After a few days of that, something unexpected happened. Just before class started after lunch, Sara spoke to us of her own accord.
“Misaki, Kirara, can I borrow you for a second?”
Being interrupted while I was trying to memorize a page of info made me respond with kind of a weird noise. “Bwuh?”
“There’s something I’d like to ask you,” she added.
“What is it?” Kirara replied, closing her notebook.
“I don’t think either of you would have done it. I don’t believe you even know her. Still, I have to ask.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Kirara, moving into the corner of the classroom. Presumably, she figured this might be a conversation best not overheard. “It’s not like you to be so vague. You normally make yourself very clear.”
I followed Kirara into the corner, as did Sara. There she finally came out with it. “Did either of you tell anyone about Lady Sakura?”
“Well, I did tell Lady Kagura,” Kirara answered honestly.
This didn’t appear to faze Sara at all, however. “I wouldn’t say that’s a problem. In fact, it’s not inherently a problem for others to know about Lady Sakura, but I’m quite puzzled that I was asked about her by someone with whom I am not acquainted whatsoever.”
“Really? Someone you don’t even know?” I asked.
She nodded. “I believe her name is Risa Tsuyuki. No, that’s not quite right. Sari Tsuyuki.”
“Lady Rosalie?”
“You know her, Misaki?”
“I do, but it’s not me she heard it from.”
Sara raised her eyebrows.
“Actually, Lady Rosalie knew about Lady Sakura’s arrival before I did.”
She looked perplexed. “Oh?”
“Yes, it’s kind of a mystery, but apparently she knows all about Lady Sakura and wants to invite her to join her salon.”
“Hmm.” Sara put a finger to her chin and pondered.
“Did something happen between you and Lady Rosalie?”
“Well, she’s asked me to have tea with her.”
“She did?”
“Yes.”
Targeting the lieutenant first to get closer to the general? Sneaky.
This meant Lady Rosalie knew about more than just Lady Sakura herself, though. She also knew that Sara had served her in Britain. She was very well informed indeed.
“Are you going to take her up on the offer?”
Sara appeared lost for a moment, as if this was proving to be a tough decision. “I suppose so, yes. When she spoke to me, Lady Sari—Lady Rosalie—was awfully polite. Her tone was that of inviting an honored guest to visit her. Of course, it’s clear that she hopes to use me to make a good impression on Lady Sakura, but I’m discerning enough to tell that she didn’t have ill intentions beyond that. There was no deception afoot, and her invitation was a serious one.”
“Right, I see.”
“That’s why I’m so unsure as to what to do. It seems reasonable to accept her invitation, but I can’t imagine where she obtained the information about Lady Sakura.”
“Wow, yeah,” I replied, pondering the matter. “I can see your point.”
On the plus side, her intentions were clear as day. There wasn’t some hidden motive that could get Sara involved in some complicated mess.
“Hold it right there!” Kirara demanded, dispelling the downcast atmosphere. “I might as well say this now. Lady Kagura is planning to officially ask Lady Sakura to join the Sky Salon. Putting my personal opinion aside, if that’s what my mistress decides, I can’t carry water for the other team. I realize this is no more than my own personal request, but I’ll say it here and now: don’t go and have tea with Lady Rosalie.”
Wow, impressive. Inside, she had to be fiercely opposed to Sara and her mistress joining us, but she was able to put a lid on her own feelings and fight for what Lady Kagura wanted.
“Oh dear,” Sara murmured with a troubled expression. “It’s a great honor to be invited to join two different salons, but if Lady Sakura herself isn’t here, I mustn’t do anything to suggest I’m answering on her behalf. There is something a tad questionable about Lady Rosalie and how she got her information, but I don’t think she’s a bad person. As for the Sky Salon, I’ve experienced its splendor for myself, so on that front I’ve gathered quite some knowledge already.” She sighed heavily. “What should I do?”
In contrast to her usual confidence, Sara now looked as lost as a bedraggled kitten in the rain. Even someone as collected as her still needed her mistress by her side.
“Well, maybe it’s okay to put it on hold. Like you said, Lady Sakura’s not here yet, so it’s better for you not to give a firm answer. Lady Kagura can’t make a move until your mistress is actually here anyway, right?”
“True,” Kirara interjected. “Lady Kagura’s also aware that there are other salons trying to nab Lady Sakura, but she’s not the kind of person to sneakily get a head start on her opponents. For now, I think she’s at the stage of figuring out a plan to get her once she arrives.”
There was pride in Kirara’s tone. She clearly liked her mistress’s sportsmanlike attitude. No underhanded trickery.
“You raise some valid points. I suppose I shall refuse Lady Rosalie for the time being. I’ll tell her it would be lovely if she extended the invitation again after my mistress’s arrival.”
“Sounds perfect,” I replied.
Sara turned to Kirara. “That being said, if Lady Sakura does join the Sky Salon, then that means I, in turn, would join you there as well. Are you certain you’d be able to accept this?”
It obviously hadn’t escaped Sara’s notice that Kirara had such a burning sense of rivalry with her. Would Kirara really be able to deal with it? It was a reasonable question.
“Heh.” Kirara smirked. “Naturally, it’d be annoying seeing your face every day, but if you did join, I’d be the more senior, experienced maid at the Sky Salon. Whether you liked it or not, you’d have to listen to me when I told you about how things work in the salon, what goes where, and how all the cleaning and tidying should be done. Don’t worry, though! I’d educate you very well indeed. Heheh.”
Wow, Kirara’s enjoying this idea far too much.