell than that she feel asleep. Her feet are on the floor."

"It seems as if she became exhausted early on. It's open to the Table of Contents page."

Everyone commented, looking around as they pleased. There was a feeling that everyone was enjoying it, since they never got to see Sachiko-sama like this.

"Everyone, please pardon us."

Protecting Onee-sama who had become an exhibition, Yumi moved in to block everyone's view, spreading her arms and legs to impede everyone's sight.

"Ah, Yumi-san you'll have to wake her up, sorry."

"Me?"

"Other than you, who would wake her? The building's closing, you'll have to hurry up."

So designated, she undertook the task of waking up Ogasawara Sachiko, although it was awful.

"Well, then, although it's presumptuous," clearing her throat slightly, she laid her hand on a shoulder. "Onee-sama."

"U...hn."

"Please wake up." Yumi shook the shoulder.

Just then Sachiko's dazzling eyes opened, and she muttered. "...How strange."

"Huh?"

"Just now, I was just waking Yumi up."

Sachiko-sama said as if she was wondering when they switched places. She was still a little sleepy headed. She looked as if she didn't know where she was.

Inside the Library.

After Sachiko stretched, she looked around her. And.

"Ah, what on earth is going on?" She laughed when she looked at all the faces lined up behind Yumi. "You all look like big turnips."

Right.

The End.

Tags: Maria-sama ga Miteru, Marimite, In Library