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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 8 Chapter 8.4

He gripped her hand tightly. He gripped it really, really tightly. He squeezed the earthbound girl’s hand tightly.

「N..n..n..n…..」

In an instant, Nanana’s face turned bright red.

「Na?」

「What are you talking about Juugo? You pervert!」

Slap

So, I got slapped, with all her might. That woke me up fully. Because of my actions when I was half-conscious (a trance like state) I felt so embarrassed and remorseful that I nearly fell over.

5

「Anyway, I didn’t see the culprit’s face.」

「R..really?」

Well, we started over and sat across the table. I had bruises on my cheeks and Nanana had a slightly red face. Feeling a bit awkward, we turned away, but somehow managed to continue the conversation.

「So? What else did you see?」

「Well, I don’t really remember.」

「W..what’s that?」

「Well, I just saw a bunch of fragmented memories one after another, and to be honest I didn’t really understand them.」

He lies with a smile.

「But was there anything….」

「Well can I look one more time?」

「Absolutely not!」

Nanana-chan turns away. Yes, I thought that’s what Nanana-chan would say.

Now, as for why I lied like that, it’s probably because I thought that some of the memories I saw were memories that Nanana-chan didn’t want me to see. I’ve seen them either way, so there’s no reason to tell Nanana-chan about the things she didn’t want me to see and make her feel bad.

「You really don’t remember anything, do you?」

「Honest. Honest. I wouldn’t lie.」

「That’s sus.」

「By the way Nanana-chan, do you want some pudding?」

「Are you lying?」

「I’m not lying. Do you not want any pudding then?」

「…..pudding.」

「Got it, wait a moment.」

I thought that if Nanana-chan knew that I knew about all that and had feelings for her, we might not be able to have such a normal relationship. I thought that this fun time might be ruined. So I decided to lie. I decided to keep it secret forever. I didn’t see anything.

While vowing to myself, I decided to think a little about what I saw of Nanana-chan’s past. I handed the pudding I took out of the fridge to Nanana-chan and thought about it as I looked at her. I thought about the new people who had appeared.

Anyway, we should first talk about Negakana… No, it would be better to say Nanika. A mysterious person who said that she had made a pact of atonement with Nanana when she was alive. By the way, Nanika is a girl. I can’t hit her when she’s like that! Anyway, that aside, I couldn’t see her face because it was covered with a fluttering white cloth, but she was clearly not a normal human.

This could only mean one thing.

The identity of Nanika is related to the Nanana collection. I don’t know what it is though.

And then there’s Utsuki Kakkyo-san. Utsuki-san, when she was younger, was the beautiful woman who came into this room and scolded Nanana-chan. More than anything, I’m curious about the word ‘mind’s eye’ that I heard in Nanana-chan’s memory.

And eye that can see the invisible.

And then I remember.

The words that Utsuki said to me in the hanging garden.

「No, it’s a prophecy.」

What on earth has she seen, and what does she know? I’m curious about not only Utsuki, but the other GREAT Y members as well.

When Utsuki arrived, she said that no one other than Shiki would ever come to this room. In fact, I haven’t heard of any of them coming here.

But what I’m most curious about is Shunju Ikkaku. From the way Utsuki spoke, I can’t help but think that he and Nanana had a special relationship.

Yeah, what exactly is Shunju Ikkaku to Nanana?! What is he doing!!!

I get jealous like I used to.

Well, that may be true, but I don’t like the fact that he hasn’t come to see nanana even once since she became a ghost. I mean, it seems there was something with him and Tensai too. I’m not bitter about how he completely defeated me head-on in the hanging garden. I just don’t like him.

In any case, the relationship between Nanana-chan and the other members of the GREAT 7.

They were once comrades who built Nanaejima together. But now that it’s been ten years since Nanana-chan died, they may no longer feel anything for her.

But while they feel sad, they also feel that there is one thing that hasn’t changed.

