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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 9 Chapter 6.3

「Interesting. Let me hear it.」

「First, I will never say anything about this in the future.」

「That’s something I can handle. That’s ok.」

With that Kanjou-san reaches out her hand.

「Second, you will never be rough with a woman, like me.」

The outstretched hand stops.

「What’s your basis for thinking that?」

「Because you’re Sougo’s son.」

「You’re thinking too kindly of me. I’ll do anything I have to.」

「Would you like to try?」

Then she reaches out her hand again.

「Three, as it is, I’m overwhelmingly stronger than you.」

At that moment, I put some distance between us. I guess it’s just conditional reflex.

In any case, something incredibly dangerous happened just now.

「Nice reaction. If you’d been a little slower, I would have completely sliced off all the fingers on your hand.」

Kasumi Kanjou chuckles.

「You’re saying scary things.」

「That’s because I’m crazy. Well, let me lay it out for you. In a normal fight, I would never be able to beat you in a normal fight Juugo. Unlike you, who has received special training as a man and a thief, I am only an average person.」

So then…

「The Nanana collection.」

「Congratulations.」

「Didn’t you say you left it on Nanaejima?」

「The only thing I left behind was the <<mirror of life’s predictions>>.」

「…」

「You think I’m bluffing?」

「No. I mean, if you really didn’t bring anything back, there’s no way that old man would have believed you.」

So Kanjou-san must have some sort of Nanana collection. And it must be something pretty nasty. I’ve been watching her for a while now, so there are a few items that I think might be it. But I still don’t know what the abilities are.

「…Sorry, I got too carried away.」

I surrendered obediently.

Then Kasumi Kanjou grinned.

「There’s no way I’d forgive you.」

She threw and connected with just one punch. A full force fist, straight at the nose.

「I can’t tell you who the culprit is, but I’ll give you a hint.」

Kanjou-san says to me after I took the heavy hit. My nose is bleeding and my eyes are crying.

「A hint?」

「It’s a signpost you should follow, what you should do when you get back to Nanaejima.」

「What is that?」

「Uncovering the secret hidden on Nanaejima will lead to saving Nanana.」

Kasumi Kanjou throws this out there.

「It’s like you’re a guide showing the protagonist the way forward.」

「That’s exactly what this is. Now that I’ve left Nanaejima, that’s what I am.」

The secret hidden on Nanaejima… What on earth could that be?」 And how could it be connected to the culprit who killed Nanana-chan? I wanted to ask, but if I did I’d probably get a beating worse than once punch this time.

「Why did you tell me?」

I listened.

「What, you want to get hit again?」

「That question is within acceptable range, isn’t it?」

I try to extract as much information as possible.

Seeing me persist, Kanjou-san sighed and spoke.

「I told you, if I take action to save Nanana, I will die.」

「So if you ask me…」

「There is no guarantee I won’t still die.」

「Well… I see. The <<mirror of life’s predictions>> isn’t here.」

「So I can’t test it. Are you convinced?」

「…it’s a tricky situation.」

「Do you just suspect everything?」

「Well, you aren’t on Nanaejima anymore, so you’re safe. Even if you tell me, the chances of them killing you must be low.」

「Yes, it’s low, but it’s not zero. Am I wrong?」

「…well, that’s true.」

「If I knew…」

「I’d be willing to risk my life a little…」

「You’re persistent. I won’t be there.」

「You won’t be there?」

「If I’m not there when Nanana is saved, it will be meaningless.」

Hearing those words spoken so confidently, my eyes widen. And then I understand.

「So you’re trying to save Nanana yourself?」

「That’s right. I want to save Nanana for my own sake. All I want to see is Nanana’s smile.」

I honestly think that’s amazing. The person in front of me is standing proudly in a place where I couldn’t stand before. She is proud that all of her actions are the result of her own ego.

「I understand. I’ll go back to Nanaejima and investigate bit by bit.」

It is precisely because of that thought that I honestly raise the white flag.

「Please do. Oh, and I have one request.」

「Do you have a message for Nanana?」

「… You’re truly amazing. Can you read people’s minds?」

「The truth is, ever since a certain girl kissed me on the cheek, my mind has been super clear.」

「I see, that’s really annoying.」

「So what is it?」

「Well, it’s not a message exactly. On the contrary, I’d like you to not to mention to Nanana that you’ve spoken to me.」

That was an unexpected request.

「May I ask why?」

「That’s simple. It’s something I’ll tell Nanana someday myself…」

I couldn’t help but grin.

