Endless Silver Machine

After Aika walked into the familiar studio, she realized that the books she brought were still on the table on the first floor.

Professor Cocona shouldn't be able to come here right now, Aika speculated based on the bathing time of the girls at home.

He turned around and left the room before he could sit down when he entered the studio.

Aika has now discovered that he is not yet able to manipulate "mechanical alchemy" as skillfully as Ling uses the Light Flame Sword. This was already evident when he faced off against the Light Flame Sword.

There are too few attack methods to choose from. This is not the disadvantage of "Mechanical Alchemy", but because I am new to magic mechanics and cannot use its full capabilities.

Even if there is only one weapon, it cannot be an excuse for being weak. Most magicians only have one weapon. Having the ability to cheat like "mechanical alchemy" is already a luxury.

The problem lies with himself. If he rigidly applies the design drawings of magic machines, there must be limits.

After getting the book back later, let's study whether the magic machines have anything in common that connects them together! If you can construct a rough internal structure of a weapon in your mind based on theory, you should also be able to use "mechanical alchemy" to create it.

Aika walked down the stairs.

"ah……"

The naked Professor Cocona stood there stunned.

"Why, why don't you wear clothes?"

Professor Cocona said she was changing clothes, but in fact she just took off the clothes she was originally wearing.

"Didn't you just go in?"

"I forgot to get something."

"Woo..."

The naked Professor Cocona seemed to be busy condemning Aika, but she forgot that the longer the argument lasted, the more places Aika saw her.

In fact, Aika had already looked away from her. He had avoided her since the first time he saw her.

"If you're taking a shower... shouldn't you take off your clothes in there..."

Aika could only shirk responsibility on such occasions, as he remembered them doing at home.

"This is my home! What I want to do has nothing to do with you!"

Professor Cocona suppressed her shame and looked like she was about to cry, but Aika, who was not looking in her direction, didn't know yet.

Obviously entering the bathroom right now is the fastest way to resolve this stalemate, but Professor Cocona didn't realize it in her panic. She could only vent all her feelings of shame and anger on Aika.

"Sorry, I won't look at you. Please go to the bathroom right away!"

"No, you don't need to say it!"

After being reminded by Aika, Professor Cocona covered her chest with anger and ran quickly from the stairs into the bathroom around the corner.

It wasn't until the bathroom door slammed loudly that Aika turned her eyes away.

I was careless... Although I knew that this might happen if it was Professor Cocona, it was the result of relying too much on the experience I had accumulated at home.

When he walked to the sofa, his books were still placed where he remembered them. This was his original purpose. Even with this explanation, it would be difficult to calm Professor Cocona's anger...

But to his surprise, after Professor Cocona came out of the bathroom, she did not continue to condemn Aika or even talk about the incident.

It's just that the tasks she assigned to Aika took twice as long, and she was allowed to go home only after they were completed.

Aika couldn't complain about this, at least it was much easier to complete the assigned tasks silently than to complain about her own mistakes.

…………

Aika was not particularly surprised that Lolo would be waiting on the bench in front of the research room.

When he knew that he could not escape Professor Cocona's punishment, he told Luoluo that he would go back later today.

There had been a time before when Luoluo was waiting here, but at that time they still maintained a false relationship.

"Didn't I ask you to go back first?"

This time, having abandoned the baggage that had accumulated in her heart for a long time, Aika could finally accept her care for herself frankly.

Hearing Aika's voice, Luoluo put down the PDA in his hand and stood up from the bench while holding on to his skirt.

"It's Sister Ling and Xiao Xi tonight, they won't let me help if they stay at home."

Aika, who was only responsible for eating, didn't know how the three people who took turns cooking divided the work.

The two began to walk side by side along the school path toward home.

The sky was getting dark, and the street lights on both sides of the path flickered on one after another.

"What about the 'Moonlight Bath' job?"

"The seniors said it will start again next week, and the third-year seniors are leaving soon."

"Speaking of which, after entering third grade, everyone started to get busy..."

Although the first and second grade courses at Shimozuki Academy are very different, they are all conducted in the academy.

After entering the third grade, most courses are held in different countries and regions outside the academy. This is to enable students to apply the knowledge they have learned to practice before graduation.

The neutral position of Shuoyue Academy allows its ungraduated students to receive education and practice from all over the continent, but there is no such treatment after graduation.

"Is this the same for my brother's job?"

"I haven't started my shift in the big library yet, it should start next week as well."

