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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 7 Chapter 6.3

In the third round that followed, Ikusaba-san finally made his move.

After both players had drawn twice, Ikusaba-san hit an old maid with his guess of 6.

Next it was Batako-san’s turn to draw a card.

Here Ikusaba-san started doing the same thing as before.

Ton ton ton

「This one on the far left…」

But just as Ikusaba-san was about to say something, Batako-san completely ignored his words and pulled out the middle card from his hand.

「Huh? Were you saying something?」, Batako-san asked while discarding the pair she made to the table. Ikusaba-san who had his mouth open, just shut it.

「….No, it was nothing.」

This was a surprise.

Ikusaba-san doing this meant there was a card he wanted Batako-san to draw. It was probably the 6 that he had already guessed as an old maid.

But that attempt ended in vain. Another card was drawn while he was setting it up.

I wonder if she knew what was going on, or if it was just a coincidence. I’m impressed to see how she was able to deal with a strategy like that.

In any case, Batako-san slipped through Ikusaba-san’s grasp easily.

As a result Batako-san guessed the old maids back to back and changed the momentum.

Batako-san has won three in a row.

In the following 4th round, it was a close match but Batako-san prevailed making it her fourth consecutive victory.

But that seems to be the end.

Next, the 5th round.

Batako-san took 12 cards and went first. Ikusaba-san with 11 cards would be last to go.

By the time they finished throwing away their pairs, things got really tough.

「I did it!」

 

Batako-san’s hand (12 cards): A, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K. Pairs discarded: None

Ikusaba-san’s hand (11 cards): Unknown,  Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown,  Unknown. Pairs discarded: Unknown

Old Maids: Unknown, Unknown, Unknown

 

「Hey, Servant A. Is this possible?」

「It seems like it is.」

It was quite unlucky that all 12 cards in her hand were unique.

「Well out of the 12 cards she has, three of them are old maids… But how is she supposed to know which ones!?」

If she had been dealt a pair that logic would be negated, but that’s not the case.

All I can tell is that the 2 that she doesn’t have is her opponent’s discarded pair, and that knowledge doesn’t help at all. It’s the worst starting hand I can think of, and that’s not all.

「…hey Servant A. Isn’t this pretty bad?」

It seems that Lady Ageha has noticed it as well.

「Yes, from Ikusaba-san’s perspective, he already knows what the 3 old maids are already.」

 

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On the other hand, this is a big haul.

All the participants were watching the confrontation between Hiiyo Ikusaba and Batako-san. (AKA Sansa Kurosu)

Among them is the famous detective Tensai Ikkyu, who was thinking.

「Hmmm, it would be interesting to have a confrontation like this with Juugo.」

In Tensai’s mind, her and Juugo are engaged in some kind of extradimensional card battle that is floating in the sky above the castle. Reveal a card and a dragon will be summoned. The evil demon lord is summoned…

「…in the air.」

Tensai, who is in the middle of her delusions, is watching  Ikusaba’s hand on the monitor.

 

Phantom Thief’s hand: A, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, J. Discarded pairs: 2.

Servant B’s hand: Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown. Discarded pairs: none.

Old maids: Unknown, Unknown, Unknown.

 

From Ikusaba’s perspective, there isn’t a single old maid in his hand. In other words, including discarded pairs, all the numbers you have are not the numbers of the old maids.

So what numbers does Ikusaba not have?

There are only 3: 7, Queen, and King.

In other words those are the old maids.

Ikusaba doesn’t even need to draw any cards.

Victory is certain.

「Hmm, this is boring.」

In any case, before he can win, it’s Sansa Kurosu’s turn.

No matter what card is drawn, she will lose one of the cards in her hand. But the choices of which ones are old maids are 3/11. This time there is nothing she can do.

However, Sansa Kurosu did not move.

「…? Servant B, please draw a card.」

The banker urges Sansa to take her turn after a long enough time.

Sansa Kurosu laughs fearlessly.

 

「There’s no need to draw. 7, Queen, King.」

 

「…What!?」

It wasn’t just Tensai that was surprised. The rest of the participants who were there were also staring wide eyed.

