3 bar menu

Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 10 Chapter 5.4

「…..」

The girl remained silent, simply letting me stroke her head without a word.

Then, she quietly asked me, 「Juugo, how can people become a family. Become a father and daughter?」

「…..」

「My sister, who is always kind and teaches me everything, didn’t teach me that one thing. She said, ‘That’s not something you can learn from someone else’.」

When asked that question, I pondered for a moment. My answer, after taking my hand off her head, was…

「…I’m sorry. I just don’t know.」

「I see. I asked a strange questions, didn’t I? I’m sorry.」

「There’s no need to apologize.」

As I said this, a feeling of unease welled up from deep within me. My own inadequacy at being asked for an answer by the great detective, and being unable to provide it. And then, a different kind of suffocating feeling, a tightness in my chest. A smoldering, tingling sensation, something akin to regret. It wasn’t an emotion directed at my own shortcomings. Nor was it directed at the girl in front of me. These are feelings directed towards a man who isn’t here, but who is incredibly important to the girl standing before me. I understand it precisely because I’ve experienced it myself.

Ugh. So I’m jealous of Shuju Ikkaku again. Of the man who shares such a deep bond with Nanana-chan. And of the man who adopted the orphaned Tensai as his daughter and gave her everything.

I recall the face of the man who possesses everything I lack, and I’m uncontrollably angry. At the same time, I absolutely cannot forgive Shunju Ikkaku, the man who threw away all these things. The man who abandoned his bond with Nanana-chan.

「…..」

But I don’t intend to say that out loud right now. I’ve kindo f figured it out. I suspect that Tensai might want to be acknowledged by Shunju Ikkaku. As a daughter, and as a family member. She wants to be acknowledged by someone important to her. It’s just like someone who wants to be acknowledged by a girl who’s an earthbound spirit.

「…..」

「…What’s wrong, Juugo? Why don’t you say something?」

「No, well. I kind of understand your situation.」

「Keep this to yourself, alright?」

「I won’t tell anyone.」

Saying that, I started walking again.

Trying to change the subject and lighten the mood, I bring up another topic.

「So? What’s the actual progress of your investigation, great detective’s?」

Sensing my mood or intention, Tensai put on her usual fearless smile.

「Did you really think I’d tell that to my rival, Juugo?」

「It wouldn’t hurt to tell me at least that much, would it?」

「What about you, Juugo? After the <<game>>, did you use that <<Sword of Nanana>> to see Nanana’s past?」

「Yeah I saw it.」

「Then you already know what the culprit looks like, right?」

「That’s the only thing I couldn’t see.」

「? What do you mean?」

「Well, I was gradually going back through Nanana’s past, but for some reason, I could only see up to the point where Nanana became an earthbound spirit and woke up in that room.」

「So, you don’t know who the culprit is?」

「That’s what I just said, isn’t it?」

「And yet you picked a fight with Ikkaku-san? With that grand speech?」

「That’s right.」

「Juugo, are you an idiot?」

「Hey, that’s rude! Besides, what do you mean, Tensai? That makes me sound like some kind of cowardly guy who only picks fights when he knows he’s going to win.」

「Oh, so you’re saying that until now, you have never behaved in a way that would be described as ‘weaselly’? Is that what you’re trying to say, Juugo?」

「…Well, of course!」

「Why are you looking away when you say that?」

「Anyway, that’s definitely not the case this time!」

Juugo involuntarily flinched at that single remark, which the other person uttered as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.

「…Um, Tensai-chan. Could it be… that you’ve noticed?」

「What are you talking about?」

「No, you’ve clearly noticed, haven’t you? That slightly arrogant, proud posture of yours clearly shows that you’ve noticed my plan, right?」

Seeing the hesitant look on my face as I cautiously asked the question, Tensai scoffed.

「Let me ask you a question in return, Juugo. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?」

Seriously…? I knew it… I felt like crouching down and burying my head in my hands right there and then.

