Chapter 6: A Rainbow Shines in the Valley of Tears That Have Dried
Chapter 6
A Rainbow Shines in the Valley
of Tears That Have Dried
The weather on Astraea Hill the next day was gorgeously sunny, almost like an early summer preview. It was the morning of the second half of the premiere contest, the morning of the aînée competition.
“Wooow…look at the crowd!”
Spica Student Council Secretary Okuwaka Tsubomi, a first-year student with long, shiny, peach-colored hair, was making preliminary arrangements. When she entered the horse-riding grounds, she was startled at how many people were there.
Even though the competition was being held early in the morning, before classes started, there were a lot of girls there who wanted to see the race.
Yes, the first aînée competition was a horse race.
What else could be expected from a famous school for high-class girls? The aînée candidates must know how to ride a horse or else they were completely unfit to represent the schools.
In a corner of the horse-riding grounds, which lay to the west of St. Spica Girls’ Institute, the aînée candidates were lined up, each riding her favorite horse.
The horses, all of them large thoroughbreds with shiny coats, all pampered and obviously highly valuable, neighed loudly.
One white horse stood out from the many chestnut-colored ones. In the saddle of this horse, named Starbright, was Otori Amane. Wearing white riding pants, a white jacket and a royal blue tie, Amane looked exactly like a Prince.
Next to her was a jet-black horse with a white star on its forehead—L’éclair noir. Riding him was Hanazono Shizuma, wearing a riding jacket that matched her steed’s coat. Her silvery hair was tied up, which was unusual, but it looked attractive against the black of the horse.
Sighs flowed from the spectators as they watched the Prince and the Queen. Suddenly a light fanfare sounded, signaling that everything was ready. Then the early-morning events developed quickly.
The horses, warming up in one corner, had been waiting for the signal, and leapt into the riding area as soon as they were given the okay.
They were ready to go.
The noble young ladies—all of them elite and capable enough to be more than a match for any ordinary male—turned their horses toward the “Tower of Captivity” set up in the center of the riding area.
Just like the scaffold used during Festivals, the Tower was a simple tall framework with four pillars and a platform with a light roof. The platform was high, higher even than the roof of the nearby stable. In one part of the base, there was a slope even a horse could climb, but that was only one meter high, and the only way to get any higher was to use a set of narrow stairs.
The cadette candidates climbed to the platform, each dressed in a unique costume. There was a Snow White wearing a red ribbon, a Cinderella with glass slippers and even a long-haired Rapunzel. They were the “captured” princesses.
The costumes had been chosen and designed not only for style but for ease of movement. None of them were grandiose, but each had been made with the help of the couple’s supporters, and they were all the kind of costume that would tickle a girl’s fancy.
Every young girl who saw them sighed and thought, I wish I could wear a costume like that and be saved by the oneesama I adore so much.
The way the competition would go was that the captured cadettes would stand on the platform, held at a height that could only be reached on horseback. There they would wait, expectant, for their gallant princes—their aînées—to come and rescue them.
In yesterday’s cadette competition, twelve of the seventeen couples who had entered had been able to get their baskets filled with flowers by the end of the five questions. In order to reduce the original number by half, only the top nine after this aînée competition would be allowed to go to the next competition.
The second fanfare blared: the starting signal. The gallant horses dashed from the riding grounds all at once and galloped toward Maiden Park, where a special course had been set up.
The aînée candidates would leave the riding grounds, ride down the narrow horse trail that wound its way through lush Maiden Park, and return to the riding grounds and the Tower.
This course, used only on special occasions, was quite long—one full lap around the vast Maiden Park—so the start was more elegant than frantic.
The spectators stood in the small area set aside for them, which encircled the riding area, and enjoyed ogling the elegant aînée candidates on their horses to their hearts’ content. Among the spectators was a student with an opera glass in one hand, looking as if she belonged at Ascot.
The Tower of Captivity was rather small. The platform where the young ladies stood had a guardrail with a single white ribbon wound around it, but it was flimsy and swayed in the wind. Not the kind of thing they could grab onto in an emergency.
The twelve cadette candidates pushed and shoved each other in the center of the platform and waited for their aînées to rescue them. While they waited, a restless atmosphere hung over the crowded cadettes.
“There’s not enough room!”
“It must be because there are two last-minute entries here who don’t belong.”
They didn’t exactly make a big scene, but it did make some wonder where the crowded princesses got their ideas from.
“The transfer students stood out; that helped them.”
“They used force to get the format of the first competition changed.”
“They have no idea how many years we’ve been trying to be chosen as cadettes.”
“They’re seriously annoying!”
Ahh…they’re talking about me, aren’t they? It sounds like there are some people who are really angry after all… Still not able to think quite clearly, still shocked by yesterday’s events, Nagisa listened to the girls from a corner of the platform, not knowing what to do.
