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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 2 Chapter 5.3

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“Translator: Goma/Editor: TheNix”

「I see. However, due to you (the great detective) Yukihime Fugi couldn’t function as bait. D’arc found out where ((Hundred Faces)) had hidden the Nanana Collection before she could. 」

「It is the same method they used to steal the blue gemstone from the Ikkaku estate. It seems that Yukihime always uses herself as a bait to steal things. 」

「You seem quite in verse with this, huh. 」

「Don’t worry, I don’t intend to publicize that Yukihime is one of the ((Matsuri)) members. 」

「Is it because it is beneficial for you as well? 」

「It is because I don’t have proof. Since I don’t have evidence, it would simply be a hypothesis. 」

「I see. So you are alright with keeping the truth to yourself? 」

「Yes, that is right. I don’t need to go out of the way to publicize it. This information would surely benefit me in the future. 」

「Does that mean the part about how you figured out how the thief is ((Hundred Faces)) from my relationships is a secret as well? 」

「Hmph. Good job figuring that out, rival. 」

「Hey, that is what a bad guy would normally say you know. 」

    Tensai had gotten lucky when pointing out that「Kamome Misaki is the ((Hundred Faces)) 」. It is not a mere coincidence though. Tensai had figured it out on her own and lied about just guessing.

    On top of that……

「It was quite amazing how you showed the Nanana Collection at that certain moment and managed to get Ms. Yukihime to say what she had seen. 」

「Yes. I thought if I could do that she would spill the beans. 」

「Of course. The moment the Nanana Collection was taken back, Ms. Yukihime did not need to act as bait anymore. Rather, if she did not prove that she was innocent, it would have been suspicious. 」

「That is right. 」

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    In the end, the incident closed with the great detective solving the mystery.

    Everything ended well for the great detective.

「But hey, Tensai. Are you sure you want to tell me everything about how you figured it out? If I told this to Ms. Yukihime and the others, they might come up with another method to fool you? 」

「Yes, that is right but…… 」

「What? 」

「I just really wanted to boast about it to someone. 」

    This child really can’t help herself, huh?

「Well, anyways, Jūgo. Your plan had been spoiled by me this time. How sad. 」

    The great detective smirked. I sighed.

「You are really amazing, you know. 」

    I genuinely thought so. Her intelligence as a great detective in figuring out that Kamome Misaki is Shū Todomatsu and preventing the Nanana Collection from being stolen was impressive. On top of that, she is really talented as an actor in manipulating the situation to her own advantage.

    When I praised her, Tensai smiled happily and thrust out her chest.

「Hmph, there you go. 」

    Usually Tensai is not so giddy, and it was rare for others to see her like this. For no reason, I roughly patted her head and pulled her cheeks.

「Hmfhf! 」

    Her talent in figuring out the truth is really amazing. That is what made me do it, I think.  

「……Hey, Tensai. Do I really look like a person who would trick and fool others? 」

「Yes. 」

    The great detective replied immediately without any hesitation.

「……As I thought. 」

    Of course. I did fool others. Of course, she would think so. It is the consequence of my actions. If I don’t like it I should act better.

    I sighed, while Tensai looked at me with a puzzled gaze.

「Hey, what’s up Jūgo? Did you knock your head somewhere? Why are you reacting to my answer so strangely? 」

「……Nothing. 」

「Hey, you should be praising me for being so amazing, instead of being depressed that I figured out your trick. Besides, you aren’t that kind of person. 」

「Stop framing who I am without my permission. It’s natural that when I am sad I would get depressed. Actually, I am always depressed. 」

    I collapsed onto the seat.

    Tensai panicked at my actions.

「H.. hey! Wait! Stop that! We are rivals that compete against each other with my amazing intelligence and your incredulous trickery. Our relationship is not a one-sided dominance! J.. just stop that! You are cheating! 」

「Why are you panicking, great detective? Why not, you have made me depressed due to how amazing your intelligence is. You should be quite happy about it. 」

    I spat these words out. When I did, the great detective lightly punched me.

「Don’t say that. 」

    The great detective made a slightly sad face.

「……. 」

「I don’t play the great detective in order to hurt others. 」

「Tensai…… 」

「I just want to boast how great I am. 」

    Yes, this child is just very true to her desires.

「That is why you can’t show me such emotions……. It’s not fun to look at you like this. 」

    She looked away and muttered.

    Really, this girl……

    For some reason, I could not help but rub her head.

「W.. what do you want, Jūgo! 」

    The great detective panicked with a red face. I smiled and said,「No. I don’t have any reason, but. 」

    Her assistant was looking at us, pouting her face. He gazed at me with jealous eyes.

 

Section 4

 

「I am back. 」

    I had returned to room 202 with the other members of the Adventure Club, but I could not hear the usual「Welcome back. 」

    When I went to the room, Nanana was silently playing her online game.

    Surely she noticed us. It must be that she is ignoring me.

「Sorry for disturbing. 」

    She looked up when Tensai said so.

「Oh? Why are you guys all here? 」

    She stood up and welcomed everyone with a smile. Except, she did not acknowledge me.

    After this, president Yuiga came in fearfully and bowed down saying,「Sorry for disturbing you. 」The rest of the Adventure Club came in. President Yuiga represented the whole club and sat down in a Seiza posture [1. TL Note: Seiza is the Japanese term for the standard formal traditional way of sitting in Japan], and fearfully passed the item to Nanana.

「Wow, what a cute plush toy ♥」

    She took the plush toy that was in the treasure chest in the ((Ruins)) and smiled.

「Well, Ms. Nanana. What is that? 」

    Everyone looked at Nanana to find out what sort of power the treasure had.

