Maria-sama ga Miteru Volume 31 Chapter 17

"I just had a good idea."

Shimako-san clapped her hands together.

"Huh?"

Yumi and Yoshino-san both responded simultaneously.

"An embroidery pattern. That uses all the colors. We've been missing the forest for the trees."

By saying that, she must have meant that the hint had come from somewhere nearby. So the pair started by surveying the immediate vicinity. Since the answer didn't jump out at them, it looked like they'd have to search for it.

"A hint?"

Yoshino-san said, and Shimako-san nodded, stood up from her chair and did a quick spin.

"Okay?"

A hint is generally supposed to be a clue to help you find the answer, but that response from Shimako-san was so cryptic as to be no help whatsoever. Instead, it just added to the confusion.

Shimako-san spun around once.

Shimako-san was a woman, so a pattern of a woman - although it didn't seem to be that simple a hint. For one thing, a pattern of a woman would be quite difficult to sew.

"Shimako Shimako Shimako Shimako Shima."

Repeating her name over and over didn't form any other phrase either.

"We give up."

When the two of them waved the white flag, Shimako-san giggled.

"Oh, was it really that difficult?"

Then she walked over to the garland chrysanthemums that decorated the corner of the room, and pointed to her hair.

"Ah!"

"Marguerite!"

Indeed, the forest for the trees. Or, rather, back to the beginning.

"Right. Marguerite. The petals are yellow and white, and green for the leaves."

"And red?"

Yumi asked, nervously. Earlier, Shimako-san had said, "That uses all the colors." Which meant that the red thread that she had brought should also have a part to play in the design.

"Here, something like this."

Shimako-san selected a red ribbon from those remaining, and wound it around the stem of the flower.

"Tied in a bow."

As they watched on, Yumi and Yoshino-san called out in admiration.

A Marguerite flower bundled in a red ribbon.

See, it's really cute.