Chapter 143

Chapter Thirty-Seven Are You A Troublemaker?

When Ash heard Makoto’s words, his constant tapping on the table finally ceased.

Though the girl in front of him might not understand what her own words really meant, it was evident that she truly cared for Princess An of the Playing Card Kingdom.

It was such a moving ode to loyalty and friendship; I am nearly moved to tears.

Liar, I haven’t even started to.

“Did you say you’d do anything?”

Hearing Ash’s eerie gaze, Makoto immediately felt goosebumps on her skin. Now, she felt even more unsettled. The feeling of being hunted by a beast made her want to run away right now, escaping from this increasingly terrifying place.

But Makoto suppressed this impulse to flee, enduring for the sake of Princess-sama.

No running! No running! No running! Makoto, if you escape here, everything will be ruined!

Unconsciously, as Ash approached and Makoto kept retreating, Makoto found herself pressed tightly against the back of her chair. They were extremely close, Ash lifting his arm to rest behind Makoto’s head, interestingly observing the girl squirming under his shadow.

C-Could it be… Is the demand… me?!

Suddenly imagining some rather unsettling developments, the scrutiny in Ash’s eyes making her face flush, but looking up at Ash who was so close, thinking about Princess-sama, she endured with a rumbling stomach.

I’m fine, I can endure anything; I am Precure after all, no matter what…

While the girl was lost in thought, the shadow blocking her was lifted, allowing sunlight through. Ash sat back down, uninterested.

“I have no interest in tablets.”

“…”

Makoto, still feeling the warmth on her face, followed suit.

Although nothing bad happened, why am I still so upset?!

What tablet are you talking about—I’m only 14, it’s you who has the problem!

“What’s this tablet? Sure, sure, I will grow up…” Makoto pouted and whispered as she sat back down.

“Then come back when you’ve grown up.”

…

This person is so detestable! Not just with these arbitrary reasons, but also… in any case, I won’t ever come to see him again after this!

“What do you want me to do, anything within my capability—I will do!”

“Miss, saying such things to someone like me is playing with fire, understand?”

Pulling out a deck of cards from under the table next to him, with a swift motion, the thick deck vanished from Ash’s hands, only to reappear in them again when he crossed his wrists. The cards seemed alive as they danced in his palms.

Precure and Kamen Raider are really something else… She watched in amazement as he skillfully shuffled the deck, waiting nervously, not knowing what was coming, until Ash stopped, spinning his fingers, three cards neatly placed before Makoto.

“If you are really willing to do anything…”

He revealed the cards one by one: Heart A, Diamond Q, Club K.

“Then go and defeat all your friends?”

“You—!”

Her anger flared. Shocked at Ash’s audacity, while she had said she would do anything, she never imagined he would plan for her to do something like this!

Although she initially didn’t wish to interact with other Cures, she wasn’t necessarily opposed to them; even if they weren’t teammates, there was no reason to be enemies. And especially not now, having deeply considered them as friends, she did not want them harmed because of her.

But what if the ones harming them were her herself?

Her angry gaze gradually turned cold.

“How dare you!”

“Why shouldn’t I dare?”

Ash asked boldly, looking at her with a gaze full of confidence, causing Makoto to feel the cold in her heart too. She leaned on her knees, her face turning colder yet.

“Didn’t I tell you already, this is playing with fire.”

“Would the light of justice in them think how terrible you are, if betrayed by those they trusted?”

Ash tilted his head, looking curiously curious.

“Would they cry out your name in desperation to know the truth to save you? Or would they angrily denounce you for betraying them?”

“You—the worst!”

Facing the girl’s rage-filled words, Ash shrugged, accustomed to this sort of reaction by now. “I didn’t force you; you could choose not to do it.”

Of course, I won’t! How can I betray them!

But… If I don’t do it… Could I lose the one chance to save Princess An forever?

The thought sent a serpent of fear and guilt gnawing at Makoto. Her mind replayed the possibility of the scenario over and over.

Yet, how could she betray Mana and my friends for my selfish thoughts!

But I cannot abandon Princess An either… Princess-sama, please guide me if you’re still there!

“Do or don’t… Do or don’t…”

Muttering in a dazed manner, Ash watched as Makoto’s trembling hand slowly reached for a card on the table.

Watched her, watched the scene unfold.

Just as Makoto placed her hand on the Heart A, about to make a choice, Ash grabbed her clean wrist, taking all three cards at once.

“Stop here.”

Surprised, Makoto looked down at her hand, then back at the empty table and Ash’s sly smile. The rage ignited in her, doubling, tripling, quadrupling, super-multiplying. Her eyes nearly spewed flames.

She wished she could transform into Curesword and teach him a lesson!

“You—Are you deliberately fooling me!”

“Correct!” Ash sprang from the sofa, snapping his fingers. A Black Spade J appeared in his hand, which he used to cover half his smirking face. “Unfortunately, there’s no reward this time.”

Ash always doubted she would betray her friends for his sake. He never thought it was a real possibility, but wanted to see how convoluted she would get.

“I usually prefer doing things myself. So if you don’t act like an immediate enemy, don’t keep making such promises. Did you understand?”

She fought with herself, struggling internally, considering even her conscience. In a long animated episode, this would be the place for flashbacks, but you’re telling me it’s just to toy with me?

Sure enough, catching her hand at the end did ease her mind, but it also left her without having made a choice.

Naturally, she was still upset.

Pouting, Makoto turned her head away from Ash.

“No more games, this time I won’t骗