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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 9 Chapter 4.3

I tried to imitate a certain one-eyed lady.

「O.. oh…..」

「Oh?」

「Please apologize!」

「Oh…」

Ulysses, with tears in her eyes, runs up to him punching.

「This is terrible, you’re evil! Juugo-san is a villain!」

「You’ve realized too late, Ulysses-chan. I really am a bad guy.」

「Ugh, I believed in you.」

「Yeah, don’t say that. It hurts more than any insult.」

Oh, this is bad. I’m starting to feel sick.

「Then I’ll say more.」

And then she starts repeating ‘I believed in you’ over and over again, like a yandere would say curse words.

「I’m sorry! I’m sorry!」

「I believed in you, I believed in you, I believed in you…!」

「I’m screwed! I’m really, really sorry! I’ll even give you a bonus, so please forgive me!」

「A bonus? What do you mean?」

「I’ll join in too.」

Ulysses, who had been holding back tears, once again looked blank-faced when I presented this idea to her.

「Um, I don’t really understand what you mean by that.」

「So that means I’m siding with the Korunald family too… Ah, a correction. I’m siding with Ulysses. So let’s keep this a secret from Ishbal and Jurus.」

「Um…」

「The groom, who should have been the one being deceived, is now actively helping out. This is a turn of events that could not be more favorable for you, Ulysses-chan. Victory is practically assured.」

I said this with a smile, but Ulysses-chan’s eyes were filled with suspicion.

「Juugo-san, please tell me what you really think. Why did you come to that conclusion from our conversation?」

「Well, I mean, if this marriage falls through, Ulysses will just marry another man, right?」

「Yes, I think that will happen.」

「If that happens, you’ll do anything he tells me to. Even naughty things.」

「W..well… I think I’ll do that.」

「And cruel things too.」

So Ulysses-chan bows her head. She’s silent, neither denying nor confirming. Her silence is her affirmation though.

「I just can’t stand it.」

He strokes her head gently and says, 「That’s why I’ll do something. I’ll help ease Ulysses-chan’s pain, even if just a little.」

「….What do you mean by that?」

「Ulysses-chan?」

「What is that?」

Then he notices a warm drop on her hand.

「…」

「I don’t like this… I should be punished…」

「I thought it was cool.」

「Eh?」

I smile at the girl who looks up with tears in her eyes.

「You said earlier that you’d do anything you can because you’re weak, didn’t you?」

「I might have said that.」

「You know? That’s why it’s such a strength.」

「That’s why it’s a strength?」

「It’s proof that you’ve faced yourself. And it’s a statement you can are moving forward. That’s why you chose to fight for my family. For the people you care about.」

「…yeah.」

「That’s cool.」

「I..is it cool?」

「Yeah. And between you and me, I’ve got a weakness for cool girls.」

「Really?」

「Yeah, enough to make me want to do something for them.」

So I wiped away the tears with my fingers.

And then I told her, 「Let’s get married, Ulysses-chan. For everyone, for the people you want to protect.」

At my confession, Ulysses’ lips trembled and tears started to overflow again from her eyes.

And then…

「What are you doing!!!?」

「Eh?」

Smack

Something flying at his face spun him around. It was only when he rolled to the ground, writing in pain from an obvious pain in his neck, that he realized it was the sole of a shoe and that it was his younger sister who had been wearing it.

「K..Kunon-chan, how did you know I was here…?」

「I asked Yuki-nee! I mean, how far are you making me run? I’m exhausted!」

「No, that’s just me taking out my anger on you…」

「Anyway, I’ll never forgive you for making Ulysses cry, Juugo!」

Then my sister seriously attacked me. And I lost. My sister is a short-duration battle expert after all.

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

Kunon was panting as she followed Juugo and Ulysses up the mountain behind the house, when she spotted them in a park halfway up the mountain. But she was shocked when she saw that Juugo had made Ulysses cry. Suddenly, a fire was lit in her heart. Even if it was her beloved brother, Kunon’s sense of justice would not allow the cruelty of making a girl cry.

Well, it turned out to be a misunderstanding. The misunderstanding was cleared up only after Juugo lost consciousness and she heard the story from a panicked Ulysses.

