Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 9 Chapter 1 (section)

== 1.04 Nanana Part 4 ==

Enclosure.

In economic history, this happened toward the end of the Middle Ages.

A powerful feudal lord had monopolized a land used as a communal farm. The citizens that owned that farmland were ruined and served as workers under that lord.

It could be said that the forcible movement called “enclosure” was established due to the conference between feudal lords and the corrupt government officials. In order to obtain what they desired, the feudal lords used entire fortunes and succeeded in hogging the treasure box known as land all to themselves.

Such methods were not uncommon.

When rich people conferred in secret with their allies, they whispered amongst themselves. And, obviously, the topic was how to make even more money—they sought advice on how to squeeze out even more from the peasants.

“The Round Table?”

Inside the limousine, Anmoto Shiika tilted her head. She wore a dress with exposed shoulders and a shrug on top, and her hair was slightly curled. All of that, including accessories, had been chosen for her by Nanana. The clothes were a bit too much for her, but it would give a better impression to all the old men.

“Yes, this is a members-only club of this country’s cartel—one that has extremely strict conditions to enter.”

Folding her legs on top of the seat, Nanana narrowed one eye. She still wore her tiered dress like in camp, having switched out only her dirtied pump heels.

Inside the car were Nanana, the secretary, Pochi, Shachito, as well as Shiika and Aijisupa who was wearing a formal suit. Aijisupa removed his cheap-looking headband, instead using a hair gel to hold his hair. 

While playing with a glass full of wine, Nanana continued her irony-laced explanation.

“It is quite old. I heard it’s been going for about twenty years now. In the world of economics, full of ups and downs, only those whose quality and value were acknowledged to be above the standard are invited there. Yahah. Who is it that decides quality, anyhow? But it’s true that they have some proper pedigree there. Ichinokuro’s one of them, as well as Takakuwa—oh wait, haven’t they already fell off and chased out a while ago?”

“The Tachibanas were also members for a while.”

The secretary interjected from the side. “Oh, really?” Nanana responded nonchalantly.

“Eh? Tachibana, meaning—”

“Well, such distinguished families with strange tastes are rare. Almost all current members are active entrepreneurs that have a hold on the flow of money in this country. They have a fixed number of twelve members. I wonder if they’re really trying to seem like they’re the knights of the round table? Those wannabe westerners.”

“…I don’t really understand it, but what about you, Nanana-san?”

“You can call me just Nanana. And you can speak to me normally. …When we talk it feels like you’re a grade schooler forced to be polite, so it makes me sick.”

“G-got it. Okay. Umm… Nanana… are you also a member of the Round Table?”

“Yahah. At the end of the day, the Akasegawa family is only an upstart without any value. Actually, the Round Table is full of our enemies. Even if I ask them, they’ll probably not let me join. —Or so it was until now, anyway.”

Grinning, she brought her full glass to her lips. No one there would accuse her of drinking wine despite being a minor. Not even the police could stop Nanana.

The limousine Nanana and the rest were riding drove through an avenue.

Many old guesthouses lined the road, perhaps due to this being an area of hot springs. Mixed with the musty buildings was also one that looked like a high-class inn. With all this nature around, it looked good as a hiding place for the rich.

“Is the Round Table connected to Munakata-san’s disappearance?”

“I told you, didn’t I? The flow of money is always honest.”

“…?”

“Munakata is a one-man business. With him gone, the stocks and real estate in his possession would be affected. His businesses would encounter difficulties, and prices would lower. —There were people who started buying all of them at the same time. They tried masking the source of the money, but I knew immediately.”

Shiika goggled at her. She spoke again to make it easier to understand.

“That means that they were aiming for Munakata’s assets. And they were already fully prepared for it—as if they’d already known Munakata would vanish.”

“…!”

“The one who did this was a member of the Round Table. Not that I’m one to talk, but he’s strongly involved with some nasty people. Just pestering him about it will not make him talk, most likely.”

The road suddenly curved, and an open space ahead became visible.

It was a lake.

The sparkling surface that reflected the sun’s rays and a mountain in the background.

“—We’re fully prepared, right?”

She asked the secretary with her stuffed doll.

“Is that really fine? In the worst-case scenario, you will bring major losses. Half your assets are tied to your company, and if your executives found out, you will create an opening for them to—”

“We can just leave those old farts alone. It’s obvious those executives would hold a meeting. If I handle this well there wouldn’t be any problem at all. Yahah.”

