Chapter 243

The hundred and forty-second Inheritance of Love

Having lost her loved ones and her beloved dog return, Rikka and Arisu seemed to vanish from this world as if they had never existed at all. Ai immediately realized she was trapped in the past.

Holding Shaluru, who was sent over by Ash’s “kick,” she naturally wanted to leave this world, but Matthew kept his eyes on her. Ai couldn’t escape from here.

Every time she had the thought of leaving, the warm memories of the past would easily shatter like an ephemeral dream. Maalu, her beloved dog, met with a car accident and lost her life, while her cherished grandmother’s health declined rapidly; everything happened just as it did when they left Ai before.

After these heart-wrenching events in the past occurred, the world would quickly start anew as if saying, “Choose me, stay in the past.” As long as she didn’t advance to the future, no painful things would happen.

But Ai was not so easily defeated now. She persisted without giving up, and thus such events kept repeating themselves in front of her.

Over and over again, endlessly repeated.

Until the endless attempts to find a way out exhausted Ai, sadness and frustration gradually filled her heart.

She passed her grandmother and Maalu countless times, yet neither the greetings from her relatives nor the barking from her dog drew any response from her this time. She simply dragged her body back to her room like a walking corpse.

“Mana, is Summer alright?!”

“I’m fine, I’m just… too tired.” Sitting on the soft stool, Ai felt both her body and mind were utterly exhausted.

As she closed her eyes, memories of the real world flooded her mind, where Maalu and her grandmother had already left her, gone to heaven.

She even felt a faint desire to give up, to refrain from returning to a world where her grandmother and Maalu were already dead.

Let her abandon the future, after all, there were only painful experiences waiting ahead…

“Smack!”

The sound of Ai slapping her face startled Shaluru.

“How selfish and irresponsible of me.”

If Mr. Ash knew about these shameful thoughts of hers, he would surely slap her face in anger, wouldn’t he?

Since she had finally reconnected with those who had passed away, shouldn’t she be living their lives to the fullest for them!

“But how?”

Trapped in the的美好变成了空白，因为您的提问超出了之前的语境范围，以下是您请求的翻译内容：

沉浸在过去的美好，抗拒来自未来的痛苦，Ai陷入了找不到出路的迷茫之中。

“Mana, may my grandmother enter?”

At that moment, a familiar, comforting, gentle voice came from outside the door.

“Please come in.”

Her grandmother and Maalu walked in together; they appeared not to be curious about Shaluru’s presence. Her grandmother sat opposite her, offering a cup of fragrant tea, while Maalu curled up at her feet, nuzzling affectionately against her ankle.

“Huh—” The girl felt much of her pain alleviated as she gulped down the flavorful tea. “Thank you, Grandma. I feel better!”

“What’s wrong? Your dear granddaughter’s trouble is nothing to me.”

“I… ” Ai continuously spun an empty teacup between her palms, as if telling her inner turmoil. “I saw Grandma and Maalu again, but I can’t stay here. What should I do…”

Though she yearned for the future, she didn’t want to discard the past. She really was a greedy, shameful person.

Grandma smiled without directly addressing her, instead telling a story about her name, “Ai.”

“When your parents gave birth to you, they hadn’t yet decided on a name. This ‘Ai,’ this ‘Mana,’ Ai Aida was named by me.” Grandma continued smiling.

“Always lend a hand to those in need, and always face the future with determination. That’s what we expect of you, isn’t it Ai.”

Ai gently stroked Maalu’s soft fur, listening to Grandma’s story.

“The answer to this question has been in Ai’s heart from the beginning.”

“Yes.”

Indeed, while she wasn’t sure where Makoto and Rikka were or what they were doing now, one thing was certain—they would never abandon her!

Rikka and the others were waiting for her.

That person…Ash was definitely waiting for her too.

“I can hear them!”

Listening intently and feeling with her heart.

It was the sound of steps leading towards the future, and the heartbeat of hope!

“So, my dear granddaughter, it’s inevitable for you to go, to the place where everyone is waiting for you. Don’t be sad for losing us; even if the past seems beautiful, don’t let it hold you back.”

“Make the most of your short life, passing on the love and achievements left by the previous generation to the next. This is how humans grow slowly.”

Even knowing her dear granddaughter was about to leave, Grandma waved goodbye with a smile for her future sake.

“Go, connect the love inherited by you to the future.”

Picking up Maalu, the loyal gaze in the dog’s eyes remained unchanged.

“Mmm—I understand!”

When the belief was firmly re-established, the past no longer became a troubling existence but a blessing facing the future.

Ai, turning into her Pretty Cure form, began to glow and transformed. Like an angel, she hugged her grandmother one last time.

This time, she didn’t shed any tears; she truly felt the connection to that love.

“I’m going back!”

Back to the side of the Pretty Cure team!

“And pass on that love carried on for generations to another!”

Ash, I’m coming!

“Hey hey, what’s wrong?”

Ash opened his eyes standing at his doorstep, looking through the window at the pitch-black room inside and sneered.

“You’ve seen everything before; memories have no effect on me at all!”

To waste time on useless efforts, the villains in the Pretty Cure world were really stubborn.

But Ash also sensed something strange. After studying himself in the glass window, he realized he was 20 years old, in his present form.

“What’s happening now, whatever,”

Ash shook his head indifferently; it didn’t matter either way since the intentions of whoever planned this wouldn’t affect him, who had abandoned the past.

“I’m back.”

He opened the door; it was still completely dark inside. But now, both his parents had returned from work, and nobody was around.

Was it ready to fabricate the Wayne family’s story in the alley to make me despair? Haha, sorry, that won’t work on me.

As Ash reached for the light switch with an indifferent attitude, the lights suddenly turned on, illuminating the entire room. The warm, beautiful light shone on him and nearly triggered his battle reflex, a ribbon flying to his face.

“How bright!”

“How many people!”

Countless smiles?

“TA~DA~!”

An infinite number of people, some named and some unnamed by Ash, appeared in his home. The originally cold, impersonal room, which was decorated brightly and comfortably, was now filled with joy. They wore hats, held streamers, and blew silly horns as they moved toward Ash and surrounded him.

Their faces bore smiles that conveyed happiness and blessings for Ash. Several people hurriedly brought a huge cake they had prepared beforehand to Ash.

“Happy Birthday, Ash!”

“You guys…”

Seeing her “partners/enemies” celebrating his birthday, even Ash didn’t think he would come across such a scene. He stood there like an idiot with his mouth open.

“Ash, happy coming-of-age birthday!”

“Dad, Mom?”

His father and mother were among them, wearing smiles they never showed when worrying about him. They embraced their son tightly.

“Son, you’ve done well all these years! We’re proud of you!”

“Y-Yes?” Only this could Ash respond.

But…what exactly have I done that’s worth being proud of?

“Welcome back!”