NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 569
Eighty-First Throw Away
Facing Ash’s subtle gaze that was smiling but saying nothing, Naoko felt extremely uncomfortable, not knowing whether to run away or leave. After emitting an anxious creaking sound from her chair, unable to bear it any longer, she slammed the table and stood up.
“What? I am smiling.”
What is this? Looking at me with such a teacher praising student’s eyes… But you’re not my teacher, it’s too uncomfortable!
“But no one smiles while squinting! You always seem to be planning something bad!”
“No, that’s just a stereotype.” Ash’s smile disappeared in less than a second, turning into a cold, stereotypical expression that made Naoko freeze momentarily, wondering if she had truly misread him. “Based on what you just said, I can accuse you of defaming me, Miss Overly Suspicious Green River.”
“And who’s fault is it that I’m overly suspicious?”
Even though I am trying not to always assume the worst about others, Ash’s sudden change in attitude still makes me feel uncomfortable, yet I don’t know how to express it. Thus, I have no choice but to communicate with him in such a strange way.
“Oh! Speaking of which, if everyone can be affected by it and then their liking for me declines — why are you still unaffected?”
Could it be that he possesses some immunity to the influence? If so, maybe…
“No, I think I would also be affected. After all, I haven’t gone insane, and there are certain rules where these abilities have their limits.” Just as Naoko was excited by her discovery, Ash’s head shake and his resigned shrug shattered her hopes.
“If you ask me why, 1 minus 1 is 0, and even a 0 remains 0 after a reversal.”
“That’s too harsh!”
Although the result is beneficial, Green River Naoko was almost startled by its bluntness, nearly biting her tongue. The goodwill that had risen due to companionship and ice cream was about to fall again.
Earlier when we were playing football, everyone was so happy… Yet, I’m just a difference between 0 and 1 to you?
“You excel just as much in annoying people as in making them dislike you!”
Feeling especially sullen today, Naoko eventually told Ash this unflattering compliment, and he accepted it calmly.
“Needless to say, such results are only natural for someone of my genius.”
Being able to be disliked is indeed a secret passed down as a prerequisite for being a qualified villain. As they say, the parts opponents wish to criticize actually praise the same aspect; I of course know how capable I am.
“It’s not a compliment…”
Seeing Naoko engage in banter with Ash, who was smiling wryly, yet without irritation, and seeing Sugars licking her face covered in ice cream cream, she tilted her head in confusion.
“Huh?”
Though they were saying harsh things, they didn’t seem to harbor hatred. What are they doing? Are they enemies or friends?
Such a peculiar relationship, Sugar couldn’t understand.
“Ding-dong~!”
The crisp doorbell rang out, and Naoko, lying on the table with pursed lips, perked up her ears. Ash also put down the photo of the girls together, and both large and small figures turned their heads toward the door simultaneously, followed closely by the little elf.
Without a doubt, someone had pressed the doorbell. Besides Ash, only the Fairytale Kingdom’s fairy and the Pretty Cure members could find this place. So, who was outside…
“Everyone!” Nao’s joy was apparent. “Sure enough, everyone has come back!”
“No.” Without changing expression, Ash put his hands together and doused Nao’s enthusiasm. “Wrong. If this was my place, would I need to ring the doorbell?”
“Ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong—” As he spoke, the doorbell flashed red like Ultraman, continuously ringing.
No matter how much Ash looked, he couldn’t see the friendliness Nao talked about.
“It’s fine!”
Excited, Nao hurried to the door, brushing past the chair leg without a care.
“They must feel guilty about going overboard!”
Certainly, because they are kind children!
Ash reached out his hand, but a green wind swept past him from his nose, and he found himself grabbing nothing.
“Welcome home!”
Nao opened the door and smiled warmly at her friends waiting outside.
But then she was mercilessly shoved aside. Her joy remained on her face, but her open mouth watched as four people walked in silently.
“Pardon us.”
“We came to get our stuff.”
“Hold on—” Nao hurried to block the other four girls. “Why take everything? When we were looking for our secret base, wasn’t it agreed that we’d turn it into ours together and spend joyful times in the magical library?”
I was running around helping everyone bring their treasures here at the time!
“Miss Green River,” Representative Rihua stepped back and performed an impeccable greeting with the group. “I think it unnecessary for us to stay together all the time, thus deciding to take back our belongings.”
However, this rigid etiquette without a single flaw cut deeply into the cold heart of Nao.
“Furthermore, a secret base is meaningless for us, who have already graduated from elementary school. That’s that.”
“No, that’s your opinion— Rihua!”
Panicked, Nao could barely stop Rihua, who was like a poor defender on a soccer field, frantically watching as the “players” arbitrarily twisted past her, only to helplessly watch as the other girls confidently took their items from the cottage.
Hey, that’s Yayoi’s manga! Even though it’s usually unpopular among girls, everyone was happy when they read it together!
Akane! Why take all the snacks too? Didn’t everyone enjoy eating here every weekend?
Those pretty decorations and the calligraphy hanging in the middle of the room—no, those are proof of our time together!
“Ah, Sugars!” Miyuki scooped up the bewildered Sugars. “Why are you here? Let’s go home?”
“Hold on, why leave? We should have fun together here!”
“What are you saying?” The frightened Sugars saw Miyuki’s adorable smile as unfamiliar, her face showing her fear of clowns before. “There’s no reason to come here anymore, so go home.”
N-no—
Sitting silently and watching Green-Haired Girl kneeling on the ground amidst the bustling crowd, Ash clasped his hands under his chin, remaining silent.
“What’s this?”
One of the girls picked up a photo from the table on impulse; it was a picture of her and Nao from the Unimaginable Library, and behind it, everyone’s signatures were present.
Oh, I don’t remember this one.
“Throw it away~”
The photo casually thrown out drifted slowly towards the garbage can.