「…I’ll tell her about what I talked about with you today, and what you did to me.」

Her eyes wandered as she continued.

「Was it a mistake to hit you?」

「I let it happen.」

That was a lie.

「There’s one condition: keep what I did to you a secret from Nanana-chan.」

「So, did you feel guilty about that blackmail?」

「Of course. I felt sick inside and wanted to throw up.」

「Okay. Then I’ll keep that to myself.」

「Thanks for that.」

「By the way, I’m the kind of woman who remembers things that have been done to me until the day I die, so I’ve decided not to trust you at all from now on, Juugo-kun.」

「That’s mean.」

「You get what you deserve.」

「That’s true.」

「However, I do trust you to make Nanana smile.」

I was speechless at Kanjoy’s smile.

「You understand that too, Juugo-kun. Nanana isn’t a human, she’s an earthbound spirit. People tend to treat and react to Nanana in a negative way. The same goes for those who have come into possession of the Nanana collection, which holds mysterious powers. Everyone draws the line somewhere.」

I can think of someone. Like Ikusaba-san. Even President Yuiga’s devotion to Nanana-chan is probably an expression of those feelings. Speaking of which, I was the same way at first.

「When I first met her, Nanana had become quite misanthropic. She didn’t trust anyone and didn’t want to talk to anyone.」

That’s something I can’t imagine Nanana being like now. But  now that I’ve seen Nanana’s past, I can understand it. Nanana’s loneliness, sadness, and resignation. In Nanana’s memory, when she first saw Kanjou-san she thought, 「Well, she’ll be gone soon anyways.」

「And it was you who changed Nanana.」

The former resident of Room 202 in front of me opened Nanana’s heart.

「To be precise, I think she changed her back. Nanana was probably like that to begin with.」

「Yeah, I understand.」

「You weren’t afraid of Nanana, and got her to smile.」

「That’s because I saw your notebook.」

「That’s how it is. I wrote it in my notebook, I was like that at first too. But I chose to be by Nanana’s side. And when I saw that vision, I thought that you would be like that too. That’s why at the time I was able to entrust you with the continuation of what I couldn’t do.」

The person who had once written me a message in a notebook when I’d holed myself up in the bathroom. That same person was now saying this to me, right in front of me. That’s what made it seem so genuine.

Catch the culprit who killed Nanana-chan.

I felt like I’d been entrusted with the thing that Kanjou-san had been unable to do herself.

「Yama-kun. It’s true that I helped you go to Nanaejima in the spring. But it’s your decision to go to Nanaejima from now on. …Are you going to go?」

I nodded, of course.

「Yes, I’m going…. Actually, I’m returning.」

Returning to Nanana-chan.

Having answered that way, I finally address the person in front of me.

「Kanjou-san.」

「What is it?」

「Thank you so much for manipulating my fate so wonderfully. Thanks to you, I was able to meet Nanana-chan.」

When I thanked him with this sarcastic and honest expression, Kanjou-san laughed happily.

「I introduced yout o my absolute best friend. The introduction fee isn’t cheap though.」

「Of course, I’ll make sure I catch the person who killed Nanana-chan.」

Kanjou-san nodded upon hearing this.

「Well, see you later, Juugo-kun.」

「Yeah, see ya.」

3

All said, Kanjou-san is an amazing person.

I leave the riverbed and start walking.

A little while later, I take out my cell phone.

「Oh, hello, is this Yukihime-neesan? It’s me. I’m going back to Nanaejima now, so why don’t you come with me?」

I guess I shouldn’t make her worry after all. Besides, there are a lot of things I want to talk about with her in the future.

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

Left alone on the riverbank, Kasumi Kanjou scratches her temple with the butt of the brush she’s holding.

「Well, I didn’t expect him to keep asking me that question… I guess that’s to be expected.」

After all, she knows the answer to the question Juugo has always wanted to know. But she didn’t tell Juugo that. The reason why is simple.

As a result, everything is heading towards the worst possible conclusion. To a future even worse than her being killed. Kasumi simply hopes that Juugo will discover the truth himself.

And so…

「I’m counting on you, kouhai. Please defeat that person.」

Kasumi has predicted the future 23,564 times in an attempt to save Nanana. In all of them, there was one person who would ultimately kill her. When she tells Nanana the truth, there is a definite event that will come in which she disappears, unable to do anything for Nanana. When that terrible guardian is gone, Kasumi will be able to return to that place once again. And this time, she will finally be able to save Nanana.