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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 8 Chapter 8.6

At that moment, Juugo’s face came to Tensai’s mind. To find the culprit who killed Nanana. That was Juugo’s goal, his wish. Now, that was beginning to overlap with her own path. In a way, it could be seen as a showdown with a worthy rival.

But for Tensai, it was even more than that…

「in order to conduct the investigation, you have permission to view information up to level 4. If there are any other necessary requests, please submit them. If successful, you can request anything you like as a reward. I will do anything I can.」

Hearing these conditions, Tensai looked up.

「I understand, I’ll take on the job.」

*************************************************************

「How was it, Tensai?」

D’ark Hoshino was fidgeting in the hallway when he called out to his master. She had come out of the study. He had expected her to come out with a sulky expression on her fae as usual, but for some reason today Tensai looked very happy.

「Rejoice, D’ark. It seems that my time to show my skills as a great detective has come.」

「Show your skills?」

「Yes. We will be investigating a difficult case.」

The Tensai that was in front of D’ark’s eyes now was more passionate than he had ever seen before. That’s why he wants to say ‘oh, really?’, but the words wouldn’t come out of his mouth. Because he intuitively felt it. Once Tensai solves this case, he’ll have to say goodbye to her.

「What’s wrong, D’ark?」

Tensai stops and turns around to see D’ark standing in the middle of the hallway, not following behind like usual.

「No, it’s nothing.」

D’ark smiles broadly as if nothing happened. Then just like always, he follows behind Tensai. Just like always, he smiles at Tensai.

「Let’s do our best, Tensai.」

「Yeah, of course.」

1

「Juugo, buy me some pudding.」

On the morning of the second day of summer vacation, I received this order from an earthbound spirit who was as engrossed as ever in online games, never taking her eyes off the computer monitor.

「Mmm, understood.」

I was lying in bed reading a light novel when I suddenly got up, stuffed my wallet and cel phone into my pockets, put on my sandals, and left the room.

「Hot.」

In stark contrast to the air-conditioned interior, outside is the blazing hot of midsummer.

Summer on Nanaejima is swelteringly hot.

Even as I walk through the dreary sunlight though, I feel somehow cheerful. That’s probably because of what happened the other day. I had won the <<game>> and obtained the <<sword of Nanana>>. Of course, it’s a shame that I didn’t find out who killed Nanana, but I was able to understand how she felt.

And one more thing.

The heat of that moment at the end of the night, when all the participants were united in their hearts for Yun-chan through Nishi-san’s telepathy, still lingers in my heart. Everyone joining forces to help someone. And I was able to have a part in it.

「I guess the most important thing is that it was fun.」

「Eh?」

「Why would you do something like that?」

「Are you picking a fight again?」

「Don’t be so quick to judge. This is really just pure curiosity.」

I wonder how he knew, and then I realize. It was at that time, when I told Sansa-san about it. Ikusaba-san was still conscious while pinned down by the bright white tiger.

「Are you in love with that earthbound spirit Yama-kun?」

「Ack!」

I was shocked when he suddenly cut to the chase.

「I wouldn’t say it’s a very healthy direction to go.」

「But Nanana-chan is so cute.」

「I wonder what it’s like to be attracted to a dead person?」

「Please stop saying things like that. …I mean, isn’t there someone you like, Ikusaba-san? Kasumi Konjou for example?」

It was a joke, and a warning.

「Yeah, I loved Kasumi.」

「Yeah?」

「So, what about you, Yama-kun?」

「No, no, no. Why are you so quick to tell me such embarrassing things?」

「This is a trade-off, isn’t it? So? You wouldn’t do something unfair like asking about me and not telling me anything about yourself, right?」

I feel like I’ve been tricked.

「You are going to laugh, aren’t you?」

「I’m not here to laugh. I just wanted to know your ethics, Yama-kun.」

Even when he says that with a straight face, I don’t really believe Ikusaba-san’s intentions.

「Well, well… I like her. She’s a ghost, though. It’s from respect, or something.」

「Then what do you want Nanana to do?」

「What do I want her to do?」

「You know, something in return. Like, you want her to like you too.」

My heart skips a beat.

「Well, um….」

「Or does it just make you happy to do her bidding?」

Hearing that I can’t help but frown.

For a while now, I haven’t really gotten what Ikusaba-san is getting at.

「Um, what do you mean?」

「Because I don’t get it. It’s like you give something and get something. So I give, that’s my principle. That being the case, I can’t understand your actions Yama-kun.」

「Is that right?」

「Well, isn’t it true that if we find the culprit, that earthbound spirit will go away?」

「….huh?」

「What are you surprised about?」

「No, that would be if Nanana killed the culprit….」

「It’s the same thing. If we could only identify the culprit, that earthbound spirit could do whatever she wants. Anything is possible. Even if she is in that room.」

「Y..you might be right.」

「So, you would be doing something for that earthbound spirit, but you won’t get anything in return. Because that earthbound spirit will definitely go away if you find the culprit.」

「…..」

「You mean you didn’t think about that?」

「Of course I did.」

Nanana wanted to find the person who killed her. She wanted to kill them.

I’d been living with Nanana and the experience has been very comforting to me, so I wanted to do something for her. That’s why I was searching for the person who killed Nanana. Because that’s what Nanana wanted.

That’s why I worked so hard.

That’s why…

But… then what happens?

I don’t believe I was trying to avoid thinking about it. But maybe, I was having so much fun that I unconsciously tried to avoid it. Now that it was brought up right in front of me, I have become conscious of it.

