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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 9 Chapter 3.7

「If your reasoning leads you to the conclusion that Koma is not the culprit, then apologize to Koma. For Koma, being thought of as someone who would betray his friends is the worst insult.」

Sansa’s eyes are dark and trembling with anger as she gently strokes Koma’s head.

「Understood. Of course I will apologize to Sansa-dono.」

「Oh, don’t worry about me.」

「? Why?」

「Because for me, that kind of behavior would be expected.」

Sansa laughs cynically, without any remorse.

「Sorry to keep you waiting.」

It was at that exact moment that Daikuro brought the tea. Tensai made delighted sounds as she took a sip of the tea that was served to her.

「It’s his hobby, even though it doesn’t suit someone that looks like him.」

「Shut up, sir. You’re meddling.」

D’ark timidly asks Daikuro, 「Um, if you don’t mind, could you tell me about this tea later?」

「Oh, sure.」

「Really? Thank you!」

「D’ark smiles happily, and Daikurou’s expression turns gentle.

「I’m happy for you, shotacon.」

「Shut up, you rotten slut.」

After that exchange ended and we had finished our tea, Sansa began to speak.

「Well, it’s not a very enjoyable story, but I’ll tell it in order. When Nanaejima was founded, it attracted public attention. It was finally getting on track as a special student zone when Alpamesto Corporation on the mainland came to take Nanaejima. Of course, this was not a legitimate way to do things. However, Ikkaku (who was in charge of command of Nanaejima at the time) and I anticipated this, and we should have been able to deal with it without any problems. But then a problem arose at the most critical moment.」

「Nanana-dono was murdered.」

Sansa nodded.

「Well, you see. Nanana was like the pillar of support for all of us. The others were visibly distraught. … I was pretty crushed too. It was especially bad for Ikkaku, who had known Nanana the longest. He’d always been a strict guy, but he’d become so rough that you’d wonder if he was even human.

Even when she heard that, Tensai couldn’t imagine what that looked like.

The talk continues.

「Of course, we all did everything we could to find the culprit who killed Nanana. But we really couldn’t find out who did it. While we were doing that, Alpamesto’s attacks started to get serious, and we had to deal with them as well. That’s when Ikkaku told us, ‘I’ll find the one who killed Nanana, so please give me one year’.」

「Did the council approve of that?」

「Well, I understand how he felt. But it was bad. The person who was leading the charge at the top suddenly dropped out. Following Nanana’s killer, Ikkaku left. Of course, everyone below him was upset. So I took over. But unfortunately, that kind of command role was not my specialty at the time. I don’t want to go into the details, so I won’t, but the results were terrible. It’s frustrating, but at the time I didn’t have the power to turn everyone in the world against me at the same time. Because of that, about 80% of Nanaejima was taken over. And not only that, three of Saito’s research results were stolen. …And most of all, I can’t forgive that Koma’s blueprints were stolen.」

Sansa expresses her anger. Was it directed at the person who stole the blueprints or at her past self who allowed it to be stolen?

Koma gently holds Sansa’s hand, which is trembling with anger.

Daikuro, who was standing next to them, adds, 「I’m not taking Sansa’s side, but the reason we even lasted a year without President Ikkaku was because Sansa was in charge. Anyone else wouldn’t have lasted even six months.」

In response to Kaikuro’s support, Sansa continued in a sulky tone, 「Stop saying unnecessary things.」

「We were definitely going to lose. The countdown was on for the annihilation of Nanaejima. But then someone who would become our savior appeared… no, he returned.」

「You mean Ikkaku-san?」

Sansa nodded.

「Ikkaku thoroughly investigated the Nanana case for a year, but in the end, he couldn’t find the culprit. Still, it’s typical of him to have wrapped it up neatly in a year.」

「And then?」

「As expected, the moment he took command, the situation changed completely. It was an overwhelming difference in perspective. I didn’t think I would lose to him today, but back then, Ikkaku was definitely better than me. I mean in the sense of a global economic war.」

Sansa continues, implying that she was superior in every other way.

