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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 10 Chapter 1.7

The location was a certain coffee shop. It was Isshin and Kagetora’s first reunion since the night of the <<game>>.

Since the end of the <<game>>, the Third High School Adventure Club hadn’t been doing anything that could be considered active. That’s because Isshin, the club president, wasn’t taking any action whatsoever.

Immediately after the <<game>> ended, on their way home on the first Ibarayuu train from the amusement park Seven’s Land (which had not  yet opened and served as the venue) Isshin said to Kagetora Tsurezure, 「Once summer vacation begins, I think we’ll hold off on Adventure Club activities for a while.」

After that, they all three started acting on their own, which was unusual. Of course, there were times when Yuu would contact Isshin under some pretext or another, but he would ignore it.

「What have you been up to lately?」

「Well, I guess I’ve been doing what I had to do and meeting up with some acquaintances.」

「I see. So all of those acquaintances are women, and multiple women at a time. Isshin, you should experience hell before you die.」

In response to Kagetora’s sarcasm, Isshin merely laughs without denying it. ‘Hahaha’

「I was really surprised though. I never expected to receive that kind of an email from you, Kagetora.」

The reason the two of them had met for the first time in a long time today was because Kagetora had contacted them. The message was, ‘The Seventh High School Community has issued an emergency summons for all owners of the Nanana collection on Nanaejima’.

Kagetora called out to everyone he had contact information for, asking them to pass on this information to everyone they knew.

「What about Yuu and Yama-kun?」

「Ibara was stubborn at first, but the moment I told her Isshin was coming, she immediately agreed. Hoshino and Tensai kohais have something to do and can’t come today. I can’t even get in touch with Yama-kun.」

「I see. …Come to think of it, I got a strange email from Tensai right after summer vacation started.」

「I got one too. I think it said, ‘Do you know where Juugo is right now?’」

「Did something happen?」

「Well, what do you think?」, Isshin asked Kagetora.

Isshin ordered an iced coffee from the waitress who came to take their order and glaring at her back (well mainly her butt) as she left.

「Come to think of it, you went to the Seventh High School once during summer vacation to ask for the <<secret book of the souten banka>>.」

「Yeah. But unfortunately, he turned me down.」

「I see. Well, it looks like it’ll be a while before Yuu arrives, so I’d like to know what happened.」

As the two of them were talking, Yuu showed up just in time for the meeting.

「Sorry to keep you waiting, Isshin-sama <3.」

Yuu looked even more excited than usual.

They both agreed that she was going to take too long to get dressed after not having seen Isshin after such a long time.

2

When the three arrived at the Seventh High School, a handsome security guard in the security room next to the main gate handed them a square certificate.

「Listen, everyone must wear these.」

Isshin immediately put it on his chest as instructed, while Kagetora hesitantly put it on. Incidentally, the security guard had been flirting with Yuu, saying, ‘You’re quite beautiful, aren’t you?’. Yuu, not entirely opposed to it, kept glancing at Isshin, but when she saw Isshin completely ignore her, she punched the guard and chased after him.

Guided by a member of the Seventh High School Community standing along the way, Isshin and his friends headed toward a building standing some distance from the school. According to Kagetora, who had visited here recently, this was the Seventh High School Community building.

A cool breeze from the air conditioning hit them as they entered.

「It’s been a while, Yuiga」, said a man while approaching.

Isshin flashed his usual refreshing smile.

「It’s been a while, Ikusaba-san. Since the <<game>>, right?」

Hiiyo Ikusaba was dressed in his usual black coat and black boots, as if the midsummer heat didn’t bother him. Seeing him, Yuu and Kagetora, who were standing behind Isshin, looked nervous.

Ikusaba looked past Isshin and the group there.