“What do you mean?”

To Shiika’s question, Nanana smiled and turned her glass toward the window.

“We’re going to play there.”

Everyone in the limousine looked at the lake visible beyond the trees.

“There’s going to be a lunch party sponsored by the Round Table.”

Large pleasure boats floated in the lake. Three of them.

“Now, let’s embark on the Round Table’s boat.”

Nanana’s proclamation echoed inside the limousine.



Two bellboys opened the gold-rimmed double doors.

The first thing seen was the band performing on stage. A small orchestra made of a flute, horn tympani, cello and violin was accompanied by a light melody played on a grand piano.

Perhaps they replaced the inner furnishing for the party. The spectator seats were removed from the vast lounge, replaced with round tables loaded with high-quality cuisine. Several tables were installed on the deck bordering the lounge as well. The gentle breeze blowing outside seemed pleasant.

The numbers of invited guests they could see was about thirty people. The others were probably in similar parties on the other pleasure boats. The boat Nanana and the rest embarked on was pure white, but there was another ship modeled like a pirate ship and one modeled like a medieval castle floating besides them.

When their group appeared in the lounge, several of the invitees turned to them. Wearing the latest chic clothes, they practically oozed dignity. All of them were older than Nanana—young businessmen wearing black suit or women in kimono who looked like actresses were all perhaps about the end of their twenties.

“Woah…”

Perhaps overwhelmed by everything and everyone there, Shiika drew close to Nanana. It was clear she was a peasant, and from her spot behind Nanana she stared at everything around as if she’d never seen it before.

The pleasure boat they boarded took sail. The scenery of the beach soon grew distant.

“There’s still some time until our fun. You should eat all this excellent cuisine to your heart’s content.”

Nanana spoke casually. She picked up two wine glasses between her fingers from the plate of the waiter passing nearby. She stuck the one with a clear liquid toward Shiika.

“O-okay…”

When Nanana raised her chin, the secretary and Pochi bowed and then went away. The secretary left the lounge for some preparation and the boy took a waiting posture near the entrance.

“Go away, you two. I won’t be able to get drunk with such gloomy-looking people nearby. Yahah.”

She used her hand holding the stick to shoo away Aijisupa and Shachito. “There’s no idiot who’ll get any funny ideas to try something here,” she told them and finally Aijisupa moved away.

“Come now, Iruka-san, you as well. If you like water you can just leap off the deck into the lake.”

“Princess. I’ll warn you just once but—this place’s really bad.”

“Hmm? Whaddya mean?”

Her cheeks flushed due to the ingestion of alcohol, she tilted her head robotically.

Shachito wore a twisted—no, a nearly broken smile. Since he’d left his hockey stick with the staff at the entrance, he was currently unarmed.

“The power field’s all messed up. Something that’s hiding here paralyzed my sense of direction. Like a sea of trees. I feel bad, almost like I’m drunk.”

“Something powerful? If so, then isn’t it right here?”

When Nanana suddenly placed her arms around the other girl’s shoulder, Shiika twitched and raised her face. Perhaps having drunk wine, her ears were turning scarlet.

“M-me?”

“Snow-chan, was it? Have you done something?”

“N-no way…”

“Obviously. Actually, are you strong? It really doesn’t feel so. Your bodyguard seems pretty capable, though.”

“I am… not strong at all.”

As Shachito brought his face closer, Shiika withdrew. Seeing the girl use the glass to hide her face and cast her glance down, Shachito narrowed his eyes with a small huff.

“Well, if we’re talking about how cute you are, you’re in the top for sure! —Well, I warned you. Do be careful.”

Asserting this, Shachito turned his back to Nanana. He approached a kimono-clad lady, pretending he’d bumped into her by mistake and tried uselessly flirting with her.

“I do know that this is a nest of demons.”

Releasing Shiika, Nanana started walking shakily. She forcibly clinked her glass against the one of a wide-backed man, asking him “Good afternoon, how are you?” with a loose smile. The man scowled, finally distancing himself.

“N-Nanana, wait up.”

Perhaps feeling lonely, Shiika soon followed her. She clung close to her.

“Wha’dyou want? So annoying—wait, wow, what’s up with you? That’s hilarious.”

Seeing Shiika’s glass was already empty, she stared at it. When she took Shiika’s hand holding the glass and raised it soon a waiter came to refill it.

