When she finally woke up with a big yawn, it was half an hour later. After the first fifteen minutes, she’d demanded “just another five” three times, and I eventually gave in.
As I poured her tea, I kept glancing at the clock. “You’ll be okay for time, right?
To be fair, if what she said earlier is true, she should easily make it.
“It’s completely fine,” she replied, confirming this. “Besides, it doesn’t matter if I’m at the meeting or not. All I’m ever there for is to sit and listen and maybe sign something at the end to show I approve. Today there might not even be that much. They’ll be discussing business for next term, so there’ll probably be nothing for me to deal with.”
“Oh, really?” I replied hesitantly. I had absolutely no clue what Himeko’s work as the deputy chairman of the board involved, so there wasn’t much else I could say.
“I think it’ll end early in the afternoon. What are you planning for today?”
“I’m thinking of going to the Sky Salon. I’ll have time to do the usual upkeep plus some extra-deep cleaning.”
“Then it sounds like we can have lunch together. What should we have? Something cold would be a treat. Sushi or soba maybe.”
“That sounds great. If we can have dessert too, I’ll have no complaints at all!”
She giggled. “Then let’s meet at the Sky Salon.”
“Great!”
We left François House together and were soon struck by the relentless summer sun. I hurried toward the former school building, which housed the Sky Salon, conscious of the dark shadows the intense rays were casting on the ground.
I’d walked this route countless times by now, but it had a different air about it on the first day of summer vacation. On a typical day off, it was usually pretty deserted, but now I could see smatterings of people about. There were a lot of Societal Arts students walking around accompanied by Domestic Arts students, all of whom were carrying large bags. I guess they’re on their way home today.
I wondered if Kirara had set out already. I had no real way of contacting her, so I wouldn’t find out about her time at Lady Kagura’s home and how it all went until she got back. It was possible she’d call if she had time, but I figured if she didn’t, I’d treat it as “no news is good news.” It was all in Kirara’s hands, at the end of the day. I didn’t think she’d have any trouble though. The Kokonoe twins’ special training was clearly paying off, since her skills were getting more and more impressive.
Her rivalry with Sara looked like it had lit a fire under her too. Sara was in a class of her own, but Kirara was among the top students in our grade as well.
I looked around to see if anyone I knew was nearby, but I didn’t spot anyone, so I just made a beeline for the salon.
When I arrived using the old-fashioned elevator, I noticed something strange. The air conditioner was already running. Someone had arrived before me.
In my mind, I ran through the Sky Salon members who were staying over the break. It wasn’t Himeko of course, and it was unlikely to be Lady Saeko or Lady Sakura.
What about Matsuri, Lady Saeko’s Seraph? She’s a bit of a workaholic, so maybe she had the same idea as me and got started on it before I did. I could see it happening.
Standing in the entrance, I looked around for her, but she was nowhere in sight. Figuring she might be cleaning her mistress’s personal space, I headed over there, only to see someone I definitely hadn’t been mentally prepared for. Not that her being there was a problem, of course. If anything, I should have expected her there.
Still, I couldn’t keep myself from yelping in shock.
Lady Saeko licked her lips when she saw me. “What a crude noise you just made. Did you see something unpleasant, perhaps?”
I whimpered in panic. “No! Erm, not at all! I was just surprised, that’s all! I was expecting to see Matsuri, and then you were here!”
She leaned back in her chair and stared up at the ceiling. “Matsuri’s not here,” she murmured, a distant look in her eyes. “She’s gone somewhere else.”
Now that I looked, her table didn’t have a drink on it, just a paperback book that she’d probably brought with her.
“Erm, she didn’t tell you she was through, did she? Or go back to her family saying that she couldn’t take your harsh daily discipline anymore?”
Beckoning me over with a smile straight out of hell, Lady Saeko slowly said, “Misaki, why don’t you come over here? Just for a moment.”
I took a few steps back, wishing I could run away. “I’m joking! The heat is getting to me! It’s making me talk nonsense!”
It was pretty clear that Lady Saeko was the only one here. No one would be coming to help me, so maybe cutting and running was the best plan.
Before I could, she replied, “Don’t worry about it. Look, what I said about her being somewhere else was true, but it’s not because we’ve had a big, dramatic breakup or because she was running away from me.” She rolled her eyes and let out a weary sigh.
“Oh, really?” I ventured.
“Matsuri is—”
Before she could finish, the bell signaled the elevator’s arrival. Someone else had arrived. Was it Matsuri, I wondered?
It was not.
“Oh, the air conditioner’s been switched on,” Lady Sakura remarked, making the same observation I had. “Someone’s here already.”
“So it seems,” Sara agreed.
“It sounds like Lady Sakura and Sara,” I said to Lady Saeko.
“Indeed it does. You should go and say hello to your friend.”
She started waving goodbye, so I decided to take her up on that. “Yes, erm, that’s a good idea. Bye for now.”
Grateful for their timing, I went over ready to thank them profusely. “Lady Sakura! Sara! Hello!”
“Oh, Misaki, good day,” said the mistress, going into a curtsy so elegant that it made me stop and marvel.
“Good day, Lady Sakura.” I returned the greeting, trying to imitate her mannerisms.
When I did, Sara, who had been watching our exchange, smiled and grasped her skirt in the same manner. “Good day!”
It looked like Sara had relaxed a little now that we were on vacation—unless it was because Kirara wasn’t here to put her on edge.
“How are you two spending your day?” I asked.
“Well, we’re planning to make a start on our campus exploration adventure,” Lady Sakura explained, “but I’m rather parched, so it made sense to come here first.”
“Yes, I see.”
I guess Sara will take care of serving Lady Sakura, so maybe it’s okay for me to start cleaning.
Before I could move a muscle, though, Lady Saeko came out, smiling at us all. “If you’d like a really refreshing drink, I can take you somewhere great. You might get to see something quite interesting as a bonus!”
Lady Sakura smiled back. “That is a very intriguing offer!
“Of course, it would mean setting out again when you just got here.”
“I don’t mind. To be honest, I’m too curious not to take you up on it. You phrased it so tantalizingly. What are we going to see?”
“It’s not as exciting as I’ve made it sound. It’s actually the same place you went to the other day, Erisu’s École Kitchen.”
Now this was a surprise. Last I remembered, Lady Saeko had hardly ever been there; she’d said it didn’t suit her palate. To be fair, the food there has changed a lot, so maybe she’s started going there more often. I’ve never seen her there, though. Himeko and I went there pretty often, so it felt pretty unlikely that we’d never bumped into her.
The shock must have been visible on my face. “Goodness, Misaki,” Lady Saeko remarked. “Is it so unexpected for me to mention Erisu’s?”
What could I do but be honest? “Kind of.”
“It’s true that I hardly ever go there, but today is, well, a special occasion, you might say.”
There was something unusually deliberate about her words. What was happening at Erisu’s today?
“Now, let’s all go there.”
Despite my doubts, Lady Saeko escorted Lady Sakura back into the elevator.
It can’t be anything that far out of the ordinary, right? It’s just Erisu’s École Kitchen.
With absolutely no idea what to expect, I followed behind them.