「? What, isn’t it a normal cat plush toy? 」

    Nanana looked dumbfounded.

「No, not that. What kind of Nanana Collection is this? 」

「Hm? What? 」

    Nanana tilted her head.

「No, I am talking about that plush toy-like thing. 」

    Nanana looked at the plush toy in her hands.

「Oh, this? 」

「Yes. 」

「This is……a Nanana Collection? 」

「Yes. 」

    President Yuiga looked at her with a serious gaze. Nanana made a troubled expression.

「……Erm, you are not joking but…… are you serious? 」

「What do you mean? 」

    President Yuiga asked back. Nanana turned the butt of the plush toy towards him.

    When we looked at it, there was a tag saying, 「Made in Japan」 that was hidden in the fluffy fur of the plush toy.

「……What? 」

「Yuiga, this is not a Nanana Collection. 」

 

    Nanana seemed a little sorry for him. Everyone was just left dumbfounded.

「That means……is it fake. 」

    President Yuiga looked down, depressed.

「Wait a moment! Surely it is not fake! That plush toy was in a treasure chest in a ((Ruin))! 」

    Ms. Yū approached Nanana.

「Really? 」

「Really! I don’t know if you are the original owner, but don’t say such stupid things! 」

「C.. calm down, Ibara! 」

    Mr. Tsurezure and I held Ms. Ibara who was about to attack Nanana.

「Let me go! 」

    Ms. Ibara still rampaged wildly.

    As expected, Tensai seemed quite calm.

「Hm, doesn’t that mean that building was not a ((Ruin))? 」

    Everyone looked at Tensai.

「But that building had so many traps. Of course, it would be a ((Ruin)). 」

    President Yuiga argued back.

「True. Then was there a possibility that the Nanana Collection was hidden in another place? 」

「No. There was no other place in the estate that could be a ((ruin)). I would guarantee that. 」

    I said so without any hesitation.

「Then there must be only one conclusion. 」

「What is that, Tensai. 」

    Everyone looked at her. Tensai replied.

「Someone had taken the Nanana Collection from the estate a long time ago. 」

    Everyone was left dumbfounded at her unexpected words. We could not reply to her.

    It is because that was really the only conclusion.

    The ((Ruin)) in the Third High School club activity block had a rock in the treasure chest. One cannot deny the possibility that a person obtained the Nanana Collection in the ((Ruin)) and left behind a plush toy in the treasure chest.

「I don’t want to accept it……but that must be true. 」

    President Yuiga was obviously very depressed.

 

Section 5

 

    In the end, we parted there. After everyone left room 202, the room was very quiet.

    The clattering sound of the keyboard rang hollow in the room.

    It is because Nanana exerted an A.T. field [2. TL Note: An A.T. Field (short for “Absolute Terror Field”) is a nearly impenetrable force-field barrier which Angels and Evangelions can generate, from the anime “Evangelion”] that absolutely rejected every unwanted thing. Without any equipment or weapons, it is impossible for me to penetrate the field.

    While sitting in a Seiza posture at the corner of the room, I waited for that moment.

    After one hour, after enduring that massive pressure, I heard the sound of the chime ringing.

「Hello, it is the Cool  Postal Service! 」

    I headed towards the entrance, and retrieved the box I had sent with the express delivery option.

    When I went back to the room, Nanana still seemed to ignore me. She did not even care about my box.

    I kneeled down in front of Nanana and softly passed the box to her.

「Official [3. TL Note: Refers to a typical corrupt Japanese official in the Edo period], please have this. 」

「Why are you calling me an official! ……What is this? 」

    Nanana looked down at me with a moody face. I opened the box and took it out.

「It is some golden snack [4. TL Note: Typical phrase for merchants to offer bribes in money to government officials]. 」

    I took out the limited Fluffy Pudding that I had bought at the hot springs from the box.

「Here, please accept it. 」

「……Merchant, you are such a bad guy hehe. 」

    Nanana smirked.

    Good, the master earthbound ghost accepted my offer!

「Please, please forgive the incident with this. 」

    Nanana who had been enthralled by the pudding stopped there.

「……. 」

    She was obviously in a dilemma whether or not to forgive me with this pudding.

    It seemed that Nanana was really angry at what I had done this time.

    Thus, I pushed more.

「I will buy it back when my part-time job money is deposited, so let’s play after that. 」

「Then I will forgive you. 」

    Nanana still seemed moody, but she forgave me. I really fist pumped in victory at this win.

    Now she took the pudding from my hand and peeled off the lid. The pudding shook in not its usual bouncy way, but rather in its fluffy way. Now, she ate it.

    Immediately Nanana trembled in amazement and made a happy smile.

「This is great, this unique texture is just splendid! 」

    Nanana seemed quite amazed, and expressed it with some Kansai dialect [5. TL Note: The Kansai dialect is a group of Japanese dialects in the Kansai region of Japan.].

「It’s good that you like it. 」

「Yes, I am satisfied with it. 」

    Nanana had now turned from an official to some king. I decided to show her another thing.

「Then can you look at this now? 」

    I took out something from a plastic bag that was inside the delivery box. It was much bigger than a mechanical pencil, and was cylindrical in shape. On the opposite end to a sharp tip was a round end. It resembled a Japanese throwing knife. Well, aside from the shape, there were two things that stood out. One was that it shined in a golden color. Secondly, there were some hieroglyphics-like words written all over the knife.

「Hey, Jūgo. Don’t tell me that is…… 」

 

「Yes, it is a Nanana Collection that was in the ((Ruins)). 」

 

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