What happens after that… after we find the culprit who killed Nanan-chan, and after Nanana-chan gets her revenge? The scene when I would return to room 202 of the Happiness Dorm and there is no one there. The scene when Nanana-chan isn’t there to smile at me.

So why am I trying so hard?

「Is that the spirit of <<Matsuri>>?」

I don’t care that Ikusaba-san knows about my relationship with <<Matsuri>>.

I ask myself again. Why am I working so hard?

I like Nanana’s way of thinking, because she thinks for the sake of everyone, I think she’s cool, and I want to do something for her.

Why do I think that?

Because I like Nanana. Because I can respect her as a person… well, she’s a ghost though.

And the reason I work so hard for Nanana is probably because he wants her to like him. AS a person, and as a Man.

Te lofty spirit of <<Matsuri>>, which helps those in need has nothing to do with it. I just want to show off my cool side to the girl I like.

It was then that I realized Am I… just looking for something in return? Am I the same as Ikusaba-san? Am I really different from Yukihime-san, everyone at <<Matsuri>>… my father?

Suddenly I notice someone looking at me and I look up. Ikusaba-san is staring at me. Without a response, he says this to me:

「Someday is fine. Let me know when you’ve sorted it out, Yama-kun.」

With that, he starts to pass by me.

「Um… why do you want the Nanana collection, Ikusaba-san?」

I didn’t really want to know. It was just a question to ease the awkwardness that had gathered.

Ikusaba-san, who had stopped next to me, answers quietly.」

「I want to see the ending.」

It was an answer I hadn’t expected at all.

「Ending of what?」

「Yeah, the ending of what I wonder.」

He evades the question. But he continues.

「Here’s the trade-off. I’ll tell you when I hear Yama’s answer.」

Ikusaba-san said that and left with a, ‘see ya’.

And so I was left alone.

The sunlight was scorching down on me, and my vision of the asphalt was distorted. The world was hot, and everything I could see was shaking.

「I need to go buy some pudding.」

I wonder if it’s just my imagination, but the sunlight feels stronger than before. My body feels heavy. I’m strangely short of breath. What is this?

I somehow made it to the convenience store. I bought my usual pudding and went outside. It was still as hot outside as ever. The whole world was shaking, and my body felt incredibly heavy.

I left the shade and walked into the sunlight. Suddenly my feet stopped.

「Huh?」

My feet wouldn’t’ move. Not at all. Not even a single step forward. I can’t go forward. My feet won’t head towards room 202 of the Happiness Dorm. I can’t take even a step back to the room where Nanana-chan is waiting for me.

「… is Nanana-chan going to be there when I get home?」

Yes, she is. Nanana-chan is there, playing online games as usual. She’ll say, ‘welcome back, Juugo’. She’ll quickly start eating the pudding. Nanana-chan is there, waiting for me to come home.

But someday….

When I get home, there will be a day when Nanana won’t be there.

I declared to Nanana that I would find the culprit. And Nanana is expecting me to do just that.

But right now…

I don’t feel like I want to do that.

The sense of fulfillment I had felt until meeting Ikusaba-san had completely disappeared. Instead, what’s on my mind right now is… terror.

Right now, I’m scared to meet Nanana-chan. I’m scared to pretend to be working hard for Nanana-chan, even though I have no intention of living up to her expectations. I’m scared to keep telling such selfish lies to Nanana-chan. I’m scared to pretend to do something I don’t even mean, even though she has high expectations of me.

No. No. No.

I don’t want to do that. I don’t’ want to go home, I don’t’ want to go home, I don’t want to go home…

I didn’t want to go back to Room 202 of the Happiness Dorm where Nanana-chan was.

I couldn’t think about anything else.

I looked up and saw the tram station right in front of me. My legs, which had been completely motionless, suddenly moved. I got on the tram, rocked as I rode it, and eventually got off.

I stumbled over there, towards the reception desk.

「Welcome.」

「Excuse me, when is the next ferry leaving Nanaejima?」

Twenty minutes later, wearing sandals, with my wallet and cell phone in my pocket, and carrying a convenience store bag with pudding in it, I was on a ferry departing from Nanaejima.

***************************************

「…Juugo, you’re late.」

Taking her eyes away from the monitor, Nanana muttered this. Maybe it was just her imagination, but the room felt very lonely without Juugo. Just like back then. The same feeling as when Kasumi had left this room. But it was okay. Juugo would be back soon.

At that moment, Nanana happened to look in that direction. Leaning against the wall was the <<sword of Nanana>>, a sword that she had once loved to use. Nanana casually stood up and walked to it. She gently gripped the hilt. It was the same when she touched it yesterday. Maybe it’s because ten years have passed, but it still doesn’t feel familiar to her hand. It feels like she’s touching it for the first time.

She holds it in her hand and whispers, 「Can you hear me, everyone?」

The third of the four abilities of the <<sword of Nanana>> is the paper tied to the handle, which is the Nanana collection <<telepathic cord>>. With this, Nanana can communicate with and summon all the spirits and beasts she has befriended on her adventures at any time.

At that moment, the roars of the beasts echo across Nanaejima during summer vacation.

During the <<game>> Nanana Ryuugajou learned of the possibility of getting outside. She learned that it was not impossible. She learned that it was possible. Less than a day later the <<sword of Nanana>> was back in her hands. Was this mere coincidence, or was it inevitable?

And then Nanana Ryuugajou takes action.

<to be continued>