「What about the others?」

「We’re the only ones here today.」

「How’s Yama-kun doing?」

「No, I haven’t seen him since the <<game>>」

「I see, that’s fine.」

With that, as if Ikusaba had no further need of him, he turned his back on Isshin and began walking ahead. The others followed his lead. Unlike Kagetora and Yuu, who looked displeased by the attitude of Ikusaba, Isshin followed him with an unchanging expression.

Following the guidance of the community members, they headed to a lecture hall inside the building. Many challengers were already seated there, most of whom were familiar faces from the recent <<game>>.

This was the case with Ikusaba, who they had met earlier, and Ageha Kachou with her three butlers could also be seen. Sitting together in the front were members of the Seventh High School community, including Neidhart D. Polnareff.

Looking around the lecture hall, it was clear that those absent were Juugo Yama and Tensai. Yukihime Fugi and Tetsunoshin Tsujimi were also missing.

It seemed that Isshin’s group was the last to arrive, and soon afterwards the two representatives of the Seventh High School community took to the stage. It was Asumi Nishi and Taisei Amagi. Nishi was the first to speak, using the microphone that had been prepared in the classroom.

「First of all, I’d like to thank you for responding to our invitation. You’ve all gathered here for no other reason than a tragic incident that occurred the other day that we, the owners of the Nanana Collection, cannot ignore. Amagi will explain the details.」

Taisei, nicknamed the <<conqueror>> among the challengers, takes the microphone and begins quickly with one statement.

「The other day, a robbery targeting a Nanana collection occurred.」

Suddenly, everyone in the room begins to murmur.

「It happened five days ago. The victim was walking in a deserted area at night when someone called out to him. That person asked if he had a Nanana collection, and before he knew it he was found collapsed. His Nanana collection was gone.」

Amid the murmuring, Taisei finds an opportunity to continue.

「We challengers have an unspoken rule that we must not steal any of the Nanana collection that we have obtained. This rule was broken the other day. We took the situation seriously, and have therefore called you together.」

After saying this, Taisei handed the microphone to Asumi.

「The reason we’ve all gathered here is to report on this incident and to once again convey that we will abide by this unspoken rule. And above all, we have no intention of forgiving this perpetrator. We, the Seventh High School Community, have decided to take action to catch this perpetrator. In this regard, we would like to ask for everyone’s cooperation.」

As Asumi spoke, the hall began to stir again.

Everyone’s anxiety was palpable, that a crime had targeted them.

Isshin,  who had been watching the situation, raised his hand once the atmosphere had calmed down somewhat.

Asumi, who had spotted this on stage asked, 「Do you have something to say?」

Isshin stood up and said, 「I understand what you’re saying. So, Nishi, what do we know about the culprit so far?」

「What do you mean?」

「The Nanana collection is generally only known as an urban legend. In other words, only we challengers here know about it. Given that, the fact that you’ve called us here means that there’s a culprit among us, and you’re trying to expose them, right?」

Asumi looked surprised at Isshin’s words.

「Wait! That’s not our intention…」

「By the way, was it your Nanana collection from the Seventh High School Community that was stolen?」

「No, that’s not it. It belonged to a challenger who kept it for himself.」

「What is your relationship with that person?」

「What do you mean?」

「Does this person mean that he was planning to join your community soon?」

As Asumi remained silent, the murmurs in the hall grew louder.

Isshin continued.

「So, you’re angry because the Nanana collection, which was supposed to be yours, was stolen from you.」

Asumi’s eyes widened at Isshin’s remark.

「Wait a second! We don’t mean to do that…」

「Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing? We intend to use this opportunity to demonstrate the legitimacy of our community and get everyone here to join. But is what you’re doing right in the first place? I believe your community’s policy was to share the Nanana collection with everyone. But isn’t that a fundamental misunderstanding? It’s true that we are brethren searching for the treasure that is the Nanana collection left behind by Ryuugajou Nanana, but at the same time, we are also enemies competing to obtain it.」

Feeling the unrest spreading throughout the venue, Isshin chuckled to himself at Asumi’s confused expression.

「That’s a pretty silly thing to say.」