「Tensai, you’re really amazing.」

「Of course. After all, I’m the great detective. Are you impressed, my rival?」

「No, that’s why I’m not your rival…」

「What are you saying at this point? The second battle between Juugo and me has already begun!」

「Wait, was there ever a first battle?」

「Don’t pretend you’ve forgotten! The way you cleverly evaded a fight with me during the <<game>>!」

「Are you talking about the treasure chest room in the <<ruins>> during the third stage?」

「Hmph. Well, the first match was a clear victory for me by default…」

「No, we didn’t even fight! And I didn’t lose either! I just offered to team up!」

「So, it’s essentially a win by default for me, right? After all, if we had fought there, I would have definitely won.」

「Ugh, that’s so irritating. That unnecessarily confident attitude of yours is incredibly annoying.」

「However, there’s no doubt that our last encounter ended unsatisfactorily. Therefore, in this rematch, I’m going to make you cry and admit you are defeated.」

「Why would I cry?」

「You’ll cry in the face of my greatness!」

「I won’t cry!」

「I’ll make you cry!」

SNATCH

「Go ahead and try, you childish detective!」

「H..hey, don’t pinch my cheek!」

Shaking off my hand, slightly angry, Tensai pointed a finger directly at me.

「Listen up! There will be no excuses this time, like there was last time! This is a genuine, no-holds-barred showdown between me and you, Juugo!」

If she’s going to say it so definitively then there’s nothing I can do about it.

「Fine. Tensai, if you’re saying you’re taking Shunju Ikkaku’s place, then I will defeat  you.」

「Hmph, that’s a good attitude.」

「And while I’m at it, I’m going to make YOU cry. You are annoying the heck out of me, so I’ll make you cry.」

「Go ahead and try. But no violence!」

「You’ve completely chickened out already, great detective!」

「To make a great detective cry, you have to show off some brilliant deduction, Juugo!」

「You don’t need to lay out this strange groundwork, I wouldn’t resort to violence. I’m a man who would never lay a hand on a woman, even if it leads to my death.」

「Then no more pinching my cheek either!」

「…did it hurt?」

「It hurt quite a bit.」

「Okay, I’m sorry. I’ll be more gentle next time.」

「Next time?! How about you just don’t pinch me!」

Anyway, let’s get back to the main topic.

「Speaking of which, Juugo, you’ve changed somehow.」

「? Really?」

「Yeah. How should I put it… you’ve completely lost all hesitation.」

「Hesitation?」

「Until now, every time you did something bad, you would come up with some reason and make excuses, saying it couldn’t be helped.」

「Is that really true?」

「Yes. But now that’s completely gone.」

That might be true.

「I just decided to do what I wanted to do.」

I simply stopped thinking about whether it was right or wrong. Maybe it means I’ve become able to make my own decisions.

I suddenly remember something though. A single sentence spoken by the girl I was embracing on top of the treasure chest in the <<ruins>> where the glasses-wearing manager abandoned me, back when I first came to this island.

‘Even so, I still want to be a great detective.’

Those were the cool words this girl once spoke. And it made me think, oh, I must have finally reached the same level as this great detective.

I tell her what I’m honestly thinking.

「Well, please go easy on me, my worthy rival.」

「Hoho, that’s a good attitude, Juugo. It seems you’ve finally started to realize what it means to be my worthy rival.」

「I mean, no matter when or where, you always have that ‘Tensai’ perspective, don’t you?」

「Of course. After all, I’m a great detective.」

The great detective puffed out her chest. Well ‘Tensai’ really suits her doesn’t it?

「Oh, that’s right. Here, Tensai.」

「? What’s with the outstretched hand?」

「Well, it’s the ‘Duel Ticket’. Hand it over.」

「Why?」

「Why…? Well, because this is the kind of duel scenario that you wanted right?」

「That just happened to be the way things went in the current situation; I didn’t exercise my right to force it to happen. Therefore, I get to keep it or later.」

「But wait, that’s only valid until the end of summer vacation!」

「Hmph, you’re naïve, Juugo. The fact that you didn’t notice when I showed it to you the other day just shows you still have a lot to learn.」

Then, Tensai took out her notebook and, just as she had done the other day in room 202, she once again held up the page with the <<duel ticket>> (with a perforated line) right in front of my eyes.

「…Um, Tensai-chan.」

「Tensai laughs.」

At that exact moment, vibrant fireworks burst into bloom in the night sky. I couldn’t help but think that it was a kind of gesture from God to make this detective look adorable. And maybe it was because of that, I was captivated by her adorable smile, even though I hadn’t realized it.

The moment I came to my senses, I grinned and said, as if to cover it up, 「I’ll easily get away with this for about ten years, Tensai.」

「Hmph, don’t think you can get away from me, Juugo.」

Fireworks bloomed brightly in the night sky over Nanaejima. Amidst them, Tensai turned on her heels.

「The fireworks have started. Let’s hurry up and head home. Nanana and the others are waiting for us.」

And so Tensai walked ahead towards the Happiness Dorm.

Maybe it was because of the red fireworks, but it looked like her ears were slightly red.