Chapter 245

One Hundred and Forty-Four: The Jealousy of the Forgotten

The crowd burst through the bridge’s ceiling and reached the top deck of the whale. Looking back through the hole, they could still see Ayu’s smiling face on the screen.

Matthew transformed in front of them into a fierce giant dog, its sharp fangs gleaming with frost, making it clear that he could easily pierce through their bodies.

“That Ayu,竟然…”

None of them had ever imagined seeing Ayu like this, but combined with what they learned about his past from Belulu, it could indeed be explained—it was unexpected, yet logical.

“Certainly, we don’t know what his past was like.”

In truth, it wasn’t entirely like that. When caught by the base, while they had a lot of time interacting with him, the girls had tried to sneakily uncover more about his personal affairs so they could better connect with him.

But every time they got close to key information, Ayu would change the subject or start pranking to force a shift, maybe intentionally to keep them from understanding him.

He refused to open up and truly understand her, closing himself off.

“So that’s why he’s been doing these things to us? Because his past has influenced him?”

“I don’t know, Makoto. Without actually understanding, we can’t truly know.”

Arisu shook her head; after learning this, she felt even less malice towards Ayu than she did before.

Of course, the one most worried about him was another person.

“Mr. Matthew, why?”

“Why do you ask me? I want to ask you—Mana, why?”

The giant wild dog transformed as Matthew’s eyes burned with intense flames and jealousy.

“What you said about not needing memories, yet you’re still so concerned about him when he’s your enemy!”

“No, Ayu is different!” Ai said without any hesitation—she was so focused because she didn’t want that man to become a memory!

“So what if he’s special? So am I! He makes me forget everything! And you say we don’t need memories!”

Matthew, enraged, turned into a cannonball and smashed among them, scattering the girls with his impact.

“Do you mean we shouldn’t consider the feelings of those trampled and forgotten?!”

“Pardon?” Ai, dazed from pain, slowly got up from the ground, confused not only because it seemed Matthew had acted like a villain, but also—he doesn’t even know me… etc.?

Looking up, she noticed the golden heart pendant hanging on the giant dog’s neck, her expression faltered.

She had just touched this pendant recently!

“You’re…!”

Matthew… Mallo, just changing one word.

Ai’s pupils violently trembled, disbelief filled her voice.

Still, this could explain why Mallo had always targeted her specifically.

Rapidly moving, Mallo kept colliding with Pretty Cures, who couldn’t even grasp at his tail, forced to defend and slow him down.

“But Mallo, this isn’t right!”

My dog suddenly revived and started attacking me and my friends due to a misunderstanding. Ai remembered something Ayu once told her and immediately suspected foul play.

But first, they had to stop Mallo!

“I never said I wanted to abandon the past!” Ai, struggling with a bite from his bloodthirsty jaws, used her hands to prop up his snapping teeth.

“I want to face the future together with you all!” Ai pushed Mallo back with all her might. Instantly, the giant dog used his ability, launching wild attacks from the energy surging through his fur, forcing the girls to evade.

“This way, you’ll all forever live in my heart! Therefore, Mallo, let go of Ayu—aaah!”

“Annoying, be quiet!” Upon hearing this, Mallo’s anger skyrocketed further. His assault intensified. “You always talk about him. Ai, you’re such a fickle person.”

“…..I’ve changed!”

“Hmph, impossible to save him then!” Mallo breathed out hot air, his eyes full of vicious light.

“He’ll happily die in his dreams!”

“Not at all!” Makoto and Akuri stepped in for Ai, collaborating against Mallo.

“Ayu will surely escape his dream!”

“No…”

Looking back at the beautiful smile on the screen and holding her chest, Rikka fell silent.

“Huh?” Even though it was just mumbling to herself, Arisu heard it, feeling immense surprise.

Though difficult to comprehend, seeing Ayu’s rare, genuine and unmalicious smile, Rikka hoped he wouldn’t wake up despite her own confusion.

“Ayu is really happy now.”

Perhaps just as someone once said, no one can abandon their beautiful dreams, especially Ayu, who had never experienced happiness.

This thought made Rikka feel an immediate sense of disgust towards herself.

Why… do I have such ugly thoughts?

With her head low and her face twisted in discomfort, Rikka felt deeply sad.

But soon Rikka had no time to lament. With increasing intensity of Mallo’s attacks—fuelled by the pain of being forgotten—everyone was evading furiously.

“You’ll all go straight to the depths of hell!”

Seeing Mallo charging at her, Ai’s expression changed constantly. In the end, she stood her ground and closed her eyes facing the attack.

“Pfft!”

The continuous battle paused momentarily.

Sharp fangs pierced through Ai’s shoulder, almost cutting her jugular—an extremely dangerous level. Blood trickled from her shoulder down her arm, rapidly forming a pool on the ground.

How?

Mallo’s eyes widened upon sensing the blood, having not expected this move of hers to hit him.

“Cure Heart!”

Concerned friends, the searing pain from her shoulder—it all didn’t matter to Ai. She maintained her composure, embracing Mallo closely.

“Why—didn’t you dodge?”

Even though going upward two inches would finish her, Mallo held back, fixing his gaze on his “former favorite” owner.

“I can feel Mallo’s emotions—you resented me for forgetting about you, so now you hate and envy me for loving others now.”

You said real battles can make others understand our feelings, right?