「Then, make sure you send Ulysses off properly, Kunon-chan.」

「Okay, I get it. But are you okay, Juugo-kun?」

「Of course I’m okay. No matter how fiercely my sister attacks me, I’m not the kind of person who’ll nearly die from it. I mean, attacking an innocent person from behind is not what someone who normally talks about justice would do.」

「Ugh! Ah, don’t be so mean, Juugo-kun.」

「Mean? I’m just telling the truth, so why is it mean? If it sounds mean, does that mean you did something you feel guilty about, towards me?」

「I’m sorry.」

Kunon sincerely apologizes to her brother who Is actually quite angry.

「Okay, I forgive you. I’ll leave the rest to you then.」

Then Juugo waves to the two of them and starts jogging alone, running up the mountain path. And at a pretty fast pace. His stamina is as good as ever, and Kunon is really envious of him.

「Shall we go home then, Ulysses?」

「…Okay.」

Ulysses, eyes red, nods weakly.

Kunon holds Ulysses’ hand and guides her down the mountain.

「…」

「…」

They walk slowly in silence. Normally they would be having fun with trivial conversation, but that wasn’t the case now. Occasionally She looks over to Ulysses, and she just looks down. Her eyes are still wet with tears.

So I ask, 「Hey Ulysses. Are you really going to marry Juugo-kun in three days?」

「Kunon?」

「Are you sure you want to do this?」

She stops and turns around. Then she stares into her best friend’s moist eyes.

「That’s…」

「Answer me properly and look me in the eye.」

「…..」

「I’m the only one here.」

As soon as she said that, tears started to flow from Ulysses’ eyes again.

「Kunon, I don’t want to get married after all. I don’t want to get married at the wedding in three days. I don’t want this… this kind of marriage.」

Ulysses collapses and embraces Kunon. Kunon holds her in silence. Ulysses cries in Kunon’s arms. She cries out loud. Alone with her best friend. Ulysses Korulnald let her true feelings out.

How much time had passed? Sometime after the crying stopped, Ulysses left Kunon.

「I’m sorry. You’re always so kind to me, so I got a little spoiled. Forget everything I just said.」

「But…」

「Don’t worry, I’ll get married properly.」

「But you don’t want to marry Juugo, do you?」

「I don’t mind. Because I like Juugo.」

「But you don’t like like Juugo.」

Kunon thinks she understands. Just as Juugo thinks of Ulysses as a younger sister, Ulyssses also just adores Juugo as an older brother.

「Hehe, that’s a typical Kunon way of putting it.」

Ulysses smiles and looks up to the sky. The blue sky.

「Kunon, I’m going to marry Juugo in three days. It’s probably the best thing to do. I’m sure marrying Juugo in this way is the best thing…」

Ulysses’ words were cut off there.

「Thank you for driving me home, Kunon.」

Without another word, they arrived at the Grand Hotel where Ulysses and the others were staying. At the entrance, Kunon said goodbye to Ulysses.

Now alone, Kunon trudges through the city, her head a mess. Before she knows it, the sun has started setting, and the cityscape has turned into a riverbed.

「Hey, what’s wrong? You girl over there, you look obviously depressed.」

She looks up. There is a woman in overalls holding a brush and facing a canvas.

「What are you doing, Sumi-san?」

The ‘cool’ woman she knows smiles brightly.

「It’s just a sketch, as you can see. I’m practicing landscape painting.」

She glances at the canvas, and it certainly isn’t very good.

「So, what’s the matter, Kunon? I’ll give you some advice if you want… No, you should give me some advice. The other day, I failed to give advice to a troubled young man. I feel like getting a little revenge.」

「Advice for revenge?」

「Unfortunately, I’m not the type of woman to just let myself get screwed and let it go.」

Seeing her sister’s bright smile, Kunon felt her heart lighten a little. So she decided to ask for advice.

「The truth is, my dear best friend is getting married, even though she doesn’t want to, Kunon began, sitting next to her onee-san as she continued sketching.

「Is it a political marriage?」

「I think so. There’s something strange about this marriage talk.」

「I see, if Kunon thinks so, then it must be really fishy.」

「Is that so? Well, I’ve given it some thought and here is my conclusion.」

Kunon, who really believes in her, looks on with total acceptance.

「Well, don’t worry about it.」