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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 9 Chapter 3.2

The Futaba Research Institute is a three-story building in the suburbs, surrounded by high walls and with very strict security.

It is said that many researchers are conducting cutting-edge research that is not tied to a specific field, but that is just a pretense. In reality, everything in the research facility, which stretches from the 3 floors above ground to 8 floors below ground, is research done by Futaba Saito, and all the researchers here are merely support assistants for him.

With Mirei’s guidance, the two of them passed through multiple security checks and were finally shown into the room.

Simply put, the room was neat and tidy. As it was a mad scientist’s laboratory, one would have imagined it would be messy and that some scary experiments were being conducted there, but that was not the case at all. Rather, it was a comfortable space with no unnecessary elements and a refined feel. Most of the furniture was stylish as well. It’s simply a comfortable room.

One more thing to add: This man known as the mad scientist also looks so good it’s hard to believe he’s one of the world’s leading researchers. He is tall and slender, with dyed blonde hair and rabbit piercings in his ears. At first glance he looks like some kind of host (TN: Certain clubs in Japan will allow you to have drinks and sit and chat with hosts that are employees at that club), although his white coat and badge make it clear that he is a researcher.

Saito Futaba.

However, perhaps it should be expected, Saito Futaba was not sitting in his desk chair, but sitting cross-legged on top of the desk, gazing down at the others.

「Mire, who are these people?」

「They’re the ones that President Ikkaku contacted.」

「Oh, come to think of it, he said he’d send someone over to talk to me. So? Who are you girls?」

When Saito Futaba asked him that, Tensai took a step forward, pointed at herself with a fearless smile.

「I’m Tensai, a great detective.」

Mirei, who had guided them this far, looked dumbfounded at the sight of Tensai boldly introducing herself to one of the island’s rulers.

Saito, on the other hand, laughs out loud in amusement, jumps off the desk, and stands in front of Tensai.

「I’m Saito Futaba. I don’t have a title or anything. The name Saito Futaba is my way of life and my everything.」

The tall Saito looks down at her with his hands in his pockets, and the tiny Tensai looks up to meet his gaze. By the way, D’ark is trembling next to her. As Saito stares at Tensai, who is standing fearlessly and stomping her feet, he notices something.

「Ikkyuu… Ikk… Ah, the same as Yuuya. So? What does ‘another child’ want from me?」

Tensai’s cheek twitches when she hears him call her that, but she doesn’t care and gets to the point.

「I am investigating the murder of Nanana Ryuugajou from ten years ago. I would love to hear your account, Futaba-dono.」

Saito looks surprised by this.

「Including Juugo Yama, there have been a lot of interesting kids appearing lately. It’s rude to even ask that. So? What on earth is Shyunjuu thinking, issuing a no-contact order for Nanana, detective?」

「What do you mean by all that? I’m just doing a personal investigation as a great detective.」

「Well, whatever. It’s no fun trying to figure out what some brat that Shyunjuu sent is thinking. Come on, I’ll tell you what, sit down.」

He suggests sitting on the sofa in the room. So Tensai and D’ark sit down. Saito also orders a drink from Mirei and sits down himself.

「Hey, Futaba-dono.」

「What is it, great detective?」

「Why are you sitting next to me? And why are you touching me in such a clingy manner?」

Just as Tensai said, Saito is sitting next to Tensai for some reason, and has been touching Tensai’s right hand for a while now.

「Don’t worry about it.」

If this was a perverted man’s touch, she would have brushed it away immediately, but what Saito is doing is different. So Tensai is unsure of how to react.

He takes Tensai’s right hand in his, brings it up to his eyes and observes it from various angles. He looks at things like the texture of the nails, fingers, skin, etc. It’s like picking up a pile of bananas in the fruit section of the supermarket and judging whether they are good or bad.

