Endless Silver Machine

Aika was forced to spend the two days of winter vacation before the start of school by Professor Cocona in her laboratory.

——Anyway, first make up for me the homework you missed during these two happy months! As soon as the news was broadcast, Xiaoyin got the permission to use the Holy See's aviation magic ship for some unknown reason. If I hadn't been looking for people to hold her down, the war between the two countries might have started long ago. Although the person Xiaoyin is really worried about is Xiaoxi, it is still your fault!

In this way, Aika was under house arrest in Professor Cocona's laboratory for the past two days. While reviewing her homework, she was also responsible for her daily life, including cleaning the messy room and eating three meals a day, becoming a became a househusband. Professor Cocona's normal life is irregular, and her lifeline is maintained with nutritional drinks and various junk foods, so she always looks like she has not grown up. Now it has become fried rice for three meals a day, and she seems to be very satisfied.

After hearing about his fate in the next two days from Aika, Luoluo and the others had no intention of helping to intercede. So this fact was decided helplessly.

"I remember, you will be a second grader after school starts, right?"

On the last night, Cocona asked Aika.

"Yes. But to be honest, even though we have been promoted to second grade, we have only studied in Shimozuki Academy for about half a year. The students around us have half a year more experience than us, and there are still some who are not worthy of their name. It feels like it.”

"What are you talking about? You are much better than most of the students here." Professor Cocona, who was playing with complex machines in front of the operating table, stopped what he was doing and raised his head to look at Aika, "Shoyue Academy A garden is like a greenhouse. If the flowers growing in the greenhouse are suddenly transplanted to the wind and rain outside, what will happen?"

"Probably... it will wither..."

This metaphor suddenly reminded Aika of Wei Xi.

"So starting from the third grade, students will have opportunities to get in touch with the outside world. You have already accumulated enough experience in the first grade."

"is that so……"

"Have a little more confidence, otherwise we will be too embarrassed." She shook the wrench she picked up casually, and the heavy iron block spun around in mid-air and returned to her hand, "You are the one who made that Xiaoyin I have been bedridden for more than a month. If this fact is made public, it will be ranked among the top three topics in the empire."

"Was she so seriously injured at that time?"

After Aika woke up, Liuyin had been picked up by Arcas dressed as a butler. Uncle Geli said that she just consumed too much magic power. When they met her in front of the mansion gate, except that Wei Xi jumped on her and she said it hurt, there was nothing special worth noting.

For a girl to have to lie in bed for more than a month, a feeling of guilt suddenly filled Aika's heart.

"By the way, are you sure you will choose the Magic Mechanical Department?"

"You mean the specialization subjects in second grade?"

"Yes, you should think about it now, right? After school starts, there won't be much time left for you to think about it."

After choosing a specialization subject, the location of the teaching will also change accordingly. Although there will be no nominal reclassification, physical distance will still be maintained. There are also many people who choose the same subject in order to take classes with their friends. In the end, they are unable to graduate because the subject is not suitable for them. This situation has not never happened.

"After all, that's why I'm here now." Aika said as he placed the drawings that had just been declared invalid in the pile of paper on the right, "Besides, I have already learned from you. There are many things, and I have used this knowledge to help Senior Sister Lilith, help Wei Xi, and also help Lan Ming, Xia Luo and those passengers... If possible, I still want to continue learning."

"Well..." Professor Cocona kept turning the wrench in her hand, and laughed as if she suddenly thought of something, "If you officially become my student, Xiao Xi will definitely come here often, and then... "

"Wei Xi will definitely choose the barrier department, so Professor Cocona, you don't have to think so much."

"That's not necessarily true. Xiao Xi can already become a tutor in the barrier subject. There is no need to waste time learning those simple things. Moreover, Xiao Xi will definitely take classes with familiar people, but as long as she accepts With the invitation to become a professor, you don’t have to go to class anymore. I really don’t know why Xiaoyin keeps rejecting such generous offers on her behalf.”