“I felt nervous and my throat was dry… so I had to drink something.”

Smiling embarrassedly, Shiika put the glass to her mouth again.

“Please, don’t get drunk and let out your Mushi…”

She never thought that alcohol would make her worry about another person. She grabbed Shiika’s arm and they passed near the party venue.

Applause echoed in the lounge. With a microphone near the stage, one of the sponsors greeted everyone.

“S-someone is speaking, shouldn’t we listen?”

“Old farts like that only talk about obvious things like the weather anyway. Now, watch out for your appearance. You’re so flat that it’s slipping off.”

Fixing the shocked Shiika’s dress, they slipped through the crowds of guests.

Noticing some of them gazing at them, Nanana would greet them, “Yahah. Good tidings to you, gentlemen,” with a drunken smile. None replied, just silently averting their gazes. —As expected from these business world bigwigs, they knew well about the audacious and arrogant behavior of the sole heiress to the Akasegawa clan.

The Akasegawa drunkard girl—

In the shadows of the classy high society, she knew that they mocked her so. They obviously chose that pet name due to the state of drunkenness she always exhibited at any given time.

She decided to just let them point at her and laugh.

And those that didn’t laugh—she would make them.

By doing so, everyone would be caught in her trap.

“C’mon, let’s get some fresh air.”

Nanana and Shiika came out to the deck at the front of the ship facing the lounge. It was probably refurnished as well, as the wooden material of the floor looked brand new.

The deck had tables filled with food but only Nanana and Shiika were there. No one except her would be so rude as to get out of the lounge without listening to the sponsor’s greetings.

“If you drink it all at once you’ll also become drunk quickly. You need to drink it slowly with some food. Sheesh, you don’t even know how to drink, so childish—”

“R-right. But you drank a lot as well, Nanana…”

The wind blowing on the lake shook Nanana and Shiika’s wavy hair.

On the other side of the glass window, the speech in the lounge continued still. As the many adults wore artificial smiles and bustled, the two girls sat around a table.

The other pleasure boats seemed to also have their own entertainment. The sound of the pirate ship launching its cannons echoed on the lake.

“I’m fine. I do it on purpose so it’ll show on my face.”

“On purpose? Why?”

“Because they wouldn’t actually listen even if a brat like me spoke seriously.”

“…?”

“But if I pretend to be a drunk idiot, they’d come over to talk to me. —They think they found an easy mark. They think they’ll be able to squeeze me for all that I’m worth.”

Nanana narrowed one eye, pointing at the lounge with her chin.

“That’s when they lower their guards, and then I bite.”

Shiika looked puzzled.

Perhaps she didn’t know this because she had no connection to business. Her past self was like this as well.

Thinking of it—she suddenly thought.

How long has it been since she spoke to one with no connection to money or business?

Nanana’s surrounding were filled only with people related to money. Her secretary and Pochi were employed for money, and the executives in her foundation couldn’t be said to be close to her as well. Including her business rivals, all of them were people who tried sinking their teeth into Nanana to get her money.

Ah, even without counting Shiika she’d spoken recently to the one who used to be her best friend.

But that woman was no longer her friend. Nanana herself had denied that relationship.

“Isn’t this simply beautiful? A bountiful scenery, first-class food, the best music… everything looks sparkling. And all of the ladies and gentlemen there are radiant as well.”

“…”

“But in reality, all of them are just greedy demons in human skin, you know? All those on the boats, as well as the Round Table—they’re only people who try to curry favor with the sponsor to get a tiny share of the profits.”

Seeing Nanana cackle, Shiika was speechless. Still holding the glass, she looked between Nanana and the lounge, comparing them by sight.

“But that has nothing to do with you. —You should remember all these beautiful things as beautiful.”

People were drawn to beauty.

To jewels and nature, and even to people themselves.

The girl called Anmoto Shiika was pure. Just like Nanana once was.

She should take care of that value. Since she was pure, people would aim for her. Nanana had brought her here out of malice, but she had no intention to sully her innocence. Jewels were meant to be exhibited, not scratched or dirtied.

“If these people here are the scary ones, then you’re not scared of me… of us Mushitsuki?”

Also, this girl called Shiika wasn’t just transparent, but also showed just a small glitter from time to time. Only for an instant, such that perhaps it was only Nanana’s imagination.

Perhaps due to the alcohol, Shiika gazed at Nanana with clouded eyes.