「Huh? Huh? Huh?」

M (aka Saki) who was not able to keep up with the reactions around her, also let out a surprised yelp when she saw that Isshin Yuiga (the banker) was also looking dumbfounded.

Lady Ageha gasped in shock.

I couldn’t see anything other than surprised looks on everyone’s faces, including President Yuiga and Ikusaba-san, who was supposed to win.

The only person smiling is Batako-san.

Why? How did you know?

There were 12 possibilities, how could she pinpoint the 3 right ones?

I try to remember the matches the two had played so far, hoping to find some hint that would solve this mystery. There wasn’t anything I could think of though. The only thing I could think of was that Batako-san was observing Ikusaba-san strangely close.

But is that enough to figure it out?

Ikusaba-san looked just as shaken up as I was. No, even more than me. He put his hand over his mouth and tried desperately to think about the situation so he could understand.

Next is the 6th round. Ikusaba, who was still upset, wasn’t able to play well and so he lost the game easily. So Batako-san won 6 rounds in a row.

In the 7th round Ikusaba-san, who was second to play, made an early move.

Ton ton ton

「Tell me, what was the pair that was thrown away?」, he asked as soon as it was his turn. It was a sudden order at an unexpected time to Batako-san. It was quite a frank thing for Ikusaba-san to say.

In response, Batako-san stared at her hand.

「I’m not telling you, stuuuupid.」

Ikusaba-san’s eyes went wide at this response.

Mine did too.

Is this for real? Why isn’t Ikusaba-san’s orders working?

Ikusaba-san immediately regained his composure and tried to act calm, but his fists were clearly clenched tightly.

「Hurry up.」

Urged by Batako-san, Ikusaba-san drew a card from her hand. It made a pair, which he discarded. Then he guessed 5.

「That is incorrect.」

Next, it was Batako-san’s turn. Ikusaba-san puts his hand out to Batako-san.

「Ah, I don’t need one. Ace, 6, and 7.」

Ikusaba-san’s eyes went wide again as he looked at President Yuiga.

President Yuiga looked as though he couldn’t believe it as he turned over the 3 old maids.

The old maids are Ace, 6, and 7, just as Batako-san said.

「I..impossible!」

Ikusaba-san stood up from his chair and looked between the three old maids and Batako-san’s hand that she tossed aside.

「Stupid. You’re stuuuupid.」

Batako-san is once again making fun of Ikusaba-san, who is completely confused.

「W..what did you do?」

Batako-san grins as she sees Ikusaba-san trembling.

「It’s simple, I scratched the backs of the cards so that I can tell which is which.」

Ikusaba-san quickly looks carefully at the patterns on the back of the cards on the table. He looks for the marks desperately.

Batako-san, who was watching with amusement, burst out laughing.

「That was a lie, duh.」

Ikusaba-san’s face turns red with anger from being fooled.

I mean, Batako-san is seriously the worst.

「Don’t get so angry. If you want, I’ll tell you the answer after the 10th round.」

 

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

 

Even as the 8th round began, the mind of Ikusaba was filled with anger and doubt.

It’s stupid! There’s no way he’ll lose! With the 《grim reaper’s whisper》 he should never lose in a one on one battle! No matter who the opponent is! Even if the opponent is the most dangerous of the GREAT 7, Kurosu Sansa!

But he still can’t win.

He loses the 8th round by a narrow margin. Immediately after he guessed one old maid, Sansa guessed the other two in quick succession for a quick come from behind victory.

Just a little more. Just a little more and we should have a victory!

At this time, the thoughts of Hiiyo Ikusaba ceased to be his thoughts.

 

 4

 

「What on earth is going on?」

Batako-san won again in the 9th round.

Batako-san had a wicked smile and Ikusaba-san was red with anger. He’s clearly lost his composure.

Even so, this is ridiculous.

Now Batako-san is on a nine game winning streak. Against Ikusaba-san, that Ikusaba-san. I felt like he couldn’t be touched, but now he’s being beaten like this. I can only be amazed.

The 10th and final round.

After finishing dealing the cards in front of the two players, President Yuiga confirmed the old maids and declared, 「There is a pair among the old maids, so this time there will only be one old maid.」