What Professor Cocona couldn't understand, Aika had already gotten the answer from Liuyin.

"Everyone has their own ideas. Maybe Wei Xi also has other things she wants to do. Liu Yin just said it on her behalf."

"You seem to know them both very well..." Professor Cocona suddenly climbed onto the table, held the table with both hands, and came close to Aika like a kitten, "Let's not talk about Xiao Xi, when did you and I How did Xiaoyin become so close?"

"We can't even call ourselves a close relationship."

There was a sweet scent coming from Cocona that was completely incompatible with the cold metal.

Aika originally wanted to use a reason acceptable to Professor Cocona to help conceal the twisted relationship between Wei Xi and Liu Yin, but unexpectedly it aroused her interest in another aspect.

"Because we met by chance when we were in the Imperial Capital."

"There can't be such a simple reason, right? She turns out to be your enemy!"

Professor Cocona moved closer to Aika, and the eyes she met with him were full of suspicion.

"The reason why she wanted to take Wei Xi away was for her own sake. And you may have misunderstood. We and Liuyin were not enemies from the beginning. To be more precise, we should have the same relationship as competitors."

"Whoever wins can take Xiao Xi away, like this?"

"Well, that's probably true. But there's something wrong with treating Wei Xi as a prize..."

"Well...it turns out that's how it is." Professor Cocona seemed to accept this statement, straightened her leaning body, and jumped down from his side, "If it's Xiaoyin, this approach is indeed useful. What about her style? Well, when she came to ask me so seriously, I have been struggling with this issue."

"By the way, have Luoluo and Ling thought about it too?"

"I haven't asked them about this, but if it were them, they should have already made some plans."

"That's it..."

Professor Cocona seemed to have lost interest and did not ask any more questions.

"Cocona," because it was her request, Aika called her directly by her name, "Are the weapons constructed from the 'Fire Eyes' essentially magic?"

"From the perspective of 'making something out of nothing', that's probably the case."

"Then what is the basis for determining the magic power reserves required to build weapons?"

"It's hard to explain clearly." Cocona put her hands on her hips and thought for a moment, "It should have a lot to do with the size and complexity of the structure. The most important core part of the magic machine is the molecular power furnace."

She pointed to the heater placed by the wall.

"There are many types of molecular power furnaces. That furnace cannot be compared with the molecular power furnace of the Magic Navigation Ship in terms of scale. The Aviation Magic Ship is not only equipped with molecular power furnaces for driving, but also Different models are used for artillery, defense or navigation. But even when you leave, it is useless to briefly mention it to you, so I won’t go into detail."

"I never thought about the principles of molecular power furnaces when I was building weapons. I just knew that this place needed such a thing, so I could use it. But other than that, I have to understand everything thoroughly. I have always been puzzled by this. That’s why.”

"Magic equipment, after all, is a type of magic machine, so it should also have its own molecular power furnace. I have not studied magic equipment in depth. In the Bis Empire, there should be very few people who study magic equipment. After all, It’s not something everyone can hold, and without the corresponding bloodline, there’s no way to activate it.”

Professor Cocona spread her hands.

"And I heard Xiaoyin say that at that time, you could already use magic equipment to change the existence form of magic power without any theoretical basis. So I think this should be the molecular power furnace unique to magic equipment. It works."

"But how did that problem arise?"

Professor Cocona knew what Aika was referring to. In the past six months, Aika has used his spare time to complete two design drawings, which are a huge mobile six-unit and a holdable Vulcan cannon unit. Ninety percent of these two design drawings were completed independently by Professor Cocona. In the process, Aika only memorized the relevant theoretical knowledge and came into contact with the basics of magic mechanics. There was no place to test the completed weapon, but there seemed to be a voice in Aika's heart telling him that the 'Fire Eyes' would definitely be able to construct the same weapon as the design drawing. Without any reason, Aika trusted that unknown voice from the bottom of her heart.

