3 bar menu

Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 10 Chapter 5.1

Episode 5: Declaration of War

1

The Seventh Building. Standing tall in the heart of Nanaejima, it serves as the headquarters of the governing council that rules Nanaejima, and is the island’s central hub.

I’m standing in front of it right now. My purpose is to talk to Shunju Ikkaku about the registration database. Incidentally, I’ve asked Yukihime-neechan not to accompany me this time. This is my battle.

「So? Why did you bring me here?」

The one who asked that question so sullenly was Tensai Ikkyu, who was standing beside me.

「Well, let me ask you in return, why did you obediently come along?」

At that, Tensai fell silent and looked away.」

「Anyway, we can talk about this later. Let’s go.」

And then Tensai and I entered the Seventh Building.

After giving our names at the reception desk, a man in a suit came over after a while. I’m sure I’d seen his face begore, during the <<game>>.

「I’m Yuuya Hitotsubashi, the first secretary to Shunjuu Ikkaku. I’ll show you to your room right away. This way, please.」

Guided by Hitotsubashi-san, I boarded the elevator and ascended to the upper floor. The silent elevator carrying me and Hitotsubashi-san arrived at the 30th floor. We proceeded down the corridor and stopped in front of a magnificent door that looked exactly like what you’d expect.

「We’re coming in.」

Inside was, quite literally, a president’s office. And there, at a large oak desk by the window, a man was writing with a pen. His name was Shunjuu Ikkaku. The head of the GREAT 7 governing council and the head of the GREAT 7. The king of Nanaejima.

But there was another person beside him.

「It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?」

Standing there was a beautiful woman in a kimono, one of the GREAT 7, Tsuki Kakyouu. Her smile made me feel a jolt, in two different ways.

「Thank you for coming, Juugo Yama. I apologize, but I’ll have to excuse myself for now.」

Shunjuu Ikkaku didn’t even glance at me, continuing to write on the documents with his pen. Seeing him like that, the words he said at the end of the <<game>> flashed through my mind. And so I grin.

Leaving the disaster-prone individual who refused to move from near the door, I stepped forward to stand in front of Shunjuu Ikkaku’s desk. It was positioned between Kakyouu and Hitotsubashi.

「Thank you for taking the time to see me today.」

「So, what is your purpose?」

「I’ve come to request that our company issue certificates of authenticity and provide insurance coverage for all of the Nanana collection items that Ikkaku-san possesses.」

「What is the reason for this?」

「Sansa Kurosu and Shunjuu Ikkaku. The addition of the top two figures from both above the board and under ground of Nanaejima in our company would gain us absolute credibility to the public.」

「Why do you want credibility?」

「Because without it, we can’t establish a new norm that surpasses the current conventional wisdom.」

I continued, 「Our company is brand new. That means, currently, issuing certificates from Rakuichi Rakuza is only one option of what someone can do. We would like to see a future where , if someone acquires a Nanana collection item, they will first have it appraised at Rakuichi Rakuza, then receive a certificate. Only then will it truly be recognized as owned by them. I want that entire process of appraisal and certification to become the standard.」

「Is that what you mean by a new norm?」

「Yes.」

「It’s true that my joining, given my current position, would be a great boost for you. So? What’s the advantage for me in supporting your company?」

「It’s for the future.」

「The future?」

「As Nanaejima develops, the number of <<ruins>> will continue to increase, and the number of Nanana collection items will also grow. This will make it increasingly difficult for those in charge of Nanaejima to keep track of everything. However, if our company functions effectively, we can at least keep track of which students possess which Nanana collections. This information will be extremely useful if any problems arise in the future.」

「So, you’re saying you’ll provide us with the personal data of the students you’ve gathered?」

「We won’t provide it openly. However, in the event of a future emergency, we think it would be better to have the information already gathered and available to share at that time, rather than you trying to get that information later. This is a forward-thinking approach.」

Shunjuu Ikkaku didn’t look up from the documents, but he paused his pen for a moment, and made a ‘hmmm’ noise to indicate his thinking. However, his pen immediately began moving across the documents again.