What kind of a life had this girl led? She was unsullied as if she grew in a greenhouse, but her eyes were strong. She had the feeling that Shiika’s eyes saw through the thick walls created by lies and deceptions, and could naturally see what was hidden inside them.

“It’s not like I’m scared. I just hate them. All of those here… and Mushitsuki as well.”

Nanana wore a stretched smile.

—Destiny was created by a swan.

Seeing Shiika’s honest eyes, she recalled the words once spoken by the Magician.

Perhaps this girl right here, Anmoto Shiika—was a swan as well.

“Each and every one of them betrayed me. I’ve been betrayed especially by Mushitsuki many times. The Magician—that woman who was a mere impostor betrayed me, as well as the spear-user. At that time—during the night of the meteor swarm, my stupid wish to become a Mushitsuki was erased.”

Shiika looked surprised. She looked like she didn’t understand Nanana’s words, but she responded to something in the latter half.

“You wanted to become a Mushitsuki?”

“I mean, isn’t it convenient? Getting a magic power? And for free!”

“…”

“Yahah. You’re making a weird face! It’s the first time I made someone want to cry like that. Whenever I talked about this with Mushitsuki they were angry. There was also a half-hearted woman who slapped me.”

Finished her wine in one gulp, she breathed out and then threw the glass backwards. The high-quality crystal glass drew an arc in the air and fell into the lake.

Nanana supported her wavering body with a stick and looked at the lounge.

They were still applauding. The greeting was over and a woman appeared from behind the stage.

Although it was noon, she wore a black evening dress, a black feathered hat, and even had a black lipstick and eyeline—she was a woman drawn entirely in black. Because her hat was several times larger than her head, one eye was hidden.

Everyone there was swallowed by the woman’s alluring atmosphere.

Silently standing at the center of the stage, the woman opened her mouth. Her lips drawn with black lipstick quivered, weaving a soprano voice.

She was apparently a singer. Nanana felt a chill at the delicate and calm singing voice.

Shiika was the same. She clung to Nanana’s dress, seemingly fearful.

The singer’s calm voice was accompanied the orchestra’s melody. The guests brought there by the violin’s tone suddenly came back to their senses, moving again as if they were frozen in time before. They smacked their lips at the food, finding conversation partners and doing small talk.

“Is she the lover of someone in the Round Table? Never mind her skills, don’t these people who are oh-so-chic have some bad taste to bring that singer along?”

“The people of the… Round Table are here?”

“Yes, such as that old fart over there, the hag at the corner, and those two middle-aged men talking in the center. There are apparently four on this boat. By the way, my target is one of the two men. The one that looks like he has an extra-twisty cornetto attached to his face.”

When she pointed at the man with her stick, Shiika nearly burst out laughing. Seeing the man’s elongated chin, perhaps it did resemble a cornetto.

Winning for the first time in a while a laugh other than a polite smile, Nanana felt cheerful.

“Yahah. It looks similar, right? His beard must be made of chocolate.”

“Y-you shouldn’t make fun of him. …Pfft.”

No one came out to the deck. A member of the Round Table went to shake hands with people and they were all focused on currying his favor.

“I’ll wring everything out of him, down to the very last drop.”

“…? Haven’t you asked about Munakata-san?”

“Oh, you want me to just go and ask him ‘hello, do you know anything about the whereabouts of Munakata Kaiji’? Yahah, I have no idea if he’s involved, but I know what he’ll answer to such a question. A big, fat no.”

“…”

“In this industry you can’t just speak with words. Money talks for you. —Well, there is nothing to fret about.”

Nanana asserted this, drunkenly staggering walking toward the railing.

She bumped into it, nearly throwing herself into the water, but was supported by Shiika who hurriedly said, “b-be careful!” to her. “It’s fiiine. …Wait, when did you get hold of an entire bottle?” she asked. “I-it tastes really good…” The exasperated Nanana and blushing Shiika stood side by side next to the railing.

She pushed her back against the railing, leaning back hard. Her hair cascaded and she could see the water of the lake spread in her sight reversed. The lake surface reflected the sun, sparkling.

“Yahah.”

“This is too dangerous!”

“Save me if I fall. I’ll even pay ya for it.”

“I do want to save you, but I think both of us’ll drown. …I can’t swim.”

“Aren’t you a Rank 1? Can’t you go flying fast like whooosh?”

“I can’t… my Mushi can’t do anything.”

