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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 9 Prologue Part 2

「I’d like you to stop that too. I’d rather you not come near here if possible.」

「That’s a lot to ask.」

「Please.」

A sigh could be heard from the white fox as she gave in to Nanana’s request.

「Nanana always makes unreasonable requests. So let me ask one last thing.」

「Yeah?」

「Is Negakana the enemy?」

Her words and tone of voice made me open my eyes involuntarily. I saw the white fox on the other side of the window slowly rise to its feet.

She quickly closes her eyes and adds, 「Not at all. You’re still my friend, just like before. But my contract with Negakana says that from now on I have no involvement with the Nanana collection. I was the one who first brought it up. So now it’s just selfish of me to say that I want to use it too. Besides, Negakana is inflexible when it comes to things like that, and she absolutely won’t give in. So I have no choice but to do it secretly.」

「Does no involvement mean that I’m not allowed to use the Nanana collection?」

「No. You’re actually using the Nanana collection right now to talk to me like this.」

「Oh, really?」

「It means that you’re not allowed to interfere with what Negakana is doing. In the original contract, I gave up the Nanana collection. So I can’t leave this room. But I want something from the Nanana collection that I can use to get out. So I’m going to have Ketekete and the others help me get it. And I thought Ketekete was the best fit for this role.」

「Why?」

「Because he’s traveled the most around the world with me. So he naturally understands most of the Nanana Collection.」

「I wasn’t traveling around because I wanted to either.」, a displeased voice rang out, but when I opened my eyes, I saw the crouching white fox’s tail wagging happily.

Nanana couldn’t help but chuckle and close her eyes, as Ketekete spoke to her.

「That’s surprising, though. In the past, Nanana would have been the one to take on everything.」

「I’ve done everything I can in this room, and I’m still doing it now.」

「So, the Nanana who used to believe in a head on approach, is now secretly working behind the scenes?」

「Maybe it’s the influence of the kid who’s been living in this room lately? He’s a kid who does some pretty dirty things, isn’t he? Well, not as much as Sansa.」

「Anyway, Nanana thinks that sort of thing is okay now.」

「Yeah. I don’t find it unpleasant when Juugo does those kinds of things.」

「You don’t find it unpleasant? You know, It’s still just an intuitive like or dislike, with no real logic to it.」

「Is that right?」

「Yeah that’s right. Anyway, it seems like you really like this guy, Juugo.」

「Jealous?」

「No way.」

「No way, no way.」

「I wonder who you like better, Haruaki or me?」

As soon as she heard that, Nanana was quiet for a moment and said in a sulky tone, 「That’s not a fair question.」

「Yeah that’s true. Sorry, forget the whole thing.」

「Okay, I forgive you.」

「Well, I’m going to be off now. I’ll think about how to find the Nanana collection.」

「Okay, that’s about it.」

「Oh yeah!」

「What?」

「Welcome back Nanana.」

I opened my eyes at those words. But Ketekete was already gone.

I couldn’t help but mutter, 「I’m home, Ketekete.」

It was at the moment that a clang was heard from the entrance. It was seven o’clock at night, the usual time that something happens. A person had arrived with her attendant and said to Nanana with an insolent attitude, 「I’ve arrived, Nanana-dono.」

「Welcome, Tensai-chan.」

The earthbound spirit from Room 202 of Happiness Dorm smiles happily at the great detective.

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

「Yes, sorry to keep you waiting.」

The attendant in a frilly apron places food on the table. Seeing this, the detective laughs fearlessly and says, ‘Ho ho’, while the earthbound spirit explains, ‘Wow!’ with sparkling eyes.

「Itadakimasu.」

「Yes, enjoy your meal.」

The detective, Tensai Ikkyuu, picks up her favorite cheese hamburger with her chopsticks, puts it in her mouth in one go, and puffs out her cheeks like a squirrel, making ‘Hamo hamo’ sounds.

「It’s delicious. D’arc’s homemade pudding is the best.」

The earthbound spirit, Nanana Ryuugajou, brings the pudding from the spoon to her mouth with a look of happiness on her face.

「That’s good to hear.」

Seeing the two of them smiling, the detective’s attendant and assistant, D’arc Hoshino, smiles with joy. By the way, he’s a boy.

Since the summer began, the three of them have been having dinner together every night as a regular occurrence.

Meanwhile, Nanana’s bright smile darkens for a moment.