Tamao and Chiyo had asked their classmates to help them make Nagisa’s costume. It was an angel outfit with lots of real white feathers. Tamao had said that everyone’s a sucker for a pretty costume, and had put everything she had into making Nagisa’s.
Shizuma’s black riding clothes had been designed to look demonlike. Tamao’s idea was that the couple would bring the theme of Forbidden Love to life.
Although Nagisa was grateful for Tamao’s help, she was somewhat sad as she absent-mindedly gazed over the area.
It’s not like I’m going to win anyway. And it’s not like Shizuma-oneesama was serious when she invited me. She just did it for fun. I don’t care about anything any more. I just want this aînée competition to be over with soon, Nagisa thought.
The other cadette candidates kept up their chatter.
“Her partner is Amane-sama, so it’s a given that no matter what happens, she’ll make it to the final competition.”
“Kenjo Kaname-sama, one of the Five Great Stars, was really supposed to be Amane-sama’s partner.”
“A lot of people really wanted to see those two paired together, you know?”
“And yet look who ended up her partner!”
“Yeah!”
When she heard the talking, Nagisa looked to her side—and noticed a Spica student who looked like she wanted to run away. Hikari, wearing an ephemeral mermaid-princess costume, stared at her feet, trembling.
Oh, I see… It’s her, huh? I feel sorry for her. No one expected Shizuma-oneesama to enter when I was made her partner—so I’m sure this poor girl is getting treated a lot more harshly than me.
Nagisa had heard a little about the situation in Spica from Tamao. Forgetting her own situation, she completely sympathized with Hikari. Despite the tension of the race, Nagisa’s thoughts turned to the poor girl beside her.
That’s right… Even I’ve heard about Spica’s Prince. That’s what all that fuss was about yesterday… Yeah, if she’s not careful, people might be even more jealous of her than me. Poor thing… If I get kicked or stepped on, I’m strong, I can handle it, but this girl’s different. She seems pretty weak-spirited. She looks like she would burst into tears if she got shoved or fell. I’m the kind of person who can smile even when stuff like that happens!
Thinking about it got her charged up and she scratched her nose.
Ah ha! I got a little embarrassed, just saying it to myself!
With those thoughts in mind, Nagisa turned to Hikari. She was about to ask whether she was all right and tell her not to worry so much when…
“Waaah!” Cheers rose from the spectator area.
The gates to the riding grounds opened wide.
The horse at the head of the pack, kicking up an impressive amount of dust, was…
White. Starbright, ridden by Amane! Close behind her was a glistening jet-black horse, L’éclair noir, with silver-haired Shizuma on his back.
Just as most people had expected, it had come down to a one-on-one battle between Amane, Spica’s ace of the horse-riding club, and Shizuma, who came from a powerful ranch-owning family.
Loud cries rose from the spectators.
“Yay! Amane-sama, keep going!!”
“Shizuma-sama! Please pass that white horse!”
Now comes the real battle, was what they were all thinking.
The cadettes in the Tower of Captivity crowded along the edge of the platform, each leaning over to try and see what place her beloved aînée was in.
“Augh!”
A small scream reached Nagisa’s ears.
Nagisa looked for the source of the scream and saw Hikari right next to her, just about to slip off of the edge of the platform. She also caught a glimpse of a single arm reaching out through a gap in the crowd.
The edge of the platform was as crowded as a packed train, so Nagisa couldn’t tell who it was, but whoever that arm belonged to pushed Hikari. She was going to fall from the top of the Tower of Captivity.
The scene seemed to unfold in slow motion before Nagisa’s eyes as she had a sudden thought. This girl was loved very much by the oneesama she loved—Amane-oneesama. She was envied by the other girls, so much that one of them would do something like this to her. Yet she was also loved enough by other girls to be on this platform in the first place. If Hikari failed here, Nagisa had no idea what kinds of things they would say to her…
“You got in the way of Spica’s chance to win!” or “You’re just a burden to Amane-sama.”
Compared to that… They’ve accused me of using “strong-arm tactics” and said I only entered “on the spur of the moment.” But it was Shizuma’s idea in the first place. I don’t seriously think I could become the Étoile. And Shizuma-oneesama has already been the Étoile once. And she has really precious memories of a girl who was more beautiful and wonderful than me, and…
Then everything seemed to happen in an instant. Nagisa didn’t know what to think any more. Before she even realized it, she had started to move. She launched herself into the panicked crowd…and saved Hikari.
But she started to fall instead. Nagisa wasn’t concerned about it in the least. She suddenly felt like she wanted to fall.
I wonder how much easier it would be for me if I fell from this stage. If I had never met Shizuma-oneesama, I never would have suffered so much.
