"Th-That's not—!" Snow White wanted to refute Ash-sensei's teasing with a loud protest, but lying on his lap, the voice that came out was far too soft. "It's not like that..."
As a literal "little princess" who had been pampered by her parents since childhood, even her fantasies about the opposite sex had been limited to things like Prince Charming from stage plays. And now, she was being treated so gently by a morally ambiguous "Demon King" like Ash—even given a lap pillow...
The blush spreading across this fair-skinned, beautiful princess's delicate face was enough to show exactly what she was thinking.
"I've been doing all the talking." Before the girl could say anything else, Ash abruptly changed the subject and caught her off guard. "Can you tell me what you're thinking?"
After all, I said I'd help you grow stronger. I should hear what you want so I can adjust things and teach according to your needs.
"Me..."
Resting on the man's lap and recovering her strength, the girl quietly began to think. Feeling the firmness beneath the back of her head, her chest rose and fell. Once again, that inexplicable grievance blurred her vision with tears. Yet compared with the way she used to cry and throw a fit after failing, she wanted desperately to hold those tears back in front of Ash.
Why? This Snow White, who had to become stronger until she barely recognized herself, had changed because of him... And Pretty Cure weren't allowed to fall in love, in order to avoid unnecessary complications.
He should have been exactly the sort of person someone like me would hate. So why couldn't I hate him at all...? Why did I instead want to throw myself into his arms and cry my heart out?
Why...? Was it