"...Have you contacted Senior Sister Lilith?"

If it were in the past, Luo Luo could easily ask this kind of question. But after exposing her feelings to Aika, she thought that this kind of question would have a different meaning when asked from her own mouth.

"Not yet. Senior Tiruya should have told her about our return. If she didn't come to see us, she should be relieved."

But Aika didn't seem to feel the same way as Luo Luo, and he told Luo Luo straightforwardly what she wanted to know.

It's just that I have too much self-awareness... Luoluo thought, I really hate myself for having such thoughts...

"It's not like that, brother." Because he hated himself like this, Luoluo said something that his "hating self" wouldn't say, "Senior Lilith must be waiting for your contact, it must be like this. "

Although this was tantamount to voluntarily giving up, only by doing so did Luoluo's guilt lessen slightly.

"Yeah?"

"……Um."

Aika looked at Luoluo who reminded him in confusion. He didn't understand the difference in the order of contact. But now that Luo Luo said so, Aika felt that Luo Luo was definitely right.

"I'll find a time to send Senior Lilith a text message that evening."

"……Um."

Professor Cocona's research room is far away from the administrator's cabin. It would take about half an hour to walk there at normal speed, but the two of them still slowed down intentionally or unintentionally.

"I wonder what Ling has in mind."

Aika suddenly mentioned another thing on her mind.

"Brother, are you referring to what Senior Tiruya said?"

"Um."

The leader of the "Discipline Team" is in the same position as the student council president. It is suddenly announced that he will inherit the position of his senior. No matter how hard he thinks, he can't accept it all at once.

"Should Sister Ling ask Qiu Ke about this kind of thing?"

"Qiu Ke?" Aika took a moment to catch up with Luoluo's thoughts, "Oh, that's right! I remember Senior Sister Lilith said that Qiu Ke also had such a period before taking over the position of student council president."

Qiu Ke chose to hide at home at that time, but Ling had no place to hide, so he couldn't calm down and think about the problem.

"I just want to know what Ling is worried about."

"What would you do if it were my brother?"

"If it were me..." Aika simulated that scenario in his mind, "I should accept it, I think..."

"That's because my brother has never experienced this kind of thing personally..."

Luoluo sighed, she seemed not very satisfied with Aika's answer.

"That's what I'm saying... If you don't have personal experience, you won't consider so many deep-seated issues. If you just imagine the scene, you don't have to make a decision, then you can accept any request."

That's a bit of a generalization, but it's the only way Aika could find it. The imaginary scenario is just the most ideal result.

What's more, the target is still the "Feng Ji Group" with which he has no connection at all. Because he has not established a new connection with Ling like Ling, he cannot feel Ling's mood.

"Brother, I think I can understand what Sister Ling is worried about now."

"...Because you have also had such an experience."

Thinking back to the festival that became the opportunity for "change".

"When I was elected by my classmates to be the organizing committee member of the 'Moon Flower Festival', I was very uneasy. I was worried that I couldn't do it, would fail, and let down everyone's expectations...and so on. I also felt that I didn't have the ability to stand up. From the standpoint of commanding everyone. I think Sister Ling may also be considering such a thing."

"Actually, after you say these words to Ling, it should have an effect."

"No, it won't happen! Sister Ling is different from me. She has enough strength, and she also has many supportive people in the 'Discipline Group'..."

"Isn't it the same for you?" Aika listened to Luoluo's self-deprecating words and interrupted her with a wry smile. "In the end, you succeeded. If it is like you said, with insufficient ability and no one to support, then You can’t get such a result.”

"that is……"

Luoluo was speechless and felt very ashamed.

When he was underground, he had promised Aika that he would never say such "modest" words to trouble him again, but now he could only rely on his comfort.

"Almost there."

"ah……"

Luoluo raised his head, and the lights of the administrator's cabin could be seen in the distance, and the plants and trees around him became familiar.

Under the moonlight, the thick tree in the courtyard of the administrator's cabin extended its branches, and new green covered the branches in the short time since everyone left.

It is said that this is a cherry blossom tree. When I moved into the caretaker's cabin last year, it happened to be out of flowering season, but this year I'm sure you can see pink petals flying in the garden.

Soon after, it will be a new flowering period, and the cycle repeats.

The petals will not accumulate on the ground, they will blend into the soil and become new petals next year. The passing time is like these petals, which will not accumulate and melt into people's hearts.