“The heck? Yahah, you’re so useless.”

''You liar.

There was no way a Rank 1 wouldn’t be able to do anything. All of the others possessed inhuman strength. There was no way Shiika was the only exception.

But if what Shiika said was true, she understood why the people of Mushibane were so overprotective of her. Even right now Aijisupa kept a watching eye on them.

When Nanana stayed in that position for a while, Shiika started getting impatient. Wondering what was going on, she turned to look over at her.

“H-hey. You can’t copy me like that. You’re going to fall.”

“Eh… But it looks fun.”

“I told you not to. Look, you’re showing off your underwear. I’m not going to be able to take money from everyone inside like this. And your wine’s spilling.”

She wasn’t a peaceful drunk. As Nanana fixed her posture, Shiika mumbled “s-sorry” and curled her body.

“Is it really pricy, this wine?”

“The wine is pricy, yeah, but the wooden floorboards you dirtied just now are from overseas. Your pump heels are also dirty… if we count it all together, the money for reparations should be enough to buy a luxury car.”

“…”

“All of the food on the table is also first-rate. Even the glass itself you’re holding is a brand from overseas—oh, and can you see the ring on that woman’s finger? It was recently sold on an auction sponsored by an international organization. And the watch on that old fart from the Round Table—if I recall correctly, it is a rare piece created by an artisan from abroad. It probably has an old serial number as well. A normal salaried worker could work his butt off his entire life and not be able to buy it.”

“…Incredible.”

“It’s nothing much. Even I could buy all that.”

“No, I mean that you’re incredible. We’re about the same age but you know so many things.”

Shiika’s eyes were sparkling as she looked at Nanana.

“Yahah. I know everything. Should I tell you the worth of all items around here?”

Narrowing one eye, Nanana looked around the party venue.

Everything there was the finest. Evil people would probably be thinking of committing crimes to get them.

However—

“Say, Shiika. Do you have a favorite food?”

“Eh? Umm, maybe crepe.”

“As expected from the poor. Oh well, so if you had the choice to give up a crepe and get everything on this ship, what would you choose?”

Shiika looked extremely puzzled.

“If you could sell a crepe in exchange for a lot of money? Enough money to buy whatever you want.”

After thinking for a while, Shiika had a sudden flash. She wore her usual “please praise me” sort of face.

“Since I’m getting money, I’ll just buy a lotta crepe.”

“Bzzzt. Wrong answer. You can’t buy crepe with that money.”

“Eh?”

“Other than crepe you can buy anything. A large house or any other delicious food.”

“Umm…?”

“But even if I say this, anyone would definitely want the money.”

Nanana looked up the sky. Inside the white clouds, she saw something small and circular floating.

Was this an airplane?

No, the sense of perspective was too weird for that. She had a feeling that she’d seen this vaguely visible shape before—

“But humans… will definitely want to eat that crepe again.”

It was probably some bird.

Nanana ignored the strange dot in the sky.

“I know the value of everything here. But for me, who can’t ever buy that crepe again—can never forget its sweet taste—those things have no value at all.”

There was nothing Nanana couldn’t buy.

She really could get anything she wanted.

One day she’d be able to buy those sweet days back. No matter their price, she’d buy them back—thinking this, Nanana became zealous in earning money.

But the more she learned about money, the more she realized the value of that lost crepe.

The sweet halcyon days she’d lost in exchange for money were gone.

No matter how much money she gained, she’d never be able to buy them back—

“Do you have a dream, Nanana?”

Shiika then asked.

Still leaning on the railing, Nanana turned just her face toward Shiika.

“You wanted to become a Mushitsuki, right? Then you probably have a dream, right?”

“A dream… hmph, yeah.”

Had Nanana had anything like that?

She didn’t care about dreams at all.

What she clearly wanted was something else.

Something like family, like an older sister, a person who would protect her unconditionally.

And she didn’t require any help anymore. Nanana had already become stronger.

Just one more time, she wanted to feel the warmth of those hands—

“I want a space shuttle.”

“A space shuttle? You want to go to space?”

“I won’t ride it. What I’ll get on board is… money.”

Watching the sky again, she narrowed one eye.

“I’ll load up multiple shuttles with as much money as possible and throw them into space. Massive fortunes… I’ll gather up everything on this planet and throw it away like trash.”

Wasn’t it surprisingly easy to accomplish?

She thought so while talking.

