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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 9 Chapter 3.1

Episode 3: Detective, Investigate

1

「Hmph, what a perfect day for a brilliant deduction.」

Looking up at the midsummer sun, a girl slurps coffee milk through a straw. This is the Great Detective Tensai Ikkyuu.

By the way, this great detective (with the lowest basic physical specs) is not outside in the sweltering heat. She is just looking out the window from inside an air-conditioned room. Summers are hot in Nanaejima. Still, the energetic students are enjoying the heat.

Since it is summer vacation, most of the students are returning to their hometowns, but many are still on the island. Nanaejima has a variety of leisure facilities, an artificial sand beach is open along the coast, and the campsites in the mountains are bustling. These are long and enjoyable days for the students between their busy studies.

By the way, the great detective’s recent way of enjoying summer is to eat shaved ice brought to her by D’ark in a room with the air conditioning at full blast.

Tensai is currently on summer vacation and is conducting various investigations to find out the truth behind the murder of Nanana Ryuugajou which occurred ten years ago. There are 2 things that Tensai is concerned about in this regard.

The first is her rival, Juugo Yama. In particular, what did Juugo see when he looked into Nanana’s past using the Nanana Collection the <<sword of Nanana>>. Could it be that Juugo saw the culprit who killed Nanana-dono?

It’s Juugo, so no matter what he says, he may have already identified the culprit and is just keeping quiet.

「Juugo could do that.」

Juugo’s many past actions speak for themselves.

As a result of finding out the culprit, it’s possible that he disappeared in order to contact the culprit who killed Nanana. Or at least that’s the only reason Tensai could think of for Juugo’s disappearance.

「Tensai」, said D’ark Hoshino after he finished his phone call. 「It was from Umeji. She said she got an email from Juugo yesterday.」

「Hmm, that took longer than I expected.」

Juugo still continues to ignore the emails they send almost every day. Tensai is getting annoyed by his attitude and comes up with a plan. She ordered D’ark to seduce him as the girl with glasses (aka Yurika Yumeji), who is the class representative at school and whom Juugo worships above all else. D’ark is close friends with Yumeji. In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call them best friends, so after he hesitated for a moment, he agreed, saying, 「It’ll help out Yumeji too.」

Considering that she had assumed there would be an immediate reply, three days felt a bit too long, but the bait-and-switch move was a great success.

It was annoying that Juugo continued to ignore their messages, but at least he was alive.

「Anyway, if he has the ability to reply to Yumeji-dono, it’s probably okay to leave him alone for now.」

「But was it really Juugo-kun? Maybe it was the Leprechaun replying in his place.」

D’ark’s lame guess made Tensai sigh.

「If the Leprechaun is operating in secret, the people he will contact are us, the ones who send him emails almost every day. Because right now, we are the only ones who are concerned about Juugo’s safety. The fact that he responded to Yumeji-dono so specifically is proof that it is Juugo.」

「I see. But why doesn’t Juugo-kun reply to us?」

「Probably because of Nanana-dono.」

「Nanana-san?」

「Now that Juugo is gone, we are the ones who spend the most time with Nanana-dono. That’s why Juugo probably doesn’t want to contact us.」

「What really happened, Juugo-kun?」

From what Nanana had said, it didn’t seem like anything had happened between them.

「Well, it’s none of my business.」

Even though she spat this out, Tensai was not at peace inside.

She thought about Nanana, who was smiling as always but still seemed somehow depressed. Whether she’s eating or playing with them, Nanana always seems a bit gloomy. Because she doesn’t want Nanana to be sad, Tensai shows up every day with D’ark and they act as if everything is normal.

Why on earth am I having to clean up after someone like Juugo?

「Juugo-kun, you’ll come back, right?」, D’ark murmured.

Tensai reacted D’ark’s muttering.

「Of course. After all, Juugo is a worthy rival to a great detective. He’s about to face me in a showdown.」

As she stood there, Tensai touched the notebook in her pocket. Inside was the ‘showdown ticket’ she had Juugo create.