「It’s been two weeks since Juugo went missing.」

Seeing Nanana turn her eyes to the now empty spot and Tensai, who was munching on the hamburger on her plate, D’arc says, 「Tensai-chan, has there been any progress on Juugo’s whereabouts since then?」

「There hasn’t been any progress since the day after Juugo went to buy pudding. On the day that Nanana told him to go buy pudding, Juugo left Nanaejima on a ferry. What’s strange is that he left Nanaejima right after buying the pudding at a nearby convenience store.」

That night, Tensai happened to be eating dinner, and when she heard from Nanana that Juugo hadn’t returned, she immediately investigated that area.

「I guess something happened while he was out shopping?」

「Munch, Munch. I guess so.」

「I still can’t get in touch with him.」

D’arc sighs as he looks at the phone he took out of his pocket.

「It seems a little fishy because it’s similar to what happened when Saki Yoshino, the organizer of the recent <game>, M, went missing. I thought about the possibility that the leprechaun might have done something to Juugo, who won the <<game>>, but….」

「No way! I don’t think so.」

Nanana raises her voice and immediately shuts her mouth, but Tensai doesn’t say anything more. She can guess with near certainty that Nanana and the leprechauns are related, but she hasn’t heard it directly from Nanana.

「If I were a leprechaun, I would have took the <<sword of Nanana>>, the grand prize. But the <<sword of Nanana>> is still here. Therefore, I think the possibility of the leprechaun being involved is extremely low.」

Tensai adds this to reassure Nanana.

「I see. Yes, that’s right.」

Seeing Nanana’s relieved expression, Tensai’s mouth relaxes and she glances at the <<sword of Nanana>> leaning against the wall.

「By the way, Nanana-dono. Juugo used that sword to see Nanana-dono’s past, but he said he still didn’t know who killed Nanana-dono.」

「Yeah, that’s what he said.」

「I see. That’s unfortunate.」

Using the <<sword of Nanana>>, the winning prize in the <<game>>, he saw into the past of Nanana, who is currently a ghost, to identify the culprit who killed her. That was the scenario that Juugo Yama, the resident of this room, had envisioned. And Juugo won the <<game>>, and it seems he actually did it. However, he was unable to identify the culprit who killed Nanana.

That is why Tensai is wondering what on earth Juugo saw.

In any case, to be honest, Tensai feels relieved that Juugo hasn’t identified the culprit who killed Nanana. That’s because the great detective Tensai Ikkyuu is also searching for the culprit who killed Nanana Ryuugajou.

「「Thank you for the meal.」」

Satisfied with D’arc’s dinner, the two naturally exchange glances.

「Well then, shall we play, Tensai-chan?」

「I’d sure like to, Nanna-dono.」

Anyway, forget about that for now. Just play with nanana as usual. Just like when Juugo was here. As if to show that nothing has changed.

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

The three of them played video games until the date was about to change. As the two returned to the next room, Room 203, Nanana saw them off from her room, as usual.

「Well then, Nanana-dono, see you tomorrow.」

「Good night, Nanana-san.」

「Yeah, see you tomorrow, Tensai-chan and D’arc-chan.」

From inside the room she is stuck in, she sees the two of them off as they head out the front door. Then there’s a ‘bang’ as the front door closes. This is the moment Nanana feels the loneliest. In the silence that was completely different than earlier, Nanana stared intently at the closed door, then spoke quietly.

「Hey, Negakana. Are you there?」

Now that the <<game>> is over, Negakana no longer appears before Nanana. Due to a contract she made with Nanana when she was alive, Negakana continues to manage the Nanana collection and create the <<ruins>>. The <<game>>, with the rare Nanana collection as the prize is part of that.

Each time, Negakana appears with a report. When the <<ruins>> hiding the Nanana collection are completed, or when the <<game>> is held. However, Negakana does not appear at any other time. She does not respond to my calls either.

Negakana has not appeared since the <<game>> has ended.

Where is Negakana usually? Where is its main body, the Nanana collection, the <<Heaven and Earth Yin and Yang Feng Shui Beard>>? Even Nanana doesn’t know.

She turns around and looks around the room she cannot leave. A space with no one else in it except her. Her clenched hands naturally tighten.

Tensai and D’arc come over every day, and Shiki still comes over to play every now and then. But Juugo’s not here. He’s not here even though he should be. For the past two weeks, Juugo, who was always here, has not been here.

In the dimly lit room, Nanana drops her eyes to her hands. Juugo had seen her memories and had held her hand tightly. Softly. She can still remember the feeling of Juugo’s hand. It was so warm. But that Juugo was no longer here.

He said he wouldn’t let me feel lonely. Right now Nanana is feeling very lonely. When she thought that, Nanana’s lips naturally pursed.

「Juugo, you idiot.」