Nanana had the talent she’d inherited from her grandfather along with his enormous assets.

“If I do that, will I destroy the world?”

People fought in wars for money.

After launching that space shuttle, the world will be probably engulfed in the flames of war as they fought for the remaining scraps of money.

Just imagining this scenario caused laughter to rise up from inside her.

Unable to retrieve that sweet flavor, Nanana would leave no regrets behind if she created such a world.

“That would be quite amusing. I can definitely do something like that. Yeah, this is my—” 

The moment she was about to say this, something like a black fog appeared in her sight.

It happened in the forested area in the ravine enclosing the lake.

Gradually, a thick, polluted ink-like mist emerged, approaching them little by little—

“Princess.”

Nanana and Shiika turned back to the lounge.

A gangster—no, the boy wearing sunglasses and a formal suit walked to them. He’d somehow retrieved his weapon since the scratch-covered hockey stick was in his hand.

“Iruka-san?”

“Thank you for your patronage. We part ways here.”

Shachito kneeled in front of Nanana, taking and kissing the palm of her hand.

Nanana frowned.

“What’re you playing at? And you’re planning on leaving without even having done any real work? Haven’t you come here to protect me?”

“Well, I just feel like I’m not really cut out for this kinda work.”

Wearing a flippant smile, the boy loosened the tie around his shirt cuff. Nanana pouted.

“You insolent deadbeat. Fine, you’re fired. Go disappear somewhere.”

“Shiika-chan, was it? You should wait right here. —Other than my date, a lot of people seem to be gathering there. You should hide.”

Spinning his stick and putting it on his back, Shachito turned around. “Eh?” Shiika looked puzzled, but apparently he was not going to speak any further.

She thought he was going to leave just like that, but the boy turned back and smiled.

“Nanana-chan.”

“What now? Just go already.”

“It is possible that you’ve gotten yourself a dream. Try to rethink it carefully.”

''How did he—

She didn’t think he listened in on her conversation with Shiika.

“An irreversible dream would only destroy you. Twisted dreams will only serve to summon those who devour them… I’ll take care of him this time, but he’s persistent. He might come again.”

“…?”

“Try choosing a better dream. Be a good woman, alright?”

She didn’t ask for his opinion.

But before she could say that, Shachito raised his face with a twitch. He seemed to notice something while looking up at the sky.

“Tch, so they’re here already. I wish you wouldn’t stand in my way, though.”

She followed Shachito’s line of sight. A black shadow passed above his head.

That black something drew an arc in the sky—and landed on top of the mast of the distant pirate ship.

A large thud accompanied by vibration resounded. The large pirate ship slightly sank from the recoil.

“—”

Nanana widened her eyes.

The thing that alighted on top of the pirate ship had the shape of a human. It was something that should be impossible—but that person seemed to leap straight to the ship from the shore. It was inhuman.

The one striking a daunting pose on top of the sail truly looked like a demon.

Even from afar it was visible that the figure wore a pitch-black coat. The hair pushed back by the mechanical goggles covering the face looked like horns.

Since he was quite far, she obviously couldn’t see his face clearly.

Even so, Nanana would never mistake that person’s appearance.

“Kakkou…!”

“Kakkou-kun…!”

Nanana and Shiika’s voices overlapped.

The strongest Mushitsuki among the members of the SEPB—Blaze Class Rank 1, Kakkou.

He’d grown taller from when she’d last seen him.

Yet his appearance befitting his title as a black demon remained unchanged.

Why was Kakkou here right now—

Nanana groaned in her heart.

Had he appeared to capture Mushibane’s leader, Shiika?

This thought passed through her mind, but Kakkou was acting strangely.

The demon standing atop the pirate ship appeared to be gazing up the sky. When Nanana followed his sight, she noticed something like a dot floating there.

It was the object Nanana had identified as a bird just before. The demon was apparently staring at it.

The black mist travelling through the mountain and the object hovering in the sky.

Both were not part of Nanana’s plans.

“Something’s floating up there. It has a weird forcefield… is that also a Mushi? Looks like that person in black’s trying to chase that… what? Is he an acquaintance of yours?”

Shachito asked in a voice completely lacking any tension.

Yet Nanana and Shiika were still speechless and made no answer.

“Oh well. Then I will go have a little dance with Shinpu-san.”

After hearing his casual reply, Shachito’s presence vanished from behind.

The pirate ship noticed the abnormality and was probably in an uproar. People appeared on the deck one after another.

