Maria-sama ga Miteru Volume 23 Prologue

"Good day."

"Good day."

A refres.h.i.+ng morning greeting echoes into the perfectly clear blue skies .

Maidens, gathering at Maria-sama's garden, are even now pa.s.sing through the tall gates with their angelic pure smiles. Their minds and bodies, knowing no impurity, are wrapped in deep colored uniforms.

So as to not disturb their pleated skirts, or make their white sailor collars flutter, walking slowly is the way preferred here. Of course, it is expected that there are no such shameful students that would do something such as running to arrive at the last moment.

This is Lillian Private Academy for Girls.

This academy, established in the 34th year of the Meiji era, said to have been originally for preparing the daughters of n.o.bility, and having a traditional Catholic system, still exists for the daughters of wealthy families.

Located in downtown Tokyo, within Musas.h.i.+no, a prefecture which remains even to this day a place of verdant greenery, a place where they are watched over by G.o.d while progressing through a combined school system from kindergarten to university, it is a garden for maidens.

The eras come and go, but even today in the Heisei era, with the era name having changed three times since the Meiji era, such a structure, of which it is said, that should this sheltered upbringing continue for 18 years, a pure cultured young lady can be produced, still remains precious at this academy.

It seems that it's probably cold outside.

Regarding that matter, countless small water droplets attached to the interior of the gla.s.s windows could be seen. The temperature difference between the outside and inside of the room was such that it had changed the transparent gla.s.s into white frosted gla.s.s. Probably if a person were to stand on the other side, a vague silhouette would be about all that might be seen. However, even that facial expression, I can't tell.

Without doubt, someone's there. But is that person crying or laughing? Even with straining the eyes to look, I still can't tell.

Though I want to know. There is no way.

A more practical question, if a hand would be used to rub the gla.s.s, wouldn't such a thing be resolved immediately?

If it is, I want to find out.

If the fogged gla.s.s actually is a mesmerizing window into the heart, is it really possible that it can be wiped?