「I’m kind of scared.」

「I don’t care about that, I’ll do what I want.」

Tensai’s honest impression of Saito Futaba is that he’s a weirdo. He doesn’t mind doing things that don’t fit with the values of normal people. Or rather, he’s the kind of person who only cares about his own values and doesn’t care about those around him. That ‘s why he creates things that normal people would never think of.

「I want to get to the point now, so can you stop this already? If you really want to do it, do it to him over there.」

The designated human sacrifice, D’ark, shouts out, 「M..me!?」

「Shall we?」

Saito then stood up from next to Tensai, streteched out his long arm and pulled D’ark’s arm up, then sat down on the sofa opposite Tensai and pulled D’ark onto his lap. Of course, just like before, he began to inspect D’ark’s right arm.

「By the way, what exactly are you doing?」

「Oh nothing special. Lately I’ve been into body modification, and now I’m thinking about turning someone’s right hand into a cyborg. I’m currently looking for good specimens.」

D’ark, who is currently considering Saito’s words, which he would like to think are a joke but isn’t sure, gives a scared eeeep sound.

「Look, there’s something you want to ask me, right? If so, ask me quickly. Time is limited. …That being said, the things I’m about to say should already be written down by Shyunjuu in the report, and as a great detective, you should have read it too, right?」

As Saito said, the report made by Shyunjuu ten years ago contains everything that happened at the time. Of course, it also includes the contents of the questioning of each person involved. Of course, Tensai has read it.

「What do you think was the motive for Nanana-dono’s murder?」

「I don’t know.」

As he inspects D’ark’s body, Saito answers nonchalantly.

「Who do you think benefited the most from Nanana-dono’s death?」

「Well, it was probably the people outside the island. Nanana-chan’s death left us pretty shaken. As a result, Nanaejim almost stopped bring Nanaejima.」

「Did Nanana-dono change before her death?」

「Not before, but around the time of her death. …That’s right. I can’t say anything about the after because I never went to see her, but before, yes.」

「How so?」

「Shortly before Nanana-chan was killed, she made an unusual summons to us.」

「Oh?」

「Back then, Nanana-chan would often sneak off the island and wander around the world, but when she came back after a long journey, she suddenly said, ‘I want to hide all the treasures I’ve collected around the island.」

Saito continued, not paying any attention to Tensai’s reactions, 「At the time I had no idea what she meant, but now I understand.」

The <<ruins>> and the Nanana collection.

「So, what happened to Nanana’s proposal?」

「It was rejected.」

「Why?」

「That was not a good time for me. After all, Alpamesto’s influence was still quite strong at the time.」

Of course, Tensai recognized that name.

「Alpamesto Corporation. It was a mainland company that built Hiju Island and was later in charge of managing it. It is now under the umbrella of the General Board of Directors and should be acting as the liaison between the mainland and Nanaejima.」

「Now she’s one of Shyunjuu’s pawns, but originally she was our agent when we were students… I guess that’s about it. As for Nanana-chan, nothing happened until about a year after she died, when Shiki said ‘Nanana has become a ghost’, and we haven’t seen her since then.」

「You don’t want to see her?」

「Of course I want to see her.」

Saito looks as if it’s an obvious answer.

「Then why don’t you see her?」

Saito’s answer to Tensai’s question was quite simple.

「Because Shyunjuu said not to.」

「What do you mean?」

「It means what it means.」

Saito seemed to have lost interest and tossed D’ark’s arm away. Now freed, D’ark, with tears in his eyes, hurriedly hid behind the sofa where Tensai was sitting.

「Sorry to keep you waiting.」

It was at that moment that Mirei brought a tray of coffee. Saito kept his coffee black, while Tensai took a sip of her coffee with sugar and milk added.

「Anything else, great detective?」

「Have you heard of the Nanana collection?」

「Of course.」

「How long have you known?」

When asked that, the corners of Sait’s mouth naturally turned up.

「That’s good, it’s starting to get interesting.」

「Well?」

「Of course I’ve known about them since Nanana-chan was alive. But I have no idea what kind of things they are.」