But the guests boarding the same ship as Nanana apparently had no interest in the scenery outside. While a light singing voice echoed there, they continued their carefree chatter.

“W-why is Kakkou-kun…?”

“—Go back inside the lounge, Shiika. If Kakkou finds you we’ll be in deep trouble.”

She was surprised at Kakkou’s appearance, but it was apparently unrelated to Shiika or the party. Even the SEPB wouldn’t do something like attacking the Round Table. Even if Kakkou himself would unhesitatingly do that.

And if so, him appearing there was nothing more than a coincidence.

If that was true—it was a good play.

Kakkou’s appearance was no accident. It was a happening. For Nanana it was actually advantageous.

“It’s about time to start, I think.”

When Nanana tried going back to the lounge, Shiika was still watching Kakkou’s figure, unmoving.

“Come on, I’m telling you to go back. Or what? You seem like you know Kakkou, but do you have any business with him?”

“…No. Not yet.”

Shaking her head slightly hesitant, Shiika smiled.

“I’ll be the one to go and meet him someday.”

“Hmm. Is there any meaning in meeting someone like him?”

“Do you know Kakkou, Nanana?”

While pulling on Shiika’s arm, she spat, “Who knows?” She just met him for a short while in the past. There was no doubt he’d already completely forgotten about her.

As expected, when they finally went back inside the lounge the people around started clamoring. Perhaps having received contact from the pirate ship, the members of the Round Table gathered and conversed amongst themselves. Seeing their behavior, the other guests seemed to be suspicious.

“What will they do about the party? Stop it?”

“No way. The Round Table members will want to continue. Right about now Ichinokuro’s probably pressuring the government. What a waste, someone so popular and with so many personal connections having no one to succeed him… —That is why we need to have our own bit of entertainment.”

“Entertainment?”

As Nanana let go of Shiika’s hand, the secretary returned to her side. She whispered in her ears that preparations were complete.

The singer on top of the stage had disappeared at some point. Nanana took off to the Round Table members at the center of the venue, clapping her hands loudly.

“There’s not enough wine! Will someone come over to pour some high-quality alcohol for me?”

Everyone around immediately focused their gazes on her.

Wearing a strained smile, Nanana grasped the empty glass. Glancing around the now-silent venue, her eyes stopped on the four members of the Round Table whispering among themselves at one corner of the lounge.

“Oh, my? Good tidings to you, lady and gentlemen of the Round Table. I have been late with my introduction. I wonder if I could be so rude as to offer you to join my humble table?”

The atmosphere around froze completely.

In this country’s business world, when a business got carried away and went bankrupt in the blink of an eye, they used the metaphor “the Round Table acted”—everyone feared them. And there were actually times when this wasn’t simple metaphor.

Even though it was the Round Table, Nanana clapped and called to them to fill her glass of wine.

Everyone in the party hall was convinced of the oncoming downfall of the Akasegawa Foundation.

“Oh my? What’s with those stares? Have I said somethin’ strange? Yahah.”

Just like her drunkard girl nickname, Nanana spoke in slurred speech, laughing her head off.

Stopping the other members of the Round Table with a hand, the youngest among them stepped forward. They probably had a seniority-based hierarchy.

The man with a beard on his pointy chin—the man Nanana had acquired as a target. The soft smile he’d worn only in front of the guests did not melt. Yet it was obvious at a glance that his eyes were not those of an honest merchant. In the first place, he appeared in the corrupt business world only rarely.

“No, we are the ones who should apologize for our belated greetings to you, Akasegawa-san. You seem to be insinuating that there’s something lacking in our party?”

“There’s not enough wine. Also, no entertainment. I’m positively bored.”

“Today, the aim was to show our gratitude, as well as to deepen our amiable relationships with those mingling here. Or should we have prepared a delightful game of bingo? —Hey, you. This lass seemed to have drunk too much. Please escort her outside for some fresh air.”

“I don’t want to hear that from someone who’s not even a member of the Round Table.”

“…With all due respect, little girl, I am a member.”

Pochi stood in front of the bellboy approaching Nanana. The bearded man with hurt pride changed his expression slightly.

“Yahah, I apologize. But, oh! You really are in the Round Table? —Say, what do you think, Madame? Could I please become a member as well? I have much more money than this thing, right?”

“Unfortunately, the most important condition for entering the Round Table is dignity… also, we currently number twelve, so we’re full.”