Such despair might have been what threw Nagisa off balance.
“Aaaugh!”
When they saw Nagisa about to fall, all the cadettes panicked. In a split second, Nagisa had launched herself at Hikari and pushed her toward the center of the Tower, but her momentum had destroyed her balance. She had knocked over the flimsy guardrail and was slipping right off the edge of the platform.
It was obvious that if she fell from that height, even if she wasn’t critically injured, she certainly wouldn’t come away unhurt. More importantly, Nagisa dangled over a route traveled by horses, and the horses were just about to arrive. If she fell…in the worst-case scenario, she would be trampled before she could escape.
Despite the panic around her, Nagisa managed to hold on to the platform with the tips of her fingers. She smiled weakly at Hikari and said, “Don’t worry, it’s okay… I’m fine. Unlike the other princesses, I’m strong, so I’ll be fine even if I fall from here. Even if I get disqualified for this, I’m sure Shizuma-oneesama won’t be angry.”
“Oh, no, you mustn’t. If you do, then you’ll… Your oneesama will be sad, I just know it!” Hikari cried.
As she looked at Hikari, Nagisa remembered how Shizuma’s face had stiffened at the second question of yesterday’s Mouth of Truth. And how she had turned away from Nagisa and left with her followers.
And then there was that picture she had seen at the library. The words beside the image: “I give all of my love to you.”
“No, that would never happen,” Nagisa said feebly. “Right about now, I’m sure Shizuma-oneesama is regretting entering the Étoile competition with me.” That was all Nagisa said. She felt weak, like she had a fever.
Just as she was about to intentionally let go of the platform, a gust of wind arrived at the Tower of Captivity.
“Ahh, she’s not going to make it!” and “She’s falling!” rose from the nervous spectators.
From the slope at the base, a horse like a white wind jumped into the air. The mounted Prince reached her hand up to the white princess. Seizing Hikari’s arm, she snatched her off the platform.
Not noticing the situation, Amane just kept going. But from within Amane’s arms, Hikari tried desperately to reach Nagisa, tears in her eyes. She yelled, “Help her, please help her! Please help that girl from Miator! She’s going to fall instead of me.”
When Amane heard Hikari’s screams she looked back and noticed Nagisa about to fall from the edge of the platform. Nagisa was tired, barely hanging onto the edge with one hand.
Amane no longer cared whether she were first to the goal; without a moment’s hesitation, she pulled the reins and turned the horse around. She cantered up the slope again, but at the moment she was about to grab Nagisa from underneath, she heard a sharp yell.
“Idiot! Stop it right now, Amane! Are you trying to take something that belongs to someone else?!”
Trrmp trrmp trrmp trrrmp… The galloping got closer.
“Get your hands off her!!”
A black figure leapt into the air, and before Amane could even turn to look, Nagisa’s body was floating.
A sigh rose from the crowd. “Ahhhhh…”
“Stupid girl… You really are stupid, my angel.” Held in Shizuma’s arms, the only thing Nagisa heard was Shizuma’s soft murmur—such a soft voice no one else could hear it. The scent of Shizuma’s body, which was sweaty from riding, enveloped Nagisa.
Before she even knew what was going on, Nagisa had found herself on a horse, saved. The only things she could see were the vast blue sky and a face looking into hers. Half-blinded by the backlighting, Nagisa couldn’t see Shizuma’s face, beautifully fringed by her long, silvery hair.
But she did see a single, shiny teardrop.
No, it might be just sweat…
The release from all the tension was sudden and Nagisa felt overwhelmed. Shizuma squeezed Nagisa tight, and suddenly corrected her body position. The momentum she had needed to save Nagisa had carried her in front of Amane, who had been leading, before she even realized it. She turned around and yelled again.
“You let your guard down, Amane! Now Miator has the win!! My strategy has paid off!”
“Hmph… That’s just like you, Shizuma-sama.” Amane was stunned by how admirable it was for Shizuma to decide to cover for the disgrace committed by a Spica student.
Hikari was the one who was falling first. If Shizuma-sama had said that, people would suspect jealousy from the other Spica students. That Miator cadette saved her—she saved my Hikari. On top of that, Shizuma-sama shifted the blame to herself, to make it seem like this was planned from the beginning.
After a moment, the corners of Amane’s mouth curled into a smile—and she told Hikari to hold on tight, stood in her stirrups and used both her whip and spurs.
I understand, Shizuma-sama. Now that it comes to this, I will fight seriously too. From now on, I will protect Hikari with my own hands!
The neighing of her horse echoed across the sky. The two of them took one final lap around the grounds in a dead heat. Everyone there held their breath and strained their eyes to see the outcome.
Which one would win?
Amane?
Shizuma?
Spica?
Miator?
Which one would grasp victory?