But when using it in front of finless fish and cave-dwelling beetles, a problem arises. That is, magic power can only flow out in the form of a torrent, and no matter how hard Aika tries, he can no longer adjust the existence form of magic power. After raising this question to Professor Cocona, she could not figure out the reason. Therefore, under the suggestion of Professor Cocona, Aika tried to use the ability of "mechanical alchemy" to make physical metal bullets as a temporary solution.

"By the way, I just thought of a possibility." Professor Cocona suddenly tapped the palm of her hand with her small fist. "Could it be because of overload of magic power?"

"Magic overload?"

"Well, no matter how powerful the molecular power furnace is, if there is not enough magic power to supplement it, it can only barely perform its basic performance. The magic power stored inside the magic equipment is very huge. I have heard this saying. But Other than that, there is no more detailed explanation. How does magic equipment restore the consumed magic power? How long does it take to restore it to full value from scratch? And what kind of magic machinery does it need to consume? There is no specific data on how much magic power there is. Without clear data, nothing can be calculated."

Professor Cocona analyzed a series of remarks from a professional perspective. To be honest, Aika only understood about 20% of them.

"Does it mean that the magic power is consumed too much?"

"This is just my guess, but if calculated according to this assumption, there will be contradictions... Aika, what is your magic value?"

"What is the magic value?"

"Didn't everyone take the test when enrolling... By the way, you only enrolled in the second semester, so you missed it..."

Professor Cocona, who was immersed in theoretical analysis, completely started talking to herself, and Aika had to pay attention to the key points hidden in her random thoughts.

"Even the Chise family, who used 'mechanical alchemy' in the 'cross-border war', based on credible historical records, it is not a problem to build a fort of that level in one day, although the records of heroes are somewhat limited. There is some beautification, but the gap is not that big...Ahhhh! There are contradictions everywhere!"

Professor Cocona, who was finally dragged into the chaos by the mixed data, held her head and kicked the floor hard.

"After school starts and the new students' magic values ​​are measured, I'll ask Principal Phyllis to measure the magic values ​​of all of you. This way you will have a good idea."

"Is everyone's magic value fixed?"

"Well, of course there will be some errors. Things like mood, health, or other external interference will interfere with the actual magic power that can be used. Although this situation exists, the magic value is determined at birth. As for what has already been decided, Principal Phyllis probably finds it troublesome, so she only stipulates that it be measured once when she enters school."

"Has it been decided when you were born..."

Looking at his palm, Aika fell silent.

If he didn't have the "Fire Eyes" as his trump card, he wouldn't be able to get to where he is today.

Thinking about it from another aspect, if there were no "Fire Eyes" and no relationship with the magic equipment, there would not be so many confusing events during the journey. He only needs to take the travel expenses given by his parents, and when he lives in a small town along the way, he can find a store and work odd jobs there, so that he and Luo Luo can have enough food, clothing, housing and transportation, and then arrive at Shuoyue Academy without incident.

Of course, this is just a nonsense assumption, and such an assumption has no future. Luoluo's magic power may have barely reached the standard, but Aika's pitifully low magic power reserves can't even step into the threshold of Frost Moon Academy. After that, Aika couldn't imagine how the two helpless people should live.

"pain!"

When the annoyance in his chest spread rapidly, a sudden heavy blow on Aika's head completely knocked away the haze.

"Fool, if you have time to waste time here thinking about useless things, you might as well draw more drawings!"

Professor Cocona waved the heavy wrench and stared at Aika with an awesome look. Although Aika sometimes forgets her actual age because of her appearance, Professor Cocona is only one year younger than him, and she is also a knight of the Holy See like Liuyin, so her mental age is much more mature than him.

"Now you can only do such simple things. If you can't even do this kind of thing well, just drown yourself with your beautiful fantasy."

She picked up a thick stack of drawings and threw them in front of Aika. That was a design that was declared invalid before the end of today. In other words, Aika has achieved nothing today.

"do you understand?"

Her words of hidden anger left no room for denial.

Aika's mediocre day came to an end with these words.

…………