The Story of the Protection Syndrome is the sixth chapter of the Maria✝Holic manga series.
Plot[]
It is Kanako’s third day at Ame no Kisaki and as she awakens from her dreams she finds Mariya above her on her bed. Matsurika uses a sponge to help with Kanako’s reaction.
Suggesting that she check outside the room, Kanako finds Ryūken armed with a samurai sword waiting for her, intent on keeping her promise of protecting her.
Retreating back into her room, she discusses with Mariya and Matsurika on what to do about Ryūken outside. The concern is if too many people were around it would increase the likelihood that someone finds out Mariya is a guy.
With the bullying problem having been resolved, Kanako considers herself lucky to be going out with Nanami. However when she finds her, Namami states she only said that since she knew it would work best and done it under the advice of Fumi to help Kanako if she is in trouble.
One promise that has been kept comes from Ryūken, who dutifully stands in Kanako’s classroom in her samurai garb. She remains her bodyguard since her own fans had been bullying Kanako.
Yuzuru and Sachi advise she tell Ryūken who the real culprit behind the bullying was to help Ryūken not feel obliged to provide protection from her own fans. Ryūken’s enthusiasm is generating further problems for Kanako, in the form of tensions with Honoka, and even more when admirers of Ryūken barge Kanako out the way to speak with her.
Ryūken’s devotion comes into conflict with the Dorm Leader, who has heard she has been waiting outside for Kanako whilst she has been in the bath or going to the toilet. She resolves this by deciding to stay in Kanako’s room, much to Mariya’s understated vexation, and Kanako’s confusion as well.
Asking why she is doing this, Ryūken explains that she used to have a dog called Saneatsu who was hit by a car. Ryūken felt Saneatsu ran away from home because her pet cat Kohime bullied him. This was a result of Saneatsu being taken for walks whilst Kohime was left in the house, and so the perceived jealousy may have gone overboard, but Kohime did not actually dislike Saneatsu.
This is why Ryūken feels protective of Kanako, if she had have noticed the problems between Kohime and Saneatsu, she feels she may have been able to prevent them from getting hurt.
At school Nanami takes Ryūken to one side to discuss Kanako. Nanami answers Kanako that she told Ryūken that she was going out with her, adding that she gets too shy to kiss when Ryūken is around. Kanako thinks something does not make sense about the lengths Namani would go to defend her.