「Yuuya, what do you think of Yama-kun’s proposal?」

「You manage the registered information. This collected information can be utilized in times of emergency. You could say it’s an investment in the future. I understand what you’re saying, but I think it’s out of the question from the start.」

「What do you mean?」

「Approving the registration database here would mean acknowledging the ownership of the Nanana collection. That’s precisely what would cause unnecessary chaos. There’s no reason to deliberately acknowledge it.」

Well, that’s normally how people would think about it. That’s why I say this, 「What Hitotubasi-san says is correct. However, even though something called a <<ruin>> appeared on this island, and the Nanana collection came to exist, the governing council has never interfered with it at all. Why?」

I looked at Shunjuu Ikkaku and then explained the reason, 「That’s because the GREAT 7, who control this island, approved of it. This isn’t a case of logic and reasoning. To put it simply, this is just your guys’ selfishness.」

「…」

「But you can get away with such selfishness. That’s because this island is run by the GREAT 7, and you have the right to decide everything that happens on the island, all the rules.」

I looked at the man who had once said those words to me.

「So, are you going to put into practice the ‘correct’ principles that Ikkaku-san is talking about now, and crush the dreams and potentials of the students involved in the Nanana collection? You won’t, right?」

「Why wouldn’t I?」

「If you were going to do it, you would have done it a long time ago. Back during the <<game>> before summer vacation, for example. But no, your choice was to maintain the status quo.」

「…」

「If you continue to accept the current state of affairs regarding the Nanana collection, wouldn’t the existence of the registration database, in the truest sense of the word, serve as insurance for you?」

It was then, for the first time, that Shunjuu Ikkaku put down his pen, looked up, and met my gaze.

「So you’re saying I should support your company because of that?」

「I didn’t come here to grandiosely assert my rights to the Nanana collection to the top brass of this island. I didn’t come here to spew out meaningless noise and clamor that would serve no purpose in this place and in this situation.」

Upon hearing this, Shunjuu Ikkaku let out a snort of laughter.

「Yama-kun, you seem to be quite attached to the past.」

「No, no, the words you said to me back then were insightful, so I’m just trying not to forget a single word. I’m actually  surprised that you remembered what you said to someone like me.」

「I take responsibility for the words I spoke.」

「In other words, those words you said back then were sincere?」

「Of course. Your words back then really irritated me.」

‘And how about now?」

As I stared intently at him, Shunjuu Ikkaku brought his hands together and said, 「Not bad.」

Looking at me, and acknowledging my presence, he answered definitively.

「Yuuya, I need the documents on the Rakuichi Rakuza proposal.」

Shunjuu Ikkaku said this, and Hitotsubashi-san handed him the documents he had submitted earlier. Ikkaku-san looked through them.

「I have a few questions, but first of all, there’s something strange here.」

「What is it?」

「You’ve started reservations from students before receiving approval. As if it has already been approved.」

That’s right. Just as Shunjuu Ikkaku said, Rakuichi Rakusa has not yet received approval from the governing board, neither at the time of the presentation the other day nor now.

「I thought we needed to demonstrate the effectiveness in order to obtain approval.」

「Isn’t this fraud then?」

「I’ve accepted the request, but the procedures for issuing the official certificate and other related matters will be carried out later, after the approval is granted. In other words, I haven’t issued the certificates yet, nor have I received any money. This is not a scam.」

「So you’re confident it will be approved?」

「I’m not leaving the decision to others. I came here to get it approved.」

「I see.」

「In any case, what I wanted to demonstrate by going to such lengths was the reaction of the students if we actually took action. The results are as you can see. If we can establish a registration database, the majority of students who currently possess the Nanana collection will register. And that includes Sansa Kurosu, the on you consider the most troublesome.」