Chapter 67

Extra Case File 67 – The Only Thing That Cannot Be Said Is

, Ai.

“Do you like me?”

Wild Flower asked again.

“……”

Ash couldn’t give an answer.

Ash couldn’t give this answer’s answer.

I’m dull in this aspect because I’m not interested in these things, but I’m not stupid either.

He was unwilling to admit what he must now acknowledge: he had indeed fallen for “Wild Flower,” whom he thought was just an ordinary person.

Liking someone, loving someone means if they give you equal love and life, you must bear the equivalent weight of “responsibility.”

So he could freely say delusional “declarations” to Cure Yell.

But no matter what, he can’t make any casual promises to Wild Flower.

That’s why he rejected her confession at that time.

Because…

System, can I remain in this world?

A virtual projection panel appeared before Ash, the rectangular, soulless generated text lacking even the most basic human touch.

[You know what you’re doing.]

System, can I stay in this world until Wild Flower dies of old age, and then start over?

[Do you know what you’re doing?]

“Yes,”

I can feel it.

She pursues peace.

She yearns for happiness.

But I can’t fulfill her wishes.

If what she seeks lies far beyond.

In the end, Ash didn’t give his answer.

After silence leaning back to back for a long time, Ash finally heard Wild Flower’s voice change to somber and despondent again.

“Ash, I can’t transform anymore….”

“Don’t worry about it anymore.”

“You should go… ” her voice gradually thickened with sniffles. “The Cure Yell you’re looking for doesn’t exist anywhere…”

“The one I seek is you, the one talking to me.” Ash sighed deeply.

You fool.

Honestly, being able to produce such a gentle, deep voice is something Ash couldn’t believe he could do.

Comforting people, he really—

“Wild Flower can’t meet your expectations…and isn’t qualified to carry your feelings…”

“Fool!” Hearing her stubbornness, Ash finally raised his voice. “What has qualification got to do with it! If so, who was the silly girl always running to me? Who was the eldest daughter belonging to this house’s couple? And who was the sister making Wild Bird cry and worry!”

“That, that was…”

“Hua, isn’t that what you think!” Ash’s tone softened with impatience, revealing a sincerity rarer than gentleness. “You think you’ve disgraced the very existence of the Precure by going out of control and insulting them. You nearly killed your friends and almost made a grave mistake, and ultimately did the wrong thing—falling in love with the wrong person!”

“I know you must have found it hard to hold on, after years of pain bursting forth! But let me tell you, who hasn’t made mistakes? I’ve seen so many heroes; there’s none who haven’t erred or failed! I dare say in similar situations, they might not have done as well as you!”

Despite hearing such encouraging words, Hua trembled more deeply, burying herself even deeper into her knees.

Ash… thank you, thank you for being stronger than me, for coming to comfort me—but!

At my limit, now, I can’t be as strong as you even if I try.

“Are you seeking my answer? Then I’ll tell you, I don’t care! Don’t worry about what others say, just be yourself—”

“But I do care—”

Standing at the doorway, Wild Flower’s voice, filled with tears almost screaming, interrupted Ash’s speech. She continued crying as her fragmented words reached Ash, increasingly bewildered.

“I care about the Precure, I care about Saya, I care about everyone—I never fell in love with the wrong person!”

“Hua…?”

“Just, just I no longer have the qualifications, just can’t love anyone anymore!”

“Goodbye, Ash.”

“Hua—!”

Hearing the rustling sound from behind the door, Ash hastily stood up feeling bad omens.

Alright, since I can’t break through the door, I’ll just break down the wall!

“Please, don’t come looking for me anymore.”

The upstairs conversation came to an abrupt halt. Wild Bird and Wild Flower’s parents heard a loud explosion and the sound of glass breaking and objects landing outside in the garden, followed by.

“Move—!”

Just moments ago, Ash was having a heart-to-heart talk with Hua upstairs. Now he was charging down the stairs at breakneck speed, the recovering body giving off ominous noises under intense physical exertion, but he ignored them.

With the dust settled, the Wilds were left staring at Ash’s distinctly green-skinned wind-powered wheelchair.

“What happened?”

Ignoring the Wilds’ worries about the wheelchair, Ash focused solely on chasing Wild Flower, who was running rapidly ahead.

Saying she couldn’t transform, this—

“Stop, Hua! Don’t run away!”

Regardless of whether the pressure around him could convey his words, Ash tried to stop the woman running blindly ahead at maximum volume.

Wild Flower’s steps showed no sign of restraint at Ash’s words. Instead, she drained her last remaining reserves of energy and stamina within her body.

The chains rattled and the prison decayed further due to material diverted for repairs, worsening conditions.

It mocked.

Ahead, Wild Flower continued sprinting, her oxygen-starved lungs and painful legs failing to slow her pace. Behind, chasing her, Ash felt his ankle bones cracking.

The marathon, fueled by heartbreak and lost words, continued in a cruel manner, stretching its duration, and any conscientious Olympian official would have angrily intervened, scolding them harshly and sending them to the hospital. Yet here, only bewildered wanderers and a nascent urban legend were present.

Unsure how long they ran, until the cityscape disappeared from their view, the desperate chase finally ended.

Wild Flower had run her limit. Her fragile reserves of “energy of tomorrow” had been exhausted; her bleak heart could not generate new energies.

Her tormented lungs and tired muscles cried out in protest, refusing to support her.

Wild Flower coughed weakly, nearly choking with blood, her eyes hollow.

It was over. The possibility of fleeing was gone. Without immediate medical aid, her abused body could lose the capability to continue living, yet—

That which supported her until now had subtly transformed into something other than “the energy of tomorrow.”

Wild Flower’s body froze momentarily, then slowly began to crumple as though in slow motion.