「Nanana, I’m so glad.」

In the story of Nanana’s past, Shiki sheds tears and hugs Nanana. Shiki, and only Shiki, still cares about Nanana. This has been the case ever since she started living in Room 202 of the Happiness Dorm. Shiki is always watching over Nanana and caring for her. I feel strongly that Shiki is nanana’s best friend.

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

To put it simply, it was probably a temple.

It was a refined space dominated by a cold, tense atmosphere. Clean water continues to seep down from the surrounding walls, running through grooves in the floor.

The grooves carved over the entire floor were octagonal in shape. At the center was a pedestal, and on top of it was a Feng Shui board.

Right now, a woman was standing in front of it.

Shiki Maboro

Standing in the center of the temple in her usual outfit of a tank top, shorts, and sandals, she simply stares at the nanana collection that is there.

If only this was gone…

She reaches out her hand.

But her hand stops halfway. Her body doesn’t move a muscle. Her consciousness is clear, but her body won’t move. It’s as if she’s paralyzed.

She knows why. It’s because the back of her neck is tingling hot. She can feel the dragon’s birthmark appearing on the back of her neck.

「What are you thinking?」

A familiar voice comes from behind me. I can’t see him, but I know he’s definitely there. So I answer.

「Nothing really, I just thought I’d give it a try. Or would touching it be a breach of contract?」

In response to Shiki’s nasally words, the owner of the voice <<god>> replied ‘No’.

「There is no problem if you touch it, but I don’t want you to try to destroy it. If this is gone, I will disappear.」

「Oh, so you’re scared of dying too?」

「I’m not scared. I just will be unable to carry out the contract.」

<<God>> moved around on Shiki, who was still motionless, and confronted her about the pedestal on which the Feng Shui board was placed.

「It’s rare for you to come here….」

「Why did you take Nanana out of that room?」

She interrupted <<god>>, and <<god>> glared at her.

「I didn’t take her out, I just sent her spirit out and had her control Saki Yoshino.」

「For what reason?」

「To make the deal go smoothly.」

「There must have been other ways.」

「That was the best option at the time.」

「But….」

「What are you afraid of?」

Shiki takes a breath.

「Why are you so upset?」

「…I’m not at all.」

「Don’t worry. As per my contract with you, Nanana won’t take even one step out of that room.」

She grits her teeth. It is an article that cannot be overturned. It is one of the points agreed upon in the contract between <<god>> and Shiki. Therefore, no matter how much nanana wants to, she can never leave that room. But Shiki knows without a doubt that Nanana wants to go outside more than ever before.

No, she definitely wants to go outside. Because she is Ryuugajou nanana.

At this point, only Shiki is strongly aware that this single crack could be the move that destroys Nanaejima’s hidden secret. Whether this is true or not, only time will tell….

Then the dragon mark that had appeared on the back of her neck disappeared.

Shiki, having regained freedom of movement, spat out these words, 「I really don’t like the look on your face.」

The face of <<god>> can be seen through the gaps in the white veil-like cloth. Carved into her forehead is a dragon birthmark. Her face is incredibly beautiful. Most noticeable though is that there was a resemblance to Nanana Ryuugajou in her face. She looked very similar to Nanana in Room 202 of Happiness Dorm.

If Nanana had not died ten years ago and had lived to grow old together with Shiki and the others, she would have ended up with the same face as <<god>>. There’s no doubt about it, she would have the same face.

「Oh, Advisor. What are you doing?」

When Shiki left the room, she bumped into Himeko Nonomiya, who lived next door.

「Oh, I thought I’d at least clean up for once.」

Shiki turned back to the door.

「Um, wasn’t Akagi-san the the person who lived in this room?」

「Well, I wouldn’t say I live here, I still rent it and I’m wandering around the world.」

As Shiki looked off into the distance, Himeko asked timidly, 「He’s your boyfriend, right Advisor?」