“Say what! Are you saying I have no dignity? How rude! —Just kidding, yahah.”

Seeing Nanana laugh so much she stomped all over the place, everyone scowled. Even Shiika next to her watched over her anxiously.

“Ah, how boring. Say, since I’m already here, why don’t we bet on some horse racing?”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Horse racing. You don’t know it? If you think games for the rich, that’s the first thing that pops into your mind. A hobby for nobles all the way from the times of the Roman Empire! C’mon, we have to do it, quickly! I can already hear the trumpets!”

“You seem to be hallucinating. Please continue doing so on the bed inside the cabin.”

“Not a hallucination at all. Both of us have horses, right? They’ve already entered the starting gate, waiting for the start signal.”

Standing erect, Nanana turned toward the other Round Table members and stooped while grabbing the hem of her skirt. She made a respectful bow.

“Lady and gentlemen of the Round Table. I, Akasegawa Nanana, have prepared a modest game for our enjoyment. As thanks for you inviting me here today, allow me to present you with this temporary amusement.”

The venue started clamoring again.

“Shortly, it will be the time for the afternoon stock trading to begin. We will use our assets as chips, selecting our racehorses—meaning our stocks from here. We will display a magnificent race.”

The three Round Table members didn’t move. People who’d be shaken from this paltry provocation would not be in the Round Table.

“But this is not a mere gamble. We will also be wearing blindfolds. —Meaning, even after placing this bet, we will be able to call without seeing what happened afterward or what we have affected.”

Already in turmoil, the venue now became an absolute uproar.

Stocks were the value of a company.

Investors would read the movements of their company and its subsidiaries and other businesses, or even the flow of the entire marketplace to make money. Investing while being unable to view any of that meant betting on their reasoning without knowing what happened now and what they had gotten themselves into by doing that.

“The units of our chips will come in a hundred million each. As for the place of the stocks exchange, I have already prepared it. —How about it?”

“Nothing about it. You have spoken nothing but foolishness.”

The bearded man added a laugh.

It was an obvious response. It wasn’t worth it to gamble on this. Even among those with plenty of money to spare, not many people would accept that offer.

Nanana narrowed one eyes and smiled.

“…Alpha.”

When she mumbled this, the bearded man raised a brow.

Only one person, the oldest man among the Round Table, seemed surprised.

She tried shaking him taking this opportunity, but apparently only the oldest farts knew of it. But this piece of information gotten by the Kind Magician definitely existed in the Round Table.

“Enclosure. Bubble. Paradigm Shift—”

This time, even the bearded man looked agitated.

The information grasped once by the Magician.

And the information chased after by the lost Munakata.

Both were apparently connected to the Round Table.

If those agitated the Round Table, they were definitely big secrets.

“So, how about it? To the outside it would just seem like you’re having another event. And the Round Table will never lose against outsiders, right?”

Kakkou’s appearance probably brought great chaos not only to this ship but to the pirate ship as well.

In order to stop the panic, they would not want their guests to see the situation outside.

“Do you still not understand? I am inviting you to a duel.”

If it became a duel between Nanana and the Round Table—the guests would obviously be interested.

“How moronic.”

The bearded man’s complexion worsened because he saw the other members of the Round Table consulting with someone on their cellphones. They were probably getting in contact with the Round Table members on the other ships.

Nanana grinned and then asserted.

“The time has come. Then I’ll begin. I will buy code 17428. My investment amount is…”

Hearing the number she spoke, the guests around all stammered. They were perhaps doubting Nanana’s sanity.

The secretary followed Nanana’s orders by cellphone.

“This is a bomb. I wonder what effect will this have on the market?”

The bearded man scowled.

“I never said I’m going to participate. Also, there is no guarantee that you will not do anything illegal—”

“We will not let her,” the other members of the Round Table interjected. Closing their cellphones, they added, “We, the Round table, will watch the market.”

That was effectively the green light.

The bearded man scowled even more for an instant.

“This is foolish… but a gentleman cannot step away from a duel.”

Wearing a smile only on the outside, he wrung out his voice. He was probably seething with rage on the inside for being played by the whims of Nanana and the Round Table.

“Yahah.”

Nanana narrowed one eye and gestured elegantly toward the table, inviting the man to sit.

“Welcome to the table of enjoyment.”

Starting with the tone of a violin, the orchestra began playing a light melody.