「The counterattack then begun. Well, I was also freed from the shackles of running the island and launched a counterattack using my area of expertise. Even so, it took us three years to take back Nanaejima and, in return, decapitate the upper echelons of Alpamesto. The scars left were huge. According to the original plan, Nanaejima would have been completed by now, but because of this battle, the plan had been delayed by ten years.」

「? I don’t think that adds up.」

「The shoddy construction they started on their own, during the meaningless intervention of major companies, and the shit they’ve scattered all over Nanaejima have all been added on top of that.」

「Hey! Don’t use foul language, choose your words more carefully.」

「Oh yeah? Then what should I have said, Daikuro?」

「Bleep and Bleeeeep (self-censorship)」

「Okay then.」

The two of them grinned at each other, and Tensai though that even though they seemed to be at odds, they might actually be good friends.

「Well, that’s about all there is to say. Oh, and by the way, I can assure you that no one that could have killed Nanana.」

「You’re sure, Sansa-dono?」

「There’s no way we haven’t tried anything that a great detective like you could think of.」

Sansa snorted, and Tensai nodded, 「I see.」

「That was helpful. Now, I have a final question for you two.」

「What is it?」

「How long have you known about the Nanana collection?」

「I didn’t know about it until Nanana died.」

Hearing this, Tensai immediately thought things through.

That’s a lie. Nanana-dono told her about her adventures with Sansa-dono. Before Nanaejima was created, Sansa Kurosu-dono was probably the one who knew about the Nanana collection the longest.

Stares

「Oh, so you knew about it that long ago?」

「Can I ask you to translate, Sansa-dono?」

「Apparently it was right after Nanaejima was created.」

She’s pretty sure Nanaejima was created about two years before Nanana-dono was killed.

「I see. That was helpful.」

「Are you done with your questions?」

「…Ah, sorry. I forgot to ask one thing. Regarding the matter I mentioned earlier, when did Nanana-dono become a ghost?」

Sansa’s story, at least, didn’t actually mention Nanana as an earthbound spirit.

「A year had passed since Nanana died, and Ikkaku had finally returned and was about to launch a counterattack when Shiki came into the conference room and suddenly said, ‘Nanana has returned as an earthbound spirit’.」

6

After listening to Sansa and Koma’s story, Tensai and D’ark returned to Happiness Dorm at night.

「D’ark, I’ll go and question the landlady, so you go to Nanana.」

「Eh, but….」

「Usually, I’d be showing up at room 202 by now. I don’t want to make Nanana worry.」

For a moment, D’ark was confused, but he quickly nodded and said, ‘Okay, I understand’, and turned around. Tensai saw D’ark off as he went up the stairs of Happiness Dorm and headed to the annex of the landlady’s house behind the dorm.

She rang the doorbell, and the door opened with the voice of Shiki Maboro saying ‘Hello?’. She smelled of beer as she came out.

「Oh, if it isn’t Tensai-chan? What’s wrong at this time of day? You must be inviting me to dinner.」

「If that’s the case, D’ark should be making it in room 202 right now, so you can come by later. I’m here for something else.」

「What’s the matter, seriously?」

「The truth is, I’m searching for the person who killed Nanana-dono. I’ve been asking around about various information.」

Shiki’s expression turned serious for a moment because of Tensai’s sudden words, but then she invited Tensai into the room, saying, ‘Well, come in’.」

「You reek of alcohol.」

There are still countless cans of beer lying around Shiki’s room.

「Summer is really a sinful season. Beer tastes good when the sun is up, and it tastes good when the sun is down. I wonder when I should stop drinking then?」

Shiki looks like a total alcoholic as she takes a new can out of her fridge.

「So, why did you suddenly decide to look into Nanana’s case again? Are you trying to compete with Juugo?」, Shiki asked Tensai, who sat down in a random empty spot.

「That’s about right.」

「Hmmm, I’m not sure Nanana will be happy about that.」

「Oh, about that, please keep what I’m investigating a secret from Nanana-dono.」

「? Why?」

「For personal reasons.」

「Personal reasons, huh… never mind. So? What do you want to ask me?」

「It was about a year after Nanana died, when you found her in room 202.」