And also…

「There’s no way Juugo would just abandon Nanana and disappear like this.」

Tensai could say that without even having to deduce it.

The second thing that Tensai was concerned about, with that sullen expression on her face, was about Ryuugajou Nanana. Should they tell Nanana that they are also pursuing her killer? Well, Tensai has already reached a conclusion on this matter.

「So you’re not going to ask Nanana for help after all?」

「That’s right. I’ll keep it a secret from Nanana.」

Ryuugajou Nanana is already dead. She feels like getting hints from the victim is cheating.

「Nanana was killed ten years ago. She’s in that room as an earthbound spirit, but that’s impossible. My pride as a great detective wouldn’t allow me to investigate based on such an impossible reality.」

「That may be true, but….」

「It would be Juugo, who is working for Nanana’s sake, who gets hints from her and uses the Nanana collection she left behind to identify the culprit. I have other clients. I’m not solving this case for Nanana.」

That’s what Tensai has come to terms with. Even so, she can’t help but think about it.

「Maybe I’m just a jerk for not telling you about it even though I see you every day.」

「What, you are just realizing that now?」

Bonk!

Tensai glares at D’ark, who is crouched down, clutching her head that had been smacked.

「There are good jokes and bad jokes. What I just said was a play on words. I’m not actually a jerk.」

In response to Tensai’s statement, which she makes with a completely straight gaze, D’ark feels the urge to flatly deny it, saying, ‘But Tensai always does terrible things to me!’, but he holds himself back. If he says anything, he’ll get treated even worse.

Even so, D’ark still says this much, 「But Tensai. I know very well that you are worried about Nanana and Juugo a lot.」

「…..」

「So there’s no need to worry about it too much. And even if Nanana finds out, she won’t be angry or sad.」

「Do you think so?」

「Yeah. On the contrary. She would support you Tensai. She’d tell you to do your best.」

D’ark smiled and Tensai relaxed. Then D’ark patted her head.

「Well, actually, that’s what I thought too.」

「Huh?」

「After all, Nanana-dono and I are best friends!」

The great detective Tensai Ikkyu proudly puffs out her chest.

「Well, what about me?」

「You’re just an assistant.」

He was cut off so easily that D’ark burst into tears, saying, 「Ugh. You’re terrible. terrible.」

That’s when someone called out to the two of them.

Tensai heads in that direction as she complains to D’ark (who was just standing there crying), 「What are you doing, D’ark? You’re my assistant so hurry up and follow me.」

Hearing Tensai’s words, D’ark nodded happily, 「Ok.」

2

The goal of Tensai and the others investigating Nanana’s case today is to meet with the GREAT7 and tear their story. They’ve spoken to Shunjuu Ikkaku, the leader of GREAT7 and the person who requested the investigation, and have made appointments with the other members of GREAT7. (with the exception of 1 landlord) It took a few days for this to actually be possible, as almost everyone (with the exception of 1 landlord) is busy.

And so, Tensai and the others are currently in the lounge of the Futaba Research Institute.

「Sorry to keep you waiting.」

A woman wearing glasses and a lab coat appears to greet the people in the lounge.

「I’ll be counting on you, Mirei Sasaki.」

Mirei is startled when Tensai suddenly calls her name, even though she hasn’t introduced herself. However, when she sees the badge with Tensai’s face hanging around her neck, she immediately understands.

「You have good eyesight. Even with glasses on, I can’t see very far.」 Tensai frowns at Mirei’s compliment.

「I’d rather you praise my observational skills than my good eyesight, but never mind.」

「You’re Ikkyu-san and Hoshino-san, right?」

「Call me by my first name or my full name.」

Tensai, who hates being mistaken for a clever monk (TN: there is a famous monk Ikkyu Sojun), points this out, and Mirei corrects her, saying, 「Um, Tensai-san」. She leads the two of them into the laboratory, saying, 「Right this way, please.」

Following the guidance of Mirei, who had a security badge, the two of them proceeded deeper into the laboratory. Along the way, they passed researchers in white coats and security guards dressed in Nanaejima General Security uniforms.